is thankful vnto me for my benefites bestowed vpon him I bewaile my virginity because I haue found none to bestow my virginity on none to giue my innocency vnto none to impart my patience vnto none vnto whome I may communicate my charity nor any one with whom I may leaue my humility in keeping but if I came rich and adorned with vertues in the world so I must return rich again with theÌ„ to heauen The figure which wee haue spoken of saith further that all the maids of Sion did meet in Ierusalem to mourn and weep the death of Iephthes daughter foure daies one after another in the which they made great lamentations so that no yeare did passe in which this solemnity was not obserued It is here to be noted that although there haue beene in the synagogue many personages noble in bloud valerous in warre discreet in the Common-wealth learned in all sciences and cleane and vnspotted in life yet it is not read of any of theÌ„ that after they were dead and buried were mourned for at any other time Al the kings Dukes Patriarks and Prophets were buried by their friends and kinsfolkes and forgotten of them excepted onely the daughter of Iephthe for whose death all the virgines and maids did mourne and weepe euery yeare once by a speciall priuiledge Wee speake all this because that if the daughters of Sion thought it conuenient to thinke vpon and weepe for the death of that virgine once euery yeare should it not bee greater reason that wee should weepe for the death of Iesus Christ euery houre and euery moment of an houre Those virgines did weepe for the death of that young virgine for no other reason but because she was young beautifull and vertuous so that they were induced to make that solemne lamentation rather through compassion than reason What other reason could there bee for that solemne yearely lamentation seeing that the daughter of Iephthe died not for the Commonwealth nor yet had in estimation for any rare vertue aboue the rest Iust occasion and reason doth inuite vs to weep euery houre and euery moment of an houre for the death of Christ considering that he died for the Commonwealth and paied for our offence For the son to say vnto his father Why hast thou forsaken me is to say nothing else but to complaine of vs because wee remember not his precious death as Iephthes daughter was wept for once a yeare Although the sinfull soule doth not remember the death of Christ yet the holy church doth not forget nor omit to celebrate his death once at the end of euery year in the holy weeke And in steed that the daughters of Sion did weepe for the death of that virgin foure times in the yeare the church doth represent vnto vs the passion written four times of the foure Euangelists CHAP. VII How Christ complaineth vnto his father because they did open his wounds through malice as they did stop vp Isaac his wels through enuy HAbuit Isaac possessionâ—â— onium armentorum familiam plurimam ob hoc inuidentes Palestini obstruxerunt omnes putees eius implentes humo Genes 26. The Scripture hath these wordes telling vs of a great discouresie which the king of Palestine did vnto Isaac the Patriarke and it is as if hee would say Isaac was a great and mighty man and had many flockes of sheepe and many heards of kine and many bondslaues both man and woman by reason of which prosperity of his the Palestines did greatly enuy him and did stop vp his wels by casting much earth into euery one of them O that the Apostle said very true when hee said all things happen vnto them in figura seeing that all things that were done in the Synagogue were nothing else thaÌ„ a figure of that which should happen in the Catholicke church For if it were not so there are many things in Scripture which vvould seeme but a iest to write of and a superfluous thing to read If there should not be some deep mystery some hiddeÌ„ secret in this figure what were it vnto vs or what profite should wee receiue in knowing that Isaac had many sheepe kine and slaues What were it also vnto vs if hee had many enemies and that they did shut vp his wels enuy his riches haue an ere vnto his greatnesse considering that it is an old custome that euery rich man is enuied This figure doth lead vs vnto higher mysteries than the letter doth shew and therefore it is needfull to haue a high spirit to declare it and great attention in reading it To come then vnto the purpose Isaac in the Hebrue tongue doth signifie a man ful of laughter and ioy the which ioifull name can agree only vnto the sonne of God and hee only in this world in a high degree can be called Isaac When rhe sonne of God was in heauen aboue and before hee came downe into this world no mortall man knew any cause to laugh nor yet durst not laugh for because that they saw that God was angrywith all the world al the world was in a dump and mourned When God had said vnto Noe the Patriarke Paenitet me fecisse hominem that is I am sorry and repent that euer I made man how could any man dare to laugh and bee merry How durst holy Iob laugh seeing that hee said with many teares Vtinam de vtero translatus essem ad tumulum I would to God I had been buried as soone as euer I was borne His meaning was this O great God of Israel why hast thou brought mee out of my mothers wombe and now that thou hast brought me out why doest thou not destroy me why did dest thou not carry mee presently from my mothers bowels to my graue How could the Prophet Helias laugh seeing that running flying away through the mountains from Queene Iezabel Petiuit anima sua vt moreretur His meaning was Am I better than my predecessors that I should liue rather than they Die then my soule die for because that my life is grieuous vnto me and I would see it at an end How should the Prophet Ieremy laugh seeing that hee said with deepe sighes Quis dabit capiti meo lachrimas oculis meis fontes lachrimarum vt plorem interfectos populi mei His meaning was Who can bring to passe with the great God of Israel that he would make a sea of water of my head change my eâ—es into fountaines of teares to sigh by night and weepe by day for those whom sinne hath deceaued and the sword slaine How could old honorable Tobias laugh when he said Quale mihi gaudium erit quia in tenebris sedeo lumen caeli non video In those pittifull words hee meant to say this What ioy can there be in my heart or what laughter can there bee in my mouth seeing that I find my selfe poore and feele my selfe aged blind and cannot see the light of
enuy did vse him and how in Samaria they sold an asse head for fourescore pence and they gaue but thirty for his Fol. 310 Chap. 12 Christ complaineth vnto his Father that all other martyrs had their paines and troubles inflicted vpon them at diuers times and he is all at once Fol. 318 The Contents of the fift Word WHy the son of God did bid all those which were athirst come vnto him and yet said vpon the crosse that hee himselfe was a thirst Fol. 335 Chap. 2 How the Crowes gaue the Prophet Helias meat and how the Iewes gaue Christ neither meat nor drinke Fol. 342 Chap. 3 How the hangmen drank the wine which was brought vnto him and the other theeues and did suffer Christ to die with thirst Fol. 349 Chap. 4 He followeth the authority of the Prophet Osee speaketh of the garments which Christ left in pledge Fol. 356 Chap. 5 Where is brought a figure of Tobias and declared to the purpose Fol. 362 Chap. 6 Here the Author followeth the figure which hee touched before which is declared well to the purpose and there is brought also a prophesie of Ieremy Fol. 368 Chap. 7 Of a new thirst which King Dauid had which was a thirst not to drinke but to saue himselfe Fol. 376 Chap. 8 God complaineth that we forsake him for vile base things and doth compare vs vnto old pooles Fol. 381 Chap. 9 How the sonne of God did not refuse to drinke gaule vineger although he kniw it would kill him Fol. 385 Chap. 9 How the synagogue could giue Christ nothing to drink but rotten dregs Fol. 390 Chap. 11 How the synagogue gaue Christ that to drink that she her selfe was that is gaule and that which shee had that is vineger Fol. 393 Chap. 12 How that the thirst that Christ had vpon the crosse was not so much for drink as to desire to suffer for vs. Fol. 398 Chap. 13 Where he goes forward with the figure aforesaid Fol. 405 Chap. 14 Of the cruelty and ingratitude that the Iews vsed in giuing Christ gaule and vineger and how hee satisfied for euery sinne in particular Fol. 407 The Contents of the sixt Word HEre are put diuers vnderstandings of this speech Fol. 429 Chap. 2 Against disordered eaters and drinkers and how Christ was a greater martir than any other and there is declared a prophesie of Esayas Fol. 434 Chap. 3 Of the greatnesse of the son of God and how all things haue weight and measure and number sauing onely the humanity of Christ Fol. 441 Chap. 4 Herein is entreated of the greatnesse and wealth of Salomons temple how that in the holy temple of Christs humanity the holyghost hath bestowed greater workmaÌ„ship riches spiritual gifts theÌ„ the teÌ„ple which SalomoÌ„ built Fol. 448 Chap. 5 How that al the misteries prophesies which God had prophesied of him were fulfilled in Christ in Ierusalem Fol. 455 Chap. 6 Here hee entreateth of that high praier which Christ made vpoÌ„ the table saying Pater sancte non pro mundo rogo sed pro illis vt serues eos a malo In which praier if he obtained constaÌ„cy stoutnes for his Apostles yet he forgot not the weak saying Non rogo vt tollas eos a muÌ„do Fol. 463 Chap. 7 Herein hee entreateth of the variety and diuersity of names of the sacrifices of the old Testament of the excellency of the sacrifice of the new Testament Fol. 473 Chap. 8 Wherein is declared a figure when Moyses did annoint the altar seuen times with one finger and how that vnction was a figure of Christ and fully accomplished in his most sacred humanity Fol. 480 The Contents of the seuenth Word HOw God is the only and true comforter and how hee was Deus vltionum to the Synagogue and is to the church Pater misericordiarum Fol. 486 Chap. 2 Of the difference that is betwixt Dauids testament Christs testameÌ„t seeing the ane commaÌ„deth to reuenge other mens iniuries and the other pardoneth his own death Fol. 492 Chap. 3 Of the difference betwixt the bloud of Abel and the bloud of Christ how vnlike their cries vnto God are Fol. 496 Chap. 4 Where Christ complaineth on the ChristiaÌ„ mans soule because shee was vngratefull for the benefite of her creation and redemption Fol. 498 FINIS Here beginneth the first of the seuen words which Christ our redeemer spake vpon the altar of the Crosse saying Pater ignose illis quia nesciuns quid faciunt that is My father pardon these which crucifie me because they know not what they doe CHAP. I. Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt THe sonne of God spake these words at the houre of his death vpon the altar of the crosse as if he would say O my eternal iust holy father the first thing that I request of thee on this crosse is that thou wouldest forgiue all these which take my life from me seeing they know not how highly they offend thy goodnes clemencie Super inimicos mees prudent em me fecistâ— saith king Dauid in his Psalmes as if hee would say O great God of Israell I giue thee many thanks for that thou hast endued me with the vertue of prudence by the which I haue learned to doe my selfe good by the enemies which persecute me and forgiue them the iniuries which they haue done vnto me For the better vnderstaÌ„ding of that which Christ said vpon the crosse and of that which Dauid vttered in this Psalme it is to bee vnderstood that amongst all the Cardinall vertues the first and chiefest is Prudence because that without her iustice endeth in cruelty temperancie in weakenesse sloth and idlenesse fortitude in tyranny might and power in pride boldnesse in folly and madnesse and knowledge and skill in malice Plate said that Prudence was such a great gift that with her alone the wise man amerâ—â—lâ—th that whâ—â—h is past strengtheâ—â—th that which is broken ruleth and gouerneth that which is present prouideth for that which is to come redresseth that which is amisse and mainteineth that which is well done Eschines the great orator sayth I haue known many Grecians of my time which were eloquent in that which they spake subtile in that they inuented bold in that which they tooke in hand wary in their doings close and dissembled in that they went about to haue and also modest in their behauior which notwithstanding for want of a little wisedome and prudence lost all in one houre Socrates said oft vnto his schollers that they were not tied and bound wholly vnto the letter of that which he taught them for I am your maister said he to tell you only what you are to doe but prudence must afterward teach you when you are to doe it and how you are to doe it and whether you are to doe it or not and if you are to doe it then why are you to doe it Cicero to Atticus sayth Thou art not
the reward of Paradise but vnto another crucified Saint Barnard vpon the Passion sayth for mine owne part I thinke not my selfe deceiued but I know that the naked giueth not his kingdome but vnto another naked he whose ioints are vnloosed vnto another whose ioints are also loosed one from an other hee that is couered with bloud vnto another couered with bloud also and the crucified vnto another crucified Thou that sittest sporting thy selfe what doest thou aske of him who suffereth on the crosse Thou that art clothed and reclothed what doest thou craue of him who is bowelled vpon the crosse Thou that art faire and fat what doest thou aske of him who is on the crosse one member rent from one another Thou that art at freedome and liberty what doest thou aske of him who is nailed and fastened vpon the crosse If thou wilt heare sayth Anselmus O my soule Hodie mecum eris in Paradiso Lift vp thy affections from the earth let thy heart bee free from all passions let thy flesh keepe watch and vvard ouer her inclinations crucifie thy liberty on the crosse let bloud thy fancie of all presumptions and bury thy affections that they may not appeare If thou wilt ascend as high as heauen it is necessary that with the theefe thou take the crosse for thy ladder to steale it for otherwise although thou bee a companion with him in sinning yet for all that thou shalt not so be in raigning CHAP. XIIII Why the sonne of God did not say vpon the crosse vnto all men Amen dico vobis as hee did say vnto the theefe Amen dico tibi aad how he was the first martyr which died with Christ and the first Saint which he canonized LOquetur ad eos in ira sua in furore suo conturbabit eos said king Dauid in the second Psalme as if hee would say when the great God of Israell shall bee angry and troubled hee will speake vnto the wicked men with anger and when hee shall trouble their iudgements it shall bee with great anger Our Lord doth threaten the wicked whome hee meaneth to punish with two grieuous scourges that is that hee will speake in anger to feare them and trouble their iudgement that they shall not bee able to guesse at any thing aright If our Lord speake vnto vs with anger it may bee borne with but if he trouble our iudgement it is a thing much to be lamented for in this wicked world if he doe not lighten our steps to see where wee goe wee shall fall downe vpon our face Barnard crieth out and saith What shall become of thee O my soule if he who should lead me put mee out of the way if hee who should succour me forsake mee if hee who should pardon me accuse me and he who should quit mee condemne me and he who should giue mee sight make mee blind Saint Augustine De verbis Apostoli sayth When it is said in Scripture that God speaketh vnto vs with anger it is meant that he doth not speake with mercy and when it is said that hee doth trouble vs with fury it is to say that hee doth not lighten vs with his diuine grace because there cannot happen vnto vs greater hurt in this world than for God to withdraw his hand from doing vs good There is no anger in God as there is in man with the which hee doth trouble himselfe nor furie to moue him withall and when wee say that he is angry it is because he vseth that punishment which in others is done with anger and if we say that he is in fury it is because hee vseth rigorous punishment towards vs or else because hee doth not punish at all in this world for wherin can our Lord shew greater anger than by not vsing his accustomed clemency Our Lords wrath is appeased when hee punisheth presently after the offence committed and he is very angry when hee deferreth the punishment vnto hell S. Ambrose sayth That in the house of God not to punish is to punish to dissemble is to bee angry with not to speake is to chide to pardon is to threaten to suffer is to let it putrifie to defer is to reuenge the more Is there thinke you any greater punishment than not to bee punished in this world When doth our Lord speake vnto vs with anger but when wee fall from his grace into sinne by our fault God spake with anger vnto our first father when hee said vnto him thou shalt eat thy bread in the sweat of thy face as if hee would say Because thou hast fallen from my grace and eaten of the apple which I did forbid thee to eat of for a perpetuall punishment thou shalt eat and drinke alwaies with care in thy mind sweat on thy face and trauaile of thy body insomuch that at the best morsell thou shalt giue ouer eating and fall to sighing God spake also with anger vnto the murderer Cain when hee said vnto him behold the bloud of thy brother Abel doth crie from the earth vnto mee as if he would say Because thou hast flaine thy brother Abel through malice and enuy I cannot but doe iustice vpon thee because his bloud crieth aloud for it of me and thy punishmēt shall be that thou shalt wander to and fro all the daies of thy life and thy head shal neuer cease shaking God spake with anger vnto the great king Nabugodonoser whē he said Eijciam te ab hominibus as if he would say Because thou hast robbed my tēples of their treasures and led away my people of the Iews captiue thou shalt be throwne out frō the conuersation of men shalt liue with beasts on the mountaines thou shalt eat hay like oxen and bee clothed like wild sauages with haire vntill thou doest acknowledge mee for to bee thy Lord and thy selfe to bee a sinner God spake with anger vnto the great Priest Heli when hee said Ego praecidam brachium tuum c as if hee would say Because thou diddest not punish thy children when they stole away the sacrifices and behaued themselues dishonestly vvith women in the Tabernacle I will take thy Priesthood from thee I will kill thy steward and will make that no old man come into thy house in so much that thou shalt haue no children in thy stocke to inherite after thee nor ancient men to counsell thee To come then vnto our purpose God vsed this kind of speech vnto the Synagogue but now speaketh otherwise vnto the church as is easily seene in the death of Christ when hee said vnto the theefe Hodie mecum eris in Paradise Wee doe not read that Christ did euer vse this woord of anger so oft as hee hath done the woord of mercy the which hee hath vsed often as Per viscera misericordiae dei nostra said holy Zachary in his song as if he would say The sonne of God came downe from the highest of heauen into the earth moued thereunto by
for the loue vvith the vvhich he shed it Cyrillus saith also If as Christ said Behold I goe to Ierusalem to die of my owne voluntary vvill hee should haue said Behold they draw me to be iusticied by force vve should haue ben bound vnto him for the martirdome which he suffered not for the wil vvith the which he suffered But seeing he saith plainly that he goeth of his own voluntary vvill to the butchery of the Mount of Caluary to bee executed it is certaine that if vvee owe him much for that hee did suffer we owe him much more for the loue vvith the which he did suffer S. Ierome sayth likewise in this speech of Ecce ascendimus our great sheepheard dooth admonish all other sheepeheards that when necessity doth so require they should not oppose themselues against any tyrant if they vvould put thē to death but also offer themselues to death for the saluation of their flocke because there is no higher degree of martyrdome than to die for the sauing of his neighbour Simon de Gassia sayth For the sonne of God to say vnto his disciples Behold I goe to die and not They carry mee to kill me was to let them vnderstand that to the Christian religion profession of the Gospell vvee should not bee drawne by force but goe willingly because our Lord doth not so much regard the feet with the which wee seeke him as hee doth behold out intentions with which we loue him And Christ saith further Et consummabuntur omnia quae scripta sunt de me as if he would say The cause vvhy I goe to Ierusalem is because all things vvhich are vvritten of mee by the Prophets may bee fulfilled and accomplished Origen sayth All thinges vvhich vvere vvritten of Christ are brought vnto three things and all those to be fulfilled by him to wit that vvhich he should doe that vvhich he should suffer and the reward vvhich he should haue aswell for that vvhich hee did in his life as for that vvhich he suffered at his death That which Christ did vvas to plant the church that vvhich he suffered was a most cruell death the reward vvhich he receiued vvas his glorious resurrection insomuch that in his holy life in his dreadfull death and passion and glorious resurrection all the holy Scripture is contained These two speeches vvhich Christ spake doe very vvell agree that is that vvhich he sayth here Consummabuntur omnia and the other vvhich he vttered vpon the crosse Consummatum est For in that that he died and rose againe all vvas fulfilled that was vvritten of him But speaking more particularly Christ sayth that in entring into Ierusalem he should be deliuered vnto the Gentils and that he should bee mocked vvith iniurious vvords and spet vpon with grosse spettle and whipped with much discipline and that he should also bee crucified and put to death with great nailes Who euer saw or heard the like vnto this that they should vnload such a heape of iniuries and such a multitude of torments vpon so tender a body and so iust a person Dedit percutientibus se maxillam saturabitur opprebrijs saith Ieremy chap. 3. Speaking of Christs iniuries as if hee should say The redeemer of the world will bee so patient in his trauails and so obedient vnto his persecutors that hee himselfe will offer his cheeke to be buffetted and he will put himselfe before them because they should fill him with iniuries How well so euer Ieremy did prophesie this yet Christ did fulfill it better seeing that he offered vnto his enemies not onely his cheeke that they might buffet it but also all his holy body that they might kill it What meaneth this O good Iesus what meaneth this The Prophet Elias did she from the citie of Ierusalem because Queene Iezabel should not cut off his head and doest thou goe to Ierusalem where thou knowest that they wil depriue thee of thy life Great king Dauid fled from the city of Ierusalem and went out of it because hee would bee no more persecuted of king Saul and doest thou goe to Ierusalem to bee crucified In this point sure thou art not Dauids sonne nor Helias companion for if they flie from Ierusalem to saue their liues thou goest to Ierusalem to offer thy selfe to death If thy death had been a common death it might haue been born with but seeing that it was more grieuous to suffer the circumstances of thy death than death it selfe what necessity constrained thee or what charity mooued thee why thou shouldest not haue fled with thy Father Dauid or absented thee with the Prophet Ely It is a thing worthy to bee noted that Christ putteth it for the greatest point of his Martyrdome that he should be iniuried and also that he should be scorned and mocked By which complaint hee doth let vs vnderstand that the sonne of God did grieue more at the iniurious words which they spake vnto him than at the lashes and discipline which they gaue him Ieremy doth not say that Christ should be filled in his passion with stripes flagellis but opprobrijs reuilings and iniuries and the reason is because stripes lashes passe no further than the shoulders but iniuries entred vnto the entrails Who is he in the world which wil not be more grieued at an iniurious word thā with the point of a speare Ieremy maketh no reckoning of the thornes nor of the nailes nor of the lashes but onely of the iniuries which Christ suffered seeing that hee saith Saturabitur opprobrijs because hee passed through those torments but one day but hee suffered iniuries and blasphemies euery day In these words of Ieremies He shall be filled with iniuries he signified vnto vs the cruelty of his torments and the multitude of his iniuries for as hee who is full hath no more place in his stomacke to fill so there was no torment which to the sonne of God they left vngiuen nor no iniury vnspoken For what torments were there which they gaue him not or what iniuries could there be spoken which they vttered not Hugo de sancto victore vpon Ieremy sayth Because the son of God would declare that hee was the iustest of all others and of all martyrs the greatest martyr he said that he should be filled with iniuries and reuilings because that in all other martyrs they did lay hands with no other intention but to martyr them but in Christ they laid hands to kill him tongues to iniury him S. Ierome on this place sayth Ieremy saith very well of Christ Quod saturabitur opprobrijs for wee doe not read of any Martyr that he was martyred with tongues but with hands the son of God alone is he whose life they tooke away with their hands and fame with their tongues Isichius vpon Leuiticus sayth With great reason the Prophet Ieremy sayth of Christ That he should be filled with iniuries seeing wee see that in his holy passion liers doe sell the
All mortal men go after their pleasures and hunt for delight but alasse they seeke them in the house of the God of trauels which is the world and forsake the Lord of consolations which is God and therefore they goe astray in that which they seeke and goe discomforted in that which they desire Barnard in a sermon sayth O what a great comfort it is to the good that they haue him for their God and Lord who is the God and Lord of all consolations for it is not to be beleeued that being the God of al comforts that he doth not impart some of them vnto his and especially seeing that hee doth not discomfort those which offend him who will not beleeue but hee will comfort those which serue him When the Apostle sayth that our God is the God of all consolations and not onely that but also the father of mercies we haue great cause to loue him and to be thankfull vnto him seeing that not long before hee called himselfe the God of reuenge as now he dooth call himselfe the Father of mercies S. Ambrose sayth What greater news could we hear or what could he giue vs for a greater reward then for our Lord to giue himselfe vnto vs for our father his sonne for our brother the holy-ghost for our maister his church for our mother the Sacraments for a medicine his death for a pardon his bloud for our redemption Isichius vpon Leuiticus sayth Marke the depth of the Scripture and thou shalt see that when he speaketh of mercies it doth not call God Deus misericordiarum The God of mercy but Pater misericordiarum the Father of mercies and when it talketh of iustice it doth not call him Pater vltionum but Deus vltionum The God of reuenge because it is the office of God to punish and the duty of the father to pardon The Prophets did oft vse this word Deus God and helped themselues little with this word Pater Father and Christ contrariwise did oft benefite himselfe with this word Pater Father and sildome with this name Deus God giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that the time of iustice was now ended and that the time of mercy was come Isidorus De summo bono sayth O eternall goodnesse and depth of all vvisedome vvhy should I distrust in thy great clemency being that thou art my Father and Father of all mercy Let the Pagans distrust in thee who beleeue thee not let the vvicked distrust in thee vvho serue thee not for I vvill hope in thee vvith those vvhich serue thee and loue thee For although I cannot wholly serue thee I labour as much as I can not to offend thee Anselmus vpon the Apostle sayth After I heard thee say O my good Iesus Pater ignosce illis and the Apostle say Pater misericordiarum Although my naughty life make mee afraid yet thy great mercy commeth immediately to my mind for the same day that thou diddest make thy selfe man thou diddest change thy name from the God of Reuenge into the Father of Mercies O glorious and happy chaunge that is the changing the name of God into the name of Father and the name of a Reuenger into the name of a Defender the name of Iustice into the name of Mercy the name of a Creator into the name of a Redeemer all which thou diddest chaunge vvhen thou wast made man and diddest suffer on the crosse for mee Saint Augustine vpon the Apostles vvordes sayth Tell mee O good Iesus tell mee O great Redeemer after thou haddest chaunged the name of Deus vltionum into the name of Pater misericordiarum what diddest thou see so hard that thou diddest not bring to passe or vvhat sinne diddest thou see so enormious that thou diddest not pardon In calling thy selfe the Father of mercies thou diddest forgiue Matthew his exchanges Mary Magdalene her vanities the Samaritane her Adulteries the good theefe his theft and the fisher-man Peter his denying of thee the Apostles forsaking of thee and thy enemies putting thee to death Irenaeus sayth Seeing that the time of Deus vltionum is past and that the time of Pater misericordiarum is come haue mercy on mee O great God of Israel haue mercy on mee and when shall this bee but vvhen thou vvilt giue me strength to serue and praise thee and endue mee vvith grace to saue mee O Father of mercies O the God of all consolation vvhen shall my soule heare for her selfe Pater ignosce illi as the vvicked Synagogue did heare thee say Father forgiue them What doth it auaile mee that thou hast pardoned those vvhich did then put thee to death if thou doe not also now forgiue vs vvhich most vvickedly offend thee Children for children sinners for sinners there is as great reason that thou shouldest pardon those of thy holy church as those of the Synagogue for if they vvere children of the God of reuenge vvho did put thee to death then they are also children of the Father of mercies who do offend thee now Saint Augustine in his Confessions sayth O Father of mercies and God of all comfort if it bee true that I vvas vvith those vvhich tooke thy life from thee vpon the crosse vvhy shouldest thou not as well forgiue mee my fault as thou diddest then theirs Vnto thee O eternall Father I say Mea culpa and vnto thee O holy sonne I confesse my offence in that that if I vvas not vvith Iudas vvhen hee sold thee yet I vvas vvith the vvicked and vngratefull Iewes vvhen they did crucifie thee for if they did fasten thee on the crosse vvith nailes I did there crucifie thee vvith my sinnes Anselmus in his Meditations sayth O good Iesus O the blisse of my soule vvho carried thee to the crosse but the loue which thou haddest to redeeme vs And what tormented thee but thy dolours And what tooke thy life from thee but my sinnes And by whom haue I life but by thy merits O Father of mercies if it be true that for my demerits thou diddest lose thy life and that by thy great merits I recouered my soule dost thou not thinke that thou hast much in my faults to pardon in my soule to redresse and amend Barnard sayth O creator of all things O redeemer of all sinnes vnto thee O my God I offer my selfe and before thee O my Lord I present my selfe not such a one as thou diddest leaue mee when thou diddest create mee but such as one as thou foundest mee when thou redeemedst mee What a one diddest thou leaue mee but made to thy image and semblance and what a one diddest thou find mee but with my innocency lost and loaden with sinne O father of mercies pardon mee seeing that I am a worke of thy owne hands pardon me seeing that I am one of thy children and seeing I say vnto thee vpon my knees Tibi soli peccaui it is reason that thou answer me O my God with Miscriatur tui CHAP. II. Of the