hereafter they may haue the greater rewards in the life to come Doe thou desire rather to be afflicted in this world for thy sinnes then after thy death to be separated from Christ with euerlasting punishment The third Meditation of the great perplexitie of Christ in the Garden Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And he began to feare to waxe weary to be sorrowfull and to be sad BEcause that sinnes are first committed in heart before they be done in worke Christ would suffer the sorrowes of heart before the paines of body that thou maist know that he was grieuously afflicted not onely in body but also in minde and there are foure principall kindes of sorrowes assigned by the Euangelists which Christ admitted of his owne will in the Garden and retayned them euen till his death The first was a certaine terror and feare of the most grieuous paines now at hand and also of a most terrible death which nature alwaies abhorreth beyond measure also of the sinnes of all man-kinde which he tooke vpon him in the Garden and cloathed himselfe therewith as with a garment weaued of all kinde of filthinesse with which in the person of all sinners he must suffer the seuerity of God The second griefe was loathsomnesse being weary of all things in this life seing himselfe forsaken not onely of all men but also of his heauenly Father The third was sorrowfulnesse first for the grieuous sins which the Iewes should commit in his death and also for the small number of them which should be pertakers of this his so great affliction and likewise for the vnfaithfulnesse of thee and of other Christians who by their blasphemous words and grieuous sinnes should shed and defile the most precious bloud which he was now ready to offer for them The fourth was sadnesse that is a grieuous trouble or anxiety of minde when he sawe there was no meanes for him to escape For of the one side the commaundement of his Father and the great loue of man-kinde encouraged and pricked him forward and on the other side nature feared and repugned These foure affections Christ tooke vpon him that he might prepare a medicine for sinners who are troubled with the like passions For they which are not content with any estate liue in continuall wearinesse and loathsomnesse they which are alwaies pricked in conscience liue in perpetual sorrow and they which are troubled with the remēbrance of death liue in continuall feare and they passe their life in sadnesse and doubtfulnes which know that their sinnes shall be examined by the strict iudgment of Christ which happenneth chiefely at the houre of death when Christ our Iudge standeth at our doores Doe thou pray vnto our Lord that those his afflictions may bring vnto thee fortitude ioy alacrity and security Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And he said vnto them my soule is sorrowfull euen vnto death LEt vs weigh euery word wisely for he doth not say my soule is fearefull or I am weary of life or my soule is doubtfull least he should seeme to goe to his passion rather against his will then willingly but he saith it is sorrowfull not onely for the sundry causes of sorrowe but that therby he might shew that he was very man that suffered my soule he doth not say I am sorrowfull because his wil reioyced and was desirous to dye but my soule that is my nature which neuer moued his will Againe my soule that is griefe hath inwardly entered into my soule least perhappes you might thinke through the continuall contemplation of his diuine nature that he felt no griefe in his soule Euen vnto death that is either because that sorrowe continued vntill his death and no longer or else because it was so vehement that mans nature could endure no more without perill of death Pray vnto our Lord that this his sorrowe may bring life vnto thy soule Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Stay yee heere and watch with me and he was drawne away from them and he went as farre as the cast of a stone COnsider first what euery one must doe in his troubles to wit he must stay that is expect patiently and hee must watch that is he must be carefull that no euill happen vnto him for to an vnquiet troubled man many vicious and euil things are suggested Consider secondly how vnwillingly Christ left his disciples For this worde drawne away discribeth a violent pulling and going hee went not farre but as farre as the cast of a stone like as mothers are wont to goe a little way from their young children when they teach them to goe so as they may catch them againe when they are ready to fall All these thinges declare the loue of Christ his greeuous inward sorrowes by which hee was moued to pray vnto his Father that he might haue some comfort from him Bee thou moued with the sorrowes of Christ thy Lord who was forsaken of all men because he loueth nothing better then to bee with thee apply all thy endeauours that he may alwaies remaine with thee The fourth Meditation of the first prayer of Christ And kneeling downe hee fell on his face vpon the ground and prayed Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. if it might bee that that houre might passe from him Saying O my Father if it may bee let this cup passe from me but yet not as I will but as thou wilt COnsider first the ceremony which Christ vsed in this praier For he kneeled downe on the ground as one guilty of death for thy sinnes hee fell down vpon the earth prostrating himselfe to be sacrificed for thy saluation representing whose person hee had now taken vpon him the most abiect estate of sinners who as they are vnworthy to looke vp to Heauen so lying vpon the earth with the weight of their sinnes they are worthy to bee troden trampled vpon by all men Consider secondly his wonderfull affection in this prayer and the force of euery worde My Father that is I am thy Son that must suffer most bitter paines for most vilde men O father wilt thou not spare me thy only begotten Sonne If it may bee hee vnderstandeth that sauing Gods iustice there was no other meanes left for the redeeming of man-kinde but onely by the death of the sonne of God Consider heer in thy minde the loue of God who spared not his own Son that he might spare thee Let passe from me This prayer was to escape so cruell a kinde of death Yet in these wordes there lyeth hidden some secret meaning as if hee should say I would not that this affliction should remaine in mee but that the fruit thereof may passe vnto all Christians I will drinke and they shall bee satisfied This cup he calleth his passiō a cup as that which containeth the cause of all our ioy And eeuen as those torments made Christ as it were drūken with the greatnes of his loue so all iust
bouÌ„d by Christ the Conquerour with most straite chaynes carryed into Hell to bee condemned to eternall prison Consider 3. the glorious company of Angels which did not so much carry as followe the soule of Christ descending vnto Hell Consider 4. that by Christ his comming to Hell those fearfull darke places were indued with a new light that the holy Fathers came flying to meet him and to giue him thankes for themselues and for their vngratefull children that theÌ„ they were all clothed in a new garment and admitted to beholde the diuine nature and that Hell was filled with blessed soules before Heauen the seate of the blessed Consider fiftly what thy Lord did heere these three dayes Hee beganne to exercise the power which hee receiued from his Father both in Heauen and Earth in the lowest part of the world First hee inflicted worthy punishment vpon the Deuill with the rest of his enemies whome hee had ouercome with great wisdome power Secondly hee made new lawes to Hell and prouided that none of the Saints should euer bee carryed thither againe Thirdly hee stopped the mouth of that stinking place and shut it so close that none of that deadly sauour should breath vnto mortall men Fourthly he brought saluation promised so many yeares before to the holy Fathers 1 Pet. 3 and preached to those Spirites which were in prison That is brought tydings of peace euen vnto theÌ„ who being punished by the deluge other miseryes for their incredulitie sin were seriously coÌ„uerted before their death Pray thou our Lord that at the time of thy death hee will subdue the Deuill and bring to thee true peace and comfort The 45. Meditation of the signes in the death of Christ And behold the vaile of the Temple was slut in two peeces Mat. 27. Mat. 15. Luc. 23. euen from the top to the bottome COnsider first that when Christ sent foorth his spirit with a loude cry all creatures reioycing with their Creator for his noble victory ouer his enemy made great noyses shoutings for ioy in like manner as we vse to shewe publike ioy by discharging great gunns and ordinance of warre Consider secondly that by this noyse all thinges were opened the Tabernacle the Earth and the stones were resolued Lib. de in carnatione verbi and as St. Athanasius saith the very Mountaines were cleft in sunder 1. Because the sacke of grace being opened by so many woundes did by our Lords death poore out his guiftes most aboundantly and inuited all men to open the vessels of their hearts Looke thou therfore to thy selfe withdrawe not thy selfe out of this holy shower 2. Because all creatures shewed themselues ready to bee reuenged vpon the wicked and offered euen their bowels vnto God Consider thirdly that the vaile of the Temple was rent 1. Because by this death of our Lord all the mysteries of the olde Testament shadowed and couered so diuersly vntill this time did now at last the vaile being taken away shine most cleerly and were manifested and fulfilled by the 7. wounds of Christ of his handes feete side head and whippings of his whole body and that the Temple it selfe and all the legall Sacrifices remained prophane and destitute of all holynes and sanctity 2. Because now was opened the way into Sancta sanctorum that is the kingdome of Heauen 3. To signifie that the Temple it selfe for the Synagogue lamented the death of Christ detested the great blasphemy of the Iewes and to shew her griefe and anger cutt her vaile or garments 4. That thou remembring the death of thy spouse shouldest remooue the vaile of all excuses from thy heart and open thy inward thoughtes to our Lord without any vaile or colour hiding nothing from the Priest in confession nor couering thy sinnes with the pretence of piety For most certainly the vaile of thy body shall shortly be broken by approaching death and thy wickednesse shall bee reuealed to the whole world And the Earth was moued and the Rockâ—s were cleft a sunder Mat. 27. COnsider first that at the death of our Lord the earth was mooued and trembled 1. For the horror of so great a sinne 2. Because the Prince of the world who was wont to shake the earth with seditions and wickednes was with great violence throwne headlong into Hell 3. Because God of infinite Maiesty entred into the bowels of the earth at whose comming into the Mount Syna the mountaine it selfe as it were honoring him trembled and smoâ—ked Ex 19.20 4. Because by the death of our Lord all the earthly heartes of men were to be moued and carried out of their places vnto Christ 5. Because the new Law of the Gospell was to bee brought into the world If thou therefore when the whole Earth shaketh art nothing mooued by the death of Christ thou art more drye and colde then the earth it selfe Consider secondly the Rocks were cleft Ephe. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 1. Because Christ the corner stone who was also signified in the old rocke was now cut a sunder his soule being pulled from his body and his body beeing torne with diuers woundes 2. Because mens heartes being more hard then the very stones were to bee molified in the bloud of Christ the true Goate prefigured in the typicall Goate euen as the hardnes of an Adamant is said to bee molified and made soft by the bloud of a Goate Consider 2. that the state of sinners is fitly declared by stones For euen as the earth is colde filthy base and without the labour industry of men becoÌ„meth barren beareth nothing but weeds as a stone is likewise hard heauy troublesome so sinners polluted with diuers crimes are grieuous and troublesome to all men yea euen to themselues Pray thou our Lord to open thy heart to bring forth fountaines of teares to dissolue it into very dust that it may bee framed according to the will of God and drinke in the liquour of his diuine grace Mat. 27. And the Monuments were opened many bodyes of Saints which had slept rose and going out of the monuments after his resurrection entred into the holy Citty and appeared to many COnsider first that by this signe being the greatest of all other is signified First that Christ thy Lord opening by his death the gates of Hel did set at liberty the holy Fathers there imprisoned and brake hell-gates so as neuer any Saint hereafter should bee detained there Secondly that by the same death the stinking closets of our heartes are to bee opened that all the stinche of sinne and death may vapour out and bee dispersed Thirdly that the bodyes of the iust should rise againe liue for euer Consider secondly that though the Sepulchers were opened yet the Saints did not rise before Christ who is the first begotten of the dead for as the Apostle saith Our Lord was deliuered vp or slaine Col. 1. Rom.
eyes of mercy Secondly they tooke off his crown of thorns from his head and perhappes being tangled in his haire and sticking in the flesh ioynts of the bones they hardly plucked out the thornes entyre and taking a bason they reuerently washed off the spittings bloud and filth which stucke vnto the same Thirdly with great honour they washed according to the custome of the Iewes the holy body of our Lord and gathered together all the foulenesse as most holy and sacred reliques kept them with great care which in continuance of time waxing hard and being reduced into a bloudy substance mingled heere and there with a watery colour was sent by Baldwin King of Hierusalem from Palestina to Bruges in Flaunders by the Abbot of St. Bertins where it is kept and reuerenced most deuoutly by the Brugeans and hath been preserued by Gods help and their singular care from the fury of the Genseoms Fourthly they wrapped the body in the sheete and after the manner of the Iewes couered it ouer with spices Marke thou euery thing and conuert it to thy owne benefite Thy Lord is bound who looseth thee bounden his hands are bouÌ„d least they punish thee his feete are bound least they runne to reuenge his face is couered least he see the foulenes of thy sinnes Pray vnto him to season thee with the spices of vertues and to burie thee together with him And there was in the place where hee was crucified a Garden Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. Mat. 27. Mar. 15. and in the garden a Monument which Ioseph had cut out in a Rocke in which neuer any was yet laide Therefore for the Parasceue of the Iewes they laid Iesus because the Monument was hard by And Ioseph rowled a great stone to the mouth of the Monument and went his way COnsider first that Christ our Lord was not left without Sepulture but was buryed like vnto others First that hee might seeme to haue omitted nothing pertaining vnto men Secondly that thou being buried with him shouldest neither regard nor know those thinges which are done in the world CoÌ„sider secondly that the Prophet foretolde Isa 11. that the Sepulcher of our Lord should be glorious This Sepulcher may bee taken three wayes First for this whereof wee now speake which being cut out in the Rocke was reserued for an honorable man Which was made more glorious because two Senators being Noble men and one of them a Maister in Israell and a Doctor of the Lawe Ioan. 3 executed the office of buriall with their owne handes and because none but iust holy men touched the sacred body of Christ which with great cost they annoynted and seasoned Secondly for his Sepulcher in the Church where the true body of Christ being thought indeede liuing yet like vnto his dead body is reserued vnder the forme of dry and immoueable bread the siluer and golden vessels being as it were a Sepulcher wherein it is kept And this Sepulcher is glorious because it is reason that wee exhibite to this body that once dyed for vs as much honour and glory as lyeth in the power of man to giue Thirdly for the Sepulcher of our heartes and bodyes wherein communicating wee receiue the holy hoast 1 Cor. 12 For as often as we receiue this Heauenly bread by this very action we shew and declare the death and buryall of our Lord. Let therefore this Sepulcher bee also glorious to wit illuminated with the grace of God adorned with all vertues for All the glory of the Kinges Daughter is from within Psal 44. and our Lord by his comming addeth a greater brightnesse vnto our soule Consider thirdly with what funerall solemnity our Lord was carryed to his Sepulcher when the holy men did beare him and his Mother and the Holy women and his Disciple Iohn followed him Therefore as often as thou shalt see the holy Hoast carried in procession imagine that thou doest follow this body of Christ to buryall and remeÌ„bring his passion death coÌ„mend thy selfe and the necessities of the whole coÌ„mon wealth vnto him by the same Pray also thy Lord to giue vnto thy heart the strength and constancy of a stone or rocke and to prepare a sepulcher therin for himselfe Where hee may lye in the midday Cant. 1. and graciously suppresse the heate of thy temptations And Mary Magdalene Mary of Ioseph were sitting there against the Sepulcher Mat. 27. and the women which came with him from Galilee Mar. 15. and followed him beheld where the body of Iesus was laide Luc. 23. and returning they prepared spices and oyntments and on the Sabaoth they rested for the Commandement COnsider first the sorrowe both of the other women and also of the Mother of Christ when they must bee drawen from the sight of so sweet a Lord. There seemeth to be no mention made of the Virgin Mary not because she was absent but because shee which stood by him at his death could not bee absent herselfe from this office duty Consider secondly these women sate ouer against the Sepulcher and diligently marked what was done First that thou in all thy needs shouldest flye vnto the holy Eucharist of Christ and sitting as it were by the Sepulcher of our Lord meditating pondering vpon his death passion shouldest shew forth all thy griefes and receiue remedy and comfort for thy afflictions Secondly that thou with these women shouldst mark where the body of Iesus was laide First in a Garden both because by the death of our Lord the way is open to the garden of delightes from whence we were excluded by the sinne of Adam and also that thou shouldest not lay vp thy Lord in any other place then in the flowers of vertues Secondly In a new monument both because hee desireth all thinges to be new in thee Mat. 9. For New wine is not powred into olde vessels and also because he came to make all thinges newe Thirdly In which neuer any was laide least perhaps not Christ but some other might be said to haue risen from death and that thou shouldest suffer no other to rest in the sâ—pulcher of thy heart For he teacheth that our Lord alone will possesse thee wholy and that hee will suffer no companion of his Kingdome in thy soule Fourthly In a Stone both to take away all suspition of the stealing away of his body and also because from thence-foorth hee had determined to pierce the stony hearts of Gentiles and sinners Fiftly In anothers Monument that by his death hee might commend that pouerty which he had so often praised in his life for hee whose Mother had no place wherein to lay her Son when hee was borne and he who had not where to rest his head when he liued was buryed in another mans Sepulcher when hee dyed Besides it was conuenient that hee which dyed not for his owne fault but for others should be buryed not in his owne
temperance by his example aboue all other vertues which doth both lift vp the minde to God and bringeth a most certaine remedy for sinnes 3. That hee which had shed all his bloud for vs and had giuen vs all his goods and had prayed for the sinnes of all men to his Father might vnderstand what sign of a thankfull minde men would shew vnto him when he was ready to depart out of the world I desire yee not saith hee to take me from the Crosse nor to giue me my cloathes to couer my nakednes nor to heale my woundes but onely to giue me one drop of water to quench my thirst which is denyed onely to the damned in Hell I desire yee onely to refresh my drynes I require this fauour only of you for all my labours Fourthly that he might be vnderstood to speak not of his bodily onely but specially of his spirituall thirst Hee thirsted indeede for our amendment our perfection and our saluation which thirst he had euer from the beginning of his life most burning and to quench the same he left nothing vnattempted but did all things most liberally and suffered all thinges most constantly and both shewed it alwayes by his deeds and declared it often by his wordes Therefore hee said to the Samaritan woman Ioan. 4. Giue me to drinke And hee said to his Apostles I haue to be baptised with a baptisme Luc. 12. and how am I straitned till it bee dispatched Also hee admonished Iudas that which thou doest do quickly And here also at the houre of his death hee shewed his thirst more clearly both because his loue did then shine more bright vpon vs like vnto a candle which oftentimes giueth more light immediately before it goeth out and to a Swan which before his death singeth more sweetly also to shew that hee was ready to suffer more for our saluatiō if neede were I thirst saith hee that is resteth there any thing for mee to doe to my vineyard which I haue not done Isa 5. Beholde whilest I haue time I offer my selfe to suffer more greater thinges neither can my thirst be satisfied by reason of the heate of my loue except I drinke aboundantly of the cup of my Passion and transferre the fruite thereof to my members that is to my Disciples And hee speaketh to his Father who knewe the inward desires of his Sonne Admire heere the loue of Christ which in this his Passion sent forth a sweete sauour vnto vs like vnto precious spices which doe then yeilde forth the sweetest sent when they are most bruzed broken into powder Fiftly to leaue this thirst vnto vs by his last will and testament The world thirsteth after riches honours pleasures and other vaine delightes which put them to a great deale of trauaile and yet neuer satisfie their thirst and desire but like strong poyson kill them presently as soone as they haue drunke thereof as it happened to the Captaine Sysara beeing killed by a woman after he had drunke milke Iudi. 4. Christ would haue thee to thirst after God the fountaine of the water of life and not to digge broken Cesternes which cannot hold water I would thou diddest thirst after thine owne saluation as Christ thirsted after it or as the Deuill thirsteth after thy perdition Be thou the heire of the thirst of Christ pray him to satisfie thee with the breasts of his grace Then a vessell of vineger was set Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19 and presently one of them running filled a sponge which he had with vineger and set it vpon a reede and Hysope and gaue him to drinke COnsider first the pronenes of men to mischiefe who vpon the least occasion offered make hast to sinne and also the helpe of the Deuill who presently affoordeth them meanes to sinne Heere were all thinges prepared a vessell vineger a sponge and a reede Marke what sinners brought into Mount Caluary and into the Church to wit instruments for the death of our Lord. Contrariwise holy men with Nichodemus and Ioseph of Aramathia bring thither instrumēts to take downe the body of our Lord from the Crosse Thinke thou with thy selfe what instruments thou dost vse in holy Church whether to kill or to saue soules Consider secōdly that Christ at the houre of his death had no comfort neither in word nor deed but was denyed euen a droppe of water Perhappes according to the custome there wanted not wine which the executioners themselues had spent through their cruelty and wantonnes according to the prophesie of Amos They sate vpon the pleadged garments hard by the Altar of the Crosse and they dranke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God Amos. 2. which was the Mount Caluary Consider thirdly the sponge was filled with vineger and fastned to a branch of Hisope according to the custome in their auncient sacrifices Leuit. 4. and set vpon a reede and so put to the mouth of our Sauiour to sucke thereof which beeing done with a Soldiour-like rudenesse many droppes fell into the wounds of him that was crucified and with the sharpenes thereof afflicted his flesh Was this the reward of that mouth which opened so often for our saluation and of that tongue which gaue vs so many good lessons cured so many diseased wrought so many myracles But Christ who had already satisfied God the Father for thy other sinnes with his other paines curing thy pride with his great shame thy couetousnesse with his exceeding pouerty thy lust with his most bitter torments thy wrath with his incredible patience thy sloath with his diligent alacrity would now also apply a medicine for thy gluttony and intemperance and by this bitternesse as by a contrary medicine purge and wash thy mouth which was infected by eating the apple in Paradise Behold what drinke thou vsest to drinke vnto thy Lord to wit vineger and the bottome dregs of wine To the world thou giuest sweete wine for her sake thou labourest earnestly thou seekest to winne her fauour by all diligence and sparest neither industry strength wealth nor any thing which thou hast but to Christ thy God thou minglest all thy worst things thy sloath thy theft thy hatred and thy other sins for which our Lord complaineth I expected that he should make Grapes Isa 5. and hee made the wilde Vine And the world againe for thy sweete wine reacheth vnto thee vineger vpon a reede that is cold and bitter delightes in a broken and vaine soule for the world hath not nor cannot giue any true comfort or sweetnes Therefore doe thou rather drinke sweete wine vnto Christ and earnestly from thy heart consecrate thy selfe all that thou hast vnto him and euen as thou wilt not offer to thy louing Father a withered but a fresh sweet smelling flower so doe thou offer vnto Christ the flower of thy age thy sweetest labours and he will exhibite himselfe againe
application of them to thy selfe Thy dinner indeed is ready but thou must goe to the table and put the meate in thy mouth thy medicine is made but it is kept in the shop of the Church inclosed in seauen boxes to wit in the seauen Sacraments the price is payed for thee but not yet applyed vnto thee Doe not thou thinke that onely Faith as some Heretiques would haue thee belieue is sufficient for thee thou must goe with thy feete to dinner thou must take thy meate and medicine with thy handes thou must put them into thy mouth and receiue them into thy stomache that is thou must frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exercise of vertues that that which was effected giuen for all mankinde may bee accepted for thee applied to thee and profite thee Pray thou our Lord that hee who spent and consummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer suffer thee to spend and passe away thy dayes idly and in vaine The 4◠Meditation of the seauenth worde of our Lord on the Crosse And crying againe Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. he saide with a loude voyce COnsider first that as often as Christ spake for himselfe vnto his Father hee cryed with a loude voyce but when he spake to others or for others hee vsed a lower voyce to teach thee First that thou must alwayes deale with God with great affection To others thou openest thy griefes with teares but when thou speakest with God thou art so drye that thou hast scarce any feeling of deuotiō Secondly what grieuous paines the Son of God suffered who with the violence thereof was forced to crye out Consider secondly that Christ for diuers causes cryed out in his prayers when hee was ready to dye Ioan. 11. First to shew that he was Lord of life and death hauing power to yeeld vp his soule and to take it againe at his owne will and pleasure Therfore hee called for death as Nazianzen saith which durst not come In Christo patiente except it had been called Secondly to mooue God the Father to mercy For seeing all mankinde being oppressed with grieuous sinnes was farre off from God hee who carryed the person of all men ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce being so farre absent Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares not so much with loudnes of voice as with affection of hart Thirdly that this voice being sent through the whole world might moue mens hearts and that hearing of the death of God for their sinnes they might be penitent for their offences For at this voyce the Earth was shaken the Rockes were cleft in sunder and the Monuments were opened that thy stony heart might also be broken by the force of this worde of God Not without cause did Marke say his voyce being sent forth that thou shouldst vnderstand that being sent into the world it worketh still in the heartes of men Fourthly that Hell should tremble at this voyce and euen as at the crye of our Lord calling Lazarus the soule of Lazarus returned without delay into his body so now euery one there should prepare himselfe to receiue their Lord being ready instantly to come vnto them The holy Fathers therefore in Limbo reioyced at this voyce and the Deuils in Hell trembled Fiftly to teach thee how to meditate on death not remisly or negligently as of a thing little pertaining to thee nor slowly and dully as of a thing a farre off but often and earnestly of a thing most certaine and at hand so much the more feruently because it is the onely gate to saluation Consider thirdly that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor in the houre I say of prayer and of the euening Sacrifice For then the true hoast was sacrificed vpon the Crosse and being cutt into two partes that is into body and soule was immolated to God the Father by the high Priest with a loud voyce and great labour Ioyne thou thy prayers with Christ his prayer that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares Luc. 23. O Father into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that Christ prayed not vnto his Father vppon the Crosse but in the wordes of the Scripture First because hee knewe that these wordes were most acceptable to his Father beeing written by the holy Ghost to teach vs to pray Secondly to teach thee to worship God not according to thy owne fashion vnderstanding but in such manner as the Church indued with the holy Ghost hath appointed thee Consider secondly that Christ vsed this word Father onely twise vpō the Crosse in his first in his last prayer but in his middle that is in his fourth prayer hee called him not Father but God First that thou shouldest like a Son willingly accept that punishment which thy Father sendeth and in thy punishment confesse thy own basenes who art not worthy to bee called the son of God and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator for tribulation and aduersity doe teach good men their owne fraile estate and vnworthines and thereby perswade or rather inforce them to mend their liues that in the end hauing ouercome all aduersities thou shouldest take courage reioyce as a Son For probation worketh hope Rom. 5. which confoundeth not Secondly because the beginnings of Gods word doe most sweetly affect the minde the progresse is hard to sensuality but the fruites which are gathered are most pleasaunt The booke was in the mouth of Iohn sweete as hony Apoc. 10. but being deuoured it made his belly bitter Thirdly because in his first prayer when hee prayed for sinners hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne for none but a sonne could bee heard for so great wickednes In the middle he complained as a man And in this last hauing fulfilled his embassage he desires as a Son to bee called home to his Father Consider thirdly that Christ made this petition to his Father not for feare of iudgment for now his Father had committed all iudgement to him nor for feare of the Deuill whose forces hee had already broken nor for feare of the paines of Hell which now hee came to take from good men and to carry away the spoyles of Hell But first to teach thee neuer to remit or slacke thy inuincible spirit from prayer Secondly that thou shouldest knowe with what confidence he went vnto his Father For hee sayeth not anxiously after the māner of a suppliant I pray thee Father but as it were of mine owne right and authority I commend my spirit Consider fourthly marke euery word of this last prayer which before had bin made by the holy Ghost to this purpose Psal 32. and is now recited by the Son to the Father with addition onely of this word Father Father First I haue remained thy Son in all these so great
torments I haue remitted nothing of my deuotion loue to thee Secondly I thy Sonne am returned to thee from this hard embassage from this bloudy battell I carry away the victory and I bring the spoyles What reward wilt thou giue me what glory wilt thou prepare for mee what triumph wilt thou assigne mee The Roman Emperors triumphed with the victorious Army Poore Lazarus Luc. 16. which was denyed cruÌ„mes from the rich mans table was carryed in a triumphant Chariot that is in Angels hands into Abrahams bosome What glory then wilt thou giue to me thy Sonne I am more honorable because I am thy Son I haue labored more then the rest for I haue spent my bloud I haue vndergone more danger for I haue fought alone with the enemy I haue indured more want for a drop of water hath been denyed mee I haue ouercome more strange enemyes for I haue subdued the Prince of this world broken his forces and thrust him out of possession and to bee briefe I haue taken more noble spoyles hauing deliuered so many thousand soules from the bondage of the Deuill and subdued all the whole world vnto thy gouerment What then wilt thou prepare for so great a conqueror Into thy handes First as sacrifices are offered into the handes of God so I as high Priest doe offer my soule as a most fatt sacrifice into thy handes Secondly hitherto the soules which departed out of this world went not into the handes of God but into Abrahams bosome in the places belowe but now I desire first to be receiued into thy handes and my Disciples hereafter to bee receiued also Thirdly this my spirit which is now descending into Hell to deliuer the Fathers shall not want the diuinity but euen as the diuine nature took the humane nature into the same person so it shall remain both with the body in the sepulcher with the spirit in Hell Fourthly I commend it to thy hands that thou shouldest endowe it with glory adorne it with rewardes I commend or as the Greeke text saieth I will commend that is euen now I will send it to thee First hitherto neither this body nor my soule hath seemed to bee greatly commended vnto thee because both the body hath remained in the hands of enemies and my soule being sorrowfull euen vnto death was alwaies in my own hands subiect to many miseries Psal 118. and death it selfe Hitherto thou hast seemed to haue care only of thy bondslaues and to neglect thy Sonne for thou hast deliuered vp thy Sonne to redeeme thy seruant doe thou now at last receiue my spirit coÌ„mended vnto thee Secondly I commend that is I leaue it with thee to haue it againe after three dayes Thirdly no man taketh it from mee for I am not compelled to dye against my will but I willingly yeild it and deliuer it to thy custody My spirit hee saith not my soule which beastes possesse aswell as men but my spirit because the sensual man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perceiueth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God In Christ the spirit 1 Cor. 2. that is the higher part had as it were conuerted the soule into it selfe so as the inferiour man desired nor coueted nothing but according to the rule of reason Pray thou vnto God the Father that hee will receiue thy soule alwayes commended with the spirit of his Sonne Into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that though the spirit of Christ needed not to be commended to the Father yet it was coÌ„mended to him that all faithfull and holy men should knowe that they are coÌ„mended vnto God by this prayer of Christ For God calleth those by the name of Spirit which are indued with his spirit That saieth hee which is borne of the spirit Ioan. 3. is spirit euen as they which are ruled by the spirit of the Deuill are called the spirits of Deuils Doe thou looke into thy selfe what spirit raigneth in thee 1 Tim. 4 whether of Christ or of the Deuils And againe whether thy soule hath changed the spirit into it selfe so as thou seemest little different from a brute beast or whether the spirit of our Lord hath thy soule wholy subiect and obedient vnto it Heb 4. For the worde of God being liuely and powerfull reacheth euen to the diuision of the soule and of the spirit And therefore in the houre of death diligent inquiry shal be made what the spirit hath done and what the soule and they onely shall bee commended vnto God Rom. 8. which haue wrought by the spirit of God Consider 2. if Christ commended vs to God the Father then wee ought to bee carefull to commend our soules vnto him in good workes Therefore let vs prouide First that what the grace of the holy Ghost hath wrought in our soules Pet. 4 may be preserued framed perfited as it were by his diuine hands Secondly that our spirite bee often conuersant in Heauen and adhere not too much to any worldly things For saith St. Augustine if our mindes be there wee shall haue rest heere Ser. 175. de temp Thirdly that God will holde vs in his handes according to that Sap. 3. Ioan. â—0 The soules of the iust are in the handes of God neither can any man take theÌ„ out of his handes Fourthly that our spirits when they goe out of this world may bee deliuered to the handes of God to be crowned and be commended to his keeping till the future resurrection of our bodyes Consider thirdly that the Church of God which is directed and guided by the spirit of Christ is so commended to God the Father by this prayer of her spouse That the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against her Mat. 16. Therefore doe thou neuer seperate thy selfe from her except thou wouldest fall into thy enemies handes but defend the life and safety of thy soule by the spirit faith grace and Sacraments of the same Consider fourthly that there is coÌ„mended vnto thee by his prayer First the guift of the feare of God and next diligent deuotion against the vice of slouth For if Christ the Son of God did with such earnest prayer commend his spirit to his Father it behooueth thee not onely to pray but also to worke thine owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. Pray then vnto our Lord to take care of thy soule and to bestow rather heauenly guifts vpon thy spirit then earthly benefites vppon thy body The 44. Meditation of the death of Christ Luc. 23. Ioan. 19. And saying this bowing his head gaue vp the ghost COnsider first in what manner the Spouse of thy soule ended his life The standers by vse to obserue the countenaunce gesture and words of those which are to dye mothers also vse to marke the eyes and countenaunce of their children when they goe farre from them and to remember often in their minds the manner of
their departure Doe thou likewise for whose sake the Son of God suffred death come neare vnto the Crosse behold all thinges diligently with the eyes of thy soule and let thy speach bee often times thereof Consider secondly that crying he bowed his sacred head first because hee would call thee both by his voyce and becke to learne the profite of the Crosse and to receaue the merites and benefites of the same Secondly to speake in thy eare to communicate his secretes vnto thee to teach thee his commandements and counsailes Thirdly to signifie his consent to all thy petitions and prayers which depend vpon this his holy passion Fourthly that thou mightest the better viewe his head and marke euery thing diligently his thornes his spittinges his bloud his eyes now shutt to thy sinnes his mouth silent from reuenge his face pale with death Consider thirdly that the Euangelists wrote this death of our Lord in diuers words Iohn saith he deliuered vp his spirite Mathewe he sent foorth his spirit Marke and Luke hee breathed out that thou shouldest knowe that Chriâ—t died not like vnto other men but in a singular and peculiar manner neither did he against his will or by compulsion but of his owne free accord render vp his spirite This word hee deliuered signifieth first that he gaue his spirite into his Fathers hands to be kept three dayes and that from thence all merites all vertues all iustice and grace should bee gathered for man-kinde Secondly that as he had already giuen his body to the executioners so now also hee would deliuer his soule for vs because nothing should be wanting to our felicity and happinesse He had giuen his garments he had giuen his honour he had giuen his body hee had giuen his bloud and now there remained nothing but to giue his soule that according to the prophesie of Isaias Isa 9. the whole Sonne might be giuen 3. That he deliuered vp the full price of our redemption For hitherto something was wanting and he had payed as it were but in part but now he made an absolute and full payment that thou maist knowe that now thou art not thine owne man but Christs who hath bought and redeemed thy members with his thy powers with his thy honours and riches with his thy body with his and thy soule with his If thou doest consider these things rightly thou shalt learne first not to abuse thy selfe thy goods to thy owne pleasures nor to spend them according to the will of the Deuill no nor yet to vse them as thine owne but to referre all to the honour of Christ to whome all thinges belong and appertayne Secondly seeing thou hast gotten Christian liberty and art deliuered out of the power of the Deuill neuer to yeilde to him againe For hee hath no right to thee whome Christ hath so dearely redeemed with his bloud Do thou giue thankes vnto thy Lord and offer vp thy selfe and all that thou hast freely vnto him He breathed foorth Mar. 15. Luc. 23 COnsider first that by this word is signified that Christ breathed foorth his last spirite by which spirite and holy breathing first hee purged the ayre being infected with deuils by vertue wherof the Deuills also are driuen away in exorcismes and exsafflations Therefore as the earth is sanctified by the holy body of our Lord and the element of water and all lyquors by the holy bloud and water yssuing from his side so by the diuine spirite of Christ the ayre is sanctified that it may the more profitably carry and inspire into our sences the word of God and his holy mysteries Secondly hee coÌ„municated vnto this world his inward guifts and graces not onely through the holy wounds of his body but also by his mouth Consider secondly that Christ for many causes would suffer not onely paine and torments but also death First to offer vp himselfe by his death as a sacrifice and Holocaust vnro God Secondly to redeeme eternall death due vnto thee through this his death of infinit value Thirdly to confirme by his death all his Sacraments and the newe Testament Fourthly that by this his death as by the death of the high Priest according to the old figure Num. 15. he might recall thee into thy heauenly countrey Fiftly to let thee knowe that thou oughtest to bee his who dyed for thee and not to submitt thy selfe to the Deuill who suffered neither death nor wound for thy saluation Sixtly that thou shouldest account thy selfe dead to the world with Christ and mortifie thy vices and affections For if saith the Apostle one dyed for all 2 Cor. 5. therefore all are dead Consider thirdly that Christ dyed in his flourishing age being three and thirty yeares old when his sences were freshest his heat greatest and his strength best to indure labour First because he was willing to bestowe all his most flourishing things vpon thee to preserue the heate of his loue in thee and with great forces to prepare many benefites for thee Secondly that thou shouldest not prolong the change of thy life till thy withered and decayed old age but consecrate thy youthfull yeares strength vnto Christ Consider fourthly that our Lord was nayled to the Crosse in the sixt houre and in the nynth houre when the day began to growe to an end hee dyed First because he which in the precedent ages had beene immolated in the figures of the sacrifices did in this fourth age of the world dye truly for vs. Secondly that thou who hitherto perhapps hast spent the rest of thy life vnprofitably and wickedly mayest at the least in the end of thy life flye to the death of our Lord. A great comfort is heere giuen vnto sinners who languishing either with age with sicknes or in minde are not able by exacting grieuous punishment of themselues to satisfie for their sinnes may haue the paines bloud and death of Christ to offer for their offences Giue thankes vnto God and dispise not so great a treasure Ioan. 19 Hee sent forth his spirit COnsider that heere also mention is made of the liberty freedome of Christ to dye For euen as in former times Noe sent the Doue out of the Arke Gen. 8 which after a few dayes returned bringing in her mouth a boughe with greene leaues So Christ sent foorth his spirit to returne againe after three dayes with an army of flourishing Saints Emisit saieth hee hee sent forth and not Amisit he lost that thou shouldest not loose thy spirit amoÌ„gst the wicked Consider secondly how the Deuills expected this spirite being ready to come foorth that by the coÌ„mon law of all it might bee ioyned to other soules in Hell For the Euangelist seemeth to signifie so much when hee said the Deuill went from him for a time as though at this time of his death hee would returne againe But because the Prince of this world had nothing in Christ Luc. 4. hee was
meanes wherehy it may bee acquired imploring the assistance of our Sauiour to accomplish our intēt Christ in his Passion gaue vs a patterne of all vertues but especially of those which the Scriptures doe so often commend vnto vs. Of which the first is Humility whereby being most bitterly scoffed at cloathed in a white and purple garment crowned with a crowne of thornes lesse esteemed then the murtherer Barrabas crucified betwixt two Theeues and suffering many other mockings and contempts he alwaies humbly behaued himselfe The second is Meekenes whereby he euer shewed himselfe milde and gentle to all men endured torments most patiently was silent in all reproches and iniuries neuer vsed any excuses neuer offended any body with his language or froward actions The third is Obedience which then deserueth greatest commendation when hard thinges are commanded by wicked men Christ was not onely obedient to his Father euen vnto death Phil. 2. yea the death of the Crosse but also to wicked Iudges and torturers whome he obeyed simply chearefully and constantly when hee put off his garments put on the purple receiued the Crowne of Thornes caryed his owne Crosse stretched out his hands and feete to be nayled and did many other things that they cōmanded him The fourth is Charity which then onely seemeth to be perfect when as for Gods sake wee loue not onely our friends but also our enemies esteeming them not our enemies but our friendes Which our Lord seemeth to haue performed most aboundantly when speaking of his most perfect loue towards vs hee said No man hath greater charity then this that a man giue his life for his friends For albeit it may seeme greater charity to yeild our life for our enemies yet that charity is indeed most perfect which acknowledgeth no enemies but reputeth those for our friends which are our enemies and doth good no lesse to them then to our friends Now Christ was so tenderly affected towards his enemies that the more iniuries and wrongs he receiued at their hands the more his loue encreased towards them and the greater benefites he bestowed vpon them like vnto fire which the more it is blowed the hotter it burneth Therefore in the whole time of his passion he prayed vnto God his Father for his enemies For this that they should loue me Psal 108 they detracted from me and I prayed in minde but not in voyce But whē he was fastned to the Crosse and the bloud ranne out of the foure fountaines of his hands feete then with a loud voyce he prayed for them that crucified him at the last when he yeilded vp his spirite he moued with exceeding charity the heartes of the standers by to faith and penaunce The first is Mercy which is the daughter of charity By this our Lord gaue vnto vs his garments honour fame estimatiō flourishing age strēgth health life The sixt is Contempt of the world by which he refused all thinges which the world admireth and accounteth good and tooke vpon him those things which the world abhorreth for riches choosing pouerty for honours contempt for pleasures paines for comme dations mockings The seauenth is Perseuerance through which being neither ouercome by his Mothers sorrowes nor moued by the heauines of his friends nor conquered by the derision of his enemies nor wearied with the torments of his body he would not come down from the Crosse which he had ascended for thy saluatiō The fourth is Thanksgiuing Thankesgiuing by which pondering the benefites bestowed vpon vs wee breake foorth into praises not in wordes onely which is the least praise and action of thankes but rather in heart and workes that weighing in our mindes the great benefite bestowed vpon vs we should esteeme much thereof and take heede of all offending our Benefactor and omitt no occasion in all things to requite it There are fiue thinges which doe mooue much vnto this thankefulnesse First the euill which we haue escaped Secondly the good which we haue receiued by the benefite Thirdly the worthinesse of our Benefactor Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed And fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed Therefore that we may be moued to thankefulnesse wee must consider first the euills which we haue escaped through this passion of Christ as sinne the greatest of all euills blindnes of minde hardnes of heart bondage of the deuill fowlenes of the soule the present perill of eternall fire so grieuous as cannot be conceiued so long as it hath no end so certaine as without Christ it cannot bee avoyded Secondly the goods which we haue gayned as grace iustice the adoption to bee the sonnes of God Sacraments Sacrifice vertues the promise of euerlasting life and to be briefe all the goods both of body and minde For there is no good thing in mans life which the passion of Christ hath not either giuen or preserued Thirdly the dignity of the person for euen as we vse to allowe a greater stipend to a Nobleman or Doctor for a smell office then to a plaine country man for a great labour so we ought to be more thankefull to the more worthy person How thankefull then shall we bee to Christ who is of infinite dignity Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed to wit gratis and not without great labour God made Heauen and Earth without any trouble by his onely word but thee he redeemed with paynes bloud and his owne life and for all these benefites he requireth nothing of thee but praise and thankefulnes Fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed if base if an enemy if ingrateful What are we then If as the wise man sayeth The whole world before God is as a drop of the morning deawe Eccle. 11. which falleth vpon the earth What in comparison of God shall one silly man be who being compared with the whole world with all the multitude of men is nothing Holy Iob hath expressed our basenesse I said to rottennes thou art my Father Iob. 17. and to the wormes my Mother my Sister Now we are not only base but we were also enemies estranged averted frō God neither seeking nor desiring his grace but rather reiecting it when it was offered When therefore thou shalt consider first that thou art deliuered from the greatest most certain euerlasting miseries secondly that thou art indued with most high and infinite goods thirdly by the most mighty God of infinite maiestie fourthly with so great labours and paines as neuer any mortall creature sustayned thou canst not choose but thinke whether it is fit that so abiect a creature should bee dissolued into praise thankesgiuing The fift is conceiuing Hope Hope By the consideration of three things our hope is much shaken and weakened First of the purity which is required for eternall life Apoc. 21. into which nothing defiled or vncleane shall enter Secondly of the strict
cares and cogitations and pray vnto Christ very earnestly for his grace that we may obtaine wholsome fruite by this meditation Secondly that first of all wee read the Euangelicall text of that Meditation then th◠meditation it selfe either in whole or in part Thirdly that we lay aside the booke and repeat in our memory what wee haue read and consider what affections may bee stirred vp thereby and labouring to excite and moue them in our selues Fourthly that we breake forth into some speach and prayer vnto God through that affection which is now stirred vp in vs and that we either praise or admire God or pray for the forgiuenes of our sins or for some other benefite or to bee briefe that we speake those thinges which our minde so moued shall dictate vnto vs. It will profit vs also to begin first at the beginning of these Meditations both because we shall better vnderstand the History of the Passion and also that by little and little we may proceed from the lesser to the greater Also to the end that these Meditations may bee more gratefull and profitable I haue incerted nothing which is not sound and approued because the vncertainty shall not diminish the authority nor be a hindrance to deuotiō For nothing is affirmed in this History but what the Scriptures say or the Fathers confirme or traditiō vndoubtedly deliuereth The documents thēselues which are ioyned to these meditations are for the most part taken out of the auncient Fathers or out of the later Writers which haue written best of the māner of meditating vpon the Passion of our Lord. I haue drawen out some Meditations of purpose somwhat long especially such as are either of great force to mooue our affections or may bee vsed seuerally for Sermons as namely those of the seauen words which our Lord spake vpon the Crosse For I was desirous in this Booke not onely to set foorth the manner of contemplation but also to helpe the Preachers themselues that they may teach the people profitably and stirre vp their mindes with diuers Meditations And I haue thought good to dedicate this my labour to you my best beloued brethren fellowes as to those whose peculiar institute is to honour and receiue the blessed body of Christ our Lord in the most holy Eucharist and to defend the honour thereof against the blasphemyes of wicked Heritikes that comming to Christ his most Holy table you may according to the Cōmandement of our Lord repeate in your memory his Passion Death and Buriall and make your bodyes sitt Sepulchers for the body of our Lord with your mindes render vnto him praise and thankesgiuings and to be short being inflamed with the loue of him who gaue himselfe wholy for you you may likewise imploy your selues wholy in his seruice and the helpe of your neighbours To conclude I pray you that in recompence of this my Labour yee will vouchsafe to offer vp your prayers to our Blessed Sauiour for mee that by his grace I may bee partaker of those benefites which by his Death and Passion hee hath purchased for vs. Farwell Your Seruant in Christ Francis Costerus ✚ IHS Of the Passion of our Lord. The first Meditation of his going out of the house from supper The Hymne being said Iesus went foorth beyond the torrent Cedron according to his custome Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Ioan. 18. and his disciples followed him CHRIST beganne his passion first from prayer Secondly from his going out of the place of supper both because hee would not be apprehended as an eater drinker but as one praying vnto God and the patrone of man-kinde and also because his Host with whom he supped should sustaine no dammage by his passion which ought to profite all men and to hurt none Thirdly 2 Reg. 15. he went beyond the torrent Cedron by which way in old time Dauid fled from his sonne Absolon A torrent in the holy Scriptures signifieth the incōmodious things of this life as in this place My soule hath passed the torrent Psal 125 all which calamities being very great our Sauiour ouercame with exceeding constancy of minde Fourthly he went into the Mount Oliuet Mount signifieth excellency and Oliue Charity Heere do thou consider that Christ beganne his passion with great earnest and feruent prayer with much cōstancy of mind and exceeding charitie in which vertues he was well exercised as appeareth by these wordes according to his custome He inuiteth thee likewise to the same vertues when he caried his Apostles with him For except thou beest diligent in prayer except thou auoydest the perils of euil occasions except thou makest a resolute purpose except thou beest enflamed with the loue of God and to bee briefe except thou doest diligently vse vertues thou shalt neuer ouercome thy temptations Follow then our Lord with his Apostles and pray him that he neuer leaue nor forsake thee Then he said to his Disciples all yee shall suffer scandall in me in this night Mat. 26. For it is written I will strike the Shepheard and the Sheepe of the flocke shal be scattered Mar. 14. but after I shall rise againe I will goe before you into Galilee CHrist in his passion tooke the beginning of his griefes from his Disciples who seeking to saue themselues by flight did all either wauer in faith or openly deny our Lord Consider euery word All First not one shall stand for me yee Secondly whome I haue bestowed so many benefites vpon loued so dearely shall suffer scandall that is shall sinne being estranged from me and none of you in this time of my passion shall bee free from sinne yee shall suffer scandal but I will not giue it in me of whose wordes and deedes after the sight of so many miracles ye can iustly take no manner of offence in this night that is by and by or in the night of ignorance Now call thy wits vnto thee and marke whether these same things may not happen vnto thee I say vnto thee on whome God hath bestow'd so many good things at whose counsailes deedes neuerthelesse thou takest offence for that trouble of thy vicious minde in aduersity is referred vnto Christ our lord who either sendeth them or at the least permitteth them But such kinde of scandall riseth alwaies in the night that is from thy blindnesse for if thou wouldest all at once looke vpon the benefites receaued at Gods hands the rewards prepared for thee and the euills which thou hast committed thou wouldest resolue in thy minde neuer to be moued with any aduersity Consider heere the cause of thy offence and scandall I say thine owne euil and troubled will and pray vnto God that he will lighten thy darknesse because thou hast neuer any iust cause of anger discontent Christ promiseth that he will goe before them into Galilee in which promise hee declareth his owne goodnes who neuer foretelleth any afflictions without hope of
vouchsafe to answere Christ their Lord What will they doe at the latter iudgement when they shall haue him for their Iudge whome they iudged vnworthy of their answer Thinke thou hereof as often as thou shalt be admonished by God in thy conscience and thou dost reiect his inspiratiō Cōsider fourthly that our lord being asked whether he was Christ did answere out of Dauids Psalme of the sitting of the right hand of his Father Psal 109. which Psalme he alleaged to them another time that by that argument which otherwise they could not solue they might knowe that the Messias was the Sonne of God Mat. 22. which they did easily vnderstand for they inferred vpon his answere Art thou then the Sonne of God Admire the goodnes of God which ceased not to admonish and to withdrawe them from this grieuous sinne wherein they should sinne not against man onely but against him who was the Sonne of God Pray thou vnto Christ that the reuerence respect of him may moue thee that whensoeuer thou shalt sinne thou mayest thinke of that saying To thee alone haue I sinned Psal 50. and I haue done euill before thee For it is God who is offended not man alone But they said what neede wee testimony any further Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. for wee our selues haue heard from his owne mouth And all the multitude of them rising and binding Iesus brought him bound to Pilate the President COnsider first from an excellent answeare an euill conclusion because hee is Christ and the Sonne of God therefore hee must be offered to Pilate to dye Thou oftentimes concludest in like manner God is mercifull therefore let vs sinne more freely Consider secondly out of St. Chrysostome Hom. 85. in Mat. that the Iewes would not put Christ to death secretly but openly that the glory which he had gotten by his miracles might be taken away by the publique shame and ignominy of his death and that he might generally be esteemed a wicked man in all places But God permitted it vpon a far different reason First that hee which should dye for all men should be put to death not secretly by the Iewes onely but openly by the Gentiles also before all men Secondly that this death which seemed to bee infamous and full of ignominy should sanctifie all Nations and should bee glorious for euer throghout the whole world Galat. 6. Doe thou with the Apostle Paul Glory in nothing else but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Ser. 8. de Pasc Dō Cōsider thirdly out of St. Leo that after Iesus was offered being boūd with hard knottes beaten with many boxes blowes defiled with spittings condemned before-hand with clamours To the end that amongst so many fore-iudgments wherby euery one desired to haue him dy Pilate should not dare to discharge him Follow thou thy Lord in this iourney as neare as thou canst and offer him vp for thy selfe not to Pilate the President but to God the Father desire him that hee who was once adiudged to dye for thy sinnes may by his death deliuer thee from all euils The 18. Meditation of the death of Iudas Then Iudas who had betrayed him seeing that hee was condemned Mat. 27. repenting himselfe brought againe the thirty peeces of siluer to the high Priestes and to the Elders saying I haue sinned betraying iust bloud But they said what is that to vs Looke you to it COnsider first that Iudas hearing of the condemnation of Christ by the high Priests being led by repentance either good through the greatnes of his offence or false through the shame whereby hee thought he should neuer be able to indure the reproaches which would insue brought againe the money This also was permitted by God whereby the innocency of Christ might be manifested to all men least the Iewes by this argument might confirme the death of our Lord to be iust because his inward disciple who knew all secrets had deliuered him vp to them to dye But Iudas betrayed our Lord not that Christ shold dye but because hee would haue the money hoping that as at diuers times before so at this time also our Lord might escape Learne first the innocency of our Lord which the Traytor himselfe confessed openly with most earnest wordes and by throwing downe of the money Secondly the bitter torments of our Lord which moued the very Traytor to repētance Thirdly the quallityes of the Deuill who bewitcheth our eyes before the sinne bee cōmitted least we should fee the foulnesse thereof but after the sinne hee openeth the same that wee should dispaire Cōsider secondly the answere of the Priests What is that to vs Peter after his sinne cōmitted went out from the cōpany of the wicked and obtained pardon Iudas contrariwise came to the wicked fell into desperation Learn hereby that they which offend the Maiesty of God because they may haue the fauour of other men are after forsaken by them that alwaies after this life when euery one shall beare his owne burthen and often times also euen in this life Consider thirdly the grieuous burthen of an euill conscience which feared neither shame nor death Doe thou lamenting for thy sinnes say with Iudas I haue sinned betraying iust bloud that is to say I haue through my sinnes cast oftentimes from my selfe the passion of Christ which was giuē me for my soules health But trusting in the mercy of Christ dispaire not but in thy prayer adde this O Lord restore it thou vnto me that it may profite my soule Consider fourthly that it is manifest by the answer of the Priests that Christ dyed not for any fault committed by himselfe but of meere malice enuy For this What is that to vs is as much to say it skilleth not whether hee dye iustly or vniustly so hee dye Consider fiftly Looke thou to that that euill men giue onely matter of dispaire Learne hereby first the disposition of wicked superiours who care not how their subiects liue so as they may inioy their owne profite and pleasure Learne secondly to suffer with the afflicted and to comfort them at least with good wordes if otherwise thou art not able Learne thirdly in thy afflictions not to repaire to euery one but to seeke out those whome God hath appointed to be the guiders of thy soule are commended for their life and wisdome And casting downe the peeces of siluer in the Temple Mat. 27. Act. 21. hee went aside and going away he hanged himselfe in a halter being hanged hee brake in the midst and all his bowels were scattered COnsider first that the fact of Iudas which exceeded all measure of reuenge deserued no other Iudge or executioner then Iudas himselfe For if hee had bin put to death by another De Leo ser 3. de Pasc Dō he might haue hoped for pardon But hanging himselfe hee cōmitted a new sinne of murther desperation Behold how
one sinne is increased by another if thou dost not preueÌ„t them in time Consider secondly how wickedly the Apostataes from faith and religion doe commonly perish Take thou heede least thou forsake the Church or thy vocation For thou shalt fall into the snare of the Deuill and the Deuill will stand at thy right hand which Dauid fore-spake of Iudas tossing thee heere according to his will Psal 108. and at last casting thee downe into Hell Consider thirdly what is the end of sinners Euen this that hanging in the ayre they shal touch neither Heauen nor Earth and possesse nothing but the rope For rhey reiect heaueÌ„ly things and are depriued of temporall goods which onely they sought after and being inchayned with the chaine of sinne they are detained and held vp by the Deuill the Prince of this ayre And certainly at the end of their life these thinges doe alwayes happen to sinners oftentimes euen in this life to some who being despoyled of their earthly goods are â—â—uertheles so choaked vp with wicked desires that they can hardly lift vp their eyes to Heauen Consider fourthly that hee cracked in the midst and his bowels powred out that hee which had lost the bowels of charity might also loose his owne bowels that hee which imployed all his care to inioy many thinges might loose also his owne entrels Doe thou with Iudas cast away money riches and all worldly things but goe to no other tree then the Crosse of our Lord and pray him that he will tye thee fast vnto him and loosing all the knottes of thy sinnes binde thee with the chayne of his loue For if Iudas himselfe as St. Leo affirmeth had obtayned remedy from Christ crucified Ser. 11. de Pasc DoÌ„ if he had not hastened to the halter thou maiest haue an assured hope to obtayne pardon and grace But the chiefe Priests taking the monye said Mat. 27. It is not lawfull to put it into the treasury because it is the price of bloud and taking counsell they bought therwith a potters field for the burial of strangers and for that cause the field is called Haceldema that is the field of bloud euen to this day Then it was fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Hieremy And they tooke thirty peeces of siluer being the price of the appriced whome they priced of the Sonnes of Israell and they gaue them into a potters field as our Lord hath appointed me COnsider first the goodnes and gentlenesse of God who would haue his seruants so farre from all effusion of bloud that in the old lawe he would not permit them to haue the money wherewith the death of any man was procured Consider secondly the preposterous religion of these Priestes which feared not to defile their consciences with innocent bloud and yet were affrayd to pollute their treasury with the price of bloud Thou art like vnto them so oft as thou makest great account of small things and hast small regard of grieuous sinnes against God strayning a Gnat Mat. 23. and swallowing a Camell Consider thirdly the Iewes conuerted not this money to their own vse but to the behoofe of other men That by this thou maist learne 1. That Christ was wholy giueÌ„ vnto vs his very price also being bestowed vpon vs. 2. The liberality of couetous men who giue Almes not of their owne but of other mens money CoÌ„sider fourthly that with this money a field was bought for the burial of strangers that thou mayest learne first that not onely our soules but our bodies also receiued great benefite by the death of Christ For whatsoeuer good is bestowed vpon man wee ought to acknowledge all to proceede from the passion of Christ Secondly that through the death of Christ wee haue true euerlasting rest Thirdly according to St. Ambrose and Saint Hierome Ser. 51. in Luc. In Mat. 27 that this word which in another place is called a field which God the workmaÌ„ made of nothing was bought with the price of the bloud of Christ not for the buriall of all men Mat. 23. but only of strangers that therein only they should rest with a quiet coÌ„science who making themselues strangers on earth looke still to the heaueÌ„ly country Therefore if thou intendest to bee partaker of this price be a straÌ„ger shut thine eyes to worldly things desire no earthly goods to be briefe dye vnto the world that thou maist rest sw◠〈◊〉 Christ Consider 5. That this was confirmed vnto vs either by the prophesie of Hieremy in those bookes which came not to vs or of Zacharie as the common opinion is the name of Hieremy being put in not by the Euangelist Hiere in Mat. 17. Zach. 11 Aug. lib. 3 de coÌ„sensu Euang. Haere 38 Gen. 37. but by some other writer or of both as Epiphanius affirmeth Thou maist learn hereby that the price of Christ was not onely prefigured in the price for which Ioseph before time had beene sould but foretold also by the Prophets with admiration that for the price of thirty peeces of siluer whereof euery one is valued at halfe a Doller the Messias expected so many ages should be bought and sould Doest not thou sell Christ and euerlasting life for a baser price when thou refusest and reiectest his grace for a little filthy lust for money or vaine desire of honor Returne then vnto thy selfe consider the inestimable value of the bloud of Christ and suffer any thing rather then he shall be taken from thee The 19. Meditation of the first accusation of our Lord before Pilate Then they brought Iesus from Caiphas into the Palace Ioan. 18. and it was morning and they entered not into the Palace because they would not be defiled but that they might eate the Pasch COnsider 1. that they made hast betimes in the morning to procure the death of our Lord least perhaps if it shold be deferred it might be hindred throgh the fauour of the people for it is the subtilty of the deuill to carry men headlong into mischiefe least by delay they might alter their purpose Be thou on the coÌ„trary part quick to good for the grace of the holy Ghost admitteth no delay and slowe vnto euill for the feete of wicked men are swift to do mischiefe Take heed therfore that thou omittest no occasion to doe good and in temptation resist expecting Pro. 1. that the Deuill being driuen away Christ may come and helpe Consider secondly that Christ thy Lord being the louer of purity was put into the house of a Gentile as an vncleane person guilty of many crymes which house the Iewes of Religion refused to enter into least they should be defiled with some spotte wherby they might be forbidden to eate the Pasch was thought vnworthy to be nuÌ„bred amongst the children of God or to bee put to death by the hands of the Iewes If thou beest accounted base or a sinner imitate this patience of
I finde no cause in this man But the high Priestes accused him in many things and Iesus answered nothing Then Pilate asked him saying to him Dost thou not heare howe great testimonies they speake against thee dost thou not answere any thing behold in how great things they acuse thee But Iesus answered not him to any word Mar. 15 so as the President wondred greatly COnsider first that Pilate expecting no answere to this question what is the truth went foorth either because he thought that question appertained not to him or else that it was not conuenient at that time To whom thou maiest knowe thy selfe to be like so oft as thou passest ouer lightly heauenly things or as oft as thou shalt thinke that those things which are spoken of euerlasting life of perfection or of christiaÌ„ life appertain not vnto thee or as often as thou dost lightly leaue that which before thy God thou hadst iustly purposed Thinke no time vnfitt for diuine instructions Consider secondly that Pilate found no cause of death in Christ the Iewes a false cause and God the Father a true cause to wit the purging of thy sinnes for the saluation of thy soule Ponder earnestly with thy selfe vpon this cause For the reason why thou louest not Christ so well as thou oughtest nor art so thankfull as thou shouldest be nor art sufficiently moued with this his so great and bitter paine is because thou doest not earnestly acknowledge nor reuolue in thy minde that thou wert the cause of these his bitter paines Consider thirdly the great and manifould crimes obiected against thy Lord in the sight and hearing of all the people who wondred exceedingly at such new and strange things Doe thou patiently suffer for thy Lords sake all slanders iniuries and reproches Consider fourthly the deepe silence of our Lord wherein Pilate the Gentile admired the wisedom of Christ and the Iewes were made more audacious to adde more and more grieuous accusations Admire thou the patience of God who beeing hetherto offended with so many and so grieuous sinnes both of thee and of other men doth not onely still holde his peace winke at them parâ—oÌ„ them but also doth bestowe many benefites vpon thee that thou being moued with his bountifull liberality maist at last remember thy felfe But they were more earnest saying Luc. 23. He moued the people teaching through all Iurie beginning froÌ„ Galilee euen hither COnsider first the clamors of the Iewes who hauing no hope to effect any thing by truth raised vp troubles tumults and clamours like those which defeÌ„d an ill cause wherein they imitate the Deuill who when he can doe nothing by his owne suggestions theÌ„ he stirreth vp friends parents and companions he moueth the inward concupiscâ—nce he hindereth and darkneth the vnderstanding Doe thou nothing impatiently imitating our Lord who was not prouoked nor moued by any iniuries except to loue the more dearly Consider 2. that Christ was heere reputed captaine of the sedicious Thou knowest say they O Pilate the Galilaeans to be factious people whose bloud thou didst lately mingle with their sacrifice behold hee is the head and Ring-leader of all mischiefe borne to raise sedition among the people Verily O Lord thou doest moue the people but not to sedition treason robberies and man-slaughters which is the property of Heretiques which stirre vp such motions in their Sermons but to the change of their life and manners that forsaking their pleasures and sinnes they may all giue themselues to the exercise of vertue Thou fillest the Monasteries with religious people the Deserts with Anchorites the Prisons with Confessors and the gallowes with Martyrs Through thy motion Virgins cast away their braue artyre Rich men choose pouerty Noble men submit themselues to the wills of others and young men by a vowe of religion offer themselues as a Holocaust vnto thee Pray thou also that our Lord may mooue thee Consider thirdly whome he is said to teach to wit the Galilaeans that is Passengers and Iewes that is Confessors and praisers of God But hee began from Galilee For the beginning of Christian doctrine is to passe from sinne the middle is to confesse our dayly defects with sorrowe of heart and purpose of amendment and to praise God in true obedience and the end is to behold the face of God in Ierusalem in the vision of peace Pray our Lord to bring thee to the perfection of this wisedome And Pilate hearing Galilee asked if the maÌ„ wer a Galilaean as soon as he knew that he was vnder the iurisdiction of Herod Luc. 23. he sent him to Herod who also in those dayes was in Hierusalem GAlilaean is heere to bee seperated from the man in this sence whether this maÌ„ be a Galilaean Consider first that either Pilate did not knowe the name of Iesus or else that he disdained to name him Wicked men knowe not Iesus suffering mocked and bound they knowe the honours of the world but not the ignominy of the Crosse Therefore they shall not bee knowne of Iesus that is their Sauiour and they shall neuer reape the fruite of saluation which reiect the Passion being the instrument of saluation Consider secondly that Herode the Iewe came to Hierusalem against the feast of Pasch For sinners vse to celebrate the Feastes of the Faithfull with outward ceremonies onely in brauer Apparrell with daintyer Dishes c. But they doe not receiue the inward fruit of the Feasts neither doe they labour so much for the inward ornament of their Soule to the which they ought to bee caried from the outward ceremonyes Consider thirdly thy Lord is saide to bee vnder the iurisdiction of Herode a wicked man Incestuous Adulterous and a Murtherer that thou mayest willingly obey thy Superiours though they bee not very good hauing respect not to their vices but to the vertue of obedience Consider fourthly the sower Iudges of Christ two Priests Annas Cayphas and two secular men Herode the Iewe and Pilate the Gentile For Christ was adiudged to death by all states of men hee was slaine for the sinnes of all men hee suffered and dyed for the saluation of all men Therefore doe thou confidently lay all thy sinnes vpon him that being free'd from them thou mayest receiue eternall saluation prepared by him The 22. Meditation of the acts in the house of Herode Herode when he saw Iesus reioyced much Luc. 23. for hee was desirous a long time to see him because he had heard many thinges of him and hee hoped to see some signe done by him And he examined him with many questions but hee answered nothing vnto him COnsider first that this Herode neuer came vnto Christ neuer heard his wordes nor neuer saw his miracles but yet hee knewe many things of him by the report of others Wherefore he was glad that hee had occasion to see and behold him but he was not moued with hope or desire of saluation but with a
desire to see some sign Thou mayest learne first what this King thought our Lord to bee an Inchaunter a Iugler a Foole. Secondly that the custome of worldly men is more willingly to heare newe thinges which may delight then good things which may profite Cōsider 2. that Christ admireth not the outward pompe and royall dignity but beholdeth the beauty foulnes of the heart neither would hee vouchsafe to speak vnto him seeing hee expected no profit therby Learne thou 1. not to esteeme too much these outward shewes for in the future examination of the Iudge the humble poor man shal be better esteemed then the proude rich man 2. Not to vtter thy wordes in vaine but to direct thy speaches alwayes to some good purpose remembring that in the day of Iudgement thou shalt render an account of euery idle worde 3. To flatter none to auoyd ostentatiō not to expose Religious and Holy things to be laughed at not to abuse the Scriptures or diuine ceremonyes to Iests and prophane matters Consider 3. what questions were propoūded to Christ by Herode to wit vnprofitable curious Perhaps whether hee were Iohn Baptist whether he could destroy restore the Temple whether his Father in times past killed the Infants for his cause Do thou ask profitable things of our Lord pray him to answer to thy questiōs for the profit saluatiō of thy soule And the chiefe Priests and the Scribes stood constantly accusing him but Herode despised him with his Army Luc. 23. and mocked him cloathing him in a white garment and sent him backe to Pilate COnsider first that Christ suffered 4. thinges in this Kings Pallace For 1. hee was grieuously constantly accused by the Priests Secondly he was despised and mocked by Herode Thirdly hee was euil intreated by the malepert Soldiours no lesse then by the Seruants in the house of Cayphas Fourthly hee was cloathed in a white or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a bright garment in signe of an affected Kingdom or of folly as one that was able to say nothing before the King in his owne defence Consider secondly that Herode was offended at the silence of Christ lesse then the Priests who pronounced him guilty of death but more then Pilate who by his silence admired the prudent grauity of our Lord. Thou mayst learne that by the same causes some fall more grieuously then others those most grieuously which are in highest estate and calling Pilate was a lay Gentile Herode a laye man but a Iewe Cayphas the high Priest of the Iewes Consider thirdly that Christ is a King but such a one as the world knoweth not but doth accuse laugh at and dispise By these irrisions our Lord deserued for himselfe to bee exalted aboue all Kinges and for vs that wee should bee indued with true wisdome bee made immortall Kings in the Kingdome of Heauen bee cloathed with the white garments of immortality Reioyce therfore if thou dost suffer irrision and persecution with Christ for iustice because thine is the Kingdome of Heauen And beware least Christ be mocked by thee if thou dost contemn the poore and his Seruants neglect his Sacramēts words Cōmandements Lastly do thou accōpany the spouse of thy Soule cloathed in this scornfull garment in his iourney to Pilates house marke what scoffings hee heard obserue his eyes what countenance hee shewed pray vnto him with thy whole heart that thou maist be a foole vnto the world so thou bee accounted wise vnto Christ And Herode and Pilate were made friends in that day Luc. 23. for they were enemyes before one to another COnsider first a double mistery 1. That wicked men agree together against Christ and his followers Heritiques oppugning the Church and the Deuills vexing the iust man The other that the death of Christ made peace betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and so that the first and principall Office of the passion of our Lord was to bring and maintaine Peace Therefore presently after his Resurrection in his first second meeting hee said to his Disciples Peace bee vnto you Hee would that wee should haue peace with God to whō hee payed the price of our sinnes with our own conscience which he deliuered from sinne and filled with inward grace and with our neighbours whome hee commaundeth vs to loue hauing infused his diuine loue into our hearts As often therefore as thou feelest inward war within thy self as oftē as thou seeest that thou hast lost peace with God as often as thou shalt perceiue thy neighbour angry at thee or dost experience his hatred against thee Presently turne thy selfe to the Crosse of Christ as to him which is thy onely true Mediator and will restore thee vnto peace with all men Consider secondly In that day that is the very same day That thou mayest learne how easie it is for our Lord to make peace and to pacifie mindes that are most incensed and to helpe thee in thy greatest afflictions although there bee no humane meanes Pray therefore vnto God that hee will bring tranquillitie vnto the Christian cōmon wealth cease the troubles of warre and giue a constant Peace vnto his Church The 23. Meditation of the requiring of Barrabas But Pilate calling the chiefe Priests Luc. 23. and the Magistrates and the people sayd vnto them yee haue offered vnto me this mā Mar. 27. as auerting the people and behold I examining him before you Mar. 15 finde no cause in this man of these things in which yee accuse him no nor Herod neither For I haue sent yee vnto him and behold nothing worthy of death is done vnto him therefore I will dismisse him being corrected And on the solemne day the President had a custome and must of necessity dismisse one of the prisoners whom soeuer they should require And he had thē a notable prisoner called Barrabas who was takē with the seditious who in the sedition had committed murther Then Pilate said yee haue a custome that I dismisse one in the Pasch whome will yee that I dismisse vnto you Barrabas or Iesus who is called Christ for he knew that the high priests had deliuerd him by enuy COnsider first that Herod though he sawe nothing worthy of death in Christ yet he did not deliuer the innocent out of the handes of the Iewes but to gratifie the Priests and the President hee referred the knowledge of the cause to Pilate In like manner euery one desireth to please man but none to please Christ Consider secondly that so many Iudges sought the life of Christ and nothing was found worthy of death or of imprisonment Doe thou so order thy life like vnto Christ that the Deuills at the houre of death may finde nothing of their owne on thee Purge thy soule with daily examination of thy conscience and often confession of thy sinnes so as nothing passe out of this world with thee but that which is holy
death or stripes Doe thou inquire the cause in the opened bowells of Christ to wit his burning loue which cutt brake asunder this sacke of his body poured foorth his bloud so pleÌ„tifully What will the holy Angels do which were astonished in the natiuity of this Lord at the wonderfull loue which caused almighty God to take vpon him a frayle and infants body How will they be amazed both at this loue of God which for man was coÌ„tent to be esteemed a worm rather then a man to be the scorn of men and the outcast of the people the scum and laughing stocke of all men also at the raging malice of the Iewes who would neuer bee satisfied with the paines and punishment of their Messias which so many ages before was expected promised vnto them and likewise at the hardnes of thine owne heart which is not softened and melted with this burning charity of thy Creator Admire thou these thinges and pray thy Lord to inflame thy heart with the loue of him Ioan. 19 The Iewes answered him we haue a Lawe and according to the lawe he ought to dye because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God COnsider first the proud answere of the Iewes we haue a Lawe They belieued in the lawe which they had in writing and did not fulfill it in worke Those men doe imitate them first which boast of the word of God and continually obiect the same and are wholy in the commendation of faith when in the mean time they do nothing worthy neither of faith nor of the holy Scriptures nor yet of a Christian man Secondly they which place all piety in outward ceremonies onely and not in the worship of God in brotherly charity Consider 2. That according to the Lawe Christ ought to dye For the whole lawe of Moses and of the Prophets foreshewed the death of Christ for all the sacrifices of the old Law were shadowes of the sacrifice of the Crosse and all the Prophets referred their prophesies to the death of the Messias Therefore the Iewes said true but not according to their owne intention whose meaning was that the sinne and blasphemy of Christ deserued death by the Lawe that thou maiest learne that God turneth to thy good those things which are badly spoken or done by the wicked and also that thou shouldest drawe goodnes euen out of wicked men Consider third-the cause of his death Because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God A most true cause of death First if thou doest consider God the Father for the Son of God being made man made man the Sonne of God assuming humane nature into one person of the Sonne of God For wee should neuer haue come into grace with the eternall Father but by the death of that man who was the true and very Sonne of God Secondly if thou consider the Iewes because hee liued the life of the Sonne of God For therefore their enuy was exasperated to the death of Christ because his most Holy life reprehended their wicked behauiours Take thou heede that neuer any other fault bee noted in thee but onely that thou art the sonne of God For if thou doest suffer for that cause thou art happy and the faithfull Disciple of Christ And because the Sonne of God did vndergoe this death to make thee the Sonne of God pray him that hee will lighten thy soule with his Grace and exalt thee to bee the Sonne of God and after this life by communicating his Diuinity vnto thee he will number thee amongst the Sonnes of God and graunt thee thy portion among his Saints which shall bee called the sonnes of God The 28. Meditation of the second examination of Christ made by Pilate When Pilate heard that speach hee feared more Ioan. 19 and entred againe into the Pallace and said vnto him whence art thou but Iesus gaue him no answere COnsider first that Pilate being an Ethnicke and possessed with the error of the Gentiles feared least Christ was the Son of some God as perhaps of Iupiter or Maâ—s For so the Poets faine of Romulus and Remus and of diuers others and Christ his modesty in answering and his grauity of manners confirmed this opinion Hee feared therfore the indignation of the God his Father whose Sonne hee had so vniustly whipped The Gentile feared the vaine wrath of the Gentile God and feared not the grieuousnes of his sin neither did the Iewes feare the most iust wrath of the true God Thou likewise doest feare sometimes shadowes dreames and childish fancies and art not affraid of the Deuill who is alwayes at thine elbowe when thou sinnest nor the district iudgment of Christ whome thou doest offend nor Hell mouth gaping for thee Consider secondly Whence art thou Euill men neither knowe God the giuer of all good thinges nor from whence any good commeth to them The Oxe knoweth his Keeper and the Asse the manger of his Lord. Hennes Cattes and Hogges when meat is cast vnto them lift vp their heades and looke vpon them that cast the same And man who hath receiued so many benefites froÌ„ God doth neither thanke nor knowe God Consider thirdly that Christ made no answere First because it was not necessary seeing hee had manifested his innocency before and also satisfied this question saying My Kingdome is not of this world I was borne for this and for this I came into the World c. For our Lord spake but seldome and necessary thinges and as St. Chrysostome saith least hee might seeme proude by his continuall silence Hom. 87. in Mat. Secondly least by his answeares hee might bee thought desirous to escape and to auoyde death which he might easily haue done if either hee himselfe or any other for him had seriously defended his cause Thirdly least hee should giue holy thinges vnto Dogs For at this time Pilate by his great sinne of whipping him had made himselfe vnworthy of an answere at Gods handes Fourthly because an Heathen man could not vnderstand the answere of that which the Angells cannot conceiue For from whence is that Person which with his Maiesty filleth both Heauen Earth which alwayes springing in the bosome of the Father Isa 53 is alwayes borne and perfect whose generation noe man can declare Thou therefore pondering in thy minde the Maiesty of thy Lord and seeing him before this wicked President thus fowly torn deformed with so many stripes and couered with so many spittings filth and torments admire and aske him whence art thou Art thou hee whose Father is God whose Seruants are the Angels and whose Kingdome is Heauen For if wee may Iudge of a man according to his habite thou seemest to bee a Worme rather theÌ„ a Man brought forth of the durte rather then comming from Heauen Then Pilate said vnto him Doest thou not speake vnto mee Ioan. 19 doest thou not knowe that I haue power to crucifie thee and power to dismisse thee COnsider first the
them that hate him Consider fourthly that the place day and houre of the condemning of Christ is distinctly noted first to declare the greatnesse of the sinne when the onely begotten Sonne of the true God was condemned to dye on the Crosse Secondly to signifie the mysterye which is contayned in the same It was the day of the Paraseene that is the sixt day in which man was created in which man was to bee redeemed in which the true Lamb was to be immolated and in which the typicall Lamb was slaine About the sixt houre that is a little before noone in which houre the typicall Lambe was prepared to be sacrificed and men doe commonly pamper and cherish their bodies The place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is strowed with stones and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is high because Christ was condēned by men more hard and more proud then the very stones and did receiue this sentence of death for thy pride and for the hardnes and blindenes of thy heart Pray vnto thy Lord to lighten thy blindenes to mollifie thy hardnes and to suppresse thy pride And Pilate said to them behold your king Ioan. 19 and they cryed away with him away with him crucifie him COnsider first that Pilate preuailing nothing by other reasons began to prouoke them to mercy by laughter as if he should lay behold your great King whō yee accuse of aspiring for he which scarce looketh like a man how can he hope to be a King or else that he spake these words to make them deny their Messias and to submit themselues to the bōdage of the Romanes which was hatefull vnto them For yet there remained a little sparke of pietye in his minde that thou mayst learne how hardly our Lord forsaketh vs. Consider secondly the three names giuen to Christ in this time of his passion by Pilate and the Iewes A man a king the sonne of God Mat. 2. which three names the Sages acknowledged by their offerings For saluation could not be giuen vnto vs except God and man should suffer who by his Passion tooke away the kingdome of the world from the deuill Consider thirdly the word full of comfort behold your king by which word the conditions of our King are shewed vnto vs who is not a sowre hard and importunate exactor oppressing vs with labours and leading vs with great burthens and imposing a grieuous yoake vpon vs but louing and gentle bestowing on vs through his aboundant charity his owne labours dolours bloud and life and that bloud by which alone all the filth of our sinnes is washed away who caryeth also our sinnes beareth our burthens briefely who refresheth vs with his body and bloud and lifteth vp his sweet yoake vpon our shoulders Osea 11 To this King thou hast giuen thy name in baptisme thou hast begun to fight vnder his banner behold therefore diligētly his armour and obserue the manner of his fighting with his enemy For thou must vse the same weapons fight in the same māner and if thou dost desire to be rewarded with the like Honours thou must striue for the victory by humility contempt Charity and other vertues Cōsider fourthly the vnbridled rage of the Iewes who reiected the King of glory together with his Kingdome Away with him Luc. 19. away with him say they we will not haue him reigne ouer vs. But do thou take this king of the Iewes reiected by the Iewes and giuen to the Gentiles Cant. 3 and bring him into the house of thy Mother and into the chamber of her that bare thee Make him thy King and not the World nor the Deuill nor thy Belly nor Mammon And say not now Behold your King but beholde our King yea my King who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And beware that thou doest not againe by any sinne crucifie this King whome thou hast once admitted least hee complain of thee saying Yee all yee people Mala. 3 Galat. 2. Psal 118. doe nayle me But rather being fastened thy selfe vnto the Crosse with Christ pray him that hee will fasten thy flesh with his feare Pilate said vnto them shall I crucifie your King The Priests answered wee haue no King but Caesar COnsider first in this question of Pilate howe vnworthy a thing it was that the Messias who was promised to Man-kinde from the beginning of the world and expected so many ages and at last thorough the mercy of the eternall Father sent for the saluation of the Iewes should come to such and so miserable a death and as an vnworthy accursed person should bee demaunded to the horrible punishment of the Crosse Do thou look vpō thy selfe mark whether perhaps thou art not in the same error Thou knowest that thou wert borne into this world to this end that at the last thou shouldest enioy God in euerlasting and heauenly felicitie Thou knowest that all the whole world was made and framed by God for thy sake and that for the same cause the very Son of God discended down from Heauen was borne of the Virgin Mary and consecrated all his labours yea his Passion and Death vnto thee But thou hauing no consideration of all this doest by thy sinnes driue away God from thee when thou oughtest to imbrace him thou shuttest vp heauen neglectest wholy thy saluation Consider secondly the franticke choise of the Priests They refuse the Messias sent by God as if it were in them to choose a Messias according to their owne will and pleasure not rather to receiue the Messias whome God gaue vnto them O intollerable madnes of mē who will make to themselues a God according to their owne will or deuise a newe Religion or frame the manner of seruing God out of the holy Scriptures wrested and interpreted according to their owne fantasies Wherefore they are truely called Haeretiques that is choosers It is Gods office to appoint Religion and the manner how to serue him and not ours to choose Consider thirdly the nature of enuy which seeketh the hurt of another though it bee to his owne losse The Romane gouernment was very grieuous and hatefull vnto them and yet the Priests both for themselues and for the whole people preferred it before the sweete yoake of Christ Learne first to lay aside all euill affections of thy minde least thou fall into more grieuous sinnes Secondly not to esteeme so much of outward Nobility or power that thou shalt therefore breake the least Commaundement of God or swarue one iote from truth and iustice For Nobility power and authority are of no estimation except the same be vnder Christ and for Christ from whom all power proceedeth both in Heauen and Earth and vnto whom all Honour and power is due Consider fourthly that this foolish election of the Iewes is cōfirmed by God Mat. 22 Mat. 24. Psal 78 for they haue beene both deptiued of their Messias nowe so many yeares and also giuen
to the Deuill Behold his tender body wounded in euery part rubbed with their cruell hands Thou canst not indure to be touched vpoÌ„ any light hurt what paine then doest thou thinke our Lord indured by the rude barbarous pullings of the soldiers Consider secondly how the soldiours pulled off his garment making his most chast heart ashamed to be seene naked afore all the people Behold how his purple garment cleauing to the congealed bloud being violently pulled off did renue the wounds make them bleed afresh plucke away the torne skin together with the flesh But Christ put off this garment that he might with more alacrity take vp the wood of the Crosse For euen as worke men when they goe about any great labour put off their cloathes that they may worke the more nimbly so it is written of Christ that in this his passion he did foure times put off his clothes when he was to effect any great worke That thou shouldest not be ignorant with how great desire he wrought thy saluation First when by his whipping he was to shedd his bloud for thee ouer his whole body Secondly when he was to receiue a crowne of thorns vpon his head to prepare an assured Kingdome for thee in Heauen Thirdly when he was to lay this wood of the Crosse vpon his shoulders as the Scepter or Soueraignty of the Kingdome or as the Key of Dauid with which he should open heauen for thee Fourthly when he was to ascend that tree of the Crosse as the thron of Salomon Consider thirdly that his owne cloathes were giuen him againe that his face being all polluted and as it were disguised with spittings bloud and filth yet he might be knowne by his accustomed apparrell But our Lord put on those vestments that hee might both consecrate vnto God his vestment the Church and euery member thereof with his Crosse and his fresh bleeding Wounds and also that he might teach vs to indure the Crosse and all afflictions It is not read that the Crowne of Thornes was taken from his head that according to the olde Prophesie of Dauid Colloq cuÌ„ Triphone Psal 98. which Saint Iustine coÌ„plaineth was razed out by the Iewes our Lord might raigne froÌ„ the wood Consider 4. That our Lord was brought foorth out of the cittie that as one vnworthy to dye in the holy Citty hee might be put to death amongst the wicked But our Lord went foorth 1. To teach that hee offered this sacrifice for the whole world and not for the Iewes onely for whom the sacrifice was offred in the Temple yea rather that this sacrifice should not be profitable to the Iewes so long as they trusted in their auncient rytes ceremonies according to that saying we haue an altar of which they haue no power to eat who serue the Tabernacle Therfore he went foorth carrying his Crosse that hee might as it were with his sheep-hook inforce thee a stray sheepe to come home vnto his fold 2. That thou shouldst not thinke that Christ is found amongst the cares of the world the troubles of the Cittye and multitude of businesse Hee is abroad in quiet of conscience in contempt and nakednesse and want of all things Let vs then goe foorth vnto him saith the Apostle without the Tents carrying his reproach Flye the world that thou maist finde Christ And carrying his Crosse Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. hee went foorth into that place which is called Caluaria and in the Hebrue Golgotha There were also carryed two wicked mâ—n with him that they should be put to death COnsider first that in the whole Citty there was no man found to carry the Crosse of our Lord to the place of punishmeÌ„t The soldiers would not the Iewes esteemed the very touching of it an execrable thing because the Scripture saith that accursed was euery one Deut. 21. which should hang on the wood therfore our Lord must needes take the wood of his punishment vpon his owne shoulders Consider weigh with thy selfe whether thou doest not imitate them when it is grieuous vnto thee to haue one thought of the passion of our Lord and a most hard thing to suffer any little affliction for the loue of thy spouse Consider secondly with what insolency they layd that wood vpon his tender shoulders beeing wounded with many stripes The world giueth this grieuous and troublesome Crosse which thou must beare alone without the helpe of any other but Christ who imposeth a sweete yoake and a light burthen Mat. 11. Osea 11. and he himselfe lifteth it vp with his grace and exalteth it ouer the iawe bones Pray our Lord to lay thy sins vpon this Crosse carrying them from thee to his owne body and washing them away with his bloud death For he is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Consider thirdly Ioan 3. whither our Lord went to wit to a hil neer the citty Hom. 84. in Ioan. In ca. 5 ad Ephe. in Epis ad PaulaÌ„ ad Marcel Orig. tra 35. in Mat. Cip in ser de resur domini AthaÌ„ de pas dom Epip haer 40. Amb. epis 19. Aug. ser 7 de Temp. Theop. Eâ—thy in Ioan. 19 Isa 3. called Golgotha that is Caluaria either by reason of the sepulture of our first parent AdaÌ„ of his scull there found of which opinion St. Chrysostome and St. Hierome report some to haue been or else of the sculls of dead persons which had suffered death in this hill being the place of execution The place was filthy and infamous but Christ sanctified it by his death and with his bloud washed away the sinne of Adam Consider fourthly that 2. Theeues were carryed to execution with Christ that according to the prophesie of Isaias Hee might be reputed with the wicked and a rumour be spred abroad that 3. Theeues the same day were iudged to dye For it is likely that about the most famous Feasts wheÌ„ the whole people vse to assemble themselues together their custome was to condemne and execute some guilty malefactors for exaÌ„ple to the rest and now at the request of the Iewes whose will Pilate inteÌ„ded to satisfie there were certaine of the most notorious malefactors chosen of whoÌ„ thy Lord should bee accouÌ„ted the captain leader So great was the desire of the Iewes to obscure the name of Christ But our Lord chose to be crucified with those theeues and malefactors to another purpose and intent First that thou shouldest know that hee dyed for sinners that there is no offence so great but it may bee purged by the death of Christ Secondly that by this his disgrace and ignominy hee might obtaine eternall glory for thee make thee of a theefe to bee a Iudge in the world to come Pray then thy Lord to drawe thee to the hill with him and to coÌ„municate vnto thee the merites of his Crosse And going forth they found a certaine man of Cyrene
they call for helpe and neuer forsake them as long as they liue Consider secondly that hee chose to dy amongst theeues rather thē amongst other sinners First that whereas theft is a most grieuous sin which both offendeth God whose image it taketh away and also hurteth our neighbour whom it depriueth both of goods and life he might signifie that there is no offence so great which is not cleansed by this his death nor any man so wicked which may not obtaine remission of sinnes Secondly because euery sinner is a thiefe and a robber which by his sinne killeth his owne soule taketh away honour frō God defileth his creatures and depriueth the Church of a liuely member that is of himselfe whome hee hath bereaued of spiritual life Consider 3. that the good theefe as well as the bad suffered the punishment and death of the crosse with Christ but the one turned his punishment to the benefit of his own saluation and the other to the hurt and losse of his soule That thou shouldest vnderstand that Christ is alwayes present both to good bad in their afflictions and doth send them troubles and miseries to this end that they should remember themselues and lift vp their eyes and hearts vnto him Doe thou then pray vnto God that in all thy tribulations thou mayest haue recourse only to his diuine help and not bee ouer carefull to vse other meanes The 34. Meditation of the Title of the Crosse And Pilate wrote the title of his cause vpon his Crosse Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 and the superscription was ouer his head and it was written in Hebrue Greeke Latine COnsider first that Pilate set vp the Title of the cause of his death and vsed the words following First that thy Lord might bee thought worthy of this death as a traytor arrogating the name of a King vnto himselfe and that Pilate might be cleared before Caesar of the cryme of not condemning his competitor of the kingdome Secondly to bee reuenged of the Iewes who had threatned to complaine of him for hee mocked them that hee had crucified their king and that king also whome their auncestors had fore-tolde so many ages before and had expected with so great affection and desire These were the causes that mooued Pilate to make that tytle And Christ also our Lord ordained this tytle for himselfe but for farre other reason drawne from the mysterie of our saluation First that thou shouldest knowe that hee suffered this death of the Crosse not as a guilty person but as a Sauiour adorned with all vertues that he might rule thy soule and that thou shouldest submit thy selfe to be wholy gouerned by him who being nayled both hand and foote cannot hurt his beloued people but offereth thē all saluation from his open woundes Secondly to let thee vnderstand what merchandize are offered to thee to be solde out of this shop of his Crosse For all houses and shops haue commonly their signes Heere then thou mayst finde all saluation in Iesus all flowers of vertue in Nazareth and all security in the King Runne thou hither in all thy necessityes Isa 55. and buy and take what thou list without money or any other exchāge for this marchant requireth nothing of thee but thy company and thy loue Thirdly that thou mayest know by the Table set before the house what doctrine and Artes are read taught in this schoole For Schoole maisters vse to write before their gates what things are taught within their houses Heere thou mayest learne to bee saued to follow all vertues to rule thy selfe to conquer thy enemyes to gouerne wisely others that be vnder thy charge Our Mr. Christ doth now teach from the chayre of his Crosse euen as hee taught being an Infant in the manger of the Stable But thou perhaps desirest an easier chaire But such doctrine is not taught hut out of such a chaire for there is no way to saluation but by the crosse and by many tribulations and the habits of vertues are obtained by painfull actions If thou wilt rule thy selfe perfectly and subdue thy enemies the world the flesh and the Deuill thou shalt not seeke after the ease of thy body but thou shalt bee seuere against thy body and pull it out of the power of the Deuill by fasting watching workes of humility contempt tribulations according to the example of this Maister Neither shalt thou bee able to gouern others rightly if thou relyest onely vpon thy power and authority except according to this lesson of Christ thy teacher thou doest out of the very bowels of thy charitie apply thy selfe wholy and all thinges in thee to the profite and good of thy subiects Fourthly that by this tytle thou mayest feele of what force the sign of the Crosse is which thou makest with thy handes For it is not a iugling tricke or a flye flappe as the blaspheming enemies of the crosse doe tearme it But it is the vertue power of Christ for the safety of all beleeuers that thou being signed therewith mayst be knowne by thy badge to bee the seruant of the Messias thy King and be a terror to the Deuil and haue entraunce into the house of Christ and that all thy actions may tend to the glory of God and to thy owne saluation Consider secondly that this Tytle was written in diuers languages First because it concernes all men to knowe this King and therefore it was set in a high place that thou mayest beholde it a farre off stand still read vnderstand and follow this King forsaking all other maisters whom thou hast hitherto serued Secondly because the crucified Messias is to bee knowne and praised in all Languages Cōsider thirdly the māner of the writing A part of this Tytle being preserued with great deuotiō of Christians at Rome in the Church of the Holy Crosse in Hierusalem doth declare vnto vs First that the Title was of wood Secondly not written with a pen but grauen with iron Thirdly that the Hebrue was first then the Greeke and lastly the Latine Fourthly that the Greeke and Latine was written like the Hebrue from the right hand to the left SVNERAZANEI ALL which thinges are not without their mysteries For first these three languages onely were set vpon the Crosse which were most vsuall at that time and so continue vntill this day the Hebrue for the Iewes the Greek for the East Church and the Latine for the West For seeing that all Learning is written in these tongues the Scriptures in Hebrue Philosophie Rethoricke in Greek and Latine Christ taught vs hereby that there is neither any diuine knowledge nor humane learning and eloquence of any force except it bee sanctified by the bloud of Christ and referred to the glory of him crucified And therefore the holy Church vseth these languages onely in her diuine seruice as the most common and those that are consecrated with the bloud of our Lord. Secondly the
Christ But Iesus said COnsider first what thy Lord in these great paines of the Crosse did doe say or thinke when as amongst all those torments he found no comfort neither outwardly by men nor inwardly in his owne soule Yf he moued his body the woundes of the nayles tormented him if his head the thorns ranne in deeper and pricked him if he stirred not at all his torment was intollerable ouer his whole wearied body Thinke thou yppon these things in all thy labours and afflictions which thou sufferest for thy Lord. Hee reproued no man although he were slaundered diuers wayes But because the mouth speaketh from the aboundance of the hart his wordes euen vppon the Crosse were directed to thy profite and saluation and doe declare most manyfestly that he prayed to his Father incessantly for thee when by reason of his torments he was not able to vtter one word Consider secondly his swan-like song and note the last words of thy Lord which he spake to thee at the poynt of death For euen as the voyce of the Serpent hyssing out of the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill instilled the poyson of sinne so the last wordes of Christ from the Tree of the Crosse were very effectuall for our saluation and full of burning feruour as proceeding from the depth of infinite charitie Hee spake with a loud voyce and weeping teares with great affectiō and deepe sighes in fewe words but with many teares mixed with bloud streaming downe from his head His teares watered his prayers Heb. 5 and his bloud adorned them his eyes pierced his Fathers eares his sighes moued his heart Doe thou listen to these wordes marke them diligently and gather the fruite thereof For by these seauen wordes the wordes and formes of the seauen Sacraments are sanctified the seauen guiftes of the holy Ghost are obtained and the seauen deadly sinnes are driuen away Consider thirdly but Iesus said First whilst the Iewes were busie in crucifying tormenting mocking him Iesus as if he had not marked these thinges yea rather that he migh render good for euill said Secondly hee who hetherto in his owne cause to the admiration of all men held his peace and could not be brought to speake but being adiudged and had also abstayned from the most iust defence of himselfe now in the middest of his torments is not silent in thy most vniust cause but being not intreated intreateth yea and intreateth with most effectuall wordes Iesus said who the Sonne of God To whome to God the Father Where vpon the Crosse When being ready to dye and his vitall spirits being spent How not sitting nor lying easily but vpright vpon his feete with his hands lift vp and spread abroad like Moses in former times Ezo 17. and all bleeding For whome for sinners who were carelesse of their owne saluation for Christ and his frtends pray for sinners Heb. 5. before sinners pray for themselues What he craueth mercy offring his prayers and supplications appealing from this cruell sentence of the Iewes his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children to a better sentence and full of mercy and desiring that this cruell sentence might be made frustrate Before whome openly in the hearing of his enemies to teach them mercy sweetnesse and in the presence of his Mother and of his friends both because they should bee witnesses of his pardoning them also that they should neuer pray for the reuenge of this sinne O excellent speach of highest merite and worthy to be imitated by all men full of labour charity mercy and piety Haue confidence then in Christ and pray him who by speaking first for sinners before he spake for his Mother left to vs a testimonye how much he esteemeth the saluation of sinners that hee will vouchsafe to haue continuall care of thee now in Heauen Luc. 23 Father forgiue them PAuse vpon euery word Father he doth not say Lord which is a name of seuerity and iustice but Father which is a name of mercy and of the newe Testamēt giuen vnto vs in this place by the bloud merites of Christ that euen as he would be our Brother so we should haue all one father in Heauen He saith therefore O Father knowe me thy Sonne the Father will denye nothing to his sonne I came into the world to this end that thou shouldest receiue thine enemies for thy children Heare me then praying for them For euen as the prayers of the Priestes in the Church shall hereafter be very effectuall which shall conclude in my name in these wordes through Christ our Lord so I doe now pray vnto thee my Father thorough me thy onely begotten Sonne Therefore as thou louest mee thy Son so receiue these my prayers For I ascended this crosse haue suffred all these stripes that I might obtaine mercy and pardon for them If therefore thou doest reiect the prayers of thy sonne and not hear thy sonne thou shalt impose a greater torment on mee then the Crosse it selfe which I suffer that I might take away a greater euill that is that I might turne away thy wrath from them Spare therfore the great dolors of thy Son least he seeme to haue indured them in vaine Thou giuest reward to others labours I desire onely this reward for my paines that thou wilt forgiue these men Forgiue heer our Lord doth the office of a Priest for he prayeth for the sinnes of the people and he cryeth Heb. 5. not only as a Priest but as a sacrifice desiring not a free pardon but offering a full satisfaction His wounds crye his bloud cryeth his spittings his paines and all his members crye Forgiue accept of these torments for their sinnes I haue paied their debtes I giue my bloud for the pryce my paines for the ransom my life in satisfaction my body soule for a sacrifice Be thou therfore merciful for this is a copious redemption A hard thing is required to wit that the Father should forget the death of his onely begotten Sonne and of such and so gteat a Sonne but the Sonne beggeth and hee beggeth with his bloud Secondly hee asketh it not conditionally as he praied for himselfe in the Garden If it bee possible if thou wilt if it may bee done but absolutely Forgiue Both that thou mayest learne to pray to God for pardon of thy sinnes and for his diuine grace without any cōdition because that hath alwayes relation to Gods honour And also that thou shouldest freely forgiue thy neighbours faultes without any condition Thirdly hee prayeth to haue them forgiuē presently and not to bee deferred till after his death For hee would not leaue this life till peace was made with God Parents when they are dying doe often leaue vnto their children small store of goods and those intangled with many difficulties charges debts and contentions But Christ before his death payed all debts with his owne bloud took away all difficulties and charges
cōfesse his own faults to extenuate the sinnes of other men if hee can Thirdly hee declareth the innocency of Christ But this man hath done no euill which saying is true only in Christ and in his most holy Mother for hee hath done no sinne neither is their any fraude in his mouth But because he did no sinne therfore hee ought to beare the sinnes of all men and suffer the punishment thereof in his body The good Theefe teacheth vs heere that we should not complaine in aduersities but confesse our sinnes and giue glory to God openly and conuert our soules earnestly vnto God Doe thou imitate this theefe for death is at thy gates or at least lyeth in waite for thee And pray our Lord to strike his sauing feare into thy heart And hee said to Iesus O Lord remember mee when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome Luc. 23 COnsider first that this good Theefe fulfilled the partes of iustice First hee declyned from the euill which he reprehended in his companion and then hee did good turning vnto Christ Secondly according to the doctrine of Micheas Michea 6. Hee exercised Iudgment greuously accusing his sinne hee loued mercy admonishing his companion to conuertion and hee walked carefully with God of whome deuoutly and humbly he craued pardon Cōsider secondly the seuerall fruites of the crosse and affliction according to the seuerall dispositions of men The wicked are not amended but rather blaspheme the good confesse their fault and come nearer vnto God Doe not maruaile then if our Lord grant prosperity in this world to the wicked and affliction to the good which hee doth mercifully for these causes both because the wicked should not offend more deepely by their impatience the good be ioyned more firmely vnto God also that the wicked may haue some reward in this life seeing they are to bee depriued of euerlasting life that eternall reward may be reserued for the good Consider thirdly euery worde of the theefe O Lord a worde of reuerence feare subiection I submit and promise my selfe to bee thy seruant and bondslaue hee doth not say O my Lord For hee speaketh to the Lord creator and possessor of all creatures Remember mee a modest humble petition I aske not a Kingdom nor any honous but only that thou wilt remember mee knowing that thou canst not remēber me not help me I dare desire this remembrance though I am a sinner 1. Because thou hast admitted other sinners praying vnto thee 2. Because thou hast done so many so great thinges in fauour of sinners 3. Because I a sinner hauing giuen ouer my will of sinning doe now beleeue in thee with my whole heart doe intirely loue thee and with my mouth doe openly confesse thee 4. Because I ask nothing but remembrance and pray for nothing but mercy 5. Because it is reason that hee bee partaker of thy rest and glory whome thou hast vouchsafed to be a companion with thee in thy labours torments and death When thou shalt come into thy kingdome I acknowledg thee to bee a King but thy kingdom is not of this world I knowe that the Angells expect thee at thy death and a whole Army of Seruants who shall not carry thee as they did Lazarus but shall attend and followe the comming of thy owne will and power Admire thou the saith of this Theefe who alone when all others blasphemed did beleeue and detest thine owne infidelity who when the whole world belieueth doest scarcely beleeue and pray Christ to increase thy faith and bring thee into his kingdome with this theefe And Iesus saide to him Amen I say to thee Luc. 23. this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise COnsider first that Christ answered nothing to the theefe blaspeming that thou mightest learne to pacifie thy anger with the vertue of mildnes and that hee approued the counsel of the other who thought it requisite in necessitie to haue recourse vnto Christ that thou mayest obtaine the guift of councell Consider secondly that Christ as a Priest of the newe Testament did forgiue sinnes and as a Iudge doth assigne merite and rewardes For to the iust Theefe hee promiseth glory and to the vniust to whom he appointeth no crowne of Iustice hee declareth by his silence that the fire of Hell was prepared For Christ giueth glory but the paines of hell are not giuen by Christ but rather proceed frō our sinnes according as the Apostle faith Who shall render to euery one according to his workes Rom. 2. to those truely who according to patience in good worke seeke glory and honour incorruption life euerlasting But to those which are of contention and which doe not yeeld vnto the truth but beleeue iniquity wrath indignation That is it shall be rendred not so much by the will of Christ as through the malice merite of sinne Consider thirdly the benignity of this King of the Iewes 1. Hee doth not reiect a man infamous for theft who beholdeth not the outward opinion of men but the inward disposition of the heart 2. Hee presently heareth him confessing and forgiueth his sinnes 3. He giueth more thē was asked Remēbrance only was craued glory is promised and the same to be rendred by by euen the very same day Consider 4. the words of our Lord Amen this is a worde of confirmation for that thou mayst giue credit to my words I affirme it by that worde which I neuer vse but in affirming great and serious thinges and I promise it to thee openly before all these witnesses I say I the truth who cannot lye whose promise is effectuall I the Lord of the Kingdome dispose of mine owne and of no bodyes else To thee not to all least they might take occasion to deferre their pēnance to the end of their life but to thee alone lamenting earnestly cōfessing thy sins making satisfactiō for them by this thy punishment that if perhaps any sinner at the last instant of his death will conuert himselfe hee may by thy example conceiue hope of pardon For before we sinne wee ought to set before our eyes the innumerable sinners standing before the Crosse of our Lord and yet obtaining no pardon least our Lord perhaps leaue vs and wee perish amongst them for hee who hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not promised repentance to the sinner But after our sinne wee must remember the Theefe least wee dispaire This day presently after thy death that thou mayest acknowledge the vertue of the Crosse For euen as a Conquerour carryeth his noble spoyles in tryumph to shewe the greatnes of his victory so Christ hauing gotten the victory ouer the Deuill tooke this notable prey from him and carryed away the spoyle and lead this Theefe with him into triumph who had before been a most faithfull slaue to the Deuill With mee that thou which hast beene partner with mee in my paines mayest not be depriued of
my Crowne and that thou mayst not seeme to haue suffred as a theefe but to haue triumphed as a Martyr with mee Thus Christ conuerted the punishment of the Theefe into Martyrdome so as he which was brought as a Theefe vnto the Crosse did by this his notable and publike confession receiue the Crowne of his testimony Aug. lib. 4 deami eius originie cap. 9. as a Martyr with Christ the Prince of Martyrs Thou shalt bee to remaine for euer In the ioyes shall bee so great that thou shalt not cōprehend them but they shall receiue thee entring into thē they shall fill thee within and cōpasse thee without according to that saying Enter into the ioyes of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Paradise hee saith not an earthly Paradise wherwith the soules and spirits of the blessed are not delighted but the contemplation of the diuine nature in which is a full satiety and delight of the minde He calleth it not a Kingdome as the theefe had requested but Paradise which name he had neuer vsed before First because by this key of Dauid to wit the Crosse of our Lord the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs with the wood of the knowledge of good and euill being violated by sinne had locked vp Secondly because after forty dayes he was to ascend into his heauenly mansion the place of the blessed Behold heer the liberall guift of Christ thy Lord bee of good courage for hee which promised a kingdome to the penitent theefe on the Crosse will render no lesse reward to thee for thy labours spent all thy life time in his seruice But because Paradise is not promised by the crucified but onely to him that was crucified doe thou if thou wilt bee a partner in this Paradise crucifie thy flesh with the vices and concupiscences thereof and pray the spouse of thy soule to call thee to Heauen with these words at the houre of thy death The 39. Meditation of the third worde on the Crosse And there stood by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his Mother and his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene COnsider first that when the Apostles fledde the women followed our Lord euen vnto the Crosse And his Mother is first named both because she was more feruent then the others and remained more cōstant also because it was strange that a mother could indure so great torments especially of such a Sonne and lastly that thou mayest learne hereby that it is not comely for womens modestie to bee present at the death of guilty persons and yet that it is very glorious for them to stay with the Mother of our Lord before the crosse of Christ and to set that alwayes before the eyes of their soule Cōsider secondly why the Mother of our Lord would bee present at his execution surely not of curiosity or lightnes but First that shee who loued such a Son so dearly and had followed him in all places might not forsake him at his death Secondly to be ready to doe him any seruice or to giue him any comfort which lay in her power Thirdly that shee might beholde not onely the death of her sonne but also the manner of the redemption of man by the cōtemplation wherof she might inflame her zeale of the loue of God Consider thirdly why Christ would haue his Mother present at this spectacle First that she should be a witnesse that hee had payed the price for the sinnes of all mankinde Secondly that shee might see the feruor of his loue towards vs thereupon vndertake to be our Patrone Thirdly that the Queen of all Saints should not be depriued of the crowne due vnto Martyrs but that shee should suffer the most noble martyrdome of all others For other Martyrs suffered their own torments inflicted vpon thē by the hands of the executioners But the Mother of our Lord suffred the torments of her son being deriued vnto her from the body of her son as Simeon prophesied of her Luc. 2. And thine owne soule shall a sword pierce Fourthly that the presence of his mother might increase the matter of his paine For the Euangelist did not without cause say His Mother signifying therby the mutuall affections of them both Admire thou here two great lights obscured Christ the greater light the sonne of Iustice Which illuminateth euery man comming into this world Ioan. 1. and the lesser light Mary faire as the Moone The Sunne is made black saith the Apostle as a sacke of haire-cloath Apoc. 6. and the Moone is made all like bloud the mother bleeding with the bloud of her sonne Consider fourthly that shee sate not idly nor lay downe as halfe dead nor ran vp and downe amazedly but she stood First for reuerence vnto her Sonne whome shee saw hanging straight vppon the Crosse for thy sake Secondly as one ready to obey and doe any seruice Thirdly constant and of a good courage with an assured faith of the redemption of man and of the resurrection of her Sonne Fourthly as prepared herselfe ro goe vp to the crosse and if need were to suffer death for sinners Consider fiftly that a fewe others stood by the crosse with the Mother of our Lord a Virgin a Widdow and a Sinner being sorrowful and destitute of all comfort that thou mayest learne First that our Lord crucified on the Crosse was giuen vs by God the Father to bee a comforte to the afflicted a Patrone to Widdowes Orphanes and a preseruer and protector of Virgins Secondly that Christ did communicate the feeling of the griefe of his Passion especially to those whom he loued most dearely Marke therefore whether thou beest mooued with this passion or not for thereby thou mayest vnderstand how much hee loueth thee Consider sixtly There stood by the Crosse of Iesus Fewe doe stand by the crosse of Christ Some onely walke by it and lightly passe ouer the mysteryes of Christ others stand a farre off looking so vpon it as if the mysteries of the Crosse did not appertaine vnto them others stand by the Crosse of the Theeues who suffer the troubles of their pride their ryot their couetousnes of their other vices Neare the crosse of Christ no sinners are tollerated no light behauiour is committed nor no pleasures are sought after Heere is whatsoeuer the world abhorreth pouerty subduing of the flesh contempt and reproach and all thinges are wanting which the world desireth and esteemeth Come thou to the Mother of Christ as neare the Crosse as thou canst because this way onely leadeth those that weepe and mourne vnto Heauen whilst others laughing iesting and blaspheming fall downe into Hell And pray the virgin Mother to assist thee at the houre of thy death and to comfort thee in thy troubles who with such constancy did suffer the sorrowes of her Sonne Therefore when Iesus sawe his Mother and the Disciple whome hee loued Ioan. 19 standing hee said to his Mother woman behold thy
to thee as a sponge fastened to the reede of the Crosse full of grace and truth out of which thou maist sucke sweete water he will communicate vnto thee the guift of vnderstanding whereby thou maist vnderstand and be partaker of the delihgts of thy spouse And he said let be Mar. 15 Mat. 27. let vs see whether Helias come to take him downe and the others said let be let vs see whether Helias come to deliuer him COnsider first the words of the executioners One of them reaching him vineger which being dronke by the crucified person hastneth his death saith let be let vs see whether Helias come that is Helias shall not come for I will preuent him by this deadly cup and rid this man out of the way Others by the same words perswaded him to stay the cuppe that they might see by experience whether Helias would come and so reproue him as a false Prophet of vanity in calling vpon shadowes those which were dead Learn thou heere first what those executioners thought of our Lord beeing euen then ready to dye that thou mayest esteeme better of him in thy soule Secondly that he departed out of this world with great thirst and carryed that thirst of thy saluation into heauen with him where with an ardent though not troublesome desire hee worketh the meanes of thy saluation Thirdly that this cold and piercing cuppe of vineger brought death vnto our Lord for through sinne death entring into the world killed all and spared not the very Sonne of God for whom it was necessary to taste of death that he might ouerthrowe death Resolue thou therefore to flye sinne least hauing gotten power to kill thy body it creepe farther and kill thy soule also Consider secondly two kindes of men for some without faith doe by their sinnes deride the patience of God 1 Pet. 3 Where say they is his promise or his comming Others haue faith but preuent the sting of conscience with hast of sinning Whose feete runne to euill Take thou heede of both and pray vnto God not to forsake thee in the houre of death to bee mocked by the Deuill The 42. Meditation of the sixt word of our Lord on the Crosse Ioan. 19. When Iesus had taken the vineger he said COnsider 1. that this word aboue all the rest brought admirable comfort to all sinners For hitherto all that hee said pertayned for the most part to the executioners to the Thiefe to his Mother c but this he speaketh to vs all declaring that now our debts are payed and all things perfected which seeme necessary to our saluation Consider secondly who he is which saith it is coÌ„summate to wit Christ God and man for as man he offereth this payment and as God he receiueth it For euen as he that draweth wine and hee for whome it is drawne saith there is good measure we ought to credit them so we ought to beleeue Christ our Lord saying all thinges are consummate Consider thirdly where he spake it as first vpon the Altar of the Crosse in which the price was payed vnto God Secondly in a high and eminent place that like vnto a cryer he might publish these newe tydings vnto the world Listen thou vnto it and be assured that the price is paid Consider fourthly when he spake it which was when he had drunke the vineger and was now ready to dye that thou shouldest knowe that he being nothing moued with our ingratitude did confirme his last will and testament vnto vs which shall neuer bee infringed by any wickednesse of man but whosoeuer will be partaker of this bloud it shall remaine whole and holy vnto him Consider fiftly why he spake it namely for our comfort who knowe the offence of sinne to bee so great that no creature was able to redeeme the same Our Lord therefore affirmeth that the enorinity of our offences is not so great nor the number of our sinnes so many nor our debts so infinite but that he hath fully satisfied for all Pray thou vnto him to comfort thee at thy death with this word least thou beest affrayd to appeare before God thy creditor thorough the greatnesse of thy debts It is consummate COnsider first he said not this or that is consummate but absolutely it is consummate that thou maist knowe that by this passion of Christ all things are consummate and made perfect in Heauen and in earth as well those things which portain to God as those which belong to man For euen as sinne violated all things so the bloud of Christ restored all thinges againe that thou maist learn to seeke all things in the passion of Christ and with the Apostle to glory in nothing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6. Consider secondly how those things which belong to God are consummate by Christ For first he perfectly obserued all the commaun-of God the Father and neuer transgressed any of them no not in thought Secondly he carefully fulfilled all thinges committed to him in charge by the holy Scriptures neither did one lot or tytle passe which was not fulfilled Mat. 5. For he had receiued froÌ„ his Father a double charge one deliuered in Heauen to himselfe another committed to writing and communicated to vs. Thirdly he ended all figures ceremonies and shadowes of the old Testament and commaunded all things to cease which signified the death of the Messias and the future mysteries of the Church Fourthly whatsoeuer was imperfect in the old sacrifices hee perfected and fulfilled in one sacrifice of the Crosse Fiftly by this his death he repayred the ruines of Heauen which were opened by the sinnes of Lucifer â—oan 1. and gaue power to men to bee made the sonnes of God to those which belieue in his name and after this life spent in the seruice of God to replenish againe the seates of those Angels whom their wickednesse and sinne had throwne downe into hell Behold how thy Lord ready to goe to his Father doth glory that he hath left nothing in this world vnconsummate but that he hath executed all things to the full which hee was commaunded I would thou also at the houre of thy death according to the example of thy Lord couldest glory that thou hast left nothing imperfect in thy selfe Saint Paul said I haue fought a good fight I haue consummate my course 2 Tim. 4 I haue kept the faith And Saint Peter in the name of the Apostles Behold we haue left all things and haue followed thee Mat. 19. what therefore shall we haue What wilt thou say when thou art ready to dye who hast violated Gods commandements and hast receiued thy good in this life What canst thou offer vnto God for the reward of eternal glory Thinke earnestly of these thinges that thou mayst diligently execute the Commaundements of our Lord. CoÌ„sider thirdly that by Christ his Passion all thinges likewise are consummate which belong to vs. 1.