riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Coult the foale of an Asse Therefore of this kingdome Christ did not speake in the Parable aboue neither the good thiefe when he said Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome but both did speake of perfect Beatitude by the which a man is exempted and freed from all seruitude and subiection of things created and only is become subiect to God whom to serue is to reigne and he is constituted by God himselfe ouer all his Workes This Kingdome so farre forth as it concerned the Beatitude of the Soule Christ receaued euen from the beginning of his Conception but as it concerned his Body he had it not actually but only by right vntill after his Resurrection For whiles he was a Pilgrime or stranger heer vpon Earth he was subiect to wearines famine thirst iniuries wounds and to death it selfe yet because the glory of the Body was due to him therfore after his death he did enter into his glory as due to him For thus our Lord himselfe speaketh after his resurrection Ought not Christ to haue suffered these things and so to enter into his glory Which glory is called his glory because he is of power to communicate it to others and in this respect he is said to be Rex gloriae Dominus gloriae and Rex Regum And he himselfe saith to his disciples I dispose for you a Kingdome It is in our power to receaue glory or a Kingdom but not to giue and accordingly it is said to vs Matth. 2◠Enter into the ioy of thy Lord and not into thy owne ioy Therefore this is that Kingdome of which the good Thiefe sayd when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome But heer the great Vertues which shine in the prayer of this Holy Thiefe are not to be passed ouer in silence that therby we may the lesse wonder at the answere which Christ our Lord made to him he saith Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome He calleth Christ Lord by which title he acknowledgeth himselfe to be his seruant or rather his redeemed bondslaue and confesseth him to be his Sauiour He adioyneth Remember me which is a word full of hope Fayth Loue Deuotion Humility He sayth not remember me if thou canst because he belieued Christ could doe all things neither saith he if it pleaseth thee because he was confident of Christs charity and goodnes He saith not I desire the consort and participation of thy Kingdome because his Humility would not beare this kind of speach to conclude he desireth nothing in particular but onely saith rmember me which is as much if he had said If thou wilt vouchsafe only to remember me if thou wilt be pleased to turne the Eye of thy Benignity towards me it is sufficient for me because I am assured of thy Power and Wisdome and vpon thy goodnes and Charity I wholy anker and stay my selfe He lastly addeth this when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome to shew that his desire was not fixed vpō any weake and temporary benefit but that it aspired to thinges sublime and eternall Heere it followeth that we consider the Answere of Christ he sayth Amen I say vnto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise That particle Amen is a word graue and solemne with Christ the which he was occustomed to vse when he would affirme any thing earnestly and vehemently S. Austin was not afraid to say that this word Amen was as it were the oath of Christ tract 41. in Ioan. Properly it is no oath since when our Lord said in S. Mathew I say to you not to swere at all And a litle after Let your speach be yea yea no no And that which is ouer and aboue these is of Euill Mat. 5. Novv it is no way probable that our Lord should haue sworne so often as he pronounted Amen since he vsed this word Amen many tymes And in S. Iohn he sayth not only Amen but Amen Amen Therefore S. Austin truly said that Amen was as it were an Oath but he said not that it was an Oath For this word Amen signifieth Truly And when one sayth I say truly to thee he affirmeth earnestly and an earnest affirmation is peculiar to an Oath Therfore Christ with good reason said to the Thiefe Amen I say to thee that is I truly do affirme but do not sweare And indeed there were three emergent Reasons which might cause the Thiefe to wauer and rest doubtfull of the Promise of Christ except he had auerred it with so earnest an asseueration The first may be drawne from the person of the Thiefe who seemed not in any sort worthy of so great a Reward or so great a guift For who would imagine that a Theife should from the Crosse presently passe to a kingdome The second Reason is taken from Christ promising who at that instant seemed to be reduced brought to extremity of want weaknes calamity For the Thiefe might probably thus reason and discourse with himselfe Yf this man during his life tyme was not able to performe any thing in behalfe of his friends shall not he be lesse able being dead The third reason may haue reference to the thing promised For here Paradise is promised but Paradise as then all men tooke notice did belong not to the Soule but to the Body since by the Word Paradise a terrestriall Paradise was vnderstood by the Iewes It had beene more credible to the Thiefe and subiect to his beliefe if our Lord had answered To day thou shalt be with me in the place of repose and refreshment with Abraham Isaac and Iacob For these Reasons therefore did our Lord premise those words Amen Dico tibi Hodie to day Our Lord sayth not In the day of Iudgment when I shall place thee with the lust vpon my right hand Neither sayth he After some yeares of thy being in Purgatory will I bring thee to a place of rest Nor doth he say I will comfort thee after certaine Months or Dayes but he sayth This very day before the sunne shall set thou shalt passe with me from the gibbet of the Crosse to the delights of Paradise A wonderfull Liberality or Bounty of Christ and a wonderfull happines of the sinner With iust reason therefore S. Austin following S. Cyprian herein is of Opinion that this good Thiefe might be reputed a Martyr and therefore escaping Purgatory did passe from this World immediatly to Heauen The Reason why the good Thiefe might be called a Martyr is in that he publikly confessed Christ at such tyme when his Disciples were afraid to speake a word in Honour of him therefore in regard of this his free and ready Confession his death with Christ was reputed with God as if he had suffered for Christ Those words Mecum eris Thou shalt be with me though no other thing should be promised then what these words only import yet had it bene a great benefit and
reward vnto the Thiefe For as S. Austin writeth tract 5. in Ioan. Vbi malè poterat esse â—um illo vbi bene esse poterat sine illo VVhere could the good thiefe be euill being with Christ and where could he be well being without Christ For no small reward and remuneration hath Christ promised to those that follow him when he said Ioan. 12. Yf any man minister to me let him follow me and where I am there also shall my minister be But our Lord promised to the thiefe not only his presence or company but further added that the Thiefe should be in Paradise What the word Paradise in this place may signify notwithstanding the different opinions of some needeth not be disputed of For it is certaine that Christ the same day after his death was with his Body in the Sepulcher with his Soule in Hell for thus much the Creede of our Fayth deliuereth to vs. It is also no lesse certaine that the Name either of Celestiall or Terrestriall Paradise cannot be ascribed either to the Graue or to Hell Not to the Graue because that was a most narrow strait place only fitting to receaue and containe dead Bodies to omit that the Body of Christ the Body of the good Thiefe were not put in one and the same graue Therefore it followeth that if the Graue had beene vnderstood in this place that promise had not bene fulfilled To day thou shalt be with me Neither can the Name of Paradise be aptly applyed to Hell seing Paradise doth signify a garden of delights And certainly in the terrestriall Paradise there were trees bearing fruite and flowers there were also most cleare Waters and an incredible sweetnes of Ayre And in the celestiall Paradise there were and are immortall pleasures an inextinguible Light and the seates of the Blessed But in Hell euen in that place where the soules of the holy Fathers did stay there was no light no sweetnes no delight True it is that those soules were not tormented but rather contrariwise seeing the hope of their future Redemption and the Visitation of Christ to come to them did exhilerate comfort them yet notwithstanding this they were detayned as Captiues in an obscure and darke Prison For thus doth the Apostle expouÌ„ding the Prophet speak Ephes 4. Christ ascending on high led Captiuity captiue And Zachary sayth cap. 9. Thou in the bloud of thy Testament hast let forth thy Prisoners out of the Lake wherein is no Water Where those words thy Prisoners and out of the lake in which there is no water do not intimate any sweetnes of Paradise but the darknes of a Prison Therefore the name of Paradise signifieth no other thing then the Beatitude of the Soule which is placed in the Vision of God for that is the true Paradise of delights not corporall or locall but spirituall and Celestiall And this is the reason why the Theefe beseeching and saying Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Christ did not answere and say To day thou shalt be with me in my kingdome but in Paradise For Christ himselfe vvas not to be that day in his kingdome that is in perfect felicity of Body and soule but he was to arriue thereto vpon the day of his Resurrection when his Body was to become immortall impassible glorious and not obnoxious or subiâ—ct to any seruitude Neither would Christ haue the good Theefe to be partaker of this kingdome before the common Resurrection of all Bodies and the day of the last Iudgment Notwithstanding our Lord most truly and properly said to him To day thou shalt he with me in Paradise because that very day he was to communicate to the soule of the good thiefe as also to the Soules of all the Saints in Limbo Patrum the glory of the sight of God which himselfe had receaued from his Conception For this glory or felicity is essentiall and it is the supreme Good in the Heauenly Paradise And certainly the propriety of the words of Christ is to be admired For he said not VVe shall be to day in Paradise or to day we will goe into Paradise but To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise as if he would haue said Thou art this day with me vpon the Crosse but thou art not with me in Paradise in which I am according to the supreme portion of the soule but a litle after yea this very day thou shalt be with me not only freed from the Crosse but euen in Paradise Of the first fruite of the second Word CHAP. V. FRom the second Word spoken vpon the Crosse we may gather certaine fruits of great worth The first fruit is the Consideration of the immense mercy liberality of Christ and how behoofull and profitable a thing it is to serue him Christ being oppressed with dolours and paines might not haue heard the Theefe praying to him but Charity made choyce rather to forget the sharpnes of his torments then not to heare a miserable sinner so confessing himselfe to be The same Lord who was altogether silent at the maledictions and exprobrations of the Chiefe Priests and the souldiers would not through his Charity be so to the cryes of a poore and penitent suppliant He was silent to the reproaches vttered against him because he is patient he would not be silent to the confession of the Thiefe because he is mercifull But vvhat shall we may say of the Liberality and Bounty of Christ He vvho serueth temporall Lords doth often take great paines and gaine but litle Certainly we may daily see not few who haue rauelled and spent out many yeares in Princes Courts and yet in their old age they returne home â—lmost Beggars But Christ our Prince â—s truly liberall truly magnificall He â—eceaued nothing from the Thiefe but 〈◊〉 few good Words and a prompt deâ—ire of seruing and following him and â—et behould with how great a reward â—e vvas recompensed For first eueâ—â—hat day all his sinnes were fully pardoned which he had committed duâ—ing the course of his whole life Next he vvas adioyned to the Princes of his People to vvit to the Patriarchs and Prophets To conclude he was taken vp and aduanced to the participation and fruition of Christ his Table of his dignity of his Glory and finally of all his Goods Our Lord said To day thou shalt be with me in Paradise And vvhat our Lord had said he presently performed for he did not defer this his reward to another tyme but that very day Christ enriched the Theefe vvith a great reward an aboundant Reward and a Revvard amassed and heaped together of all the goods of Celestiall Happines Neither did Christ proceede in this manner of munificence only with this Thiefe The Apostles only left their small boates their places of receauing Tole or Tribute and their poore Cottages that they might serue Christ But in recompence of this Christ made them Princes ouer the whole Earth Psal 44. He
compunction For who euer did inuocate her in the Night tyme and was not heard of Her Let the Reader peruse those things which we haue written of Innocentius the third in the second booke and nynth Chapter Of the mourning of the Doue Now from all this aboue set downe it is euidently collected That of the signes of Election to Glory a singular deuotion borne to the Mother of God the most B. Virgin is not the last For it should seeeme that he cannot perish eternally of whom it is said to the B. Virgin by Christ Behould thy Sonne So as that man doth not heare with a deafe care what Christ shall say to him Behould thy Mother The End of the first Booke OF THE SEAVEN WORDS OF CHRIST spoken vpon the Crosse THE SECOND BOOKE The fourth Word to wit Deus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27. is litteraly explaned CHAP. I. IN the former Booke we haue explicated the three first words which our Lord pronounced froÌ„ the chaire of the Crosse about the sixt houre when but a litle before he was nayled to the Crosse We will in this second Booke expound the other foure Words which our sayd Lord after the darknes of three houres from the same Chayre and most neere to his death did with a great and feruerous voice pronounce But it seemeth expedient first briefly to declare what kind of darknes that was how it was occasioned and to what end it was directed The mention of which darknes happened betweene the vttering of the former three Words and the foure other Words heerafter to be discoursed of For thus S. Matthew speaketh cap. 27. From the sixt houre there was darknes made vpoÌ„ the whole earth vntill the nynth houre And about the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a mighty voyce Eli Eli Lamma-sabacthani That is my God my God why hast thou forsaken me That this darknes was occasioned through the defect Eclips of the Sun S. Luke expressely expressely obserueth saying Et obscuratus est sol and the sun was darkned But now three dâ—fficulties are in this place to be discussed and solued for first the Sunn is accustomed to suffer Eclipse of its light in the New moone when the moone is found to be betweene the Sunne and the earth the which could not be at the time of the death of Christ seeing the moone at that tyme was not in coniunction with the Sunne which falleth out in the new moone but was in the opposition which happeneth in the full moone For all that tyme the Pascha or Feast of Easter was celebrated by the Iewes which according to the Law began vpon the foureteenth day of the first Month. Againe admitting that at the PassioÌ„ of Christ the Moone had beene in coniunction with the Sunne yet from hence it followeth not that there could be darknes for the space of three houres that is from the sixt houre to the nynth since the Eclipse of the Sunne cannot continue long especially if it be a full Eclipse and such as may hide the whole Body of the Sunne so as the obscurity of it may be accounted darknes For the moone is more swift in motion then the sunne in regard of the moones proper motion and consequently can darken the sunne but for a very short tyme. For the Moone instantly doth begin to goe backe and leaueth the sunne free that so it may illuminate the Earth with its accustomed light splendour To conclude it can neuer so fall out that through the coniunction of the Moone the sunne should leaue the whole Vniuersall Earth in darknes For the Moone is lesser then the sunne yea then the Earth therfore it cannot by the interposition of its Body so couer the whole Sunne as that the Vniuersall Earth should be left in darknes Now if any heere should obiect say that the Euangelist speaking of the Vniuersall Earth meaneth only of the vniuersall Earth of Palestines and not of the vniuersall Earth absolutely This Obiection may easely be refelled by the testimony of S. Dionysius Areo pagita who in his Epistle to S. Policarpe testifieth that himselfe did see that defection of the sunne and most horrible darknes in the Citty of Heliopolis which is in Egypt And Phlegon a Greeke Historian and a Gentil cited by Origen and Eusebius maketh intention of this Eclips of the sunne saying lib. 2. Quarto anno ducentesima secundae Olympiadis c. In the fourth yeare of the two hundred and second Olympiade a great and notorious defection of the Sunne in comparison of all others which afore had hapned was made for the day at the sixt hower was so turned into darknes and to an obscure night as that the stars in Heauen were then seene Now this Historiographer did not write in Iudaea as all affirme The same Wounder is testifiedâ— by Lucianus the Martyr saying â—erquirite in Annalibus vestris c. Reuolue your Annals and you shall find that the day was interrupted with darknes in the tymes of Pilate the sunne abandoning the Earth These words of S. Lucian are related by Ruffinus in hist. Eccl. Euseb In fine Tertullian Paulus Orosius and all others touching this Eclypse do speake of all the parts coasts of the World and not only of Iudaea But these difficulties may easely be explicated For first where it is said in the beginning that the Eclypse of the sunne is accustomed to be in the New moone only not in the full moone this is true when a Naturall defect of the light of the sunne happeneth But at the death of Christ the defect of the sunne was vniuersall and prodigious which could be wrought only by him who made the sunne the Moone Heauen and Earth For S. Dionysius writeth in the place aboue noted that the Moone was seene by himselfe and by Apollophanes about the midtyme of the day after an vnaccustomed most swift motion to come to the Sunne and lying vnder it there remained after this maÌ„ner vntill the ninth hower and then returned backe towards the Orient to its owne place To that which is added aboue to wit that the defect of the sunnes light could not so remaine for the space of three Howers as that during all that tyme the Earth should be in darknes it may be answered hereto that this is true if we speake of a naturall and vsuall defect of the sunne But this Eclypse of the sunne was not gouerned by the lawes or setled course of Nature but by the Will of the Omnipotent Creatour who as he could bring the moone after a wonderfull manner from the East in a most rapid and swift motion to the sunne and after three howers ended could bring it back to its owne place in the Orient so also was of power to cause that the moone should remaine immoueable vnder the sunne for those three howers and that it should not mooue either more slowly or more
about Hysope offered it to his mouth Ioan. 19. Of which words this is the meaning Our Lord would haue all things accomplished and fulfilled which the Prophets being full of the Holy Ghost did foretell of his Life death and because all other Predictions being then already performed this one yet remained That is that he should tast Vineger in his thirst according to those words of the Prophet Psal 68. In my thirst they gaue me Vineger to drinke Therefore he said with a cleare voyce I thirst and those who were present did offer to his mouth a spoÌ„ge full of Vineger put vpon a Reede or Cane Thus our Lord said I thirst that the Scripture might be fulfilled And why to the end the Scripture should be fulfilled Why did he not say I thirst because he was really thirsty desired to allay his Thirst For the Prophet did not foretell it to the end that that should fall out which he had foretould but he did therefore foretell it because he did foresee it after to be And he did foresee it after to be because the thing was truly to be although it had not beene foreseene Therefore foresight or prediction is not the cause of a thing after to come to passe but the thing which is after to be is the cause why it may be foreseene or foretould Now a great Mystery is in this place reuealed Our Lord did truly labour with extremity of thirst euen from the beginning of his Crucifixion and his thirst increased more more so as it was one of his chiefest torments which he suffered vpon the Crosse since sheeding of much bloud doth drye the body and procureth thirst I knew a Person who being wounded in seuerall parts of his body from which great store of bloud did flow desired nothing but drinke as if his most raging thirst had bene the only euill or payne he then suffered The like is read in the life of S. Emmerammus Martyr who being tied to a stake and hauing receaued many wounds only complayned of thirst Sur. die 22. Sept. Therefore how could it otherwise be but that Christ who after long wearines had shed much bloud in his whipping and after being crucified had opened as it were foure fountaines in his body from which great abundance of Bloud did for a long tyme streame should be cruciated and vexed with a most burning thirst And notwithstand ng he concâ—aled in silence this his long torment for the space of three howers and could haue concealed it euen to his death which was present at hand For what other reason then did our Lord hyde in silence for so long a tyme this his vehemency of Paine now being ready to dye did manifest it saying I thirst but because it was the will of God that all of vs should know this torment of thirst not to be wanting vnto Christ And therefore the same heauenly Father would haue it foretould by a Prophet in the Person of Christ and did inspire it into our Lord Iesus to make this new and most bitter paine knovvne to his faithfull seruants for an example of Patience He said therefore I thirst that is all my moisture in my flesh is spent my veynes are dry my tongue is dry my pallate is dry my iawes are dry all my invvard parts are dry if any man vvill comfort and refresh me let him giue me to drinke Novv let vs heare vvhat drinke they brought him vvho vvere present at the Crosse Erat vas aceto plenum c. There was a vessell full of Vineger and they putting a sponge full of Vinâ—cre about Hysope offered it to his mouth O strang consolation and refreshment There vvas a vessell full of Vineger vvhich is pernicious and hurtfull to wounds and is accustomed to hasten death and to that end it vvas brought thereby to hasten the death of those vvho vvere to be crucifyed S. Cyrill cap 35. in Ioan. vvith reference to this passage thus vvriteth Pro iuuante iucundo potu c. For a medicinable and pleasant drinke they proffered him that which was hurtfull and bitter And by reason hereof that thing is made more credible vvhich S. Luke vvriteth in his Gospell The souldiers mocked him comming to him and offering him Vineger Luc. 23. And although S. Luke doth write this of Christ lately nayled to the Crosse yet it is very credible that the souldiers themselues when they heard him crying I thirst did giue him Vineger in a sponge vpon a reede the vvhich they before in a mocking manner had offered vnto him The summe and closure of all is that as in the beginning a litle before he vvas nailed to the Crosse they offered him wyne mixt with gaule so in the end of his life they brought him Vineger dangerous to his wounds so as from the beginning to the end the Passion of Christ vvas a true vehement Passion as not accompained with any alleuiation or comfort at all Of the first fruite of the fifth Word CHAP. VIII THe Scriptures of the Old Testament are for the most part explained by the Scriptures of the Nevv But touching this Mystery of the thirst of our Lord the vvords of the sixty eight Psalme may vvell paraphraze comment the Ghospell We do not find clearely in the Ghospell vvhether those vvho offered Vineger to our Lord thirsting did it to gratify him or rather the more to afflict him that is vvhether this their action proceeded from Loue or Hate We vvith S. Cyrill do interpret in a bad sense the fact of those vvho gaue to our Lord suffering thirst Vineger to drinke But the vvords of the Psalme are so cleere and euident as that they need not any exposition And from those vve vvill gather this fruit that vve may learne to thirst vvith Christ after those things vvhich truly and healthfully are to be thirsted after These are the Words of the Prophet I expected some body that would be grieued with me and there was none or that would comfort me and I found not any And they gaue me gaule for my meate in my thirst they gaue me Vineger to drinke Psal 68. Therefore those men vvho gaue to Christ our Lord a litle before he vvas mayled to the Crosse vvine mingled vvith gaule and those vvho offered to our Lord aftervvard Vineger to drinke vvere of that number of vvhom it is said I expected some body that would be grieued with me and there was none and that would comfort me and I found not any But some may here demaund did not the most Blessed Virgin the Mother of our Lord and Mary of Cleophas sister of his mother as also Mary Magdalen vvith the Apostle S. Iohn standing neere vnto the Crosse truly and from their hart grieue and lament for our Lord In like sort did not those Women who weeping followed our Lord to the Mount Caluary truly condole vvith him To conclude were not all the Apostles much agrieued lamented in the tyme of
of Carnall Sacrifices ceasing one Oblation of thy Body and Bloud doth fill vp and include all the differences of hoasts Thus he For in this Sacrifice the Priest vvas God and man the Altar the Crosse The sacrifice the LaÌ„be of God the fire of the Holocaust Charity the fruite of the sacrifice the Redemption of the World I say the Priest was God as man then whome not any can be imagined to be greater Thou art a priest for euer according to the Order of Melchisedech Psal 109. And trulâ— according to the Order of Melchisedech for Melchisedech is read in the Scripture so be vvithout Father without mother without genealogy Christ vvas without Father vpon earth without Mother in Heauen without Genealogy For who shall shew his generation He was be gotten before the Day-star and his comming forth from the beginning from the dayes of Eternity Mich. 5. The Altar of this great Sacrifice was as aboue I said the Crosse the vvhich by hovv much it was more vile and base before Christ vvas crucified thereon by so much it was after made more illustrious and more ennobled and in the last day it shall appeare in Heauen more bright and shyning then the sunne For the Church interpreteth that of the Crosse which is said in the Gospell Matth. 24. Then shall the signe of the sonne of man appeare in Heauen In like sort the Church thus singeth This signe shal be in Heauen when our Lord shall come to iudge The which point is also confirmed by S. Chrysostome who further affirmeth that vvhen the sunne shal be obscured and the Moone not giue her light then shall the Crosse be more splendid and radiant then the Sunne Furthermore the Sacrifice shal be the Lambe of God altogether innocent and immaculate of whom Esay thus speaketh cap. 55. Euen as a sheepe to the slaughter shall he be led and as a lambe before his shearer he shal be dumbe and shall not open his mouth And the Forerunner of our Lord sayth Behould the Lambe of God behould who taketh away the sinnes of the World Ioan. 1. And the Apostle S. Peter Not with corruptible things gould or siluer are you redeemed but with the precious bloud of an immaculate and vnspotted Lambe Christ Who also is called in the Apocalyps cap. 13. The Lambe slaine from the beginning of the World Because his Price being foreseene of God did profit those who vvent before the times of Christ The fyar burning the Holocaust and perfecting the Sacrifice is Charity in a high degree being as it were a furnace set on fire vvhich did burne in the hart of the Sonne of God vvhich fire many waters of his Passion vvere not able to extinguish To conclude the fruite of this Sacrifice vvas the expiation of all the sinnes of the Sonnes of Adam and the reconciliation of the whole World For thus S. Iohn speaketh 1. Ioan. 2. He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but also for the whole World Which very thing is signified by the words of S Iohn Baptist Agnus Dei Ecce qui tollit peccata mundi But heere ariseth a doubt vvhich is Hovv could Christ be both Priest Sacrifice since it is the function of the Priest to slaughter that vvhich is to be sacrifized But Christ did not slay himselfe neither could he lawfully so doe since then he should haue rather perpetrated sacriledge then offered vp Sacrifice It is true that Christ did not slay himselfe neuerthelesse he truly offered vp sacrifice because willingly and freely he offered himselfe to be slaine for the glory of God and expiation of sinne For neither could the souldiers other Ministers haue euer apprehended and taken him neither could the nayles haue pierced his hands and feete nor death could haue seized vpon him though fastened to the Crosse except himselfe had bene willing thereto Therefore Esay most truly sayrh He was offered because himselfe would And our Lord himselfe sayth Io. 10. I yield my lyfe no man taketh it away from me but I yield my selfe And the Apostle S. Paul most euidently Christ loued vs and deliuered himselfe for vs an oblation and host to God in an odour of sweetnes Eph. 3. Now what euill or sinne or rather atrocity vvas in the Passion of Christ all that belonged to Iudas the Iewes to Pilate and the souldiers for these men did not offer vp Sacrifice but did commit must horrible sacriledge deseruing the name not of Priests but of sacrilegious Persons But vvhat in the same Passion was good religious and pious streamed from Christ who out of the affluency and abundance of his Charity offered himselfe as a Sacrifice to God not in slaying himselfe but in tollerating most patieÌ„tly death to wit the death of the Crosse and this to the end he might appease the wrath of God reconcile the vvorld to God satisfy the diuine Iustice that so mankind should not perish Which point S. Leo expresseth in most few words saying He suffered at the hands of furious men who whiles they were busied about their wickednes they became seruiceable to our Redeemer Fourthly a Great War betweene Christ and the Prince of this world iâ— consummate and finished in the death of Christ of which warre our Lord thus speaketh in Iohn cap. 12. Now is the iudgment of the world now thâ— Prince of this World shal be cast forth And when I shall be exalted from thâ— Earth I will draw all things to mâ— selfe This warre was iudiciall not military It is like to the war of those who contend in Suites and Causes noâ— of souldiers who fight in the field Foâ— the Deuill did contend with the Sonne of God touching the possession of the World that is of mankind The deuill for a long tyme had intruded himselfe into the Possession of the World because he had ouercome the first man and had made him with all his ospring his seruant or bondslaue Therefore S. Paul himselfe calleth the Deuils the Princes and Potentates of this VVorld and the Gouernours of this darknes Eph. 6. And Christ himselfe as aboue we haue shewed calleth the Deuill the Prince of this World The Deuill would not be content to be â—eputed the Prince of the world but also to be accounted a God according to that in the Psalmes The diuels are the Gods of the Gentils Psal 95. For the diuell was commonly adored by the Gentils in engrauen Idols was worshipped with the sacrifice of Rams and Calfes Now on the other syde the Sonne of God as lawful heere of all things did challenge to himselfe the principality of the world Therfore this warre was in the end consummate and ended vpon the Crosse and the seâ—te nâ—â— was giuen in behalfe of our Lord Iesus-Christ because our Lord had most abondantly satisfyed the diuine Iustice vpon the Crosse for the offence of the first Man and of all the faithfull For the Obedience exhibited to God by the Sonne was greater then the
in this place corporall life is vnderstood so as the sense is to be this I do now deliuer vp the spirit of my life and therein I cease to breath and to liue But this spirit this life O Father I commend to thee that vvithin a short tyme thou mayst restore it to my Body For to thee nothing is lost but all things do liue to thee who in calling out that vvhich is not makest it be and in calling out that which doth not liue makest it to liue That this is the true meaning of this place may first be gathered out of the 30. Psalme from whence our Lord did take this Prayer For thus Dauid doth there pray Thou wilt bring me out of this snare which they haue hid for me because thou art my Protectour Into thy hands I commend my spirit In vvhich place the Prophet by the spirit most euidently vnderstandeth lyfe for he prayeth to God that he will not suffer him to be slayne by his Enemies but that he will preserue his lyfe Furthermore the same point is deduced as true euen from this place of the Gospell For after our Lord had said Father into thy hands I do commend my spirit the Euangelist did subioyne And saying this he gaue vp the Ghost For to giue vp the Ghost signifieth to cease to draw spirit or wynd which is proper to those Creatures which are liuing the vvhich thing cannot be said of the soule the substantiall forme of the Body but it is said of the ayre which vve breath vvhilst we liue and we do cease to breath vvhen we dye Lastâ—y the foresaid exposition is gathered from those words of the Apostle Hebr. 5. Who in the dayes of his flesh with a strong cry and teares offering prayers and supplications to him that could saue him from death was heard for his reuerence This place some do vnderstand of the prayer which our Lord made in the garden saying Father if it be possible transferre this Chalice from me Mar. 14. But in that place our Lord did not pray with a strong cry neither was he heard neither would he haue beene heard that he should be free exempted from the death For he prayed that the Chalice of his Passion might passe from him thereby to shew a naturall desire of not dying and himselfe to be true man whose nature doth abhorre death But he added Not that which I will but that which thou let thy Will be done Thus we see that the prayer of Christ in the garden cannot be that Prayer of which the Apostle speaketh to the Hebrews Others maintaine that that prayer of Christ mentioned by S. Paul is the same vvhich our Lord made for his Crucifiers vpon the Crosse saying Father forgiue them for they do not know what they doe Luc. 23. But at that time our Lord did not vse any strong crye neither did he pray for himsâ—lfe that he might be saued from death both which two points are euidently expressed by the Apostle to the Hebrews For being vpon the Crosse he prayed for his Crucifiers that that most grieuous and heauy sinne might be pardoned to them Therefore it remaineth that those words of the Apostle be vnderstoode of that last prayer which our Lord made vpon the Crosse saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit the which prayer he made with a strong crye S. Luke saying And Iesus crying with a loud voice said c. Where vve see that S. Paul and S. Luke do clearely herein agree togeather Furthermore our Lord prayed tâ—at he might be saued from death as S. Paul doth witnesse but the meaning herâ—of cannot beâ— that he should not dye vpon the Crosse for therein he vvas not heard yet S. Paul testifieth that he was heard but the meaning is that he prayed that he might not be vvholy absorpt vp by death but only might tast death and presently returne to life For thus much is implied in those words He offered vp prayers to him that could saue him For our Lord could not be ignorant but that he was to dye especially being then most neare to death but he couered to be safe from death in this sense to wit that he might not be detayned long by death which was nothing else but to pray for a speedy Resurrection in which hiâ— prayer he was fully heard since he did rise most gloriously the third day This explication of the testimony of S. Paul euidently conuinceth that when our Lord said Into thy hands I command my spirit the spirit is taken for Lyfa not for the â—oule For he was not sollicitous of his soule the vvhich he did knovv to be in safety since it was most blessed and did see God face to face euen from its Creation but he was sollicitous and carefull of his Body which he savv vvas to be depriuâ—d of lyfe through death and therefore he prayed that his Body might not long remaine in death the vvhich petition as aboue we said he in a most full manner obtayned The first fruite of the seauenth Word CHAP. XX. NOw according to our former Method I wil gather some fruits from this Last word of Christ from his death presently ensuing And first euen from that thing which seemeth to be most full of infirmity weakenes and simplicity the great Power Wisdome and Charity of God is demonstrated For in that our Lord gaue vp the Ghost crying with a great Voyce his Power and strength is manifestly discerned since from this vve may gather that it vvas in his povver not to dye and that he dyed willingly For those men vvho dye naturally do lose by degrees their force and voyce and in their last agony fight vvith death they are not able to cry out with any great and vehement speach or Voyce Therefore not without cause the Centurion seeing that Iesus after so much profusion of Bloud vvith a great and lovvd voyce dyed said Certainly this was the Sonne of God Mar. 15. Christ is a great Lord vvho euen dying sheweth his â—ower not only by crying out with a great Voyce at his last breathing but also in cleauing the Earth cutting a sunder the stones opening the Monuments and in rending the Veyle of the Temple all vvhich things to haue fallen out euen at the very tyme vvhen Christ dyed the Euangelist witnesseth Furthermore all these strange Euents haue their mistery by which the Wisdome of Christ is manifested For the concussion of the Earth as also the cleauing of the stones did signify that by the Passion and death of Christ men vvere moued and stirred vp to pennance and the harts of the obstinate vvere euen cut a sunder vvhich Effects at that very time to haue happened S. Luke writeth when he sayth that many returning from that spectacle and sight did knock their breasts The opening of the graues sepulchers doth designe the glorious Resurrection of the dead to succeed after that of Christ The tearing or rending of the Veyle
OF THE SEAVEN VVORDES SPOKEN BY CHRIST vpon the Crosse Two Bookes Written in Latin by the most Illustrious Cardinall Bellarmine of the Society of Iesus And translated into English by A. B. Foderunt manus meas pedes meos Psal 21. They haue digged my hands my feet Permissu Superiorum 1638. The Translatour to the Reader GOod Reader in place of a Ceremonious and formall Dedicatory Epistle I send thee these few lines The worke heere translated is one the spirituall Treatises of the most Learned and Vertuous Bellarmine of Blessed Memory being entituled Of the seauen VVords spoken by Christ vpon the Crosse Prize the Contents of those words as thou prizest thy owne soule they being in number few in force and weight many Take them as so many rich Legacies left by our charitable Testatour immediatly before his death to mankind And vvho is he that neglecteth the Legacies of his dying Lord and Friend Most men do much regard ponder the last words of a dying man at that tyme hauing his senses and memory vnperished who during the whole course of his life had gained among others a great name reputation of VVisdome Of what estimate then ought we to make the VVords of Christ vttered in his dying state who wâ—s not only wise but VVisdome it selfe VVho is the VVord it selfe VVho is God himselfe These VVords hereafter following in this Treatise Christ spake being nayled vpon the Tree of the Crosse a Tree infinitly more high as reaching from Earth to Heauen then the highest Cedar in Libanus Tast of the fruits which may be gathered from thence since arbor bona fructus bonos facit Matth. 7. Vpon this Tree death became dead vvhen life thereon did dye This Tree was the Chayre from whence our spiritual Doctour dictated his Precepts to vs Christians It was the Pulpit out of which our Heauenly Ecclesiastes preached to mankind Briefly it was and is the true Ladder of Iacob adumbrated and shadowed by that Ladder spoken of in Genesis by which the soule of Man ascendeth vp to Heauen Thus not enlarging my selfe further and humbly intreating the charitable remembrance of all good Catholiks in their Deuotions I leaue thee to the perusing of what followeth Thine in Christ crucifyed A. B. The Preface of the Authour BEhould now the fourth yeare is passed when as preparing my selfe to my End I retire to a place of quietnes and rest exempt from negotiations and throng of Busines but not exempt from the meditation of the sacred Scriptures and from the writing of such things which to me in tyme of meditation do occur That if I be not able to profit others either by my owne speaches or by composing of any large and voluminous Booke at least that I may be of power to aduance my Brethren in their spirituall Good by some small deuout Treatise Now calling to mind of what subiect I might chiefly make choyce which might dispose me towards dying well might profit my Brethren towards liuing well The death of our Lord presented it selfe to me and that last Sermon of his which consisting of seauen most short but most graue sentences the Redeemer of the World from the Crosse as from a high and eminent Chayre deliuered to all MaÌ„kind Since in that Sermon or in those seauen Words all those Points are contained of which the said Lord thus speaketh Luc. 18. Behould we go vp to Ierusalem and all things shal be consummate which were written by the Prophets of the sonne of Man Those things which the Prophets did foretell of Christ are reduced to foure Heads or branches To wit to his Preaching and Sermons made to the People To his Prayer directed to his Father To the most grieuous Euills which he was to suffer To sublime and admirable Works performed by him All which seuerall Points did admirably shine in the life of Christ For first our Lord did most frequently preach in the Temple in the Synagogues in the fields in desert solitary places in priuate Houses and to conclude euen out of the ship to the People standing vpon the shore Furthermore He spent for the most part whole nights in Prayer to God for thus the Euangelist speaketh Luc. 6. He passed the whole night in Prayer to God Now his admirable and astonishing working of Wonders of which the holy Gospells are very full doth concerne the expelling of the Deuils curing the sicke multiplying of bread and in appeasing or allaying tempests or stormes all sea To conclude the Euills that in recompence of the Good which he had done were perpetrated against him were many not only in contumely of Words but also in stoning of him and in endeauoring to cast him headlong dovvne from a fearefull Precipice But all these seuerall Points were consummated and perfected most truly vpon the Crosse For first He so mouingly persuadingly preached from the Crosse as that many returned from thence knocking their Breasts And further not only the harts of men but euen the stones as it were through a secret compassion were riuen and torne a sunder He in like manner so prayed vpon the Crosse as that the Apostle sayth thereof Heb. 5. Cum clamore valido lachrimis exauditus est pro sua reuerentia With a strong Crye and teares he was heard for his reuerence Now what he suffered vpon the Crosse was of so high a nature in reference to those things which he had suffered through the rest of the life as that they alone may be thought peculiarly to belong to the Passion To conclude He neuer wrought greater Prodigies and signes then when lying vpon the Crosse he was brought to extreme imbecillity and weaknes For at that time he did not only exhibite Miracles from Heauen the which the Iewes had before importunely demaunded of him but also a litle after he wrought the greatest Miracle of all When being dead and buried by his owne proper force and Vertue he returned from Hell and resuming his Body restored it againe to life yea to an immortall life Therfore we may conclude that vpoÌ„ the Crosse all things were truly performed and accomplished which were written by the Prophets of the Sonne of Man But before we descend to write of the particular Words of our Lord I hold it conducing to our purpose to speake some thing of the Crosse it self which was the Chayre or Pulpit of the Preacher the Altar of the Priest sacrifizing the race or place of him that did combat and feight the shop as it were of working miraculous things First then touching the forme of the Crosse the more common Opinion of the Ancients is that it consisted of three seuerall parcels of Wood One long vpon the which the Body of our Lord crucified was laid or extended another ouerthwart in which the haÌ„ds were fastened the third was affixed and ioined to the lower part vpon the which the feet did rest but so nailed thereto that they could not be moued from thence
This is the Opinion of the two most ancient Fathers S. Iustinus S. Irenaeus Who clearely shew that both his feete did rest vpon the Wood that the one foote was not lying vpon the other From which posture of our Lords Body it followeth that there were foure nayles of Christ and not only three as many do imagine who out of that conceit do paint Christ our Lord so vpon the Crosse as if he had the one foot vpon the other But Gregorius Turonensis l. de glo mart c. 6. most euidently impugneth this and fortifieth his Opinion from ancient Pictures of Christ crucified And I my selfe did see at Paris in the Kings Library certaine most ancient Manuscripts of the Gospells in diuers places wherof Christ was painted Crucified but euer with foure Nayles Furthermore the long Wood did somwhat appeare aboue that parcell of Wood which was ouerthwart as S. Austin and S. Gregory Nyssenus do write And this seemeth also to be gathered from the words of the Apostle who writing to the Ephesians c. 3. thus sayth That you may be able to comprehend with all the Saintes what is the breadth and length and height and depth to wit of the Crosse of Christ By which wordes he clearly describeth the figure of the Crosse which hath foure extremities to wit Latitude in the ouerthwart or traÌ„suerse Wood Longitude in the long Wood Altitude in that part of the loÌ„g Wood which appeared aboue the ouerthwart and Profundity in that part of the long Wood which was stucke into the ground Our Lord did not vndergoe this kind of Torment by chance or vnwillingly but made speciall choice and election of it euen from all Eternity as S. Austin teacheth from that Apostolicall testimony of the Acts c. 2. Him by the determinate counsell and prescience of God being deliuered by the hands of wicked men you haue crucified slaine And accordingly Christ himselfe in the beginning of his preaching said to Nicodemus Ioan. 3. As Moyses exalted the serpent in the desert so must the Sonne of Man be exalted that euery one which belieueth in him perish not but may haue life euerlasting In like sort our Lord often speaking to his disciples of his Crosse did counsell them to imitation saying Matt. 16. He that will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me Why our Lord did choose this kind of punishment he only knoweth who chose it Notwithstanding there are not wanting some Misteries therof the which the holy Fathers haue left to vs in Writing Saint Irenaeus writeth that the two armes of the Crosse do agree vnder one Title in the which was written Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum that we might vnderstand thereby the two People to wit the Iewes and the Gentils which before vvere deuided in the end were to be ioyned togeather into one Body vnder one Head which is Christ S. Gregory Nyssene writeth that part of the Crosse vvhich looketh towards Heauen to signify that by the Crosse as by a key Heauen is opened to man and that part of it which declineth towards the Center of the World to denote that Hel was spoiled by Christ when he descended thither The two armes of the Crosse which are stretched towards the East and West to shaddow that the repurging of the whole World was after to be performed by the Bloud of Christ But S. Ierome S. Austin and S. Bernard do teach that the chiefe Mistery of the Crosse is briefly touched in those vvords of the Apostle Quae sit latitudo longitudo sublimitas profundum Since say these Fathers that first the Attributs of God are signified in these Word to wit Power in height In depth wisdome in Latitude goodnes in Longitude Eternity Againe the Vertues of Christ suffering are adumbrated and Typically figured therein As in Latitude Charity in Longitude Patience in Altitude Obedience in Profundity Humility Lastly the Vertues vvhich are necessary to those who are saued by Christ are also here signified In depth Faith in height Hope in breadth Charity in length Perseuerance From the which we are to be instructed that Charity vvhich deseruedly is called the Queene of Vertue euery where hath place in God in Christ and in vs. But touching other Vertues some of them are in God others in Christ and others in vs. And therefore it is lesse to be admired if in those last Words of Christ which vve now vndertake to explaine Charity do obtaine the first Place First therefore we will explicate the three first Words or Sentences which were spoken by Christ about the sixt houre before the Sunne was obscured and darknes couered the whole Earth Next we will discourse of the then defect of the Sunne That done we vvill explaine vnfould the rest of the Words of our Lord which were spoken about the ninth houre as S. Mathew writeth to wit when the darknes did departâ— and the death of Christ drew neare or rather was euen at hand OF THE THREE FIRST WORDS spoken by Christ vpon the Crosse THE FISRT BOOKE The first Word to wit Father forgiue them for they know not what they do is literally explicated CHAP. I. CHrist Iesus being the Word of his Eternall Father and of whom the Father himselfe thus clearely speaketh Ipsum audite heare him Matth. 17. and vvho of himselfe manifestly pronounceth One is your Maister Christ Math. 23 to the end that he might fully performe the office taken vpon him not only liuing neuer ceased from teaching but euen dying from the Chaire of his Crosse â—reached and deliuered certaine fevv vvords but those most fiery most proâ—â—â—able and most efficacious and such as are truly vvorthy to be imprinted in the depth of the Hart of all Christians that there they being reserued meditated on might ansvverably in their actions be put in executioÌ„ The first SenteÌ„ce is this Luc. 23. Father forgiue them for they know not what they do Which sentence as being truly new vnaccustomed the Holy Ghost would haue it foretould by the Prophet Esay c. 53. in these words He hath prayed for the Transgressours Now hovv diuinely S. Paul said 1. Cor. 13. Charity seeketh not her owne may easely be euicted euen from the order of these Sentences of our Lord since of these Sentences three of them belong to the good of others Other three to a peculiar and proper Good and one of them is promiscuous or common Thus the first care sollicitude of our Lord vvas touching others the last touching himselfe Novv so far forth as concernes the three first Sentences vvhich belong to others the first is directed to our Lords Enemies the second to his friends the last to those of his kinred and affinity The reason of this Order or Method is this Charity first relieueth and helpeth such as be in want And those who at that tyme suffered most spirituall waÌ„t were his Enemies and we also as being the disciples of so great a Maister vvere
of the Apostles The truth also of this point is confirmed by S. Ierome There is also an other literall doubt which here occurreth to be solued How S. Iohn can say that these three women did stand iuxta crucem Domini by side or neare to the Crosse of our Lord seing Marke and Luke do write that they did stand farre of from the Crosse S. Austin reconcileth these seeming different testimonies saying that these holy women might be said to stand aloofe from the Crosse and neare to the Crosse A farr off if their standing be compared to the souldiers and other Ministers who were so neare to the Crosse as that they did touch it Neere to the Crosse they may be said to stand because through their neerenes they might easely heare the voyce and words of Christ the which the common People could not in regard of their greater distance It also may be further said that those three holy Women during the Passion did stand farre of the Crosse as being hindered by the common People and the souldiers but a litle after the Crucifixion was accomplished many departing away those three womeÌ„ with S. Iohn did draw more neere vnto the Crosse But against this may be vrged that supposing this construction how could then the Blessed Virgin and S. Iohn vnderstand that those words of our Lord This is thy Sonne This is thy Mother were spoken of them seing a great company of persons were there present and Christ did not call either the Virgin or the Disciple by their proper name or appellation To this I answere that those three Womon and S. Iohn did stand so neere vnto the Crosse as that our Lord might easily designe and point out with his eyes the persons to whom he did speake especially seing it is certaine he directed those words to such as were his friends and not to strangers Now among those who were his owne friends there was no other man there present to whom he could say This is thy Mother then S. Iohn nor any other VVoman who through death was depriued of her sonne then the B Virgin Therefore he said to his Mother Behould thy Sonne and to his Disciple Behould thy Mother Of which words this is the seÌ„se meaning I now passe out of this VVorld to my Father and because I know thou art my Mother and that thou hast neither parents nor husband nor brethren nor sisters therefore not to leaue thee destitute of all humane comfort and ayde I do commend thee to the charge and care of Iohn my most deare Disciple He shal be to thee in place of a Sonne and thou to him in place of a Mother Which wholsome counsell or command of Christ did greatly please them both and ech of them as is credible accepted thereof with a yealding submission of head and body And S. Iohn speaking of himselfe sayth And from that houre the Disciple tooke her for his owne Ioan. 19. That is he presently obeyed the words of Christ accounting her among those Persons whose charge care and prouision did belong to him and such were his Parents being old Zebedeus and Salome But now here ariseth another literall doubt S. Iohn was one of those who said Ecce nos relinquimus omnia c. Behould we haue left all things and haue followed thee what therefore shall we haue Matt 19. Now among those things which they had forsaken our Lord himselfe rekoneth Father Mother Brethren and sisters House Lands And of this S. Iohn himselfe of his Brother S. Iames S. Mathew thus writeth c. 4. Illi autem relictis retibus patre secuti sunt eum c. And they forthwith left their nets and Father and followed him What did he who left one Mother presently receaue another Mother But the Answere here is obious and facil For the Apostles that they might follow Christ dismissâ—d and parted wâ—th Fathâ—r and Mother so far forth as they might be any hinderance to them for the preaching of the Gospell as also so far forth as might concerne any profit or humane delight to be taken by conuersing with them But the Apostles did not shake of the Care which by force of Iustice they were bound to exhibite vnto their Parents or which touched the direction and instruction of their Children or helpe succour of the needy and distressed And this is the Reason as Doctours generally affirme why a sonne cannot entâ—r â—nto a Religious Order who hath his Father or Mother spent or wasted through old age or so oppressed with pouerty as that they be not able to maintaine their life without the sustentation help of their Sonne In this sence therefore S. Iohn did leaue Father and Mother when they did not stand in neede of his labour and care But he did vndergoe the charge and sollicitude of the Blessed Virgin the Mother at the command of Christ because she was depriued of all humane help and consolation God indeed could easily without mans labour haue prouided by the ministery of his Angels all things which were necessary for maintayning of her life for to Christ himselfe the Angels did minister in the desert yet it was his good pleasure thus to proceed with S. Iohn that so he might leaue this meanes of succour to the Blessed Virgin also thereby honour S Iohn For God sent Elias to prouide and take care of the Widow not that he could not nourish and feede her by the Help of the Crowes as before he had done but that God might thereby more blesse the Widow as S. Austin admonisheth So it pleased our Lord to commit the sollicitude of his Mother to his Disciple thereby to manifest that S. Iohn was more beloued of him then any of the rest of his Disciples For in this mutation change of the Mother is fulfilled that Sentence He who hath left his Father and Mother c. shall receaue an hundred fould and shall possesse life euerlasting Math. 19. For he truly receaued an hundred fould who left his mother being the wyfe of a poore fisher and receaued to his care as Mother the Mother of the Creatour the Lady of the World being full of Grace and blessed among all Women and after to be exalted to the Celestiall Kingdome aboue all the Quyres of Angels Of the first fruit of the third Word CHAP. IX FRom this third Word or sentence seuerall fruits may be gathered if all points thereof be diligently pondered And first is collected and manifested from thence Christs infinite desire of suffering for our Saluation that so our Redemption might be made most full and copious Other men are very wary in their death especially in a violent death being full of dishonour and contumely that their neerest frieÌ„ds be not present thereat for feare that their owne dolour and griefe through their friends sight be augmented But Christ not content with his owne sufferings and those most cruell and attended on with all reproach and
a single and vnmaried life especially if they be Virgins as the B. Virgin the Mother of Christ and S. Iohn the Disciple of Christ and beloued of him aboue other in regard of his Virginity were these perfect Persons I say stand in great necessity of the aide and supportance of Christ crucified since such as are placed in a more eminent high degree ought greatly to feare the blasts of Pryde except they be founded and rooted lowly in Humility For although Christ did often shew himselfe to be a Maister of Humility as where he said Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of Hart Math. 11. As also in teaching vs To sit in the lowest place where he repeateth so often who so exalteth himselfe shal be humbled and who humbleth himselfe shal be exalted Luc. 18. Yet he neuer manifested himselfe to be a Maister of Humility in a more high degree then when he was seated in the Chayre of his Crosse Which point the Apostle will declared in those words He humbled himselfe made obedieÌ„t vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. For what greater humility could be imagined theÌ„ that he who was omnipotent should suffer himselfe to be bound nayled to the Crosse Or that he in whom are all the treasures of Wisdome and knowledge of God should be content to be reputed as one mâ—d or distracted by Herod and his army and through scorne to be cloathed with a whyte garment Or lastly that he who sitteth vpon the Cherubims should brooke himselfe to be crucified in the middst of theeues Truly who will seriously glasse himselfe in the mirrour of the Crosse will proue ouer indocible if he do not learne and confesse that as yet he is most farre from obtayning true Humility howsoeuer he may be thought to haue made some progresse aduancemeÌ„t therin Of the third fruite of the third Word CHAP. XI IN this third place we learne from the Chayre of the Crosse and from the words of Christ spoken to his Mother and his Disciple what is the duty of God Parents towards their Sâ—â—nes and reciprocally of good sonnes towards their Parents We will begin with the first Good Parents ought to loue their Sonnes yet to restraine and proportion their loue to them as that it may be no impediment to the Loue of the Parents towards God And this is that vvhich our Sauiour teacheth in the Gospell He that loueth his Sonne or his daughter more then me is not worthy of me Math. 10. This Precept the B. Virgin most precisely obserued For she stayed neere to the Crosse with great Griefe and with great Constancy Her Griefe did witnesse the extremity of her loue towards her Sonne hanging vpon the Crosse her Constancy did testify her great obseruance and duty towards God reigning in Heauen She did behould her innocent sonne with great anxiety and care of mind whom she so dearely loued suffering most bitter dolours and paines yet did she not labour either in words or action to hinder those his afflictions though she could because she did well know that her Sonne was to vndergoe all those torments by the defined Counsell prouidence of God the Father Loue is the Measure of Griefe therefore the Mother did much lament to behould her sonne to be so cruciated and afflicted since she loued him much And how could it otherwise be but that the Virgin the mother of Christ should most ardently loue her sonne since she was well priuy that her sonne did exceede all the sonnes of men in euery degree of Prayse and that her sonne was in a more strict bond to her and did more nearely belong to her then any other sonnes do belong vnto their Mothers The reason why Women do loue their sonnes is accustomed to be twofold The one is in that they bare and brought their sonnes forth into the World The other in that the sonnes become famous for their deportment and good deserts For otherwise there are not Mothers wanting who do but litle loue or rather hate their sonns if either they be of any deformity in body or do proue wicked or vngratefull and vnnaturali towards their Parents Now the B. Virgin the mother of Christ loued her Sonne for both these respects in a more intense and high degree then any other Mother euer loued her sonne For first Other women alone do not generate children but in the generation of them they haue their husband for their Companion in that Act. But the Blessed Virgin alone did generate her sonne Since a Virgin did beget and a Virgin did bring forth And as Christ our Lord in his diuine generation had a Father without a Mother so in his humane generation he had a Mother without a Father And although it may be truly said that Christ was conceaued of the Holy Ghost yet the Holy Ghost is not the Father of Christ but the Effectour and maker of the Body of Christ Neither did the Holy Ghost frame the body of Christ of his owne proper substanee which peculiarly belongeth to a Father but he formed it of the most pure bloud of the Virgin Therefore the most Holy Virgin alone without the company of a Father did beget and bring forth her Sonne And she alone doth challenge her Sonne as whole to herselfe and thereupon did more loue him then any other Mother euer loued her Ospring Novv so far forth as belongeth to the second Reason The sonne of the Blessed Virgin was and is specious and beautifull aboue the sonnes of men and doth excell both men and Angels in all manner of prayse Therefore it followeth that the Blessed Virgin who loued her Sonne aboue all others did also condole and deplore his death passion more then all others This point is so vndeniable as that S. Bernard is not afraid to say that the Griefe of the B. Virgin conceaued touching the Passion of her SoÌ„ne might be called the Martyrdome of her Hart according to that of S. Simeon Thy owne soule shall a sword pierce And because the martyrdome of the Hart seemeth more intollerable then the martyrdome of the Body S. Anselme writeth that the dolours of the B. Virgin were more sharpe and insufferable then any corporall martyrdome Certainly our Sauiour when praying in the garden of Gethsemani he suffered his hart to be martyred and strongly apprehending all the paines and torments which the next day he was to vndergoe and withall giuing as it were the reines and liberty to griefe and feare began so vehemently to be cruciated and afflicted as that a bloudy sweat distilled from his whole Body The which is not read to haue fallen out in his corporall Passion Therfore the B Virgin doubtlesly suffered most bitter paine and acerbity of affliction through the sword of Dolour penetrating her soule And yet in that she was most willing that the honour and glory of God should ouer weigh the loue which she did beare to the flesh of Christ therefore
himselfe to be a Maister thereof in plaine and direct Words saying Learne of me because I am meeke and humble of Hart. Math. 11. But he neuer more perspicuously and clearely did commend this Vertue vnto vs and withall Patience which cannot be disioyned from Humility then when he said My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For in these words Christ sheweth that through the permission and sufferance of God all his glory and excellency in the sight of men was wholy obscured the which point also that darkenes or Eclyps did demonstrate Now our Lord could â—ot without wonderfull Humility and Patience tollerate so great an obscuration The glory of Christ of which S. Iohn speaketh in the beginning of the Gospell when he sayth We saw the glory of him glory as it were of the only begotten of his Father full of grace and Verity Ioan. 1. was placed in the Power Wisdome Probity Princely Maiesty Beatitude of the soule and in the Diuine Dignity which he had as he was the true and naturall Sonne of God All this glory his Passion did cloud and obscure and the darkning thereof those words do plainly signify My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The passion did obscure his Power because being nayled to the Crosse he seemed to be of no power or ability and therefore the chiefe Priests souldiers and the Thiefe did exprobate to him his impotency and weakenes saying Yf thou be Christ come downe from the Crosse c. And againe He saued others himselfe he cannot saue Now how great Patience how great Humility was required that he who was truly Omnipotent should be wholy silent to such vpbraydings The Passion did darken his Wisdomâ— when before the chiefest of the Priests before Herod before Pilate he answered nothing to many Interrogatories and Questions as if he had bene depriued of iudgment by which his silence it was occasioned that Herod his Company contemned him and cloathed him in a white vestment by way of derision How great Patience how great Humility was heer also required for him to tolerate these indignities who was not only wiser then Salomon but was the very Wisdome of God His probity and Innocency of life the Passion obscured who being crucified vpon the Crosse did hang betweene two thiefes and was reputed a seducer of the People and Vsurper of an other mans kingdome And the splendour of this his Innocency that dereliction of God which himselfe confessed saying Why hast thou forsaken me might well seeme more more to obscure Since God is accustomed to forsake not pious men but such as be wicked Certainly haughty and proud men are very cautelous to speake any thing wherby those who heare them may suspect that they confesse any thing against their owne Worth but humble and patient men of which sort Christ was the King willingly take bould of all occasion of Humility and Patience so as they speake nothing which is false How great Humility how great Patience here againe is required of him to suffer these things of whom the Apostle thus speaketh It was fit that we should haue such a Priest holy innocent impolluted separated from sinners made higher then the Heauens Heb. 7. Furthermore the Passion did so obscure the Regall Maiesty of Christ as that it gaue to him for a goulden diademe a Crovvne of thornes for a Tribunall a gibbet for Princely attendance two Thieues Therefore I say againe How great Humility how great Patience was necessary for him who vvas truly the king of Kings the Lord of Lords and the Prince of the kings of the Earth Now vvhat shall I say of the Beatitude of the soule which Christ truly had from his Conception And the vvhich he was bâ—th of povver and of Will to transfuse into the Body How vehemently did the Passion darken this glory since it made Christ A man of sorrowes and knowing infirmity despised and the most abiect of men Isa 53. and caused him through the acerbity of his sufferings to crye out My God why hast thou forsaken me To conclude the Passion did so ouercloud the dignity of his diuine Person as that he vvho sitteth aboue all not only men but Angels in regard of his Passion said I am a worme and no man A reproach of men and the outcast of the People Psal 21. To this lowest place therefore Christ did descend in his Passion but this his descending was accompanied with great merit and exaltation For what our Lord did often promise in words saying Euery one that humbleth himselfe shal be exalted the same was performed in his Person as the Apostle witnesseth He humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse for the which thing God hath also exalted him and hath giuen him a Name which is aboue all Names That in the name of Iesus euery knee bow of the Celestials terrestrials and Infernals Phil. 2. Therefore he who was the last is pronounced and declared to be the first and a most short Humiliation resolued into an euâ—râ—aâ—ting Exaltation The which change we also find to haue happened to all the Apostles and to all Saints For S. Paul wâ—iteth that the Apostles were The refuse of the World and the drosse of all meaning most base vile things which are cast out by euery one and betrampled vpon This was the Humility of the Apostles But what was their Exaltation S. Iohn Chrysostome teacheth hom 32. in Ep. ad Rom. and sheweth it when he sayth that the Apostles are now in Heauen and do assist neere to the Throne of Christ where the Cherubims do glorify Christ where the Seraphims do fly that is they haue their place with the chiefest Princes of the kingdome of Heauen from whence they shall neuer fall or depart Certainly if men would attentiuely consider and ruminate how honourable a thing it is to imitate the Humility of the sonne of God heere vpon the Earth and with all would make to themselues some coÌ„iâ—cture how great that exaâ—tation is to the which humility it selfe adâ—anceth them we should find very few proud men But because most men do measure all things by the false yard of the senses of the flesh humane cogitation therefore it is no wonder if Humility can so hardly be found vpon the Earth and that the Multitude of proud men be infinite The fifth Word Sitio I thirst is explicated according to the Letter CHAP. VII THe fifth Word followeth which we read in S. Iohn And indeed it is but one Word to wit Sitio I thirst But that it should be truly according to the present purpose vnderstood it is needfull to adde the words of the Euangelist both going before and after For thus S. Iohn speaketh Postea sciens Iesus c. Afterward Iesus knowing that all things were now consummate that the Scriptures might be fulfilled he sayth I thirst A Vessel therefore stood there full of Vineger they putting a sponge full of Vineger
disobedience of the seruant to his Lord And the Sonne of God was more huÌ„bled euen to death for the honour of his Father then the seruaÌ„t was puffed vp in pryde through his iniury of God Therefore God being reconciled to mankind by the mediation of his Sonne did violently take mankind out of the Power of the diuell and did translate vs into the Kingdome of the Sonne of his Loue. Coloss 1. There is another reason which S. Leo is accustomed to bring which I will relate in his owne words Si câ—udelis superbus inimicus c. Yf the proud cruel Enemy could haue known the reason of the mercy of God he would rather haue studied to teÌ„per with gentlenes the minds of the Iewes for feare of loosing the seruitude of all his Captiues whiles he did persecute the liberty of him who was not owing to him in any thing Serm 10. de pass Certainly a most forcible reason For it was reasonable that the diuell should loose his empire or command ouer all those whome he had conquered vnâ—o him by sinne because he was not afrayd to stretch out his arme euen vnto death against Christ who was not his seruant and whome he could not induce to sinne But if the matter stand thus If the warre be consummate and ended if the victory be in the power of the Son of God and he willeth That all men may be saued 1. Tim. 2. how then commeth it to passe that so many men do remaine euen to this day slaues to the diuell in this lyfe and in the next lyfe are sent to the torment of Hell I answere this in one word because themselues will so For Christ returning from the warre victorious performed two most great benefits to maÌ„kind The one that he did open the gate of Paradise to the iust which froÌ„ the fall of the first man was euer shut euen to that day And in that very day of his victory he sayd to the Thiefe who was iustifyed by Fayth Hope Charity throgh the merit of the bloud of the same Christ To day thou shalâ— by with me in Paradise and heerupon the Church exulting singeth The sting of death being ouercome thou didst open the Kingdome of Heauen to belieuers The other benefit that he did institute the holy Sacramnts which should haue power of remitting sinne and confirming grace and did send forth publishers thereof into all parts of the world who with loud voice did proclame preach He that shall belieue and be baptized shal be saued Therefore our Lord being victour in this Watre did open the way to all men for the enioying the liberty of the glory belonging to the Sonnes of God Now if any forbeare to enter into this way they perish through their owne default not through the impotency weaknes or negligence of the Redeemer Fifthly to conclude the Word consummatum est may rightly be vnderstood of the consummation of the edifice which is the Church That the Perfection of a building may be called the consummation of it Christ himselfe out Maister doth warrant saying This man began to build but he could not consummate or finish it Luc. 14. Now S. Epiphanius S. Austin and other holy Fathers do teach that that Church was consummate and perfected in the Passion of Christ which was begun in his Baptisme They further teach that Eue being built or made of the ribbe of Adam sleeping was a figure of the Church which is built out of the side of Christ whiles he began to sleep by death And they also note that the Scripture sayd not without some mystery that Eua was edificata non formata built not framed Now that the Church did beginne to be built from the Baptisme of Christ S. Austin proueth expounding that place of Psal 71. He shall rule from sea to sea and from the Riuers euen to the ends of the VVorld For the Kingdome of Christ in which is his Church began from the Baptisme of Christ in which he receauing the Baptisme of S. Iohn did consecrate the water and did institute his Baptisme which is the Gate of the Church Which point manifestly appeared from the voyce of the Father heard from HeaueÌ„ Matth. 3. This is my beloued Sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him And froÌ„ that time our Lord began to preach and to assemble disciples togeather who were the first that came vnto the Church For although the opening of the side of Christ was made after his death and then bloud and water came from thence which signified two chiefe Sacraments of the Church to wit Baptisme and Eucharist Neuertheles all the Sacraments receaue their vertue from the Passion of Christ and the flowing of bloud and water from the side of Christ being then dead was a declaration of the mysteries not an institution Therefore most truly the consummation of the edifice of the Church was then said to be when Christ speake this Word Consummatum est It is consummate because then nothing was remayning to be effected but his death which instantly did follow and which did consummate and perfect the price of our Redemption Of the first fruite of the sixt Word CHAP. XIII THey are not few fruits which may be gathered from the sixt VVord if the aboundance thereof be attently considered And first froÌ„ that which aboue we said to wit that by Consummatum est may be vnderstood the fulfilling of the Prophesies concerning Christ S. Austin draweth a most profitable doctrine For as we are acertained from the euent of things that those points were true which the holy Prophets so long afore did foretell so we ought be assured that those things shall infallibly come to passe which the same men did prophesy herafter to be though as yet they be not accomplished For the Prophets did speake not out of humane Witt but from the Holy Ghost inspiring them and since the Holy Ghost is God and that it is impossible that God should eyther be deceaued or lye therefore it demonstratiuely followeth that all those predictions are to be heerafter fullfilled which were foretould by the Prophets in after tymes to fall out yet are not fullfilled Sicut vsque ad hodiernum diem saith S. Augustin in Psal 76 Euen as to this day all forwarnings and speaches of the Prophets haue had their Euent so also those which yet remaine vnaccomplished shall heerafter haue Let vs then feare the day of Iudgement Our Lord is to come He came in humility he shall come in splendour and glory Thus he But we haue more forcible arguments then the ancients had that we should not rest doubtfull of the Euent of future things Those men who went before the tymes of Christ were obliged to belieue many things withâ—ut any experiment aforhand but we from the accomplishing and fullfilling of things which already haue happened may easily belieue that the rest yet remaining shal be also fullfilled Those who liued in the dayes of Noë and did
heare that the generall deluge was after to be Noë being the Prophet of God and foretelling this very â—hing not only by word but by causing with such labour the Arke to be made could not easily be induced to belieue any such future inundation to be because they neuer saw any such deluge before therefore the wrath of God desceÌ„ded vpon them suddenly But we knowing that to haue beene already fullfilled which the Prophet Noë did foretell why may we not with facility belieue that a deluge of of fyre shall heerafter come in which all those things shal be destroyed which we now esteeme and prize at so high a rate And yet neuerthelesse there are very few who so belieue these things to be as to withdraw their desire from such matters as are heerafter to perish and to fix their minds where there are true and euerlasting Ioyes But this very Point is prophesied of our Lord himselfe that such men may rest inexcusable who from the accomplishment of things past can not be drawne to belieue that thinges future shal be fulfilled For thus our Lord speaketh Matth. 24. And as in the dayes of Noë so also shall be the coÌ„ming of the Son of man for as they were in the dayes before the floud eating and drinking wedding and giuen to mariage euen vnto that day in which Noë entred into the Arke and knew not till the floud came and ouer tooke them all so also shall the comming of the Sonne of man be VVatch therefore because you know not at what houre the Sonne of man will come And the Apostle S. Peter sayth The day of our Lord shall come as a thiefe in which the Heauens shall passe with great violence but the elements shall be resolued with heate and the earth the works which are in it shal be burned 1. Pet. 3. But men who sleight these thinges say these are farre off and of great distance from vs. Be it that they are farre of from vs yet thy death is not farre of from thee and the houre of it is vncertaine And yet it is certayne that we must giue an account of euery idle word in the particular iudgment which is not farre off And if an account must be rendred of euery idle word what reckoning must he made for false pernicious words for periury blasphemy which is so familiar ordinary to many if of words what account then is to be giuen of deeds of Adulteries of deceits in buying selling of murders and other grieâ—ous sinnes Therefore it followeth that the predictions of the Prophets being allready fullfilled make vs inexcusable except we may certainly belieue that all things which remaine are also fulfilled Neyther it is sufficient to belieue what things Fayth teacheth vs to be practized or to be auoyded except our fayth doth stirre vs vp efficaciously to the practizing or auoyding thereof If an Architect should say Such a house is ruinous and will instantly fall downe and they within the House make shew to belieue the Architect yet wil not come out of the house but suffer themselues to be oppressed with the ruine and fall of the house what credit do these men giue to the words of the Architect Which errour the Apostle chargeth other lyke men with saying Tit. 1. They say they know God but in deeds they deny him And if the Physitian shal command that the sicke Patient drinke no wyne and he is persuaded that the Physitian prescribeth profitably healthfully for him but in the meane tyme he demandeth for wine and is angry if it be not giuen to him what shall we heere say Certainly that the sicke man is eyther depriued of his wit and senses or that he giueth no credit to his Physitians directions O would to God there were not many among Christians who say that they do belieue the future Iudgment of God and diuers other mysteries of Christian fayth but deny them in their deeds and conuersation Of the second fruite of the sixt Word CHAP. XIV ANother fruite may be gathered from the second explication of the words of Christ Consummatum est For we said aboue with S. Chrysostome that the laboursome iourney of the peregrination of Christ himselfe was consuumate and finished in the death of Christ which iourney of his cannot be denyed but to haue beene most painefull aboue all measure yet the asperity of it is recompensed with the shortnes of the tyme with the fruit with the glory and honour proceeding from thence It continued thirty three yeares but how can a labour of thirty three yeares be compared to a repose and rest for all eternity Our Lord did labour with hunger with thirst with many dolours and innumerable iniuries with stripes with wounds with death its self but now he drinketh of a Torrent of pleasure which pleasure shall neuer cease but be interminabâ—e To conclude our Lord is humbled is made the reproach of men and the out-cast of the People Psal 21. but in recompence heerof we read of him thus God hath exalted him and haâ—h giuen him a Name which is aboue all Names that in the Name of IESVS euery knee bow of things in Heauen in Earth vnder the Earth Philip. 2. But now to cast our Eye on the contrary side the perfidious Iewes reioyced til the houre of Christs Passion Iudas being become a slaue to couetousnes reioyced till he had gayned some feâ— peeces of siluer Pilate reioyced till that houre of Christs PassioÌ„ because he lost not thereby the fauour and grace of Augustus and had recouered the friendship of King Herod But now all these haue beene already tormented in Hell for the space of sixteene hundred yeâ—res almost and the smoke of their flames shall arise and ascend vp for all Eternity From hence let all the seruants of the Crosse learne to be humble gentle patient and let them ackowledge how good happy a thing it is for a man to take vp his owne Crosse in this present lyfe and to follow Christ his Captaine neither let them enuy those who seeme in the Eye of this worrld to be happy For the lyfe of Christ of the holy Apostles and the Martyrs is a most true CoÌ„mentary of the words of him who is the Maister of all Maisters Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Blessed are the meeke blessed are they that mourne blessed are they that suffer percutioÌ„ for Iustice for theirs is the Kingdome of Heauen Matth. 5 But on the contrary side Woe be to you that are rich because you haue your consolation woe to you that are filled because you shal be hâ—ngry woe to you that now do laugh because you shall mourne and lament Luc. 6 And although not only the words of Christ but also the life and death of Christ I meane not only the Text but the Comment also bâ— vnderstood of few and that this doctrine is banished out of the
Apostle In all those things we ouercome for his sake who loued vs. Moreouer all men ought and may consider who cannot depose and lay aside their Crosse without sinne not so much the present labour as the future reward which doubtlesly doth surmount all labour and griefe of this present life the Apostle saying Rom. 8. The sufferings of this time are not condigne to the glory to come that shal be reuealed in vs. Who speaking of Moyses in an other place thus writeth Moyses esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasure of the Egyptians for he looked into the remuneration Hebr. 11. To conclude we may produce for the comfort of those men who are constrained to vndergoe a heauy Crosse for a long tyme the example of two men who did lose their perseuerance and thereupon did fynd incomparably a farre greater Crosse Iudas the Betrayer of Christ when he reflected vpon himselfe did detest his sinne of Treachery and not enduring the confusion and shame which he must suffer if he would conuerse with the Apostles and Disciples did hang himselfe So as he changed only but auoyded not the Crosse of the Confusion which he did flie Since greater Confusion shall follow him at the day of iudgment in the presence sight of all the Angels and of men when he shal be declared to be not only the Betrayer of Christ but withall his owne Homicide or Butcher And how great blindnes then was it in him to auoyde a small confusion among a few persons who being the Disciples of Christ were mild and gentle who euer would haue beene ready to exhort him to hope well of the Mercy of the Sauiour of the world but not to auoyde the infamy and confusion of his betraying of Christ hanging himselfe in the Theater and eye of all men and Angels The second example may be taken out of the Oration of S. Basill in 40. Mart. The summe whereof is this In the persecution of Licinius the Emperour foâ—rty souldiers being resolued to continue in the Fayth of Christ were condemned that openly in the ayre without any shelter in a most cold tyme and place they should spend the whole â—ight and so through a most long and sharp Martyrdome should perish through cold and frost There was prepared neere vnto the place when they were a hoat comfortable Bath to receaue such of the souldiers as would deny their Fayth Of the whole number of the souldiers thirty and nyne setting before their eyes not so much the present punishment of being frozen to death which would in a short tyme be ended as the Eternity of glory and happines perseuered in their Fayth receaued from the hands and bounty of our Lord most glorious Crownes Our souldier who had his mind fixed only vpon the present torment could not perseuere in his Christian fayth did thereupon leape into the warme Bath But he had no sooner gotten thereinto but that seuerall parts of his flesh being already congealed did fall asunder and the poore wretch breathed out his Soule and as denier of Christ descended into Hell and to perpetuall torments Thus he flying death he found death and changed a short and light Crosse or tribulation for an euerlasting and most grieuous Crosse Now all those do imitate these two most vnhappy men who do forsake the Crosse of a religious Course of life who do cast off a sweet yoake and easy burden and when they least thinke therof they do find themselfes to be tyed to a farre more grieuous yoake of diuers Concupiscences and Passions which they can neuer satisfy and thus being pressed downe with the most heauy weight of their sinnes they are not able to breath or take wynd The like reason is of all those who refuse to beare their Crosse with Christ and yet through sinning are forced to beare a far more grieuous Crosse with the Deuill The seauenth Word to wit Pater in manus tuas commendo Spiritum meum Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. is litterally explained CHAP. XIX VVE are now come the last Word or Sentence of Christ which being ready to dye vpon the Crosse he spake not without great clamour saying Pater in manus tuas coÌ„mendo spiritum meuÌ„ Father into thy hands I commend my spirit We will explicate in order euery word Pater he deseruedly calleth him Father because himselfe was an obedient Sonne to him euen to death and therefore most worthy that he should be heard In manus tuas into thy Hands The Hands of God in the Scriptures are said to be his Intelligence and Will or VVisdome and Power Or which is coincident herewith the Vnderstanding of God knowing all things and his Will being able to performe or do all thinks For with these two God as not wanting Instruments otherwise doth all things because as S. Leo speaketh In Deo Voluntas Potentia est In God his Will is his Power Serm. 2 de Natiu Therfore with God to will a thing is to doe a thing according to that He hath done all things whatsoeuer he would Psal 113. Commendo That is I do commend or deliuer vp in pledge that it may be restored with trust when the tyme of restitution shall come Spiritum meum Touching this word how it is here to be taken there is no small Controuersy The word Spiritus is accustomed to be taken for the Soule vvhich is the substantiall forme of the Body as also it is taken for life it selfe and the reason hereof is because breathing is a signe of lyfe and who do breath do liue and who cease to breath do dye And certainly if by the word Spirit vve vnderstand in this place the Soule of Christ we are to take heed that no man should imagine there were any danger for that soule to goe out of its body As when other men are in dying their soule is accustomed to be commended to God through many Prayers and great Care in that it goeth to the Tribunall of the Iudge ready to receaue for its good or wicked works Glory or Punishment Such a Commendation as this the soule of Christ did not need both in that it was blessed from the beginning of its Creation as also because it was ioyned in Person with the Sonne of God and might be called the Soule of God and lastly by reason as victorious and triumphing it went out of its Body and was a terrour to all the Deuills but they could be no terrour to it Therefore if the Spirit be taken in this place for the Soule then these words of our Lord Commendo spiritum meum do signify that the Soule of Christ which vvas in its Body as in a Tabernacle was to be in the hands of the Father as in deposito vntill it did returne to the Body according to that Sap. 3. The soules of the Iust are in the hands of God But it is much more credible that by the word Spirit
frequented or intermitted For he that eateth the Body of our Lord vnworthily eateth iudgment to himselfe 1. Cor. 11. That is he eateth condemnation to himselfe And againe He that eateth not the body of our Lord eateth not the bread of lyfe and life it selfe Ioan. 9. Thus vve are brought to straits on ech syde being partly like to those men who suffer extremity of hunger and yet are vncertaine whether that which is brought to them to eate be meate or poyson Therefore with iust reason we say with feare and trembling O Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter into my house except out of thy ineffable goodnes thou wilt make me worthy therefore say the word and my soule shal be healed But because of this I also doubt whether thou wilt vouchsafe to cure my wounds I commend my spirit into thy hands that so in this terrible busines thou mayst be present to my soule which thou hast redeemed with thy precious Bloud Yf men would ponder these things maturely they would not so greedily approach to receaue Priesthood that by daily celebrating they might maintaine their corporal state For such men are not accustomed to be much carefull as they ought to be whether they come with due preparation since their End is rather the meate of the Body then the meate of the Soule There are also many who attend vpon Prelats and Princes who perhaps do not come rightly prepared to this dreadfull table yet they approach to it as drawne through a humane feare least they may displease their Prince or Prelate if at the appointed and accustomed tyme they be not presenâ— among and one of those who are tâ— communicate What â—herefore is to be done It may be it were more profitable to come to that table more rarely Yea but it is more profitable often to frequent that table so it be with reuerence due preparation For by how much one commeth more rarely by so much he is made lesse apt to participate of that Heauenly Table as S. Cyril hath wisely admonished lib. 4. in Ioan c. 17. There now remaineth the tyme of neare approaching or imminent death at what time it is necessary with great feruour of mind frequently and often to repeate and say Into thy haÌ„ds I commend my Spirit thou hast redemed me O Lord God of truth That is the tyme in which the chiefest busines of all is haÌ„dled for if it should so happen that the soule departing out of the Body commeth into the hands of the Deuill there is no hope left of Saluation And contrariwise if it haue its passage to the paternall Hands of God no povver of mans Ghostly Enemy is after to be feared Therefore with an inutterable moaning vvith true and perfect Contrition with a strong fayth and confidence in the infinite mercy of God it is againe and againe to be iterated and repeated Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit And because at that instant of tyme those vvho haue led a negligent and carelesse life do suffer no greater temptation then of despayre as if the tyme of Pennance and repeÌ„tance were then past Let such oppose against this temptation the buckler of Fayth since it is written In what day soeuer the sinner shall repent I will not remember his sinnes Ezech. 33. Let them also take the Helmet of Hope which trusteth in the boundles Mercy of God and let them often repeate Into thy hands I commend my spirit neither is that reason which is the foundation of our Hope to be omitted to wit Because thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth For who vvill restore to Christ his innoceÌ„t bloud who vvill repay backe to him the price with which he bought vs For so S. Austin speaketh teaching vs in those words to confide much in our Redemption which is in Iesus Christ which cannot be in vayne and fruitles except our selues do put a barre or hindrance therto through Impenitency or Desperation The third fruite of the seauenth Word CHAP. XXII THe third fruit is placed in that we may learne that death neare approaching we are not much to confide in the Almes-deeds Fastings or the prayers of our kinred friends For there are many vvho during the vvhole course of their lyfe are wholy forgetfull of their soule busiyng their mynds with nothing els but how to leaue their wife children and Kâ—nsfolks rich of great estate But when themselfes come to dye then not before they begin to thinke of their ovvne soule And because they haue distributed and deuided their goods faculties among their forsaid friends they commend the charge of their soules to them that by their meanes their soules might be helped with Almes-deeds Prayers masses and other good workes Christ did not teach vs this by his example since he commended his soule not to his kinsmen but to his Father Neyther doth S. Peter admonish vs that we should commend our soules to our Children or kinsfolkes but to the faythfull Creatour by good deedes 1. Pet. 4. I do not say this as reprehending those who either procure or desire Almes-deedes or sacrifices of the holy masse to be offered vp for them after their death But I much blame those vvho repose too much trust in their Children and kinsfolkes since daily experience teacheth that they quickly forget their dead Ancestours I further reprehend them because in a matter of so great importance they will not prouide for themselues and that they will not giue and performe the Workes of Charity and Almes-deeds by which they may purchase many friends by whose meanes as we read in the Gospell they may be receaued into the Eternall Tabernacles Luc. 16. I also greatly blame them wâ—o do not obey the Prince of the Apostles commanding vs as is aboue said to commend our soules to our faythfull Creatour and to commend them not only in words but also in good Workes Since good works sent before to God are those which efficaciously and truly commend the soules of Christians to God Let vs heare what voyce sounded from Heauen to S. Iohn Apoc. 4. I heard a voyce from Heauen saying to me Write Blessed are the dead which dye in our Lord from hence now sayth the spirit that they rest from their labours for their works follow them Therefore good works performed by our selfes whilst we liue and not to be done after our death by our Children or kinsfolkes are those which certainly do follow vs especially if those works be of their owne nature not onely good but as S. Peter not without mistery hath expressed for thus he speaketh In bene factis commendent animas suas fideli Creatori let them commendent their soules to their faythfull Creatour by good deeds meaning in works well done For there are many who can number many good Works by them done as many Sermons preached many Masses daily celebrated their howers of prayers for many yeares their fast of Lent continued in like
or take any occasion of sinning did remaine shut vp with her maids in a secret chamber and wearing a haire-cloath about her body fasting all dayes excepting the feasts of the house of Israel Behould here with what great zeale euen in the old Law which permitted far more liberty then the Ghospell doth a yoÌ„g rich and beautifull Woman did take heed of Carnall sinnes for no other reason then that she greatly feared our Lord. The sacred Scripture doth mention and commend the same thing in Holy Iob. For he made a couenant with his eyes that he would not so much as thinke of a Virgin that is he vvould not look vpon a Virgin to preuent therby that no vnchast thought might creep into his mind And why did Iob so warily and diligently auoid such allurements Because he greatly feared our Lord for thus it there followeth For what part should God from aboue haue in me that is if an vncleane cogitation should in any sort defile my mind I should not be Gods portion nor God should be my Portion There were no end if I should insist in examples of Saints during the tyme of the New Testament This therefore is the Feare wherewith the Saints were endued of which if our selfes were full there were nothing the which we could not most easily obtaine of our Heauenly Father The last fruite of the seauenth Word CHAP. XXIV THere remaineth the last fruite which is gathered from the consideration of the Obedience of Christ manifested in his last words and in death it selfe For wheras the Apostle sayth He humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Philip. 2. This was chiefly performed when our Lord pronouncing those Words Father into thy hands I commend my spirit did presently giue vp the Ghost But it will be conuenient to repeaâ—e ponder more deeply what may be said of the ObedieÌ„ce of Christ that so we may gather a most precious fruâ—te from the tree of the holy Crosse Therefore Christ our Maâ—ster and Lord of all Vertues did exhibit such Obedience to God his Father that a greater cannot be conceaued or imagined First the Obedience of Christ tooke its beginning from his Conception and continued without intermission euen to his death Thus the whole life of our Lord Iesus Christ was but one Act or Course of a continuated and vnintterrupted Obedience Truly the soule of Christ euen in the first moment of its Creation had the vse of freewill and withall was replenished with Grace and Wisdome and therefore euen from that first momeÌ„t Christ being as yet inclosed in the wombe of his mother began to exercise Obedience Where we read in the 39. Psalme in which it is said in the Person of Christ In the head of the booke it is written of me that I should do thy will my God I would and thy law in the middest of my Hart. That in the head of the booke signifieth no other thing but in the summe of the diuine Scripture that is throughout the whole Scripture it is chiefly preached of me that I am peculiarly chosen and sent to this end that I should do thy Will I my God will I haue most willingly accepted thereof and thy law thaâ— is thy commandement I haue placed in the middest of my hart that I might euer thinke thereof and might most diligently performe and execute it And hither also those words of our said Lord haue reference My meate is to do tho will of him that sent me to perfect his worke Ioan. 4. For as meate is not taken once or twice through a mans life but is taken daily with pleasure so our Lord himself did continually and with a willing mind practice all Obedience to his Father And hereupon he said I descended from Heauen not to doe my owne will but the will of him that sent me Ioan. 6. And more clearely in another place He that sent me is with me and he hath not left me alone because the things that please him I do alwayes Ioan. 8. And because Obedience is the most excellent Sacrifice of all Sacrifices according to the iudgment of Samuel therefore it followeth that how many works Christ did all the tyme that he liued as Pilgrime vpon the Earth so many Sacrifices did he offer vp and those most gratefull to God This therefore is the first Prerogatâ—ue of the Obedience of Christ to wit in that it endured from his Conception to the end of his life Furthermore the Obedience of Christ was not determinable to any one kind of worke as we commonly see it is among men but it was extended to all those things vvhich it should please God his Father to command him And from hence so great variety is seene in the life of Christ our Lord as that one vvhile he would stay in the desert neither eating nor drinking perhaps not sleeping but liuing with beasts as S. Marke notâ—th c. 1. At another tyme he vvas in the frequency sight of men eating and drinking Then he remained obscure and secret at home and that for no few yeares At an other tyme appearing excellent for wisdome and Eloquence working most great and stupendious Miracles Novv with great authority casting buyers and sellers out of the Temple At an other tyme latent as it were weake declining from the multitude and company of men All which things require and exact a mâ—nd free from all proper free will For neither would our Lord haue said Math. 16. He that will come after me let him deny himselfe that is let him renounce his proper will and proper iudgment Neither except Christ himselfe had performed it before he would haue persuaded his disciples to the perfection of Obedience when he said Luc. 14. If any man commeth to me and hateth not hiâ— Father and mother and wife chilsdren and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life besides he cannot be my Disciple Thus according hereto did Christ himselfe forsake all things which are accustomed to be so ardently beloued yea his owne life the which he was so prepared to lose as if he did hate it This is the true roote and Mother of Obedience vvhich shyned most admirably in Christ our Lord. And who want this shall hardly euer come to the revvard of Obedience For how is it possible that one should promptly obey an other mans Will who is wholy deuoted to his ovvne will and his owne iudgment This is the Cause why the Celestiall Orbes do not resist or withstaÌ„d the Angels mouing them vvhether they be caried towards the East or West because they haue not any peculiar and proper propension either to one part or to the other And the same reason is why the Angels themselfes stand at a becke obedient vnto God as holy Dauid singeth in the 102. Psalme To wit because they haue no proper Will repugnant and refractary to the will of God but being most happely conioyned vvith God they are one
of this point shewing in his â— Booke of Confessions how difficult a matter it is to cast of the yoake of Concupiscence from ones selfe who for diuers yeares hath beene enthralled to the law of the flesh as on the contrary how pleasant and easy it is to beare the yoke of our Lord before the soule hath bene defiled or ensnared with Vice Furthermore how great againe is it to merit in euery worke in the sight of God For he who doth nothing out of his owne proper will but from Obedience to his Prelate and superiour this man in euery worke performed by him sacrifizeth to God a most gratefull Sacrifice because as Samuel speaketh Obedience is better then Sacrifice 1. Reg. 15. And S. Gregory giueth a reason of this disparity saying By bloudy Sacrifices the flesh of an other by Obedience the proper will is immolated and offered vp l. 35. mor. cap. 10. Adde hereto as a thing most admirable that if so be the Prelate should fortune to sinne in commaunding the subiect sinneth not but meriteth in obeying so that that which is commanded be not a manifest and euident sinne The Prophet Ieremy doth adde He shall sit solitary and hould his peace What signifieth here he shall sit but that he shall remaine quiet because he shall find the rest of his soule For whosoeuer abandoneth his ovvne will deuoting himselfe wholy to fulfill the will of God coueteth nothing seeketh after nothing is ambitious of nothing but remaynes free from all Cares and sitteth with Mary Magdalen at our Lords feete hearing his word Luc. 10. And indeed he sitteth truly solitary both because he doth conuerse with those who are one Hart and one Soule as also in that he affecteth no maÌ„ with a priuate and peculiar Loue but loueth all in Christ and for Christ And hence it is thaâ— he is quiet as not contending with any one or hauing any peculiar negotiation or busines with others And the reason of so great a tranquility and quietnes is because he hath lifted himselfe aboue himselfe that is he hath transcended and passed from the Order of men to the Order of Angels There are many men who do cast themselfes vnder themselfs and descend to the Order of Beasts To wit those men vvho euen breath nothing but earthly matters and prize nothing but what is gratefull to the flesh and senses of the Body And these are Couetous men lasciuious and euen enslaued to good cheere felowship and drunkennes There are others vvho liue the life of men and after a certaine manner remaine in themselues such are Philosophers vvho either search the secrets of Natuâ—e or deliuer precepts touching manners To conclude there are some others who do lift themselfs aboue themselfs and this not vvithout a peculiar priuiledge and assistance of God leading not an humane but Angelicall life These are those who renouncing all things vvhich the vvorld affords and denying their ovvne will can say vvith the Apostle Our conuersation is in Heauen Phil. 3. For the Angels are not defiled wiâ—h any filth of sinne and they do euer contemplate the face of the Father which is in Heauen and omitting all other affayres they are wholy busied and intent in executing the Commandements of God according to that of the 102. Psalme Blesse our Lord all yee his Angels doing his word that feare the Voyce of his words This is the felicity of a Regular life the which if it do seriously imitate the purity and Obedience of the Angels will doubtlesly participate of their Glory in Heauen especially if they follow Christ their Captaine and mayster Who humbled himselfe made obedient vnto death euen the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. And when as he was the Sonne of God learned obedience from those things he suffered Heb. 5. That is he experimentally learned that true Obedience was tryed by Patience And thus he did not only teach Obedience by his owne Example but withall taught the principles and foundation of true and perfect Obedience vvhich are Humility and Patience For who freely and willingly obeyeth his superiour commanding honourable and pleasing things to be done may be much doubted of whether the vertue of Obedience or some other Allectiue draweth him to obey But he who vvith all alacrity and therefulnes of mynd obeyeth in thingâ— vile and laborious where Humility and Patience are necessary declareth that as a true Disciple of Christ he hath learned perfect Obedience S. Gregory notably sheweth the difference betvvene true and forged Obedience vvho thus speaketh l. 35. mor. c. 10. Quia nonnunquam nobis c. Because sometymes things pleasing to this world at other tymes things displeasing are commanded to be done therefore we are chiefly to knowe that sometimes Obedience if it haue nothing of it selfe in it is no obedience And sometymes except it hath something of it selfe it is lesse For example when pleasing things of this world are commanded when the higher and more worthy place is commanded to be taken he who obeyeth these Commands euacuateth and frustrateth in himselfe the vertue of Obedience if out of a secret desire he affecteth them For he suffereth not himselfe to be gouerned by Obedience who in vndertaking the prosperous things of his life serueth his owne humour of Ambition Againe When aduerse and distastfull matters are commanded when it is commanded to receaue obloquies and contumelies except the mind of it selfe doth desire these things the merit of obedience is lessened because he descendeth vnwillingly to such things as are abiect and vile in this life For Obedience suffereth detriment when no desires of any part do accompany the mind prepared to receaue disgraces or contumelies Therefore Obedience touching things aduerse and displeasant ought to haue something of it selfe and againe touching things prosperous and gracefull it ought to haue nothing of it selfe And Obedience when the subiect of it is a thing displeasing is so much the more glorious and worthy by how much the desire of him that obeyeth is more firmly conioyned to the diuine will As on the contrary where the subiect is pleasant and sweet Obedience is so much the more true by how much the mind is estranged from all vayne and humane complacency But the weight of this Vertue of Obedience we may more clearely ballance if we call to mind the memorable Acts of two men now reigning in Heauen Moyses when he fed sheep in the desert was called by our Lord speaking to him by the ministery of an Angell in the fiery Bush that he should gouerne ouer all the multitude of the Israelits Exod. 3. But because he was humble and lowly in himselfe he was afraid of the profered glory of so great a gouerment saying I beseech thee O Lord I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before and since thou hast spoken to thy seruant I haue more impediment and slownes of tongue c. I beseech thee O Lord send whom thou wilt send Behould heere how Moyses discourseth and debateth with the Authour of the Tongue and acknowledged himselfe to be of imperfect speach that thereby he might auoyde the power of so great a soueraignty and gouernment In like sort S. Paul was admonished from Heauen as himselfe testifieth in his 2. Epistle to the Galathians that he ought to ascend to Ierusalem Who meeting with the Prophet Agabus in his iourney was aduertized how great aduersity and trouble did expect and wayte for him in Ierusalem For it is thus written Agabus tooke Paules girdle binding his owne hands and feete he said Thus the man whose girdle this is so shall the Iewes bind in Ierusalem Act. 22. But S. Paul instantly answered I am ready not only to be bound but to dye also in Ierusalem for the name of Iesus Thus S. Paul through a command of diuine Reuelation going towards Ierusalem knoweth afore hand what vexations were there to afflict him neuertheles he willingly desireth them He heareth of troubles of which he might well be afraid yet he coueteth with all endeauour oo aspire to them Thus Moyses hath no part of his owne desire touching his command and therefore he partly laboureth against the coommand thereby to eschew his gouernment ouer the Israelites But S. Paul is drawne to vndergoe aduersities out of his owne desire who foreseeing imminent euills boyleth in deuotion of spirit to sustaine farre greater The former man was willing to decline the glory of present Power though God commanded him to accept thereof This later God preparing for him asperity and molestations thirsteth after more violent afflictions yea euen death it selfe Now from the immoueable Vertue of these two worthy Captaines leading vs the way we may be instructed that if we desire earnestly to gaine the palme and reward of Obedience we must play the souldiers in performing things prosperous only by coÌ„mand though with some reluctation of our owne Nature but things aduerse distastfull to execute euen out of our owne deuotion and Zeale Thus farre S. Gregory Which doctrine Christ our Lord Maister euen from his owne example most cleerly approued For when he knew the multitude would come and take him that they might make him a King we read That he fled into the mouÌ„taine himselfe alone But wheÌ„ he saw that the Iewes the souldiers with Iudas were to come to appreheÌ„d him draw him to punishmeÌ„t then according to the command which he receaued from his Father he of his owne accord did presently meete them and suffered himselfe to be taken and bound Therefore Christ not in words did vaunt of Obedience but in workes and in earnest exhibited Obedience vnto his Father grounded in true Patience and Humility Vpon this example of the most noble vertue of Obedience all those ought to haue their eyes fixed who aspire to the high reward due for a voluntary abnegation of ones proper Will and imitation of Christ. THE TABLE The first Booke THe first VVords explicated literally pag. 14. The second VVords explicated pag. 47. The third VVord explicated pag. 89. The second Booke THe fourth VVord explicated literally pag. 131. The fifth VVord explicated pag. 193. The sixt VVord explicated pag. 238. The seauenth VVord explicated p. 292. FINIS