without the castels or cities And also he wolde suffer without y e citie to declare shewe vnto vs howe y t the vertue of his passion shuld not be included within the coostes or bouÌ„des of the Iues but that it shuld be knowen to be a comon sacrifice for all the worlde And thyrdly to signifye and shewe to vs that who so wolde haue the effecte and vertue of this passion he muste go forth or go from the worlde at lest in desire affeccyon or loue that is that he haue no inordinate loue to the worlde the gooddes or pleasure therof Wherfore let vs folowe Christe and go vnto hym frome our carnall frendes and worldlye conuersacyon bearynge with hym and for his loue rebukes and sharp paynes And herunto saynt Bernarde sayth Christe suffred his passyon and deth without the citye therfore let vs go to hym from the cytye that is by the contempte of worldlye conuersacyon and that may be done by .iii. maner of wayes In affeccyon or loue that we loue not inordinatly the world In effect dede that we vtterly forsake the worlde both in wyll and also bodye And thyrdlye by profytynge that we desyre and labour to be made one spirite with god For as saynt Gregorie sayth The more that a man is separate from the loue of the worlde the more nygh he is to god This ledyng aboue al the other .viii. of which we spake in the .viii. article was most paynfull and shamefull to Christe and that for many causes and therfore conueniently it maketh a specyall article Fyrst by reason of his rebuke and shame for it was moche shamefull to be led vnto hangynge Secondly for that he was copled and ioyned or led with .ii. theues and mischeuous persons and that was done to his more confusyon shame that the people shulde thynke there was no difference bytwixte Christe and them Thyrdly for the greate noumber of people that se hym and folowed hym and that not onely of men but also of women as the euangelist sayth But they all dyd not folowe hym of one intent and one mynde for some were moche ioyfull of that syght as the moste parte of the Iues. And it is no small payne to a man to behold and se other men and specially his enemyes gladde and ioyfull of his affliccyon and rebuke There were also some that dyd wepe and were sorye for that syght as the blessed woman And also this was moche paynfull to Christ to se his frendes louers in sorowe and heuynes for hym Saint Bernarde describeth this ledynge and procession in this maner folowynge When Christ sayth he was broughte forthe to be ledde vnto his passion there was gathered about hym a greate multitude of people as ye comonly se when theues and murderars be had to hangynge Some went saughynge and some cast clay or durte vpon his most blessed hed and face If Christe loked before hym he sawe them cast durte vpon hym If he loked aboue hym he sawe the heuy tre of the crosse lyenge vpon his necke and greuously oppressed hym If he loke behynd hym he sawe his mother with a great nomber of men and women wepynge and lamentynge for hym And as some doctours do say his most sorowefull mother wolde haue come to hym to haue helpen hym and myght not be suffred the whiche her swete Iesus seynge and consederynge her great heuynes fell downe for sorowe and werynes vnder the crosse And that seynge his moste louynge mother for sorowe she fell to the erth as deade And in the remembraunce of this swonyng there was afterwarde a chapell buylded by the faythful people in the same place in the honor of our lady whiche is called sancta Maria de Spaâ—mo and after this Iesus turnynge hym selfe to the women that wepte sayd Filie Hierusalem nolite flere super me sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros O ye doughters of Hierusalem wepe not vpon me for I take these paynes and deth with my good wyll for it is the wyll and ordinaunce of god my father that I shulde thus dye and also for the great profet y t shall come therof to mankynde for by my deth I wyll ouercome euerlastynge deth but wepe for the cause of my passyon and dethe that is the synnes of the people which cause me to suffer deth by the order of iustice And thus to wepe it is necessarie for you and therfore it foloweth Sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros But weape for your selfes and for your chylderne Herin Christ doth not rebuke theyr affeccyon and compassyon that they had to hym but he doth teche them an order howe to wepe that is firste to wepe for them selfe and theyrs for it is a vayne thyng and of no profyt to wepe for the passyon of Christ and therwith to despyse hym with our euyl dedes and lyuyng Also he byddes them that wepe for hym to consider what paynes be lyke to fal vpon them selfe And therfore they shuld wepe for them self and for theyr childern and therfore Christe saythe Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus dicent beate steriles c. For the dayes shall come sayth Christ when they shall say Blessed and happy be the baren and tho that brought forthe no fruyte and those pappes or teates be happye that neuer gaue sucke or mylke then they shall begynne to saye to the mowntes Fal vpon vs and to the hylles Couer vs. And thsi he spake for the tyme of the seage of Hierusalem by the emperours Vaspasyan and Titus his son for then the Iues were in great distresse as it appereth by the histories of Iosephus and Egesippus or els we may say that Christe spake this for the extreme and last day of iudgement And the cause or reason of both these he addeth and sayth Quia si in viridi ligno faciunt in arido quid fiet For sithe so greuous paynes and shamefull despites be done to me whiche am a grene tree florisshyng and quicke in the roote of my diuinitie in the charitie of my manhode in the branches of my vertues in the leeses of good wordes and the fruyte of my good dedes if I say they do these thynges to me that is condempne me to the shamefull deth of the crosse without all iustice what shall they do to the drie tree or stocke that is to the synner whiche wanteth the moisture of grace the fruyte of iustice the grenisse or florisshynge of the conscience what payne thynke you be they worthy to haue O Iesu thou grene tre O our hed O thou glorie of all meake persons O thou cedre of clenlynes Palme of pacyence Olyue of mercy Vyne of gladnes shewe to vs what was done to the And he answering saith this grene tre is pilled or the barke pulled of it is shred lopte it is cut downe and cast vpon the erth Marke this well frendes sith he that came
her virginall wombe Nay suerly if we wyll forsake our syn and cum faythfully to them Therfore let vs wretches ioy with y e holy spirites and soules in heuen and with al creatures as moch as we may and let vs study and labour to laude and prayse so gloriouse so mercifull a mother and virgyne as far as our infirme frayle nature wyl suffre The assumpcion of this gloriouse virgyn was figured in the old lawe when as the arke of god was translate in to the house of kynge Dauid At which tyme kynge Dauid dyd harpe and daunce before the arke of god and so brought it in to his house with great ioy It was also figured in the mother of Salomon for whom he made a trone next vnto his trone and set her therin sayng aske of me what thou wilt It is nat conuenient or seamyng for me to deny it to the. Also it was figured by the woman which saynt Iohan speaketh of in his reuelacions sayng Signum magnum apparuit in celo Mulier amicta sole et luna sub pedibus eius c. A great signe apperyd in heuyn A woman clad or coueryd with the son and the mone vnder her feet and a crowne of .xii. sterres vpon her heade This woman signifieth our Lady which when she was assumpte vnto heuyn was clade or compassyd about with the son that is with the glorie of the diuinitie of Christe The mone was vnder her feet for she despised the world and worldly thynges signified by the mutable mone She had a crowne of .xii. sterres vpon her heed for the .xii. apostles ware present at her death or elles It signifieth her vnspeakeable glory For these consideracions all men shulde crie and call vnto our lady Mary shuld name Mary shulde loue her aboue all other creatures Both yong and olde man and woman euery profession shulde diligently call vpon Mary When by our syn we haue offendyd god the highe kynge of glorie when we haue lost the cumpaigney of all holie aungelles and sayntes in heuyn when also we be greuouse and moch paynfull to our selfe know nat what to do and whether to go for helpe then this onely remedy haue we wretched synners that we may lifte vp our ien of our soule and body vnto the o mercifull mother Mary for counsell and healpe Therfore o pitifull Lady intend to vs that we may receyue that profitte and effecte for the which our Lord god was made man in thy most chaste wombe and so liuyd here amonges men and at last suffred death for the health and saluacion of man To the blessyd Mary we commende vs procure for vs and defend vs that we do nat perish euerlastyngly Amen A prayer O Lord the gyuer of ioy the graunter of solace the diligent releuer of the desolate person the chaser away of all heuines and sorowe which haste gladdyd make ioyfull the most blessed virgyn Mary thy mother the glasse of thy maiestie the solace of aūgelles the ymage of thy goodnes the begynner of our helth thou hast gladdyd her I say w t manyfold ioyes both ī heuen and in erth I beseach the graunt to me thy suppliant that I which presume to com trustely and faythfully to her as to the well and fountayne of ioy in all my sorowes trobles may by her merites and prayers feale and receyue the effecte of her prayers and comforth in this present life and finally to cum to that ineffable ioy to y e which she assūpte ioyeth with y e eternally in heuyns Amen ¶ Of the last iudgement and of the cummyng of the Iudge to the same the .xi. Chapiter WE reade in scripture of .ii. cōmynges of Christe Fyrst is past that was when he cam to be cum man and in our nature of his manhod suffred death for y e redempcion of man Seconde shal be when he shall com to iudge all man kynd And the condycions of the iudge in this commynge be contrary vnto his condycions in his fyrst commyng for then he cam in great meaknes with the cōpaignye and felowshyp of very poore people his apostles and in his propre infirmitie and feblenes But contrarywyse to y e iudgement he shall cum in great power and maiestie with the compaigney of angelles and in his great dignitie as a iudge Herunto Beda sayth He that fyrst cam in the forme and meakenes of a seruant to be iudged and also condempned shall here after com to iudge the worlde in the great maiestie of his deitie And that shal be manifestly and openly nat hid in a mortal body as byfore that tho persons that contempned hym in his humilitie and mortalitie shuld now know hym in his power and maiestie And then he shall syt vpon the seet of his maiestie And there shall all people be gadred byfore him as byfore theyr iudge And he shal separate and diuide them a sondre as the herd man diuideth the shepe from y e gootes In the day tyme he keapeth them to gedre in y e pasture but in the euyntyde he doth seuer them a sondre So in this present life both the good persons and also y e euyll ben fedde to gedre in the church militante but in the euyntyde of death or of the worlde Christe shall seauer the good from the euyll as shepe fro the gootes In the shepe is vnderstand the innocency of good men for theyr simplicitie myldnes and fruytfulnes And in the gootes is noted the frowardnes of euyll men for theyr filthynes stynche stubbernes and barennes And Christe shall set the shepe or good men on his ryght syde and the gootes on his lefte syde that by the same orderyng in the ryght or left syde euery person may knowe to whom mercy shal be shewyd and to whom eternall payne remayneth And the good men be conueniently set on the ryght hand for they at theyr death ware founde on the ryght part that is hauynge charitie and good workes And the euyll men also be conueniētly set on the left hande for they wolde nat folow the ryght parte by doyng of good werkes for y e loue of god Tho be on the lefte part which here loue temporall vayne thynges Tho be on the ryght parte which here loue eternall thynges And then shall Christe recounte and remembre the werkes of mercy vnto the good men on the ryght hande whiche they dyd to Christe in his membres and so shal say thus Venite benedicti patris mei c. Com ye belssyd chylderne of my father possesse and receyue ye the kyngdom prepared for you byfore the begynnyng of the world I was hungry and ye fedde me I was thristy and ye gaue me drynke I was without lodgyng and ye harbored me I was seake and ye dyd visite me I was in prison and ye cam to me I was naked and ye clothed me Then the good and iuste persones as fliynge theyr owne commendacions and
embrace and halse hym He wolde be pale in face and inclyne his heed downe for feblenes with Christe and Christe cōfortably lyftynge vp his heed doth most swetly kysse hym And therfore saynt Barnarde sayth O good Iesu we beleue and so it is that who so bereth thy crosse he bereth thy glory And he that bereth thy glory he bereth the. And hym y t bereth the thou bereth vpon thy sholdre Thy sholdre is stronge and very hygh for it recheth vnto the fete of the father in heuen aboue all the orders of aungels aboue all principates potestates vertues Thither thou reducest or bryngest agayne the wanderynge shepe that dyd erre from the flocke that is mankynde the whiche by his synne was put out of Paradyse Good lorde I may compasse go about and serche both heauen and erth the see and the lande no where shal I fynde the but in the crosse There thou slepest there thou fedest there thou restest in the hete of the day In this crosse my soule is lyfted vp from the erth and there it gathereth the swete apples vpon the tree of lyfe In this crosse the soule cleuynge fast to her lorde god doth swetely synge and say Susceptor meus es tu gloria mea et exaltans caput meum Thou arte my defēdour my glory and thou exalteth vp my heed that is my soule from the consideration of all vayne transitory thynges vnto the meditacion of thyn vnspeakable goodnes shewed vnto man vpon the crosse O most amyable deth O moste delectable deth of the most noble body of our lorde Iesu Christe from whome I wolde neuer be seperate but in hym to make thre tabernacles one in his handes another in his fete and the thirde in the woūde of his syde There I wyll rest and slepe eate and drynke rede and pray and there I wyll perfourme all my besynes that I haue to do There I shall speake vnto his herte and optayne of hym what so euer is nedeful for me Thus doynge I may folow y e steppes of his most swete mother Marie whose soule y e swerde of sorowe dyd thyrle perse at the deth of her sone If I be thus woūded with Christe I may from hensforth suerly speke to her moue her in al my necessites and she wyl nat denye me bycause she seeth me crucified with her sonne Christe ¶ Here foloweth an example of this exhortation WE may take an example of this exhortation to remēbre the passion of Christ in the boke called Speculum hystoriale Vincentij of certayne singuler persones whiche had this special grace We rede there that in the partes of the Dioces called Leodin̄ a noble deuout preest called Iacobus de Vitriaco the whiche afterwarde was the bysshop of Tusculane and cardinall and this holy man se there diuerse women of so meruaylous affection and so feruent in the loue of god through the continuall remēbraunce of the passion of Christe that by that feruent loue and desyre they were so seke that by many yeres they coulde nat ryse out of theyr beddes but very seldome hauynge none other cause of sekenes or disease but onely the said feruent loue For their hertes by y e continuall remembraunce of the infinite charite of god shewed in the passion of Christe were so relented by that meditation that the more that they were cōforted in soule the more seke weyke they were in theyr bodyes saynge cryeng in herte though for shame they durst nat speke in wordes the sayng of the spouse in the canticles Fulcite me floribus stipate me malis quia amore langueo Comforte me with flowres strength me with apples or other frutes for I am seke or languysshe for loue And in some of these women a meruaylous thyng it myght be perceyued sensibly howe that whan theyr soule in a maner melted throughe the vehemence of loue theyr chekes and the coloure of them sensibly fayded and fel away In other of them throughe the swete consolations that they receyued in theyr soules there redoūded in to their mouthes a pleasaunt taste as if it had ben of hony or other swete meat and that they felte sensibly And so it retresshed them both corporally and spiritually and this taste also moued them to swete teares and preserued or kepte theyr hertes in deuotion Some of them also receyued so great grace of wepynge in deuotion that as ofte as god was in theyr herte by remembraunce of his goodnes so ofte the ryuers of teares flowed from theyr eyen by inward deuotion so that the steppes or pryntes of the teares dyd afterwarde appere in theyr chekes thorough the custome of wepynge And here note a meruaylous thyng that the wepyng or teares dyd nat hurt their brayne or heed as it doth comenly in al other persones but rather in them it comforted theyr myndes with a full plentuous deuotion It made swete or pleasaūt theyr spirites with a swete vnction of grace It meruaylously refresshed their bodyes and it gladded al y e hole cōgregation of y e seruaūtes of god there ¶ More ouer we rede in the same boke of an holy and deuoute woman called Maria de Ogines of whome the forsayde mayster Iacobus de Vitriaco beynge in great feruoure of deuotion cryed with a lowde voyce vnto almyghty god sayng O lord god thou arte very good to them that trusteth in the thou arte faythfull to thy seruauntes that truste and abyde thy promisses Thy hand mayde good lord hath dispised and forsaken for thy loue thonour of the worlde with all the pleasures of the same and thou accordyngly vnto thy promisse in scripture hath rendred and gyuen to her an hundreth tymes more in this worlde and also euerlastyng lyfe in the kyngdome of glorye The fyrst fruites or begynnynge of her loue to the was the remembraunce of thy crosse passion and deth For on a certayne day when she preuented with thy grace and mercyfully visited by the considered the great benefites whiche thou of thyn vnspeakable goodnes shewed vnto man kynde in workynge our redemption she founde or opteyned so great grace of compunction and suche abundaunce or copye of teares in thy crosse and passion that we myght haue traced or folowed her thorowe the churche by her teares that fel on y e groūde from her And of a longe tyme after that she had this swete visitation and grace of teares she myght neyther see nor beholde the ymage of the crucifix nor yet speke or here other speke of the passion of Christe but forthwith she fel in swowne Wherfore that she might somwhat tempre and abate that great passion and sorowe and restrayne thaboundaunce of her wepynge she lefte the consideration of thumanite or manheed of Christe and tourned her mynde holly to the meditation of the maiestye and godheed of Christe that in his eternitye and inpassibilytye she myght fynde some consolation and comforth But where she thought and laboured to haue
but that also the deuotion of the remeÌ„berer be enflamed by loue in his wyl And suerly yf our vnderstandynge do his diligence in the remembraunce of the said passion it shall shortly moue our affection And so the passion of our lord shall nat onely in our cogitacions be remeÌ„bred but also it shal inflame your wyl by compassion pitye Wherunto we be admonysshed by our lord saynge Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum Put me sayth our lord as a seale vpon thy herte A seale as ye knowe if it be iÌ„prynted in to wax it leaueth in it his image So our lord wolde that his passion shuld be so imprinted in our hertes nat onely be ofte remembraunce but also by deuoute compassion that the prynt and image therof abyde in our affection and feruent desyre so that as Iesus Christe was made reed and blody on the crosse so our deuocion in vs may be made reed and feruent by the vertue of compassion And hereunto we be counselled by the wordes of Moyses saing Sumes de sanguine vituli et pones super coâ—nua altaris That thou shal take of the blode of the calf signifieng the blode of Christe and thou shal put it vpon the corners of the aulter that is vpon thy thoughtê affections with feruent remembrauÌ„ce of the blode of Christe And so we shal fulfyll the admonition of saynt Paule saynge as I sayde before Hoc sentite in vobis quod et in Christo Iesu Feale in your self that Christe Iesu felt And thus we may feele hym in our soule .ii. maner of wayes First by the bitter affection of compassion and that is when we remembre the passion of Christe with so great compassion that it bringeth forth of vs most bytter teares so y t suche a deuoute soule may say with the wise man O mors quam amara est me moria tua O deth howe bitter and sorowfull is thy remeÌ„braunce and specially the remembrauÌ„ce of the deth of Christe Secondly we may feele hym in our hertes or soules by the moste swete and pleasaunt affection of deuotion and that is when we remembre most inwardly depely the great loue and charite of Christ that wolde suffer so greuous paynes and shamefull dethe for so vyle wretches and vnkynde as we be And so this deuout remeÌ„brauÌ„ce bringeth forth of vs most swete teares of deuotion So that we may say that is writen in the boke of Iudith Fontes aquarum ob dulcorati sunt That is the bitter fountayns ben made swete and delectable A figure herof we rede in scripture where as our lord commaunded to Moyses to put a tree that was both longe and bitter in to the water that was so bitter that no man culde drynk therof and so therby the waters were made swet and delectable What is signified by this water but the passion of our lord which is so bitter and paynful that no man may taste therof And by this long and bitter tree is signified the longe and continual remembraunce Whiche if it be ioyned and put to the passion of our lord it shal make it swete and pleasaunt so that the more we taste of it by deuout remeÌ„braunce the more delectable it shal be to vs. And therfore our holy mother the churche sayth in a certen hympne Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulce pondus sustinet That is The swete tree of the crosse susteyneth and bereth a swete burden nayled fast with swete nayles For that whiche was most bitter and paynfull to our sauiour Iesu in his passion somtyme is moste delectable and comfortable to vs in our deuoute meditations These two maners of teares that is bitter and swete sprynge out of this deuout affection of the passion of our lorde And hereunto speaketh saynt Barnarde as we sayd a fore In the remeÌ„braunce of the paynes that my sauiour Iesu sufferd for me I drynke somtyme a draught of holsome bitternes And somtyme agayne I receyue the pleasaunt vnction or oyntment of deuoute consolation ¶ Howe we shuld fele Christes passion in our actes and dedes The thyrde Chapitre THyrdly we shulde fele the paynes of Christe in our effectes and outward operations That lyke as the deuout remembraunce of Christes passion enflameth our affection and loue inwardly so it myght appere be shewed outwardly in our warkes and lyuing Hereunto we be couÌ„seled by the wyse men sayng Prepara foris opus tuum That is to say Suche deuotion as thou haste inwardly conceyued by affection and loue let it be shewed outwardly in thy dedes For as saynt Gregore sayth the dede outwardly done is a sufficient argumeÌ„t or proue of the inwarde loue So by the inwarde loue of man is shewed or knowen his inwarde compassion Also it is writen in the seconde boke of the kynges Omnia que habes in corde tuo fac quoniam dominus tecum est As if he shulde say what so euer good thynge thou hast conceyued in thy hert shewe it outwarde in thy dedes Also it is writen in Exodo Fac secundum exemplar quod tibi monstratum est in monte Performe in thy lyuynge that goodnes whiche thou receyued of god in thy soule And therfore our lorde sayth to vs in his gospel Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam quotidie If any man wyll be my disciple and cum after me let hym denye hym selfe that is forsake his owne wyl and pleasure and take his own crosse that is put his owne body to payne and that dayly For we must coÌ„tinue in penaunce and so folowe Christe in our lyuyng outwardly and nat onely inwardly and hereto saith saint Paule Ostentionem caritatis vestre ostendite in faciem ecclesie That is shewe your good wyl and charitie openly in the face of the churche that is in our werkes in our dedes And saynt Peter sayth Christus passus est pro nobis relinquens exemplum vt s equamini eum Christ hath suffered paynes and deth for vs gyuynge vs example to folowe hym he doth nat say that we shulde haue a wyll desyre only to folowe hym but he sayth playnly that Christe hath left vnto vs an example that we shulde folowe hym in our dedes in sufferynge paynes as he dyd And then it myght be truely sayd of vs that we fele in our selfe that Christe felte whan he suffere lyke paynes as Christe suffred so that by suche sharpe penaunce and harde laboures our bodyes be subdued and our blode minysshed And so the sayng of scripture may be verifyed in vs Effudit sanguinem belli in pace He hath shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace They do shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace which by sharp penaunce great bodyly labours so subdue theyr bodyes that theyr blode is moche minisshed and theyr face made pale Suche maner of exercises of the
vertuouse but also with them that appered nat so vertuouse yet towardes hyr selfe she was meruelously vndiscrete moche abiectynge and dispisynge hyr selfe and as it semed to hyr company punysshynge hyr selfe sumtyme aboue measure But certeynly so moche the more she was dyscrete to hyr selfe for as moche as she dyd nat presume to do any thynge vnto hyr selfe but as she was famylyarely taughtâ—of the holy goost For she durst nat absteyne one hole day from her refection except that she were most surely rauysshed rapte vp aboue hyr selfe and from all hyr sensys And yet sumtyme whan she was rapte she dyd attempte and proue to take hyr refection to auoide thoccasion and murmure of other persons that were in hyr company but in no meanes she myght receyue it into hyr stomack and for payne therof she was sumtyme almoost ouercum And therfore afterwarde she had that lyberty to absteyne whan she wold and non occasion taken therof nor any man durst aske of her why she dyd so Also oftentymes whan the preest lyfted vp the blessyd sacrament of the body of our lorde aboue his hed she se bytwyxte the handes of the preest the forme and shap of a moost fayre chylde Also she se a great multitude of aungels descendyng from heuyn with a great lyght And after the vsynge or receyuynge of the sacrament she se in spirite our lorde remaynynge in the soule of the preste and lyghtenynge it with a meruelouse clerenes Or els yf the preest receyuyd the body of our lorde vnworthely she se than our lord departed from that soule with indignacion leuynge it in a great darkenes and voyde of all goodnes ¶ The gyfte of strengthe is gyuen to man by the feruent remembraunce of Christes passion The .xii. Chapitre BY the deuoute and ofte remembraunce of the passion of our lorde is also gyuen vnto man the gyft of gostly strength agaynste our spyrytuall enemies and the multitude of temptacions And by this gyfte inordinate feare is put away Hardy and inordynate boldnes is reduced to a due measure and all aduersities ben strongly borne suffred For who so euer be crucified with Christe thrugh the feruent remembraunce of his blessyd passion â–ª is animated and strengthed to entrepryse great and harde thynges to contempne and set at nought all worldly pleasures to suffre paciently and gladly all tribulacions and to expugne or ouercum all vyces That faythefull seruaunt whiche doethâ—feruently remembre his lordes passion and to whom his lorde hathe gyuen many graces that person I say doeth consydre and se the meruelouse and incomprehensible strengthe of Christe in his interprysyng great battels in his sufferaunce and in the vanquesshynge or subduynge of the deuyll I say in his entreprysynge of great and harde thynges for he faught great and terryble battelles for the saluacion of his enemy vnkynde man Also the meruelouse strengthe of Christe doeth appere in his pacience where as he suffred most obprobriouse sharpe and greuouse tourmentes and that of his creatures And thyrdely his incomprehensible strengthe was shewed in subduynge so myghty and strong a lorde or rather I may saye a tyraunte the deuyll that vsurped the dominion ouer all the worlde whome our lorde by the dethe of the crosse strongely dyd ouercum and so by his dethe destrued the autor and cause of deth These thynges well considered it is no maruell yf the faythefull knyght of Christe and folower of his lorde moued by these examples of Christe entrepryse and goâ— aboute to do great and harde thynges And the more harde vyle or paynefull the thynges be the more gladly diligently and more feruently wyll he attempte them And that specyally yf it be to the laude and honour of god and the helthe conforte of soules For than there can be nothyng to harde to vyle nor to paynfull for hym to do or suffre for god whiche dyd so great thynges for hym so vyle a wretche Yea also he thynketh all thynges though they be neuer so paynefull to be swete pleasaunt delectable commendable and moche to be desyred yf thereby he may be assimulate or made lyke vnto the moost shamefull and paynefull dethe of Christe his lorde god Those thynges this faythfull seruant doeth more gladly in those he occupieth hym selfe more aiudiously those thynges he sercheth and oft remembreth those he desyreth to fulfyll with a feruent mynde nat grudgynge nor sayenge why put you me to this vyle offyce to this shame to this labour and payne But rather thynkynge why shal I nat do these thynges with a glad mynde Nor he doeth nat repute or thynke hym selfe to be of any reputacion for that he serueth god but he thynketh it a greate thynge that it wolde please almighty god of his onely goodnes to accept vnto his seruyce so vyle vnworthy and moost myserable wretche as he is Wherefore in all these thynges his herte is onely pleased in that that he may be conformable to his lorde god and that he doeth folow hym in sufferaunce of troubles as moche as he may for hys frailtie And that he suffreth he knowledgeth it to be for his synnes And all his ioye is that his lorde is honoured by his glad pacience and sufferaunce of tribulacions This faythfull seruaunte hathe so strongly subdued and tyed his appetyte vnder the yocke and captiuitie of ryght reason that it shall nat haue his wanton pleasure in any carnall or worldly desyre nor yet in any vayne or vnprofytable thynge Also he kepeth his herte with all diligence as a castell of greate strengthe so that he wyll nat suffre any synfull thought to rest therein nor yet any vayne or vnfruitfull imaginacions to wandre therein He is euer thynkynge or considerynge those thynges that ben spyrytuall and godly or inducyng vnto god with great ioye he desyreth those thinges feruently laboureth to bryng them to effect But for as moche as in this lyfe euermore or for the moost parte the chaffe is myxt with the corne therfore this faythfull seruant taketh the rydell or wyndose of discrecion in his hande and so wyndeth and purgeth the chaffe from the corne in the doore of his herte He taketh into his hande the burnynge and sharpe swerde to kepe diligently his herte as the paradyse of god so that what so euer in his herte desyreth to eate of the tree of lyfe that is all suche thoughtes as be godlye spirituall and lyuely suche he diligentely doeth cheryssh and nourysshe And yf any thoughte do onely loke vnto the fruyte forboden that is to any thynge contrary to the commaundementes or pleasure of god suche thoughtes he wyll shortely expell frome his herte so that they shall haue no pleasaunt abydynge there The dysceytfull serpent shall haue none entraunce into that herte Ne yet the flatterynge persuacion of the woman And yf peraduenture he perceyue any suche appere in his herte anon he wyll remoue it wyth indignacion and sharpe rebukes for there onely bene nourysshed manly godlye
agre in one sentence to condemne to deth the rightuous person And there was not one that wolde speake for the innocent that wolde defende hym excuse hym or requyre respyt of that he myght answere or defend hym selfe but all they condempned hym as worthy deth where as Christe spake onely the treuth And note here the merueylouse folysshenes or rather madnes of this bisshop howe he syttynge in the place of a iudge dyd peruerte the ordre of iustyce and of the lawe Fyrst he gaue sentence of blasphemy agaynst Christe and after that he asked counsell of suche as satte in examinacyon with hym sayeng what thynke you in this cause and they sayd Reus est mortis He is worthy death Suche a iudge hath suche counsellers they were the accusers of Christe they discussed and examined his cause and they also gaue sentence and all contrarie to the order of the lawe They sayd he is gyltye and worthy death It Christ had blasphemed as they said that he dyd they had then sayd treuthe for who so euer dyd blaspheme the name of god by the lawe he shulde suffer death for he shulde be stoned to death But for asmoche as Christe dyd not so in dede as they sayd therfore theyr sentence was false and wycked And therfore this condempnacion of Christ vnto the death is conueniently nombred amonges the articles of Christes passyon for what man is there that wyll not be heuy and sory to be falsly condeÌ„pned vnto deth how moche then shulde Christe be sory beynge moste innocent and the lyfe of all lyuynge creatures to be condempned vnto so shameful a death of the crosse and that by those persons whome he came to saue and helpe ¶ Here folowe ii lessons OF this article we may take .ii. lessons Fyrst that this voyce of the Iues Reus est mortis He is worthy death whiche was spoken of Christ most innocent that this voyce I say neuer rest or be founde in our hertes and mouthes Nor that it at ony tyme be truely veryfyed in vs as it may be of euery persone that committeth deedly synne for of euery suche person it maye be truly spoken He is worthy death The seconde is that if at any tyme we be persued and also condempned to the deth falsely innocently or without iustyce and for the name of Christe that we be not troubled but rather glad and ioyefull remembrynge as Christ sayth that our reward shal be great and plentuous in heuen if we here paciently suffer for Christe and than pray as foloweth or in lyke maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche feared not the Wycked voyce of the most cruell Iues when they sayd of the Reus est mortis He is worthy deth and pacyently dyd suffer the same for me most wretche kepe and preserue me that I neuer be founde worthye eternall deth in thy syght Amen ¶ Of the buffetynge or smytyng in the necke of Christ The .xvi. article THe .xvi. article is the beatynge or smytynge of christ in the necke with theyr fystes for whan Iesus hadde confessed hym selfe to be the sonne of god whiche the Iues toke for the most blasphemy that might be then all the compeyney that were present fel vpon hym lyke mad men rebukynge and mockynge hym some dyd spytte in his face and some dyd smyte hym in the necke with theyr fystes as saynt Mathewe sayth Comonly suche persones as be taken for foolys or vyle persons and dispysed be so smyten in the necke Therfore in that that the Iues bet Christ with theyr fystes in the necke there is not so moche intended in this article the payne that then he suffred as the coÌ„tumely and dispisynge for that they that tyme reputed hym as a foole and a vyle person for therby he was mocked scorned and blasphemed and therfore they also pinched nipped him and pulled hym by the chekes by the heyre of his berde whiche all he suffred pacyently and so was fulfylled the sayenge of the prophyt whiche sayd in the person of Christ Corpus meum dedi percutientibus et genas meas vellentibus I offer my body pacyently to them that smote it and my chekes to them that pynched them And these laste wordes some men expounde them of the rentynge and tearynge of Christes chekes with the sharpe nayles of the most cruell Iues and some doctours declare them of the pullynge of Christes heyre out from his berde whether of these be true or that both be true whiche I rather suppose I may well se and ê‘ceyue that the cursed handes of the most cruell Iues were not saciate with smytyng beatyng spyttyng in that most swete face of our sauiour Iesu but also they rent his beautious face with theyr nayles pluckyng out the heyre frome hys berde and as Symon de Cassia saith This smytyng in y e neck may signifye vnder a misterie the obstinate malice of the Iues wherby they coÌ„tinually curse our fayth whiche ioyneth vs vnto god and also it signifieth the crueltie of the paganes which coÌ„tinually labored by theyr tyrannie to distroy cut away our fayth For the pagans before y t they were coÌ„uerted to the faith they put to deth as many faythfull people as they might get Colaphus is properly called a beetyng in the necke with y e fyst Nowe spuÌ„ally our faith is called the necke of the church for asmoch as it ioyneth the hed the body togyther that is christians be ioyned to christ by fayth and this faith shulde be strong as the necke and therfore in the canticles it is compared to the towre of Dauid which was very stronge Our sauiour Iesus was smyten in the necke .xl. tymes in the house of Cayphas and there were gathered in this counsell of the Iues agaynste Christe lxxvii Iues. ¶ A Lesson IN this article we may take this lesson that we be well ware that we neuer beate Christ in the necke as saynte Bede sayth All false christians that confesse Christe in worde and denye hym in theyr lyuyng they beat Christ in the necke for Colaphus is that stroke that is gyuen byhynde a man They also do beate Christe in the necke that prefer theyr owne honor and glorie before the glory of Christe And also they that sclaunder theyr neyghbour byhynde his backe And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article he may gyue hym selfe a clap in the necke in the remembraunce of all Christes strokes and then praye thus ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde be smytten by the cruell Iues in the necke for my loue graunt to me that I may so confesse the my lorde god with my mouthe that I neuer do contrarye thy preceptes in my dedes Amen ¶ Of the spittyng in Christes face The .xvii. article THe .xvii. article is of y e spittyng in Christê face whan al the Iues had accused Christ as worthy to dye then they dyd spytte in his face as in a persone most vyle abiecte and
in to this worlde without synne departed not hens without most greuous paynes and passyon what paynes then be they worthye to haue whiche were conceyued and borne in synne and all theyr lyfe haue continued in synne Herunto saythe saynte Gregorie As ofte as I remember the deth of our sauiour the pacyence of Iob and the death of Iohan the Baptiste I say to the O synner therby I consider what paynes shall they suffer when god reproueth syth tho whome he loueth and hathe chosen suffer so greuous paynes Fourthlye this ledynge was moche paynfull to Christe For the place whether he wente was moche fylthye and stynkynge It is called in Ebrew Golgoltha that is by interpÌ„tation Iocus Caluarie The place of the skull for Caluaria is called y e skull of a mannes hed when the skynne flesshe the heire is all gone this place was so called bycause all they that were condempned to deth were headed or hanged there To that place they broughte hym bycause men shulde suppose that he was a misordred person There was also many boones of deade mennes bodyes and specyallye the skulles of the heedes spredde abrode ouer all that place and that made it abhominable to beholde and also stynkyng And for this cause this leadynge was moche paynfull to Christe and the space that Christe went bearynge his crosse was .vi. C.lxvi passes And from the fote of the mount of Caluary vnto the top where as the crosse was fixed in the erth were fyfty passes And in this ledynge Christ fel. v. tymes vnder the crosse vnto the erth and when they had brought hym to that place the saugiours pulled of his clothes c. as in the next article ¶ Here folowe .iii. Lessons OF this article we may lerne .iii. lessons First is as Christ was led wyllyngly vnto his passion with all pacyence as a shepe vnto his deth so shuld we wyllyngly and with pacyence be led vnto the obedience of the preceptes of god and of our prelates in the place of our lorde by the whiche obedience our propre wyll is slayne or subdued this desyred the prophete saynge Deduc me in semita mandatorum tuorum c. Lede me lorde in the path of thy commaundementes for that I haue desyred The seconde lesson is that we shulde folowe Christe goyng to his passion wepyng the miserie of our awne frayltie with the women for as Theophilus sayth The frayle soule signified by the woman if it with a contrite herte wepe by penaunce it foloweth Christe The thyrde lesson is that pylgryms that go on pylgrymege for penaunce or deuocyon and religious persones for obediens goynge by the way if at any tyme they be wery they shulde remember this ledynge of our sauiour Iesus and his werynes c. And a man to coÌ„forme hym self to this article he shuld remember with howe great shame Christe was ledde vnto hys deth for our greate glorie and so lette hym wepe with the holye women at lest in the desyre of his hert and theÌ„ pray as foloweth ¶ A prayer O Iesu which forme wolde be led vnto Golgoltha to be there crucifyed lede me in the pathe of thy commaundementes that I may folowe the steppes of thy passion with the holye women and wepe vpon my selfe the miserie of my frayle coÌ„dicyon ¶ Howe Christe was spoyled of his clothes before the crosse The .xlv. article THe .xlv. article is the pullyng of Christes clothes before y t he was crucified for wheÌ„ Iesus was come to y e place where as he shulde be crucifyed the saugiours pulled of his clothes before the crosse And as Marke sayth Dabant ei bibere vinum mirrhatum They gaue hym to drynke bytter wyne for it was mixte with gall as Mathew sayth and when Iesus had tasted of it he wolde not drynke for he wolde not mortifye or hurt his tongue wherwith he intended to praye for his enemyes and to make his testament And in this was fulfylled the saynge of the ê“phet Dederunt in escam meam fel. c. They put gall in to my meate and they gaue me to drynke asell or vynacre This poynt of the pullyng of Christes clothes doth conueniently make a specyall article for it is no lityll payne for a man to be stripte naked before all the people for so they dyd to Christ for he was all naked without any cloth the which thing was neuer done before to the most vyle persons for comonly at the lest they left theyr shyrtes to hyde theyr nakednes And in this pullyng of his clothes his wouÌ„des that he had before with theyr beatynges and scourgynges ware renewed to his great sorowe and payne for his inner garment dyd cleue fast vnto his backe And herunto sayth the prophet Super dolorem vulnerum meorum addiderunt They added wounde vpon wounde and so sorowe or payne vpon payne vnto me O blessed mother what sorowe was this to the when thou se hym so cruelly handled thou wente to hym with spede and tyed thy veyle aboute his bodye This most louely lorde Iesus wold be naked that thou synner myght beholde howe pitiously that most pure bodie of his was arayed for the he was naked for the whiche dyd create the and beynge eterne god was cladde with beautie and streÌ„gth he was naked to whome we synge and saye with the prophete Confessionem et decorem induisti amictus lumine sicut vestimento Thou arte cladde with praysynges and beautie thou arte cladde with light as with a garmente This lorde god is made a spectacle to all the worlde a wonder to many persones and a mockynge stocke to the people for at hym they shoke theyr hed Thou our hed our ioy and our honour and glorie good Iesus arte thus despysed this article is different from the .xxx. article for there he was naked before Pylate and his ministers and here it was openly before all the people There they toke from hym the white garmeÌ„t that herode put vpon hym to mocke hym here they spoyled hym of his owne clothes there he was stripte naked to be scourged here to be crucifyed there he was clad agayne here they toke all his clothes frome hym Of this nakednes saynt Ambrose saythe Christe naked ascended his crosse and there he shewed hym selfe vnto vs that we myght knowe howe we were made by god and nature he hange vpon the crosse as Adam was in paradise for as our first Adam dyd inhabyte paradise naked so the seconde Adam our sauiour Iesus dyd enter in to paradise naked And as some say there was a stone vpon the whiche our sauyour Iesus sat naked vnto such tyme the crosse was prepared and made redy and there sittyng he suffred many rebukes both by spyttynges smytynges and many blasphemouse wordes speakynge to hym And whan the crosse was made redy then most furiouslye they toke Christ c. as in the next article A lesson as in y e. xxx article ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche
to taste of the fruyte of the sayde tree dyd consente to the deuyle and so make an obligacyon of his awne dampnacyon therfore our sauiour Iesus that he myght cancell and distroye the sayd obligacion and writynge wold be faste nayled both in handes and fete to the tree of the crosse with the nayles of vnsuperable charitie therby cancelynge and destroyeng that decre and writyng that was contrarie to our saluacyon for our sauiour Iesus toke it from the deuyl and fastened it to the crosse as saynt Paule saith O howe gladlye dyd Christ ascende vpon this crosse with what loue dyd he suffer al these paynes for vs with what pacyēce was he obedient vnto the dethe howe great pleasure had his father omnipotent in that obedience O what sorowes wepynges and mornynges ware there harde amonge his frendes and louers and specyally of his most sorowful mother when he was so cruelly extended fastened nayled and in all his holye body vexed O moste wonder O the depenes of pitie O the greate fyre of loue O the meruaylous pitie of god towardes vs. O the inestimable charitie of god Besyde this reason we may assigne .iii. other reasons why christ wolde be crucifyed First that he hangynge vpon the crosse myght shewe hym selfe to be a mediatour and meane bitwixt god and man and this is taken of the glose Pri◠ad Timoth. scdo Seconde reason is that as the deuyle dyd ouercome Adam by the tre so he shulde be ouercome by the tre of the crosse The thyrde is that he myghte euidentlye shewe that he suffred deth for to repayre the ruyne and decay of the aungelles in heuen also to bryng out and deliuered his frendes from hel that is called Lymbus patrum to gather together his louers and to reconsyle his enemyes It is comonly sayd that the crosse was made of .iiii. diuerse treeys that is the stocke or fote was of Cedre the streyght longe tree was a Palme the armes or tree ouerwharte was a Cipresse and the table aboue the crosse wherin the title was writen and fixed was of Olyue The cedre signifyeth the profoūdnes of contemplacyon The Cipresse fame of good opinyon The Palme signifieth y e fruyte of iustice And the Olyue the plentuousnes of mercy Therfore the crosse of Christ is worthely called the tree of lyfe for of it we may gather threfolde lyfe or thre maner of lyues First the lyfe of nature in token herof When Christ was Crucified deade men roose agayne to lyfe of nature Secondly the lyfe of grace and in signe herof when Christ dyd pray vpō the crosse there were many conuerted to grace and knocked vpon theyr brestes Thyrdly the lyfe of glorie in token herof Christ hyngynge vpon the crosse sayd to the thefe This day thou shal be with me in paradise ¶ Here folowe .ii. Lessons THe first lesson is that we shulde crucify our fleshe with all his vyces and concupiscences that we myghte be fixed to god with nayles that is with the preceptes of Iustice as Christe was nayled to the crosse The second is that we be ware that we neuer make nailes wherwith the handes or fete of Christe shulde be nayled or wounded They make nayles to crucifye Christe whiche sawe or cause discorde among louers and neyghbours They wounde or nayle the handes of our lorde whiche wyll not gyue almes of suche gooddes as god hath gyuen to them They nayle the fete of Christ which wyl rather go to tauernes and vayne sportes than to the churche ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me wolde be nayled with moste hard nayles vnto the crosse and therby wolde fasten the obligation and writynge of our synnes and deth vnto thy crosse nayle fast I beseche the my fleshe with thy feare that I surely cleuyng fast to thy commaundementes may euermore be fastened to the and to thy holy crosse Amen ¶ How Christes handes and fete were nayled specially of the first or lefte hande The .xlviii. article THe .xlviii. article is the diggynge borynge or naylynge of Christes handes and fete whiche caused a specyall and greuous payne to Christ and therfore they make a specyall article and herof speaketh the prophet in the person of Christe Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos They haue digged and bored my handes and my fete But for asmoche as by suche cruell boryng and naylyng Christe suffred or had .iiii. greuouse woundes of the which euery one of them caused a specyal and distincte payne therfore conueniently this article conteyneth in it selfe .iiii. distincte and dyuerse articles that is for euery hand and fote one distincte article so that this .xlviii. article is of the naylynge of the firste hande The next of the naylynge of the seconde hande the .l. article is of the borynge of the firste fote And the .li. article is of the boorynge or naylynge of the ryght fote And note here that we say not the ryght hande and the lefte hand for comonly in scripture by the ryght hande is noted vertue and goodnes and by the lefte hand vyce euyl in Christ is no sinistrall thyng or euyll And as saynt Hierom sayth The extension of the firste hande vnto the crosse dyd take and nayle faste deth vnto the crosse And the extension of the seconde hande dyd fynde lyfe that was perisshed and lost And the first hande may be here called that hand which they first nayled whiche paraduenture myght be that hand that we call in vs the left hande bycause it is more nigh to the hert Or els for a misterie the whiche those crucifiers dyd not intende that is this For firste the euyll vyce or synne is to be remoued whiche is signified by the lefte hande and afterwarde is vertue and goodnes brought in whiche is noted by the ryghte hande Therfore the first wounde was in the first or lefte hand In scripture comonly by y e handes ar vnderstanded werkes And so these handes of hym that wrought in the begynnyng or made y e world dyd nowe performe in the crosse the werke of oure redemption whiche werke standeth in .ii. thynges that is in the destruccion of deth and reparacyon of lyfe But firste he destroyed death wherby is vnderstanded synne and all that foloweth therof And therfore we sayd before that the extension of the first hande vnto the tree of the crosse dyd take death and so faste nayle it vnto the crosse And morouer he wrote with his owne blode in the same hande as it were in velym or parchment a writynge of his victorie that he had vpon or ouer deth And that this writyng shulde euer cōtinue he graued it very depe in to his hand yea it persed through his hande And of this saynt Bernarde sayth Christe is exalted vpon the crosse the handes fete of the moste benigne Iesus be faste nayled to that crosse his blode is drawen out our mediatour and meane standeth before his father as Moyses dyd before god in
pricked or hurte the parte inwarde doth fele the payne aswel as the outwarde parte And so when Iesus the sonne of the vyrgyn was scourged and pricked with thornes the herce of the glorious virgyn was in a maner also payned and pricked and so in lyke maner when her sonne Iesus was crucifyed and his herte persed with a spere it seamed to her as if her awne herte hadde ben persed with the same spere And therfore god wroughte no small miracle in that that the gloryous virgyn hys mother woūded inwardlye in her soule with so many greuous and greate sorowes dyd not yelde vp her spiryte and dye and specyallye when she se her moste dearebeloued sonne hangynge bytwixte two theues naked wounded scorned of all men crucyfyed and deade and then his herte persed with a speare It was I saye a greate miracle that she lyued For the wyfe of Phinees the sonne of Hely the Iudge of Israel hearynge that the arke of god was taken she beynge greate with chylde sodaynlye felle to traueyllynge and for the greate and vehement sorowe the whiche that she hadde for the takynge of the arche of god she chylded and dyed and yet her sorowes and greate paynes ware no thynge so vehement and so greate as the sorowes of the blessed virgyne Mary nor ware to be compared to the sorowes of the mother of Iesu whiche dyd se the bodye of her sonne signifyed by that arche crucifyed by hys enemyes and so put to the moste shamefull death whiche vyrgyne also the same nyght after that her sonne was buryed goynge thorowe the cytye of Hierusalem weapte so bitterlye and pitiouslye that all bothe men and women that se and herde her ware prouoked to sorowe and mournynge Also that moste encreased her sorowes that she dydde se hym at his deathe so bette wounded in greate thyrste or drynesse and coulde not helpe hym and namelye so cruellye racked vpon the crosse there nayled and after his deth his herte persed with a speare These ware her sorowes and aboue thyese she was compelled to entre in to an other mannes house and there to continue in sorowe and mournynge And so the mother of god the quene of heuen and the ladye of all the worlde was susteyned with the almes and charitye of other men But why wolde oure lorde suffer her to haue all these tribulacyons bycause he intended to exalte her after her deathe aboue all creatures in glorye whiche excellente singular and vnestimable gyfte he wolde not gyue to her for the merites of any other persone for the rewarde of glorye shal be gyuen after a mannes awne merytes and deseruynges and not for any other mannes merytes And therfore he wolde haue hys blessed mother subdued to harde lobours paygnes and sorowes in her selfe in the moste hyghe pouertye in extreme vilytye and despection in the moste profounde mekenesse moste pure chastytye moste perfyte charitye and in other lyke vertues and paynes and specyally in sufferynge of paynes and sorowes that she myghte go by the same waye that her dearebeloued sonne Iesus dyd ¶ A Lesson OF this article we maye lerne to haue compassion of the afflyccyon of our parentes and to prouyde for them in theyr necessityes accordynglye to the commaundement of god honor thy father and thy mother and thys oure swete sauyoure Chryst taughte vs by his example And herunto saynte Austen sayth The tree of the crosse vpon the whiche the mēbres of Christ ware nayled at his deathe this tree I saye was also a chayre wherin our doctoure and mayster Chryste 〈◊〉 and taughte vs. And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde haue compassyon of the mother of Christe or as I maye saye of his owne dearbeloued lady and mother our blessed lady Marie as Christ hadde compassyon on her and then praye thus ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me crucifyed hauynge compassyon of thy mothers sorowe and compassyon wolde diligentlye commende her to thy dearbeloued disciple Iohan and also commende hym to her I commende me vnto the and also all myne in that faythe and loue that thou commendeste them togyther meakelye besechynge the that for the tendernes of so great loue thou woldest make me to come truelye and perfytely to thy loue and thoroughe theyr prayer and commendacyon I maye be preserued and kepte frome all aduersytye and peryll in the perylles and daungers of this worlde and lyfe Amen ¶ Howe the manhode of Chryste compleyned hym selfe to be forsaken of god The .lix. article THe .lix. article is when Chryste sayde hym selfe to be lefte and also forsaken of god As the euangeliste saythe frome the syxte houre of the daye vnto the neynth houre that is frome .xii. of the clocke vnto thre at after none there was a greate derkenes ouer all the erthe For the sonne was in an vniuersall eclypse whiche was agaynste the naturall disposycyon and order of the sonne for that tyme and therfore it was done by miracle and by the onelye power of god And hereunto saynte Austen saythe for as moche as the innocente lambe Chryste the true sonne of Iustyce dyd suffer the eclypse of deathe therfore thys visible sonne the moste clere lyghte of all the worlde hauynge compassyon of his creatoure and maker withdrewe the beames of his lyght and hyd hym selfe as thoughe he durst not or wolde not beholde his maker hyngynge vpon the crosse nor se his most vyle and bytter death And then about the .ix. houre of the day our sauyour Iesus cryed with a greate and lowde voyce And that was as Symon de Cassia sayth for he suffred greate tormentes and paynes Also for that he suffred greate wronge and iniurie He cryed with a great voyce of the bodye but that was more by the vertue and power of his godhed than of his manhed He cryed with a great voyce for the great paynes that he suffred myght not preuayle agaynst hym but at his awne wyll He cryed with a great voyce that they myght heare hym and knowe hym hyngynge vpon the crosse and at the poynt of deth whom they wolde not heare swetely and deuoutly preachynge but rather with a froward obstinate mynd euer despysed hym Iesus cryed with a great voyce and spake his .iiii. word vpon the crosse saynge Heli heli lama hazastani These be wordes of Hebrewe and thus they be spoken in latyn Deus meus deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me My god my god wherfore haste thou left or forsaken me These be not the wordes of the godhed of Christ for that suffred no payne it is vnpossible as if the sonne beame shuld shyne vpon a tree and one person toke an ax or hatchet and dyd kut that tree the sonne beame shulde in no thynge be hurte therby and so in lyke maner though the body and manhod of Christ suffred great paynes and deth yet the godhed therin was in nothyng hurte ne yet suffred any payne but Christ spake
loue and seruice his hart was also openyd for the effusion of the price of our redemption As ye shall see in the next article ¶ Here folow .iii. lessons THe fyrste lesson of this article is that we shulde dye with Christe that is from the worlde and synne if we wyll lyue with hym in glorie eternall And here vnto saynt Paule sayth Si commortui sumus cum Christo et conuiuemus If we dye with Christe we shall lyue with Christe And in an other place Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cum Christo in deo ⧠✚ ☞ Ye be deade fromme the worlde and all vayne or transitorie thynges and your lyfe is hyd with Christ in god The second lesson is that it is very good and profitable to say deuotely those .x. psalmes coÌ„monly called the psalmes of the passion which Christ sayd in his prayer hangyng vpon y e crosse for without doute who so reades or sayes them deuoutly shal finde great conforthe Thyrdlie euery christian at his death shulde vse and keape the forsaid .v. thynges that Christ dyd at his death he dyd pray crie weape commendyd his soule to his father and gaue vp his spirite So we at our death shulde pray crye to our lorde for his helpe at leste in hert wepe for our synnes by trewe contricion commend our soule to god and to gyue vp our spirit that is with a good will to dye and so to conforme our wyll to the will of god A man to conforme hym selfe to this article may ofte remembre these lessons with y e premisses sayd in this article and pray as foloweth ¶ A Lesson O Blissed Iesu which for me dyeng vpon y e crosse dyd commend thy soule to thy father graunt to me that I may spiritually so dye to the and with the in this life that it wold please the at the houre of my death to haue my wretched soule recoÌ„mendyd to the which liues and reignys with god the father and the holy ghost world without ende Amen ¶ The openyng of Christes side and hert with a spere the .lxiii. Article THe .lxiii. Article is the openynge or wondyng of Christes hert with a spere For at y e death of Christ there ware shewed many miracles as y e derknes of the soÌ„ne y e cuttyng of y e veyle in y e temple y e rentyng or breakyng of the stonys the openyng of the monumentes or grauys the conuersion of the noble man and capiteyn Centurio the conuersion of the thefe of many other that seyng these great thynges that ware done knocked vpon there brestes in sygne or token of penaunce and returned homewardes his moste heuy mother there abidyng with a fewe women with her The Iues then bicause it was the sabboth euyn that the bodyes shulde not remayne vpon the crosse on the saboth day for that sabboth day was an high day and festfull with them they I say besought Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and so taken downe of the crosse then camme the sawgyours and brake the legges of both the theuys And when they camme to Iesus and saw that he was deed alredie they brake not his legges for as the legges of the paschall lambe ware not broken no more ware the legges of Christ that is the true lambe of god and in that was the scripture fulfylled that saith os non comminuetis ex eo He shall not breake a bone of hym But there cam one of the sawgiours with a spere and dyd thrust Christ in to the side and forthwith there came out blode and watre This sawgior was called Longius and he was blinde or at lest his sight was but weke and what tyme he had thrust Christ to the hert with his spere y e blode runnyng downe by the speare vnto his handes he not knowing the vertue therof touched or rubbed his yen with his blody haÌ„des and so had his syght clerely gyuen to hym Also of this blode and watre all the sacramentes of y e churche haue theyr efficacitie vertue and strenght as by theyr meritoriouse cause As the mayster of the sentence sayth and all doctours And though at that tyme the deed bodye of Christ could feale no payne yet y e Iues did this thing of a great malice and to the great rebuke of Christ for they ware not â—aciate and content with the obprobries rebukes and paynes that they put hym to in his lyfe but that also they wolde put hym to more and so persew hym after his death And for that cause this wondyng of Christes syde is taken here for a speciall article of Christes passion for all y e cruelties shames and despites that be done to y e deed corpes or corse be acompted as if they ware done to the persones lyuyng As somtyme the bodyes of deed persones be drawen hangyd headyd quarteryd or burned for the correction and punishment of suche defawtes as those persones dyd in ther liues And though Christ that tyme deed felt not that wounde of his syde yet the blessyd virgyn his mother felt it for that spere then dyd perse her most sorowfull soule as saynt Bernard sayth truly O blessid mother than the swerde of sorow did perse thy soule when that cruell spere openyd thy son syde after his death His soule then was not present with his bodye But thy soule myght not be departed from it for y e soule is rather there where it louyth than where it gyuith life so not without great cause we say that thou art more than a martyr for the effecte of compassion in the dyd exceade the fealyng of all bodilye paynes ¶ Of the miracles that ware done at this tyme we shall speake in the begynnyâ—g of the thyrd parte of this myrrour boke or treatesse OF this wounde of the side of our lorde the deuote and holy saynt Bernard saith thus O good Iesu thy side was wouÌ„ded and openid that we myght haue entrance or a way to cumme to the. Thy hert was wouÌ„ded that we absolued from al outward trobles and busines myght reste and abyde therin It was also wounded that by that visible wounde we myght see the inuisible wounde of thy loue for who so euer feruently louith he is wounded with loue And how myght his burnyng loue be more clerelie and openly declared to vs but in that y t he wold not onely haue his bodie outwardly woundyd but also haue his hart wounded with a spere therfore this bodely wounde doth shewe to vs his spiritual wounde of loue Arise therfore thou spouse of Chryst as a doue buyidyng thy nest and restyng place in the deapnes of this hole or wounde there watche coÌ„tinually as a sparow fynding thy nest there hyd thy birdes of chaste loue with the turtyll Ioyne or put thy mouth to that wounde that thou may sucke or drawe the watre of helth from y e fouÌ„tayns of our sauiour This is y e wel that
the nyght y t they myght more diligently cōsidre the heuenly mysteries ¶ Of the seconde Myracle THe seconde Myracle was cuttyng or rentyng of the vayle of y e temple which was immediatly after the death of Christ Of the which Mathew sayth thus Ecce velum templi scissum est in duas partes a summo vsque deorsum Behold the vale of the temple was rent in to .ii. partes fro the top vnto the bottom This vayle deuidyd the part of the temple that was called holye from that part which was called holiest of all as we myght say in our church it deuided the body of the church from the quere And this veyle was rent for many causes Fyrst for the contamination or as we say suspension of that holiest place of all other For where before no man myght entre in to it but the highe byshop ons in the yere now it was made open and so was gyuen to the power of the Romanys to be contaminate and defoiled by them Secondly for to signifie the reuelacion and declaring of misteries For as Origen sayth In the passion of our lord when the veyle was rent the secreat misteries was poblished and opened which vnto that tyme was reasonably hydde and couered Thyrdly for the separacion dispersion and diuision of the Iues. And hervnto saynt Hillary saith therfore the veyle of y e temple is rent for that after this the people of the Iues shuld be deuided in partes and shortly after they ware disperpled ouer all the worlde Also the honour and glorie of the temple with the custodye of aungelles ware taken away Iosephus saith that there ware stirrynges mouinges and voyces hard in the temple saiyng cryenge Let vs departe from this place Fourthly to sygnifie y e openyng of heuyn which vnto that tyme was shut And herto saynt Hierom saith The veyle of the temple was rent that is heuyn is openyd Fyftly to signifie the curaciō of our synnes Herunto Theophilus sayth The body of Christ is y e temple whose veyle and garment is his fleshe and this veyle or fleshe was rent for y e curing of our sinnes Or thus Our fleshe or bodie is the veyle of our temple that is our soule the vertue and poure of this fleshe was rent in Christes passion from the toppe vnto the bottom that is from Adam the fyrst man vnto the laste man that shal be in the ende of the worlde for Adam was made hole by the passion of Christ and his fleshe is not now vnder the curse of god or of the lawe and after the general resurrection we all shal be honored with incorrupcion inmortalitye ¶ The thyrd Myracle THe thyrd Myracle was the erth quake and therfore the euangelist saith Et terra mota est And the erth was mouyd or dyd quake And that was for .iii. causes Fyrst to shewe that it was not worthy to receyue in to it this lorde And therfore Hillarius sayth the erth dyd quake for he was not able to take this deed body in to it Seconde cause is for the malyce of the Iues. Herunto Symon de Cassia saith It was cōuenient that the erthe shulde quake when the maker of the erth dyd suffre death in his corporall bodie The erth dyd quake at the gyuyng of the law to make them afraied to whom he gaue the law and which shuld breake the law The erth dyd also quake at the death of Christ that his vniust death shuld be knowen or felt thorowe out all the world Thyrd cause was to instructe the myndes of all faithful people that they shuld feare god and know and beleaue that the iuste person suffred death for the vniuste the godly for the wicked the holy person for synners and the son of god suffred death in his mortal bodie for the redempcion of man ¶ The forth Myracle THe Fourth Myracle was the rentynge or breakynge of the stonys For the euangelist sayth Et petre scisse sunt And the stonys ware rent or broken And that was for iiii causes Fyrste for therby was verified the sayng of the prophet Zachary Scindetur mons oliuarum ex media parte sui ad orientem et occidentem The mount of Oliuete shal be rent or broken for the myd parte of it from the Este to the West Second cause is to signifie the great vertue of the worde of god And here vnto saynt Hillary sayth The worde of god and the powre of his eterne vertue doth diuide and breake all strong hard or myghty thynges Thyrd cause was to confoūd the Iues. For as Simon de Cassia sayth The breakyng and rentyng of stones is na open crye and an accusacion of the insensible thynges agaynste the Iues that the gyuer of life and maker of all thynges is vniustly dampned The Iues dyd crie with lowde voice crucifie hym but now the stonys on theyr maner dyd crye by theyr partes broken as by theyr open lippys that the Iues did wrong and so wher as the reasonable men wold not answere for the truthe in this false condempnacion of Iesu the stonys rent or broken in theyr maner spake The .iiii. cause was to enflame the hertes of synners For as the same Symon sayth The stonys rent or broken in theyr maner dyd prouoke the hard hartes of men that they shuld be broken by contricion and also remembre hym that suffred such paynes and passyon for them ¶ The .v. Myracle THe .v. Myracle was the openyng of the sepulcres or graues And therfore theuangelist sayth Et monumenta aperta sunt And y e supulcres or graues ware openid And this was for .iii. causes Fyrst to shew that the prison of hell was openyd for as saynt Hillary sayth Then was the clausures of death openyd Secondly for the example of our resurrection For this was a token or signe that deed men shuld rise agayne accordyng to the sayng of the prophet Ego aperiam tumulos vestros I shall open your grauys Thyrdly for our spirituall instruccion For hereby we be lerned that we shuld open the sepulcres of our conscience by true and playne confession that the carion and filthynes of our synnes may be seen and cast out And here note that the myracle before the death of Christ was shewed aboue in the heuyns For by fore his death Christe was in a maner onely knowen in heuyn But the myracles after his death ware shewed and done in the erth for then began the knowlege of Christ to be spred abrode vpon the erth ¶ The .vi. Myracle THe .vi. Myracle was the risyng agayne of deed men And therfore theuangelist sayth Et multa corpora sanctotum qui dormierant surrexerunt c. And the bodyes of many sayntes which ware deed arose and cam out of theyr graues after Christes resurrection and cam into the holy citie of Hierusalem and apperyd to many This testimony of the risyng of deed
our lord Iesu in the begynnyng of his passion after his last supper did wyllyngly take so great heauines that he his selfe sayd vnto his disciples Tristis est anima mea vsque ad mortem My soule is heuy vnto the death And this heuines he toke vpon hym that by it which he suffred īnocently he myght take frome vs that euerlastyng heuines which we had deseruyd for our synnes and also that he myght gyue to vs eternal ioy and gladnes Also we by our synnes deseruyd to be perpetually subdued vnder y e power and thraldom of the dyuell and so to be committed to the eternall prison of hell But our lorde in his blessyd passion suffred hym selfe to be taken prisonar that he by his sufferyng innocently that captiuitie myght therby delyuer vs from the power and captiuitie of the dyuell and also preserue vs from that most darke prison of hell and restore vs vnto the libertie of the childerne of god Moreouer we by our synnes deseruyd to be perpetually associate and accōpanyed with the dyuels and other dampned soulys Agaynst this our sauiour Iesu wold be associat with theuys and wold be accompted as one of thē that he myght bye vs from the cumpaygnie of dampned soulys and from the feloweshyp of dyuels and so to make vs the chyldern of god and felowes of aūgells He to whom al the glorie of heuyn doth serue and which only of hym selfe is all beautie and glorie wold suffre shamys rebukes and mockynges that he myght redeme vs from confusion and etarnall derision of dyuels and theyr rebukes and also that he myght reuoke and bryng vs agayne to the glorie of heuyn which we lost by our synne He that onely hath power to louce and bynde of his great mercy wold be bounde for vs that he myght louce vs from the bondes of our synnes and from al the paynes y t we deseruyd by our synnes And at last he suffred death innocently that by his death he myght destroy our eternall death and also gyue to vs eternall lyfe in glory And thus ye may vnder stonde of all other paynes of Christe For vniuersally to speake ther was no thyng vayne no thyng vnprofitable ī al his passion but euery payne that he suffred was ordenyd to take away from vs sum perpetuall euyll that we had deseruyd by our synnes and to merite and gyue to vs sum eternal goodnes that we had lost by our synne And therfore saynt Austen sayth Christ suffreth to my profit he is heuy for me he soroweth to my cōforth And the cause of these is this for he hath louyd vs eternally and hath desired to be louyd of vs agayne for loue can nat be recompensyd but by loue And hereunto also saynt Bernard sayth Myght nat our creatoure and maker repare his creature agayne or redeme hym without that gret difficulty hard paynes of his passion Yes he myght haue done it without payne if it had so pleased hym But he wold rather do it with his great iniurie and payne to wyn the loue of man and to gyue hym many and great causes of loue For this great difficultie and greuouse paynes that he suffred for our redemption shuld moue that person to gyue hym thankes which lityll regardyd the werke of his creasion bicause it was done so easly What thynke you sayd the vnkynd man of his creacion I was create and made lyghtly and frely without any payne or labour of my creatour and maker he onely spake the worde and I was creat as al other thynges ware So the wicked vnkyndnes of man lytyll regardyng the werke of his creasion shewed there matter of vnkyndnes where he shulde haue taken cause of loue But now the mouth of those wicked men be stopped For now it is more clere than the lyght what payne and labour thy lord god had o vnkynd man for thy redempcion Of a lorde he becam a seruant where he was riche he was made poore he beyng god toke vpon hym a mortall body and the son of god despised nat for the to be made y e son of man Remembre therfore thou vnkynd man though thou were made of nought yet thou wart nat redemyd of nought In .vi. dayes god made all the worlde and the o thou man amonges them all But .xxxiii. yere he labored continually with great paynes to werke thy health and saluacion What laboure had he in soueryng the incommodities of our nature as hunger thyrst heat colde and suche other What temptacions of the deuyll what slaunders rebukes despisynges mockynges beatynges with many greuouse paynes and at last most paynefull and shamefull death Therfore thou man be no more vnkynd but loue and thanke god and haue compassion of thy creatoure redemar and sauiour Amen ¶ How Christe descendyd vnto the helles The thyrd Chapitre AFter that our sauiour Iesus had gyuen vp his spirit and so was deed furthwith his soule vnit and knyt or ioyned vnto the godhed descendyd vnto the helles vnto the holy fathers that were there in prison and there stode with them Of this descension Damascen sayth thus The soule of Christe ioyned to his godhed descendyd vnto the helles that as he had bifore comforted them that were in the world aboue the erth so he myght shyne and comforte them that sat in darknes and in the shadowe of death He descendyd to comforte the holy faythers to glad them and to glorifie them For as shortly as he presentyd hym selfe to them they dyd se his godhed and so then they ware in paradise that is they had the clere syght of the godhed which is ioy and lyfe eternall Of this descension also saynt Austen in a certen sermon sayth thus Anon as Christe had gyuen vp his spirit his soule knyt to his godhed discendyd to y e deapnes of helles And whan he was cum to y t place of derkenes as a victoriouse captayne shynyng and terrible tho wicked hell houndes and legions of derknes beholdyng hym begane to enquire and say From whens cam this person so strong so terrible so shinyng and gloriouse That worlde which hath bene euer subdued to vs dyd neuer sende to vs such a deed person He neuer sent to vs suche gestes before this tyme. What is he that so boldly entreth in to our iurisdiction And nat onely he doth nat fear our tormentes but moreouer he dothe louce other frome our bondes Beholde and see howe they whiche ware wonte to weape and more ouer vnder oure tormentes nowe they rebuke vs and vpbrayde vs of theyr deliueraunce and saluacion And nat onely they in nothynge feare vs but moreouer they threten vs. There was neuer deed men so proud stubbourne borne agayst vs as these be Nor neuer myght any persones in captiuitie be so glad and ioyfull as these be O thou Lucifer our captayne why wold y u bryng this person vnto our place All thy myrth is paste all thy ioy is turned in to
praysynges shall aske when they dyd any such thynge to hym And Christe shall say to them truly I say to you as ofte as ye dyd any of these thynges vnto one of these my leste bredren ye dyd it to me Tho be his bredren that fulfyll the wyll of his father in heuyn they be also called the leste for that they be meke and in this life abiecte or dispised And note here that though we spake here but of .vi. werkes of mercy that is bicause there be no mo remembred by our sauiour Christ in the gospell of Mathewe yet we say coÌ„monly that there be .vii. werkes of mercy and truth it is for the .vii. is to bury the deed bodyes which is taken of the boke of Toby for he vsed the same to his great rewarde and our example And these .vii. werkes be conteyned in this verse Visito poto cibo tego redimo colligo condo So that euery word noteth one werke of mercy The fyrst worde Visito noteth the visityng of them that be seke Second Poto to gyue drynke to y e thristy Thyrd Cibo to fede the hungry Fourth Tego to couer the naked Fyfth Redimo to redeame the prisoner Syxt Colligo to lodge the harborles Seuenth Condo to bury the deed Also the iudge shall say to them that be on y e lefte hand Discedite a me maledicti in ignem eternum c. Depart from me you cursed people in to euerlastynge fyre which is prepared for the deuyll and his aungelles I was hungry and ye wold nat feade me I was thristy and ye gaue me no drynke and so all the other .vi. forsaid werkes of mercy Then the euyll men shall answere Lord when dyd we se the hungry thristy naked seke herborles or in prison and we haue nat conforted the Then our lord shall say when ye wold nat do these thynges to one of these onys ye wold nat do it to me And here note that this question mouyd by the good or euyll persons doth nat procede of any ignorance for the iuste and good persons shal know that y e werkes of mercy done to the membres of Christe in his name and for his loue he reputeth those good dedes as done to hym selfe also they know that they shall haue a great reward therby And in like maner the euyll persons shall knowe that they shal be dampned for the contrary And therfore they asked nat that question of any ignoraÌ„ce but it is a question of great admiration and meruell for y e greatnes of grace and glorie whiche shal be gyuen to the iuste people for those good werkes and also for the intollerable myserie and payne that shall fall vpon the euyll persons for theyr hardnes and vnmercifulnes And so hard iudgement without mercy shal be done to hym that wold shewe or do no mercy What shall they deserue that steale and rauishe other mennys goodes sythe they be eternally dampned which wyll nat gyue theyr owne goodes in almosse If the vnmerciful people shal suffre so greuouse paynes what shall they suffre that be cruell And note here as Crisostom sayth that the payne of euyll persons is euerlastyng and so is the rewarde of good men For as eternall synnes don passe for y e acte or doyng after that they be don but yet there remayneth the gylt or offence towardes god which shal be punished So good werkes don for the loue of god don passe to speake of the acte or dede but yet they remayne in theyr merite so to be rewardyd of god Also saynt Hierom sayth thou wyse reader attende and remeÌ„bre diligently that both the paynes of hell be eternall and also the glorie of heuyn for that life shall haue no feare of decay or death And therfore the euangelist sayth that the euyll men shall go to eternall fyre and the iuste men to euerlastynge life and ioy of heuyn which was prepared for them byfore the begynnynge of the worlde for therunto they ware predestinate And note wele here that the predestination of god is nat the necessarie cause of thy saluation For the predestination of god is euer condicionally that there is no thyng predestinate but vnder som coÌ„dicion as it was predestinate that the worlde shulde be sauid but that was by the death of the son of god and by the watre of baptisme so that they wold receyue it and liue therafter Also all good and iuste men be predestinate to glorie eternall yet with this condicion if they contine we in true fayth charitie humilitie or meknes pacience mercie pitie with other vertues the operacion of them whom our lord doth predestinate to life euerlastyng he seeth knoweth byfore that they shal haue such vertues as if in his predestinacion he myght say to them I do predestinate you to glorie if ye haue such vertues if ye keape my commaundimentes c. Who so wyll nat keape goddes commaundymentes wyl nat continue in fayth with charitie and good werkes c. he shall nat com to the end of predestinacion that is to the glory of heuyn for he wyl nat keape the condicion therof Therfore do nat ouermoch attend and trust to the predestinacion of god which thou knowes nat but rather attend to the wordes of god which thou heris and knowis For as god is true and can nat be chaungeable so his wordes be true and can nat be chaunged But let vs here what be those wordes of god The prophet Ezechiel sayth in the person of god Nolo mortem impij sed vt conuertatur a via sua et viuat Si autem impius egerit poenitentiam ab omnibus peccatis suis et custodierit omnia precepta mea vita viuet I wyll nat sayth almyghty god the deth of a synner but rather that he be conuertyd from his syn and liue in grace for if the synner do penaunce or be sory for all his synnes that he hath don keape all my preceptes and do true iudgement and iustice he shalliue here in grace he shall nat dye eternally Also he sayth Qui crediderit et baptisatus fuerit saluuus erit He that beleuith and is baptised and so continueth in that true fayth and promise made at his baptisme he shal be saued Also he sayth Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata If thou wylt cum to lyfe euerlastyng keape the commaundimentes And in an other place Christ sayth Si dimiseritis homnibus pecata eorum dimittet vobis pater meê° pecata vestra If ye forgyue to other men theyr offensis don to you my heuenly father shall forgyue to you your synnes In these wordes and many other lyke standeth our predestinacion to lyfe or our reprouyng to death euer lastyng And loke for none other predestinacion If thou keape these saynges of god thou shal be sure Therfore say nat as many vnwyse persons say I am predestinate of god to be