their departure Doe thou likewise for whose sake the Son of God suffred death come neare vnto the Crosse behold all thinges diligently with the eyes of thy soule and let thy speach bee often times thereof Consider secondly that crying he bowed his sacred head first because hee would call thee both by his voyce and becke to learne the profite of the Crosse and to receaue the merites and benefites of the same Secondly to speake in thy eare to communicate his secretes vnto thee to teach thee his commandements and counsailes Thirdly to signifie his consent to all thy petitions and prayers which depend vpon this his holy passion Fourthly that thou mightest the better viewe his head and marke euery thing diligently his thornes his spittinges his bloud his eyes now shutt to thy sinnes his mouth silent from reuenge his face pale with death Consider thirdly that the Euangelists wrote this death of our Lord in diuers words Iohn saith he deliuered vp his spirite Mathewe he sent foorth his spirit Marke and Luke hee breathed out that thou shouldest knowe that Chriâ—t died not like vnto other men but in a singular and peculiar manner neither did he against his will or by compulsion but of his owne free accord render vp his spirite This word hee deliuered signifieth first that he gaue his spirite into his Fathers hands to be kept three dayes and that from thence all merites all vertues all iustice and grace should bee gathered for man-kinde Secondly that as he had already giuen his body to the executioners so now also hee would deliuer his soule for vs because nothing should be wanting to our felicity and happinesse He had giuen his garments he had giuen his honour he had giuen his body hee had giuen his bloud and now there remained nothing but to giue his soule that according to the prophesie of Isaias Isa 9. the whole Sonne might be giuen 3. That he deliuered vp the full price of our redemption For hitherto something was wanting and he had payed as it were but in part but now he made an absolute and full payment that thou maist knowe that now thou art not thine owne man but Christs who hath bought and redeemed thy members with his thy powers with his thy honours and riches with his thy body with his and thy soule with his If thou doest consider these things rightly thou shalt learne first not to abuse thy selfe thy goods to thy owne pleasures nor to spend them according to the will of the Deuill no nor yet to vse them as thine owne but to referre all to the honour of Christ to whome all thinges belong and appertayne Secondly seeing thou hast gotten Christian liberty and art deliuered out of the power of the Deuill neuer to yeilde to him againe For hee hath no right to thee whome Christ hath so dearely redeemed with his bloud Do thou giue thankes vnto thy Lord and offer vp thy selfe and all that thou hast freely vnto him He breathed foorth Mar. 15. Luc. 23 COnsider first that by this word is signified that Christ breathed foorth his last spirite by which spirite and holy breathing first hee purged the ayre being infected with deuils by vertue wherof the Deuills also are driuen away in exorcismes and exsafflations Therefore as the earth is sanctified by the holy body of our Lord and the element of water and all lyquors by the holy bloud and water yssuing from his side so by the diuine spirite of Christ the ayre is sanctified that it may the more profitably carry and inspire into our sences the word of God and his holy mysteries Secondly hee coÌ„municated vnto this world his inward guifts and graces not onely through the holy wounds of his body but also by his mouth Consider secondly that Christ for many causes would suffer not onely paine and torments but also death First to offer vp himselfe by his death as a sacrifice and Holocaust vnro God Secondly to redeeme eternall death due vnto thee through this his death of infinit value Thirdly to confirme by his death all his Sacraments and the newe Testament Fourthly that by this his death as by the death of the high Priest according to the old figure Num. 15. he might recall thee into thy heauenly countrey Fiftly to let thee knowe that thou oughtest to bee his who dyed for thee and not to submitt thy selfe to the Deuill who suffered neither death nor wound for thy saluation Sixtly that thou shouldest account thy selfe dead to the world with Christ and mortifie thy vices and affections For if saith the Apostle one dyed for all 2 Cor. 5. therefore all are dead Consider thirdly that Christ dyed in his flourishing age being three and thirty yeares old when his sences were freshest his heat greatest and his strength best to indure labour First because he was willing to bestowe all his most flourishing things vpon thee to preserue the heate of his loue in thee and with great forces to prepare many benefites for thee Secondly that thou shouldest not prolong the change of thy life till thy withered and decayed old age but consecrate thy youthfull yeares strength vnto Christ Consider fourthly that our Lord was nayled to the Crosse in the sixt houre and in the nynth houre when the day began to growe to an end hee dyed First because he which in the precedent ages had beene immolated in the figures of the sacrifices did in this fourth age of the world dye truly for vs. Secondly that thou who hitherto perhapps hast spent the rest of thy life vnprofitably and wickedly mayest at the least in the end of thy life flye to the death of our Lord. A great comfort is heere giuen vnto sinners who languishing either with age with sicknes or in minde are not able by exacting grieuous punishment of themselues to satisfie for their sinnes may haue the paines bloud and death of Christ to offer for their offences Giue thankes vnto God and dispise not so great a treasure Ioan. 19 Hee sent forth his spirit COnsider that heere also mention is made of the liberty freedome of Christ to dye For euen as in former times Noe sent the Doue out of the Arke Gen. 8 which after a few dayes returned bringing in her mouth a boughe with greene leaues So Christ sent foorth his spirit to returne againe after three dayes with an army of flourishing Saints Emisit saieth hee hee sent forth and not Amisit he lost that thou shouldest not loose thy spirit amoÌ„gst the wicked Consider secondly how the Deuills expected this spirite being ready to come foorth that by the coÌ„mon law of all it might bee ioyned to other soules in Hell For the Euangelist seemeth to signifie so much when hee said the Deuill went from him for a time as though at this time of his death hee would returne againe But because the Prince of this world had nothing in Christ Luc. 4. hee was
and made a peace and reconciliation with his Father Hee sayeth therefore O Father forgiue and that by and by For the time of hauing mercy on him commeth Pâ—al 101. for the time commeth to wit the houre of sacrifice the day of satisfaction the time of forgiuenes the last instant of my life in which being presently to yeeld vp my breath I now propound my last petitioÌ„ and intreat onely this O Father forgiue them Fourthly hee saith not forgiue the sinnes already committed but onely forgiue euen those euills which they shall hereafter coÌ„mit against mee their irrisions their blasphemies the bitternes of the vineger my death and the wound in my side that thou also shouldst quickly forgiue thy enemies and remit all thinges keeping no rancor at all in thy heart Fiftly hee sayth not I forgiue both because the offence against his Father grieued him more thâ—â— his own torments and also because being intentiue vpon the happines which should redound to all the world by this his Passion hee seemed to esteem all the euils which the Iewes did vnto him rather as a benefite then any hurt Like as a man hauing a grieuous vlcer in his side if his enemy thinking to kill him should wound him in that place whereby the vlcer should be opened and the corruption let out would bee glad of that wound which was the cause of his cure So desirous was our Lord of thy saluation that hee reioyced at those his paines which were the cause of so great good vnto thee Them Note first that hee sayeth not these wicked Crucifiers these Hangmen these aduersaries and enemies both because thou shouldest refraine from all euill wordes and reproaches and also because thy Lord reputeth no man his enemy who payed the price of his death for all men and offereth saluation to euery one louing dearly euen these very Iewes his executioners Rom. 11. not for their owne euill workes but for their Fathers sakes who were holy and iust men and therefore speaking of his stripes Zach. 13. I was whipped saith hee in the house of them that loued mee Not by them that loued me but the Sonnes of them that loued mee that good might be done vnto the Children for their holy Fathers sakes Secondly them in the plurall number not onely those which conspire now against my death but also to all those who at any time by their sinnes haue giuen cause of this my Passion For thou shalt not bee excluded from this prayer whose sinnes haue been cause of our Lords death and thou mayst haue hope of pardon if thou wilt ioyne thy prayer with the prayer of Christ For if the prayer of Christ did profite them which neuer required it doubtlesse it will profite thee requiring it of him and praying together with him For they knowe not what they doe Luc. 23. COnsider first that Christ to whome all iudgement is giuen and whome his enemyes had offended did not take vpon him the office of a Iudge or an accuser but rather of a defender patrone The Iewes sought how to accuse him and found nothing worthy of accusation in him Our innocent Lord that was offended seeketh how to excuse the offence and the malice of the offence was such that nothing could be alleadged for the extenuating therof but onely ignorance And yet this ignorance being voluntary could no more excuse the Iewes then him who wittingly and willingly hideth his eyes because he will not see him whom he striketh or killeth If Christ then in the midst of his torments mittigateth the sinnes of his torturers will hee not now before his Father excuse their sinnes who call vpon his name with faith deuotion and sorrow for their sinnes Consider secondly that the Father answered not his Sonne by worde and yet Christ was heard for his reuerence Heb. 5 For God when he denyed his Sonnes request answered in the garden by an Angell but when hee graunted it hee answered not in worde but in deede Ioan. 19. For first hee restrained all creatures froÌ„ rising against his enemies in reuenge of his death all which would haue fought for their creator if this prayer of Christ had not stayed them Secondly hee reduced one of the Theeues vnto pennance Thirdly at the death of his Sonne he changed the minde of the Centurion and others Fourthly vpon the solemnity of Penticost hee conuerted sometimes three somtimes fiue thousand of the same Iewes vnto his faith Therefore God the Father not by outward words but by inward consent answered his Sonne in this manner O my Sonne I grant that which thou requirest laying aside all wrath I open the fountaines of mercy and I offer grace and pardon of sinnes Iustice and adoption of children as wel vnto these who haue afflicted thee as also vnto all the Nations of the world for euer and euer so as they will admit mercy offer'd vnto them For I will compell none against their will but I giue power to all to returne into grace and fauour with mee if they will and to be made the Sonnes of God and to come into my inheritance in Heauen so as they will be partakers of the merit of this my Passion through faith and the Sacraments Doe thou cry out now with great affliction great are thy mercyes therfore we giue thankes to thee our Lord God And pray him to bestow the guift of wisdome vpon thee that thou mayst know and admire his bounty and goodnes and driuing away all enuy to giue vnto thee the vertue of charity that thou mayst bee inflamed with the loue of thy neighbour The 36. Meditation of the diuision of his Garments Ioan. 19 Then the Soldiours when they had crucified him tooke his garments and made foure partes to euery Soldiour a part and his coate And the coat was without seame wouen all ouer COnsider first the pouerty of Christ thy Lord hee had not change or many suites of apparrell nor the same of silke and other costly matter but his garments were fewe and poore to defend him only from the cold and to couer his nakednes And by tradition it is deliuered as Euchemius witnesseth that his coate without seame was the worke of the mother of God In Mat. 27 which she did weaue with her owne hands for her sonne when he was a little infant which grew miraculously as our Lord grewe and was not worne nor torne out in all that long time the like whereof is rehearsed in holy Scripture to haue happened to the children of Israell that thou mayest learne by the example of thy Lord to forsake all curiositie and superfluity as well in apparrell as in other things Consider secondly the liberality of thy spouse he had already giuen his body shedde his bloud and spent his youthfull yeares for thee and now he giueth a fewe poore garments leauing nothing for himselfe but nayles thornes spittings and bloud clodded on his body Behold the riches of thy
comfort by his prayer though hee prayed with great affection nor yet could be refreshed by the presence of his Disciples euen as sicke folkes are wont to turne this way and that way to ease their wearines Consider secondly that Christ was neuer so troubled with any occasions no not now whē he was ready to suffer but that he alwaies thought vpon thy saluatiō Yea euen now when he is in Heauen hee hath his eyes alwayes bent fauorably towards thee Cōsider thirdly how little man can doe without Christ how soone he falleth a sleepe how soone hee fainteth if Iesus depart neuer so little from him Consider fourthly what it is to haue our eyes heauy that is when wee are not so apt ready to meditate on diuine and heauenly thinges by reason of earthly cares which hinder the mind As the immoderate desire of honor riches ambition the vanities of this world such like affections of the minde Therfore thou must pray vnto God to take from thee that slouthfulnes heauines and accōmodate thee to his owne will Cōsider fiftly how much ashamed the Apostles were who being admonished now the second time could not yet contain themselues frō sleepe wherfore amongst themselues they did carefully both accuse and excuse their own infirmity Note also this they did not knowe what they should answere vnto him For if the Apostles themselues being men excelling others in sanctity holines of life in a matter of no great fault wherein they might haue aleaged their owne frailty were so sorrowfull knew not to answere what answer wilt thou giue to Almighty God when thou shalt be cyted before him for matters of great moment and many grieuous sinnes shall be obiected against thee which thou hast committed not only by frailty but also craftily maliciously Consider sixtly that our Lord did not complaine that hee was left alone in prayer and labor Because thou shouldest resolue not to be grieued if at any time thou beest inforced to take great paines whilst others bee idle And pray vnto our Lord that hee will stirre thee vp when thou art slouthfull And hee prayed the third time Mat. 26. prayed the same speach saying O my Father if this cup cannot passe from me but that I mmst drinke thereof thy will be done COnsider first that Christ runneth againe to his Father and crauing still one and the same thing is not heard This prayer comprehendeth the wonderfull submission of Christ yeelding himselfe and all that he had into the hands of his Father taking it in no euil part that he was not hard Learne thou hereby not to be troubled in thy minde when things succeed not according to thy desire when thou hast done thy best endeauours Consider secondly the great necessity that Christ should suffer For the eternall Father would neuer haue suffered his sonne to haue prayed so often vnto him if thy saluatiō might haue been gottē by any other meanes Consider thirdly this māner of speaking if it cannot passe except I drinke it for hee would be vnderstood that all the benefit of our Lords passiō should passe vnto vs who are the mēbers of his body but as it were drawne through our mouth that is through Christ who is our head Moreouer as a potiō is bitter vnsauory to the tast yet very profitable for the mēbers of the body So the dolours of Christ were bitter vnto him and profitable vnto vs. And the passiō of Christ passeth vnto vs partly because his merit is cōmunicated and imparted vnto vs and partly because our tribulatiōs labors are sanctified Therfore so often as thou shalt suffer any aduersity so oftē do thou think that thou doest participate with the passiō of Christ And pray him to mittigate thy miseryes through his dolours which hee indured The sixt Meditation of his agony bloody sweate And there appeared vnto him an Angel frō heauen cōforting him Luc. 22. COnsider first that though in Christ the diuine nature was ioyned with humaine nature into the same person yet in this time of his passion hee tooke no comfort at all from thence Consider secondly how great and grieuous those torments were that man was not sufficient to mittigate them but that it was necessary for an Angel to come from Heauen Cōsider thirdly what was the cause why Christ wold be comforted by an Angell to wit because he wold know to suffer with vs when we are afflicted and teach vs not to haue recourse to fraile vain delights such as are cōmonly drawn from creatures but vnto spirituall angelicall heauenly things Cōsider fourthly that God neuer forsaketh them that trust in him For although he doe not alwaies free vs from our troubles yet he doth euer giue vs his grace and strength that we may be able to beare them Consider fiftly that Angells are alwaies present at our prayers therefore thou must be carefull and diligent to worship them being present in a religious and comely manner and pray vnto God according to the Psalme in the fight of Angells I will sing vnto thee Epiph in an corato Haeresi 69. Consider sixtly how the Angell did comfort Christ for he did it not by any inward comfort or grace because Christ admitted no comfort in all the time of his passion but vsed some outward wordes wherin hee propounded vnto him both the absolute necessity of such bitter paines and the great profite that shall come thereby and also the resolute will of his Father the oracles of the Prophets c. Consider seuenthly whether there bee any thing wherein thou maiest comfort and confirme Christ and incourage him to doe something for thy sake which will be effected if he shall see thee behaue thy selfe well wisely to imploy the tallent which he hath deliuered vnto thee and that thou doest indure thy labours couragiously For then hee will behold thee louingly exalt thee to higher honour In the meane time do thou pray vnto Christ to comfort and instruct thee not onely in outward words but especially in inward vertue and wisdome Luc. 22. And being in an agony hee prayed longer THis agony was a certain inward striuing not of the flesh against the spirit but of nature against Death and in all this bitter time Christ was to fight in three seuerall cōflicts and he was superiour in euery one First with nature abhorring to dye so cruell a death Secondly with the iustice of his Father exacting grieuous punishment Thirdly with the most cruell enemy of man-kinde But hee began with the battel against nature that thou mayest knowe how to behaue thy selfe in thy cōflict for thy saluation that is that first of all thou must indeauour to subdue thy inclination to restraine thy desires which being ouercome thou shalt finde God pacified and the Deuill will flye from thee Consider first with what contention with how great labour Christ thy Captaine doth fight and
who least he should not haue his money taught them the way how to apprehend him and also how to keepe him and so of a maister of vertue he became a maister of iniquity He was before sent for the conuersion of people now he teacheth others to destroy the Author of life Thou doest learne heereby the qualitie of sinne which resteth not in this to make a man a sinner but proceedeth further to make him also a teacher of wickednesse Pray thou vnto God that he neuer suffer thee to be drawne from him least thou fall into sinne like Iudas Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Iudas went before them and drewe neare that hee might kisse him and comming presently hee said haile Rabbi he kissed him HEere admire the goodnesse of Christ who admitted him to kisse him whō hee knew to be a traytor Neither do thou flatter thy selfe if thou beest called into Religion or by Gods permission exalted to diuine misteryes Ecclesiasticall offices or Holy functions dignityes because Christ doth suffer thee as hee suffered the kisse of Iudas It seemeth that the Apostles vsed to kisse Christ when they came from any strange place For otherwise Iudas wold not haue dared to doe it Christ obiected vnto the Pharisee saying thou hast not giuen mee a kisse Luc. 7. Heere thou mayest learne the facility of Christ in admitting sinners and his great desire to bee with the sonnes of men Come therefore with great confidence for hee will neuer reiect thee who addmitted a traytor Secondly doe all things sincerely for he betraieth Christ with a kisse which vnder pretence of holynesse deceiueth his neighbours and hee which receiueth the body of our Lord in the Eucharist with an vnclean heart is guilty of the body bloud of our Lord which hee putteth into the fowle sinke of his naughty conscience And Iesus saide to him Friend wherfore art thou come Mat. 26. Luc. 22. O Iudas doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse MArke euery worde Friend First hitherto thou hast beene a friend Secondly thou commest in the habite of a Friend offering a kisse a token of loue Thirdly I doe not hate thee but offer thee reconciliatiō am ready to shed my bloud to offer my death also for thy sake which I must now suffer if thou thy selfe wilt I desire not that thou shouldst deliuer me out of the handes of these Iewes for I am borne to that end to suffer death but that thou shouldest repent thee of this thy great sinne returne into grace and fauour Wherfore art thou come First I am not ignorant with what mind thou art come hither I haue searched already into the bottome of thy heart returne againe therfore vnto thy selfe for I thy Iudge am not ignorant of thy fraude Thou wretch whither art thou fallen Late an Apostle nowe a traytor of late a principal pillar of the Church now chiefest amongst Thieues behold thine owne basenes now at least repent thee of thy fault Iudas If thou likest not thy name of a friend because thou wilt not be a friend yet heare me calling thee in my accustomed māner Secondly remēber thy ancient parents Iudas the Patriarch and Iudas Machabeus from whose manners thou doest degenerate The Son of man him who is admirably the son of man begottē in heauen by his only Father borne in earth by his onely mother who did neuer any euill vnto thee but laboured three thirty whole yeares for thy sake is now ready to dye for thee what cause haue I giuen thee that thou shouldest betray mee an innocent with a kisse thou doest abuse the signe of peace turne it to a marke of treason as Ioab in times past kissing Amasa 2 Reg. 20. killed him Thou knowest that nothing is more deare to me then to be ioined in firme loue with thee doest thou conuert this coniunction of loue to my death dost thou betray doest thou giue me to them that hate me deadly which will doe me all māner of hurt which will neuer be satisfied with my miseryes Admire in al these things the benignity of Christ imitate it suffer with thy Lord who suffered so many indignities by his seruant on whō he had bestowed so many benefits and neuer hurt him in any thing cōsidering what how effectually he spake for the cōuersion of the wicked traytor thou mayst be assured he will neuer forsake thee if thou commest vnto him with a contrite hart Pray therefore to Christ that he wil remaine thy friend and giue thee grace to suffer al iniuryes patiently and to loue them that offer any vnto thee The tenth Meditation of the eare of Malchus being cut off They which were about him seeing what would come Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Ioan. 18. saide vnto him Lord if wee strike in the sword behold one of those standers by which were with Iesus Simō Peter drew his sword and striking the seruant of the chiefe Priest cut of his right eare the name of the seruant was Malchus COnsider first the feruor of the Disciples who being but a few in number feared not to oppose themselues against two companyes and to aduenture present danger in defence of their Lord that thou spare not thy selfe when soeuer Christ his cause shal be handling Secondly And behold a new thing that the Apostle of our Lord should vse his sword Christ taught mildnesse not fight which neuerthelesse is to bee vndertaken when Gods glory is in danger Thirdly Peter the chiefe of the Apostles drew his sworde whose office is to cut off the rotten mēbers frō the body of the Church with his spirituall sword Fourthly he cut of the right eare because all which are excōmunicated by Peter are excluded frō the diuine premises of heauenly things they keep the left eare with which after the pleasures of this life they may heare the maledictiō of the seuere Iudge Fiftly Malchus which name signifieth King is the seruant of the wicked Priest for they which in this world are delighted with vain tytles of honours are indeede the bondslaues to vices Consider sixtly the power of Christs word suffer these men to goe away For by the power therof all that great cōpany of men did his disciples no hurt at all Cōsider seauenthly the goodnes of Christ who would not suffer Peter to doe any more harm least by his passiō which ought to profit all men hee shold seem to haue hurt some mā Pray thou vnto Christ neuer to depriue thee frō the hearing of heauēly things nor to shut thy eares against good things but rather to open the eares of thy heart that thou beng deafe to the babling of wicked men maist heare what our Lord shal say vnto thee And Iesus answering said suffer now Luc 22. Then Iesus said vnto Peter put thy sword into thy scabbard Mat. 26. For all which take the sword shall perish with the
sword 2. Doest thou thinke that I cannot aske my Father Ioan. 18 and hee will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels 3. The cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me wilt thou not that I shall drinke it Fourthly Ioan. 18. how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled because so it must be done COnsider first suffer now that is it is enough proceede no further with thy sword and defence He doth not reprehend the fact of Peter but he saith it is enough that thou in thy defence and in thy wrath maiest keepe a meane according to that Bee angry and sinne not Secondly consider these foure reasons by which he admonished Peter not to goe about to hinder his passion Thou maist learne heereby the willingnesse of Christ to suffer who vsed so many reasons that he might be permitted to suffer But thou doest auoyd all troubles for Christs sake seekest out all reasons that thou maist suffer nothing Thirdly which shal take the sword that is they which by their own authority shall vse the sword not receiuing it from God deserue by the law to be put to death and although they escape the sword of men in this world yet they shall perish with that sword which keepeth the entry into Paradise Learne to leaue all reuenge vnto God Fourthly consider the great multitude of Angells which are alwaies ready to helpe good men that thou maist learne to trust in God which hath assigned so many Angells to haue care ouer thee For Helizeus had experience in him selfe of that which Christ heere affirmeth of him selfe 4 Reg. 6. Consider fiftly the Cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me He calleth his passion a cup thereby diminishing rather then increasing the greatnes therof that thou shouldest not lightly cōplaine of the grieuousnes of thy miseries He acknowledgeth that his father gaue it him because thou shalt not ascribe thy afflictions to men or to deuills but to God alone which blessed Iob who was vexed both by deuills men Iob. 1. Our Lord hath giuen our Lord hath taken away know that God doth not leaue to be a father when hee doth afflict but rather sheweth himselfe to be a Father when he chastiseth Sixtly cōsider that the Scriptures are fulfilled by the passiō of Christ are likewise fulfilled by thy passions For through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Giue thankes to Christ who with so ready so prepared a minde came to his passiō for thy sake Stirre vp his loue in thee pray him that he wil stir vp in thee a desire to suffer for his name and that in all things which shall happen vnto thee thou maist finde out the reasons that it was iust which thou didst suffer And when he had touched his eare he healed it Luc. 22. COnsider first with what great benignity Christ cured the Eare of this malepert Soldiour and cruell enemy whome he foresawe would be neuer the better for such a benefit that thou maist learne to be readier to mercy then to seuerity and to doe good for euill though thy aduersary deserue it not Secondly the force of the touch of our Sauiours hand that thereby thou maist know the vertue of the body of Christ For if the onely touch of his hand did restore his enimies eare will not his whole body receiued in the Eucharist cure both the body soule of his friend Thirdly that Christ being ready to suffer did heale the eare for this is one of the chiefe fruites of the passion of our Lord to make our soules capeable of the word of God to cure them through Faith and Sacraments Therefore God would admonish his enemies by this his last miracle before his death to open their eares to heare the word of God and by hearing to lay aside all malice To be briefe admire the bounty of God pray him that he will shewe thee the like mercy for thy innumerable sinnes The eleuenth Meditation of the captiuity of our Lord. In that howre Iesus said vnto the multitude to those Mat. 26. Mar. 14. which came to him the chiefe Priests the Magistrates of the people and the elders yee went forth as to a thiefe with swords and staues to apprehēd me I was daily with you in the Temple I sate teaching you did not hold me Luc. 22. nor stretch your hands against me But this is your houre the power of darkenes And all this was done that the scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled COnsider first what accoūt was made of thy Lord to wit as of a thiefe for the suppressing of whome there needed so great an army Secondly how he shewed that he was no thiefe as he which had hurt no man nor lyen hid like a thiefe but had done good and had taught nothing in secret but alwaies publiquely and called those men for witnesses thereof whome he saw stand ready to be the officers for his death therfore he admonisheth them to call to remembrāce the doctrine which he had taught thē to change their mindes for they should finde nothing in it but holy learned wholesome counsaile Consider thirdly by what words he gaue his aduersaries power to rage against him without which they could haue done nothing and euery word hath his force this is as if he said you care onely for the present respect not the time to come which is the property of sinners not of iust men houre all present time is short all the pleasure of sinners passeth like an houre also al the afflictiō of the iust passeth away your this this short time is granted vnto you to doe euery thing either for your saluatiō or damnation I say this precious time which after this life will not remaine and the power of darknes that is to say a darke power both because they deserue it through the darknesse of their sinnes also because they which vse it are carryed to the darknes of Hell also because darknes remaineth in the power of the wicked and to conclude because power was giuen to the Deuils the princes of darknesse to doe all mischiefe vnto Christ Consider therfore the multitude of the paines of Christ and their greatnes when it was permitted to wicked Spirits being practised most ready in doing hurte to persecute Christ by these his most willing ministers Admire heere also this most willing permission of Christ giue him thanks offer thy selfe ready to indure al labours and torments for his sake pray him that thy power may not bee in darknesse but that all thy actions may be perfected with the light of faith and of his diuine grace Then came the company and Tribune Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. the Ministers of the Iewes laid hands vpon Iesus and so they held bound him COnsider first the wonderful insolency of these men in taking thy Lord thinke of
the greatnes of their enuy whereby they desired to doe all mischiefe vnto Christ and that our lord had giuen them power to satisfie their desires Acts. 22 The Apostle Paul was taken with great cruelty pulled out of the Tēple by force presētly beaten with their fistes almost killed with stripes but it was nothing to this cruelty which surpassed all cruelty Consider the antient predictions of this his captiuity Many clogs compassed me about they tooke me as a Lyon prepared for his prey Psal 11 Psal 16. casting me downe they compassed me now about they compassed me like Bees and they burned like fire in the thornes being pushed I was ouerthrowne that I fell Secondly marke the words of the Euangelists a cōpany the tribune the Ministers not a few but the whole army laboured for this captiuity euery one went about some thing they came they leaped with great violence as blessed Gregory Nazianzene affirmeth Laid hands on him not onely apprehending him but grieuously beating him They held him as St. Leo saith In Christo patiēte ser 7. de pas domini they pulled him hither thither and they bound him O how many cords were pulled not by one but by many both because he should not escape and also because being seene in such habit he might be iudged worthy of death by all men These bands were due vnto thee for thy sinnes except thou beest partaker of them thou shalt bee bound with euerlasting chaynes in hell Suffer then with thy lord who was so cruelly bound for thy cause and endeauour to be thankefull and pray him that by this his captiuity hee will deliuer thee free frō al the power of the Deuill and from all bonds of euill desires which according to the Deuills will might drawe thee into any sinne restore thee to spirituall liberty that being deliuered out of the hand of thy enemie thou maist serue him Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Then all his Disciples leauing him fled but a certaine young man did followe him cloathed in linnen vpon the bare and they layd hold of him but he leauing his linnen fled away naked from them COnsider first that heere are two things declared whereby thou maist vnderstād the great fury cruelty which was vsed in taking Christ and carying him away One was the flight of his most deare Disciples who were stroken into so great a feare that although they burned in loue with him yet euery one of them fledd away The other that a young man in one of the next houses being moued with the tumult rose out of his bed couered onely with linnen came foorth to see what was done in the streete whome they thinking to bee one of his Disciples would haue apprehended but he leauing his linnen fled away naked whereby thou maist gather what a clamor they made as if their prey were now taken and how much they raged and desired to hurt all them which belonged vnto Christ Consider secondly that Christ was forsaken by all his friends and followers and cruelly carryed away by the hands of the wicked Learne heereby not to trust in men which oftentimes in this life and euer in death doe forsake all men and pray thy Lord that he neuer forsake thee although thou beest forsaken of al men especially in the houre of thy death when thou must goe into a strange countrye without the company of any man with thee The twelfe Meditation of the acts in Annas house and his sending to Caiphas And they brought Iesus first to Annas Ioan. 7. for he was father in law to Caiphas who was the high Priest of that yeare And Caiphas was he which gaue counsaile to the Iewes Because it is necessary that one man dye for the people COnsider first that Christ was brought to Annas either because he should be caried to his father in law Caiphas an old man which should succeede the next yeare in the high priesthood and dwellling in the way to the high Priests house or else for the traytor to whome as Saint Cyrill saith Annas was appointed by the Priestes to pay the reward of his treason Lib. 11. in Ioan. cap. 37. for the taking of our Lord. Behold thou the affections of euery man the cruell ioy of this most wicked Annas tryumphing that at the last his enemy was taken the flattering congratulations of the Soldiours the couetousnesse of Iudas hauing now receiued his money the modesty of Christ and his cheerefull minde to suffer for thee Consider secondly that mention is here made of the counsaile which Caiphas gaue for the putting of Christ to death that it may be shewed that he prosecuted his death who first gaue the counsell of his death Secondly that thou maist learn that al things which our Lord suffered in his passion did not happen vnto him so much by humane counsaile as by the will of God For those words of the death of our Lord although Caiphas vttered them out of a wicked minde yet he spake them by the instinct of the holy Ghost who vseth to apply the words of the wicked for the profit of the iust that he might teach thee that God the Father inioyned God the Son tooke vpon him this cruell passion only for the loue of mākinde that thou again mightst be caried into the loue of God with all thy heart minde Thirdly that thou maist know that God neuer forgetteth sinnes past though perhappes they are out of thy minde For all things are kept in memory and an account shall be demanded at the houre of death And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high Priest Ioan. 18 Mat. 26. where the Scribes and Seniours were assembled COnsider first that Christ suffered many wrongs in the house of Annas for this word hee sent him signifieth that he did not lightly suffer him to goe away but that he made some stay But search out with thy selfe what those things were For blessed Cyrill saith that the blowe was giuen him in the house of Caiphas and many affirme that this word he sent should be taken in the Hebrue for this word he had sent Consider secondly what this word signifieth bound to wit that either he was newly bound or else that his former bōds were not loosed that he might bee accounted condemned as guilty worthy of bonds by the iudgmēt of this graue mā But as the wicked Priest did take no compassion vpon him that was bound so neither doest thou take any pittie vpon thy poore afflicted Neighbour nor yet vpon thy owne soule which is grieuously tyed with the bondes of sinnes Consider thirdly this wearisome iourney in which thy Lord was cruelly drawne with with cordes and whipped on with stripes whether soeuer it pleased the wicked people to earye him He walked indeede the hard waies that he might make the way to Heauē easie and plaine for thee and that thou mightest goe in the way of the Cōmaundements
many in number which our Lord had already receiued and should afterwards suffer Learne thou to beare patiently the admonitions of Christ and of other men and pray vnto God that hee will neuer permit thee to commit any offence without reproouing thee either by others or by thy owne conscience Iesus answered vnto him if I haue spoken euill Ioan. 18. beare witnes of the euill but if well why doest thou strike mee COnsider first that Christ who had taught his Disciples to turne the other cheeke to him that had stricken them did heere nothing repugnant to his owne Doctrine both because he did not onely offer his cheeke but his whole body to bee whipped and nailed and also because in this place hee did not complaine hee offered no iniury againe he made not any resistance but taught him that strucke him and modestly referred him to his owne conscience Secondly that our Lord would not altogether hold his peace least he might seem to suffer something iustly for his owne offence who suffered all thinges for our faults and nothing for his owne Admire heere and imitate the goodnes of our Lord who would not reuenge so great a wroÌ„g neither in word nor deed And pray vnto him for constancy and meeknes of minde that thou mayest bee milde and humble of heart The 14. Meditation of the denying of Peter And Peter sate abroade in the Court below Mat. 26. whom when the Mayd portresse of the high Priest saw sitting at the light Mar. 14. and warming him Luc 22. had beheld him shee said And this man was with him Ioan. 18. the mayd came vnto him saying and art not thou of the disciples of this man he said I am not and he denyed before them all saying Woman I know not the man neither doe I know nor haue kâ—owne what thou sayest And hee went forth before the court and the Cocke crowed COnsider first that whereas all the Apostles as our Lord had foresaid had suffered scandall yet onely Peters deniall is repeated by the Euangelists and by all of them both because it seemed so strange incredible that Peter could deny Christ that this his sinne could not bee comprehended by the Euangelists themselues and also because many men marke the faults of their superiours And lastly considering that he who was the foundation of the Church did sinne that thou shouldest neither doubt but that the other Disciples suffered scandall nor yet presume of thine owne strength For no man coÌ„mitteth that sinne which another would not do if the guid be wanting which created man Consider secondly when Peter denyed Christ In the night when it was colde If thou wilt not behold the light of truth and conuert thy selfe wholy vnto Christ in thine owne conscience and if the loue of God and thy neighbour wax colde in thee doubt not but thou shalt fall into errors of faith or into more grieuous offences Consider thirdly where he denyed where Christ was taken bound in the company of wicked men in speaking with a woman auoide these occasions if thou intendest to be holy And although St. Cyrill affirmeth that St. Peter denyed not Christ so much through feare of any hurt which might happeÌ„ vnto him as through a kinde of loue least hee should be thrust out of the house so depriued of his presence Yet it is most certaine that he committed a most grieuous sinne Beware thou least vnder any colour of deuotion or vertue thou dost transgresse the law of God of his Church For euill is not to bee done that good may come therof CoÌ„sider fourthly that Christ is not denyed by him onely who saith that Iesus is not Christ but also by him who being christened denyeth himselfe to bee a Christian and the Disciple of Christ and this may bee done not onely in wordes but also in deedes by those which professe to know God but in their deedes doe deny him For doest thou thinke saith Saint Bernard that any man thinketh Iesus to bee the Son of God who neither feareth his threatnings nor is moued by his promises nor obeyeth his coÌ„maundements nor alloweth his counsells How often then hast thou denyed Christ and yet hast not done pennance with Peter Fiftly the Cocke crowed but he being otherwise busied obserued it not for our Lord did not yet looke vpon him Bee thou at no time so ouerwhelmed with businesse or sinnes but that thou alwaies attend the voice of God speaking in thee and that thou mayest heare thy neighbour admonishing thee Mat. 26. But hee going out of the gate another Mayd saw him said to them Mar. 14. which were there And this man was with Iesus of Nazareth Luc. 22. and another seeing him said and thou art of them But Peter said O man I am not and hee denyed with an oath for I do not knowe the man COnsider first how Peter burning in desire to see our Lord who stood bound before the Councell in an inward and higher Chamber did not goe out of the house but out of the lower roome began to enquire somthing of Christ that thou maist deuise and trie all waies meanes to inioy thy Lord in thy meditations to obtain him throgh the workes of vertue Consider secondly that where the deuill doth once get the victorye he doth at his returne rage more cruelly and wound more deepely First there came one maide and spake vnto Peter somewhat modestly Then some other seruants came to that Mayde and at the last a great number came together and did as it were oppresse him with their wordes wherfore Peter at the first did onely deny Secondly he added an oath Thirdly he beganne to curse and blaspheme Take thou heede therefore that the Deuill neuer ouercome thee for he being once subdued by the death of Christ is driuen away by resistance onely according to that saying Resist the Deuill Daniel 7 and he will flye from you Consider thirdly the fall of Peter First he presumed of himselfe Secondly he slept in the Garden Thirdly he left his fellowe Disciples Fourthly he thrust himselfe into company amongst wicked men Fiftly he denyed Therefore the beginning of his fall was presumption and the neglecting of the seruice of God ANd the space as it were of an houre being past another affirmed saying Verily and this man was with him for he also is a Galilaean Then they said vnto him Whether art thou one of his Disciples he denyed and said I am not Ioan. 18 and they came which stood by and said Verily thou also art one of them for thou also art a Galilaean and thy speach doth make thee manifest Then said one of the Seruants of the High Priest to him his cousin whose Eare Peter had cut off Did not I see thee in the Garden with him Then hee began to curse to detest and sweare for I knowe not this man of whom yee speake And foorthwith as hee
was yet speaking the Cocke crowed againe Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And our Lord turned and beheld Peter And Peter remembred himselfe of the word of our Lord Luc. 22. as hee had said that before the Cocke crowe twise thou shalt deny me thrise and Peter going out of doores wept bitterly COnsider first that when Peter was come againe to the fire he beganne to speake more freely with the seruants to the end that he might take away all suspition from himselfe For by his speach hee was iudged to bee a Galilaean Thou therefore who art the seruant of Christ take heede of familiarity with the wicked Let thy communication bee of Heauenly things as thou maiest perceiue the Apostles speaches were in the Acts of the Apostles and by their Epistles For he which is delighted with the vaine speaches of secular men will easily be drawn to imitate their māners and to be warmed with their fire and intrapped with their delights Secondly Peter was knowne by his speach to bee the Disciple of Christ and a Galilaean Doe thou likewise so gouerne thy selfe that all men euen by thy outward cōuersatiō may know thee to be the follower of Christ and a Galilaean that is one flying from the worldly to a spirituall life and aspiring to Heauen Consider thirdly the benignity of Christ towards his seruants He being oppressed with so many miseries did as it were forget himselfe and take care of his Disciple He restrayned him from sinning any deeper and caused him after his third deniall to stay beholding him not with the eyes of his body for that he could not doe being in an vpper chamber and compassed round about with officers but turning to him with the inward beames of his mercy with which he touched his heart illuminated and mollified it For the beholding of Christ doth illuminate the Conscience that sinnes may be knowne euen as the beames of the Sunne doe lighten a Chamber Consider fourthly the order of his Conuersion First the Cocke crowed Secondly our Lord beheld him Thirdly Peter remembred the word of Iesus Fourthly he went foorth Fiftly he wept bitterly If Christ looke not vpon thee the Cocke crowes in vaine Doe thou therefore giue eare vnto the Preachers and Admonishers as vnto Cockes and pray that our Lord will turne vnto thee Obserue the wordes which thou hearest Flye all occasions of euill and doe Pennaunce Heere thou being a most grieuous sinner maiest haue great hope of pardon seeing that the mercy of our Lord gaue so free pardon for this grieuous sinne that Christ neuer obiected it vnto Peter But thou who hast offended with Peter goe not about to excuse thy selfe with Adam but weep with Peter who as St. Clement witnesseth did all his whole life time after the first crowing of the Cock rise vp to his prayers and slept no more that night The 15. Meditation of the false witnesses in the house of Caiphas BVt the chiefe Priests and all the counsaile sought false witnes against Iesus Mat. 26. Mar. 14. that they might put him to death and they did not finde it wheras many false witnesses were come in For many spake false witnesse and their testimonies were not conuenient But at last came two false witnesses and rising vp they gaue false witnesse against him for we heard him speaking I will destroy this Temple of God made with hands and after three dayes I will build another not made with hands and their testimony was not conuenient COnsider first when the high Priest could drawe nothing worthy of death from the wordes of Christ then he asked the standers by who had beene often at his Sermons and euery one spake that which they thought might helpe to condemne him and were very earnest and desirous to finde out some capitall crime according to that saying They searched for iniquities searching they fainted in their seaarch Psal 69 they inuented counsailes which they could not establish Consider secondly the purity of the life of thy Lord which was so great that it was hard to frame such a lye of him as might carrye any colour of truth euen by the testimonie of his aduersaries themselues Learne thou first to accuse no man vniustly For a Detractor and false witnesse are bound to restitution of good name Secondly to auoyd all lyes For a Lyar cannot please euen the wicked Thirdly according to the example of Christ to liue in such order that the very enimies of Faith may finde nothing in thy life to obiect against thee but considering thee by thy good workes may glorifie God our Father Fourthly neuer to seeke out reasons against thy conscience to excuse thy sinne Ioan. 18. For those testimonies are false and not conuenient whereby God is not deceiued nor thy Conscience pacified Consider thirdly these two false witnesses standing vp amongst the rest whose testimonies are especially related either because they were of greater moment that by them thou mightest knowe the vanities of the others or else because they contayne the mysterie of the death of our Lord which was then in handling But they were not conuenient First because the witnesses could not agree together the one saying I will destroy and the other I can destroy Secondly because our Lord had spoke no word of destroying and building againe Ioan. 12. but he said dissolue and I will raise speaking of his death and resurrection Thirdly because he had hurt no man if he had restored in three dayes that which he had destroyed Fourthly because it seemed not to be beyond his power who had raysed Lazarus from death after he had been dead foure daies Fiftly because such kinde of braging words seemed rather worthy of laughter and contempt then of death Learn thou first not to wrest the words of Christ to a contrary sence Secondly not to relate any thing otherwise then it was done Thirdly neuer to iudge euill of the minde or intention of others when their words or deedes may be well interpreted Do thou also suffer together with thy Lord Christ for whose death and destruction so many men tooke so great paines and pray vnto him that thou maiest be instructed in the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures and that hee will neuer suffer thee to fall into haeresie And the high Priest rising vp in the middest of them Mat. 26. Mar. 14. asked Iesus saying Doest thou answere nothing to those thinges which these men obiect against thee and whereof they beare witnes against thee but Iesus held his peace and answered nothing Againe the high Priest said I adiure thee by the liuing God that thou dost tell vs if thou art Christ the Sonne of our blessed God COnsider first when nothing was found worthy of accusation which might seeme as a fault to bee obiected before Pilate the Gentile President the high Priest being angry inuented certaine questions to the end that hee might gather some thinges from his answers His owne conscience informed him that nothing
they call for helpe and neuer forsake them as long as they liue Consider secondly that hee chose to dy amongst theeues rather thē amongst other sinners First that whereas theft is a most grieuous sin which both offendeth God whose image it taketh away and also hurteth our neighbour whom it depriueth both of goods and life he might signifie that there is no offence so great which is not cleansed by this his death nor any man so wicked which may not obtaine remission of sinnes Secondly because euery sinner is a thiefe and a robber which by his sinne killeth his owne soule taketh away honour frō God defileth his creatures and depriueth the Church of a liuely member that is of himselfe whome hee hath bereaued of spiritual life Consider 3. that the good theefe as well as the bad suffered the punishment and death of the crosse with Christ but the one turned his punishment to the benefit of his own saluation and the other to the hurt and losse of his soule That thou shouldest vnderstand that Christ is alwayes present both to good bad in their afflictions and doth send them troubles and miseries to this end that they should remember themselues and lift vp their eyes and hearts vnto him Doe thou then pray vnto God that in all thy tribulations thou mayest haue recourse only to his diuine help and not bee ouer carefull to vse other meanes The 34. Meditation of the Title of the Crosse And Pilate wrote the title of his cause vpon his Crosse Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 and the superscription was ouer his head and it was written in Hebrue Greeke Latine COnsider first that Pilate set vp the Title of the cause of his death and vsed the words following First that thy Lord might bee thought worthy of this death as a traytor arrogating the name of a King vnto himselfe and that Pilate might be cleared before Caesar of the cryme of not condemning his competitor of the kingdome Secondly to bee reuenged of the Iewes who had threatned to complaine of him for hee mocked them that hee had crucified their king and that king also whome their auncestors had fore-tolde so many ages before and had expected with so great affection and desire These were the causes that mooued Pilate to make that tytle And Christ also our Lord ordained this tytle for himselfe but for farre other reason drawne from the mysterie of our saluation First that thou shouldest knowe that hee suffered this death of the Crosse not as a guilty person but as a Sauiour adorned with all vertues that he might rule thy soule and that thou shouldest submit thy selfe to be wholy gouerned by him who being nayled both hand and foote cannot hurt his beloued people but offereth thē all saluation from his open woundes Secondly to let thee vnderstand what merchandize are offered to thee to be solde out of this shop of his Crosse For all houses and shops haue commonly their signes Heere then thou mayst finde all saluation in Iesus all flowers of vertue in Nazareth and all security in the King Runne thou hither in all thy necessityes Isa 55. and buy and take what thou list without money or any other exchāge for this marchant requireth nothing of thee but thy company and thy loue Thirdly that thou mayest know by the Table set before the house what doctrine and Artes are read taught in this schoole For Schoole maisters vse to write before their gates what things are taught within their houses Heere thou mayest learne to bee saued to follow all vertues to rule thy selfe to conquer thy enemyes to gouerne wisely others that be vnder thy charge Our Mr. Christ doth now teach from the chayre of his Crosse euen as hee taught being an Infant in the manger of the Stable But thou perhaps desirest an easier chaire But such doctrine is not taught hut out of such a chaire for there is no way to saluation but by the crosse and by many tribulations and the habits of vertues are obtained by painfull actions If thou wilt rule thy selfe perfectly and subdue thy enemies the world the flesh and the Deuill thou shalt not seeke after the ease of thy body but thou shalt bee seuere against thy body and pull it out of the power of the Deuill by fasting watching workes of humility contempt tribulations according to the example of this Maister Neither shalt thou bee able to gouern others rightly if thou relyest onely vpon thy power and authority except according to this lesson of Christ thy teacher thou doest out of the very bowels of thy charitie apply thy selfe wholy and all thinges in thee to the profite and good of thy subiects Fourthly that by this tytle thou mayest feele of what force the sign of the Crosse is which thou makest with thy handes For it is not a iugling tricke or a flye flappe as the blaspheming enemies of the crosse doe tearme it But it is the vertue power of Christ for the safety of all beleeuers that thou being signed therewith mayst be knowne by thy badge to bee the seruant of the Messias thy King and be a terror to the Deuil and haue entraunce into the house of Christ and that all thy actions may tend to the glory of God and to thy owne saluation Consider secondly that this Tytle was written in diuers languages First because it concernes all men to knowe this King and therefore it was set in a high place that thou mayest beholde it a farre off stand still read vnderstand and follow this King forsaking all other maisters whom thou hast hitherto serued Secondly because the crucified Messias is to bee knowne and praised in all Languages Cōsider thirdly the māner of the writing A part of this Tytle being preserued with great deuotiō of Christians at Rome in the Church of the Holy Crosse in Hierusalem doth declare vnto vs First that the Title was of wood Secondly not written with a pen but grauen with iron Thirdly that the Hebrue was first then the Greeke and lastly the Latine Fourthly that the Greeke and Latine was written like the Hebrue from the right hand to the left SVNERAZANEI ALL which thinges are not without their mysteries For first these three languages onely were set vpon the Crosse which were most vsuall at that time and so continue vntill this day the Hebrue for the Iewes the Greek for the East Church and the Latine for the West For seeing that all Learning is written in these tongues the Scriptures in Hebrue Philosophie Rethoricke in Greek and Latine Christ taught vs hereby that there is neither any diuine knowledge nor humane learning and eloquence of any force except it bee sanctified by the bloud of Christ and referred to the glory of him crucified And therefore the holy Church vseth these languages onely in her diuine seruice as the most common and those that are consecrated with the bloud of our Lord. Secondly the
Christ But Iesus said COnsider first what thy Lord in these great paines of the Crosse did doe say or thinke when as amongst all those torments he found no comfort neither outwardly by men nor inwardly in his owne soule Yf he moued his body the woundes of the nayles tormented him if his head the thorns ranne in deeper and pricked him if he stirred not at all his torment was intollerable ouer his whole wearied body Thinke thou yppon these things in all thy labours and afflictions which thou sufferest for thy Lord. Hee reproued no man although he were slaundered diuers wayes But because the mouth speaketh from the aboundance of the hart his wordes euen vppon the Crosse were directed to thy profite and saluation and doe declare most manyfestly that he prayed to his Father incessantly for thee when by reason of his torments he was not able to vtter one word Consider secondly his swan-like song and note the last words of thy Lord which he spake to thee at the poynt of death For euen as the voyce of the Serpent hyssing out of the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill instilled the poyson of sinne so the last wordes of Christ from the Tree of the Crosse were very effectuall for our saluation and full of burning feruour as proceeding from the depth of infinite charitie Hee spake with a loud voyce and weeping teares with great affectiō and deepe sighes in fewe words but with many teares mixed with bloud streaming downe from his head His teares watered his prayers Heb. 5 and his bloud adorned them his eyes pierced his Fathers eares his sighes moued his heart Doe thou listen to these wordes marke them diligently and gather the fruite thereof For by these seauen wordes the wordes and formes of the seauen Sacraments are sanctified the seauen guiftes of the holy Ghost are obtained and the seauen deadly sinnes are driuen away Consider thirdly but Iesus said First whilst the Iewes were busie in crucifying tormenting mocking him Iesus as if he had not marked these thinges yea rather that he migh render good for euill said Secondly hee who hetherto in his owne cause to the admiration of all men held his peace and could not be brought to speake but being adiudged and had also abstayned from the most iust defence of himselfe now in the middest of his torments is not silent in thy most vniust cause but being not intreated intreateth yea and intreateth with most effectuall wordes Iesus said who the Sonne of God To whome to God the Father Where vpon the Crosse When being ready to dye and his vitall spirits being spent How not sitting nor lying easily but vpright vpon his feete with his hands lift vp and spread abroad like Moses in former times Ezo 17. and all bleeding For whome for sinners who were carelesse of their owne saluation for Christ and his frtends pray for sinners Heb. 5. before sinners pray for themselues What he craueth mercy offring his prayers and supplications appealing from this cruell sentence of the Iewes his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children to a better sentence and full of mercy and desiring that this cruell sentence might be made frustrate Before whome openly in the hearing of his enemies to teach them mercy sweetnesse and in the presence of his Mother and of his friends both because they should bee witnesses of his pardoning them also that they should neuer pray for the reuenge of this sinne O excellent speach of highest merite and worthy to be imitated by all men full of labour charity mercy and piety Haue confidence then in Christ and pray him who by speaking first for sinners before he spake for his Mother left to vs a testimonye how much he esteemeth the saluation of sinners that hee will vouchsafe to haue continuall care of thee now in Heauen Luc. 23 Father forgiue them PAuse vpon euery word Father he doth not say Lord which is a name of seuerity and iustice but Father which is a name of mercy and of the newe Testamēt giuen vnto vs in this place by the bloud merites of Christ that euen as he would be our Brother so we should haue all one father in Heauen He saith therefore O Father knowe me thy Sonne the Father will denye nothing to his sonne I came into the world to this end that thou shouldest receiue thine enemies for thy children Heare me then praying for them For euen as the prayers of the Priestes in the Church shall hereafter be very effectuall which shall conclude in my name in these wordes through Christ our Lord so I doe now pray vnto thee my Father thorough me thy onely begotten Sonne Therefore as thou louest mee thy Son so receiue these my prayers For I ascended this crosse haue suffred all these stripes that I might obtaine mercy and pardon for them If therefore thou doest reiect the prayers of thy sonne and not hear thy sonne thou shalt impose a greater torment on mee then the Crosse it selfe which I suffer that I might take away a greater euill that is that I might turne away thy wrath from them Spare therfore the great dolors of thy Son least he seeme to haue indured them in vaine Thou giuest reward to others labours I desire onely this reward for my paines that thou wilt forgiue these men Forgiue heer our Lord doth the office of a Priest for he prayeth for the sinnes of the people and he cryeth Heb. 5. not only as a Priest but as a sacrifice desiring not a free pardon but offering a full satisfaction His wounds crye his bloud cryeth his spittings his paines and all his members crye Forgiue accept of these torments for their sinnes I haue paied their debtes I giue my bloud for the pryce my paines for the ransom my life in satisfaction my body soule for a sacrifice Be thou therfore merciful for this is a copious redemption A hard thing is required to wit that the Father should forget the death of his onely begotten Sonne and of such and so gteat a Sonne but the Sonne beggeth and hee beggeth with his bloud Secondly hee asketh it not conditionally as he praied for himselfe in the Garden If it bee possible if thou wilt if it may bee done but absolutely Forgiue Both that thou mayest learne to pray to God for pardon of thy sinnes and for his diuine grace without any cōdition because that hath alwayes relation to Gods honour And also that thou shouldest freely forgiue thy neighbours faultes without any condition Thirdly hee prayeth to haue them forgiuē presently and not to bee deferred till after his death For hee would not leaue this life till peace was made with God Parents when they are dying doe often leaue vnto their children small store of goods and those intangled with many difficulties charges debts and contentions But Christ before his death payed all debts with his owne bloud took away all difficulties and charges
them to mocke and deride the sonne of God the king of kings and man trusting in God Consider 4. their euill collections First if hee haue saued others he ought to saue himselfe also 2. If hee be the king of Israell he ought to descend down from the Crosse Thirdly if he trust in God as the Sonne of God God will deliuer him But first he did not therefore saue himselfe because he would saue others by his death Secondly he did not therefore descend downe from the Wood because the King of Israell should raigne from the Wood. Thirdly God did not therefore deliuer his Son because he trusted not to be deliuered by him from the Crosse but by the Crosse to be exalted aboue al creatures and to place thee in glory with him Consider fiftly that euill men giue councell to descend the deuill being the author who said If thou art the Sonne of God throwe thy selfe downe Whereby thou mayest learne that all those descend from the height of perfection which cast away the Crosse from them Doe thou pray deuoutly vnto Christ to rule and guide thee from his Crosse that is from his throne of mercy and also to take thee vpp with him vnto the Crosse The Soldiers also mocked him comming and offering Vinegar saying Luc. 23. if thou art King of the Iewes saue thy selfe COnsider first the great contempt wherewith our Lord was mocked by these base tormentors both in words and deedes First they mocked him vsing wanton and scurrile gestures towards him Secondly they came nearer to him being naked and looked more curiously vpon him according to that of the Psalmist Psal 21 But they considered and looked on mee Thirdly they offered him vineger like Cup-bearers offering a cup to their King Fourthly in their wordes they allude to the tytle of the Crosse King of the Iewes they say he is a rediculous King which cannot saue himselfe vppon whome dependeth all the safety of his subiects Consider secondly that wicked men do acknowledge no other commoditie or saffetie but only in this life but good men desire and seeke after the saluation of their soules as a thing which is common to them with the Angels respecting lesse the safetie of their bodies which the beasts doe inioy as well as they Consider thirdly the infinite loue of Christ thy Lord and spouse of thy soule towards thee who hauing once ascended the Crosse for thy sake could neuer be moued to come downe from thence neither by torments nor by mockings nor by the sorowe of his mother standing by him nor by the teares of Iohn his kinsman nor by the tears of Marie Magdalen nor by any sorrowe of his friends although he knewe that thereby he might easily end all their troubles Doe not thou therfore when thou hast vndertaken any thing for the loue of thy spouse and for his honor leaue it off for any cause although the world frowne thereat although thy flesh be repugnant although thy mother shewe thee her breasts wherewith shee gaue thee sucke and although thy olde Father lye in the gate passe thou on and tread vppon thy Father for it is piety to bee cruell in this cause Pray vnto God to giue thee this constancy of minde and setting before thine eyes him that was crucified take courage before him and in his presence determine of all thy busines The 38. Meditation of the second worde of Christ And the same thing did the Theeues Mat. 27. Mat. 13. which were crucified with him vpbraide vnto him and one of the theeues which were hanged blasphemed him saying If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs but the other answering blamed him saying Neither doest thou feare God which art in the same condemnation Wee indeede suffer iustly for wee receiue worthy punishment for our facts but this man hath done no euill COnsider first the ignominy offered to our Lord in this place either by one theefe according to St. Epiphanius Haere 66 8. lib. 3. de conâ— EuaÌ„ c. 16. â—â—oÌ„ 7. ad Phil. and St. Augustine or else in the beginning by both acording to St. Chrysostome but the one repeÌ„ting the other perseuering For they were most wicked and infamous men and did worthily suffer the accursed death of the Crosse But it did much more afflict our Sauiours heart that hee for whome and with whom hee did shed his bloud should presently bee carryed headlong into Hell Learne hereby that commonly hee which liueth ill dyeth ill as he liued ill except he be changed by Gods speciall grace For a sinner is stricken with his iudgement Aug. ser 3 de num that dying he forgetteth himselfe who liuing was forgetfull of God Consider secondly the wordes of the euill Theefe If thou art Christ saue thy selfe and vs First he wanted faith who desired a miracle that hee might beleeue Secondly he desired temporall life and safety after the manner of all sinners who haue no care of their euerlasting life to come Thirdly he spake this perhaps to please the Iewes which stood by but it profited him nothing to get their fauour because the world euer giueth a false reward to her followers Fourthly hee once vttered this rayling speach but being rebuked he held his peace being better then thy selfe who art neither amended by good admonition nor well pleased with him that aduiseth thee Consider thirdly the mercy of Christ in the good Theefe whose heart hee did not onely instruct by outward signes but also did mollifie it by inward grace so as he profited more in three houres by hearing him teach from the chayre of the Crosse then the Apostles did in three yeares by following our Lord continually and seeing his miracles For so great is the force of the crosse of our Lord that it doth nor onely mooue the sence but also giueth vnderstanding to the hearing and addeth affection to the vnderstanding Therfore this good theefe being depriued of all outward thinges and hauing his body stretched vpon the Crosse gaue openly all that was left vnto him to wit hee consecrated his heart and tongue vnto Christ For hee beleeued with his heart to iustice Rom. 10 and with his mouth hee confessed to saluation being made a teacher from the chayre of the Crosse openly confessing Christ and freely reproouing the vices of the standers by Consider fourthly the wordes of the good Theefe First with great charity hee rebuked his companion when he sinned before hee craued any thing for himselfe of our Lord and hee putteth him in minde of his iminent death for sinners ought to be repressed with the feare of Hell when they will not be moued with Gods benefites Neither doest thou feare God a bolde worde but worthy of a Martyr None of these saith hee feare God and darest thou imitate them being now presently to goe before God thy Iudge Secondly he confesseth his sinne and receiueth the punishment of the Crosse in satisfaction For it is a signe of a good man to
my Crowne and that thou mayst not seeme to haue suffred as a theefe but to haue triumphed as a Martyr with mee Thus Christ conuerted the punishment of the Theefe into Martyrdome so as he which was brought as a Theefe vnto the Crosse did by this his notable and publike confession receiue the Crowne of his testimony Aug. lib. 4 deami eius originie cap. 9. as a Martyr with Christ the Prince of Martyrs Thou shalt bee to remaine for euer In the ioyes shall bee so great that thou shalt not cōprehend them but they shall receiue thee entring into thē they shall fill thee within and cōpasse thee without according to that saying Enter into the ioyes of thy Lord. Mat. 25. Paradise hee saith not an earthly Paradise wherwith the soules and spirits of the blessed are not delighted but the contemplation of the diuine nature in which is a full satiety and delight of the minde He calleth it not a Kingdome as the theefe had requested but Paradise which name he had neuer vsed before First because by this key of Dauid to wit the Crosse of our Lord the gate of Paradise is opened vnto vs with the wood of the knowledge of good and euill being violated by sinne had locked vp Secondly because after forty dayes he was to ascend into his heauenly mansion the place of the blessed Behold heer the liberall guift of Christ thy Lord bee of good courage for hee which promised a kingdome to the penitent theefe on the Crosse will render no lesse reward to thee for thy labours spent all thy life time in his seruice But because Paradise is not promised by the crucified but onely to him that was crucified doe thou if thou wilt bee a partner in this Paradise crucifie thy flesh with the vices and concupiscences thereof and pray the spouse of thy soule to call thee to Heauen with these words at the houre of thy death The 39. Meditation of the third worde on the Crosse And there stood by the Crosse of Iesus Ioan. 19. his Mother and his mothers sister Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene COnsider first that when the Apostles fledde the women followed our Lord euen vnto the Crosse And his Mother is first named both because she was more feruent then the others and remained more cōstant also because it was strange that a mother could indure so great torments especially of such a Sonne and lastly that thou mayest learne hereby that it is not comely for womens modestie to bee present at the death of guilty persons and yet that it is very glorious for them to stay with the Mother of our Lord before the crosse of Christ and to set that alwayes before the eyes of their soule Cōsider secondly why the Mother of our Lord would bee present at his execution surely not of curiosity or lightnes but First that shee who loued such a Son so dearly and had followed him in all places might not forsake him at his death Secondly to be ready to doe him any seruice or to giue him any comfort which lay in her power Thirdly that shee might beholde not onely the death of her sonne but also the manner of the redemption of man by the cōtemplation wherof she might inflame her zeale of the loue of God Consider thirdly why Christ would haue his Mother present at this spectacle First that she should be a witnesse that hee had payed the price for the sinnes of all mankinde Secondly that shee might see the feruor of his loue towards vs thereupon vndertake to be our Patrone Thirdly that the Queen of all Saints should not be depriued of the crowne due vnto Martyrs but that shee should suffer the most noble martyrdome of all others For other Martyrs suffered their own torments inflicted vpon thē by the hands of the executioners But the Mother of our Lord suffred the torments of her son being deriued vnto her from the body of her son as Simeon prophesied of her Luc. 2. And thine owne soule shall a sword pierce Fourthly that the presence of his mother might increase the matter of his paine For the Euangelist did not without cause say His Mother signifying therby the mutuall affections of them both Admire thou here two great lights obscured Christ the greater light the sonne of Iustice Which illuminateth euery man comming into this world Ioan. 1. and the lesser light Mary faire as the Moone The Sunne is made black saith the Apostle as a sacke of haire-cloath Apoc. 6. and the Moone is made all like bloud the mother bleeding with the bloud of her sonne Consider fourthly that shee sate not idly nor lay downe as halfe dead nor ran vp and downe amazedly but she stood First for reuerence vnto her Sonne whome shee saw hanging straight vppon the Crosse for thy sake Secondly as one ready to obey and doe any seruice Thirdly constant and of a good courage with an assured faith of the redemption of man and of the resurrection of her Sonne Fourthly as prepared herselfe ro goe vp to the crosse and if need were to suffer death for sinners Consider fiftly that a fewe others stood by the crosse with the Mother of our Lord a Virgin a Widdow and a Sinner being sorrowful and destitute of all comfort that thou mayest learne First that our Lord crucified on the Crosse was giuen vs by God the Father to bee a comforte to the afflicted a Patrone to Widdowes Orphanes and a preseruer and protector of Virgins Secondly that Christ did communicate the feeling of the griefe of his Passion especially to those whom he loued most dearely Marke therefore whether thou beest mooued with this passion or not for thereby thou mayest vnderstand how much hee loueth thee Consider sixtly There stood by the Crosse of Iesus Fewe doe stand by the crosse of Christ Some onely walke by it and lightly passe ouer the mysteryes of Christ others stand a farre off looking so vpon it as if the mysteries of the Crosse did not appertaine vnto them others stand by the Crosse of the Theeues who suffer the troubles of their pride their ryot their couetousnes of their other vices Neare the crosse of Christ no sinners are tollerated no light behauiour is committed nor no pleasures are sought after Heere is whatsoeuer the world abhorreth pouerty subduing of the flesh contempt and reproach and all thinges are wanting which the world desireth and esteemeth Come thou to the Mother of Christ as neare the Crosse as thou canst because this way onely leadeth those that weepe and mourne vnto Heauen whilst others laughing iesting and blaspheming fall downe into Hell And pray the virgin Mother to assist thee at the houre of thy death and to comfort thee in thy troubles who with such constancy did suffer the sorrowes of her Sonne Therefore when Iesus sawe his Mother and the Disciple whome hee loued Ioan. 19 standing hee said to his Mother woman behold thy
naturall affectiō First that he is forsaken through no demerite of his owne Are saith he the words of my offences far from my saluation that is Psal 21. doe my sinnes hinder my saluation and thy helpe but I haue committed no sinne Secondly of the vnworthines of the cause that thou mightest saith hee redeeme a poor seruant thou hast deliuered thy Sonne to his enemies Hast thou forsaken hee sheweth that hee receiued no helpe nor comfort from the vnion of his Diuinity and that all the time of his Passion hee was left as man to his owne power Hee sayeth not doest thou forsake but hast thou forsaken not onely in this passion but in all my life thou hast not assisted mee in my labours Amongst the Prophets many thinges were spoken hereof Psal 87 I am poore in labors from my youth An vnworthy thing I haue a rich Father but hee giueth his riches plentifully amongst wicked men For of thy hidden thinges Psal 16. that is of riches which vse to bee hidden Their belly is filled but I thy Sonne am left in the meane time poore and beggerly from my child-hood am inforced to great labours Thou hast remoued farre from mee my friend and my neighbour who might comfort mee in my troubles Thy fury is setled ouer me Psal 87 and thou hast brought all thy floods vpon mee thou hast oppressed and drowned mee in calamities Mee thy Sonne whome thou hast begotten frō all eternity whom aboue all creatures thou oughtest to holde most deare In these thinges beholde the iust cause of complaint in Christ together with the most ardent loue of his Father towards thee who because hee would heare thy complaint refused to heare the cōplaints of his Son whom hee would haue not onely to knowe but also really to feele affliction and misery both that hee might take compassion vpon thy infirmityes and also bestow on thee the guift of knowledge how to vse all things to thine owne saluation Mat. 27. Mar. 15 But some standing there and hearing said Beholde this man calleth Helias COnsider first that the Romane Soldiours according to St. Hierome being ignorant of the Hebrue tongue for Eli is Hebrue and Lammasabactani Syriack and hauing heard many times among the Iewes with whome they cōuersed mention made of Helias were deceiued by the meer sound of the words and thought that our Lord had called vpon Elias Learne thou not to vse nor interpret rashly the wordes of God which thou vnderstandest not Consider secondly that all those three houres of the eclipse euery man stood amazed without motion and without speach but assoone as the light returned the wicked also returned to their irrisions that thou mayest learne First that the impiety of wicked men may bee restrained for a time but cannot be quite taken away without the speciall fauour of God Secondly to obserue diligently and feare the miracles and thratenings of God For euen as God by this darknes did foreshew vnto the Iewes the iminent darknes wherin for euer they shall remaine except they repent so by his threatning signes by comets thunder earthquakes pestilence famine and other strange thinges and euents he foresheweth the calamity and mischiefe to come Consider thirdly whereas heretofore the Iewes required a signe to bee giuen them from Heauen heere they hauing a signe are made neuer the better That thou mayest knowe that they would not haue beleeued as they promised if hee should discend from the Crosse because the desires of the wicked are not directed to their saluation but to vanity and mocking Consider fourthly what comfort is brought frō the world to wit mocking and contempt for how can they comfort others which want true comfort of minde themselues Consider fiftly that these wordes were spoken by them which stood by and heard that thou mayest learne First the idle men which are not occupied in their own affaires doe nothing but carp and scoffe at the wordes and deedes of others Secondly that such wrest Gods wordes to an euill sence which onely heare them and doe not imploy their time to the study of vertue Consider sixtly that the wicked knowe no difference betweene Helias Eli and the honour which is due vnto God and which is due vnto creatures Therefore some leauing God seeke help of his creatures to which they vse to flye in all their necessities others giue more honor to men then to God himselfe others thinke those thinges to bee done to creatures which by them are referred vnto God as the reuerence worship done to Images Saints obediēce to their Pastors c. But doe thou better interpret the wordes of Christ pray him to informe thy soule with his diuine guift of knowledg The 41. Meditation of the fift worde of Christ on the Crosse Afterwards Iesus knowing that all thinges were now consummate Ioan. 19. that the Scripture might bee fulfilled hee saide I thirst COnsider first that our Lord in all these torments of the Crosse did neuerthelesse in his minde reuolue the Scriptures and diligently view them all least perhaps there might bee somthing in them vnfulfilled for thy saluation that thou likewise being alwayes attentiue to the will of God and to the cōmandements of thy Superiours mayst neuer ouer-flip any thing belonging to thy office duty Consider secondly that Christ neuer spake nor did any thing rashly but referred all thinges to this end that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Blessed art thou if thou doest nothing but of obedience which giueth a great ornament to the dooer and deserueth an admirable recompence for the worke Consider thirdly that this thirst was most grieuous which the kingly prophet Dauid foresawe so many ages before which grewe both from the labours and torments of the Crosse and frō the continuall streams of bloud and from his fasting all the day and night before Mark the wordes of the Psalmist Psal 21. My strength is dryed like an earthen pott and my tongue hath cleaued vnto my iawes and thou hast brought mee into the dust of death that is thou hast made mee like to dry ashes Consider fourthly why the Scriptures that spake of this thirst were fulfilled last after all the rest to wit First that the first sinne cōmitted in the wood by intemperāce which infected all mankinde might as the greatest prouoker of all the rest be last of all washed away and abolished vpon the wood of the Crosse Secondly because this thirst proceeced from the decaying of his strength and from the losse of all naturall moisture that our Lord might declare vnto vs that hee had with a liberall hand bestowed all his benefits vpon vs. Consider fiftly why being inwrapped compassed with so many torments paines on euery side he complained onely of thirst First to show that he did truly and sharply feele the torments of the Crosse for Christ vseth not to complaine lightly but onely in matter of great moment Secondly to commend
to thee as a sponge fastened to the reede of the Crosse full of grace and truth out of which thou maist sucke sweete water he will communicate vnto thee the guift of vnderstanding whereby thou maist vnderstand and be partaker of the delihgts of thy spouse And he said let be Mar. 15 Mat. 27. let vs see whether Helias come to take him downe and the others said let be let vs see whether Helias come to deliuer him COnsider first the words of the executioners One of them reaching him vineger which being dronke by the crucified person hastneth his death saith let be let vs see whether Helias come that is Helias shall not come for I will preuent him by this deadly cup and rid this man out of the way Others by the same words perswaded him to stay the cuppe that they might see by experience whether Helias would come and so reproue him as a false Prophet of vanity in calling vpon shadowes those which were dead Learn thou heere first what those executioners thought of our Lord beeing euen then ready to dye that thou mayest esteeme better of him in thy soule Secondly that he departed out of this world with great thirst and carryed that thirst of thy saluation into heauen with him where with an ardent though not troublesome desire hee worketh the meanes of thy saluation Thirdly that this cold and piercing cuppe of vineger brought death vnto our Lord for through sinne death entring into the world killed all and spared not the very Sonne of God for whom it was necessary to taste of death that he might ouerthrowe death Resolue thou therefore to flye sinne least hauing gotten power to kill thy body it creepe farther and kill thy soule also Consider secondly two kindes of men for some without faith doe by their sinnes deride the patience of God 1 Pet. 3 Where say they is his promise or his comming Others haue faith but preuent the sting of conscience with hast of sinning Whose feete runne to euill Take thou heede of both and pray vnto God not to forsake thee in the houre of death to bee mocked by the Deuill The 42. Meditation of the sixt word of our Lord on the Crosse Ioan. 19. When Iesus had taken the vineger he said COnsider 1. that this word aboue all the rest brought admirable comfort to all sinners For hitherto all that hee said pertayned for the most part to the executioners to the Thiefe to his Mother c but this he speaketh to vs all declaring that now our debts are payed and all things perfected which seeme necessary to our saluation Consider secondly who he is which saith it is coÌ„summate to wit Christ God and man for as man he offereth this payment and as God he receiueth it For euen as he that draweth wine and hee for whome it is drawne saith there is good measure we ought to credit them so we ought to beleeue Christ our Lord saying all thinges are consummate Consider thirdly where he spake it as first vpon the Altar of the Crosse in which the price was payed vnto God Secondly in a high and eminent place that like vnto a cryer he might publish these newe tydings vnto the world Listen thou vnto it and be assured that the price is paid Consider fourthly when he spake it which was when he had drunke the vineger and was now ready to dye that thou shouldest knowe that he being nothing moued with our ingratitude did confirme his last will and testament vnto vs which shall neuer bee infringed by any wickednesse of man but whosoeuer will be partaker of this bloud it shall remaine whole and holy vnto him Consider fiftly why he spake it namely for our comfort who knowe the offence of sinne to bee so great that no creature was able to redeeme the same Our Lord therefore affirmeth that the enorinity of our offences is not so great nor the number of our sinnes so many nor our debts so infinite but that he hath fully satisfied for all Pray thou vnto him to comfort thee at thy death with this word least thou beest affrayd to appeare before God thy creditor thorough the greatnesse of thy debts It is consummate COnsider first he said not this or that is consummate but absolutely it is consummate that thou maist knowe that by this passion of Christ all things are consummate and made perfect in Heauen and in earth as well those things which portain to God as those which belong to man For euen as sinne violated all things so the bloud of Christ restored all thinges againe that thou maist learn to seeke all things in the passion of Christ and with the Apostle to glory in nothing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6. Consider secondly how those things which belong to God are consummate by Christ For first he perfectly obserued all the commaun-of God the Father and neuer transgressed any of them no not in thought Secondly he carefully fulfilled all thinges committed to him in charge by the holy Scriptures neither did one lot or tytle passe which was not fulfilled Mat. 5. For he had receiued froÌ„ his Father a double charge one deliuered in Heauen to himselfe another committed to writing and communicated to vs. Thirdly he ended all figures ceremonies and shadowes of the old Testament and commaunded all things to cease which signified the death of the Messias and the future mysteries of the Church Fourthly whatsoeuer was imperfect in the old sacrifices hee perfected and fulfilled in one sacrifice of the Crosse Fiftly by this his death he repayred the ruines of Heauen which were opened by the sinnes of Lucifer â—oan 1. and gaue power to men to bee made the sonnes of God to those which belieue in his name and after this life spent in the seruice of God to replenish againe the seates of those Angels whom their wickednesse and sinne had throwne downe into hell Behold how thy Lord ready to goe to his Father doth glory that he hath left nothing in this world vnconsummate but that he hath executed all things to the full which hee was commaunded I would thou also at the houre of thy death according to the example of thy Lord couldest glory that thou hast left nothing imperfect in thy selfe Saint Paul said I haue fought a good fight I haue consummate my course 2 Tim. 4 I haue kept the faith And Saint Peter in the name of the Apostles Behold we haue left all things and haue followed thee Mat. 19. what therefore shall we haue What wilt thou say when thou art ready to dye who hast violated Gods commandements and hast receiued thy good in this life What canst thou offer vnto God for the reward of eternal glory Thinke earnestly of these thinges that thou mayst diligently execute the Commaundements of our Lord. CoÌ„sider thirdly that by Christ his Passion all thinges likewise are consummate which belong to vs. 1.
Sinne receiued his end as Daniel foreshewed All debts are payed Dan. 9. the price of all the sinnes of the whole world is fully numbred to God the Father 2. To the faithfull all their goods are gotten that nothing is wanting to vs in any grace 1 Cor. 2. 3. He hath perfected his Church a new Common wealth and a chosen vineyard for whereas indeede it was begun to bee planted from the beginning of the world but for want of good manuring did not prosper Christ by his Passion prepared al things necessary for it he instituted a Sacrifice Sacraments he ordained Pastors he made new lawes he diuided offices to euery one hee sent the holy Ghost into the harts of the faithfull to be short he perfected it in such manner as he had spoken before Hiere 31 I will consūmate my new Testament vpon the house of Israell vpon the house of Iuda Hee began to write this Testament many ages past which now with this worde as with the subscriptiō of his hand with his bloud and passion as with his seale is signed by him 4. He fulfilled the desire of the Saints heaped aboūdantly his guifts vpō all the faithfull whom he would haue consummated into one ioyned together in perfect charity replenished with the 7. guifts of the holy Ghost Ioan. 17 Do thou therfore who hast receiued so many benefites frō thy spouse neuer leaue to doe his will because his will is thy sanctification 2 Thes 1. and bee thou carefull to keepe whole vnuiolate the white garment and grace of the holy Ghost which thou didest receiue in the Sacraments Consider 4. that many things are consummate by this passion of Christ euen in wicked men First the hate of the Iewes which could not further bee extended 2. The malice of the Deuils who could doe no more against Christ 3. The Kingdome of the Deuil the Prince of this world was ended his forces broken his spoyles taken away he himselfe bound in hel with a chain neuer to be feared more but to be laughed at euen by little children Apoc. 11. Feare not then the assaults of the deuill who can only counsel threaten but cannot compell nor hurt Cōsider 5. that Christ himselfe is also consummate for vs as the Apostle saith Beeing consummate Heb. 5. he was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation 1. His bloud is consummate all which he powred out of his veines for thy sake his strength is consūmate which hee exhausted for thee all his goods are consummate both within without which he offred for thee 2. His paines are consūmate an end is come of all his euils glory only remaineth Therefore in this sence It is consummate is a worde of reioycing that his labours are ouercome Now saith he all thinges are perfect Winter is done Cant. 1. the shower is past and gone there is an end of all euils the begining of good For his very Sepulcher shall presently after his death bee glorious Isa 35. Be thou carefull whilst thou liuest that thy death may end all euills open the way to good Thirdly this mortall life is consummate O Father saith hee I now leaue the world and come vnto thee This word one day shal also be spoken vnto thee It is cōsummate thy life must be ended thou must leaue all thinges which thou hast thy riches thy honours thy parents thy wife thy children and thy friends For I haue seene an end of all consummation and wee Psal 118 who brought nothing into this world 2 Tim. 6. without doubt cannot carry away any thing Therefore if with Christ thou hast nothing but troubles and crosses if all thinges in the world be bitter and sower vnto thee the voice of Christ calling thee will not be vnwelcome It is consummate because the houre of thy redemptiō draweth nigh Mat. 24. Eccle. 4. But O how bitter is the remembrance of death to a man hauing peace in his substance It is Consummate COnsider first that Christ had spoken somthing before of his consūmation as in Luke Behold we goe vp to Hierusalem Luc. 18. and all thinges shall bee consummate which are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man Hee gaue also some beginning to this cōsummation when hee saide in his last supper Ioan. 15 I haue consummate the worke which thou gauest mee that I should doe But in the altar of the Crosse all thinges are consūmate neither could any thing bee consūmate before his passion on the Crosse because without shedding of bloud there is no remission of sinnes Heb. 9. and a testament is not confirmed but by the death of the testator Consider secondly the manner of his consummation to wit the notable constancy of thy Lord and his inuincible courage First hee perfected all thinges alone I haue trodden saith he the presse alone Isa 6. and amongst the people there was not a man with mee that thou shouldst neuer giue ouer the study of piety deuotion though thou wert forsaken of all men For God seeth and helpeth thy endeauours who because he would not be wanting to thee in thy labours denyed his helpe and assistance to his Sonne Secondly hee submitted all his members filled them with torments that thou shouldst spare no labor for the seruice of thy spouse Thirdly hee perseuered euen to the end of his worke Thou oftentimes conceiuest a good worke but thou doest seldome begin it and more seldome proceed in it and scarce euer bring it to an end Pray our Lord to graunt thee the guift of fortitude that thou neuer faint in the study of vertues Consider thirdly with what liberality hee inuiteth thee to those thinges which hee hath consummated by these his labors My Bulles saith hee and my Fowles are killed Mat. 22. come to the marriage For in this passion First Sap. 17. All spirituall daintyes are found for euery man his tast and necessity as the Scripture reciteth concerning Manna Secondly it is the medicine of all diseases Thirdly it is the payment of all debts Do thou therefore inioy this liberality of Christ and being wholy melted into his loue desire to know nothing else but Iesus Christ and him crucified ◠Cor. 2. Consider fourthly that by this word It is consummate God the Father is asked by Christ whether any thing bee wanting to our perfect saluation and that also all creatures yea euen our enemies are as it were iudicially cyted to consider what is wanting and to speake it before the death of Christ For our Lord professeth that hee will pay to the full if there be any punishment yet remaining Behold the liberall mind of thy Lord. Pray him then that laying aside all couetousnes thou mayest bee indued with this bountiful liberality Cōsider fiftly that these great riches of Christ are so prouided for thee that thou oughtest to make
torments I haue remitted nothing of my deuotion loue to thee Secondly I thy Sonne am returned to thee from this hard embassage from this bloudy battell I carry away the victory and I bring the spoyles What reward wilt thou giue me what glory wilt thou prepare for mee what triumph wilt thou assigne mee The Roman Emperors triumphed with the victorious Army Poore Lazarus Luc. 16. which was denyed cruÌ„mes from the rich mans table was carryed in a triumphant Chariot that is in Angels hands into Abrahams bosome What glory then wilt thou giue to me thy Sonne I am more honorable because I am thy Son I haue labored more then the rest for I haue spent my bloud I haue vndergone more danger for I haue fought alone with the enemy I haue indured more want for a drop of water hath been denyed mee I haue ouercome more strange enemyes for I haue subdued the Prince of this world broken his forces and thrust him out of possession and to bee briefe I haue taken more noble spoyles hauing deliuered so many thousand soules from the bondage of the Deuill and subdued all the whole world vnto thy gouerment What then wilt thou prepare for so great a conqueror Into thy handes First as sacrifices are offered into the handes of God so I as high Priest doe offer my soule as a most fatt sacrifice into thy handes Secondly hitherto the soules which departed out of this world went not into the handes of God but into Abrahams bosome in the places belowe but now I desire first to be receiued into thy handes and my Disciples hereafter to bee receiued also Thirdly this my spirit which is now descending into Hell to deliuer the Fathers shall not want the diuinity but euen as the diuine nature took the humane nature into the same person so it shall remain both with the body in the sepulcher with the spirit in Hell Fourthly I commend it to thy hands that thou shouldest endowe it with glory adorne it with rewardes I commend or as the Greeke text saieth I will commend that is euen now I will send it to thee First hitherto neither this body nor my soule hath seemed to bee greatly commended vnto thee because both the body hath remained in the hands of enemies and my soule being sorrowfull euen vnto death was alwaies in my own hands subiect to many miseries Psal 118. and death it selfe Hitherto thou hast seemed to haue care only of thy bondslaues and to neglect thy Sonne for thou hast deliuered vp thy Sonne to redeeme thy seruant doe thou now at last receiue my spirit coÌ„mended vnto thee Secondly I commend that is I leaue it with thee to haue it againe after three dayes Thirdly no man taketh it from mee for I am not compelled to dye against my will but I willingly yeild it and deliuer it to thy custody My spirit hee saith not my soule which beastes possesse aswell as men but my spirit because the sensual man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perceiueth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God In Christ the spirit 1 Cor. 2. that is the higher part had as it were conuerted the soule into it selfe so as the inferiour man desired nor coueted nothing but according to the rule of reason Pray thou vnto God the Father that hee will receiue thy soule alwayes commended with the spirit of his Sonne Into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that though the spirit of Christ needed not to be commended to the Father yet it was coÌ„mended to him that all faithfull and holy men should knowe that they are coÌ„mended vnto God by this prayer of Christ For God calleth those by the name of Spirit which are indued with his spirit That saieth hee which is borne of the spirit Ioan. 3. is spirit euen as they which are ruled by the spirit of the Deuill are called the spirits of Deuils Doe thou looke into thy selfe what spirit raigneth in thee 1 Tim. 4 whether of Christ or of the Deuils And againe whether thy soule hath changed the spirit into it selfe so as thou seemest little different from a brute beast or whether the spirit of our Lord hath thy soule wholy subiect and obedient vnto it Heb 4. For the worde of God being liuely and powerfull reacheth euen to the diuision of the soule and of the spirit And therefore in the houre of death diligent inquiry shal be made what the spirit hath done and what the soule and they onely shall bee commended vnto God Rom. 8. which haue wrought by the spirit of God Consider 2. if Christ commended vs to God the Father then wee ought to bee carefull to commend our soules vnto him in good workes Therefore let vs prouide First that what the grace of the holy Ghost hath wrought in our soules Pet. 4 may be preserued framed perfited as it were by his diuine hands Secondly that our spirite bee often conuersant in Heauen and adhere not too much to any worldly things For saith St. Augustine if our mindes be there wee shall haue rest heere Ser. 175. de temp Thirdly that God will holde vs in his handes according to that Sap. 3. Ioan. â—0 The soules of the iust are in the handes of God neither can any man take theÌ„ out of his handes Fourthly that our spirits when they goe out of this world may bee deliuered to the handes of God to be crowned and be commended to his keeping till the future resurrection of our bodyes Consider thirdly that the Church of God which is directed and guided by the spirit of Christ is so commended to God the Father by this prayer of her spouse That the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against her Mat. 16. Therefore doe thou neuer seperate thy selfe from her except thou wouldest fall into thy enemies handes but defend the life and safety of thy soule by the spirit faith grace and Sacraments of the same Consider fourthly that there is coÌ„mended vnto thee by his prayer First the guift of the feare of God and next diligent deuotion against the vice of slouth For if Christ the Son of God did with such earnest prayer commend his spirit to his Father it behooueth thee not onely to pray but also to worke thine owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. Pray then vnto our Lord to take care of thy soule and to bestow rather heauenly guifts vpon thy spirit then earthly benefites vppon thy body The 44. Meditation of the death of Christ Luc. 23. Ioan. 19. And saying this bowing his head gaue vp the ghost COnsider first in what manner the Spouse of thy soule ended his life The standers by vse to obserue the countenaunce gesture and words of those which are to dye mothers also vse to marke the eyes and countenaunce of their children when they goe farre from them and to remember often in their minds the manner of
bouÌ„d by Christ the Conquerour with most straite chaynes carryed into Hell to bee condemned to eternall prison Consider 3. the glorious company of Angels which did not so much carry as followe the soule of Christ descending vnto Hell Consider 4. that by Christ his comming to Hell those fearfull darke places were indued with a new light that the holy Fathers came flying to meet him and to giue him thankes for themselues and for their vngratefull children that theÌ„ they were all clothed in a new garment and admitted to beholde the diuine nature and that Hell was filled with blessed soules before Heauen the seate of the blessed Consider fiftly what thy Lord did heere these three dayes Hee beganne to exercise the power which hee receiued from his Father both in Heauen and Earth in the lowest part of the world First hee inflicted worthy punishment vpon the Deuill with the rest of his enemies whome hee had ouercome with great wisdome power Secondly hee made new lawes to Hell and prouided that none of the Saints should euer bee carryed thither againe Thirdly hee stopped the mouth of that stinking place and shut it so close that none of that deadly sauour should breath vnto mortall men Fourthly he brought saluation promised so many yeares before to the holy Fathers 1 Pet. 3 and preached to those Spirites which were in prison That is brought tydings of peace euen vnto theÌ„ who being punished by the deluge other miseryes for their incredulitie sin were seriously coÌ„uerted before their death Pray thou our Lord that at the time of thy death hee will subdue the Deuill and bring to thee true peace and comfort The 45. Meditation of the signes in the death of Christ And behold the vaile of the Temple was slut in two peeces Mat. 27. Mat. 15. Luc. 23. euen from the top to the bottome COnsider first that when Christ sent foorth his spirit with a loude cry all creatures reioycing with their Creator for his noble victory ouer his enemy made great noyses shoutings for ioy in like manner as we vse to shewe publike ioy by discharging great gunns and ordinance of warre Consider secondly that by this noyse all thinges were opened the Tabernacle the Earth and the stones were resolued Lib. de in carnatione verbi and as St. Athanasius saith the very Mountaines were cleft in sunder 1. Because the sacke of grace being opened by so many woundes did by our Lords death poore out his guiftes most aboundantly and inuited all men to open the vessels of their hearts Looke thou therfore to thy selfe withdrawe not thy selfe out of this holy shower 2. Because all creatures shewed themselues ready to bee reuenged vpon the wicked and offered euen their bowels vnto God Consider thirdly that the vaile of the Temple was rent 1. Because by this death of our Lord all the mysteries of the olde Testament shadowed and couered so diuersly vntill this time did now at last the vaile being taken away shine most cleerly and were manifested and fulfilled by the 7. wounds of Christ of his handes feete side head and whippings of his whole body and that the Temple it selfe and all the legall Sacrifices remained prophane and destitute of all holynes and sanctity 2. Because now was opened the way into Sancta sanctorum that is the kingdome of Heauen 3. To signifie that the Temple it selfe for the Synagogue lamented the death of Christ detested the great blasphemy of the Iewes and to shew her griefe and anger cutt her vaile or garments 4. That thou remembring the death of thy spouse shouldest remooue the vaile of all excuses from thy heart and open thy inward thoughtes to our Lord without any vaile or colour hiding nothing from the Priest in confession nor couering thy sinnes with the pretence of piety For most certainly the vaile of thy body shall shortly be broken by approaching death and thy wickednesse shall bee reuealed to the whole world And the Earth was moued and the Rockâ—s were cleft a sunder Mat. 27. COnsider first that at the death of our Lord the earth was mooued and trembled 1. For the horror of so great a sinne 2. Because the Prince of the world who was wont to shake the earth with seditions and wickednes was with great violence throwne headlong into Hell 3. Because God of infinite Maiesty entred into the bowels of the earth at whose comming into the Mount Syna the mountaine it selfe as it were honoring him trembled and smoâ—ked Ex 19.20 4. Because by the death of our Lord all the earthly heartes of men were to be moued and carried out of their places vnto Christ 5. Because the new Law of the Gospell was to bee brought into the world If thou therefore when the whole Earth shaketh art nothing mooued by the death of Christ thou art more drye and colde then the earth it selfe Consider secondly the Rocks were cleft Ephe. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 1. Because Christ the corner stone who was also signified in the old rocke was now cut a sunder his soule being pulled from his body and his body beeing torne with diuers woundes 2. Because mens heartes being more hard then the very stones were to bee molified in the bloud of Christ the true Goate prefigured in the typicall Goate euen as the hardnes of an Adamant is said to bee molified and made soft by the bloud of a Goate Consider 2. that the state of sinners is fitly declared by stones For euen as the earth is colde filthy base and without the labour industry of men becoÌ„meth barren beareth nothing but weeds as a stone is likewise hard heauy troublesome so sinners polluted with diuers crimes are grieuous and troublesome to all men yea euen to themselues Pray thou our Lord to open thy heart to bring forth fountaines of teares to dissolue it into very dust that it may bee framed according to the will of God and drinke in the liquour of his diuine grace Mat. 27. And the Monuments were opened many bodyes of Saints which had slept rose and going out of the monuments after his resurrection entred into the holy Citty and appeared to many COnsider first that by this signe being the greatest of all other is signified First that Christ thy Lord opening by his death the gates of Hel did set at liberty the holy Fathers there imprisoned and brake hell-gates so as neuer any Saint hereafter should bee detained there Secondly that by the same death the stinking closets of our heartes are to bee opened that all the stinche of sinne and death may vapour out and bee dispersed Thirdly that the bodyes of the iust should rise againe liue for euer Consider secondly that though the Sepulchers were opened yet the Saints did not rise before Christ who is the first begotten of the dead for as the Apostle saith Our Lord was deliuered vp or slaine Col. 1. Rom.