sayde Remember thou my pouertie my wormwood and gall And in an other place our Lorde him selfe doth likewise lament vs that we haue likewise forgotteÌ„ him and that which he hath done and suffered for vs. That we maye therefore the better exercise our selfe in this kind of meditation it behoueth often to reade the historie of the passion as the foure Euangelistes do set foorth the same and is to be founde in certayne godly bookes or els to be learned at sermons or by other spiritual talke so that thou must trauell to haue the same well fixed and rooted in thy memorie imagining and thinking alwayes vpon it chewing it in thy minde vntill thou finde thy selfe so ready and prompt in it that if thou were apposed in any part of the historie of the passioÌ„ thou mightest be able to answer to it declare it perfectly And to this it shal helpe thée often to exercise thy selfe in meditation of Christes passion Also to this maner it doth apperteine to cal to thy remembraunce according to that which thou hast read or learned by bookes or preaching that whatsoeuer thou seest in thy contemplation thy sauiour to haue suffred they were before figured and foreshowen by many holy Prophetes And so thou shalt knowe and well perceiue that the truth of that thou goest about to meditate doth answere to the olde figures and auncient prophecies the which shall minister gret cause of consolation and more confirme thée in faith and also chase and driue away all other fancies whiche distract the minde and make the same more attentiue and benâ— to the matter in meditation And so this shall be as a beginning to passe further to the other considerations ¶ A declaration of the seconde manner of meditation which is by way of compassion The seconde maner of meditation vpon the blessed passion which is by way of compassion is more acceptable to our Lord and that is to endeuour to trauell in sorrow and griefe with him And it is also no lesse profitable for vs for that as Saint Paule sayth if we will suffer with Christ we shal also reigne together with Christ In this kinde the matter of meditation is so plentiful and copious that it shuld be long to write or meditate the same at large and therfore it shall suffice to consider therein two poyntes to the which the other may be reduced that are vsed for that purpose to be considered of The first is to consider the person that suffereth The seconde to consideâ— the thing which he suffereth thâ— which two poyntes well considered of may suffice to moue any hard hart to compassion Foâ— what hart will not mollifie oâ— melt to consider first the qualities which do concurre in the person that would suffer béeing very God man And touching his diuine nature no man is able to declare or comprehende neither his generation nor his dignitie nor his maiestie nor his highnesse nor his eternitie nor yet the fulnes of his perfections And touching his humanitie he is most noble of blood royal the sonne of the most cleare Virgin mother formed by the operation of the holy Ghost the most beautifull body that euer was séene amongst men the most gracious swete humble meeke â—ouing with all other excellencies more then can be thought And touching the soule in him is the fulnesse of grace of charitie of holynes of all other noble vertues and heauenly giftes in more high degrée then euer was communicate to any creature And this such and so mightie a Lord did suffer béeing most innocent without any faulte or sinne more grieuous payns and terrible tormentes then mans tongue or Angels can expresse Nowe let this be the seconde poynt that is to say the things which he hath suffred and therof thou hast to remember in thy meditation howe he suffered in his body from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote from top to toe yea and in al his sences and féelings and so running in through discourse of them thou shalt finde that there remayned in him no one part nor sence or féeling in the which he did not suffer so many sortes of tormentes as can not be thought yea and that in fleshe moste tender delicate and quicke to féele for the perfection of his complexion Consider here withall that he dyed in the flowre of his age when to liue was most swéete and death the cause of more sorrowe Remember also the blasphemies they gaue him the iniuries the reproches the scornings mockings they deuised against him sometimes clothing him in one fashion of garment somtimes in an other with so many kinds of mockinges and finallye in spoyling and stripping him bare and crucifying him naked before suche a multitude of people that it can not be declared and it passeth mans wit to expresse howe great the spite and shame was they wrought against him O infinite heape of sorrowes and reproches so great that there can not be found the wit or vnderstanding to thinke nor yet tong finde words to expresse and vtter them yea or howe much soeuer they were able to thinke or vtter yet should it be the least part of all that he suffered O my Redéemer how well worthy maye those wordes be spoken of thée by the Prophet Ieremie O all ye that passe by the way consider and sée if there were euer any sorow like vnto mine And so truly it is O our Lorde that like as there was neuer loue to be compared to thine so also verily there was neuer sorrowe like nor equall vnto thine neither in quantitie nor in qualitie nor yet in all other circumstances that can be imagined How then good brother can thy hart holde out and not with pitie relent and melt and with compassion be moued when thou shalt consider these and many other things whiche thou mayest call to thy remembrance and which do aggrauate and make more lamentable the bitternesse the sorrowes the tormentes and great iniuries done to thy Sauiour And this is that he suffered in his body and to our sight outwardly which in déede was the least part because muche more grieuous and percing were the inwarde sorowes paynes and afflictions of his moste blessed soule As that his sorrowe vnto death did witnesse which he said he felte and also that agonie which he suffered in his prayer hauing diuers and infinite obiectes of paynes before his glorious sight whiche so troubled and tormented him that it caused him to sweate that bloody sweate trickling downe from his face and body to the ground The causes of that so greate heauinesse and affliction of his blessed soule may in our meditation be gathered to be these First the coÌ„sideration he had of the sinnes of all people from the beginning of the world in time past time present and time to come the number the malice and wickednes the abhomination he both saw and euidently knewe and playnly vnderstood how great iniurie and dishonor they committed
I say this may teache thée the order and maner howe because herein is shewed thée howe to geue thanks to thy Redéemer for that which thou shalt meditate or call to minde he hath suffred for thée and also what thou oughtest to praye for conformable to that poynt and parte of the passion thou â—ast to meditate vpon Which â—oing by Gods grace with as great deuotion as thou canst â—hou mayst then well hope thou shalt not at any time be occupied therein without fruite the which shal be so much the more as thou shalt more earnestlye perseuer in so godly an exercise ¶ Diuers profitable wayes how to meditate vpon the blessed passion of Christ our Redeemer IT is declared in the booke oâ— the Prophet Daniell that there was shewed in a vision to Nabuchodonosor a trée planteâ— in the middle of the earth whicâ— trée was very hye garnisheâ— with goodly leaues and abundance of fruite By this trée is figured Christ crucified in the middest of the earth vnder the shadow of which trée whosoeuer is willing to rest him selfe and recorde within his minde the most holy passion he shall finde fruite both swéete and copious and that so muche the more as his vnderstanding shall serue him in more diuers sort to meditate on the same And therfore ye must note that ther be diuers wayes to meditate vpon the holy passion out of eche of them there may be gathered new varieties of fruites for that you shall finde one fruite and taste when you do in your meditatioÌ„ take sorow compassion within your selfe for the great torments iniuries which Christ suffered and an other kinde of fruite when thou shalt meditate thereon in minde to followe the great vertue that is taught thée therein and so in diuers other sortes as your meditation may runne for diuers other endes and purposes And although the deuotion of euery man may deuise different wayes of exercise in this meditation yet neuerthelesse I thought good in this litle treatise to set foorth certayne sortes which I hope shall not a little further and helpe such as be willing to serue their turne therewith The first maner or sort which is generall and here set foorth before the rest we intende to speake of may be called historicall or literall whiche consisteth in knowing wel the letter and historie of that mysterie which thou purposest to haue in minde and contemplation the which thou must as freshly remember and consider of as it were presently set before thine eyes The second maner of this meditation is by way of compassion that is to say for that intent that thou wouldest haue compassion and as it were lament and be sory for the grieuous tormentes reproches and sorowes which thou conceyuest in thy minde that Christe hath suffred for thée considering wel the quantitie and qualitie therof with other circumstances which do encrease the sorowes and passion and therefore the more styrre thy heart to pitie and compassion The third maner is to meditate by way of compunction or contrition which is to that end that thou mayst be pricked with remorse of coÌ„science and sorow for thy sinnes which are with such rigour and crueltie punished in thy redéemer for that he was offered vp as a raunsome and price for them so to make satisfaction before the iustice of his eternall Father And this shall cause thée to hate them the more and to kéepe thy selfe the more warely hereafter froÌ„ committing the like offences agayne when thou shalt consider how muche they offended God that he would punishe the same with so great seueritie The fourth maner and sort of meditation is by way of imitation or following that is to the ende to followe the marueilous vertue and rare examples that Christe our redéemer showeth and setteth foorth in his passion as well in the wordes which he spake as in the workes which he did and in the maner of his suffering All which to consider is a certayne liuely example and paterne of perfection for thée to vse as a glasse to beholde what vertue wanteth in thée and so to vse thy selfe that thou mayest obtayne it The fifth maner and sorte of meditation is by way of thanks giuing that is in rendring of thankes and prayses to God for his bountifull goodnesse calling to remembraunce the innumerable giftes and great benefites which are giuen thée by meanes of this holy passion the whiche are so great that no vnderstanding of man is able to comprise them Yet notwithstanding those whiche by this discourse thou art able to vnderstande may suffice to stirre thée to giue thankes and prayse to thy Lord God which hath done so muche for thée The sixt maner is by way of admiration for hauing well considered in thy minde the vnspeakeable charitie and loue of Christe in that he hath offered him selfe to suffer so bitter and shamefull death and likewise the infinite wisedome and iustice of God declared in the bitter passion of his deare sonne thou shalt become as a man rauished out of him selfe béeing amased of so high and wonderfull things The seuenth maner is by way of ioye and hope For if thou consider that all which Christe hath suffered and that death which he hath sustayned was onely for thy remedie and behoue and that by such meanes he would make satisfaction for thy sinnes and leaue to thée the treasures of his redemption and mercies if thou be willing to helpe thy selfe therwith Calling I say these and the like thinges to thy remembraunce they may cause thée to reioyce and be glad in hope that by this helpe thou mayst agayne recouer that infinite treasure which thou haddest lost and he by this meanes hath purchased for thée The eight and last maner of meditation vpoÌ„ this blessed passion is by way of loue For because the principal fruite which thou mayst séeme to gather of that thou hast meditate vpon is a certayne excéeding tender loue of our Lorde him selfe which so vouchsafed to suffer and dye for thée And nowe that thou mayst in all these maners and wayes of meditation knowe the better how to procéede these instructions and declarations following may serue thy turne Declarations of the sayde sortes and maners of meditations vppon the blessed passion and first concerning the first kind called historicall or litterall THE first manner howe to be occupied in meditation vpon the most blessed passion of our redéemer we haue sayde it may be termed historicall or literall because in it we presuppose chiefly that the history of things whiche happened and came to passe are therein contayned Vpon the which foundation all the other sortes of meditation are grounded which we haue before specified And therefore it is necessarie that this kinde and sort go before the other besides that this remembraunce what things Christ suffered is of it selfe laudable inough and commended in the holy Scripture as it appeareth in that which the Prophet Ieremie in person of our Lorde
thereby against his eternall father whom he aboue all other things loued and desired to honour the which did gréeue and torment him more then all those outward tormeÌ„ts Secondly he sorrowed for the vnkindnes and vnthankfulnes of men and chiefly Christians for whom he gaue his life and offred him selfe to so great and bitter payne and yet he sawe they would not endeuour nor begin to know nor estéeme or care to helpe them selfe with so great and inestimable benefite and so through their owne fault he should not gayne by his grieuous passion death that fruite for the whiche he traueled so sore and which he might haue had if they them selues would haue disposed their good willes thereto which did more grieue him then death it selfe And that he playnly showeth where he lamenteth by the mouth of the Prophet Esay saying in vayne haue I traueled and without cause and fruite haue I consumed my strength Thirdly he sorowed much the damnation of Iudas and of so great a multitude of people otherwise whome he knewe shoulde be damned for despising of that moste holsome medicine he should leaue for them in his precious blood and that by howe muche the more with infinite charitie he desired their health and saluation so muche the more it grieued him to sée their perdition and also considering the inestimable ryches they loste and the horrible tormentes wherein they should for euer be punished This was a cause of more bitter sorrowe to him then the cup of his passion Fourthly the representation of that sword of sorowes which he knewe should passe through the virgin hart of his most dere mother was likewise a cause of great griefe and sadnes For he knew she would accompanie him in the middle of his tormentes and the sight of her did encrease the same through the tender compassion he had of her And likewise he did sorowe and pitie the solitarines cares and trauels his disciples should be left in and all his friends both present and all other his elect that should come vnto the ende of the world of whose persecutions torments tribulations he did no lesse grieue at féele then the head doth féele payne griefe when any of his members doth suffer Sée then how diuers sorts of sorowes besides many other a man may call to remembraunce and meditate that perced and ranne through his most sacred soule and those he felt euery payne by it selfe the one not letting the griefe of the other and that without all consolation or comfort without ease or rest and béeing forsaken of all parts as he declared vpon the crosse when he sayd O God my god why hast thou forsaken me And as it is sayd of him in an other place That he was made as a man without helpe For so it pleased his entier loue the more to suffer for vs and so to make the greater satisfaction to the iustice of God O loue without measure O infinite clemencie and pitie most euidently declared in that thou wouldest showe thy selfe cruell to thy self to be pitiful towards vs And that thou more estéemedst our health then thy owne comfort and life Séeing that béeing depriued of all comforte and helpe thou wast drowned in a bottomlesse pit of so great griefes and sorowes and wast content to be swallowed vp as an other Ionas in the belly of the whale of death What man then can finde in his heart to be so voyde of all pitie that thinking vpon these thinges will not be mollified and moued to compassion Séeing he woulde be sorie I trowe for the greatest enemie he had if he should sée him in like torment of body and soule without all ease and comfort Lo then my dere brother how in these poyntes hitherto is declared what was the person that suffered and what he suffred as well in body as in soule wherin thou shalt finde sufficient matter to styrre thée to compassion which is the ende we purposed in this part For if thou meditate and consider in thy minde after this sorte this holy mysterie it can not be but if thou remember well the aforesayde things with good attention and â—euotion it shall moue breake â—hy hart were it neuer so hard â—eing that the very stones in the stréete brake and shiuered in peces in the death of the very same thy Sauiour A declaration of the third manner of meditation by way of contrition and compunction The third maner we purposed to teache thée howe to meditate on the blessed passion is by the way of contrition and compunction the ende wherof is to haue an inward sorowe and repentance of thy sinnes committed against the maiestie of God and to find out the fruit of this which is not a litle it behoueth a man to ground him selfe vpon this veritie that all which christ our redéemer hath suffred was for the sinnes of the world In so much that if man had not sinned Christ had not suffred nor dyed for so the diuine scripture affirmeth that for the sinnes of the people he was stroken of his â—ternal father and that he layde â—pon his shoulders the sinnes of â—s al and that he was scourged â—nd wounded for our iniquitie â—nd beaten and buffeted for our â—eseruing And this veritie is â—onfirmed by many other auâ—horities aswell of the olde as â—he new Testament Now then this so béeing when thou shalt be disposed to make discourse and occupie thy minde in meditation of the death and passion of thy Redéemer thou haste to think verily that thou wast the cause of all those sorrowes tormentes and iniuries whiche thou seest him to haue suffered For notwithstanding he suffered and dyed for all yet neuerthelesse he dyed as well for thée alone as he dyed for all So that thou mayest truely saye with Saint Paule that he was offred for thée that he was scourged for thée that he was nayled on the Crosse for thée and dyed for thée And likewise that thy sinnes killed him thy pride crowned him with thorne thy dishonesties filthy life scourged him thy drunkennesse and gluttony gaue him the eysel and gall thy disorderlye doinges and sinnes were the causes of his grieuous sorowes and that thy sins were those many dogs and great bulles of whom he said he was enuironed or compassed round about and so when thou shalt beholde him in the piâ—â—full image where Pilate sheâ—eth him to the Iewes when he â—ayde Beholde the man then â—â—so remember that our Lorde sayth the very same wordes vnto thée Behold O man the rewarde I haue receiued for thée Behold howe I am handled for thée Beholde howe I suffer the scourge of thy deseruings Behold what thy vnthankfulnesse hath caused me to haue Behold the deformed picture and image which thy sinnes haue giueÌ„ me in recompence of my good wil to make thée partaker of my beautie Of this coÌ„sideration we shaâ— soone conceiue in our mindâ— what an horrible thing sinne is which in such sort hath handleâ—
do laude prayse thée so that I nor all men in the world know nor yet are able to thanke thée nor yet vnderstand thy so gret mercy And because I haue no tong able to do it as it ought to be I pray thée of thine infinite goodnes to graunt me an heart that may take compassion and féele in part that which thy most blessed mother felt when she beheld and saw those gréeuous woūds and scourgings of her and thy most louing sonne Geue me therfore O Lorde teares in abundance that I may bewayle with her his death also wéepe for that which was the occasion therof and that was my sinnes the which I pray thée for the same thy sonnes sake that thou wilt pardon me and for the time to come to preserue me that I offend not in the same agayne but alwayes hate and abhorre my sinnes and wickednesse Amen Et florum nimbo fusisque lignoribus vngunt Vnctaque candenti sindone membra tegunt How the blessed body of Christ was anoynted and dressed to the buriall Meditations thereof 1 When night drew neare S. Iohn Ioseph and Nicodemus as it maye be godly thought prayed our Lady to geue them leaue to annoynt the most blessed body of her sonne who agréed to their godly request albeit that she vnderstoode that there was an other principall annointing that is that he was annointed of his diuinitie with the which he was vnited 2 Consider with what great deuotion and reuerence that most diuine body was anoynted and how many sighes teares they shed euery one that were present thereat in séeing him so wounded and pitifully handled and specially beholding those fiue principall wounds worthy of so great compassion 3 Consider that when the blessed body was annoynted they decently wounde it in a white shéete they brought with them and couering his said body with a fine launde so shrowde it vp to be buried according to the maner of the Iewes ¶ The prayer MY soule blesseth thée O most louing Iesu and all the powers within me geue thankes prayse to thy most holy name for all thy works which I confesse to be most worthy of all prayse and blessings But specially I prayse and magnifie thée for that thou hast accomplished and finished that so highe and heauenly worke of our redemption on whiche my saluation and life dependeth I also adore and worship thy precious body with the which it hath pleased thée to suffer most gréeuous torments and seing thou my Lord and God wast content to accept that deuotion and pietie of thy friēds that came to do thée their seruices and wast cōtent being dead that thy body should be annoynted with those materiall oyntments which they brought of the which thou hadst no néede at all because thou wast preserued from all corruption with the swéete balme of thy diuinitie I beséeche thy clemencie that thou vouchsafe to graunt me that pietie that charitie and those teares of deuotion that I may be able to annoynt thee spirituallye whiche is the vnction that is wonte to bée most acceptable to thy maiestie Vouchsafe also my Sauiour to imprint in myne heart those fiue most holy woundes whiche maye bée at all tymes my comfort my medicine the tower of my fortresse my refuge sanctuarie more sure and safe then those Cityes whiche in the olde lawe were appoynted for offenders to runne vnto and saue them selues And that by meanes of them I maye escape what tyme it shall please thy diuine iustice to punish me for my sinnes Amen Conditur ah tumulo mundi mihi conditor in quo Vnicaspes hominum conditur vnasalus Howe Christ was put into the graue Matters of meditation 1 Howe that most sacred body was caried put with due reuerence of Ioseph in a newe sepulchre or graue the which was nere to the place where he was crucified And here you may call to minde also the multitude of sighes and abundance of teares of his most sorrowfull mother and of those holy persons that were there present 2 Consider the extreme pouertie of the king of heauen and of earth who when he was dead had not any place where to rest his head but after death was buried in the sepulchre or buriall of an other 3 Then finally consider howe loth and gréeuous that sorrowfull mother was to depart from the sepulchre where her tresure was left and layde and the dolefull desolate sadnesse she felt seing her selfe depriued from his ioyful company vntil his rising agayne whiche she looked for with a stedfast fayth ¶ The prayer AL thy works O my God and lord Christ Iesu be holy perfect wrought by infinite wisedome for the which without ende I laude giue thankes prayses to thée and specially for thy holy passion death and buryall For euen as when the worke of the creation of the worlde was finished the scripture saith thou diddest rest and ceasse from creating anye more thinges so also now the great worke of the redemption of man béeyng also finished thou tookest thy rest and dyddest ceasse from suffering any more and wouldest that thy blessed body vnited with thy diuinitie shoulde remayne closed within the sepulcher thy moste blessed soule vnited with the same Diuinitie in meane time discending to visite and comfort with thy presence glory those holy fathers thy great friendes the which with vnspeakable desire looked for that day Blessed and praysed for euer be thyne infinite mercie power and wisedome the which stretcheth ouer all and disposeth all thinges swéetely For the which I praye thee to open the eyes of my soule that I may learne to know loue and reuerence thée Geue mée also my redéemer plentie of teares of compassion with the which I maye accompanie thy moste sorrowfull mother who at this tyme remayned sole and desolate bewayling with great affection which shée felte for thy death and absence vnto the time that thou camest agayne to wype awaye those pitifull teares which ran downe her reuerende face I desyre also and praye thée to graunt me a cleane harte voide of all corruption of sinne where as in the lyke Sepulcher not of harde stone but of tender fleshe and louynge it may delight thée to rest vntyll the time thou vouchsafe of thy mercie to bring mée eternall rest Amen Mortis victor adest animis comitatus ab orco Ne tumulo hanc matres quaerite vinus abit The glorious resurrection of Christ our Sauiour ¶ Poyntes to meditate vpon 1 First consider how that when the most blessed soule of Christe had béen in Lymbo comforted those holy fathers and brought them frō thence the sonday morning it did returne againe and vnite it selfe with his most blessed bodye caused it to become glorious resplendent immortal and impassible and so with the diuine power those glorious indowmēts which it communicated to the body it rose vp out of the place where it lay the sepulcher or graue remaining fast shut and closed 2 Ye may also thinke that the first thing he did being raised from death was to visite his beloued mother which with so many teares sighes sorowes missed him and looked for him All which griefes were turned into incomparable ioyes gladnes with the glorious sight of her sonne raised agayne from death to life 3 Ye may also meditate howe he firste appeared vnto Magdalen before the other who when she knew him she was greatly comforted and likewise vppon his other apparitions as vpon this daye as when he shewed himselfe and appeared to the deuoute women which went to the sepulcher and after to his Disciples goyng towardes the castle of Emans ¶ The prayer THy name be blessed without end most swéete Iesu my redéemer for that after the tempest of thy passion there is come the faire bright day of thy glory to the night of sorrowes and teares for thy death the festiuall ioyful day of thy resurrection doth succéede For the one for the other I giue prayse and thanks to thée as for the one and for the other I am debtour to thée bicause thou wouldest dy for my sinnes rise again for our iustification And therefore it is iust that they which do suffer wepe with thée in thy sorowfull passion and death should also in thy gloryous resurrection reioyce with thée thy most blessed mother Who according to the measure of hir anguishe sorrowes passed hath receiued the ioyes consolatiōs of this day present And what tongue may suffice to expresse that vnspeakeable gladnesse which hir hart felt when she sawe thy glorious risyng againe and the darknesse of thy passion turned into such beautifull clerenesse thy shames reproches into glory thy wounds into such beautie brightnesse When she did consider that now the stormy winter of thy persecutions was past the waters of the fludde of thy sorows ceassed that there should be nowe no more Pharisies to accuse thée nor Iudasses to betray thée nor Pilates to iudge or condemne thée nor death to haue might power ouer thée If Iacob did so muche reioyce when hée vnderstood that his sonne Ioseph whō he beleued to be dead was a liue and did rule ouer all Egipt how great may we thinke the ioy of thy glorious mother to be when hauing sene thée dead yea and of such a death did sée thée alyue againe a vanquisher of death triumphing ouer the diuell hell Lorde of heauen and of earth wherefore I beséech thée my heauenly king that I calling to remembrance this great triumph gladnes of thy blessed mother thou wilt giue me grace to hate all other vaine pleasures and worldly consolations whiche may separate me frō thée Graūt me Lord I pray thée by thy holy resurrection that my soule may rise againe with thée by the life grace and that I dye no more by the death of sinne so that I may by thy mercy hereafter rise agayne glorious in body and soule and come to reigne with thée eternally in glory Amen FINIS Laude Honour and Glory be for euer to Iesu Christ our Redéemer which suffered dyed and rose agayne Amen