did hang vpon the Crosse naked full of dolours without any comforter Thou O Lord who only didst know and try this teach thy poore Seruants that they may vnderstand how much they are obliged and indebted to thee that at least they may compassionate thee with their teares and learne in this their exile sometimes to want all consolation for thy Loue if so thou shalt thinke it expedient Say to such O my Sonne Neuer during the whole course of my mortall life which was nothing but labour and paine did I suffer greater more vehement straits desolation anxiety then during the space of those three houres And neuer did I tolerate any paines with greater willingnes and promptitude of mind then I did at that tyme. For then by reason of the weight and wearines of my Body my wounds were more inlarged and the sharpnes of my griâ—fe more increased Then euen through the absence of the heate of the sunne the coldnes of the ayre more insufferably augmented the torments of my Body being on ech syde naked Then the very darknes it selfe which did take away from myne eyes the sight of Heauen Earth and all other things forced my soule in a sort more vehemently intensly to thinke vpon the paines and anguishes of my Body so in regard of these aggrauating CircuÌ„stances those three Houres did seeme to me to be three yeares But because the ardour desiâ—es of my Fathers Honour with the which my breast was inflamed and of fulfilling my Obedience to him and of the procuring the health of your soules was so great as that by how much the paines of my Body were increased by so much that fire of my desires was mitigated So as those three Houres in regard of the greatnes of my desire of suffering appeared to be to me but three small moments of Time O most Blessed Lord if the matter standeth thus then are we most vngratefull to whom it seemes painfull to spend but one short houre in meditating of those thy dolours when to thee it was not painfull to hange vpon the Crosse for our Redemption three whole houres in a horrour of darknes in cold and nakednes in extreme thirst and in most bitter and cruell torments But O Louer of mankind tell me whether the vehemâ—ncy of thy dolour was so forcible as to cause thee to desist in hart froÌ„ prayer during thy long silence of those three houers For we being in anguish and tribulation especially if the members of our Body labour with any violent paine caÌ„not without great endeauour apply our mynd to pray But I heare thee say Not so my Sonne for euen in the infirmity of my flesh I disposed my spirit prompt to prayer yea during those three howers in which I spake nothing I was still praying with the mouth of my Hart to my Father for you Neither did I pray only in Hart but euen in woundes and bloud For behould how many wounds there were made in my body so many crying Voyces there were to my Father for you And how many drops of Bloud there were so many tongues they were beseeching and begging Mercy for you at the hands of my foresaid Father and yours But now O Lord thou dost euen confound the impatience of thy Servant who if perhaps wearied out with labour or griefe of Body he do prepare himselfe to Prayer can scarsly lift vp his Soule to God to pray for him or if through thy Grace he be able to raise himselfe to so pious an Exercise yet he is not able to maintaine his attention therin for any long time since his mind is euer reflecting backe to his labour paine Therfore O pittifull Lord take mercy of thy Seruant according to the great Mercy that hauing so great an Example of thy Patience set before his Eyes he may learne to tread thy steps and may at least ouercome his small troubles and molestations in tyme of Prayer Of the third fruite of the fourth Word CHAP. IV. VVHen our Lord crying out vpon the Crosse said My God why hast thou forsaken me he did not so say as if indeed he were ignorant why God had left him for what could he not know who knew all things For answerably hereto S. Peter answered our Lord thus dâ—manding Simon of Iohn louest thou me O Lord sayth he thou knowest all things thou knowest that I loue thee Ioan. 2. And the Apostle S. Paul speaking of Christ addeth In whom is all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Collos 2. Therfore our Lord did not demaund therby to learne buâ— to couÌ„sell vs to seeke that by seeking and finding we might learne many things profitable or rather necessary vnto vs. Now why God did forsake his Sonne in molestations and most bitter dolours fiue Reasons seeme to occur to me the which I will here produce that I may giue occasion to others of greater sufficiency to find out better Reasons of Christs dereliction 1. The first then may seeme to be the greatnes and multitude of the offences of mankind against God the which the Sonne did vndertake to expiate in his owne Body S. Peter sayth Christ did beare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that being dead to sinne we might liue to Iustice by whose stripes you are healed 1. Pet 2. Now the Greatnes of the Offâ—nce which Christ did cancell by his Passion is in some respect Infinite to wit in regard of the Person offended who is of infinite dignity and excellency In like sort the Person satisfying who is the Sonne of God is also of infinite Dignity and Excellency and by reason hereof euery payne willingly endured by the Sonne of God though it were only a drop of bloud might be sufficient for the satisfaction This assertion is most true neuerthelesse that mans Redemption might be full and copious and because it was not one Offence but almost innumerable Offences for the Lambe of God vvho taketh away the sinnes of the world did take vpon him not only the first sinne of Adam but all the sinnes of all men therefore it pleased God that his Sonne should tolerate innumerable paines and those most grieuous And this is signified in that dereliction of which the Sonne speaketh to the Father Why hast thou forsaken me 2. Another reason or cause was the greatnes and multitude of the torments of Hell the which to make more knowne and euident to vs the Sonne of God would abate and extinguish the heâ—te of those flames with so mighty a shoure of his own paines How great and dreadfull the fyar of Hell is the Prophet I say teacheth saying that it is altogether intollerable which of you can dwell with deuouring fyre which of you shall dwell with euerlasting heates Isa 33. Therefore let vs render thankes to God with all our Hart and powers of our Soule who would forsake his only begotten Sonne being in most great griefes for a time that he might free vs from euerlasting heates of
the House of Annas from the house of Annas to the house of Caiphas from the house of Caiphas to the house of Pilate from the house of Pilate to the house of Herod from the house of Herod backe againe to the house of Pilate which seuerall iourneys contained many Miles Neither did our Lord after his supper the night before tast of any meate or drinke or tooke any repose and sleepe but endured many most grieuous afflictions in the house of Caiphas and then immediatly after all these his pressures followed the most barbarous cruell whipping of him the which was attended on with a most vehement Thirst which Thirst much increased when his whipping was ended After all this succeeded his crowning with thornes and the Iewes mocking him to scorne which new vexation was also accompanied with extremity of thirst so as the same was very much increased Then being euen wasted with so many iourneâ—s and labours he was next burdened with the weight of his Crosse which he bare vnto Mount Caluary That iourney being ended Wyne mingled with gaâ—le was offered to him the which when he began to tast he refused to drinke therof Thus his iourneying to and fro receaued an end but the Thirst which vexed our Lord throughout all his trauayle and labour doubtlesly increased For presently his nayling to the Crosse followed and from hence one may easily conceaue that his Thirst grew greater and more vehement through the defluxion streaming of his most precious bloud as from foure fountaines To conclude during the space of three houres following to wit from the sixt hower to the ninth in that horrible darknes it can hardly be belieued with what fyar or ardour of thirst that most sacred body of our Lord was consumed and wasted And although it was Vinegre which the Ministers of his Passion offered to him yet because it was neither Wyne nor Water but Vinegre that is a sharpe and vngratefull Potion but small in quantity since he was to sucke the same by drops out of a spunge was most neere vnto his death therefore it is lawfull to affirme that our Blessed Redeemer euen from the beginning of his Passion to his death did suffer with wonderfull patience this dolefull and most greuious torment Now of what violence this torment is few make tryall since they may easely find water wherewith to quench their thirst but such as trauell diuers dayes in desert places where small or litle water is to be found do fully take notice how great a torment Thirst is Q. Curtius writeth lib. 7. de gest Alex. that Alexander the great passing with his Army through a long tedious desart his souldiers after much drought and thirst came to a certaine Riuer of which they dranke with such gust and greedmes as that many of them by losing their wynd or breath in drinking did presently dye then he thus concludeth Multòque maior c The number of those by this meanes dying was far greater then euer he lost in any one battayle Therefore the heate of the thirst was so intollerable as that the souldiers had not that coÌ„mand ouer themselues as in tyme of drinking a litle to breath or take their Wind. And thus the greatest part of Alexanders Army was extinct and perished There haue bene some men who through extremity of thirst haue thought water mingled with dirt oyle bloud and other more filthy things to haue byn sweet and pleasant From hence then we may be instructed how bitter the Passion of Christ was and how great Vertue of his Patience appeared therein And it was Gods will that this his Patience should be knowne to vs that by our imitation of it vve might so compassionate suffer with Christ as that vve may be glorified together vvith Christ But it seemes to me that I heare diuers good and pious soules earnestly enquiring how they might arriue to that height as seriously to imitate the Patience of Christ and to say with the Apostle I am fastned to the Crosse with Christ with the holy Martyr S. Ignatius Amor meus crucifixus est My loue is crucifyed This point is not so difficult as many take it to be For it is not necessary for all men to lye vppon the cold ground to discipline scourge their body with whips vntill the drawing of bloud to fast dayly with bread and water to weare continually next to their skin a rough hayre cloath or iron-chayne or to practise other such kinds of mortification for the taming of the body and crucifying It with its vices and concupiscences these actions are laudable and also profitable when they are practised by such whose bodies are able to beare them and this by the aduice and direction of their spirituall Father or Instructour But I in this place couet to shew to the pious Reader a course or way of exercising Patience and of imitating Christ who was most patieÌ„t which course may agree to all men in vvhich nothing is vnaccustomed nothing tasting of nouelty nothing vvhich may seeme to gaine a vulgar praise First then I say that one vvho is zealous of Patience ought vvillingly to be busyed in those labours vvhich he is assured are gratefull and pleasing to the vvill of God according to that of the Apostle Heb. 10. Patience is necessary for you that you doing the VVill of God may receaue the Promise What God vvould haue vs patiently to vndergoe is not hard eyther to learne or to teach First experience and dayly practise telleth vs that vvhat things the Church our Mother commandeth to be done the same though hard and difficult are to be performed obediently and patiently But vvhat doth the Church command vs to vvit the fasts of Lent the Ember-dayes and the vigill of Saints If these be performed in such sort as they ought to be they then cannot be performed vvithout Patience For if a man vpon fasting dayes vvill seeke after delicate and curious meates and at one supper or dinner eate as much meate as at other tymes is vsuall to serue him both for dinner and supper or els vvill preuent the houre of eating before noone and then at night insteed of a small refection or Collation will deuoure so much as may wel to be termed a large and copious supper certainly this Man will not easily suffer honger or thirst neyther will he stand in need of Patience But if he will constantly and seriously determine with himselfe not to anticipate the houre except some disease or other necessity force him and to content himselfe with ordinary and meane dyet imposed as iâ— vvere for pennance and auoyding all full gorging to take it in that measure quantity as may seeme not to exceed one ordinary meale and to giue that to the poore vvhich should be takeÌ„ at another meale if it vvere not a day of fast according to S. Leo saying serm 11. de ieiunio 10. mensis Refectio Pâ—uperis abstinentia
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
whereby was discouered the Sancta Sanctorum was a signe that through the merits of the death of Christ the Celestiall Sanctuary was to be opened and that all the Saints were after to be admitted to see the face of God Neither only in the signification of these Mysteries did Christ show his Wiâ—dome but also in that he did produce draw life from death in figure whereof Moyses caused water to flow out of a stone And Christ himselfe for the same Cause said he resembled a graine of wheate in that by dying he brought forth much fruite For as a graine of wheate by being corrupted doth bud forth an care of liuing Corne so Christ by dying vpon the Crosse enriched multitudes of NatioÌ„s with the life of Grace S. Peter most manifestly thus speaketh of Christ He swallowing death that we might be made heyres of life euerlasting 1. Pet. 3. As if he would haue said The First man swallovving the forbidden sweet apple condemned all his posterity to death But the second Man swallowing downe the bitter apple of death brought all those to eternâ—â—l life who were borne againe of him To conclude Christ manifested opened his Wisdome in dying because he made the Crosse then the vvhich nothing was before more despicable and contemptible most honourable and glorious so as euen Kings themselfes do account it an honour to signe their Foreheads therevvith Neither is the Crosse made only honourable but also svveet to the louers of Christ Whereupon the Church thus singeth Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulce pondus sustinuit The which very point S. Andrew demonstrated by his ovvne example when behoulding the Crosse vnto vvhich he was to be fastened said Salue Crux preciosa c. All haile O precious Crosse which hath receaued honour and beauty from the members of our Lord Thou art long desired and carefully sought after thou art loued without any intermission and comes prepared to a willing mind I approach to thee with security and ioy that thou exulting mayst receaue me being the disciple of my Maister Iesus Christ who did hang vpon thee Now what shall we speake of Charity The sentence of our Lord is this Greater Charity then this no man hath that a man yield his life for his friends Ioan. 15. This Christ performed vpon the Crosse since no man could against his Will depriue him of life For himselfe thus sayth hereof No man taketh my life from me but I yield it of my selfe Ioan. 10. Therefore as aboue is said no man hath greater Charity then he that yieldeth his life for his frieÌ„ds because nothing can be found more precious and to be beloued then Life it being the foundation of all goods For what doth it proffit a man sayth our Lord if he gaine the whole world and sustaine the domage of his soule that is of his lyfe And from hence it is that all things labour to resist with all their strength yea aboue their strength those who do endeauour to take away their lyfe And we read in Iob Skinne for skinne and all things which a man hath he will giue for his lyfe But these passages are generall vve vvill descend to particulars Christ did ineffably shew by many meanes to all mankind and to euery one of vs his Charity by dying vpon the Crosse First because his life vvas the most precious of all liues as being the lyfe of man vvho vvas God the lyfe of the most potent King of Kings the lyfe of the most wisest of all the Doctours Furthermore he gaue his lyfe for his Enemies for wicked men for vngratefull men Againe he laid dovvne his lyfe that he might deliuer these his Enemies wicked vngratefull men from the burnings and torments of Hell to the which they vvere alreadâ— condemned Lastly he gaue his lyfe that he might make these men to become his Brethren and Coheyres and moâ—â— happily place them in the kingdome of Heauen for all Eternity And is there any man of that flinty or sauage nature who from this tyme vvill not loue Christ Iesus with all his Harts and will not suffer any aduersity for his sake O mercifull God auert and turne such a stony and iron hart not only from our Brethren but from all men whosoeuer either Infidels or Atheists The second fruite of the seauenth Word CHAP. XXI AN other fruite and that most profitable is if we learne to vse frequently that prayer which our Lord taught vs when being ready to goe to his Father he said Into thy hads I commend my spirit But because he was not pressed and vrged with that Necessity with the which we are vrged since he was the Sonne and Holy we but seruants and sinners Therefore our Mother and Mistresse the Church instructeâ—h vs to fâ—equent and often vse it but as it is entire and whole in the Psalme of Dauid and not diuided as our Lord pronounced it In the Psalme it is thus read Into thy hands I commit my spirit Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Psal 30. Christ did omit the later port because himselfe was the Redeemer and not the party redeemed but we who are redeemed with his most precious bloud ought not to pretermit this part of the Psalme Christ also prayed to his Father as his only begotten sonne We pray to Christ as our Redeemer therfore we say not Father into thy hands I commend my spirit But into thy haÌ„ds O Lord I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth According to which manner of speach S. Steuen the first Martyr being ready to dye said Lord Iesus receaue my spirit Act. 7. Furthermore our Mother the holy Church teacheth vs to say this Prayer at three seuerall tymes First euery day at the Complyme as those vvell knovv vvho read the Canonicall Howers Againe when we approach to the most holy Eucharist after those words are said Domine non sum dignus the Priest first for himselfe and after for the Communicants doth say In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum Lastly at our departure out of this lyfe all the faithfull are admonished that they say In manus tuas commâ—ndâ— spiritum meum As concerning the Complyme it is not to be doubted but that there is said In manus tuas Domine c. because the Complime is accustomed to be read tovvards the end of the day and as S. Basill speaketh Primis se intendentibus tenebris c. Assoone as darknes commeth because it may so fall out that in the night tyme vnexpectedly death may surprize vs therefore we commend our soule to our Lord that if so sudden death might happen to vs it might not happen to vs vnforseene in Reg. fusius explic q. 37. That at the tyme of receauing the most Blessed Eucharist is said In manus tuas commendo c. the reason is because that action is very dangerous and withall very necessary so as without perill it cannot often be
sort for many yeares their Almes-deeds and those not in number few But when these come to the diuine ballacing examination and are precisely to be discussed whether they were well done to wit with right intentions with due attention in fitting tyme and place proceeding from a man gratefull to God O how many things which did appeare to be gaines to the soule will rather be accounted as losses and detriments vnto it And how many things which seemed in mans iudgment to be gould siluer and precious stones built vpon the foundatiō of fayth will be found to be wood straw which the fire will instantly consume The consideration of this point doth not a litle terrify me by how much I draw more neare to my end for as the Apostle speaketh Heb. 8. That which groweth ancient and waxeth old is nigh vnto vtter decay so much the more euidently I see that the admonition and Counsell of S. Iohn Chrysostome is necessary to me who councels vs not to weigh and prize to much our owne good works because if they be good works indeed that is works vvell piously done they are registred by God in his booke of Accounts and there is no danger that they shal be defrauded of their due reward but let vs daily thinke sayth he of our euill bad works and labour vvith a contrite hart and spirit vvith many teares and serious pennance to wash them away For such men vvho performe his aduise herein shall say at the close and end of their life vvith great confidence and Hope Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of Truth Of the fourth fruite of the seauen VVord CHAP. XXIII THere followeth the fourth fruite which may be gathered from the most happy hearing of the prayer of our Lord that from so comfortable an Euent all of vs may be much animated and encouraged to commend our spirits to God with greater vehemency and ardour of deuotion For the Apostle did most truly write that our Lord Iesus Christ was heard for his reuerence Heb. 5. Our Lord prayed to his Father for a speedy Resurrection of his Body as aboue we haue shewed His prayer was heard so as his Resurrection was no longer delayed then it was needfull to proue that his Body was truly dead For except it could be infallibly demonstrated that his Body did truly depart out of this lyfe both the Resurrection as also the whole Christian Fayth might be doubted of and called into question Therefore our Sauiour was to remaine in the graue for the space at least of fourty houres especially seeing the figure of Ionas the Prophet was to be accomplished which as our Lord himselfe taught in the Ghospell was to premonstrate and foreshew his death But to the end that the Resurrection of Christ might be accelerated hastened so farre forth as it was cōuenient and that it might be more manifestly proued that the prayer of Christ was heard the diuine Prouidēce would that the three dayes and three nights during which tyme Ionas was in the Belly of the Whale should be reduced in the Resurrection of Christ to one entire and whole day and two parts of two dayes which time not properly but by the figure intellectio might be said to contayne three dayes three nights Neither did the Father heare the prayer of Christ only in shortning the tyme of his Resurrection but also in restoring incomparably a better lyfe then before he enioyed Since the lyfe of Christ before his death was mortall but it is restored to him immortall Christ rising againe from the dead now dieth no more death shall no more haue dominion ouer him as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6. The lyfe of Christ before his death was passible that is subiect to hunger thirst wearines wounds but being restored impassible it stāds not obnoxious to any iniury The Body of Christ was before death Animale but after the resurrection it became spiritale that is so subiect to the spirit as that in a twinkling of an Eye it might be caryed into any place where the spirit it selfe would Novv the reason why the Prayer of Christ was so easily heard is subioyned by the Apostle when he sayth pro sua reuerentia for his reuerence The Greeke word here vsed to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a reuerentiall feare vvhich was most eminent in Christ tovvards his father Therefore Esay describing the guifts of the Holy Ghost which were in the soule of Christ of other guifts thus sayth The spirit of wisdome and Vnderstanding shall rest vpon him the spirit of Counsell and Strength the spirit of Knowledge and Piety but of reuerentiall Feare the said Prophet thus speaketh And the spirit of the Feare of our Lord shall replenish him Isa 11. Novv because the soule of Christ was most full of reuerentiall Feare towards his Father therefore the Father did take most great pleasure in him according to that we read in S. Matthew This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased Matth. 3. 17. And euen as the Sonne did euer reuerence the Father in a most high degree so did the Father euer heare him praying and granted whatsoeuer he desired Novv from hence may we learne that if vve expect euer to be heard by our heauenly Father and to obtaine whatsoeuer we demaund of him we ought to imitate Christ herin in prosecuting our said heauenly Father with supreme Reuerence and in preferring nothing before his honour For so it wil be effected that whatsoeuer we pray for we shall obtaine and peculiarly that in which consisteth the chiefest good of our state I meane that vvhen death shall approach God may receaue our soule passing out of the Body commended vnto him vvhen the roaring Lyon standeth neere vnto vs as being ready for a prey Neither let any man thinke that Reuerence is exhibited to God only in genuflection or in bovving of the knee in vncouering of the Head or in any other worship and honour of such like nature The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or timor reuerentialis doth not signify only this externall honour but it chiefly denotes a great feare of offending of God and an invvard continual horrour of sinne and this not through dread of punishment but through loue of our Celestiall Father He is truly indued with reuerentiall Feare who dare not thinke of offence or sinne especially mortall sinne Blessed is that man sayth Dauid who feareth our Lord He shall haue great delight in his Commandements That is he truly feareth God and in that respect may be called Blessed who with all bent of Will and Endeauour studies to keep all the Commandement of God And from hence it proceeded that that holy widdow Iudith timebat Dominum valde as we reade in her Booke cap. 8. For she being but a yong Woman and of great beauty and very rich lest she should after the death of her husband either giue
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
Christ was a iust and holy man and deliuered ouer to him through the malice of the Chiefe Priests As also those high Priests did know that he was the true Christ which was promised in the Law as S. Thomas teacheth because they could not deny neither did they deny but that he did worke many miracles which the Prophets foretould the true Mesâ—ias was after to doe To conclude the People did know that Christ was condemned without iust cause since Pilate openly cried out saying I find no cause in this Man I am innocent of the Bloud of this iust man And although the Iewes or the Chiefe of them or the People did not know that Christ was the Lord of Glory Yet they might well haue knowne the same had not Malice blinded their Harts For thus S. Iohn speaketh cap. 12. VVhereas he had donne so many miracles before them they belieued not in him because Esay the Prophet said He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their Heart that they may not see with their eyes nor vnderstand with their Heart and be conuerted c. But yet this blinding doth not excuse the man blinded since it is Voluntary though not precedent euen as those who do sinne of malice do labour indeed with some IgnoraÌ„ce which Ignorance doth not excuse them in that it doth not precede or goe before but only accompany the sinne For the VViseman truly sayth Prou. 24. They do erre who worke Euill And the Philosopher accordeth therto teaching that Omnis malus ignorans And vpon this ground it may be truly said of all sinners Non sciunt quid faciunt For it is impossible to desire or will Euill with reference to Euill since the Obiect of the will is not a thing either good or Euil but only that which is good VVherefore those who choose what is euill do euer choose it as it is represented vnder the shew of Good yea vnder the colour of the chiefest good that then can be obtained The reason hereof is the perturbation of the inferiour part of the soule which doth darken reason and causeth it to discerne that seming Good only which is in the thing that is desired For who chooseth to coÌ„mmit Adultery or Theft vvould neuer chuse the same except his mind were bent vpon the Good of the delight or gaine which is in Adultery or Theft as also except he had shut his eyes against the euill of Turpitude or Iniustice vvhich is in Adulterie or Theft Therefore euery sinner is like vnto a man who desiring to cast himselfe dovvne from a great height into a Riuer doth first shut his eyes and then after cast himselfe into the Riuer In like sort vvho doth Euill doth hate the light and laboureth with voluntaâ—y Ignorance vvhich Ignorance doth not excuse in that it is Voluntary But heere it may be demanded if this Ignorance doth not excuse why then doth our Lord say Forgiue them for they know not what they do To this it may be answered that the words of our Lord may be vnderstood chiefly first of them who crucified him whome it is probable to haue beene then ignorant not only of the Diuinity of Christ but also of his Innocency and that they simply performed the worke or charge imposed vpon them Therefore for these Men our Lord did most truly say Father forgiue them for they know not what they do Furthermore if the Words be vnderstood of vs before we had a Being or of many sinners absent which truly were ignorant of what was then done at Ierusalem our Lord with iust reason said They know not what they doe To conclude if the words be vnderstood of those who were present and were not ignorant that Christ was the Messias or an innocent Man then it is to be said that the Charity of Christ was so great as that he was willing to lessen the sinne of his Enemies in such manner as he could For although that Ignorance doth not simply and absolutely excuse yet it seemeth to preteÌ„d some reason though weake of excuse because they had more grieuously sinned if they had wholy wanted all Ignorance And although our Lord was not ignorant that that excuse was not a reall excuse but only a shaddow of an excuse yet it pleased him to alledge it for an excuse that from thence we might be instructed of the good Will and disposition of our Lord towards sinners how desirous he would haue beene to haue taken and alledged a better excuse euen for Caiphas and Pilate if a better and more warrantable could haue been found or pretended Of the first fruite of the first Word spoken vpon the Crosse CHAP. II. VVE haue explicated vnfoulded the construction Sentence of the first Word pronounced by Christ vpon the Crosse Now we will vndertake by way of meditation to gather froÌ„ the said VVord certaine fruits and those most holesome and profitable to vs All. The first then of these fruits is that we are instructed from this first part of the Sermon or preaching of Christ from the Chayre of his Crosse that the Charity of Christ was more ardent fiery then we can either vnderstand or imagine And this is that which the Apostle writing to the Ephesians cap. 3. sayth To know the Charity of Christ surpassing knowledge For the Apostle doth intimate in this place that from the Mistery of the Crosse we are able to learne the greatnes of the Charity of Christ to be so immense and of that measure as that it doth surpasse and transcend our knowledge so as we are not able to comprehend it in our â—hought or cogitation When any of vs is afflicted with any vehement griefe either of the Teeth the Eyes the Head or of any other Member our mind is so busied and fixed in suffering that one paine as that we cannot extend our thought to any other thing or negotiation and therefore we cannot their admit Visâ—tation of friends or entercourse of men for the dispatch of any busines But Christ being crucifyed did weare a Crowne of thornes vpon his Head as most ancient Fathers to wit Tertullian of the Latin Church and Origen of the Greeke do clearely teach and therefore he could not stirre or mooue his Head without dolour and griefe His Hands and Feete were fastened to the Crosse with nayles through the piercing of which our Lord endured most sharpe and intermitted torments His naked Body being tired spent through much whipping and long iourneys and openly exposed to ignominy and cold and with its own weight â—â—larging the wounds of his Hands and feete with an immane and incessant dolour did offer seuerall paines and as it were seuerall Crosses to our Blessed Lord. Yet neuerthelesse O wonderfull Charity and surmounting our apprehension all these his afflictions sleighed by him and not weighed as if he had suffered nothing he was sollicitous and regardfull only of the health and good of his Enemyes and desiring to auert from their heads the
is frequent in the sacred Scriptures aâ— S. Austin obserued in his booke of thâ— Consent of the Euangelists l. 3. c. 16. For the Apostle writing to the Hebrews sayth They stopped the mouthes of Lyons they were stoned they were hewed they went about in sheepskins in Goate-skins and yet who stopped the mouthâ— of Lyons was but one Daniell and who was stoned was but one Ieremy and vvho was hewed in peces vvas but one Esay Add hereto that S. Mathew and S. Marke do not so expresly say that both the Theeues did vpbraid Christ as we find S. Luke expresly to vvrite Vnus autem de his c. One of the theeues that were hanged blasphemed him For the greater probability of truth we may further say that therâ— caÌ„ be no reason alledged why the same theefe should both blaspheme and praise Christ And whreas some do reply that this theefe who afore did blaspheme did after change his Iudgement and praysed Christ when he heard him say Father forgiue them for they know not what they do is euideÌ„tly repugnant to the Gospell for S. Luke relateth that Christ prayed for his Persecutours to his Father before the wicked Theefe begunne to blaspheme Therefore the iudgements of S. Ambrose and S. Austine are to bâ— imbraced heerin who mantaine that of the two theeues the one did blaspheme the other did prayse and defend Christ Therfore the other thiefe did answere to the thiefe blaspheming thus Neyther dost thou feare God whereas thou art in the same daÌ„nation Luc. 23. This good and happy thiefe partly from the vertue of the Crosse of Christ and partly from diuine light and inspiration which then did begin to shyne to him vndertooke to correct his Brother and to draw him to a more safe mynd iudment The meaning of whose words is this Thou wouldest imitate the blaspheming Iewes but they as yet haue not learned to feare the iudgment of God because they are persuaded they haue ouercome and they do vaunt glory of their Victory when they seeÌ„ Christ nayled to the Crosse and themselfes to be free and at liberty suffering no euill But thou who for thy offences hangest vpon the Crosse and hastest towards death why dost thou not begin to feare God Why heapest thou sinne to sinne And further this happy Thiefe increasing in his good VVorke and seconded vvith the light of the Grace of God confesseth his sinnes and preacheth the Innocency of Christ saying Et nos quidem iustè and vve are iustly to vvit condemned to the Crosse but this man hath done no Euill Luc. 23. Lastly the light of Grace more resplendently shining he addeth Domine memento mei c. Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Certainly the Grace of the Holy Ghost which vvas in the hart of this Thiefe is most wonderfull S. Peter the Apostle denieth Christ the Thiefe nayled to the Crosse confesseth him The disciples going to Emaus say But we did Hope the Thiefe confidently speaketh saying Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome S. Thomas the Apostle denied to belieue in Christ except he saw that Christ had risen froÌ„ death The Thiefe being vpon a Crosse and seing Christ fastened to the Crosse doubteth not â—o acknowledge that after he was to â—e a King But who had taught this â—heefe so high Mysteries He calleth that man Lord whom he did behould â—aked wounded lamenting openly derided and contemned and hanging with him He further sayth that Iesus after his death was to come into his kingdome From which point we vnderstand that the Theefe did not â—reame of any future temporall kingâ—ome of Christ here vpon earth such â—s the Iewes do expect but belieued that Christ after his death was to be an Eternall King in Heauen Who had instructed him in such sublime Sacraments Certainly only the spirit of Truth which did preuent him in the benedictions of sweetnes Christ after his Resurrection said to his Apostles Christ ought to suffer these things and so to enter into his glory But the Theife did foreknow this after a wounderfull manner and did confesse it at that tyme when there appeared no likelyhood in Christ to raigne Kings do reigne vvhen they liue and when they cease to liue they cease to reigne But the Theefe openly affirmed that Christ by death was to come into his Kingdome The vvhich point our Lord did explaine in one of his Parables vvhen he said Luc. 19. A certaine Noble man went into a farre Country to take vnto himselfe a kingdome and to returne This our Lord said being most neare vnto his Passion signifying that by death himselfe was to goe into a far distant Country or Region that is to an other life or vnto Heauen which is most remote from the Earth and to goe to the end to receave a most large and euerlasting kingdome and after to returne at the day of iudgment that he might make retribution either of reward or punishment to all men according as they had deserued in this lyfe Therefore of this kingdome of Christ which presently after his death he was to receaue the wyse Theefe said Remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome But was not Christ a king before his death Certainly he was and therefore the Magi cryed out Vbi est qui natus est Rex Iudaeorum Where is he that is borne king of the Iewes Math. 2. And Christ himselfe said to Pilate Thou saist that I am a King For this was I borne and for this came I into the world that I should giue testimony to the Truth Ioan. 18. Neuerthelesse he was a king in this world as a stranger among his Enemies and therefore he was acknowledged as a king only of few but contemned and badly entreated by many And in regard thereof he said in the Parable aboue cited that he was to goe into a far Country to take vnto himselfe a kingdome He said not to seeke or to gaine a Kingdome which did not belong to him but to receaue his owne kingdome and to returne therefore the Theefe wisely said VVhen thou shalt come into thy kingdome To proceede The kingdome of Christ signifieth not in this place any Regall Potency or Soâ—â—raignty For this euen from the beginning he had according to that of the Psalme 2. I am appointed king by him ouer Sion his Holy Hill And in another place He shall rule from sea to sea and from the Riuer euen to the ends of the world Psal 71. And Esay sayth cap. 9 A litle one is horne to vs and a sonne is giuen to vs whose Principality is vpon his shoulder And Ieremy cap. 23. I will rayse vp Dauid a Iust branch and he shall reigne a king and shal be wise and he shall do iudgement and iustice vpon the earth And Zacharias cap. 9. Reioyce greatly O daughter of Sion make iubilation O daughter of Ierusalem Behold thy king will come to thee the iust and Sauiour himselfe poore and
the Patronesse of Orphans thou art the Redemption of the Captiue the exultation and Comfort of the sicke and the Health of All. And againe Sub alis tuis c. Vnder thy wings keep me and protect me take mercy on me who am contaminated and defiled with dirt And yet more after Non mihi alia â—iducia c. There is no other hope for me O Blessed Virgin All hayle to thee who art the peace the ioy and health of the World To this Father let vs adioyne S Iohn Damascene who was one of the first of those that worshipped the most holy Virgin and placed their Hope in her This Doctour thus writeth Orat. de Natiu B. Virg. O Ioachim Anna Filia Domina c. Receaue the prayer of a sinner yet ardently louing and worshipping thee houlding thee as the hope of his ioy the defendour of his lyfe reducing him into fauour with thy Sonne a firme and earnest pledge of saluatioÌ„ vnloose and dissolue the burden of my sinnes suppresse my temptations gouerne my life piously and holily and procure that thou being my guyde I may come to the celestiall Beatitude I will add to the former two of the Latin Fathers of which S. Anselme shal be one who thus writeth l. de Excell Virg. c 3. Itaque cui saltem ita concessum fuerit c. I do coniecture that it is a great signe to him of obtayning Saluateon who with a sweet cogitation can often thinke of the B. Virgin And after Velocior est nonnumquam salus c. Oftentimes Health is sooner obtained by calling vpon the name of the B. Virgin then by inuocating the name of our Lord Iesus her only Sonne But the reason hereof is not because she is greater or more powrefull then he for he is not grsat and potent by her but she is great and potent by him Why then is health often sooner receaued by the inuocation of her then of her Sonne I will shew my iudgment of this â—oint Her sonne is the Lord and Iudge of all men discerning the merits of euery One. Therefore whyles he is inuocated by his owne name of euery man he presently heareth not and this he doth iustly But the name of his Mother being inuocated and implored if the merits of him that inuocateth do not deserue that he should be heard yet the merits of the Mother do so intercede as that he may be heard But S. Bernard doth after a wonderfull manner describe the pious and indeed motherly affection of the most Blessed Virgin tovvards men deuoted to her as also the extraordinary and filiall piety of such who do acknowledge the Virgin as their Mother and Patronesse Thus this Doctour sayth Serm. 2. super Missus est O quisquis te intelligis c. O thou who perceauest that in the inundation of this VVorld thou art more tossed among the stormes and tempests then thou dost quietly walke vpon the earth do not turne thy Eyes from the brightnes of this starre I meane of Mary the star of the Sea if so thou couetest not to be ouerwhelmed with these stormes Yf thou be tossed with the waues of Pryde if of Ambition if of Detraction if of Emulation turne thy selfe towards this starre and inuocate Mary Yf thou be afflicted with the dreadfulnes of thy owne sinnes if thou be confounded with the guiltines of thy owne Conscience if thou be afraid through feare of thy Iudge if thou beginnest to be absorpt in the Hell of sadnes and in the abisse of Desperation thinke vpon Maâ—y In thy dangers in thy straits in thy necessities meditate vpon Mary inuoke Mary thou following her dost not goe abstray thou praying to her dost not despaire thou thinking of her dost not erre And the same Father in another Booke thus further discoursâ—th Serm de Nat. B. M. siue de aquae ductu Altius intuemini c. Call more deeply into mind with what affection of deuotion he who hath placed all plenitude of goodnes in Mary would haue Mary to be honoured of vs so as if there be any hope in vs if any Grace if any health we are to acknowledge that it proceeds from her And after Tâ—t is ergo medullis c. With all the forces and desires of our Harts let vs worship Mary for this is the will of him who will haue vs to receaue all by the mediation of Mary And againe Filioli haec peccatorum scala c. My Sonnes this meaning the B. Virgin is the Ladder of sinners this is my greatest Confidence this is the cause of all my Hope To these two most holy Fathers I will annexe other two holy men out of the Schoole of Deuines S. Thomas Aquinas in his litle Worke of the salutation of the Angell thus sayth in opusc 8. Benedicta tu in multeribus c. She meaning the Virgin Mary it blessed among all Women bâ—cause she alone hath taken away Malediction hath brought in Benediction and hath opened the Gate of Paradise Therefore the name of Mary which is interpreted the starre of the Sea doth well agree to her for as those who are sayling are directed to the Port or hauen by the starre of the Sea so Christians an directed to Glory by the help of Mary S. Bonauenture most fully discourseth of this subiect thus writing in sua Pharetra l. 1. cap. 5. Sicut O beatissima omnis à te c. O most B. Virgin as of necessity euery one that is in mind auerted from thee and not respected by thee must perish so euery one that is conuerted to thee and by thee regarded cannot possibly be damned The same holy Father in another of his bookes thus writeth of the confidence of S. Francâ—â— â—n the B. Virgin in vita D. Fran. Matrem Domini nostri c. S. Francis did prosecute the Mother of our Lord Iesus Christ with an inutterable Loue in that she made the Lord of Maiesty to become brother to vs and by her we haue obtained Mercy He confiding in her next to Christ made her his Aduocate and in her Honour he did fast most deuoutely from the feast of the Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul vntill the feast of her Assumption To all these Holy Fathers I will range Pope Irnocentius the third who was a great Worshipper of the Mother of God and who not only in his Sermons did much magnify prayse her but also in her Honour did buyld a Monastery And which is more to be admired He stirring the People vp to repose their Hope in the most holy Mother of God as foreknowing the euent of things to come did vtter many things which he after confirmed with his owne happy experience and triall Thus he writeth of the B. Virgin Quis iacet in nocte Culpae c. He who lyeth in the night of Offence and sinne let him behould the Moone let him pray to Mary that she through her Sonne may illuminate his hart with
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
God which spirit turneth a sensuall man into a spirituall And it is not sufficient to demand or pray for this wisdome once or twyce and coldly but we ought euen to besiege the eares of God with our incessant petitions and inutterable lamentations For if a Carnall Father be not accustomed to deny his little child moaning and asking some bread How much more sayth our Lord will your Father from Heauen giue the good spirit to them that aske him Luc. 11. The sixt Word Consummatum est It is consummate Ioan. 15. literally expounded CHAP. XII THe sixt VVord pronounced by our Lord vpon the Crosse is related by the foresaid S. Iohn as almost conioyned with the fifth For presently after our Lord had said I thirst had tasted vinegre brought vnto him S. Iohn thus addeth When Iesus therefore had taken the Vinegre he said It is consummate Io. 19. And truly according to the letter the word Consummatum est signifieth nothing but that the worke of Christs Passion was then consummate perfected and ended For two works or labours the Father did enioyne vpon his Sonne One was the preaching of the Gospell The other his suffering for mankind Of the first Worke our Lord did spake in S. Iohn c. 17. I haue consummated the worke which thou gauest me to doe I haue manifested thy name to men This our Lord spake after his last and longest Sermon made to his Disciples after his last supper Thus he had finished then his first VVorke imposed by his Father The second VVorke concerned his drinking the Cupp of his Passion of which himselfe sayth Can you drinke of the Cup which I shall drinke of Matth. 20. and againe O Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me Matth. 26. and yet more The Cup which my Father hath giuen me shall I not drinke it Io. 18. Therefore of this worke of his Passion our Lord being most neare to his death said Consummatum est It is consummate and finished I haue drunke vp this whole cup euen to the dregs nothing is now remaining but to depart out of this life And so bowing his head he gaue vp the Ghost Ioan. 19. But because neyther our Lord himselfe nor S. Iohn as affecting breuity did explaine and set downe what that was which was consumate and finished occasion thereby is giuen to vs to apply that consummatum est to diuers mysteries and this not without iust reason and fruite First then S. Austin referreth the word consummatum est to the fullfilling of the Prophecies which were deliuered of our Sauiour for thus he writeth in Comment huius loci Our Lord knowing that all things were consummate that the Scripture should be consummated accomplished said I thrist And taking the vinegre he said It is consummate That is that is now fullfilled which did remaine to be fullfilled From whence we gather that our Lords meaning was that all those things are now coÌ„summate and finished which the Prophets had foretould of his lyfe and death For example His Conception in those words Behould a virgin shall coÌ„ceaue Isa 7. His Natiuity in Bethleem And thou Bethleem the land of Iuda out of thee shal come forth my Captaine which shall rule my People of Israel Micheas 5. The ApparitioÌ„ of the new Star A starre shall rise out of Iuda Num. 2â— The adoration of the Kings The Kings of Tharsis and the Ilands shall offer presents Psal 71. The Preaching of the Ghospell The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me to preach to the poore he sent me Isa 61. Christ Miracles Isa 35. God himselfe will come and saue vs then shall the eyes of the blind be opened and the eares of the deafe opened then shall the lame leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shal be opened His riding vpon an Asse or coult of an Asse Zach. 9. Behould thy king will come to thee the Iust and Sauiour himselfe poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a Colt the fole of an Asse To conclude the Scene of his whole Passion by parts is described by Dauid in his Psalms by Esay Ieremy Zachary and others as abouesayd And this is that which our Lord going towards his Passion said Behould we go vp to Ierusalem and all things shal be consummate which were written by the Prophets of the Sonne of Man Luc. 18. Of those things therefore which were to be consummate our Lord now sayth consummatum est that is to say all is now consummate and finished which the Prophets foretould of me that so they may be fouÌ„d to be true Prophets Furthermore according to the sentence of S. Iohn Chrysostome the vvord consummatum est signifieth that all the power permitted to men and the Deuils against Christ was consummated and ended in the Passion of Christ of which povver Christ himselfe spake to the chiefe of the Pharisees Priests or Officers of the Temple This is your hower and the power of darknes Luc. 22. Therfore this hower and whole tyme during the which God permitting the wicked had power ouer Christ was ended when our Lord said Consummatum est For then the peregrination of the Sonne of God among men receaued its end which peregrination Baruâ—h the Prophet foretould when he said cap. 3. This is our God and there shall none other be â—steemed against him He found out all the way of discipline and deliuered it to Iacob his seruant and to Israel his beloued After these things he was seene vpon the Earth and was conuersant with men And the Condition of his mortall life according to which he was hungry did thirst did sleepe was spent out with iniuries whipping wounds and subiect to death did take its end together with his peregrinatioÌ„ Therefore when Christ said vpon the Crosse consumutatum est these words imply that that iourney was finished of which he faith in another place I came forth from the Father came into the world againe I leaue the world and go to the Father Iob. 16. That laborious and painefull peregrinatioÌ„ is finished of which Ieremy speaketh cap. 14. O expectation of Israel the Sauiour thereof in the time of tribulation why wilt thou be a seiourner in the Land a wayfaring man turning in to lodge The mortality of Christs humanity is consummate and ended the power of all his Enemies agaâ—nst him is consummate finally the sacrifice greatst of al sacrifices is consuÌ„mate to which all the Sacrifices of the old Law as being but types shadowes had necessary relation as to a true and solid sacrifice For thus S. Leo speaketh Serm. 8. de pass Dom. Traxisti Domine omnia ad te c. O Lord thou hast drawne all things to thee because the veyle of the Temple being cut a sunder the Holy of Holyes departed from the vnworthy Priests that so the figure might bâ— turned into the Truth Prophecy into manifestation or clearenes and the Law into the Ghospell And a litle after Now the variety
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
be more pardonable for him to seeke to be gouerned only by sensuality and corporall delights but seeing man is partakâ—r of reason he vnderstandeth or ought to vnderstaÌ„d that he who commaÌ„deth the flesh to be crucifyed with its vices coÌ„cupiscences is not ready only to command but also to help yea to preuent with the ayde of his grace and so to direct that the skillfull Physitian â—ay know how to temper this bitter cup as that it may he taken drunke vp wâ—thout any fastidious difficulty Furthermore if euery one of vs were the first to whome it was sayd Take vp the Crosse follow me Math. 16. Perhaps we might distrust of our our owne force and not be willing to touch the Crosse as fearing we could not be able to support it But seing many before vs not only men of full age but euen children and â—ong virgins haue with great fortitude taken vp the Crosse of Christ and haue borne it constantly and haue crucifiâ—d their flesh with their vices and concupiscences why should we be afrayd why should we be disanimated dismayed thereat S. Austin being ouerborne in iudgement with this argumeÌ„t did maister ouerrule his carnall concupiscence which for a long tyme he thought impossible to conquer For he proposed to himselfe before the eyes of his mynd many both men and Women recorded in history as most continent and chast and then in the secret of his soule he said to himselfe Cur non poteris c. Why art thou not able to performe what these men and women haue performed They were not able through their owne force but through the assistance of their Lord God Lib. 8 Confess c. 11. And vvhat is here spoken of the Concupiscence of the flesh the same may be said of the Concupiscence of the Eyes which is couetousnes or auarice and of Pryde of lyfe since there is no Vice which may not be crucified and mortified through the help and ayde of God Neither is there any danger of the want of Gods good concurrency therin seing as S. Leo sayth Iustè inst at praecepto c. He may iustly command that which he furthereth with his owne assistance Serm. 16. de pass Dom. They truly are miserable I may well say mad and foolish who when it is in their povver to vndergoe the sweet light yoake of Christ therby find in this life rest to the Soule and in the next reigne with the same Christ rather will subiect themselues to the yoake of Oxen at the command of the Deuill and to be thrall to flesh and sensuality and finally to be tormented in Hell with their Lord the Deuill for all Eternity Of the fifth fruite of the sixt Word CHAP. XVII THe fifth fruit is to be collected out of the foresaid Words Consummatum est as they do signify the edification building of the Câ—urch to be consummate and perfected vpon the Crosse that the Church it selfe did proceed from the syde of Christ dying as another Eue from the rib of Adâ—m sleeping This Mistery teacheth vs that we reuerence the Crosse that vve honour the Crosse that we prosecute the Crosse with all loue and affection For who is he that loueth not the place from whence his mother came out Certainly all good Catholikes are woÌ„derfully affected towards the most sacred House of Loreto because in it the B. Virgin Mother of God was borne and because in it also Iesus Christ our Lord and God was borne not out but in the Virginall Wombe For thus the Angel speaketh to Ioseph That which is borne in her is of the Holy Ghost Matth. 1. And herevpon the Church it selfe being mindfull of her owne birth or Natiuity doth paint and place the Crosse in euery place on the fore-front of Churches in houses neither doth she minister any Sacrament without the signe of the Crosse nor doth she sanctify or blesse any Creature without the Crosse But we then especially do manifest our great loue to the Crosse when we patiently suffer aduersity for the loue of him who was nayled and dyed vpon the Crosse For this is to glory in the Crosse to wit â—o do that which the Apostles did They went from the sight of the Councell reioycing because they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the Name of Iesus Act. 5. And the Apostle S. Paul explicateth what it is to glory in the Crosse when he saith Rom. 5. VVe glory in tribulations knowing that tribulations worketh Patience Patience Probation and probation Hope And Hope confoundeth not because the Charity of God it powred forth in our Harts by the Holy Ghost which is giuen vs. And from hence it is that S. Paul writing to the Galathians thus concludeth cap. 6. God forbid that I should glory sauing in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified to me and I to the World This is the triumph of the Crosse if the world with all its delights be as it were deade to a Christian soule louing Christ crucified and the Christian soule it selfe become deade to â—â—e world louing tribulation and conâ—â—mpt which the World hateth and â—osecuting with contemptâ— carnall â—easures and temporall glory which â—e vvorld much loueth and admireth â—nd thus it is brought to passe that â—e seruant of God is consummated â—â—rfected so as it may be said of him â—so Consummatus est Of the sixt fruite of the sixt Word CHAP. XVIII THe last fruite remayning is to be gathered from the Example of the Perseuerance of our Lord vpon the Crosse since from that word Consummatum est we gather that our Lord had consummated and finished the whole Worke of his Passion euen from the beginning to the End so as nothing more thereto could be desired or wished The works of God sayth Moyses are perfect Deut. 32. And euen as the Father did perfect in the sixt day the vvorke of mans Creation and vpon the seauenth did rest So the Sonne in the sixt day did consummate the worke of mans Redemption and vpon the seauenth did also rest In vayne did the Iewes cry out before the Crosse If he be the king of Israell let him now come downe from the Crosse But S. Bernard sayth more aptly Serm. 1. de Resurrect Immò quia Rex Israel est c. Yea because he is the King of Israel let him not loose the title of his Kingdome And a litle after Non tibi dabit occasionem c. Christ will not giue occasion of depriuing thee of perseuerance which alone is crowned He will not cause the tongues to be silent of Preachers perswading and comforting the faint harted and weake and saying to euery of them Looke thou doest not forsake thy Place or Station the which doubtlesly would follow if they might reply Christ hath forsaken his Place Christ therefore perseuered vpon the Crosse till che end of his life that he might so consummate and perfect his owne Worke as that nothing
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