that Lorde before whose sighte the powers of heauen feare and tremble Who can but wonder when he remembreth that he dyed who is the lyfe of all thinges liuing O howe aptly to this did the Prophete Abacuc vnderstanding in the spirite of prophesie say Lorde I considered thy works and I was afrayde And truely the causes of wonder be so greate to make a man muse thereat that it is more maruell to sée one not maruel and muse then one that dothe muse and maruell at it For howe can it be deare brother but thou must maruell and wonder if thou consider the greatnes the mightinesse the highnesse and the eternall maiestie of him that suffered so many kindes of paynes of iniuries of tormentes and of so shamefull a death And contrariwise the basenes the vilenesse and the vnthankfulnes of men for whom he suffered And if any of these things being by itselfe considered haue cause sufficient to make thée maruell what shal it be if thou ioyne all together that his high maiestie hath suffred suche and so great tormentes for so base and vile creatures That is to say that the iudge of the liuing and the dead was crucified betwéene two théeues that the king of glory which is adored of Angels was blasphemed of most vile men who woulde not maruell who would not be afrayd who would not be astonnied to thinke vpon it This is one thing that shall giue thée copious matter to woÌ„der and maruell to consider the infinite loue bountie and mercy of God in this worke of thy redemption declared And thou shalt no lesse maruell if thou consider the great wisedome he sheweth in the same his passion and crosse in that he found out so conuenient and apt meane to vanquish and ouercome our aduersarie euen as it were with the same weapon wherwith he ouercame vs. And this is it that the Catholike Churche singeth That he ordeined the trée of the crosse to be the instrument and meane of our saluation because the diuell like as he wanne the victorie ouer vs by one trée so likewise he might be vanquished and troden vnder foote by an other trée Also his crosse and passion was a most present remedie for all our infirmities For he humbling himselfe euen to the death of the crosse did pay sufficiently the price of our disobedience and pride Geuing vs the greatest example that might be of his humilitie which is so necessarie a vertue for vs besides diuerse examples els as of despising the worlde and of many other vertues spoken of before By meanes whereof we maye knowe our owne vices and amende them and chiefly renounce and forsake our selfe-love which is the roote of all vice Also the remembraunce of his Crosse and passion may encourage vs to suffer and patiently beare the manyfolde trauels miseries and griefes whereof our life is full For what greater comforte can there be had then to beholde Christ nayled on the Crosse whose woundes are sufficient to heale our woundes whose paynes and griefe if we well consider them may cause vs not so impatiently to take our troubles whatsoeuer they be And likewise to inflame and kindle our loue towardes him there can not be founde a better meane then to lay before our eyes how gretly and entierly he loued vs in suffering so much for vs and that he hath left vs so great ryches of his mercies of Sacraments of examples of coÌ„forts of satisfactions of fayth of hope of deuotion of consolation Beholde Christ with diligent eyes vpon the Crosse and thou shalt finde hid therein so great and so wonderfull treasures that they will cause thée to crye out say with Saint Paule O the depâ—nesse of the ryches of the wisedome and knowledge of God Thou shalt finde also good cause to maruell if thou consider his great power and might whiche he shewed in his passion for so muche as thereby he ouercame the diuell and being exalted on the Crosse he drew all things to him as he saide before dying he destroyed death triumphing ouer the world and hell Thou shalt likewise finde good cause to wonder if thou marke well the iustice he obserued in his passion and death in that he would not our sinnes and offences should remayne without recompence and satisfaction and by it giue remission and pardon of them and that more fréely and fully then of our part was due or deserued And by howe much more thou art willing to consider search out the secrets of the Crosse so muche the more high mysteries shall be reuealed vnto thée and cause thée not only to maruell but also to be greatly amased And then shalte thou knowe that Saint Paule the Apostle spake not without great cause when he sayde He would preache none other nor would learne to knowe any other thing but Iesus Christ and him crucified By this then hitherto said thou mayst gather and perceiue how copious matter thou haste to maruell and wonder at when thou art in this maner disposed to meditate vpon the death and passion of thy Redéemer All whiche the better to retayne in memorye thou mayest reduce and bring them to these poyntes The first is to consider the infinite highnesse and maiestie of thy Lorde that suffered for thée The seconde is the seruile and base estate of them for whom he suffered Thirdly the wonderfull tormentes and iniuries which he suffered Fourthly the wisedome power and iustice which he declared in his blessed passion and death These things in maner before specified and others that may happen to come into thy remembraunce whiles thou art in thy meditation if thou consider them as thou oughtest attentiuely shall minister occasion vnto thée greatly to maruell and wonder at this diuine mysterie A declaration of the seuenth manner of meditation which is by way of hope and reioysing The seuenth manner of meditation we sayde was by waye of reioysing and hope Whiche kinde of meditation is very necessarie also sometime to vse For when a man shal with him selfe consider howe great the wickednesse and euill of sinne is howe odious it is and howe muche it displeaseth God séeing for the due punishment thereof and for to repaye and repayre the great losses it had caused in the worlde our Lorde him self came downe from heauen and after so great trauels and paynefull life at the laste he would suffer so bitter passion and death And when he shall likewise call to minde that he hath runne and fallen into his haynous euill and sinfulnesse not only once but many times and in diuerse sortes he shall then rest so sad and dismayed that he shall néede of some speciall helpe for to comfort him that he dispayre not in him selfe when he remembreth that he shall appeare before the iudgement seate of the fearfull iudge to yéelde the account of all his life To remember this it hath made not onely many sinners to feare and tremble but also iuste men and persons of holy life as
Palmesunday Concerning which ye may meditate these poynts following 1 HOwe that Christ oure redéemer comming vnto Bethania sixe dayes before his Passion supped in the house of Symon Leprosus where at that tyme was Lazarus his two sisters Martha and Magdalen and it is to be supposed that the most blessed virgin his mother was there also 2 Consider with what chéerfulnesse and diligence Martha serued at the table and that most feruent loue deuotion of Marie Magdalene who taking a vessell of Alabaster full of precious oyntment powred it vppon the head and féete of hir beloued maister and wyped hys féete with her heare and howe that the house was filled wyth the sauour of that swéete oyntment 3 Remember also howe the traitour Iudas murmured that Magdalene had so bestowed an oyntment of suche great value And how our most gracious Iesu defended her and praysed the woorke of so greate charitie and deuotion that she had done In the whiche was signifyed hys death and buriall that was at hande The prayer O My GOD and Lorde amongest other seruices and sacrifices which are acceptable to thée and which thou requirest of vs thou haste declared howe the sacrifice of laude and prayse pleaseth thée Wherfore knowing howe muche all men are debtours to thée for so great giftes and benefites receyued of thy most liberall hande I desire to offer to thée the same sacrifice My soule therefore most swéete Iesu maketh adoration and giueth thankes to thée and all my powers within me blesseth thy most holy name for all the works which thou hast done in the course of thy blessed lyfe for the innumerable sorowes reproches and tormentes which thou hast suffred in thy passion which thou wouldest shoulde be alwaies imprinted in my hart And first I laude prayse thée that knowing the nearer thy sorowfull death was at hand and for the whiche those thy deare friendes that loued thée so entirely should be in great sorowe and sadnesse it was thy godly pleasure first to chéere and kindly entertayne them in supping with them in Bethanie where those two moste deuoute sisters Mary and Martha declared the pure loue thy bare vnto thée I beséeche thée my good Lorde which art the faythfull louer of all them that loue thée for thine infinit loue to vouchsafe to kindle and inflame my heart with the fyre of thy loue that I may loue thée from the bottome of my heart as I am bounde and giue mée grace to followe that feruencie and deuotion which thy deuout seruaunt Magdalen shewed in casting that swéete liquor vpon thy heade and féete And that I maye also declare the same in annoynting of thée spirituallye That is in beléeuyng stedfastlye in honouring and reuerencing duely thy diuinitie and most holy humanitie in workyng accordyng to my power in the seruice of my neighbour to ayde and helpe him and to perseuer in so dooing all the dayes of my lyfe That by these meanes in exchaunge of that filthynesse and odious sauour which my sinnes haue vnto this tyme caused I may render for the time to come the swéete sauour of good workes which may bée acceptable both vnto thée and others that shall sée the same Amen Insidet in tardo regum rex Christus asello Cui vestem ac ramos plebs bona steruit ouans The solemnitie in the receiuing of Christ into the citie of Ierusalem the sunday before his passion ¶ Poynts to meditate vpon 1 How that the day folowing that is to say fyue dayes before that Christe the true Lambe should be sacrificed for vs in his passion he would present hymselfe in Ierusalem euen as the lawe commaunded of the mysticall Lambe whiche so many dayes before it shoulde be sacrificed was to be prepared And for to shewe his good wyll and with what desyre of mynde he came to offer hymselfe he woulde therefore enter into Ierusalem with that ioye and solemnitie as was shewed him 2 Consyder with what deuotion and ioye the people at that tyme receiued their true king and Lorde and the diuersitie of seruice they shewed in honouring him as in dressyng the stréetes with bowes and spreading their garments before him in the waye and praysing him with songes 3 Call to minde also howe that in the myddest of that feasting and ioye in whiche our Lorde went when he sawe the Citie of Ierusalem he shedde his sorowfull teares well knowing how farre contrarywise within the space of fiue daies he was to bée handled of them and sorowing within him selfe the destruction of that Citie which he knew for their sinnes should be destroyed and brought to ruine Consider howe straightwayes after his entring into the Citie he went to visite the Temple out of the which he draue away them that prophaned the same with their marchandize in buying and selling The prayer I Adore and worship thée most louing Iesu true and eternal King of Heauen and earthe to whom al adoration honour and reuerence is due for all the workes whiche liuing in thys worlde thou diddest with wonderfull wysedome and infinite charitie And specially I giue thankes and praise to thée for that readie good wyll with which thou most innocent Lamb knowing that thou shouldest be sacrificed for the synnes of the worlde wouldest a fewe dayes before present thy selfe in Ierusalem entring into it with feaste and triumphe willyng thereby to declare thy chéerefulnesse and moste earnest desyre wherein thou camest to offer thy self vnto death whereon thou knewest our life to depende that in dying thou shouldest ouercome and triumph ouer death it selfe hell sinne and all other our enemyes I beséech thy immeasurable bountie and goodnesse to gyue mée grace and strength willynglye and gladly to offer my selfe to suche daungers and trauele as shall behoue mée to suffer in this lyfe for thy seruice and make me to despise for thy loue all the prayses and honours with which this deceitefull world would deceiue me euen as those solemnities prayses and honours with whiche the people of Ierusalem receiued thée did not let thée with great compassion to wéepe and lament what time other sang and made great ioy Let my chiefe care be to séeke thée and haue a zeale to honour thée and thine eternall Father séeing and considering that thy care which assoone as thou haddest entred the citie thou diddest by and by goe to visite his temple and beholding that most feruent zeale of thine in dryuing oute of it all them that boughte and solde in the same not contented that the house of prayer shoulde be so prophaned I humbly therefore beséeche thy diuine maiestie that thou driue out of my heart euery thing that may prophane or defile it to the ende it maye rest as thy temple and house of prayer into the which thou mayest vouchsafe to enter and dwell Amen Conuiuis fis Christe cibus coenaque refectis Abluis ipse pedes tum loca sola petis Of the last Supper which Christ our Lorde made to his
also how after the other words which he spake in promising the thiefe Paradise which committed himselfe vnto him and giuing S. Iohn to his mother in stead of her sonne in him also vs and her to Iohn and likewise to vs to be as a mother and declaring the gret thirst whiche he had and that chiefly was for our saluation he then finally commended his spirite into the handes of his eternall father and so inclining downe his head he yelded vp the ghost Of whose tormentes and death the heauens declare they did in some part féele the griefe for the sunne was eclipsed the earth trembled the very stones sheuered in péeces the graues opened the veyle of the temple deuided 3 Consider also the cruel launce and thrusting in of the speare with the whiche Longinus opened a gappe into the syde of Christ out of the which issued blood and water And albeit to him it was no payne because he was already deade yet notwithstanding his most innocent mother felte it whose bowels and hart was in those most greuous sorowes and sighes perce◠and thrust through agreable to the prophesie of Simeon ¶ The prayer I Render vnto thée O Iesu Christ most high and eternall Bishop infinite thankes for that thou hast offred thy self to thy father in moste swéete sacrifice and brought vnto an ende the works of our redemption thou diddst take vpon thée neuer staying therein neither for moste bitter tormentes which they put thee too nor yet for the multitude of blasphemies they spake agaynst thee For the whiche I humblye besech thee that thou vouchsafe to open the eyes of my soule that I may beholde and see and diligently marke that whiche thou hast wrought and taught on the crosse and in thy death Bring low O Lord my hawtines and pride in séeing thy head inclined and brought lowe vnder a crowne of thorne Temper and moderate my gluttonie and intemperancie with the remembrance of thy most swete mouth tasting the bitter gawle and vineger Cause me to forsake the delites of the flesh in séeing thy flesh put to so great paynes vppon the crosse Mollifie the hardnes of my hart and suffer it not to be more hard then the stones which shiuered in péeces at thy death Make me O Lord to enter into thy open side where I may more safely saue my selfe in the great and perillous flood of this world then in the arke of Noe. Cause me for thy seruice willingly to endure beare all trouble and aduersitie seing that thou for my sake wouldest giue thy most blessed life and euen as thou diddest perseuer and continue vnto death in the obedience of thy father so graunt that I maye always perseuer in obedience towards thée Amen Ex cruce traiectos artus frigida membra Detrahit alta animi vis pietasque virum How our Redeemer was taken downe from the Crosse ¶ The poynts of meditation 1 How the rage of that vnhappie generation being partly mitigate quieted with the death of him that is the life of the world they returned into the citie but his most afflicted mother continued with him accompanied with the beloued disciple Iohn and other deuoute women tarying to sée if they might by any meanes burie him 2 Call to remembrance howe those honorable personages Ioseph and Nicodemus hauing leaue of Pilate to take Christe frō the crosse brought oyntmēts and other things necessarie for to embalme and burie him 3 Consider also with how great deuotion reuerence and tears they tooke him from the crosse and howe desirous his vncōfortable mother was to take him in hir armes to imbrace him ¶ The prayer I Adore and worship thée my most louing sauior I thāk thee and prayse thée with all my hart power for that through thy most holy crosse thou haste recouered and saued the world All thy workes O Lorde are most perfect and so it was thy will and pleasure perfectly to finishe this worke of so great importance of our redemption not leauing any thing that was to be done or suffered of that which of thine infinite wisdome was ordeined and of thy holy Prophetes forespoken which in those words thou diddest signifie It is iustified whiche thou spakest a litle before thou gauest vp the ghost Thanks be also to thy diuine power and might with which dying thou hast destroyed death after the maner of that strong Sampson with thy death thou hast ouercome thine enemies I beséeche thee therefore which art the giuer of life by the same thy deth that mortifying all my concupiscences and disorderly affections thou wilt reuiue my soule with the life of thy grace and so make me dye to the vayne pleasures honours and desires of the world of the fleshe that it may liue onely to thée onely confesse thée adore and worship thée dwel in thée seke for those things which belong to thy seruice as those thy deuoute seruants did in taking of thée from the crosse honoring thy moste blessed body in procuring to burie it being so greatly dishonored before 〈◊〉 Hic complexa sinu corpus miserabile nati Virgo parens lachrymis vulnera sacra vigat How our Sauiour beeing nowe taken frō the Crosse was layd in his moste sorowfull mothers lappe ¶ Poyntes to meditate 1 First consider with how gret tendernes the most blessed virgin mother receiued the dead body of her swéete sonne béeing nowe taken from the crosse beholding particulerly the signes of his soares and wounds with moste tender loue she kissed the same embraced bathed it with the teares which abundantly issued out of her pitifull eyes 2 Then cal to mind the lamentable words which his mother spake when she saw that blessed body of his so scourged wounded and ill handled the which she with so great loue and reuerence had brought vp whose words sighes were inough to breake with cōpassion the hart of any that heard them 3 Remember also the lamentable playnt which other deuoute men women made that were there present and chiefly of that welbeloued disciple Iohn and Magdalen which helde clipped fast the féete of her swéete master not satisfying her selfe ynough in kissing and washing them with her pitifull teares ¶ The prayer O My most merciful father and my god who shal giue water to my head and a fountayne of teares to mine eyes that I may bewayle the paynefull death of my swéet redéemer both day and night celebrate his holy exequies together with that deuout companie whiche with wofull playnt did celebrate the same Or who may giue me an hoate burning hart worthily to praise thée and thanke thée for the ineffable benefite which thou hast done for me in that thou haste vouchsafed that thine onely begotten sonne should léese his life to giue me life Whom would it not amase to sée this thy vnspeakable charity that for to redeme a vile slaue wouldest giue to death thy dearly beloued son All the Angelicall spirites
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
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
deformities And so shalt thou be encouraged with more diligence to bestirre thée to worke according to this examplar and paterne showed vnto thée in this mount of most â—igh perfection as it was sayde vnto Moyses Because in this imitation conforming of thy life after the example of Christ consisteth the greatest merite thou canst haue in this life and the greatest rewarde prepared for thée in the life to come A declaration of the fyfth manner of meditation which is in thankesgeuing The fifth manner of meditation vpon the holy passion is by way of thankesgiuing whiche we are bounde often to do For if we ought of very duetie because we woulde not fall into the vice of ingratitude whiche so muche displeaseth God and no lesse hurteth vs to call ofâ—en times to our remembrance suche other benefites as we â—aue receyued at Gods hande â—nd to thanke his infinite goodnesse and liberalitie for the â—ame How muche more ought â—e so to do for the benefite of â—ur redemption the whiche so much more passeth all other beâ—efites as it hath by our redéeâ—er with more deare coste and â—rice and for our greater proâ—ite bene purchased A great matter it was that â—e gaue vs a soule and body with all our members and senâ—es and muche it is to be estéemed that for our conseruation and benefite he hath created the heauens and the earth with so many and diuers creatures as we sée in it But what should it haue profited vs to be borne into the world if we had not bene redéemed Of what estimation or valour might our creation haue bene thought if our redemption had lacked For by the first we receiued but our being by this seconde we haue receiued our wel béeing The first thing cost our creator but litle for that he created vs and al the world with his onely word and in a short time but as for the seconde who is able to declare how dearly and with how great expence our redéemer purchased and bought it Séeing that with the trauels and sweat of thrée and thirtie yeres finally with tormentes and death vpon the Crosse he gaue vs life and repaired the worlde which in sixe dayes he had made Nowe if it séeme to thée that thou art litle bound to him for that whiche cost him litle yet thou canst not denie but that thou art muche in his debt and very greatly bounde vnto him for that thing he payed so dearly for Thou shalt do then right as the wise man giueth thée counsell not to forget the grace and benefites thou haste receiued of such a benefactour that hath giuen his life for thée Consider if thou haddest receyued of anye man the like benefite how gretly shouldest thou haue remained bounde howe highly wouldest thou haue praysed him howe wouldest thou haue endeuoured thy selfe to haue serued him And therefore thou mayst perswade with thy selfe how greatly thou art bounde to God thy Creator and Redéemer for if thou mightest possibly be bound to any other man whiche had deliuered thée from a corporall death howe muche more oughtest thou to be bounde to him that hath deliuered thée from the spirituall death of the soule And if thou wouldest acknowledge thy selfe muche beholden to a man that had suffered a little for thée then remember howe muche more thou owest to him that is both God and man who hath suffered suche paynes and tormentes for thée and not onely tormentes but also moste bitter and shamefull death through which thy sinnes were cancelled and rased oute of remembraunce the might of the diuell was broken to péeces peace and reconciliation was made with God the gates of heauen opened besides other innumerable giftes giuen thée And séeing thou canst not better recompence this so great debte then to knowe to loue and to be thankfull to thy benefactour why then remember to offer to him the often sacrifice of prayse and thankesgiuing as the holy king prophet Dauid exhorteth and encourageth thée to do styrring vp thy soule with those words wherewith he lifted vp his owne hart and soule vnto God saying O my soule blesse the Lord and all the powers within me prayse ye his holy name O my soule blesse thy Lorde and forget not how great benefites he hath bestowed vpon thée But yet chiefly remember the greatest of all the rest which is to haue deliuered thy life froÌ„ eternal death and to crowne thée with mercy in his glory if the fault be not in thy selfe As verily it shal not be whensoeuer thou shalt declare thy selfe thankfull for his giftes receiued And that shalte thou do in exercising thy selfe to giue prayse and thankes to the giuer therof And think it therfore thy duetie as often as in this maner thou art disposed to meditate vpon the blessed passion to remember and endeuour by all meanes earnestly to giue thanks and prayse for that entier louing charitie of thy Sauiour that woulde redéeme thée with his owne blood and for that incomparable patience of his by the which he suffered all those sorrowes iniuries mockes and scornes as thou shalt call to thy minde béeing after this sorte occupied in thy meditation And albeit that the giuing of thanks which in this litle treatise is set in the ende of euery prayer may helpe and serue thée to that effect yet neuerthelesse it shal further thée muche that in thy discourse of meditation thou deuise of thy selfe newe prayses and thankes giuing sayinge sometimes Thanks be to thée O my God for thy excéeding charitie Blessed mayest thou be in thy patience that wouldest suffer suche tormentes for me O most innocent Lamb praysed and blessed be thy méekenesse Let thy Angels in my behalf blesse thée that wouldest so muche humble thy selfe And at an other time saye When shall I be able O my Lord to recompeÌ„ce these and other so great paynes and sorowes shames and reproches which thou hast suffred for me Let euery spirite and creature confesse thy mercies and be thankfull therefore And so vsing suche other lyke words of prayses according as thy deuotion shall moue thée A declaration of the sixt manner of meditation which is by way of admiration The sixt maner is according to our former diuision in order of admiration which thy soule shall féele to be very great if thou knowe once howe to exercise thy selfe well in that sort of consideration And séeing that the Prophet Dauid vsed as he affirmeth of him selfe to consider and meditate in his minde the maruellous works of God so is it good reason that thou do exercise thy selfe in the meditation of his most holy passion and death which is the moste marueilous worke amongst all that he hath wrought And who will not maruell when he considereth that suche a one did suffer who is the only refuge and protection of al those that do suffer And that he is sadde and heauy for sorowe who is the mirth and comforte of Angels And that he is despised and scorned who is
sinnes deserued muche more And séeing that thou O Lord whose face the Angels desyre to behold wast content to haue it defyled with their moste fylthye spettinges and all for to beautifye our soules graunte me grace not to regarde the vanityes of thys body or of the world but to care for the beautie of my soule and the ornamentes of holy vertue and the workes thereof With which I may séeme worthy to appeare before thy face in that moste happye kyngdome where the true and perfecte beawtie is And where they shall be adorned and clothed in glorie that shall raygne with thée without ende Amen Turba furens instat trahit ad praeteria vinctum Ficta probare malo crimina teste parat How Christ our Redeemer was brought to Pilates house ¶ Poyntes to meditate vpon 1 Howe the frydaye morning those wicked Iewes which so greatly desired the death of him that was the giuer of life came earely in the morning to the house of Caiphas where they left him after they had made an end of their wicked councell in the which they iudged hym worthy of death they led hym to the house of Pilate that hée might giue iudgement on him 2 Consider with howe great modestie our Lorde stoode in the presence of Pilate with howe great humilytie he aunswered to the thinges he demaunded of him and woulde neyther excuse nor defende himselfe agaynst any false inditement or accusations layd to his charge 3 Consider also specially those wordes of our redéemer which he spake to Pilate that is when he sayde my kingdome is not of this worlde declaring by those wordes that albeit he were the true king of heauen and earth he came not yet to reigne in the world but to suffer paines and to die for the life and redemption of the world ¶ The prayer BLessed bée thou Kinge of heauen for thy so great humility that being the vniuersall iudge of the lyuing and the deade it pleased thée so much to abase thy selfe to be led and to be iudged of an vniust iudge Who although he knewe thy innocencie and also the enuie of thy persecutours yet he suffered himselfe to bée peruerted and ouercome with worldly feare All whiche thou diddest willingly suffer without laying of any excuse for thy selfe in any thing so great was thy desire to gyue thy lyfe for the world vnto death being moued thy selfe thereto through thy passing loue and charitie I beseeche thée O Lorde to cleanse awaye from mee all wycked inclinations which I féele in my selfe when I excuse my synnes and my greate imperfections Where as thou being an innocent and voyde of all faultes wouldest not excuse thy self of those false and vniust accusations whiche were layde against thée And séeing thou diddest confesse that thy kingdome was not of this worlde I pray thée by that pouertie and base estate in which thou being King of heauen wouldest liue vppon the earth That thou wilte graunt me grace to dispise the honour vaine fauour of thys worlde and that I onely desire and séeke for that true and euerlasting kingdome which thou hast prepared for thē that truely and duely loue and serue thée Amen Ductus ad Herodem cum nil respondeat albam Induitur chlamydem luditur eijcitur How Christ beeing ledde vnto Herodes house was also there mocked scorned ¶ Poynts to meditate 1 Call to minde the diligence and busie crueltie of those peruers ministers of iniquitie in leading our Sauiour from Pilate to Herode with their gréedie and insatiable desire to put him to death 2 Remember also that cleare bright quiet countenaunce and continuall silence in the which our most méeke Sauiour stood◠before Herode without answering to any question they made to him because they were al curious vayne and vnprofitable 3 How that béeing mocked and scorned of Herode and his people he was apparrelled in derision with a white garment and then brought againe to Pilates house with all the shame and reprochfull deuises they could imagine ¶ The prayer I Moste humbly adore and worship thée most benigne Iesu for those wearisome iourneys which for our saluation it was thy will to make béeing so many times led hurried and haled from one iudge to an other in which procession thou didst suffer such gasings shame and mockeries namely béeing clothed with that white garmēt thou wast of all men mocked and scorned How shal I be able O Lord to answere these thy so great mercies and benefites receiued at thy godly hands that being by the transgression and disobedience of our first father Adam spoyled of that white garment of innocencie and immortalitie wherwith he was indued thou which art the second Adam our most true and louing father woldest recompence that losse and others which we had receiued of him in béeing content to be so clothed dispised besides other great iniuries and tormentes whiche thou diddest suffer I therfore besech thy maiesty for thy so gret trauels and rebukes that thou wilt pardon me my euill and vnprofitable walkings which I haue made in the discourse of my life walking in the waye of perdition and graunt me grace to runne cherefully from henceforth in the way of thy holy commaundementes perfect obseruance of my calling and state So that I grudge not or disdayne although I be neuer so muche set at nought despised of men for thy loue sith that I sée thée whiche art the wisdome of the eternall father with so great silence to holde thy peace and be content to be mocked and clothed like a foole to recompence so my foolish pageantes and ignorances with which I haue so many times offended thée from the which I pray thée frō henceforth to preserue me Amen Ex pedit hic virgas iudex verbera torquet Largifluo tellus sanguinis imbre madet The scourging of Christ our Sauiour ¶ Poyntes to meditate 1 How our Lorde béeing brought agayne to the house of Pilate who thinking by giuing him some kind of punishment to mitigate the rage of the Iewes that were very importune vpon him to put Christ to death he tooke order he shuld be whipped 2 Consider the sharpnesse and bitter crueltie of those pitylesse tormentors in scourging of that most méeke Lambe in spoyling him of his garments and binding him strongly to a piller and so to beate him without all mercy and compassion 3 Remember also how cruelly he was whipt and beaten with roddes so that there remayned no one part of his blessed body vnwounded nor vnbathed with blood frō the crowne of his head to the soles of his féete ¶ The prayer I Adore worship O my Lorde God thy déepe iudgementes which are worthy to be adored and magnified and not serched And amongst other I worship and thanke thée for that which sufficeth to make the very Angels them selues to maruell that thou béeing the beloued sonne of the eternall Father to whom all seruice and reuerence is due and of whom