Resurrection he appered to his disciples what tyme Thomas was there absent And whan Thomas was comme to theyr compaigney the disciples sayd to hym Vidimus dominum we haue sene our lorde and oure mayster and than Thomas sayd excepte I see the sygnes or the pryntes of the nayles in his handes and put my fynger in the holes and also put my hande into his syde I wyl nat belyue These wordes ware nat spoken of any malyce but rather of ignorance and of a great sorowe heuynes for that he had nat sene our lorde and therfore his louyng and godly maister Iesus wold nat leaue his louyng discyple in that blyndnes and heuynes but for to comforth hym and for to reforme his fayth it pleased hym to appere agayne Therfore whan his discyples ware gadred to gyther in y e mount of Syon where as he kept his mauÌ„dy or supper and also Thomas beyng with them the good shepherd and herdman Iesus diligent to comforth his lytell small flock cam vnto them the gates dores and wyndowes beyng shyt and so stode in the myddest of them that he myght be sene of them all and sayd to them Pax vobis Peace be to you And note here that there can neuer be peace in a comynalty except the prelate be in the myddest so that he be nat enclyned more to one part than to the other A pillar can neuer susteyne and bear vp the house if it be set nygh to y e wal and nat in the myddest and therfore the erth which is set in y e myddest of the world is vnmoueable to signifie that euery prelate or herde shulde nat be moued by any parcialite more to one persone than to an other Our lorde Iesus dyd oftymes shewe peace vnto his disciples dyd also coÌ„mend it and perswade them to haue it for without peace we can nat haue god the prophete to witnes whaÌ„ he sayth In pace factus est locus eius His place and abydyng is in peace Than Iesus said to Thomas Infer digitum tuuÌ„ huc et vide manus meas Put in thy fynger here se my haÌ„des put forth thy hande and thurst it in to my syde and be nat vnfaythfull but belyue Than Thomas toyched the signes of Christes wouÌ„des so byleued nat onely with his hert but also confessed it with his mouthe and sayd Dominus meus et deus meus Thou art my lorde after thy humanite for thou hast redemed me with thy preciouse blode thou art my god in thy diuinite for thou hast create me I doute in nothynge nowe but I am sure that thou art rysen from death to lyfe Than Iesus said to hym Quia vidisti me Thoma cre didisti beati qui non viderunt et crediderunt Thomas thou dost belyue bycause thou hast sene me blyssed be they that belyue and haue not sene In these wordes is not only affirmed the fayth of Thomas but also our fayth is moche commended and blessed and the errour of the heretikes confounded which sayd y t Christ had no true body And here se the goodnes and mercy of oure lorde howe that he wolde appere and shewe hym selfe with his woundes to saue one soule Also note here that the infinite wysdome and goodnes of god suffred Thomas to doute that the resurrection of Christ shuld be prouyd by euident and manyfest argumeÌ„tê or signes therfore Thomas douted y t we shuld not dout Herunto sayth saynt Gregory It was not of chaunce but of the ordynauÌ„ce of god that y e welbeloued disciple of Christ Thomas was absent whan Christ dyd fyrst appere that he hearyng of his resurrection shulde dowte he so dowtyng shuld feale and touche the places of the woundes of Christ and so fealyng shuld beleaue and that to expell al dowtfulnes from our hertes And so in fealynge or puttynge in his hande into the syde of Christe he cured in vs the woundes of our infidelite Also the incredulite or doutfulnes of Thomas dyd more profyt vs vnto oure faythe that the prompte and redy beleaue of the other disciples for by his dowtyng and fealyng our mynd is stablyshed in fayth all dowtes set a parte Mary Magdalen dyd lesse profyt to me by her swyft redy fayth than Thomas by his longe dowtyng for he touched the pryntes of his woundes and vtterly expelled from my soule the wounde of doutfulnes Our lorde of his great goodnes reserued the pryntes or signes of his woundes in his body after his resurrection Not for that he could not cure theÌ„ for he y t destroyed the power of death myght also haue cured put away those signes of death if it had pleased hym but he wold reserue them for dyuers causes Fyrst to confirme our fayth as ye se in Thomas Secondly for to shewe to his father whan he wyl pray for vs. And thyrdly to shewe them at the day of dome to the daÌ„pned people to theyr confusion And these tokens of his woundes ware in no thynge to the deformitie of his glorious body but rather as Crisostom sayth to his great beautie for they shone more bryght than the sonne And as saynt Austen sayth the tokens of the wouÌ„des that holy sayntes haue suffred here for Christe shall in heuen appere in theyr bodyes not to theyr deformite but to theyr glory as a starre in the firmament as a presiouse stone in a rynge as a flowre in the medowe ond as the red colour in a rose which be to the fairnes and beauty of these thynges and so be tho pryntes of theyr woundes in theyr bodyes to theyr glory and dignitie O thou louyng soule behold now thy lorde and consydre his wonte goodnes meaknes and feruent loue howe he sheweth his woundes to Thomas and to his other disciples to put away all blyndnes ignorauÌ„ce froÌ„ theyr soules for theyr profyt and oures also Our lorde stode there with them a lytel whyle speakyng comfortable wordes of y e kyngdom of glory And his disciples stode with hym iÌ„ great gladnes hearyng his godly wordes beholdyng his face full of fauour beauty and glory Beholde them howe they stande about hym And stande thou reuereÌ„tly with ioy beholdyng them a far of if paraduenture our lord moued of pytie and mercy wyl cause the to be called thoughe thou of thy selfe be not worthy that compaygny At last Iesus sayd vnto them that they shuld goo into Galile and there he wold appere vnto them accordyng vnto his promisse And so he blessed them and departed froÌ„ them And they remayned in great comforth but yet moche desyrous to se hym agayne A prayer O Lorde Iesu Christe which shewed vnto Thomas y t douted of thy resurrection the places of the nayles and the spear hathe reuoked hym from errour by the puttynge in of his fynger into the holes of thy haÌ„des and of his hande into thy syde grauÌ„t to me that I hauyng euer the
The Myrrour or Glasse of Christes Passion ⧠⧠⧠HH The Preface ¶ To the honorable lorde Husey My lorde accordyngly vnto your desyre I haue traÌ„slated your boke put it into our natyue mother tongue as my simple wit and power lernyng wold suffer me And though it be nat so well done as I surely knowe many other myght can haue done it if it wolde haue pleased your lordship to haue deâ—yred theÌ„ and if also it wold haue lyked them to haue taken that labour yet I trust I haue so done that it may be comforth to the readers hearers or at the leste I haue gyuen occasion to ordre to amend and performe that I rudely and barbarously set forward Surely my lorde the chyefe cause of this my labour was for that I thought this boke shulde be moche profytable to the readers and edefyeng to all that wolde diligently hear it And to say the treuth I know no thynge more comfortable to man For amonges all the exercyses that helpe the spirite to obteyne the loue of god and specially to hym y t wolde begyn vse a spiritual lyfe no thynge is thought always more frutful thaÌ„ the continnal meditacion of the passion of our lorde god Iesus Christ for the exercyses of all other spirituall meditacions may be reduced and brought vnto this As by an example If a man desyre to bewayll and weape for his vices and synnes for his vnkyndnes and vilenes if he couit to purge amend his negligence defautes he shall fynde none more vehement and redy meane to pricke hym forwarde to his intent than to remembre the most innoceÌ„t death and passion of his redeamer that is to consyder what bitter paynes he suffred for man to spare and kepe man from payne eternall wherafter Iustice he shulde haue rather dampned man for his synnes And here man may see both the Iustice and also the mercy of god Man may coÌ„syder in hym selfe the great mercy of god in that god wold forgyue and ê‘don hym of his synnes He may also perceiue the iustice of god in his owne synnes whiche god dyd correcte punysshe accordyng to iustice in hym selfe bycause he wold nat suffre theÌ„ vnpunished And thus in this meditacion man may fynde how to weape and mourne for his synnes for the which the son of god was bet wouÌ„dyd and crucified and all that god suffred to cure man of his synnes kepe hym from eternall payne Here may also man bewayle his owne vnkyndnes consyderyng how vnkyndly he rendreth to so faythfull a louer so many yuell dedes contrary to goddes pleasure and also dayly contemptes and despysynges for his tendre loue and kyndnes and for his manyfolde gyftes which man dayly receyueth of hym Morouer this coÌ„templacion of the death of Christ indureth man both to hope and to fear wherby he may be releaued of two temptacyons â—or if the enormitie of his synnes moue any man to dispaire he hathe here in this exercise wherby to put away his synnes and to make satisfactioÌ„ for them he hath here wherof to redeme hiÌ„selfe y t is y e blode deth of his lorde god therfore he nede nat to feare his synnes if he so ordre hym selfe y t he dye with Christ dye I say from synne and ryse in a new lyfe And on the other parte it man be vexed by presumpcion or vayne lyghtnes and myrth without the fear of god he hath here how to abate his vayne myrth coÌ„syderyng how that heueÌ„ was shyt from the moste holy frendes of god by many yeres ye aboue .iiii. thousand yeres and how that the glory of god was denyed to maÌ„ or at the least differred by so many yeres vnto the tyme that our lorde and sauiour Iesus whiche neuer dyd synne suffred death for our synne so that no maÌ„ may come to that glory but by payne thus shall mannes vayne myrth be put downe If peraduenture man be dull and slouthfull to all goodnes where shall he haue a more spedy remedy to pricke forwarde his dulnes than to coÌ„sydre how his lorde god moste pure innocent man suffred so greuouse paynes for hym Some man wold peraduenture exercise him selfe in his owne knowlege and so to come to meknes But I pray you where shall he haue a better occasion therunto thaÌ„ to ponder and way the difformite and great difference of his owne study and labour and shortly the ordre of his hole lyfe and of the labour lyfe of Iesus Christ that is remembre man howe coÌ„trarie thy lyfe is to his wyl pÌ„ceptes how vnlike to his vertues how farre froÌ„ his ensaÌ„ples remeÌ„bre maÌ„ how frayle thou art redy to fal how vnstable in all thy good purposes how vnredy or rather loth to folowe thy lorde howe vnapte to all goodnes As euery man may dayly se in hym selfe Forthermore if maÌ„ wold be enflamed to loue god where may he haue better help than by this exercise for if it be natural to rendre loue for loue and the loue of god was neuer more openly shewed to man than in his redemption that is in the passion and death of our redeamer Christ Iesus it is than manifest that by this remembraunce of his passion a man is moste strongly excited and moued to loue god And if man desyre to be pricked forward in that loue let hym remembre the benefites of god which be as signes tokens of his loue And these benefites most euidently appere in his passion as ye shall more clerely se in this boke At last if man desyre that all his lyfe be continuall and perpetuall prayer and that he wold haue his herte euer lyfted vp to god and his deuotion or feruour euer renewed he shal neuer get it more easly than by the remembraunce of the lyfe and passion of his lorde god for there he may haue in euery worde acte behauiour and paine that Christ spake dyd vsed and suffred how to be compuncte and sory in hert how to be conforted in spirite For in the consyderation of them now he may wepe by compassion Now by gyuyng thankes he may haue swete affections Nowe he may desyre to be confourmed vnto hym and to his wyl Now he may labour and wysshe to be holly transfourmed into hym Thus may man go from one exercise vnto an other to auoyde tediousnes and so euer to be iÌ„ prayer And shortly to coÌ„clude there is no kynde of spirituall exercise but that it may be founde in the lyfe passion of Christ or els by moste pleantuouse fruyte it may be reduced and applied to it And this shall better appere in the fyrst parte of this boke the thyrde ê‘tycle Nowe my lorde I haue shewed what was the pryncypall cause mouyng me to accoÌ„plysh your desyre and if I may perceyue that ye or ony other take profyt therby I shall gyue prayses to god from whom all goodnes commeth and I beseache iour lorship to pray
waite to accuse hym beatynges bondes scourgynges mockes rebukes sclaunders with many other paynes and sorowes as we shewed before so that the glorie of god was be spewed and all defowled with spittynges the iustice of god was contempned the iudge was falsly iudged he that neuer offended was blamed the innocent was accused and sclaundered god was blasphemed Christe was dispysed lyfe was sleyne and therfore the sonne withdrewe and hyd his lyght and the mone waxed blacke and derke These and many other mo paynes suffered paciently our most louynge sauiour Iesus whiche as a meke lambe was led vnto the dethe and he wold nat ones resist his enemyes though with one worde or one thought he myght haue cast downe or drowned all his enemyes in the depest pyt of hell But for whom suffered he all these great paines surely for his most cruell and synfull enemyes for his most wycked seruauntes or bondmen for false tratoures contempners or dispisers of his godly maiestie and for moste vnkynde wretches vnto theyr creatour and maker Syth therfore suche a glorious kyng pure and innocent suffred so many paynes and rebukes for so vile false wycked and most vnkynd caytiues to whom he had exhibite and shewed before that tyme all signes and tokens of benignitye and goodnes Was nat this a wonderous and meruaylous thynge Who may sufficiently meruayl of this thyng to considre and se the most wyse pure myghtie holy and the euerlastynge beautie of glorie of god to suffer so shamfull dethe for so stynkyng carion In all these thynges we may well wonder and meruayl of the great goodnes and charitie of god For he of his infinite charitie made of his owne flesshe and bodye made reed with his owne blode a reclamatorie or a lewer to call vnto his mercy and grace those wylde hawkes and vnkynde people the whiche by inordinate loue to the flesshe and the worlde had taken theyr flyght from the hand and fauour of the noble fawconer our sauiour Iesus Of the which hawkes speketh the prophet Osee saynge Effraim quasi anis auolauit Effraym hath flowen away or taken her flyght as a wylde hawke Effraym is as moche to say by interpretation as augmenta encreasinges and it may wel signifye suche people as here haue theyr pleasure in worldly honours and pastymes and encrease in them Suche people lyke vnto vngentyll or wylde hawkes flye from the hand and fauour or loue of god vnto the caryon of the bodye or of the worlde and fede therof And if they wyl nat be reclaymed vnto y e hand of this fawconer neyther by his callynge or cryenge nor yet by the shewynge of his lewre that is by the remembraunce of his passion and dethe they shal be lefte vnto the power and handes of the rauenar of hell the deuyll Herunto our lorde speaketh by the wyse man saynge Vocaui et renuistis extendi manum meam et non fuit qui aspiceret c. I haue called you sayth our lord and ye wold nat come I haue extended my hand shewynge my lewre that is gyuynge my benefytes vnto youe and specyally myne owne precyous bodye and blode but there is none that wyll beholde or regarde it and gyue to me due thankes therfore And it foloweth Ego quoque in interitu vestro ridebo And I shall laughe at you whan ye shal be deuoured by the deuyles of hell We myght here also shewe many other occasions of meruaylynge whiche be written in diuerse places of this treatys and specially in the fyrste particle of this parte ¶ How we shuld consydre Christes passyon to reioyse and ioy therin The .iiii. Chap. FOrthly we shulde considre the passion of our lorde to ioy therin For we shuld ioy therof for the redeÌ„ption of mankynde for the reparynge and restorynge of the ruyne and decay of aungelles And also we shuld ioy of the greate charitye and goodnes of god shewed in the sayd passion Fyrste without doubte we ought greatly to reioyse and ioy in our redemption whiche we had by the deth and passion of Christe Who is he I beseche you that wyll nat be ioyfull and gladde of this deth and passion whan he considereth that therby he is redemed from eternal dampnation from the rebuke of synne from the powre of the deuyll and from the miserable paynes of hell Secondly we shuld ioy that y e tall of aungellê is repared by the passion of Christe Surely it may be a greate reioysynge to vs whan we considre that so noble a college as is the companye of aungelles thorough the deth of Christe shal be repared and fulfilled with vs so that of aungelles of men shal be one heerd or flocke vnder one herdmaÌ„ our sauiour Iesu Christ so that they and we may be all one in hym Thirdly we oughte moste specyally to reioyse beholdynge in al the forsayd thynges the great and inestimable charite of our sauiour Iesu Christ our lorde and god Howe or in what thynge myght he haue shewed more clerly or more to our comforth his most benigne goodnes then in his most glorious passion where as he suffered so shamfull sharpe and greuous paynes for the deliueraunce of his enemy and to glorifye hym that was worthy to be punysshed with eternall dethe And therfore scripture sayth Inundationes maris quasi lac sugent et thesauros altissimos arenarum They shal sucke as it were mylke the swellynges or inundations and tempestes of the see and also the depe and hyd treasoures of the sande or grauell By this suckynge is signifyed the confortable swetnes that we haue in the receyuynge of the precious bodye of our lorde the whiche we receyue in the remeÌ„braunce of the passion of our lord and of the great treasure that was hyd in the manyfolde paynes and sorowes that he suffred before his dethe wherby we were redemed whiche we ought at all tymes to remembre And therfore the prophet Dauid sayth Adhereat lingua mea faucibus meis si non meminero tui I wolde my tunge shulde cleue faste to my iawes if I do nat remembre the. Then dothe the tunge cleue fast to the iawes when a man nothynge regardynge spirituall pleasures enforceth hymselfe to folowe worldly or carnall pleasures The swetnes that coÌ„meth in to the soule by receyuynge of the sacrameÌ„t redoundeth in to the iawes or chekes that be wel disposed that is to say it is nat onely comforth to a good soule but also to all the poures of the bodye as the suckynge of the salt water of the see wherby is signified the bitter paynes of Christes passion And these spirituall consolations be the treasures more precious then golde and precious stone Also they be hyd treasures for no man knoweth them but he that receyueth them And as the prophet Dauid sayth they be moche more to be desyred then golde or precious stone and more pleasauÌ„t or swetter then hony or any hony combe For they that be replenysshed with this hyd
shulde loue bodily or carnall pleasures but that as Christ hauyng a mortall body dyd by coÌ„tinual penaunce subdue his body coÌ„tempne all carnall worldly pleasures and was euer ioyned to god by loue so in lyke maner shuld mortal man mortifye his body by continuall penaunce dispise all vayne pleasures and euer erecte or lyfte vp his soule to god and heuenly thynges O the meruaylous blyndnes of man made of two substaunces that is the soule and the body and all thoughe the soule without comparison be moche more noble than the body yet he wyl spend and occupy all his tyme in a maner aboute the prouisyon of his body or in suche thynges as the flesshe desireth and in nothynge regarde his soule as yf he had none or that it were of no value For he wyll neyther fede nor norysshe it nor yet laboure to quiete or rest it in the loue of god thoughe he myght so do with moche more ease swetnes and also pleasure without comparison than to content and saciat the body For god is prest and redy to euery man ye he offereth hym selfe to man yf man he wyl receyue hym Ecce sto ad ostium et pulso c. Behold he sayth I stande at thy dore that is thy herte or soule and knocke yf any person wyl here my voyce and open the dore of his soule vnto me I shall entre therin and suppe with hym and he with me Se thou vnkynde man howe our lorde offereth hymselfe vnto the and requyreth none other pryce of the but the deth of his sonne with thyne obedient herte therfore gladly receyue hym to thy spirituall coÌ„forte All corporall and temporall thynges fle frome man and forsake hym and thoughe with great study anguysshe and payne he labour to get and kepe them yet he shal neuer haue y e ful possession of them to his quietnes excepte he wolde say that he hath the ful possession of them the whiche holly and fully contempneth and dispiseth them all for that person is saciate and contente with the wante of them But wyll ye se a more meruaylous blyndnes of this wretched man The soule of man which is made to thymage of god and the whiche shall neuer be saciate and content but only with god that same soule nat constrayned though partely enclyned and moued by the flesshe wylfully subdeweth her selfe vnto the flesshe redy to fulfyl the vayne pleasures and desyres of the flesshe But she coÌ„tempneth or dispiseth to subdue her self to god though she be continually moued therunto by dayly exhortatyon or preachynge continuall receyuynge of his benefytes and graces and also by inwarde inspirations Ye more ouer she wyll nat do the wyl of god in his owne gyftes that he gyueth to her Truely yf the soule were nat worse or more bestial than any brut beste she wolde loue god aboue all thynges vnto whose ymage she is made And so lytell or nothynge regarde all creatures in comparison of god Wherfore thou soule yf thou wylt loue the flesshe or the body loue none other but the flesshe and the body of Christe whiche was offered for the and for the helth of mankynde on the auter of the crosse Therfore dayly remembre in thy herte his passion For it so remembred in the soule of man is continually offered and presented to the syght of the father omnipotent for our consolation and comforte It is comenly sayd that if any man kyl or slee another man yf that mansleer come afterwarde in the presence of that deed corps or body so that he se it it wyl incontinent blede or voyde at the wounde fresshe blode So yf we wolde beholde with the deuoute eyen of our soule the blode and passion of Christe whom we haue slayne or were the occasyon of his deth nat onely by our original synne but also by our manyfolde actuall synnes we shuld fele or perceyue by spiritual grace of deuotion in our soules howe that by our compassion of his passion his blode flowethe plentuously out of his body and is offered and presented vnto his father for our saluacion and sanctification For yf the nayles that persed his handes and feet were sanctified and called holy by the tochyng of his blessed meÌ„bres how moche more then shulde our reasonable thoughtes whiche cleue fast to Christe crucifyed by continual or ofte remembraunce of his passion be called holy O most delectable passion O most meruaylous deth Meruaylous Ye what may be more meruaylous for this deth doth gyue life it cureth our woundê it maketh blode whyte that is it purifieth and clenseth our soule from the blode of synne Great bitternes and sorowe is ofte times tourned to moche swetenes pleasure The openyng of the syde of Christ ioyneth his herte to our herte The sonne hyd frome vs by the clowdes whan the clowdes be gone and paste it shineth more clerely The fyre quenched is shortlyer or soner kyndeled maketh the greater flame The ignominious and shamfull deth of Christe glorifieth both hym and vs. Christe thristyng vpon the crosse doth inebriate and saciate vs with the drynke and liquore of grace Christe hangyng naked on the crosse clotheth y e ryghtuous persones with the garmentes of vertue His handes nayled to the crosse dothe vnknytte or loose oure handes his feete nayled dothe make vs ronne to vertue Christe yeldynge his spyryte in to the handes of his father dothe inspyre and gyue lyfe of grace And he also spred abrode vpon the crosse doth call vs to heuenly thinges O the wonderfull passyon of Christe the whiche doth alyenate and chaunge the herte and mynde of hym that hath remembraunce and compassion of it For it nat only maketh hym angelical but also diuine and godly For he that coÌ„tinueth by meditation in the tormentes and passion of Christ seeth nat hym selfe bycause he alwayes and onely beholdeth his sauiour Christe crucified This person wolde bere the crosse of Christe with hym and he also bereth in his herte hym which susteynethe both heuen and erthe with whome he may easely susteyne and beare all heuy burdens and paynes This persone also that thus continueth in the mediation of Christe crucifyed wolde be crowned with thornes with Christe and for Christe and he is crowned with the sure hope and truste of the crowne of glory He wolde hynge naked on the crosse with Christe and so shake for colde and he is heated in his soule with the feruent fyre of loue He wolde taste of the bitter and sharpe vynacre and gall with Christe and he drynkethe the wyne of vnspeakable swetenes He wolde be mocked and scorned withe Christe on the crosse and he is honoured of aungelles He wolde be dispysed and forsaken with Christe and our lady hath chosen hym to her sonne He wolde be heuy with Christe and he is conforted He wolde be tormented and scourged with Christe and he is relyued with great ioy gladnes He wold hynge with Christe on the crosse and Christe most swetely doth
e passion of Christ And that v. maner of wise First in our vnderstandyng secoÌ„dly in our wyl loue and affection thirdly in our actes and operation fourtly in our pouerty and necessityes fyftly in our reprouynges or dispisinges First I say we shuld fele the passion of Christe in our vnderstandyng or reason so that we dilygenly and with attencion fourme our thoughtes accordyngly vnto the paynes passion of Christe Hereunto we be moued by the wordes of the prophet sayng in the person of Christe crucified O vos omnes qui transitis per viam attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus O all ye that passe thorough the way of this worlde take hede that is thynke with a diligeÌ„t attent mynde and depely coÌ„sider if there be any sorowe lyke vnto my sorowe And this is done truely and faythfully when the passion of Christ is remeÌ„bred rather with an attent mynde cogitation than with deuotion For cogitation hath his signification name of abidyng tarieng or ellê coÌ„straynynge after some doctours For asmoche as in such cogitatyons whan reason vnderstaÌ„dyng hath nat that gyft grace of knowlege that it wolde haue it is coÌ„strayned to abyde tary reuolue it in his cogitation vnto the tyme y t he hath goteÌ„ some perceyuyng therof And of this coÌ„straynyng speketh saynt Barnarde saynge let the outwarde senses be gathered to gether in one and coÌ„strayned or subdewed vnder the discipline and rule of the good wyll And so kepte vnder with the burden of good werkes and made obedient to the seruice of the spirite that in no meanes they be suffered to come at large at theyr sensuall pleasure Of this diligent kepynge of our thoughtes speketh also our lord in his lawe saynge Caue ne vnquam obliuiscaris domini dei tui qui eduxit te de terra Egipti Beware that thou neuer forget thy lorde god whiche hath delyuered the from the thraldome that thou had in the lande of Egipte that is from the thraldome of the deule by the merites of his glorious passion We may alwayes thynke of this benefite though we can nat at al tymes deuoutly remembre it And therfore to remembre or thynke euer of god we be constrayned by his coÌ„maundement But to remembre hym with deuotion we be nat bounde for deuotion is onely of the speciall grace of god which is nat in our power And therfore we be exhorted taught to continue the remembrauÌ„ce of god and of his coÌ„maundmentes saynge Meditaberis ea sedens in domo tua et ambulans in itinere dormiens atque consurgens er ligabis ea quasi signum in manu tua et mouebunt ante oculos tuos scribesque ea in limine et in ostijs domus tue Thou shalt sayth Moyses in the name of our lorde remembre them that is the coÌ„maundmentes and benefytes of god sittynge in thy house and walkynge in thy iourney slepynge and rysyng or at thy downe lyenge and vp risynge and thou shal tye and fasten them vnto the as a signe or a marke in thy hand and they shal be euer before thyn eyne or syght and thou shalt wrytte them in the postes doores of thy house And though these wordes in the litterall sense ben spoken of the .x. coÌ„maundmentes of god yet we may so moche the more conueniently applye them to the remeÌ„braunce of the passion of our lord for asmoche as it was more to our profite and comforth that our lord god wolde suffre deth and passion for our redeÌ„pcion than y t he gaue to vs his commauÌ„dmeÌ„tes And also that is the law ordre of y e benefites of god that more that they be ê“fitable to vs the more we shulde remeÌ„bre them Therfore al the articles or particular paines of the passion of our lord shuld be diligeÌ„tly gadred to geder coÌ„mend to memory accordyng to the wordes of our sauiour sayng Colligite fragmenta ne pereant Gather vp to gether the fragmeÌ„tes that is the ê‘ticular paynes of his passion and put theÌ„ to gider as it were in a litel fagot so coÌ„meÌ„de them to memory lesse they perisshe from your herttê by forgetfulnes iÌ„ this maner dyd y e spouse as we rede in the canticles where as she sayd Fasciculus miâ—re dilectus meus michi inter vbera mea commorabitur My dere beloued spouse is to me as a lytell fagot of myrre he shall abyde in my herte memory Saynt Barnarde declarynge this same text sayth in this maner Brethern this hath ben myne accustomable maner fro my firste conuersion I haue ben diligent to gather a lytell fagot of myrre the which I put in to my bosome as a tresure to recoÌ„pence for the great hepe of merites that I shulde haue had but my vnkyndnes to god is suche that I want suche merites and therfore I say I was dilygent to gather to me a lytell fagot of mirre of al the paynes and affliccions of my lord and sauiour Iesu fyrste of his great pouertye necessitye and affliccion or paynes that he suffred in his yong and tender age after that of his great labours that he had in preachynge his fatigation and werynes in goyng about frome cyte to cyte frome towne to towne frome cuntrye to cuntrye his continuall watche in prayer his temptacions in his fastyng his wepynges and teares in compassion of the miserable people the disceites and craftes of the scribes and phariseys that lye in a wayt of hym to take hym in a trype with some defaute in his coÌ„municacyon or speche and laste of the parylles and daungers that he was in amonges his awne nacion frendes of his rebukes mockes scornes dispises spittynges buffetynges betinges scurgyngê with al other that he suffred for our saluacion Of al the whiche is there plentuously made mencion in the foure euangelystes these thinges to remeÌ„bre sayth saint Barnarde I recounted for wisdome In these thynges I set the perfeccion of my iustyce in these stode all my cunnynge knowlege in these I put the ryches of my helth and thaboundaunce of my merites of these somtyme I dranke a draught of holsome bytternes or peynaunce in these agayne I receyued the swete vnction of consolacyon These thynges done strength me also erecte me in aduersityes they represse me and kepe me meke in prosperityes they gyde me and lede me by a sure way in this lyfe where as is nowe sorowe nowe ioye nowe pleasure nowe payne so that Ider nat go out of the ryght way aslonge as I folowe them ¶ Howe we shulde fele Christes passyon in our loue wyll and affeccion The seconde Chapitre SEcondly we shuld fele I sayd the passion of Christ in our wyl desire loue affeccion For this passion which hither to hath ben onely remeÌ„bred in our thoughtes vnderstandynge if we wyl ê“fit it must procede in to our affeccion so that it be nat onely remembred in our thoughtes
but that also the deuotion of the remeÌ„berer be enflamed by loue in his wyl And suerly yf our vnderstandynge do his diligence in the remembraunce of the said passion it shall shortly moue our affection And so the passion of our lord shall nat onely in our cogitacions be remeÌ„bred but also it shal inflame your wyl by compassion pitye Wherunto we be admonysshed by our lord saynge Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum Put me sayth our lord as a seale vpon thy herte A seale as ye knowe if it be iÌ„prynted in to wax it leaueth in it his image So our lord wolde that his passion shuld be so imprinted in our hertes nat onely be ofte remembraunce but also by deuoute compassion that the prynt and image therof abyde in our affection and feruent desyre so that as Iesus Christe was made reed and blody on the crosse so our deuocion in vs may be made reed and feruent by the vertue of compassion And hereunto we be counselled by the wordes of Moyses saing Sumes de sanguine vituli et pones super coâ—nua altaris That thou shal take of the blode of the calf signifieng the blode of Christe and thou shal put it vpon the corners of the aulter that is vpon thy thoughtê affections with feruent remembrauÌ„ce of the blode of Christe And so we shal fulfyll the admonition of saynt Paule saynge as I sayde before Hoc sentite in vobis quod et in Christo Iesu Feale in your self that Christe Iesu felt And thus we may feele hym in our soule .ii. maner of wayes First by the bitter affection of compassion and that is when we remembre the passion of Christe with so great compassion that it bringeth forth of vs most bytter teares so y t suche a deuoute soule may say with the wise man O mors quam amara est me moria tua O deth howe bitter and sorowfull is thy remeÌ„braunce and specially the remembrauÌ„ce of the deth of Christe Secondly we may feele hym in our hertes or soules by the moste swete and pleasaunt affection of deuotion and that is when we remembre most inwardly depely the great loue and charite of Christ that wolde suffer so greuous paynes and shamefull dethe for so vyle wretches and vnkynde as we be And so this deuout remeÌ„brauÌ„ce bringeth forth of vs most swete teares of deuotion So that we may say that is writen in the boke of Iudith Fontes aquarum ob dulcorati sunt That is the bitter fountayns ben made swete and delectable A figure herof we rede in scripture where as our lord commaunded to Moyses to put a tree that was both longe and bitter in to the water that was so bitter that no man culde drynk therof and so therby the waters were made swet and delectable What is signified by this water but the passion of our lord which is so bitter and paynful that no man may taste therof And by this long and bitter tree is signified the longe and continual remembraunce Whiche if it be ioyned and put to the passion of our lord it shal make it swete and pleasaunt so that the more we taste of it by deuout remeÌ„braunce the more delectable it shal be to vs. And therfore our holy mother the churche sayth in a certen hympne Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulce pondus sustinet That is The swete tree of the crosse susteyneth and bereth a swete burden nayled fast with swete nayles For that whiche was most bitter and paynfull to our sauiour Iesu in his passion somtyme is moste delectable and comfortable to vs in our deuoute meditations These two maners of teares that is bitter and swete sprynge out of this deuout affection of the passion of our lorde And hereunto speaketh saynt Barnarde as we sayd a fore In the remeÌ„braunce of the paynes that my sauiour Iesu sufferd for me I drynke somtyme a draught of holsome bitternes And somtyme agayne I receyue the pleasaunt vnction or oyntment of deuoute consolation ¶ Howe we shuld fele Christes passion in our actes and dedes The thyrde Chapitre THyrdly we shulde fele the paynes of Christe in our effectes and outward operations That lyke as the deuout remembraunce of Christes passion enflameth our affection and loue inwardly so it myght appere be shewed outwardly in our warkes and lyuing Hereunto we be couÌ„seled by the wyse men sayng Prepara foris opus tuum That is to say Suche deuotion as thou haste inwardly conceyued by affection and loue let it be shewed outwardly in thy dedes For as saynt Gregore sayth the dede outwardly done is a sufficient argumeÌ„t or proue of the inwarde loue So by the inwarde loue of man is shewed or knowen his inwarde compassion Also it is writen in the seconde boke of the kynges Omnia que habes in corde tuo fac quoniam dominus tecum est As if he shulde say what so euer good thynge thou hast conceyued in thy hert shewe it outwarde in thy dedes Also it is writen in Exodo Fac secundum exemplar quod tibi monstratum est in monte Performe in thy lyuynge that goodnes whiche thou receyued of god in thy soule And therfore our lorde sayth to vs in his gospel Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam quotidie If any man wyll be my disciple and cum after me let hym denye hym selfe that is forsake his owne wyl and pleasure and take his own crosse that is put his owne body to payne and that dayly For we must coÌ„tinue in penaunce and so folowe Christe in our lyuyng outwardly and nat onely inwardly and hereto saith saint Paule Ostentionem caritatis vestre ostendite in faciem ecclesie That is shewe your good wyl and charitie openly in the face of the churche that is in our werkes in our dedes And saynt Peter sayth Christus passus est pro nobis relinquens exemplum vt s equamini eum Christ hath suffered paynes and deth for vs gyuynge vs example to folowe hym he doth nat say that we shulde haue a wyll desyre only to folowe hym but he sayth playnly that Christe hath left vnto vs an example that we shulde folowe hym in our dedes in sufferynge paynes as he dyd And then it myght be truely sayd of vs that we fele in our selfe that Christe felte whan he suffere lyke paynes as Christe suffred so that by suche sharpe penaunce and harde laboures our bodyes be subdued and our blode minysshed And so the sayng of scripture may be verifyed in vs Effudit sanguinem belli in pace He hath shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace They do shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace which by sharp penaunce great bodyly labours so subdue theyr bodyes that theyr blode is moche minisshed and theyr face made pale Suche maner of exercises of the
body done for god is reputed as a martirdome and therby somwhat we reanswere vnto the passion of our lord Herunto speaketh saynt Barnard sayng this dayly penaūce and affliction of the body is a certayne kynde of very martirdome and effusion of blode it is a litel more gentyl and nat so hugsome as is tormētes and deth by the swerd or other lyke but it is more paynfull for the cōtinuance therof the other is sone done but this lasteth long This is necessarie profitable for vnperfite persons that be weyke in spirite and nat stronge in fayth and therfore dare nat auenture to suffer martyrdome and deth for Christe but they be content to supply it by this martyrdome that is dayly and continuall penaunce whiche by the continuaunce is more paynfull And thus the deuoute persones do fele in them selfe by theyr outwarde penaunce the passyon of our lord As whan by sharp penaunce they subdue theyr bodies ouer come vyce and all sensuall passions and so continue in this crosse of penaunce with Christe ¶ How we shulde fele Christes passion in our pouertie and other necessites The fourth Chapitre FOurthly we shulde fele the paynes of Christe in our penury pouertie and other necessities so that remēbrynge the passion of Christe we shulde gladly suffer all pouertie and penurie and neuer to desyre that thynge that is pleasaunt to the bodye for the pleasure therof or takyng any thinge more then very necessitie requyreth saynge with holy Iob Donec deficiam non recedam ab innocentia mea As longe as I lyue I shall nat forsake myn innocencie And though we be in a maner consumed and lost thoroughe hunger and penurye so that we may say with the prophet Dauid Defecit in dolore vita mea My lyfe is consumed thorough sorowe my bodye and my herte also And surely this maner of penurie and necessitie nat onely of meate and drynke but also of all thynges that may be delectable to man is accōpted to good men in this lyfe as a kynde of martyrdome By whiche necessityes if we strongly and gladly bere them for god we satisfye partly to our lord for his passion And herunto speketh saynt Barnard saynge Wylfull pouertie is a certen kynde of martyrdome Almyghty god descendyng from thinestimable riches of heuen and cōmynge in to this worlde wolde nat any of these ryches of this world but cam in so great pouertie that anon as he was borne for his credell he was layde in to a crybbe in a vyle stable with out the towne for his mother culde haue no lodgyng in the cytie Of his pouertie also appereth by his answere that he made to one the whiche sayd that he wold folowe hym where so euer he went And our lord answered and sayd Vulpes foueas habent et volucres celi nidos filius autem hominis non habet vbi caput suum recli net Foxis haue cauys or dennys and byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of the virgine hath no place wherin to hyde or reste his heed In this necessitie was thapostle Paule as it appereth by his wordes saynge I was in many labours ofte in pryson bette and scourged aboue good ordre very ofte in peryll of dethe in perylles of flodes in perylles of theues in perylles of gentyles in daungers within the cytye in great daūgers also in wyldernes and also in the see in perylles of the false Iues. I was also in labour great miserie in great watch in hūger and thrist in moche abstinēce in cold in nakednes These and many mo dyd thapostle suffer And the mo y t we paciently suffer of these or such lyke the more shal we fele the passion of Christ in our self ¶ How we shuld fele Christes passion in our rebukes and dispisynges The .v. Chap FYftly we ought to fele the passion of Christ in our rebukes and reproues that is with most profoūd mekenes we shulde vtterly dispyse our selfe and thynke our selfe the warst of all other sayng euer in our hertes with mournynge I am gyltye of Christes deth for I am the cause of his deth He suffered for me and I in no thynge reanswere to his benefytes And therfore it is conuenient that we somwhat recompense with a contrite and meke spirite that whiche we can nat or do nat in our warkes or dedes outwarde that as Christe dyd meke hym selfe for vs vnto the deth yea to the most vyle and shamfull deth of the crosse so we shulde meke our selfe as gyltie and culpable for his deth These maner of wayes we shulde fele that Christe suffred for vs for these maner of wayes we were in hym Fyrste we were in his vnderstandyng eternally before the begynnynge of the worlde and so in his mynde that he wyll neuer forget vs. And therfore he sayth by his prophete Esaye Nunquid potest obliuisci mater infantem suum vt non misereatur filio vteri sui Et si illa oblita fuerit ego tamen non obliuiscar tui May a naturall mother sayth our lorde by the prophet forget her yonge chylde borne of her owne body and so forget hym that she wyl nat haue any pitie of hym as he myght say Nay And though it so be that she forget hym yet I assure the I wyl neuer forget the. Secondly we were in Christe nat onely in his vnderstandynge or mynde but also in his affection and loue And this appereth wel by his owne wordes spoken by the prophet Hieremy where as he sayth thus In charitate perpetua dilexi te ideo attraxi te miserans tui I haue sayth our lorde loued the in a perpetual charitie and therfore hauyng great compassion on the I haue drawen the to me Thyrdly we were in hym that is in theffecte of his werkes for all that god wrought in this worlde was to the helpe of man And what so euer Christe dyd or suffered in this world was nat for his owne profit but all was for the comforth of man And herunto saynt Barnarde after that he had recoūted or noumbred all the labours and paynes that Christe suffered in this lyfe sayde Who is he that knoweth whether the fruite and profyt of all these labours and paynes redounde or come to my profyt or nat And he answereth and sayth It is all done and gyuen to my profit and comforth For it coulde be gyuen to none other Nat to aungell for he had no nede therof Nat to the deuyll for he myght take no profit therof for he shall neuer ryse from dampnation Also our sauiour toke nat of hym the nature and similitude of aungell nor yet the similitude of the deuyl but he toke the nature of man and that to redeme man Fourthly we were in Christe that is in his pouertie and penurie for all the payne pouertie and miserie that he suffred was for vs. And herunto speaketh saynt Paule sayng Christus cum diues esset factus est
to whom he had gyuen in coÌ„maundmeÌ„t to trouble and punisshe the people of the world saynge Nolite nocere terre et mari neque arboribus quoadusque signemus seruos dei nostri in frontibus eorum Noy nat nor hurte the erth nor the see ne yet the trees vnto suche tyme we haue marked the seruauntes of our lorde god in theyr forheedes that is with the signe of the crosse and that we do by the meditation of the passion of Christe In figure herof the aungell that dyd kyl and sley the fyrst gotten both of man and of beest thoroughout all Egipte dyd spare and saue hermles the Iues whose houses or postes of theyr doores were sprynkeled with the blode of the lambe Also saynt Gregory in his second boke of his Dialogê sheweth y t when one certen malicious person purposing to poison saint Benedict dyd gyue vnto hym wyne mixted with poyson he made the signe of the crosse and anone the cuppe brake in to pecys and so escaped the peryll of deth thoroughe the vertue of the crosse ¶ The .xiiii. profit Orthodoxorum speificat timiditatem IT also gyueth great hope and truste vnto faythfull people And herunto saynt Barnarde expounynge these wordes of the canticle In foraminibus petre sayth thus I shall speke these thynges I shall sure abyde and rest in the hooles of the stone that is in the woundes of my sauiour for I haue set my feet surevpon that stone though the worlde frowne and be troubled with me and the flesshe or sensualitie stryue agaynst me and also the deuyll ley in await of me I shall nat fall for I haue set my fete and affection or loue vpon a sure stone I haue offendyd in a greuouse and dampnable synne my soule therby shall be troubled or vexed but it shal nat be vtterly cast downe by dispaire for I shal remembre the wouÌ„des of my sauyour Iesu for he was wounded for my synnes Also saint Austin sayeth Longius opened the side and herte of my sauiour Iesu for me that I myght entre therein And I haue entred therin and do rest there surely quietly The nayles and the spere do call crye vnto me that I may be truely reconsiled vnto Christe yf that I wyll loue hym ¶ The .xv. profite Peccatorum aduocat viuacitatem THis meditacion induceth and bryngeth to man the grace of god whiche is the lyfe of the soule and therefore saynte Bernard sayeth As ofte as that person that deuoutely remeÌ„breth the passion of Christe breâ—â—eth receyueth brethe agayne so ofte he receyueth a new gyft of grace and grace is the life of the soule Phisiciens don say that whan a sicke man wepyth it is a signe token of lyfe So whan a synner wepyth for coÌ„passion of the passion of our lorde it is a signe of the lyfe of grace and quickenes of the soule And therfore sayeth the prophete Hieremy in his lamentacions Spiritus oris nostri xâ—s dominus captus est in pecatis nostris cui dicimus In vmbra tua viuemus Our lorde Christe the spirite of our mouthe that is to saye the spirite whereby our soule liueth lyke as the body liueth by the ayre or brethe receiued at the mouthe This spirite Christe I say giuynge lyfe vnto the soule is taken in our synnes that is he suffred payne dethe for our synnes We shall lyue in his shadow that is we shal haue the lyfe of grace thrughe the deuout feruent remembraunce of that his dethe and passion And so Christe by his blessid passion doeth gyue the lyfe of nature the lyfe of grace the lyfe of glory Fyrste I say he giueth the lyfe of nature for dede men after his passion resurrection dyd ryse vnto lyfe agayne appered vnto many in Hierusalem Secondly he giueth the lyfe of grace for many after his passion were conuerted vnto the faythe And he gyueth also the lyfe of glory as it well appered in the thefe to whom he sayd whaÌ„ he was fast nayled on the crosse Hodie mecuÌ„ eris iÌ„ paradiso This day shalt thou be with me in glory Also hereunto speketh saynt Bernarde sayenge The tree of the crosse yf there be any man that wyll gader it by feruent meditacion doeth burgyn and brynge furth lyfe it fructifieth ioy gladnes it droppeth oile of confort it sweteth the balme of spiritual gracê This tree of life is no wilde vnfruitfull tree to them y t wyll gader it Also saint Austin sayth The blood of the phisicien is shed to make a medecin for the mad sicke soule The soule spouse of Christe sayth in the canticles Sub vmbra illiê° queÌ„ desideraui sedi et fructê° eius dulcis gutturi meo I haue sittten restyd vnder y e shadow of him in whom is all my desyre confort his fruit is swete pleasauÌ„t vnto my taste For who so euer doeth sauourly taste of the fruit of the crosse all carnall pleasure shal be vnsauoury to hym ¶ The .xvi. profite Quassatorum mitigat aduersitatem THis meditacion of the passion of Christ doeth mitigate swage all tribulacions doeth giue pacience in all aduersities so maketh vs quiet Herunto speketh saint Paule sayng Recogitate euÌ„ qui taleÌ„ sustinuit a pâ—toÌ„ribê° coÌ„tradictioneÌ„ aduersê° semetipsuÌ„ vt non fatige mini animis vestris deficieÌ„tes RemeÌ„bre hym that suffred great contradiction of synners against him selfe that is suche rebukes slaunderous wordes at last moost painefull deth that ye by suche remembrauÌ„ce shuld nat faynt in your myndes whan ye suffre aduersities As yf he shulde saye ye can nat faynte or be ouercom in your tribulacions yf ye haue the deuout remembraunce of his paines passion And this approueth saint Austin sayenge There is nothynge so harde or painfull but y t it may be easely borne yf the passion of Christe be quicke ferueÌ„t in our myndes And this is y e reason herof for the lesse passion or payne is nat perceyued or at leest it is nat regarded where as y e more greuous payn or passion is felt or doeth occupy the minde of man And therefore Auicenna sayeth that suche persones as be in feruent agues or axes doeth nat fele or perceiue the apostume And so the passion of Christe yf it be ferueÌ„tly remembred it putteth away all worldly tribulacion For lyke as wyne thoughe it be sumwhat stronge sharpe of it selfe yf it be myxte with suger and other spyces or be put in the potecarye spiced bagge so go thrugh it it is made moost dulce pleasant So the tribulacioÌ„s of this worlde yf they be ioyned mixte with the remembraunce of the passion of Christe they be moche pleasant confortable to the soule And therfore our lorde sayeth vnto his spouse the soule in his canticles Dabo tibi poculum ex vino condito I shall gyue to the Ipocras for
principates y t be the .vii. order of aungels For as the prophet sayth Factê° est principatus super humerum eius His principalitie kyngdom is made vpon his sholder that is in that he bare the crosse suffred the paines dethe of the crosse he gat his kyngdom so bought it for vs that is the kyngedome of heuyn Also in the passion of Christe apereth the releuacion of archangels that be the .viii. order For by the passyon of Christe we were sufficiently releuyd deliuered a pena et culpa that is both from synne froÌ„ payn due for synne But now yf we synne actually after our baptisme it is conuenient y t we suffre payne temporall for our synne though thrugh the vertue of y e sacramentes of the chyrch theternall payn be coÌ„muted into temporall payne And therfore our lorde sayeth Date eleemosinaÌ„ ecce oiÌ„a muÌ„da suÌ„t vobis Gyue almose and all thynges shal be clensed in you In this passion also shineth the reuelacion and manifest doctryne teachynge of aungels that be called the nynthe order For all the hyd secretes of scripture all the secret misteries of god were reueled made open by the passion of Christe openynge of his herte with the spere And in token hereof at the passion of Christe the veile of the temple was broken or diuided into two partes that all the thyngê that before were secret hyd in the inner sacrate temple might be open and manifestly sene And thus by these forsayd conformities whiche the passion of Christe hath with the orders of aungels it is done most conueniently y t nat onely Christe shuld redeme mankynde but also that he shulde mooste ordinately order dispose repare the ruyne fall of aungels For by the great loue charity which he had in the crosse he kindled the fyre of loue in the hertes of his electe people towardes god and theyr neyghbours that suche as folowed and duely executed that feruent loue were made and yet be made apte to repare the moste hyghe ordre called Seraphin By the true knowledge expressed in that blessed passyon were his electe people illuminate to the hyghe contemplacyon of the knowledge of god and hyghe misteryes that so they may be apte to the reparacyon of the seconde ordre called Cherubym Agayne for his great meaknes and reuerence that Christ had in his blyssed passion towardes the hyghe maiestie of god his electe people were prouoked to lyke meaknes and reuerence and due honoure to be rendred to the hyghe maiestie of god as farâ—e fourthe as theyr frayle nature wolde serue them and so to be apte to y e reparcyon of thordre called Thrones Morouer thorough the example of his great pacyence and obedience vnto the dethe of the crosse for the whiche he was exalted of god as we sayde before he prouoked his electe people to ouercome all vices and concupiscence by labour abstinence and affliccions and to subdue all inordinate appetites vnto reason that no vayne or inordinate thynge shulde haue any domynacyon in them that so they myght be made apte to the reparation of the ordre called Dominationes And so who so euer humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted And so truely to passe ouer all the residue of thordres of aungelles our sauiour Christe in his blyssed passion gaue example vnto his seruauntes to resist and ouercome the suggestyons and temptacyons of the deuyll that they myght be apte to the reparacion of the Potestates Also he gaue vnto them exaÌ„ple of good conuersacion and vertuous operacions that they myght ascend to the ordre of Vertues He gaue them also example so to directe and gouerne theyr outwarde senses and inwarde mocyons and all other thynges that be vnder theyr cure that they might ascend vnto the Principates Morouer he gaue them example so to releue and comforthe the nede and necessities of other persons that be in nede that they myght ascende vnto the ArchauÌ„gelles And lest he gaue them example so to instruct and teache the ignorant that they myght be apte to ascende vnto the ordre of AuÌ„gelles ¶ In the passion of Christe is also conteyned the beatitude of men Chaptre .iii. IT may be declayrede that the true beatytude and blysse or ioye of men is conteyned in the passion of Christe by the same reasons wherby we haue nowe declared that the beautye and perfeccyon of aungelles done shyne in the sayde passyon For to that cleare knoweledge of treuthe whiche appeared in that blissed passion as we sayd afore in thorder of Cherubin correspondeth y e open clere vision of y e godhed y t thelect people of god shall haue in heuyn to saciate beatitie the reasonable or intellectable power of the soule Secondly to y t profouÌ„de mekenes reuerence wherby we sayd that the passion of Christe hathe the perfection of the order of the thrones correspondeth the surety of blysse wherewith the wrathfull power of y e soule comonly called Vis irascibilis is saciate For on whom shall rest continue y e spirite glory of god but vpon the meke person Thyrdely to that excellent charitie y t was shewed at the passion of Christe correspondeth theternall fruicion loue of the deitie wherwith y e wyll reasonable appetite of man shal be fulfilled and this for the beatitude of the soule Now for the .iiii. dowries of the glorified body Fyrst to that high dignitie of presidencie y t our lorde had by his sufferauÌ„ce obedieÌ„ce vnto y e deth for y e which he was exalted to hygh dignity correspondeth in y e glorified body agility wherby he may do what he will Secondly to y t great power streÌ„gth wherby our sauiour ouercam dethe correspondeth impassibilitie that is y t the glorified body shall suffre no payne Thyrdly to that mighty operacion of vertue whereby he drew all thynges to him self correspondeth subtility wherby the glorified body may penetrate all thynges Fourthly to that noblenes or principality for y e whiche the prophet said of Christe Factê° est pricipatê° suê‘ humeruÌ„ eiê° His principalitie or noblenes is made vpoÌ„ his shulder also of this noblenes or clerenes is sayd in the gospell where as christ said to his father Pater clarifica filiuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Father clarify thy son or make knoweÌ„ the noblenes of thy son To this noblenes I say correspoÌ„deth y e fourth dowry of thy glorified body called clerenes for thaÌ„ our bodies shal be clere shyne as y e son so sayeth our lorde in y e gospel TuÌ„c iusti fulgebuÌ„t sicut sol iÌ„ regno patris eoruÌ„ Than after y e generall resurrectioÌ„ y e rightuouse meÌ„ shal be clere shyne as y e son in y e kyngedom of theyr father Furthermore to the office ê‘fectioÌ„ of archaugels auÌ„gels which as we said before were shewed in y e passioÌ„ of criste correspoÌ„deth the beauty or accideÌ„tall glory called iÌ„
habebitis in me autem pacem Ye shall haue trouble oppression in the worlde but in me ye shal haue peace rest Our lorde fed the people twise in y e wyldernes nat in any other place Also the Iues eat Manna in the wildernes to signify that we can nat haue y e consolacion of god but in the desert that is whan we forsake all worldly pleasures Of this wildernes it is wryten by the prophet Esay sayeng Erit desertum Libanus in Charmel et Charmel in saltum reputabitur The desert or wood of Libane shal be as the mount of Charmeli Charmel shal be reputed as a grene wood Charmelê° or Charmel is as muche to say by interpretacion as a laÌ„be or tendernes And it signifieth that who so euer be in the spirituall deserte of the whiche we spake of before he shal perceiue the tendernes and paynes of our spirituall lambe Christe and also receyue his delites and heuenly confortes and so shall be grene and flourisshyng in all vertues and spirituall consolacions ¶ The seuen gyftes of the holy goost are conteyned in this passion and thrugh the feruent remembraunce therof they may be opteyned And fyrste of the gyfte of feare of god The syxte Chapitre O My moost dere beloued brother thou mayst behold in this most glorious passion of Christe the whiche I am vnworthy to meane seuen ascencions correspondynge to the seuen folde grace or gyftes of the holy goost that is the gyfte of wisdome and of vnderstandynge of science and goostly strengthe of councell and of pitie and the gyfte of the feare of god Fyrste I say by the ofte continuall and deuoute remembraunce of the passyon of our lorde is gyuen to man the gyfte of the feare of god and that agaynst the false surety of this present lyfe his most wicked promyse wherby many men beÌ„ withdrawen froÌ„ the loue of god letted froÌ„ theyr true couersion vnto hym For this fere constreyneth men to do well and with all theyr herte to dyspyse all worldly pleasures And therfore a deuout doctour sayeth y t fere is y e auoidaunce of euyll the prosecucion or wynnynge of goodnes It is the begynnynge of godly wysdome thexpulsion of ignoraunce By fere all the perfection of actyue lyfe also of contemplatyue is preserued and kept so that all bondage or seruile fere be excluded For who so euer thrugh the feruent deuout remeÌ„braunce of this passion is crucified with Christe to thauoidaunce of euyll gettyng of goodnes to the stablisshment of his mynde mekyng of his hert therunto he is prepared induced by the gyft of y e fere of god that in this maner A man seyng consideryng that the son of god our lord god in the nature of man suffred so great paines for our synnes how he punisshed our synne so greuously in hym selfe moost innocent iudge moost pure very god More ouer what paines rebukes turmentes he is worthy which dyd y t wickednes most abhominable syn for whiche the moost innocent amorous or louely Iesu so greuously was turmeÌ„ted Thinkynge also herby how muche this his syn dyd displease the hygh maiesty of god how muche god dyd abhorre it so muche I say he abhorred it y t he wold rather suffre his son his own naturall onely son to dye than that syn shuld reigne in man it was more pleasure to hym to gyue his dere beloued son to the most shamfull dethe of the crosse than y t he wold suffre any loÌ„ger tyme y e shamefastnes of our syn Furthermore a man seyng consideryng how muche he offeÌ„deth the high maiesty of god by his continuauÌ„ce in actually synnyng offendyng his high goodnes conteÌ„pnynge or litle regardyng the passion of Christe therby his redemption but dayly offendynge doyng asmuche as lieth in hym to crucify Christe agayne put hym to those moost shamefull cruell turmentes A man I say consideryng all these thynges no maruell though in suche consideracion he treÌ„ble quake before the preseÌ„ce of god whom he hath so greuously offended be ferefull shake as the aspen lefe y t is continually blowen moued by the wynde so by fere thinke hym selfe worthy of hym selfe nothyng els but distruction or daÌ„pnacion so he may in suche consideracions vtterly dispise hym selfe opteyne the feare of god Wherfore good deuout brethern let vs haue a recourse coÌ„sider depely our own vanities and sinnes and also the high maiestie goodnes of god whom we haue so greuously offended And so let vs meke our self before hym asmuche as we may For all that we can do is to lytle considering his maiesty our wickednes Let vs therfore fere be asshamed to lifte vp our iyes vnto heueÌ„ But knock vpon our brestes pray with y e Publican y t he of infinite goodnes wold be mercyfull to vs synners It is a great mercy yf it wolde please hym to beholde or loke vpon vs whiche haue contempned dispised hym for a tryfle or a lytle vayne pleasure of the flesshe or of the worlde Wherfore as is sayd let vs thrugh the consideracion fere of his maiesty repute our selfe as nought herafter thynk our selfe moost vile and vnworthy any goodnes so let vs arme our selfe agaynste our wyckednes and synne and so be our owne proper Iuges Let vs reuenge punysshe in our selfe thiniury offence that we haue done agaynste god and subdue our selfe as muche as we may And let euery one of vs say thus in him selfe or to hym selfe If my lorde god be thus dispised tourmented for my sake for my synne how may I spare my selfe from punysshment and payne that hathe synned or how may I desyre or loke for any pleasure here God forbyd that I shulde at any tyme presume to desyre any thynge of pleasure or dignity but rather dispise my selfe repute my selfe as moost vile detestable and abhominable stynkynge carayn or dunge whose stynche I in my selfe can nat sustayn or bere for I haue dispised my lord god For my wretchydnes he suffred dethe Now myn owne raymentes abhorre me and all creatures dispise me for I haue contempned the creatoure and maker of all thynges What yf all creatures now myght haue voice and shulde speke wolde nat they thynke you speke on this maner This is he moost wicked and abhominable that haue contempned our lorde god he hath loued vanitie more than god he hath abused all vs the creatures of god wyllyng rather to serue the deuyll than our lorde He hathe derided contempned by his abhominable vyces the power wisdome and goodnes of god He hath feryd or drad more man than god He hathe more desyred the mucke of this world than the moost high and pure goodnes He wolde neither be drawen to goodnes by the swete giftes of god ne yet feryd by his terrible ferefull
bag wherein she wold put suche thynges as she shulde receiue of almose a lytle cup wherwith to drynke water or els potage yf she had any gyuen to her also she prepared for her werynge olde clothes and patched garmentes so wolde haue performed these thyngê in dede ne had ben the great instance of her frendes the whiche with many teares and diligent desyres might scarcely withholde her from that purpose Nat withstandyng her good wyll dyd appere in the premisses for she dyd that she might Also she continued in this loue of pouerty which appered in that that she cut hir table clothes or napkyns and also her shetes and gaue the one parte to the pore reseruynge the residue for her selfe And nat only by this feare of god she contempned all worldly riches but also she dispised all worldly honour and glory and all vayne praise of man and that for the great swetenes and pleasure that she had in heuenly thynges And nat onely she wold nat admyt or loke towardes these vanities but also she refused them with abhominacion of herte vtterly abhorred them The loue of Christ was so feruent in her herte that nothynge els was pleasaunt or sauory to her but Christe And moche more ye may se of her mekenes and pouerty in the sayd boke of Vincent historiall ¶ The gyfte of pitie is also gyuen to man by the feruent remembraunce of Christes passion The .viii. Chapitre THe gyfte of pitie is gyuen to man by the continuall and feruent meditacion of the passion of Christe wherwith a man ordereth behaueth hym selfe iustly and deuoutly in the due honoure and worshyppynge of god in due reuerence and intreatynge of holy scripture and in the loue due confortynge of his neighboure In the whiche thre thynges consisteth standeth the gyfte of pitie Whiche pitie as saint Paule sayeth is profitable to all thynges specially against the hardnes and malice of the herte For that persone whiche is crucified with Christe thrugh the feruent remembraunce of his most blessed passion is kyndled with this gifte of pitie vnto the high compassion benignitie and mercy of his neighbour and that on this maner Whan a persone deuoutly and feruently beholdeth in his remembraunce the compassion and mercy that our sauiour Iesu Christe shewed vnto mankinde and specially at his dethe passion as we declared before in the gyfte of feare anon he is moued and kyndeled and his herte is opened towarde his neighboure bought redemyd with the bloode of Christe as we all be I say this man thus considerynge is so kyndeled vnto the loue of his neighboure and that for the loue of his lorde god that he is redy to gyue all that he hathe and hym selfe also with glad mynde for the helthe and saluacion of his neighbour for he considereth that his lorde god suffred dethe with moost greuouse paynes for his sayd neighbour And moreouer as he hath compassion vpon his sauiour Christe hangynge vpon the crosse and that with all his hert so he hath as great inwarde sorowe in his hert vppon his neighbour whiche by his synfull lyuynge forsaketh the conforte that he myght haue by Christes woundes and passion and so in his maner dispiseth the blood and dethe of Christe I say he hath inwardly as great compassion of this person as he wolde haue vpon hym selfe Fyrst he is wounded and greued in his herte for the contempt of his lord god Secondly for the hurt and damage of his neighbour whiche hath forsaken lyfe glory euerlastynge and hathe chosen voluntarily or wylfully eternall dethe dampnacion This good man seeth considereth the contempt of god the blood of Christe dispised and the moost noble creature made to the ymage of god wylfully to go to eternall paynes and therfore his herte melteth thrugh pitie and is relented or resolued by compassion And in like maner as he hath compassion of the hurt of his neighbour so by the same gyfte of pitie he hathe great reioice and gladnes in his soule of the goodnes and spirituall profite of other persons whan he ê‘ceiueth that they order theÌ„ selfe to receiue the fruite profite of the wouÌ„des of Christe with whom he entreth into the same wouÌ„des is made one with theÌ„ He ioyeth with them that be ioyfull of any goodnes He is sory with theÌ„ that be sorowfull for theyr hurt damage He reputeth euery one of his neighbours as hym selfe seynge consideryng y t bothe he his neighbours be create made of our lord god marked dignified with his image redemyd bought with the same blood of Christe ordered to cum to one the same glory And most specially he openeth his hert vnto his neighbour by this gift of pitie for that he seeth considereth his lorde god to be crucified for all people therfore he seeth coÌ„sidereth his lorde god in all people â–ª He requireth sercheth his sauiour crucified in all his neibours He beholdeth him in theÌ„ all after his pore maner He is all giueÌ„ to his neighbour for he is hoolly fully gyueÌ„ to his sauiour crucified O what ioye is it vnto his hert whaÌ„ he seeth his neighbour do due honor vnto his sauiour crucified He hath non enuy therat he is nat displeased therwith he doth nat detract hym or speke euyll of hym he wyll nat let hym nor hynder hym from y t honour by signe worde or dede nor giue hym any occasion to withdraw him from y t honour but hoolly he desireth his neighbours ê“fite abhorreth his hurte or peryll reputyng acceptynge bothe his neighbours hurt or profite as his owne profite or hurt And y t is specially for the loue y t he hath to our lord Iesu Christ the which for the great loue that he had vnto the helthe of mannes soules to the honour of his father he suffred most paynfull shamefull deth of the crosse Wherfore the zele thonour of god the compassion of Christe the inflamacion or kyndelynge of his owne hert hereunto be moost properly to be attended beholden in y e wouÌ„des of Christ for there they be had goteÌ„ And by this gifte of pitie y e hert of man is in a meruelous maner eleuate lifte vp vnto his lorde god For whan a man doeth enforce hym selfe asmuche as he may to conforme hym selfe vnto the pitie and compassion that Christe god and man had and shewed vnto vs whan he suffered the dethe of the crosse than that soule pleaseth god singulerly in so muche that Christe wyll take that soule so comformable to his godly pitie vnto his singuler loue and fauoure vnto his swete enbracynges halsynges kepe y t soule as his dere beloued spouse induce and brynge that soule to perceiue his swete consolacions suche a soule our sauioure loueth asmuche as she loueth hym that soule our lorde draweth to hym for as muche as that soule hath one
felyng with Christ in hauyng compassion of Christ of his neighbour with Christ Also it hath one sauory knowledge with Christe in duely honouryng god one zele and feruent desyre to the saluacion of mannes soule with Christe and so that soule is in a maner transfourmed into Christ thrugh this gifte of pitie whiche as we sayd before is profitable to all thynges It couetyth thonour of god it expelleth sorowes and troubles from mannes soule it feruently they steth and desyreth the fruite and profite of soules it laboureth that the blood of Christe might take effecte in other persones and it kyndeleth the soule in feruent loue to god and his neighbour Wherefore dere beloued frendes let vs approche hereunto and labour diligently for this gyfte For doubtles this one amonge all other and peraduenture before all other gyftes doeth moost please god I pray you therfore let vs labour to do the wyll and pleasure of god and let vs draw or sucke out of his woundes and syde this gifte of pitie Let vs be all one in our lorde Iesu Christe crucified and let vs requyre se or desyre non other thyng in our neighbour but Iesus Christe crucified So louyng our neighbour that with him we runne at all tymes into the woundes of Christe Nat beholdynge or louynge hym as fayre beautifull stronge or wyse or any other suche lyke vaine and transitory thynges whiche may hinder or withdraw our soule from the loue of god but onely beholdynge and louynge our neighbour as redemyd and bought by the precyouse blood and dethe of our lorde as anointed wasshed with his blood and applied or put to the woundes of Christ by receiuyng the fruit of them Let it nat be sene or thought hard and painefull to vs to suffre great paines or yf nede shulde requyre moost shamefull dethe for our neighbour for whoÌ„ Christ the onely sonne of god suffred moost greuous paynes and the moost shamefull dethe of the crosse Let vs all couet and desire for the profite and helthe of soules all maner of rebukes and dispisynges all afflictions and tourmentes and also to suffre moost vile or shamfull dethe Let euery man be to vs as our owne hert for whom the hert of Christ was perced with a spere Let vs multiply our preachynges and exhortacions good examples prayers fastynges knelynges watche labours also suffre mockes or scornes for the helthe of soules Let this be our office and dayly excercise our glory and ioye and our consolacion euer to offre sum thyng to almighty god for the profite of soules Let nat the ryuer fountaine of teares cease from our iyen for our owne synnes and also for the synnes of other Let vs be content to be saciat and fulfylled with suche wepynges and sorowes in this vale of myserye and teares Let our synnes and also the synnes of our ueighbours hynge euer in our syght nat to iudge or condempne our neighbours but to lament and wepe for them at all tymes nat onely let them be in our syght but also let them entre perce the ynner partes of our hertes Let vs at all tymes and in all places haue our sauyour Christe crucified in our presence Let vs alwayes be feruent and deuout in all honour due to god in the reuerence of holy scrypture and in the loue and compassion of our neyghbours In the whiche thre consysteth the gyfte of pitie This ordre and ascencion in our soule doeth molifie all our hert and sprede it abrood and make it apte to receyue the spyryte of pitie whiche doeth quyet vs set vs in great pleasure and fauour of Christe where as we shall fynde spirituall foode bothe within outwarde that is our moost tendre louer our lorde Iesu Christe the rest or our soules the rewarde of our good dedes that we do thrugh this gyfte of pitie And to this gyfte of pitie doeth corresponde the seconde beatitude Beati mites Blessed the mylde And hereunto saynt Austin sayeth Pitie accordeth and is conuenient vnto mylde persons And as concernynge the fruites of the holy goost these .ii. that is goodnes and benignitie ben directly attributed appropriate vnto this gyfte of pitie but the thyrde y t is called Mansuetudo that is myldenes or geÌ„tilnes perteineth to this gyfte of pitie indyrectly for it taketh away the lettes impedimentes of the actes of pitie And the spirite of pitie is gyuen to man for that his hert shuld be moued kyndled vnto beâ—ignitie so that man vsyng duely this gyfte shuld cum to the same eternall possession heritage y t he wold haue other men cum to And this is it that we sayd before y t by the great compassion pitie mercy y t our sauiour Iesu Christ shewed vpon vs vnto vs on y e crosse we shuld be styred moued kyndled to lyke werkes of pitie accordyng to our power habilitie vnto our neighbour y t thereby we myght be made apt to the restauracion of thorder of archauÌ„gels ¶ Example of this gifte of the spirite of pitie Cha. ix OF this gyfte of pitie we haue example in the forsayd blessed woman Maria de Ogines in the sayde boke of the histories of Vincent Where as it is writen that nat only she auoyded all maner of euyll by the gyfte of the feare of god but also by the spyryte of pytye whiche she had withoute doubte by the ofte and feruente remembraunce of the passyon of Christe she was made very feruente and prone or redye to all goodnes She laboured and enforced hyr selfe as farre as hyr power wolde stretche to fulfyll all the werkes of mercy of a great and aboundaunte pytye that was in hyr And aboue all other werkes of pitie she had a feruent desyre to vysyte the sycke and to assyste them in theyr infirmities and also to be present at the deathe and sepulture or buryenge of the ded folkes where she very oft tymes receyued from god great spyrytuall conforte and also thrughe the reuelacion of god knewe many secrete and heuenly mysteryes And this well appered in this history folowynge Vppon a certayne day whan one of the systers of Ogines laboured in the extreme panges of dethe this blessyd woman Maria beynge in hyr celle se in spyryte a great multitude of deuylles about the bed of the sycke syster And as the couent dyd say coÌ„mendacions for the soule of the sayd sycke syster whoÌ„ they thought to haue be ded this holy Mary in a maner forgettynge hyr mylde grauitie sad shamfastnes ran with hast vnto the bed of the sicke systerâ— stryuynge with those wicked spirites nat only dyd resist theÌ„ with hyr feruent prayers but also dyd chase dryue theÌ„ away with hyr mantell or pall as a man wolde chase away the flyes And whan these wycked spyrytes dyd terrybly resyst hyr and alledgyd reasons for them y t this soule shuld perteyn to them than she nat content with theyr importunitie cryed and
vertuouse but also with them that appered nat so vertuouse yet towardes hyr selfe she was meruelously vndiscrete moche abiectynge and dispisynge hyr selfe and as it semed to hyr company punysshynge hyr selfe sumtyme aboue measure But certeynly so moche the more she was dyscrete to hyr selfe for as moche as she dyd nat presume to do any thynge vnto hyr selfe but as she was famylyarely taughtâ—of the holy goost For she durst nat absteyne one hole day from her refection except that she were most surely rauysshed rapte vp aboue hyr selfe and from all hyr sensys And yet sumtyme whan she was rapte she dyd attempte and proue to take hyr refection to auoide thoccasion and murmure of other persons that were in hyr company but in no meanes she myght receyue it into hyr stomack and for payne therof she was sumtyme almoost ouercum And therfore afterwarde she had that lyberty to absteyne whan she wold and non occasion taken therof nor any man durst aske of her why she dyd so Also oftentymes whan the preest lyfted vp the blessyd sacrament of the body of our lorde aboue his hed she se bytwyxte the handes of the preest the forme and shap of a moost fayre chylde Also she se a great multitude of aungels descendyng from heuyn with a great lyght And after the vsynge or receyuynge of the sacrament she se in spirite our lorde remaynynge in the soule of the preste and lyghtenynge it with a meruelouse clerenes Or els yf the preest receyuyd the body of our lorde vnworthely she se than our lord departed from that soule with indignacion leuynge it in a great darkenes and voyde of all goodnes ¶ The gyfte of strengthe is gyuen to man by the feruent remembraunce of Christes passion The .xii. Chapitre BY the deuoute and ofte remembraunce of the passion of our lorde is also gyuen vnto man the gyft of gostly strength agaynste our spyrytuall enemies and the multitude of temptacions And by this gyfte inordinate feare is put away Hardy and inordynate boldnes is reduced to a due measure and all aduersities ben strongly borne suffred For who so euer be crucified with Christe thrugh the feruent remembraunce of his blessyd passion â–ª is animated and strengthed to entrepryse great and harde thynges to contempne and set at nought all worldly pleasures to suffre paciently and gladly all tribulacions and to expugne or ouercum all vyces That faythefull seruaunt whiche doethâ—feruently remembre his lordes passion and to whom his lorde hathe gyuen many graces that person I say doeth consydre and se the meruelouse and incomprehensible strengthe of Christe in his interprysyng great battels in his sufferaunce and in the vanquesshynge or subduynge of the deuyll I say in his entreprysynge of great and harde thynges for he faught great and terryble battelles for the saluacion of his enemy vnkynde man Also the meruelouse strengthe of Christe doeth appere in his pacience where as he suffred most obprobriouse sharpe and greuouse tourmentes and that of his creatures And thyrdely his incomprehensible strengthe was shewed in subduynge so myghty and strong a lorde or rather I may saye a tyraunte the deuyll that vsurped the dominion ouer all the worlde whome our lorde by the dethe of the crosse strongely dyd ouercum and so by his dethe destrued the autor and cause of deth These thynges well considered it is no maruell yf the faythefull knyght of Christe and folower of his lorde moued by these examples of Christe entrepryse and goâ— aboute to do great and harde thynges And the more harde vyle or paynefull the thynges be the more gladly diligently and more feruently wyll he attempte them And that specyally yf it be to the laude and honour of god and the helthe conforte of soules For than there can be nothyng to harde to vyle nor to paynfull for hym to do or suffre for god whiche dyd so great thynges for hym so vyle a wretche Yea also he thynketh all thynges though they be neuer so paynefull to be swete pleasaunt delectable commendable and moche to be desyred yf thereby he may be assimulate or made lyke vnto the moost shamefull and paynefull dethe of Christe his lorde god Those thynges this faythfull seruant doeth more gladly in those he occupieth hym selfe more aiudiously those thynges he sercheth and oft remembreth those he desyreth to fulfyll with a feruent mynde nat grudgynge nor sayenge why put you me to this vyle offyce to this shame to this labour and payne But rather thynkynge why shal I nat do these thynges with a glad mynde Nor he doeth nat repute or thynke hym selfe to be of any reputacion for that he serueth god but he thynketh it a greate thynge that it wolde please almighty god of his onely goodnes to accept vnto his seruyce so vyle vnworthy and moost myserable wretche as he is Wherefore in all these thynges his herte is onely pleased in that that he may be conformable to his lorde god and that he doeth folow hym in sufferaunce of troubles as moche as he may for hys frailtie And that he suffreth he knowledgeth it to be for his synnes And all his ioye is that his lorde is honoured by his glad pacience and sufferaunce of tribulacions This faythfull seruaunte hathe so strongly subdued and tyed his appetyte vnder the yocke and captiuitie of ryght reason that it shall nat haue his wanton pleasure in any carnall or worldly desyre nor yet in any vayne or vnprofytable thynge Also he kepeth his herte with all diligence as a castell of greate strengthe so that he wyll nat suffre any synfull thought to rest therein nor yet any vayne or vnfruitfull imaginacions to wandre therein He is euer thynkynge or considerynge those thynges that ben spyrytuall and godly or inducyng vnto god with great ioye he desyreth those thinges feruently laboureth to bryng them to effect But for as moche as in this lyfe euermore or for the moost parte the chaffe is myxt with the corne therfore this faythfull seruant taketh the rydell or wyndose of discrecion in his hande and so wyndeth and purgeth the chaffe from the corne in the doore of his herte He taketh into his hande the burnynge and sharpe swerde to kepe diligently his herte as the paradyse of god so that what so euer in his herte desyreth to eate of the tree of lyfe that is all suche thoughtes as be godlye spirituall and lyuely suche he diligentely doeth cheryssh and nourysshe And yf any thoughte do onely loke vnto the fruyte forboden that is to any thynge contrary to the commaundementes or pleasure of god suche thoughtes he wyll shortely expell frome his herte so that they shall haue no pleasaunt abydynge there The dysceytfull serpent shall haue none entraunce into that herte Ne yet the flatterynge persuacion of the woman And yf peraduenture he perceyue any suche appere in his herte anon he wyll remoue it wyth indignacion and sharpe rebukes for there onely bene nourysshed manly godlye
and vertuouse thoughtes And therefore suche a persone that is thus puryfyed in soule and bodye may trewly order hym selfe to the contemplacyon of god For he neuer lyfteth vppe his syght or iyes vnto vayne thynges Ne hys eares to heare noysome or vnprofytable thynges Nor hys nose to smell swete odours nor smelles Nor hys mouthe to taste delycate thynges Ne yet hys touchynge to feele softe thynges and that inordynately But with all dylygence he kepeth hym selfe bothe inwardely and outwardly so that nowe he shoulde nat be called a seruaunte or bounde but rather a lorde and free For he hathe domynyon ouer hym selfe by subdewynge of all inordynate and sensuall appetytes as muche as a man may haue lordeshyppe ouer hym selfe in thys lyfe And so I say suche a persone for his puritie is mooste apte to receyue the godlye influencys and spyrytuall illustracions For the sonne of Iustyce doeth inhabyte suche a pure and clene soule shynynge in euery corner thereof and lyghtenynge the inwarde partes of the same That is the thre powers of the soule so that he may do all thynges necessarye for his saluacion by the power of the father almyghty He knoweth all thynges by the wysdome of the sonne our sauyoure Christe Iesus and wyll all goodthynges by the goodnes of the hooly gooste These be the thre mansyons or tabernacles that god maketh in the soule of the iuste and pure persone for there he fyndeth nothynge that shulde let or resyste contrarye to hym And so our lorde doeth shyne so longe in that soule vnto suche tyme that soule thorughe that bryghte lyghte and clearenes be absorpte and in a maner as it were drowned or swalowed vppe into god And than the soule so rauysshed and lyfted vp aboue it selfe doeth entre in to the godlye clowde after thys maner cryenge and sayenge thus Et nox illumininatio mea in delitiis meis This nyghte or clowde is my lyghte to my great conforte and pleasure And thus ye may se that the soule by the gyfte or spyryte of strengthe is lyfted vp aboue all feare of perylles of our enemies it feareth nothynge but synne that displeaseth god it is nat subdued to any passion and is redy to excercyse all werkes of strengthe It is nat ouercum by any conflyete or battell in temptacion And all this is opteyned and gotten by the continuall and feruent remembraunce of Christes passion And here vnto saynt Paule sayeth Confortamini in domino et in potentia virtutis eius Ye be conforted in our lorde and in the power of his vertue that is in his passion where as his great power and vertue was shewed Also the prophet Dauid sayeth Ipse dabit virtutem et fortitudineÌ„ plebi sue He shal giue vertue power strength to his people And by his power we haue the vyctorye oure ouer enemies as saynt Paule sayeth Deo gratias qui fecit nos vincere per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Thankes and praysynges be to god that hath gyuen to vs the vyctory ouer all our enemies by the merytes of our lorde Iesus Christe And in an other place saint Paule sayeth thus Induâ—te vos armatura dei vt possitis stare aduersus inâ—idias diaboli Put vpon you the armoure of god that ye may stande strongly agaynst the disceites and pryuy assautes of the deuyll These be the armours of god and also vnder hym our armoure Let vs take his crowne of thorne for our salet or helmet For our swerde the nayles of his handes For our spurres the nayles that persed his fete For our Iacke or haubergyn the betynges of his body with scourges For our sheld the crosse as our lorde bare it to the mounte of Caluary For our horse the same crosse as Christe dyd hynge and dye thereon With this armoure we shall ouercum the deuyll for thereunto we shall haue strength thrugh the feruent meditacion of the passion of Christe To this gyfte of goostly strength correspondeth the fourthe beatitude that is Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam Blessed be they that hunger and thyrste iustice For as saynt Austyn sayeth Strengthe is conuenient to them that hunger and thyrst iustice for they labour diligently desyrynge to haue ioye and pleasure in and of thynges that be very good and also labourynge to tourne theyr loue from all worldly and vayne thynges And this conueniency doeth also appere in that that this gyfte of strengthe consysteth and standeth in harde thinges of great difficulty as we sayde before It is a greate and an harde thynge that a man shuld nat only do vertuouse werkes which comonly beÌ„ called the werkes of iustice but also that he shulde do them with a feruent and in a maner an insaciable desyre of iustyce whiche is signified by this hungre and thyrst of iustice To this gyfte also of goostly strength correspondeth and accordeth amonges the fruites of the spyryte these two fruites Pacience whiche concerneth the sufferaunce of euyll or payne And longanimitie whiche consysteth in the taryenge or continuall abydynge for the good promyses of god that is eternall glory the rewarde of vertuouse werkes And so this spyryte of strength is gyuen to man that it shulde aryse and lyfte vp the tedyouse wery soule whiche was almoost deiect cast downe by the dayly sufferaunce of euyll and paynes and for beholdynge or abydynge of the good promyses of god And this gyfte so doeth lyfte vp this soule that it opteynynge his formar vertue and strength doeth put away all suche dulnes werynes and also waxeth stronge to the desyre of inwarde swetenes and so consequently to the desyre of eternall pleasure Also this spyryte of strength doeth cause in mannes soule the hunger desyre of iustice so that the soule here in this lyfe feruently desyryng the werkes of iustice may herafter be full saciate with consolacion eternall for his rewarde And to this we sayd before that by thexample of the mekenes pacience of Christe in his passion for the whiche he was exalted and had a name aboue aboue all names as saynt Paule sayeth Men shuld be prouoked and moued to the folowynge of Christe in corporall paynes and afflictions In subduynge all vyce inordinate concupiscencys or desyres In hungerynge thrystynge the werkes of iustice and in hauynge dominion ouer all his appetytes and rewlyng them by ryght reason that they so doynge may be made apte to the reparacion of thorder of the dominacions aungels or heuenly spyrytes so called ¶ Example of this spyryte of strengthe The .xiii. Chapytre VIncent in his hystories sheweth an example of this gyfte of strengthe of the blessed woman Maria de Ogines thus sayenge For as moche as it but lytle auayleth to auoyde euyll by the spyryte of feare and to do good by the spirite of pitie thyrdely by the spyryte of knowledge to haue discrecioÌ„ in all thynges except also by y e spirite of strength we resyst all
foueas habent et volucres celi nidos filius autem hominis non habet vbi caput suum reclinet The foxes haue theyr caues or dennes the byrdes of the ayre haue theyr nestys but the son of a vyrgyn hath nat where to hyde or laye his hede He was pore in his natiuitie or byrthe Porer in his lyfe or processe of his lyfe And moost pore vpon the crosse at his deth At his byrthe he was fedde with the vyrgyns mylke and lapped in vyle or pore clothes In the processe of his lyfe he had pore clothynge But oft tymes he wanted meat drynke for his necessary sustenaunce But at his dethe thou shalt fynde hym naked and in extreme thyrste or dryenes excepte thou say that he had vynegre myxte with bytter myrre and gall to quenche his thyrste These thynges well consydered the soule of the person beholdynge and depely remembrynge them is shortely and easely persuaded and moued to folow our sauiour Iesu in lyke thynges so that he may now gladly withdraw him selfe from all worldly honours and desyres of the same from all possession of temporall goodes from all corporall consolacion and pleasure desyrynge with his lorde god all vylenes abiection and derision and to suffre payn in all his hole body that thereby he myght in sum thynge be made conformable to his lord god and so do to hym sum thankfull seruice His appetite and desyre is nat now to please men but rather for the loue and honour of his lorde god to be mocked scorned despised and to be rather hated of them than honoured And therefore all vayne prayse and laudes gyuen to hym ben abhominacion as stynkynge caryon vnto hym for he onely requyreth and desyreth the laudes and prayses of god Vnto that is all his study labour payne That he desyreth with an vnsaciable thyrst In all thynges he onely desyreth thonour of god Nothynge lokynge to hym â—elfe nor regardynge any thynge perteynynge to hym selfe ne yet wyll be bounde to do any thyng but all to gyder with hert and mynde lokynge vnto heuen where as is moost his pleasure And also he desyreth that by his rebukes his lorde god myght be honoured greatly and continually desyrynge thrughe this gyfte of councell bothe to be pore and also despysed and abiecte for the loue of god for as muche as he perceiued bothe these to be in his lorde god crucified And truely he wolde now and euer be naked with Christe vpon the crosse beynge very heuy or sory y t he shuld haue any thynge that myght helpe the pore or els that perteyneth to thonour of god Therfore he forsakynge all superfluitie vseth as few thynges as his necessitie wyll suffre hym so that his pleasure is moche more set to despyse and cast awaye rychesse than to get or multyply it And to speke of corporall delectacions consolacions and pleasures we may truely say that from al these and also from all other consolacion that is nat in god of god or for god he vtterly refuseth them as moche as it is possyble for hym euer askynge and desyrynge to be saciate and fulfylled with bytternes sorow and payne or affliction with his lorde and mayster Christe Wherfore what so euer he perceyued to be pleasaunt vnto his bodye or yet vnto his herte by the whiche he may nat be made conformable vnto the moost blessed woundes and passion of Christe that thynge he abhorreth withdrawynge hym selfe from all thynges thrugh this gyfte of councell wherein he seeth any peryll or daunger lyke to cum to hym And therfore he doeth all thynges with greate deliberacion And also thrughe the sayde gyfte of couÌ„cell he applyeth hym selfe to do all tho thynges wherby thonour of god y e charitie of his neighbour the helth of soules may be in any thynge encreased And for these causes he is ofte tymes solitarie depely considerynge the passion of Christe therin lerchynge the hygh honours of god theternall ryches and heuenly pleasures that the deuout soule therin restynge may haue great ioye Also thereby the bytter soule for the compassion of Christes passion is made swete and pleasaunte And the mynde eleuate and lyfted aboue it selfe is made dronken or is drowned in loue And â—o the soule full of pleasure and lenyng vpon hyr dere beloued restyth hoolly in hyr lorde god And this is it that we sayd before how thrugh the spyryte of councell we auoide all perylles and dauÌ„gers make our selfes sure in the holes of the stone that is in the woundes of Christe to entrepryse great herde and paynefull thynges and also to excercyse the werkes of supererogacioÌ„ as is to loue our enemies and to forgiue them for Christe to gyue all our goodes to pore people for the loue of Christe to the which werkes don by the spiryte of couÌ„cell correspondeth the fyfte beatitude of the whiche Christe sayeth Beati misericordes quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur Blessed be y e mercyfull for they shall haue mercy For as saynt Austyn sayeth Councell is accordynge to mercyfull persones for there is but one remedy or meane to be delyuered from all the perylles of this worlde and that is this to forgyue and to gyue Councell is properly and specially to be taken of these thynges that be to cum and that be profytable vnto our ende that is to do the werkes of mercy whiche moost of all corresponde or accorde to the gyfte of councell And therefore saynte Paule sayeth Pietas ad omnia vtilis est Pytye and mercye is profytable to all thynges And thus ye may perceyue that the beatitude of mercye correspondeth to the gyfte of councell Nat that this gyfte of councell doeth produce and brynge furthe the werkes of mercye as his effecte and operacion but that it dyrecteth and orderyth the doer and werker For the spyryte of councell is specially gyuen to man to that intent that he shulde lerne therby to forgyue freely and gladly and also to shew mercy vnto those persons that haue offeÌ„dyd agaynst hym knowynge that yf he so do he shall fynde lyke mercy in our lorde in forgyuynge his synnes done agaynst god as our lorde sayeth in the gospell And this is it that we spake before that men consyderyng and beholdynge the vnspekeable pitie mercy of our lorde that he shewed whan he prayed for them that put him to dethe shulde be moued and styrred to lyke pitie and mercy so made apte to the restauracion of the order of aungelles called vertues O sayeth the prophete Dauid in the persone of Christe Calix-meus inebrians quam peclarus est That is as the glose of saynte Austyn sayeth the cuppe of the blood of our lorde whiche inebritynge the mynde and makynge it dronken in god doeth so cure and heale it that it maketh it forget all vayne delectacion pleasure This dronkennes maketh men sobre This fulnes and plenteousnes maketh men empty and voyde of euyll maners and vyces And therfore the
no wyse man wolde gladlye or lyghtely lese that thynge whiche he bought so derely with his owne preciouse blood yf he might with any iustice or ryghtfully kepe it And so considerynge these she conceyueth in hyr selfe a hope and trust of forgiuenes And thaÌ„ she maketh hyr supplicacion prayer to god for his fauour grace promyseth to make amendes for hyr offences synnes as farre as it is possible for hyr to do ThaÌ„ she beholdeth considereth his house that our Salomon hathe made that is hyr owne body soule how hyr soule is made to that intent that it shulde be the house temple of the holy goost Also she coÌ„sidereth how gloryous goodly this house was made that is to thimage similitude of god And how vylely shamefully she hath defoiled it by hyr owne synne And so she beginneth to haue wonder maruell of the great mercy of god that so mercyfully wolde spare the synfull soule Secondly she beholdeth y e meates of his table or borde that is she coÌ„sidereth how mercifully he doeth nouryssh fede synners with his benefites though indede they be nat worthy to haue the bread that they eate Thyrdly our synfull Saba considereth his ministers seruantes that is she seeth how all creatures were create and made of god for to do seruyce vnto man and how they contynue they obedience and seruyce vnto man though man be inobedient vnto his lorde god creatour maker and so for his inobedience and synne vnworthy the seruice of any creature Fourthely she considereth theyr vestures and garmentes that is how mercyfully our lorde hytherto hath hyd and couered the priuy sinnes of our synfull soule though all thynges ben open to his syght and knowledge Fyftely she seynge his buttlers doeth consyder howe benignely our lorde god doeth byrle and gyue to vs the wyne of contricion and deuocion And therefore the prophete Dauid sayeth Potasti nos vino compunctionis Thou haste gyuen vs to drynke the wyne of compunction and sorow for our synnes Syxtely she beholdeth the oblacions that our Salomon doeth dayly offre that is how Christ offred hym selfe freely vpon the aulter of the crosse for our synnes and how the same body and bloode is dayly offered in the chyrche for our spirituall conforte And this oblacion excedeth all the other benefites of god gyuen to man And thus our quene Saba our synnefull soule hauynge the iyen of hyr wysdome in hyr hede Christe that is beholdynge and depely considerynge all the premisses she faynted and hyr spyryte fayled hyr She had no spyryte that is of synne iniquitie for that hath now lefte hyr And bicause now the holy spirite of god hath entred into that soule the wycked and vnclene spirite is expelled and put away And now finally as Salomon gaue to the quene of Saba many great precyouse gyftes so our kyng that hath wrought our saluacion in the myddest of the erth doeth gyue vnto the soule depely remeÌ„bryng the premisses great treasures of knowledge wysdom of vertue grace that moche more thaÌ„ she deserueth or asketh For whan a man inwardly considereth how he y t was most myghty of power was so dispiteously troden vnder fote for our synnes He that was most wyse was deluded mocked as a fole He that was best and all full of goodnes was replenisshed with the bytternes of sorow And he that was moost rightuouse to be coÌ„dempned to the moost shamefull dethe Whan a man I say coÌ„sidereth all these thynges anon the mynde aryseth into a greate meruell admiracion of y e worthynes noblenes of god wonderynge meruelynge of the great benignitie charitie of god towardes vs moost wretched and vnworthy seruauntes And than begynneth the mynde with a ferueâ—ent desyre and burnynge loue to be kyndled towardes our lorde god And the spirituall taste of our affection in a meruelouse maner is made moche pleasant and swete and our appetyte is wonderfully refresshed And so all our inwarde man is in a maner alienate lyfte vp from hymself and quietly doeth rest in our lorde Iesu O a meruelouse thynge and neuer herde or sene before that is that vnspeakable swetenes shuld be founde in the moost bytternes The moost bytter bytternes of our dere beloued sauioure Iesu is meruelously turned in our louynge mynde into a swetenes y t can nat be expressed rauysshyng and takynge into it the hole spirite of man so that that swetenes ones tasted all carnall and worldly pleasure waxeth all vnsauory and is excluded And in this swetenes is the speculacion or wysdom of the person contemplatynge beholdynge our lordes passion made perfite For herin he ioyneth putteth to gydre the hyghe inenarrable swetenes that he feleth in the consideracion beholdyng of that infinite goodnes of god that it wolde please hym to suffre so vyle a dethe for vs with that inestimable bytternes that he felte or feleth in hauynge compassion of the paynes sorowes of his lorde Iesu crucified And note here that that bytternes of compassion of Christes passion doeth gader in vnyt the mynde of man And thadmiracion or wonderful consideracion of the great goodnes of god in the same passion doeth eleuate lyft vp the mynd so vnit and gadred in offre it holly vnto god And for asmoche as therin is founde perceyued an vnspekable bytternes with an vnspekable swetenes therfore the mynd of the person that beholdeth considereth this wondereth at it so is alienated from hym selfe rauisshed aboue hym selfe lyke as yf he were all drunke he falleth vnto his lorde god where than the soule melted with loue thrughe the beholdynge of thinestimable charitie loue of god is made as moost pure golde purified in the hore furneys And in the consideracion of y e most excellent benignitie goodnes of god the soule is anointed made fat with the moost pleasant oyle of grace It also obumbrate shadowed with that 〈◊〉 of iustice is made moost shynynge The soule also clensed and gadred in with that great bytternes is abstract withdraweÌ„ from all bytternes sorow That soule beholden receyued of god all good is made all godly so at last it is absorpt and rauysshed with an vnspekable ioye meruelouse swetenes And the spousesse doeth reste swetely with hyr spouse and amonges those pleasaunte and swete enbracynges she may than sucke and drynke of the fountaynes of our sauiour the lyuely waters and true wysdome And here note that it perteyneth to this gyfte of wysdom nat onely to beholde consyder godly heuenly thynges but also to rule and order the actes and operacions of man In the whiche direction and order fyrst it aperteyneth to auoyde all euyll vyce that be contrary vnto trew wysdome And therfore the feare of god is called the begynnyng of wysdom for asmuche as it causeth a man to auoyde all euyll and synne The last thynge perteynynge
and vnwysely or gredyly though he wolde take that is necessary yet sumtyme he taketh that is noysum to hym For superfluitie and also corporall pleasure is oftymes lyrkyng and hyd vnder necessitie The thyrde vyce or defaute is a dulnes and slouthefulnes to do good and vertuouse werkes and this is signified by the dowue whiche before she taketh hyr flyght she hath great deliberacion and taryeng turnyng hyr hed on euery syde lokyng rouâ—de about to coÌ„sydre whether she shal flye but oftymes in y e meane tyme she is smytten with a byrdbolt or els taken with the hawke So it fortunyth oftymes vnto ydle slouthful or dull persones The fourthe is a folysshe and inordinate feare that is signified by the shepe which is more folyssh than other bestes In so moche that yf in the tyme of thunderynge she be lefte alone from the flocke and be greate with lambe for folysshe feare she wyll caste vp hyr lambe So folysshe fearefull men for feare of hurtyng of the body or for feare of displeasure of sum persons wyl caste vppe the fruyte of spyrytuall profyte that is leue vndone vertuouse and merytoryouse werkes Where as Christe entreth into the temple all suche vyces ben expelled and that on this maner He maketh a scourge or a whyppe of thre cordes The fyrste is corporall syckenes The seconde is trouble of mynde And the thyrde is spyrytuall admonicion by the instyncte and mocyon of the hooly gooste With this whyppe oure lorde doeth caste out all theyse foure vyces from oure soules And more ouer he tourneth ouer they re chayres or stooles and also all theyr bordes or tables wheron they dyd rest for that they shoulde nat lyghtely or easely cum there in agayne So our lorde caste oute of the soule all the helpe and mouers vnto synne And oure lorde sayde vnto theym whom he droue oute of the Temple It is wrytten by the Prophete Esaye Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur c. My house that is dedycate vnto my honour and name shall be called the house of prayer and nat the house of rape or thefte nor of marchaundyse vayne speache or vayne beholdynge Hereof is gyuen vnto vs a greate confydence or trust that oure prayers shall be herde Wherefore elles wolde he moue vs to pray in his temple excopte he wolde there here oure prayers It foloweth Vos â—ecistâ—s illam spelumcam latronum But ye haue made my Temple a denne of theuys The theuys haue none other sorow or care but onely to gette temporall goodes and howe so euer they may haue or gette theym they regarde ne care nat so that they may haue theym And therefore they hyde theym selfes in pryuye caues or dennys bycause that they wolde nat be taken or perceyuyd It foloweth Et accesserunt ad eum ceci et claudi in templum et sanauit eos After this acte or dede done there came vnto oure sauyoure Iesus Christe into the Temple many blynde men and laâ—e men and incontinently he cured and healed theym And so they were as wytnesses of the voyce and praysynge of the chylderen that with loude voyce cryed in the Temple and sayde vnto oure sauyoure Christe Iesu Hoshiahâ—â— That is as moche to saye Saue vs or make vs safe nowe And oure sauyoure Iesus aunswered vnto theym nat by wordes but by his deedes in curynge and gyuynge helthe vnto the blynde and the lame men As yf he shulde say ye call me a sauyour and desyre helthe of me Loo I as a very sauyoure gyue vnto you helthe The prynces of the preestes and the scrybes that is the lerned men in the lawe of god seynge these great myracles and meruayles and hearyng the chylderen tryenge in the Temple praysyng hym as god they had great indignacion therat and so were greatly moued against hym with enuy 〈◊〉 and malice For comonly euyll and enuyouse men can nat pacyently here the prayse of good men And where as they durst nat lay vyolent handes vppon hym for feare of the people that than fauoured hym nor yet impugne his manifest and open myracles yet they rebuked hym for y t he suffred the people so to reioice in hym and the chylderen also to praise and laude hym as god so openly in the teÌ„ple And so they sayd vnto hym Audis quid isti dicuntur Doest thou here perceyue what these people do say As yf they sayd thou shulde nat suffre suche laude and prayse to be gyuen to the whiche is onely due to god therfore yf thou were an holy iust and good man thou woldest refuse or declyne frome suche glory and prayse And Iesus aunswered sayenge Vtique I here theyr praysynges and ought to here them for this praysyng was preordinate of god longe before this tyme to be gyuen vnto me for so it is wrytten by the Prophete Dauid Ex ore infantium et lactentium perfecisti laudem That is Thou good lorde hast perfourmed the praysyng that thou ordred for thy son to be fulfylled by the mouth or voice of infantes yonge suckynge chyldren ¶ A prayer O Lorde thou made a generall signe or token of thy terrible iudgement whan thou cast out of the temple all byers and sellers with a whyppe made of thre cordes shewynge in thy face or iyen the flame of thy diuinitie I pray and beseche the lorde to graunt me to remembre so to consydre thy terryble presence y t I myghte feare the with an holye feare For thy iudgementes be great and nat to be serched whiche whan I consydre all my bones quake for feare for there is no man lyuynge vpon the erthe that is sure of thy glory but all thynges be reserued as vncerteyn vnto the tyme hereafter to cum that we shulde euer serue the deuoutly vertuously in feare also ioye in the with drede Amen ¶ The .viii. particle Of the dolorouse or sorowfull departyng of our sauiour Iesu from his mother Mary ALthough theuangelystes wryte lytle or no thynge of the heuy departynge of our sauioure Iesus from his mother yet dyuers holy doctours moued of the holy goost haue shewed the same And in especiall these sayntes Austyn Bernarde Anselme and IohaÌ„nes de Capistrano And that in this maner The wednysdaye after that Iudas had made promyse to the Iues that he wolde betraye Christe and delyuer hym into theyr handes he cam into Bethany where as Iesus was with his disciples Christe knew very well that Iudas had solde hym and that nat withstandynge he toke Iudas in his armes kyssed hym whan he cam to Bethany thereby secretely mouynge hym to forsake and leue his maliciouse mynde Also our lady the vyrgyn Mary louyngely and frendely bad hym welcom and asked of hym what he herde of hyr sonne And Iudas sayd euery man speketh good by hym Mary moche louyd Iudas bycause she knewe that he was knowen and in fauour with the prynces of the prestes But yf she had knowen what he
had done I suppose hyr virginall hert wolde haue broken for sorow But bycause she knew it nat they wēt quietly to supper At the whiche supper Iudas set hym bytwyxte Iesus and his mother Mary for a token or sygne that shortely by his treason he wold diuide them a sunder And at this supper Christ declared ordinately the misteries of his passion And in his preachynge whan he beholdynge Iudas remembred his falsnes and dampnacion Christe waxed very pale For as saynte Thomas sayeth Amonges all the passions of the soule heuynes doeth moost noy and hurte the body and altre the body And whan supper was done the vyrgyn Mary sayd to hyr sonne Iesus My swete sonne I wolde speke with the secretely And than she sayd O my confort and my lyght say to me the trouth why wast thou so pale at supper what ment thy wepyng and depe syghynges My herte was almoost broken thereby And than Iesus sayd to his mother O my blessed mother thou remēbrest for what cause I was incarnate and made man in thy wombe therfore sith thou woldest knowe the cause of my heuynes this is it The tyme is cum and the houre is at hande that I shall be departed from the by my moost bytter passion that I shall suffre for the redemption of man Therfore whan I actually remēbre this it causeth suche heuynes in me Than whan the vyrgyn Mary herd for a certeinty that the deathe of hyr sonne was so nyghe at hande Ah good lorde how moche dyd she sorow What wepynges sobbynges and syghynges had she Euery motherly hert may imagyn And than after hyr wepynges she wyllyng to moue hyr sonne to sum other maner way of redemption for the saluacion of man said My dere sonne I knowe that thy heuenly father hathe decreed with his mercy to redeme mankynde but all thynges be possible to thy father and to the. Wherfore yf it wolde please thy father the thou myght redeme mankynde by an other way than by thy passion Sithe therfore thou maist so do I beseche the it may so be Hereunto Iesus aunswered O my moost swete mother I knowe thy loue and charitie towardes me but good mother I must nedes more obey to god my father of whome I haue my godhed than to the of whome onely I haue my manhoode This same wednysday Mary Magdalene sent a messanger vnto Hierusalem to here and knowe what was there spoken of Iesu And this messanger sayde that it was decreed by the councell of the Phariseis that Iesus shulde dye and how that they wold crucifie hym And than the virgyn Mary with Mary Magdalene and Martha cam vnto Iesu and sayd O moost pitiouse confortour go nat into Hierusalem for they haue concluded agaynste the they wyll slee the. Abyde here we shall prepare the Paschall lambe for the. Hereunto Iesus sayde O my deare mother O Magdalene O Martha The tyme determyned by my father is cum that I shulde redeme mankynde It is necessary that my fathers wyll be fulfyllyd Than the virgyn Mary sayd to hym O my moost dere belouyd sonne O my lyfe light of myne iyen yf thou wylte nedes go into Hierusalem and dye suffre me to dye with the or els before the. Iesus aunswered sayd O my moost kynde mother all my disciples shall forsake me and the faythe shall perysshe and cease in them for the tyme of my passion therfore it is necessarye that thou abyde with theym bothe to confyrme them in faythe and also to conforte them O my swete mother I thanke the with all my herte for all thy benefytes and kyndenes that thou haste done to me Here frendes loke vppon hyr motherly herte and consydre what heuynes and sorow she had herynge these wordes of hyr dere sonne Iesus Erly on the thursday in the mornyng they bothe kneled downe and kyssynge to gyther toke theyr leue with many teares wepynges And as saynt Austen sayeth Libro de verbis domini Whan they went to gyther the virgyn mary sayd O my moost swete sonne I shall no more here the. O ioy full of the pleasure of paradyse I shal no more touche the. O thou consolacion of the worlde I wyll neuer leue the. Yf thou go I wyll go Yf thou stande I wyll stande And than Iesus aunswered with a wepynge and mournynge voice O my dere mother why doest thou trouble me with thy wepynge sithe the heuynes that I haue for my passion is sufficient for me So ofte doeth the swerde of sorow perce my herte as ofte as I se the wepe or any teare fall frō thyne iyen Wherefore I beseche the moost naturall and louynge mother to go with my welbelouyd Magdalene into hyr house to whō I commende the and so with great sorow departed And at this moost heuy departynge she sayd vnto Iudas O Iudas I commende my moost dere beloued son vnto the. Yf thou here any thynge contrary to hym shew hym of it that he may be the more ware And herof sayeth saynt Bernarde O blyssed vyrgyn Mary thou dyd nat know that thou commended thy moost innocent sonne to a foxe moost false and subtile Thy moost mekest lambe to a wolfe Thy sonne very truthe to a crafty lyer And so the sorowfull mother departed from hyr sonne seynge that it wolde be non otherwyse O what suppose you sayd than Magdalene Martha and other women there presente vnto our lady Let euery man thynke as his deuocion seruyth hym I thynke they myght say as it is wryten in the Canticles O moost goodly of all women whyther is thy moost dere beloued gone Where hathe he hyd hym selfe We wyll go serche hym with the. And the sorowfull vyrgyn myghte aunswere My conforte my lyfe my sonne doeth go in a strayt and harde way byset rounde about with his enemies c. ¶ The .ix. particle Of the supper or maundie of our lorde WHan the tyme of the miseracions and mercies of our lorde was cum in the whiche he had disposed to saue his people to redeme theym nat with corruptyble golde or syluer but with his owne preciouse blood before he shoulde departe frome his disciples by his corporall dethe he wolde make vnto them a supper for a signe memoriall of thynges past and also to fulfyll the misteries that were to be fulfylled Therefore our lorde Iesus required of his disciples where and in what place he wolde haue the Paschall lambe prepared for hym and them He sente Peter and Iohn̄ to one of his louers in the mounte of Syon where as was a goodly and a great chambre strewed and made redy for hym and there they prepared the Paschall lambe for hym By Peter is signified good operacion or actyue lyfe And by Iohn̄ is noted deuoute contemplacion These .ii. prepare the Pascall lambe that is they dispose a man duely and reuerētly to receyue the holy body of our lorde signified by the Paschall lambe They prepare this spirituall lambe in a greate
lofte or chamber that is in the soule of man eleuate and lyfte vp by feruent deuocion and great by longanimitie broode by the brede of charitie and strawed by the diuersitie of vertues And whan all thynges were prepared in this chambre Iesus dyd entre with his disciples to whom the Pascall lambe rosted was brought furthe And grace sayde or blyssyng made by our lorde they eat it with the iuse of wylde letuâ—e And note that in this soleÌ„pnitie of Pasce there were toure thynges that is the Pascall lambe pure wheat brede without leuyn wyne and the iuse of wylde letuse to signifie that no man might cum worthely to eat of the true lambe the body of Christe without bytternes and compunction of herte for theyr synnes This refection also doeth signifie theternall refection of glory that shal be in the ende of the worlde Than Iesus rysynge from supper his disciples syttynge and eatynge he sayd I haue with a great desyre desyred to eat this Pascall lambe with you before my passion This worde desyre twyse spoken doeth signifie a mynde of two desyres One was y t the olde testament shuld be finished and the new shuld be begun And this was moost his desyre For all the dayes of his lyfe he ranne after vs with a moost feruent desyre of our helthe And we â–ª yf we can nat at sumtyme haue good myndes and desires at the leest let vs haue a wyl to haue y t good desyre accordynge to the sayenge of Dauid Concupiuit anima mea deside rare iustificationes tuas My soule hath couetyd or desyred to desyre thy iustificacions After this Christe toke bread and wyne and gyuynge thankes to god blyssed them and so conuerted the bread into his owne body the wyne into his bloode and gaue it vnto them sayenge take and eat this is my bodye drynke of my bloode And here he shewed his great desyre y t was to cum that is to shede his bloode for our redemption that after the immolacion offeryng of the figuratiue and Pascall lambe shulde folow the oblacion of the very true lambe Iesus Christe And so the olde figures ceassed and all thynges were made new whan that Christ conuertyd and turned bread and wyne into his precyouse body and bloode And here note that in the boke called Exodus there were determined many thynges that were requyred to the eatynge of the figuratiue Pascall lambe whiche also spiritually be requyred to theatynge of the verye true lambe our sauiour Iesus Fyrst it shulde be eaten onely of them that be circumcidyd so shulde we be circumcidyd by the cuttynge away of our olde synfull conuersacion and lyfe Secondely it shulde be eaten with the iuse of wylde letuse signifienge that we shulde haue bytter contricion for our synnes Thyrdly with pure whete breade without leuyn betokenynge the puritie of our conscience without leuyn of fynne Fourthly theyr clothes shulde be gyrded vp signifienge oure chastitie of body soule Fyftely they shulde haue shoes vppon theyr fete betokenynge that our affections shulde be separate from all erthely thynges In a signe also or token herof our lord fyrst wasshed the fete of his disciples before that he gaue to them his body and blood Sixtely they shuld haue staues in theyr handes notynge therby that we shulde diligently kepe our selfe These syxe foresayd condicions ben requyred in vs as concernynge the auoidaunce of vyce and synne And in lyke maner syxe thynges ben requyred in vs yf we wyll worthely receyue the sacrament of the aulter as concernynge the operacion of good werkes and gettynge of vertues Fyrst that it be eaten in one house that is in the vnitie of the chyrche that we be nat diuided from the chyrche by any scisme or heresye Secondly that we take or eat it with our neighbours as many as shall be sufficient to eate it signifienge the loue and concorde with our neighbours Thyrdely that it be nat eaten raw that is withoute the fyre of loue ne yet sodden with water of carnall pleasures but rosted with the fyre of feruent deuocion Fourthly it shulde be eaten hastely betokenyng our feruent desyre and delectacion folowynge Fyftely it shulde be eaten all hole bothe hed fete and the inwarde partes signifieng that we shulde be incorporate vnto Christe with a hole and true fayth beleuynge the diuinitie of Christe whiche is the hed also his humanitie body flesshe whiche is as the fote and also his soule whiche is as the inwarde parte Syxtely they shulde breke no bone of the Paschall lambe signifienge the symple veneracion worshyppynge of this sacrament nat dyuydyng the godhed from the manhode nor the flesshe from the blood for vnder euery parte of the hooste consecrate there is hole Christe bothe god man soule body and blood Wherfore who so euer receiueth the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter vnder the forme of bread only he receyueth hole Christe god and man soule flesshe and blood ¶ A prayer O Lorde Iesu Christe whiche in the euyn tyde made thy last supper with thy disciples in a greate and large chaumbre strawed and made redye for the and there fedde theym with thy moost sacrate body and bloode make my herte I beseche the a great large chambre prepared for the. Enlarge in it trew fayth hope and charitie Magnifie or make it great with longanimitie pacience mekenes and straw it with all maner of vertues Graunt me lorde that my herte contrite and thus prepared may take and receyue the after my pore maner whom heuyn and erthe are nat able to take and conteyne that by thy grace inhabytance in me I may thynke and performe in dede all thynges pleasyng to the and declyne or auoyde all vyce and synne by perfyte hace of them and so continuynge vnto the ende I may worthely receiue thy preciouse body and blood in the sacrament of the aulter AMEN ¶ The .x. and last particle of this fyrst parte Of the wasshynge of his disciples fete WHan this supper was done and the Paschall lambe eaten and whan the deuyll had put into the herte wyll of Iudas to betraye Christe nat dyrecâ—y mouynge his wyll as the soule moueth the bodye but onely indyrectly by suggestion mouynge and perswadynge hym to betray Christe and he consented thereunto And here note that the deuyll can nat put euyll thoughtes into y e hert of man but onely offre them vnto man which yf the man receyue theym and that appere to the deuyll by sum outewarde sygne or token than the deuyll bloweth at this coole to kynâ—â—e and make the fyre burne that is he ceasseth nat to perswade and moue that man to consent vnto that synne And so it apperech that the deuyll can nat cast a man downe and ouercum hym except the man cast hym selfe fyrste downe and rendre his armour vnto his enemy that is excepte he consent to the suggestyon and mocion of the deuyll This supper I saye done and the Paschall
lambe eaten whan the deuyll had moued Iudas to betraye Christe and he consented to the same than Iesus knowynge as god that his father had gyuen and taken into his handes and power all thynges also his enemy and traytour Iudas and the Iues his persuers yet to shew and declare his great pytie to leue to vs an example of his perfyte mekenes he wolde nat fulfyll or take vppon hym the power or myghte of god or offyce of a lorde but rather the offyce and roume of a seruaunte He dyd meke hym selfe to be a seruaunt for he cam to do seruice and nat to receyue the seruyce of other And therefore he arose frome his supper of the Paschall lambe wyllynge than to wasshe the fete of his dyscyples there beynge and so causyng water to be brought vnto hym he put of his outwarde garmentes gyrdyd hym selfe with a lynen clothe Than he put the water into a basen with his owne handes and so charitably so honestly and so seruiceably prepared he cam to wasshe his disciples fete that were defoiled with the claye and durte of the erthe for they wente bare foâ—ed And so he wasshed theyr fete wyped them with the clothe wherwith he was gyrte and thus he fulfylled the office of mekenes And whan he came to Petre he wolde nat suffre hym to wasshe his fete but sayd thou â—halâ—e neuer wasshe my fete And Iesus sayde Yf I wasshe nat thy fete thou shalte haue no parte of my blysse with me Than Petre fearynge this sentence sayd â–ª Wasshe good lorde nat onely my fete but also my handes and my hed And Iesus sayd He that is wasshed he nedeth no more to wasshe but his fete for than he is all clene What this signifieth ye shall know afterwarde It foloweth in the gospell of Iohn Ye be now clene for I haue wasshed you but ye all be nat clene This he spake for Iudas that shuld betray hym that same nyghte and therefore he was nat clene There be two thynges specially whereby a man is made clene from synne that is almose dede and charitie Iudas had nat the fyrst for he was a thefe and toke vnto his owne vse suche thynges as shulde haue be gyuen to the pore Also he betrayed his innocent maister contrarye vnto charitie and so Iudas was nat clene O thou chrystyan consyder here dylygentely euery poynte of this wasshynge for they be full of mekenes and loue Beholde what is done for it is very deuoute Here the hyghe maiestie of god and mekenes of the maister dyd enclyne bow hym selfe downe to the fete of pore fysshers He knelyd on his knees and bowed his hede before his disciples syttynge and so wasshed theyr fete with his owne handes dyd also drye them and kysse them all Beholde here the exemplar of all myldenes and mekenes the creatoure and maker of all creatures the fearefull iudge of bothe quycke and deade knelynge here before the fete nat onely of his louynge disciples but also before the fete of the false traytoure Iudas O thou man lerne here of thy lorde for he is bothe meke in herte and gentyll in his conuersacion Be thou confounded of thy hyghe mynde Arte thou nat asshamed of thy pryde and impacience He that is syttynge aboue the high order of auÌ„gels called Cherubyn wassheth the fete of his enemy traytour and thou erthe dust asshes cley exaltest thy selfe thynkest great thynges of thy selfe Consider diligently how our lorde inciteth moueth vs by his examples also by his wordes vnto mekenes Therfore after that he wasshed his disciples fete shewyng thereâ—â— to vs an example of great mekenes he sayd to vs Exempâ—um dedi vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita et vos faciatis I haue gyuen to you an example that as I haue done to you so ye shulde do And also he sayde in an other place Discite a me quia mitis sum et humilis corde Lerne of me for I am mylde in conuersacion and meke in herte And in this he kept a conuenient maner of teachynge For as saynt Luke sayeth Cepit lesus facere et docere Iesus began fyrste to lyue and do well and after that he dyd teache other to do the same Spiritually by this outwarde wasshynge of the fete oure lorde dyd note the inwarde clennes of our spirituall fete which be our loue and aâ—â—ections For these spirituall fete do bere vs where so euer we go froÌ„ our selfe or without vs. And as our bodyly fete hath ofte tymes nede of wasshynge so oure spirituall fete For thoughe we be hoolly clene wasshed by the sacrament of Baptym in so moche that yf we kepe that innocency and clennes that we by that sacrament receyue vnto our dethe we be sure to go to heuyn without any other wasshyng Yet for asmoche as there is very few or non that kepe that puritie of theyr baptysme after that they cum to the yeres of discrecion but y t oftymes they fall in one thyng or other that thrughe the fraile condicion of our mortall nature so that they defoile theyr fete with worldly vayne or carnall affectioÌ„s therfore it is necessary y t they oft wassh theyr fete with coÌ„fession teres of coÌ„tricion For who so euer after his baptym do fall to syn be nat wasshed with y e water of penauÌ„ce he shall haue no parte with Iesu in his glory By this wasshyng of y e fete our lord also doeth note the clennes of our spirituall fete whiche specially is required in the receiuing of the blessed body of our lord And therfore he dyd wasshe the fete of his disciples before he gaue to them his gloriouse body blood to signifie y t spirituall clennes is requyred in the due receyuynge of the sacrament of the aulter ¶ A prayer O Mylde Iesu and the exemplar of very mekenes whiche wasshed the fete of thy disciples I aske and also beseche the lorde purge clense thou myne affections that I so purified in bothe fete kyndled with a double charitie that is with the loue of god and of my neighboure I might surely cum to the my puryfyer and clenser Kepe me clene good lorde vnto the ende of my dayes and clense me frome all spottes of synnes that all my negligencys and also synnes forgotten myne enemyes confounded and rebuked might go fro me at the houre of my dethe whiche specially wyll lye in awayte of me at that houre Directe and order my fete lorde in to the waye of peace that I delyuered from the handes and power of all myne enemies myght blesse prayse the with all they electe seruantes world without ende AMEN ¶ Here endeth the Proheme or fyrste part of this treatyse And here begynneth the seconde parte called the execucion THexecucion of this glasse shal be asentenciouse declaracion of our lordes passion approbate taken of many holy doctours As of saynte Hierom sayntes Augustine Bernarde
of Christes passion they shall be so frutyfull that they shall bryng ioye to the aungels in heuyn meryte to the good persones lyuynge in erthe forgyuenes to the synners and great refresshyng and conforte to the soules in purgatorye And this is bycause Christe reputeth and accompteth all thynges done to any of his seruauntes whether it be good or euyll as done to hym selfe And therefore he sayeth in the gospell Quod vni ex minimis meis fecistis mihi fecistis What so euer ye haue done to one of the leest of myne ye haue done it to me And in an other place he sayd to his disciples Qui vos recipit me recipit et qui vos spernit me spernit He that receiueth you receiueth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me And so our sauiour Christ taketh all our paines and tribulacions committed to hym as I sayd before as his owne and oâ—â—rech them to his father as his owne with lyke effect and fruite as is sayd before Therefore euery good and faythfull person ought moche to ioye in his tribulacions and paynes For what so euer he suffre Christe doeth confesse that he suffreth the same in hym and with hym ¶ A prayer O Lorde Iesus Christe sonne of the lyuynge god whiche at mydnyght thy passion drawynge nygh wolde take vpon the feare heuynes for me moost wretchyd synner graunt me continually faythfully to referre all my tribubulacions heuynes paines vnto the the god of my hert y t thou wolde vouchesafe to bere them with me in the vnion of thy passion and heuynes That so by the merites of thy moost holy passion they myght be made to me fruitfull and profitable Amen ¶ Of the blody swet of Christe The seconde article THe seconde artycle is the flowynge of the bloode of Christe into the erthe by the maner of swet or of the blody swet of Christe flowynge from his bodye into the erthe For the seconde tyme that Christ prayed for anguysshe he swet blood and the aungell descendynge from heuyn aâ—â—ered to hym and conforted hym It foloweth therfore in thâ— gospell Factus in agonia prolixius orabat et factus est sudor eius sicut gutte sanguinis decurrentis in terram Christe was in a great agony and therfore he prolonged his prayer And in this prayer for his great agony his swet was as droppes of bloode runnynge downe from his body into the erthe Here do our doctours say that whan our lorde Iesus Christe dyd so prolong his prayer his most holy hert was greatly enflamed so coÌ„sequently all his hole body most holy most innocent In so moche that thrughe that greate feruour of prayer and his excessyue loue and moost feruent desyre that he had to suffre and to dye for our helth And of the other parte thrugh the vehement angwyssh and agony that he had in his manhode in the remembraunce of his moost greuouse paynes and shamefull dethe that he shulde suffre and thrugh the stronge reluctacion and stryuynge of sensualitie naturally abhorrynge that dethe and therfore myghtely fyghtynge agaynst it for these causes I say the poorys of his body were open and so flowed out the blood for his swet That vehement angwysshe and excessyue loue constreyned the bloode to cum out of the vaynes agaynst nature as Bede sayeth in so moche that many droppes of blood ranne downe by his clothes and fell vpon the erthe The loue of god in the herte of Christe dyd ouercum in that agony his natural feare and the feare of his manhode and so the bloode of Christe so quyckened and conforted by this loue was styrred and moued as yf it wolde haue cum all furthe of the body at that tyme thrugh that excessyue loue as yf he wolde nat or might nat haue abyden the tyme of his dethe appointed whan all that blood shulde be vtterly sheddyd And so I say thrughe this vehement loue the droppes of blood dyd issue and fall from the vaynes of his body And as the inwarde cause of swet after naturall phisiciens is the naturall hete dissoluynge that is hote and moyst in the bodye so the supernaturall cause of this bloody swet myght be the feruent hete and burnynge of his excessyue loue redowndyng from the herte of Christe into al his hole body there dissoluynge the vaporouse moisture Phisiciens also say that it is possible that a man may swet naturally thrugh the vehemeÌ„ce of loue In lyke maner as our doctours say Christe swet blood aboue nature thrugh his vehement feruour of charitie for thaÌ„ the more he approched to his dethe the more he burned in loue for the feruente desyre of our helthe O how bytter and paynefull was this dethe of Christe in it selfe sythe the onely imaginacion therof dyd so greatly chaunge thorder of nature for it drew from all the partes of his bodye droppes of bloode as yf he had swet whiche blody swet shulde signifie and note to vs the helthe of his misticall body that is the catholicall chyrch Hereto sayth saint Bernarde By the erthe moisted with the bloody swet of Christ is signified that erthely men shulde be redemyd by the bloode of Christe By the whiche blood also he shulde reduce vnto lyfe all the worlde ded in synne Woo be to that wretchyd hert that wyll nat be moisted and made softe with this blood or swet Beholde thou wretche the great tribulacion of this most mylde gentyll louynge herte in what angwyssh it was whan all his bodye on euery parte swet blood O thou my stony herte quake and tremble and breke in pecys and moyst thyne iyen with blody teres for as thou mayst se thy creatour and maker is all wet in bloode for the and that with suche plenty that it ranne downe vpon the erthe And surely his body outwardly wolde neuer haue bene so wet with bloode yf his herte inwardly had nat ben broken with sorowe and heuynesse Therefore the prophete sayeth in the persone of Christe Contritum est cor meum in meipso My herte is broken within me The herte of our mooste louynge Iesus thus inwardly broken or cut the outwarde skynne also was broken so that his blood myght abundantly flow out vpon the erthe And this bloody swette was very naturall and true bloode of the moost purest body of Christe But as we sayd before it was nat shed naturally for it is agaynst nature to swet blood ⸪ ⸫ ¶ Doctrines or holsom lessons IN this artycle we may take thre holsum and profytable lessons Fyrste by the apparicion of the aungell c. We be enfourmed that the holy aungelles of god do assyst vs and also conforte vs in our prayers Hereunto sayeth the prophete Dauyd Preuenerunt principes coniuncti psallentibus The prynces or holy aungelles do preuent them that prayse god or praye to hym with theyr helpe and also be ioyned vnto them in theyr praysynges And in an other place he sayeth In
vyne Who is he that doeth nat se and consyder the bondes wherewith this oure vyne tree was bounde He was bounde with seuen bondes The fyrste sayeth saynt Bernarde I trow was his obedience whereby he was obedient to his father vnto the death of the crosse He dyd also obey to his mother Marie and to his father putatiue Ioseph As saynt Luke sayth Venit Nazareth et erat subditus illis Iesus came to Nazareth with mary and Ioseph and was obedient to them He was also obedient vnto the emperour paynge tribute vnto hym The second bonde was the wombe of the virgyn Marie Hereunto the churche syngeth of our lady in a certen respond whom the heuens coulde nat take thou virgyn hath conteyned hym in thy wombe The thyrde bonde was his cradell bondes or the cryb wherin he was layde as saynt Luke sayth The .iiii. bonde was this bonde wherwith he was bounde whan he was taken O howe rughe and harde were these bondes of these moste cruell Iues wherwith they bonde that most mylde lambe Iesus Christe O good Iesu I considre and se with the eyen of my soule the swete lorde bounde with moost harde ropes and drawen as a thefe to the house of the prynce of preestes I se this good lorde and I abhorre it and also moche meruayle thereat and so meruaylynge I shulde faynte and also dye for sorowe but that manifestly I knowe that thou was fyrste bounde in thy herte with the bondes of loue and charitie whiche louyngly dyd drawe the to suffer gladely these outwarde bondes The fyrste bonde was that wherwith he was fastyned to the pyllar whan he was scourged of the whiche we shall speake hereafter The syxte bonde was the crowne of thornes wherewith his heed was faste bounde as we shall declare hereafter The seuenthe bonde were the nayles that nayled his handes and feete faste vnto the crosse Or elles we may saye after saynte Birgitte in her reuelations that this seuenthe bonde was that corde and rope wherwith they drewe his arme and his feete so that all the ioyntes of his body were dissolued for fyrste they nayled his ryghte hande and then they drewe the left hand with a rope vnto the hoole that was made before for that hande And in lyke maner they drewe his feete so that al his veynes and synewes brast and all his ioyntes loosed so that a man myght nombre all his bones as the prophet Dauid sayth And this payne was so great greuous that the lyfe myght nat continue with it in any other man but Christe preserued his lyfe vnto suche tyme it pleased hym to yelde vp his spirit into y e handes of his father therfore he said Potestatē habeo ponēdi āam meā nemo tollit eā a me I haue power to gyue vp my soule at my pleasure Also no man may take my life frō me but I shall forsake it at my wyll and at my wyll take it agayne Our sauyour Iesu thus taken and bounden al his disciples forsakynge hym for feare fledde from hym as we shall declare in the nexte article ¶ Here foloweth .iii. lessons THe first lesson is our lord wolde be bounde bycause that he wold loose the bōdes of our synnes Secondly he wold be bounde for that he wolde bynde vs to hym with the bonde of charite He is the same bonde of charitie wherwith our soule is bounden to god He is signifyed by the reed coorde or lyne whiche Raab tyed in the wyndowe of hyr house for a sure signe or token that she and al hyrs shulde be saued at the destruction of Hiericho So surely euery faythfull soule corrupte by the olde synne of Adam and so signifyed by Raab that is comonly noted for a comen woman yf this soule be regenerate by the fayth of Christ and haue this reed corde tyed in the wyndowe of hyr inwarde house by the whiche the lyght of god entrethe in to hyr soule without doubte suche a soule hath a sure token of hyr health for suche a soule is so tyed vnto god and god vnto hyr that she can nat lyghtly be separat from god This is also the corde or rope wherwith our lord was tyed vnto the pillar whiche without doubte was reed for it was made reed with the holy blode of Christ This is also that lyne or corde wherwith Paule was so surely fastened to Christe that nothyng myght depart hym from Christ Nother tribulation ne anguish nor hungre nor nakednes persecution nor swerde and shortly to speake no creature myght departe hym from the charite of Christ The thyrde lesson is that we shuld so bynde all our membres and specyally our tonge with the cordes of the preceptes of god that she shulde nat be loosed vnto any thynge contrarie to the wyll of god or his commaundementes ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wold be bounde with the handes of wycked men I beseche the loose the bondes of my synnes and so bynde me to the with the bondes of thy preceptes that neuer the membres of my body nor the powers of my soule be loosed and at lybertie to do any thynge contrarie to thy wyll Amen ¶ Of the fleynge or departynge away of the disciples of Christe The .vii. article THe .vii. article is of the departyng awaye or fleyng of the disciples of Christe Of the whiche it is wryten in the gospel thus Tunc omnes relicto eo fugerunt Whan Iesus was taken then all his disciples lefte hym and fled from hym This fleynge and departyng was no lytell payne to Christe And therfore this article is nombred with the other articles of his passion for specyally he was sory for this maner of departynge And of this departynge speaketh Iob in the person of Christ sayenge Fratres mei elongauerunt a me et no ti mei quasi aliem recesserunt a me My bretherne haue gone farre from me and myne aquayntance or knowen disciples as straungers hath forsaken me And in a token or remembraunce of this forsakyng the aulters on shire thursday be bared for all theyr ornamentes be taken awaye and the aulter lefte naked and bare Christ is this aulter and the apostles be the ornamentes whiche fled from Christ and left hym alone in the hādes of his enemies Our lorde was heuy and sory of this departyng of his discyples nat for hym selfe but for them that they were so sclaundered in hym Of this sorowe saynt Ierome saythe It is nat to be beleued that this departynge was without greate anguysshe and heuynes of the herte of Christe and also it was nat without greate mornynge and wepynge of the apostles For I can nat thynke that after they se that cruell compeigney take and bynde our sauiour Iesu theyr most louynge maister but that they wept and said with greate sorowe O moost benygne maystre more swete or pleasaunte than all hoony It is moche sorowfull to vs to se the so cruelly entreated of the
malycyous Iues. Alas we wretches what shall we do leauynge so gracyouse a father we forsake all our goodes and folowe the and nowe we perceyue for a suerty that we shal be pryued of thy presence and wante thy confortable wordes and dedes for we be assured nowe that the Pharyseys wyll sley the. O howe ofte suppose you dyd they looke backe towardes theyr moost mercyfull mayster seynge and beholdyng with bytter sorowe theyr lorde so cruelly ledde of the malicyouse Iues as we shall declare in the next article ¶ Here foloweth .vi. causes of the fleyng or departynge of Christes disciples OF these disciples the prophet speaketh in the person of our lorde sayenge Dispersa sunt omnia ossa mea All my boones are disperpled or deuyded that is all my apostles whiche as bonys in a mannes bodye shulde haue ben most stronge and yet they are fled and fallen And that for .vi. causes The fyrst cause was that the doctrine of Christe god and man was forgoten then of them and therfore the prophet Dauid sayth Factum est cor meum tanquam cera liquescens so medio ventris mei My herte is made as wax meltynge in the mydle of my body that is My doctrine is vanysshed throughe the heete and fyer of my passyon and that in the myddle of my bely that is in my apostles that be moost nyghe vnto me The seconde cause was the ceasynge of myracles Of the whiche also it folowethe in the forsayde .xxi. psalme Aruit tanquam testa virtus mea My vertue and power is as drye as a shell And that was bycause he suffred hym selfe to be taken and so put to most cruell and shamefull deathe and wolde nat helpe hym selfe and shewe his power as he had done dyuerse tymes before But nowe he wold nat so do therfore his power of in shewynge of myracles semed to be consumed and dryed by the heete and fyere of hys passyon and hereunto speakethe the prophet saynge Ibi abscondita est fortitudo eius There was hyd his power or strength that is in his crosse or passyon And note that the sayde not his power was lost but his strength was hyd in his passyon as we shall declare in the thyrde parte of this treatyse in the .iiii. fruyte The thyrde cause was the silence of Christe for at his passyon he wolde nat speke for hym selfe Therfore saith the prophet Adhesit lingua mea faucibus meis My tong cleuyd faste to my iawes or chekes for he wolde nat speake to his owne excuse and therfore the prophet Esay long before this tyme sayd of hym Quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet et non ape riet os suum He shal be as domme as a lambe whan he is shorne and he shall nat open his mouthe And this prophycie was verifyed in Christe as it is playnly wryten in the gospell Et non respondit eâ— ad vllum verbum ita vt miraretur preses Christe answered nat one worde vnto Pylate whiche meruayled moche therof The .iiii. cause was that they were in a maner sure of the deth of Christ but they were in a dispeyre or mistrust of his resurrectioÌ„ And therfore the ê“phet Dauid saith in y e person of Christ Et in puluerem mortis deduxisti me Thou hast brought me in to asshes or in to the dust of deth And this he spake after the opinyon of the Iues. As it appereth in an other psalme Estimatus sum cum descendentibus in lacum I am estemed and accompted by the Iues with them that descende in to the lake and pytte of eternall perdition and neuer to retourne agayne The .v. cause was the crueltie of the Iues and therfore the prophet saythe in the persone of Christe Circumdederunt me canes multi Many dogges haue compassed me that is the Iues barkynge and bytynge by detraction as dogges The .vi. cause was the congregation of euyll persones and therfore it foloweth in the psalme Consilium malignantium obfedit me The congregation and counsayle of euyll persones haue obsessed and beseaged me and that very obstinately and fro wardely vnto my deathe Of this compeigney and counsayle speaketh the prophet Dauid in an other psalme sayenge Astiterunt reges terre et principes conuenerunt in vnum aduersus dominum et aduersus Christum eius Rewlers of the worlde and princes ben cume to gyther in counsayle agaynste our lorde and agaynst his sonne Christe And for these causes the apostles flodde and forsoke our lorde Whereat wonderynge and meruaylynge the prophet Hieremy saythe Quomodo disper si sunt lapides fanctuarij Howe is this that the holy stoones ben disperpled that is the apostles of Christ whiche shulde haue ben as holy stones strong stable firme in the faith loue of Christe but they fled Percutiam pasto rem et dispergentur oues gregis I shall smyte or take the herdeman and the shepe of the flocke shal be disperpled abrode Here folowethe .ii. lessons THe fyrste lesson is that we shulde be well ware that we neuer flye from Christe He flyeth from Christe that for any feare of man or by the temptation of the deule or by any passyon or corrupte affection forsaketh the truthe or iustice for Christe is truth and also iustice And generally in euery mortal or deedly synne a man flieth from god The seconde lesson is this that thoughe these persones that seame to be our frendes or neyghbours and louers flye from vs in the tyme of our aduersytie and necessitye yet lette vs beare it patiently remembrynge that the apostles fled from our sauyour Christe in his aduersitie and trouble ¶ A prayer O Iesu that dyd suffre all thyne electe and chosen disciples to flye from the receyue thou me thy fugitiue seruaunt for thy greate vertue and omnipotent power And suffre me nat to wandre from the thorughe the libertie of my frowarde wiâ—â— Amen ¶ Of the leadynge of Christe The .viii. article THe .viii. article is of his leadynge For after that they had taken and bounde hym and after that his disciples fledde the Iues led Christ towardes the house of Annas As it is in the gospell of IohnÌ„ And this ledynge was moche laborouse and paynefull to Christe Also it was rebukefull and violent It was violent for he was led with a great cumpanye of armed men and theyr captayne with them It was also rebukefull to Christe for he was led with his handes bounde as a thefe or an euyll persone And so the Iues sayde to Pilate Yf this persone that is Christe were nat a malifactour or an euyll doer a myslyuer we wolde nat haue delyuered hym to thy handes and power This ledynge was also laborouse paynfull and sorowfull to hym And that bothe to the herte inwardely and also to the bodye outwardely Fyrste it was sorowfull inwardely For where euer herde you of any man that wolde nat be heuy in hert and
inwardly sory to be lad with the handes of his enemies so cruelly with so great a cumpany of armed men with suche and so many rebukes and reprouynges bothe in worde and in dede as those mooste cruell Iues dyd vnto Christe at that tyme ledynge That ledyng was also paynfull to his body For though he wente wylfully with them yet they drewe hym with a rope they thrust hym droue hym forwarde and oft tymes they thrust hym downe and ranne ouer hym and so drewe hym thorughe the vale of Iosaphat from the flood or ryuer of Cedron vp towardes Hierusalem ledynge hym with great haste and violence he goynge bare foted and therefore they greuously hurted wounded his moost holy fete in that stony and moost harde waye In so moche that the steppys of his moost hooly fete were dyed and wet with blood For cruelly those Iues whose fete were swyfte redy to shed the innocent blood those Iues I say moost cruelly thrusted hym from the one parte of the waye vnto the other parte or syde But wherfore dyd Christe suffre all these paynes and rebukes but onely to cure the woundes of our fete whiche haue gone to do many a synfull dede and specially the woundes of our spirituall fete and inordinate affections Christe ranne thrugh thornes and breres sechynge for his shepe that was lost He sought hym by the brood stretys and narow lanes and so the watchemen of the citie founde hym they smote hym they wounded hym and toke from hym his pall and garmentes So that it may be well verified of Christ that is wryten in the fyrst boke of Paralipomenon Ex omni parte angustie me premunt Anguyssh troubles paynes oppresse me on euery part Sum doctours don say that what tyme the Iues led Christe towardes Hierusalem thy came by the ryuer water of Cedron the ministres and the people went ouer the brydge but they drew Christe boūden thrugh the water so that the watre entred into his mouthe body At whiche tyme what for the coldnes of the water and also for his longe prayenge in the garden or orcharde all his body was so colde that all his tethe dyd quyuer and shake in his hed for colde Herein were fulfylled the sayenges of Dauid Saluum me fac deus quoniam intrauerunt aque vsque ad animam meam Saue me my lorde god for the waters haue entred into me And in an other Psalme De torrente in via bibet propterea exaltabit caput He shall drynke of the ryuer in the way and therfore he shall exalte his hed And whan they cam to Hierusalem they dyd nat brynge hym in by the same gate that he wente furthe at whan he went to Bethany but by an other gate called the golden gate And it was so called bycause all the golde that was gyuen to Salomon was brought in by that gate and all other thynges y t were of great valour By this gate also was brought in all suche sacrifices as were offered in the temple And for as moche as Christ whan he entred into this worlde he cam in by the golden gate that is by the virgyns wombe it was conuenient that whan he shulde departe from this worlde vnto his father by his dethe and passion that he shulde goo to his dethe by this golden gate And the Iues brought hym in by this gate bicause there sat at that tyme many Scribes and Phariseis for the more suretie that the comon people shulde nat take Christe from them And one doctoure sayeth that in that golden gate were grauen painted the ymages of Patriarches Prophetes in stone werke And at the entryng of Christe by this gate all thoo ymages dyd reuerently inclyne to Christe as to theyr creatour and maker Also this same doctoure sayeth that the multitude of the prestes and scribes went with a great compaigney vnto the forsayd gate cryenge and sayenge Beholde the these is taken the deulisshe person the deceyuer of the people the breaker of the lawe and so they cast durte and clay agaynst hym Also it is sayd that from the place where as they toke and bounde hym vnto the house or palace of Annas ware .iii. M. passys saue .xv. And here note that Christ this day in the processe of his passyon was .ix. tymes led from place to place as we may playnly se in the gospelles Fyrste as soone as he was taken and bounde he was led vnto the house of Annas Secondly from Annas vnto Caiphas Thirdly from Caiphas vnto Pylate Fourthly from pilate vnto Herode Fyftly from Herode vnto pylate agayne Sextly the soudiours led him in to the courte of the comen haulle motehaule or iudgement house where as they mocked hym and put a crowne of thornes vpon his heed Seuenthly Pilate led hym from that place out vnto the Iues cladde in an olde purpure garment and the crowne of thornes vpon his heed Eyghtly Pilate led hym from the motehaule vnto a place called Lichostratos where as he iudged hym to be crucified Neyntly they led hym from thense vnto the mownte of Caluarie where as they dyd crucifie Christe ¶ Here foloweth a lesson IN diuers contreis it is a laudable custome amonges faith full christianes that on good frydaye they go aboute from the mornynge vnto the .ix. houre of the day that is from .vi. of the clocke vnto .iii. of the clocke at after noone and visyte .ix. churches in the remembraunce that Christe that day was .ix. tymes led from place to place as we sayd before And nowe for a lesson they that so visite .ix. churches I wolde they remembred what Christe suffred in euery place Fyrste what he suffred whan he was ledde to the house of Annas and also what he suffred there Secondly what he suffred in Caiphas house and so furth of al other as ye shall se declared herafter in diuerses articles And also that a man myght conforme hym selfe to this article he shulde remembre how obprobriously and shamefully Christe was led lyke a thefe and a rober and in this consideration he shulde haue a full purpose that he wyll with the helpe and grace of god be applyable to all vertue and also to suffre or to do all thynges that shal be to the wyll and pleasure of god And let hym pray as foloweth or in lyke maner Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam Thy good spirite shall guyde and lede me in to a ryghtful contrey Or thus Deduc me domine in semita mandatorum tuorum Leade me good lorde in the pathe of thy cōmaundmentes or any other prayer as god shal put in to your mynde ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche bounde as a thefe and an euyl doer wolde be led by the armed handes of wicked men from place to place with great rebuke and shame graunt to me that grace that I neuer be led vnto any synne throughe the persuasion
of the deule or counsaile of any wicked person but that I may be leade by the holy spirite vnto all thynges that shal be pleasaunt vnto the. Amen How Christ was presented vnto Annas The .ix. article THe .ix. article is of the presentynge of Christe vnto Annas For after they had brought Christ vnto the golden gate of Hierusalem nat without his great payne for one drewe hym by his garmeÌ„t another by the necke and the thirde by the heire of his heed they brought him fyrste vnto Annas bycause his house was in the way and they thought that they shulde haue ben rebuked if they had ouerpassed hym for as moche as he was father in lawe vnto Caiphas whiche was the high bisshop for that yere And therfore they first presented Christ vnto Annas willyng therby to honore Annas and also to reioyse of that great acte whiche they had done in takyng of Christe for as the wise man saith Letantur impij cum malefecerint c. Wicked men be glad whan they do euyl and they reioyse in their most mischeuous dedes Also they first preseÌ„ted Christ vnto Annas bycause that lesse defaut shulde be founde and put in Caiphas for the condempnation of Christ seinge that Christ was also condeÌ„pned of suche a wise sage and also high bisshop as Annas was In this house of Annas our lorde suffred .iii. thynges moche paynfull to hym The fyrste was the horrible denyenge of Petre. The seconde was the indiscrete question of the bisshop And the thirde was the myghty stroke that the seruaunte gaue to hym vpon hys face First he suffred the denyenge of Petre whiche was horrible and also paynful to Christ for .vi. causes that is for the multitude of people that were present at that denyenge second was bycause Petre was so slacke to folowe his maister c. these causes and the other .iiii. shal be declared in the next article ¶ Here foloweth a lesson IN this article we may take this lesson that we shuld not be moche afrayed to be presented before a seculer iudge for the loue and fayth of Christe and to â—uâ—re for Christe for therby cometh greate grace to man Therfore our lorde sayd to his disciples Whan your enemyes shal betray you and present you vnto y e great iudges of the worlde be nat afrayed nor to studiouse what ye shall saye it shal be gyuen to you at that tyme by the spirite of god what ye shall saye And this is noted in this article in that that Annas is as moche to say by interpretation as deuotion Not that Annas nor any temporall iudge may gyue to that person whome he iudgethe any grace or deuotion but for as moche as those holye persones suffre greate wronges of suche iudges the goodnes of god gyueth to those that paciently suffre iniuryes his grace for all grace is of god And hereunto the wyse man sayth Audi tacens et pro reuerentia accidet tibi bona gratia Here thou obey patiently and for thy reuerence good grace shal come to the. And that a man myght conforme hym selfe vnto this article he shulde remembre howe reuerently and paciently our lorde and sauyour Iesus stode then before Annas the Iues. And then pray thus ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde be first led and presented vnto the bysshop Annas graunt to me that I neuer feare to be ledde or presented for thy name and faythe before any tiraunte or seculer iudge of this worlde And also that thy grace ryght reason haue euer the dominion in me that I may lerne to present all myne actes willes and desyres vnto the examination of right reason before that I do them in dede thy grace at all tymes beynge assistant vnto me Amen ¶ Of the denyenge of Petre. The .x. article THe .x. article is of y e denyeng of Petre what tyme Iesus was led to the house of Annas Petre folowed a farre of to se the ende what they wolde do with Christ There folowed also Iohan whiche was well aquaynted with the bysshopes seruauntes and knowen to the bysshop and therfore he entred in with the other Iues into the bysshopes palace but Petre abode without And then IohnÌ„ spake to the maide that kept the doore to let Petre come in And whan she se Petre she sayd to hym NuÌ„ quid et tu ex discipulis es hominibê° istius Art thou nat of the disciples of this man that is of Christe And Petre sayd I am nat The wordes of this mayden myght seme more to be spoken for compassyon of Christe and to admonysshe Petre to bewarre of suche compeigney as was then within in the courte rather then to betraye Petre for she se hym verye fearfull he was so afrayed that he denyed Christ to be his maister The ministres and seruauntes stode at the coolys or fyre and warmed themself and Peter stode amonges them And then a nother mayden said This felawe was with Iesu and the compeigney that was there sayd truely he is one of them for he is a Galilee that is a man of the contreth of Galilee Then Petre denyed it with an othe and sayd I knowe nat that man After that by the space of one houre the compeigney sayd to Petre agayne veryly thou arte one of them and specyally one persone cosen to Malchus whose eare Petre smote of sayd to Petre Dyd nat I se the in the garthen or orcharde with Iesu And than Peter began to sweare to curse and banne and sayd I neuer knewe this man of whom ye speake and furthwith the cocke dyd synge or crawe And then our lorde turned hym and behelde Petre. And Petre remembrynge the sayenges of Christe before how that he shulde thryse denye hym before the cocke craw he went furth of the bisshopes palace or court and wepte full bytterly And here sayth saynt Hierome Petre myght no longer abyde in derknes for the lyght of the mercyes of god dyd shyne vpon hym and therfore he wepte And Petre after this had euer in vse custome to stande in prayer and wepe from the fyrst cocke crawe vnto the sonne rysynge in the remembraunce of his thryse denyenge of Christe Also he bare alwaye with hym a sudarie to wype awaye the teares that continually fell from his eyen for his synne And for the same synne he wepte so moche that his face seamed to be aduste and burned with the teares And therfore he deserued to haue forgyuenes both of his synne of the payne due for his synne This threfolde negation of Petre was no lytel payne vnto our sauiour Iesu for it greued hym very moche to heare se howe his owne chefe apostle whom he had ordred to be called a stone wherupon he wolde founde and buylde his churche to se hym I say so openly and so shamefully thryse to denye his own mayster Christ that at the voyce of one mayden or woman And note here that as
as the Iues ben gathered togyther and I spaketh nothynge in priuye corners therfore inquere of them that harde me for they can tell what I haue sayde and taught and here our lorde dyd so moderate his answere that nother he wolde hyde the treuthe nor yet be sene to defende hym self gyuynge to vs a fourme and a maner howe to answere moderately vnto our aduersaries so that we nother hyde the treuth nor yet prouoke or moue them agaynst vs with our wordê Then one of the mynysters smote Chryste vpon the cheke sayenge Sic respondes pontifici Is this a good answere vnto the bishop This stroke was so myghtye and greate that the sownde therof was herde ouer all the palace and it was so strongly gyuen that the prynte of his fyngurs remayned in Christes cheke whiche prynte we may well se and perceyue in the image of his face that he gaue to the blessed woman called Veronica This image was lately in Rome and it shulde seame that he myghte not gyue â—o sore a stroke with his bare hande and therfore it is moche lykly that he smote Christ with his gawntlette sayng Is this a good answere vnto a bisshop this he spake with great arrogance and prowdly without ony reuerence vnto Christ and this he dyd to please and flatter the bysshop Of this stroke saint Ambrose saith That it was so paynfull that it had ben sufficyent for mannes redemption It was so vehement that therby all his teeth in his hed were moued or lowsed and also his nose and his mouth gusshed out of blode Our lorde wolde abuÌ„dantly and plentuously satisfye for our synnes And therfore he most hygh in noblenes was smyten of a vyle wretche god was smyten of a synner the lord of his seruant the creature of his creature the gouerner of the hole worlde of a vyle porcyon of the same worlde the moste mercyful redemer was smyten of hym whom he came to redeme if he wolde receyue it This coÌ„tumely with many other that foloweth our lord suffred for vs with al pacieÌ„ce mildnes so that with great myldnes he answered to hym that smote hym Si male locutus sum testimonium perhibe de malo c. If I haue spoken euell beare witnes agaynst me of that euyll But if I haue answered well truly and conueniently wherfore dost thou smyte me This answere of Christ as saint Austen sayth was not spoken of any impacyence but gentely and swetely he dyd reproue that seruaunt and called vnto his mynde his vnkyndnes And herunto saynt Barnarde sayth O merueylous greate vnkyndnes this same Malchus whom our lorde but a lytyl byfore dyd cure and heale his ryght heare the whiche Peter dyd smyte of He nowe was bolde to smyte so cruelly his lorde god and curer O good Iesu in what compaigney arte thou nowe howe moch was thy pacyence Howe great was theyr crueltye and inpacyence But wyll they nyll they thy pacyence ouercometh theyr malyce thy loue theyr enuy and thy pitye theyr crueltye And thus ye may se that this smytyng is coÌ„ueniently noÌ„bred amongê the articles of Christes passyon also therin was fulfylled the sayng of y e ê“phet Dabit ê‘cutieÌ„ti se maxillaÌ„ he shall offer his cheke to the smyter And an other prophet saith Percutient maxillam iudicis Israel they shall smyte the cheke of the iudge of Israell This stroke was fygured in Michea whiche was smyten vpon the cheke bycause he sayde the treuthe vnto Achab the kynge of Israell as it is writen in the thyrde boke of the kynges ¶ Here foloweth a lesson OF this article we may take this lesson sythe that Christe wolde be buffeted and smyten for vs it is coÌ„uenient that we stoppe our mouthes that we speake no thyng contrary the honour of god and also that we excite and moue our selfe to speake and do that is good And in all iniuries and contumelies done vnto vs that we haue pacyence by the example of Christe whiche dyd vouchsafe to gyue vs specyally in this poynte an example of great pacyence And also a man to conforme hym selfe vnto this article may to remember the great stroke of Christe gyfe hym selfe a moderate clappe or stroke for all his lyes euyll and vayne wordes and then pray on this maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde be smytten for me moste vnworthy of the vyle minister and seruant of Annas grauÌ„t to me I beseche the thy grace that I may stoppe my mouthe from all euyll and vayne speache and that I neuer cease frome thy laude and praysynges Amen ¶ Howe Iesus was presented vnto Cayphas The .xii. article THe .xii. article of the presentacyon of Christe vnto Cayphas whan our lorde had taken that great stroke in the house of Annas shortly after Annas sent Christ bound as gyltye and worthy death and therunto condempned by hym he sent hym I say vnto Caiphas gyuyng thankes vnto the ministres that it wolde so please them to brynge Christe first vnto hym Annas I say sent Christe to Cayphas for he was the chiefe bishop for that yere and so to him it apperteyneth principally to entreat of the condemnacyon and death of Christ and for the same cause there were gathered a great companye of preestes and scribes in the forsayde house of Cayphas to counsell herin In this house of Caiphas Christe dyd abyde vnto the moornynge at the whiche tyme he was ledde vnto Pylate And in this house he suffred .iii. thynges that were moche paynfull to hym that is the false witneshyng the crafty adiuracyon and the most dispitefull confutacyon as it shall appere in the articles folowyng And here note that this presentacyon was more greuous vnto Christ than the first that was to Annas for this Cayphas was the cheyfe bysshop for that yere And also he was more crafty and more malicyous than Annas and that well appereth by the interpretacyon of his name Cayphas is as moche to say by interpretacyon as a crafty or wyly searcher for he more craftely dyd searche for false witneshes agaynst Christe whan he coulde fynde no conuenient testimonye agaynst hym then he malicyously and craftely by hym self toke occasyon in our lordes wordes of his dampnacyon as we shall declare hereafter in the xiiii article O how payneful is it to a good man to be presented before suche a iudge so craftie so captious so malicyous and replete with all enuy It is sayd that from the house of Annas vnto Cayphas house were an hundreth neynty .iiii. passes by the whiche space about .xxx. tymes they condemned hym and spued or spyt vpon hym bisydes many other tormeÌ„tes paynes ¶ Here folowe .ii. lesson OF this article we may note .ii. lessons The firste that the seruantes of god shuld not be moche afrayd to be presented before euyll and wicked iudges For the more wicked the iudge is the more grace therby commeth to the seruauntes of god Exemples herof we haue in the glorious
to be dispysed a person cursed and reproued of god and therfore as the gospell sayth Ceperunt quidam conspuere eum Some be ganne to spytte vpon hym and that in his most amiable face as Mathewe sayth This spyttynge was done and suffred of Christe for many causes Fyrst to note theyr great vnkyndnes as Symon de Cassia saythe Our lorde dyd spytte on the erth and made clay and therwith anoynted the eyen of hym that was borne blynde so gaue to hym hys syght which he had not by nature And nowe the Iues to shewe theyr vnkyndnesse dyd defoyle the face of our lorde with theyr soule spyttynges Secondely they spyte in his face to his great shame and despection for it was the propertie of the Iues to spytte in the face of hym whom they dispysed and reputed as a vyle and abiect persone O abhominable maner of the Iues whiche abhorred not to defoyle that most amiable and louly face the whiche angelles haue great desyre to beholde whichens ful of grace fauour and desired of all good people for it is y e lyfe conforth helth of al y t be holdeth it not only they dyd spyt in his face but also they coght and retched so cast y e foule stynkyng flegme into his fayre face Therfore Mathew saith ExpueruÌ„t that is they retching coughyng dyd spyt it into his face And Marchus saith ConspueruÌ„t that is not only one ê‘son but many togither dyd spue in his face in somoch that y t most blessed amiable face was made so abhominable to behold as if it had ben full of lepre and y t was thorough theyr spittyngê scratchyngê betayngê â–ª as we shall declare in the next article And so was fulfylled in christ y e ê“phecie of Esay sayng of christ Non erat ei species c. There was nother beautye nor fauour in his face we se him we might not se his face it was so couered w t blode spyttyngê we reputed hym as a lepre and smyten of god as y e most wretched but he was wouÌ„ded for our iniquites oppressed for our sinnes not for his owne And herunto saint Barnard saith O good Iesu these moste wretched cruell Iues haue w t theyr stynkyng spuyngê defoyled thy face so beautious amiable y t angelles desire to behold it which fulfylleth all heuyns w t ioye gladnes which both rich pore in y e worlde do worship yet good lord thy wretched creatours dyd smyte y e and dispise y e as a vyle seruant thou beyng the lorde of all creatours ¶ Here foloweth a lesson OF this article we may take this doctrine that we oughte diligently to be warre that we neuer spytte in the face of god as the Iues dyd which we do when we defoyle our soule coÌ„scyence with ony fylthy thoughtes or dedes for Christ doth rest in the soule and conscience in the whiche his face or ymage is hole and perfyt And therfore who so euer defoyleth his conscience with deedly synne he spytteth in the face of Christ saint Hierom sayth that our lorde Iesus wolde suffer pacyently suche spyttynges in his face that therby he myght wasshe our conscyence whiche is as the face of our soule And that a man myghte conforme hym selfe to this article he shulde forme and ymagyne in his mynde Christe horribly in his face deformed and defoyled with the spyttynges of the Iues and then he shulde thanke hym with all his herte for his great pacyence and so glorifye Christ for that rebuke and shame Also we shulde remember howe ofte we haue defoyled the most beautifull face of Christ in our conscyence by mortall synne Also howe oftentymes we haue receyued vnworthelye the blessed bodye of our lorde and defoyled it with our fylthy spotyll and then praye thus ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche wolde suffer thy most fayre and amyable face to be defoyled for my loue wich the fylthy spyttynges of the Iues graunt to me that I neuer defyle the face of thy ymage in my soule by my synfull actes or fylthy cogitacyons Amen ¶ Of the smytynge of Christe in the face The .xviii. article THe .xviii. article is the smytynge of Christe in the face Of the whiche saynte Mathewe sayth thus Et palmes ei in faciem dederuÌ„t And they smote hym in the face with the palme of theyr handes as the hande whan it is closed it is called the fyste so whan it is open and spredde abrode it is called the palme As papias and Isydore saythe So nowe they smote Christe with theyr open handes vppon the face And this smytynge maketh a specyall article of the passyone of Chryste for asmoche as a manne dothe suffer more payne by suche smytynge in the face then by smytynge in the necke for in the face of man ar all y e sences or wittes and also the face is moche tenâ—er and soone hurte And therfore it is very lyke that by suche swytynge in the face the blode ranne out from his noose and also from his mouth though it be not writen by the euangelistes For as Symon de Cassya sayth That the euangelistes dyd omitte many thynges declarynge the bytternes of Christes passyon whiche yet we meakly beleue and that was bycause the euangelistes wrote onely for the truthe of the historie to be had and not pryncypally to excite and moue the effecte of compassyon in vs. O what enorme and greuous synne of the most wicked Iues was this y t they wolde so cruelly smyte so pleasaunt a face But as saynt Hierom saith He wolde pacyently suffer so to be smyten with theyr palmes that we with our handes and lyppes that is with our workes and wordes myght laude and prayse hym Also we may say that he is smytten in the face whiche is rebuked and reuyled to his owne face And in this maner also was Christ smyten in the face for he suffred many rebukes contumelies and dispysynges openly to his owne face spoken And of the prophet Esay in the person of Christe Faciem meam non auerti â–ª ab increpantibus et conspuentibus in me I haue not turned my face frome theym that reuyled and rebuked me and spytted vpon me for the Iues dyd not onlye smyte Christ vpon the face but also they reuyled hym to hys face with many opprobrious and blasphemous wordes which all the euangelistes do not expresse But yet Lucas touchethe them in a generaltie sayenge Et multa alia blasphemantes dicebant in eum The Iues blasphemyng Christ spake many other opprobrious wordes to hym ¶ Here foloweth .ii. lessons THe firste lesson is that we shuld be ware that we smyte not Christe in the face with our palmes He smyteth Christe in the face with his palme as saynte Austen sayeth Whiche doethe hurtte and offende the integryty and the perfeccyon of the ymage of god in his soule and
he was left in the handes custody of the vyle seruantes whiche dyd then exercyse and proue in hym all maner of tormentes and paynes that they coulde ymagyne Nowe drawynge hym by the heyre of the heed nowe smytyng hym on the face nowe spyttyng in his face and mouthe nowe pynchynge his chekes and so of other paynes as we sayd before and shall say more hereafter they vexed and greued our sauyour Christe both in soule and in body ¶ Of the Compassyon of oure Ladye BVt where art thou nowe O thou blessed virgyn Marie mother of Christ Doyst not thou knowe nowe what thynges be done aboute thy dearbeloued sonne Iesus Some do say that Iohan the Euangeliste leauynge Christ in the house of Cayphas ranne to Bethanie to the house of Marie Magdalen where as our lady remaned when Iesus went with his disciples to Hierusalem to make his supper and to eat the paschal lambe and whan Iohan was come to bethany he knocked and rapt vpon the dore and the blessed virgyn beynge in hyr prayers hearynge hym was greatly astonisshed and called vnto Magdalene and sayde Aryse my doughter and know what is become of my sonne Anon the dore was opened and Iohan came in cryenge wepynge and saynge Alas reuerent mother I brynge heuy tythynges to the and for sobbynge and wepynge he coulde scarsely speake then the vyrgyn with great heuynes also weapyng asked of Iohan where is my sonne where is my Iesus what is done with hym is he yet on lyue or the most cruell Iues hath slayne hym and Iohan as he myght speake sayd He is yet lyuynge but as I can perceyue they wyll this day put hym to death The ministers and the Iues toke hym this nyght and nowe they kepe hym faste bound in the house of Cayphas and those wicked scrybes and phariseys do say that he ought to be iudged to deathe O howe colde then was the vyrgins hert with howe moche sorowe was she then replete And then furth with she wente with Iohan hastely to Hierusalem and Magdalene with other diuers women went with her and whan she came in to the citye she saughte her sonne by the brode stretes and narrowe laynes askynge of them she met where is my dearbeloued sonne and so forthe as ye shal se in the next article and also in the .xliiii. and .lviii. articles ¶ A deuout Contemplacyon for a lesson FOr an holsom lesson in this article we shall set before you a breue contemplacyon of the most shamful mockinges and derisions that the Iues dyd vnto y e most innocent lambe our sauyour Iesus O my deuoute soule awayke ryse and depely consider howe thy sauyour Iesus whiche is the soueraigne lorde glorye of angelles is nowe made the mockynge stocke of the Iues and as it were a tenyse ball of derysyon wherwith the preestes and the scribes and phariseys done play togyther castynge and sendynge hym from one to an other to his greate rebuke and heuynes As Annas sent hym to Cayphas Cayphas to Pylate Pylate to Herode and Herode to Pylate agayne And in all these places and in goynge also thyther he suffred many dispytes and greuous paynes as we sayde before and shall say more herafter Of this the prophete Dauid speaketh in the persone of Christe sayenge Omnes videntes me deriserunt me All that se meâ— dyd mocke me and that .iii. maner of wayes with-false wordes with signes and with scornefull sentences Of the fyrste the prophet sayth Lo cuti sunt labiis They haue spoken with theyr lyppes withoute good consideracyon or aduysement Nowe false thynges imputynge to me and somtyme makynge false promyses to me For the firste they sayd Alios saluos fecit seipsum non potest sa luum fa cereâ— He made other safe but he can not saue hym selfe Here they imputed a false thynge to hym that he coulde not saue hym selfe and that is false Also they made to hym a false promisse whan they sayd Si rex Israel est descendaâ— hunc de cruâ—â— et credimus ei If Christe be the kynge of Israell let hym discende nowe come downe from the crosse and we wyll beleue to hym There was a false promisse for they thought not as they sayd The second derisyon was with signes And of this also speaketh Dauid Et mouerunt capita sua They dyd moue and shake theyr heedes at hym And so saith Mathewe Preteâ—euntâ—â— autem blasphemabat eum mouentes capita sua c. They that passed by the mount of Caluarie where as Christe was crucifyed dyd blaspheme hym mouynge theyr heedes and sayenge Hoy This is he that wyl distroy the temple of god and in .iii. dayes buyld it agayne The thyrde derisyon was with scornefull and mockynge or ironyous sentences And of this it foloweth in Dauid Sperauit in domino eripiat eum c. He trusted in god the father let hym nowe delyuer hym from our handes let hym saue Christe by reysyng hym agayne For as Christ saith â–ª His father loueth hym wyll saue hym On this maner the Iues sayd Confidit in deum liberet nunc eum si vult dixit enim filius dei ego sum â–ª Christ trusteth in to god the father let hym delyuer hym nowe if he may and wyll for he said that he was the sonne of god Thus they mocked hym also they couered his face and smote hym with other thynges as we sayd before Also of these thynges the prophet Dauid speketh in an other psalme in the persone of Christe Confortati sunt qui persecuti sunt me inimici mei iniuste c. My enemyes that haue persecuted me wrongfully haue nowe the hygher hande and dominyon ouerme and therfore I nowe paye and suffer paynes for that thynge whiche I had not Adam and Eue dyd eate the apple but nowe I paye for it and suffer payne for theyr synne And that a man might conforme hym self to this article let hym remember what irrisyon and shame Christe suffred in this acte and howe the Iues made hym theyr laughynge and mockynge stocke and as it were a chylderne game at hym and then praye as foloweth or in any lyke maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche with scornefull mockes of the Iues was smyten vpon the heed and bydden to arede and prophycye who smote the I beseche the good Iesu prophicye and shewe to me that I myght knowe what a wreche and synner I am whiche so ofte alas for sorowe haue smytten the with the hand of myne euyll and synfull dedes Amen ¶ Howe Christe was presented before Pylate The xxi article THe .xxi. article is the presentacyon of Christe before Pylate For what tyme it was clere day that is the fyrste houre of the day at .vi. of the clocke at the sonne rysyng A greate multitude of Iues came to Cayphas house and from thens they ledde Iesus bounde vnto the mote halle or iudgement house as a mylde lambe that is borne to his deth O
my soule beholde here howe thy sauyour Iesus entreth vnto his iudgement bounde thurst and many other wayes vexed and all men behelde hym and mockyng hym sayd O Iesu thou art here nowe if thou had ben a prophet thou wolde haue preuyded for this before with many other lyke wordes that those cursed Iues spake then to hym And thus they brought hym bounde and delyuered hym to ponce Pylate the president and hygh iudge of Iury vnder the emperoure of Rome This presentynge vnto Pylate was most greuous of all other vnto Christe fyrste bycause he was presented before that iudge whiche had ful power vnder the emperour to condempne hym vnto the deth Secondly bycause the Iues that presented hym to Pylate dyd presente hym not as to be examyned by Pylate but they delyuered hym vnto Pylate as conuicte and founde gylty by theyr examinacyon and so to be put to y e deth without ony other examinacion or taryeng For they sayd to Pylate If this man were not a mislyuer and so worthy deth we wolde not haue delyuered hym to the. Of this we shall speake more in the next article Thyrdly this presentyng to Pylate was moste greuous to Christe bycause he had ben faty gate and weryed the nyght before many wayes by the crueltye of the Iues and therfore it was moche more payne to hym now to be brought to the iudgement of a pagane and infidele for they brought hym bound to Pylate to be slayne and deuoured by hym whiche was reputed as a dogge amonge the Iues bycause he was a gentyle and not circumcysed as they were ¶ A remembraunce of the mornynge of our Ladye WHen it was publysshed thoroughe out all the cytye of Hierusalem that Iesus was taken and howe that the Iues wolde crucifye hym his moste sorowfull mother the virgine Marye herde therof and so almoste deed for sorowe was led by her systers and other women with vnspeakeable lamentynges wepynges mornynges and syghynges to se her moste derebeloued sonne and so wepynge without ceasyng she sawght hym thorough y e brode stretes and narowe lanes of Hierusalem cryenge and sayenge where is my moste derebeloued sonne where arte thou my most swete Iesu where shal I fynd the who hath taken the from me why may not I dye for the These wordê with other lyke might this most sorowefull mother of Iesu say And whan they came to that place where as they myght se Iesus they seynge hym so bounde so tormented so deformed with theyr spyttynges forsaken of all his disciples dispysed mocked and destitute of all help and solace so shamfully and paynfully with a greate multitude of armed men cruelly led to the tribunall of the wycked Iudge and there to be condempned to the death our ladye with her systers and the other women I saye seynge and considerynge these thynges what heuynes what sorowe and bytternesse were they then fulfylled with it can not be spoken nor expressed by any sentence Also our lorde Iesus seynge and knowynge his mother with the other women in so great sorowe greatly sorowed therof for without doute he had greate compassyon of them and so was greatly greued of this compassyon and most specyally for his most kynd mother for he knewe that her sorowe was almost to the deth as it shall appere in the .lviii. article And as some doctours say there were .xl. seruantes that led Christ from Cayphas house vnto Pylate besydes the greate multitude of people that went with them and there were a thousande passes frome Cayphas house vnto the house of Pylate ¶ A Lesson OF this article we may take this lesson that the secular power is not to be dispised but to be honoured For as saynte Poule sayth there is no power but of god and therfore who so resisteth the power he resisteth the ordinauns of god And therfore as saynt Austen sayth Our lorde god stode before Pylate a gentyle and pagane iudge and spake neuer one word vnreuerently vnto hym So shulde we with reuerence stand before our prelates and iudges though they be not good but euyll and vicyous ¶ A prayer O Lorde Iesu Christe sonne of the lyuynge god whiche in the firste houre of the day for our helth wolde be presented by the Iues vnto Pylate a pagane iudge graunte to me for the loue of thy name that I dispyse no maner of power but that I may gyue due and worthy honoure to my superiours and to all iudges Amen ¶ Howe the Iues falsely accused Christe before Pylate The .xxii. article THe .xxii. article is the false accusacyon that the Iues made of Christe for whan Christe was brought in to the mote hal and there stode bound before Pylate the iudge the Iues wolde not come in to the mote hall bycause they wolde not be defoyled and made vnclene for that day was theyr Pasch day wherin all the Iues that were clene shulde eate the pure breade that is made of pure where without leuyn and the Iues had this opinyon that yf they came in the house of any gentyle or straunger whiche was not circumcided as they were by that entrance they were made vnclene and so myght not eate of those pure breades vnto suche tyme they were fyrst purifyed And here sayth saynt Austen O wycked blyndnes the Iues feared to entre the house of a straunger bycause they wolde not be contaminate but they feared not to sley theyr innocent brother and also lorde O thou christiane note here howe the Iues kepte them selfe frome all vnclennes that they myghte eate the pure breade of wheate whiche gaue to theym no grace of god for the selfe eatynge moche more then shuldest thou keape thy selfe clenne whiche receyuest the blessed bodye of Chryste the heuenlye breade whiche gyueth to the the eternall lyfe The Iues wolde not entre in to y e iudgmeÌ„t house and thou wylt not auoyd euyl compaigny and tauernes where as oftentymes bene spoken temerary vngodlye iudgementes and also moche blode shedde by false deâ—xaccyons and other wayes Symon de Cassia also sayth here That the Iues of an olde tradycyon and ordynaunce auoyded and shunned the houses of straungers in suche hyghe solempnytyes And so they euer intendynge to suche lyghte and vayne ceremonyes and lytyll regardynge greatter thynges fell in to the deape pytte of greate synnes and Pylate seyng that they wolde not enter in to hym he went forth to them and sayd what accusacyon brynge you agaynst this man And here sayth Symon de Cassya It apperteyneth to the wisdome and iustyce of euery iudge and president not to iudge after the mynde of the accusers excepte theyr accusacyon be probable and true Therfore Pylate wysely dyd inquyre and ordinarylye dyd procede in this cause whan he sayde what accusacyon shewe yow agaynste this man For also by the lawes of the Romaynes no man shulde be condempned to deathe Excepte he be fyrste accused and that proued Also Pylate merueylynge and also moued with displeasure agaynste
quia potestatem habeo crucifigere te c Why wylt not thou speake to me dost thou not knowe y t I haue power to crucifye the or to dimisse and delyuer the In these wordes Pylate coÌ„dempneth hym selfe And therfore Chrisostom sayth O Pylate in this worde thou condempnest thy selfe If thou haue this power wherfore then dost not thou delyuer hym thou knowyng and so oftymes openly sayng that he is innocent If thou reioyse or bost thy selfe of thy power that thou haste to kyll Christe or to delyuer hym may not Christ then laufully say vnto the De ore tuo te iudico serue nequam I iudge the by thyne owne wordes thou wycked seruant and then Iesus to reproue the bostynge and pryde of Pylate sayd Non haberes aduersuÌ„ me potestatem vllam nisi datum tibi esset de super Thou shulde haue no power ouer me except it were gyuen to y e from aboue or from an hygher power Fyrste from god of whome is all power as saynt Paule sayth And secondly from the emperour which at that tyme had the dominion ouer the Iues. And in these wordes Christ reproueth couertly or secretly the synne of Pylate for nother god nor yet the emperour had ordred Pylate there a iudge to condempne or punisshe the innocentes but rather to defende and delyuer them And notwithstandyng the synne of Pylate was great yet it was not so greuous as the synne of the Iues or of Iudas And this our lord sheweth in the wordes folowyng Propteria qui tradidit me tibi maius peccatum habet Therfore he that dyd betray or delyuer me vnto the his synne is the more great and greuous and that well apereth for Iudas dyd synne moued of a couityse mynde the Iues synned moued of malyce and enuy but Pylate onely for feare of the emperour fauour of y e Iues. It is more greuous offeÌ„ce to sinne of a couetyse mind and of rancor and enuy than onely of feare for feare accusethe the synne in a parte though not in the hole and here Pylate consideryng that he was reasonably in a maner conuicte of synne in this cause for he as a wytty person perceyuynge that he shuld be noted of synne if he shulde condempne the innocent therfore he sought oportunitie and occasion to dimisse and lette hym go as he dyd before in sendyng Christ to Herode and also in sayng that he founde no cause of deth in hym But the Iues anone perceyuyng the mynde of Pylate returned to theyr first accusacyon and cryed saynge Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris If thou dimisse this man thou art not true to the emperour c. as in the next article shal apere And here note that there ware about lxxx M. people that cryed Crucifige crucifige Of the whiche Peter conuerted in one day .iii. M. shortly after .v. M. vnto y e fayth ¶ Here folowe .ii. Lessons IN this article we may take first this lesson it is no difference or diuersitie to speake of the intente of synne whether thou kyll a man with thy tongue or with thy swerde for thy intent in both these .ii. is to kyll hym And therfore the profyte Dauid sayth Lingua eorum gladius acu tus Theyr tongue is a sharpe swerde and this was spoken of the Iues that dyd cry Crucifige crucifige And of this text saint Austen sayth Loke not vnto the vnarmed handes of the Iues but to theyr armed mouth for frome thens came y t sharpe swerde that slewe Christ Therfore lette all bacbyters and sclaunderers of theyr neyghbours beware that they do not make theyr tonges sharpe as a swerde for as a swerde kylleth the body so the sclauÌ„derer tongue sleyeth the fame and good name of a man And herto sayth Salomon Mors et vita in manibus lingue Deth lyfe be in the handes or power of the tongue The seconde lessone is that we shuld not alwayes answere to euery question for here in this passyon of Christe we rede that thryes he kepte his scilence Fyrst before the bisshop and that was to teache vs pacyence agaynst contumelyes and rebukes Secondly before Herode and that was agaynst curiouse questyons to teache vs for to serch for true and necessarie thynges and not for vayne curious thynges Thyrdly before Pylate agaynste vayne laude or prayse to teache vs to folowe the true laude of god and to auoyd all vayne praysynges And a man to conforme hym selfe to this article shulde remember howe terrible ware those cryenges of the Iues. And remeÌ„ber also if he at any tyme hath cryed agaynst his neyghbour by consent vnto the wicked iudgementes of men or to theyr detraccyons sclaunders spoken agaynst theyr neyghbour And then pray as foloweth or in lyke maner ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me was not afrayd to here the terrible and fearfull voyces of the Iues cryenge Crucifige crucifige That is crucifye hym crucifye hym graunt to me that I be not afrayd of the cursed and malicyous wordê of myne enemyes and that I neuer hurt my neyghbour with my speche Amen ¶ Howe Christe was brought vnto his iudgement The .xli. article THe .xli. article is the bryngynge of Christe before the iudge for when the Iues dyd perceyue y t Pylate wold haue delyuered Christe they returned to theyr fyrste accusacyon and cryenge sayd Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris If thou delyuer this person thou art not the frend of the emperoure nor true to hym for who so euer maketh hym selfe a kyng he is a traytour to the emperour This they spake to make Pylate afrayde and here sayth Symon de Cassia that the Iues serched all the false craftes and deuyses that they could ymagyne and all to put Christe vnto the deth And then Pylate hearynge these wordes beganne to be more afrayd for he myght not contempne the emperour that gaue hym his power and auctoritie as sayth saiÌ„t Austen And therfore he brought Iesus forth and sat downe to gyue sentence openly and this he dyd that the sentence of Christes dâ—th shuld not be imputed to hym but to the Iues. And when Pylate sat downe to gyue sentence it was the syxte houre of the day that is .xii. of the clocke And then his wyfe sent to hym saynge Nihil tibi et iusto illi Mel not thou with the deth of that rightuous man this night I haue suffred many thinges in my slepe about hym for as the glose saith there the deuyl perceyuynge that he shuld lese his kyngdom power by the deth of Christ was sory that he made Christ to be taken and therfore he shewed certen visions to Pylates wyfe that by her the death of Christ shulde be letted as in the begynnynge he brought deth in to the worlde by a woman Then Pylate commaunded that Iesus shulde be presented before hym where as he sat in iudgement and then he sayd
vs for no proâ—et it shulde haue ben to vs to be borne except also we had bene redemed Ye saydâ— If he be the kynge of Israell let hym descende and we wyll beleue to hym Ye lye ye thoughte not as ye sayd And herunto saynt Gregorie sayth O folysshe blynde companey of preestes and lerned men was it impossible to hym to descende from a lytyll or lawe tree whiche descended frome the heyght of heuens or frome aboue them May those nayles holde hym fast whome the heuyns coulde not holde he came not to delyuer hym selfe for he was not vnder any bondage but of his owne fre wyll to delyuer vs from bondage Also by theyr wordes ye may perceyue whose chyldern they be for they folowe the voyce of theyr father the deuyll he sayd Si filius dei es mitte te deorsum If thou be the sonne of god cast thy selfe downe the Iues do saye If thou be the sonne of god descende frome the crosse he rose from his sepulcre or graue which was moch more than to descende frome the crosse why dyd not they then beleue in hym but ye maye perceyue they thoughte not as they sayde Not onely they dyd mocke Chryste but also the saugiours dyd mocke Christe saynge Si tu es rex iudeorum saluum te â—ac If thou be the kynge of the Iues saue thy selfe And this is the thyrde rebube of this article and the .vii. in order But thys illusyon of the saugiours was of no hatred or malice agaynste Christe but of an euyll custome that suche persones done vse to rebuke or scorne the persones condempned to deathe yet we maye suppose that this illusyon was to please the Iues for the saugiours seynge that the Iues mocked Chryste they thoughte also that by theyr mockynge they shulde please those Iues. And therfore they sayde saue thy selfe if thou haue that vertue and power that thou haste spoken of thy selfe for thou dyd saye that thou wold buylde the temple agayne in thre dayes and that thou wolde ryse agayne after thy deathe If thou haue suche power nowe saue thy selfe And note heare that there ware foure maner of persones that dyd mocke Christe Firste they that passed by as men rydynge or goynge by the waye whiche dyd blaspheme hym Seconde ware the preestes and senyours that stode there abydynge hys crucifyenge The thyrde ware the saugiours that satte there to keape Chryste that he shulde not escape and that no man shulde put hym of the crosse vnto the tyme that he ware deade And the fourthe was of the theues that ware hanged with hym By these foure ar signyfyed .iiii. maner of Christians that call theym selfe Christyans but they folowe not the lyfe and wyll of our sauyoure Chryste by the persons that passed by ar noted couetouse men that folowe and loue the transitorye gooddes of this worlde and passe by the waye of Iustyce for they kepe it not by the preestes and senyours standynge ar signifyed prowde and hyghe mynded men whiche stande verye prowdlye in theyr owne conceyte by the appetyte and by the desyre of theyr owne excellencye By the saugyours that dyd sytte are signifyed dylycate and slouthfull persones gyuen all to the lust and pleasure of the wretched bodye And by the theuys hyngynge arre noted impacyente persones and suche other as grudge in aduersitye But Chryste as moste pacyente and of hys owne naturall goodnes and myldenes wolde not answere one worde to all these blasphemyes but he prayed for theym And hereunto saynt Gregorye sayth This is the propertye of good men that when they suffer any wronge they be not moued to wrathe but rather to prayer As so was our most mylde sauyour Iesus which then spake his firste worde that he spake vpon the crosse and that was this Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father forgyue them for they knowe not what they do In this prayer we be taughte to heare shortelye suche persones as aske any thynge of vs also to remitte the iniuries and wronges done to vs and to desire no vengeance and also to loue our enemyes and pray for theym who hathe so harde a harte that wyll not melte and be made softe at this prayer of Christe as the prophet saythe Hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda ves tra If ye here this day the voyce of god suffer not your hertes to be indurate or obstinate Our lorde sayde Father forgyue them for they knowe not what they do for they do moche good and profytte to me and greate hurte and euyll to theym selfe And truelye so it is For he that doth wronge or euyll vnto an other man he knowethe not what synne and payne he getteth to hym selfe and what grace and glorie he opteyneth to the persone that pacyentlye and gladlye suffrethe wronge Or els they do not knowe what they do for they knowe not that I am the sonne of god they knowe that they crucifye one but whome they crucifye they knowe not And here saythe saynte Bede that Christe dyd not praye for theym that knewe hym to be the sonne of god and of malyce pryde and enuye dyd crucifye hym but he prayed for theym whiche hauynge a goodde zele of the lawe of almyghtye god thowghe it were not wele ordred dyd not knowe what they dyd For there ware somme symple and also vnlerned persones deceyued by the preestes of the Iuwes the whiche persewed Chryste of a zele that they hadde to the same lawe and for thyese he dydde praye And that same prayer was not in vayne For in one daye after the ascencyon of oure sauyoure Chryste there ware conuerted of them thre thowsande and in an other daye fyue thowsande And no dowte that was by the vertue of this prayer of our lorde Iesu Christe as the ordinarye glose saythe vpon this texte of Esaie Et pro transgressoribus orauit He dyd praye for his enemyes and transgressoures of his lawe O howe swete a melodye was bytwixte the prayer of our lorde Iesu Christe and the knockynge or smytynge in of the nayles in to his handes and fete thorowe the whiche armony so many thowsandes ware conuerted to Christe And that was no meruell for Christe kepynge so greate myldnes and meakenes in his contumelyes and rebukes hauynge so great pacyence in his tormentes and also shewynge so great benignitie and charitie to his crucifyers dyd euidently declare hym selfe to be the sonne of god the father to whome he prayed for his crucifyers what miracle can be more then this charitable pitye ¶ A Contemplation of this prayer of Christe Pater ignosce illis Father forgyue them THis prayer was a worde of greate pacyence a signe of great loue and vnspeakeable goodnes of greate swetenes and forgyuenes In this prayer do apere thre actes or werkes of charitie Firste for that he prayed most affectuouslye for his crucifyers Seconde for to his prayer he added and put to
teares for he wepte Thyrde he offred his prayers for them with great sheddynge of teares and also a myghtye or great voyce or crye Of this prayer saynt Bernarde sayth Christ scourged with whippes crowned with thornes crucifyed and nayled with greate grosse nayles fylled with rebukes forgettynge all these sorowes sayde Father forgyue them Frome this charitable lorde cometh great mercy to our bodyes and moche more to our soules O good Iesu howe moche is thy mercye stablysshed vpon wicked men And howe greate is the multitude of the swetenes of thy mercy for thou shalte make vs that feruently desire the to drinke of the plentuous ryuer of thy swetenes and pleasure Also the same saynte Bernarde sayth who and of what kynde is that person which in all his tribulations and tormentes wolde not ones open hys mouthe to compleyne or to excuse hym selfe to threat or to curse his cruell aduersaryes and aboue all this at last he opened hys mouthe and spake for his enemyes a blessed worde suche a word as hathe not ben harde frome the begynnynge of the worlde that is Father forgyue them O my soule haste thou euer sene any man so myld so pacyent so charytable Consider what quietnes pacyence and charitie was hyd in that most swete brest and hart he wolde not shewe his iniuries he regarded not his paynes he wolde not speake of his rebukes but he had compassyon of theym of whome he suffred these thynges he cured theym that wounded hym he procured life for them that slewe hym and said Father forgyue them O my soule hyde or put vp this most swete worde of Christ in the treasor of thy hert that as oâ—te as thy enemyes be cruell agaynst the thou mayst remembre the abundance of this swetenes of blessed Iesu and so to lay or put this worde and prayer of Iesu as a shelde for thy defence agaynst the assaultes of thyne enemyes thy spouse and lorde Iesus doth praye for his crucifyers shalt not thou pray for thy detractours let vs yet repete this prayer father sayth Iesus forgyue them what name is this father It is a name of naturall loue Chylderne when they wolde haue any thynge or greatly desyre a thyng they be wont to name theyr father to reduce vnto his mynde the naturall loue that fathers haue vnto theyr chylderne that therby they myght the more shortly haue theyr desyre So our sauyour Iesus pitious and mercifull pacyence and of moche compassion good and louynge to all persons though he knewe that he was euer harde in his peticyons to his father yet to shewe vnto vs with howe great affeccyon and desyre we shulde pray for our enemyes in his prayer he put that name of loue Father as if he shulde say I beseche the for thy fatherly loue in whiche loue we be one to here my prayer and to forgyue them that crucifye me Knowe the loue of thy sonne that thou mayst forgyue myne enemyes Also saynt Hierome sayth Al these illusyons and scornes or mockynges ware done to Christe by the mocyon of the deules whiche an one as Christ was crucifyed they beganne to perceyue and feele the vertue of the crosse and so thought that they shulde lese theyr greate power and therfore they laboured instantelye that Christe shulde descende downe from the crosse But Iesus knowynge theyr falshed and crafte wolde continue vpon the crosse vnto his death that therby he myghte destroye death and subdue the deuyll O moste gentyll Iesu howe greate was here thy pacyence ¶ A Lesson OF this article we may lerne that when we be in depe contemplation in good operation or els in religion we shuld not descende or leaue them for any rebukynges mockynges or scornynges of any persons but continue and pacyently beare suche despysynges for the loue of Christe as Christ for our loue dyd pacyently beare all the forsayd rebukes and for our example wolde not descende from the crosse but there continued vnto his deth and this was figured in the boke of iudges where as the vyne tre sayd vnto the other trees that wolde haue had the vyne to come to them and to haue ben theyr kynge Nunquid possum de serere vinum meum quod letificat deum et homines c. It is conuenient for me to forsake my wyne that conforteth both god men and come to you to be your kynge Nay I wyll not In lyke maner sayd the olyue tree and the figge tree So our very true vyne tree that sayth Ego sum vitis vera I am a true vyne tree wold not leaue the fruyte of his passion that gladdeth both god angel and man and come of the crosse to be promoted amongê y e Iues. ¶ A prayer O Iesu whiche for me crucifyed wolde be mocked and despysed with many rebukefull wordes and yet wolde so charitably pray for thy crucifiers make me that I neuer descend from my religyon or any good werke for no suggestion of the deuyll or despysynges of man but that I may continually perseuer in thy loue and that I may for thy loue forgyue all them that do or saye any euyll to me or agaynste me and that I maye euermore praye hertely for them Amen ¶ Howe the thefe of the lefte hande rebuked Christe The .lvii. article THe .lvii. article is the rebukynge that the thefe spake to Christe for one of the theues that were hanged with Christ that is he on the left syde of Christ began to rebuke Christ sayng Si tu es xpÌ„s salua temetipsum et nos If thou be Christe the sonne of god saue thy selfe and also vs. This was the .viii. mockynge of the whiche we spake in the last article and this was more rebuke to Christe than the other thre declared in the laste article bycause so vyle a persone wretched and condempned to deth and furthwith shulde suffer deth for his owne synnes and myslyuynge wold thus so shamefully rebuke the auctor of lyfe And therfore this rebuke is coÌ„ueniently made a special article But the other thefe hering hym speake so loudly dyd sharply blame hym saynge Neque tu times deum qui in eadem dampnatione es c. Dost not thou feare god that arte condempned to deth as well as he is and we be worthely and iustlye condempned to deth for we suffer worthy paines for our sinnes but he neuer dyd euyll Of this saynge saynt Austen merueylynge sayth who taught this thefe to say thus but he the sonne of god that hange by hym Christe was hanged nyghe to this thefe but he was more nyghe in his herte and therfore he turned hym selfe to Iesus and sayd Memento mei domine dum veneris in regnum tuum Remember me lorde when thou shalte come in to thy kyngdome and then Iesus spake his seconde worde vpon the crosse sayng Amen dico tibi Hodie mecum eris in paradiso Trulye I saye to the this daye thou shalte be with me in
his mother This thyrde worde or sentence of Christe Mulier ecce filius tuus woman beholde thy sonne this I say was a worde of great dilygence loue and pitie for as moche as Christe beyng in so great anguisshe and sorowes of death wolde yet remembre his moste heuy and sorowfull mother and prouyde her of a sonne or minyster to attende vpon her to her comforth And herin he taught vs to haue compassyon of the afflyccyon of our parentes and to prouyde for them in theyr necessities O swete lorde Iesu thy crosse and passion doth torment the greuously but the compassyon of the mothers sorowe is no lesse payne to the and no meruell O good chylde if thou sorowe if thou suffer and haue compassyon of the heuynes of thy mother of her separation from the of her commendation to a straunger And here doctours done say and specyally Bonauenture that the sorowe that Christe had in the compassyon of his mother was more intense and more greuous to hym then the sorowe of hys awne payne and passyon THe mother of Iesu stode by the crosse She stode for she neuer fell by synne she stode to the great glory and prayse of al women where as his discyples that shulde haue ben men of gostly strengthe vertue dyd flye awaye and leaue theyr maister alone She onely abode with hym constantly in all his greuous panges and paynes wherin was fulfylled the prophecy of Esaye sayenge in the persone of Chryst complaynynge Torcular calcaui solus et de gentibus non est vir mecum I onely haue troden in the prease of the crosse there was nat one man with me hauyng compassyon vpon me but my mother alone she had compassyon and stode by me And nat onely she stode bycause she dyd nat flye but also for that in so great heuynesse of herte she dyd nothynge vnseamyngly or vnreligyously but ordred her selfe in most godlye behauour without any misorder in cryenge or cursynge and suche other lyke thoughe she suffred in her herte all those paynes that her sonne Iesus suffred in his bodye outwardlye And as we sayd before here she felte and suffred all the panges that she escaped at the byrth of her sonne Iesus Of these .ii. birthes or chyldynges speaketh the prophet saynge Antequam parturierat peperit masculum Before Mary the mother of Iesus hadde any panges or thrawes she brought forth her sonne so that she had her sonne without sorowe then it foloweth in the prophet Nun quid parturiet terra vna die aut parietur gens simul Shall the erth brynge forth with payne all her fruyte in one day or all the people shal be brought forth or borne in one day Note wel these saynges Firste the prophet spake of the birth of Christe which was without sorowe or payne to his mother and with great ioy But nowe at her seconde chyldynge where as at the passyon of her sonne Iesus she brought forth all the electe chylderne of god at one birth she had great panges and manyfolde sorowes And here note that this blessed mother of mercy dyd helpe or assist the father of mercyes in this moste hyghe werke of mercye and so with Christe dyd regenerate and redeme al mankynde and this generation was to the great sorowe and payne of them both and herunto Albert sayth though Marye dyd beare her sonne Iesus in greate ioye and without all payne yet after warde whan she dyd regenerate al the faithful people in faith that was with moch sorowe and of this it appereth that Christ dyd communicate vnto his mother this hygh werke of our redemption for she suffred with hym his passyon in her soule as we sayd before And note me well here for I do not say that our blessed lady dyd redeme vs bycause Christ of hym selfe was insufficient for to say so it ware heresye But I say it pleased our sauyour Christ to haue his mother present at his passyon and there to suffer with hym in soule as he suffred in bodye that so consequently as he is called the father of mercy so she myght be honored and called the mother of mercy and also for other considerations as foloweth First that our redemption might reanswere vnto the first condempnation for in our firste losse and perdicyon both Adam and Eue dyd syn notwithstandynge if Adam had not synned we had not ben condempned and therfore the onely synne of Adam was the cause of our perdicyon but for asmoche as Eue dyd persuade moue and counsell Adam to synne therfore we say that we ware dampned by oure firste mother Eue so in lyke maner though we be redemed by the passyon of Christ yet for as moche as oure blessed lady was consentynge to that passyon and also sufferyde it in her soule we may saye that she redemed vs with Christe Secondlye that as Christe redemyng vs by his passion was made our father by the whiche passyon the sacrament of baptysme wherin we be regenerate taketh his efficacitie and vertue so our blessed ladye myght be called our mother bycause she suffered in her soule the same passion of Christe Thirdly that after Christ we al shulde honoure the gloriouse virgyn as our modre Fourthly for the encrease of her merite And fiftly that y e passion of Christ shuld be more bitter paynful to him thorough the presence of his modre by whom he sheweth his most hyghe charitie vnto vs. She stode also for all other departed from the stablenes of fayth but she onely and therfore it is sayde of her thus O good lorde thou haste stablished thy testament vpon the heede of Marie al waye virgin for after the death of thy son thy fayth onely remayned perfetely in the reason of the same virgyn ¶ Of the sorowe and compassyon of our ladye AS the great clerke Alberte sayth vpon these wordes of Luke Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius The swerde of sorowe shal passe thorowe thyn awne soule It is the more true exposition and sentence when this pronowne deriuatyue tuam is resolued in to his primityue tui so that this is the true sentence of the forsayd wordes of Luke the swerde of sorowe that is the payne of the passyon and deth of thy sonne O vyrgyne Mary which he suffred in his bodye shall perse and passe thorowe the soule of thyne awne selfe Marie So that the sorowes whiche thou felt not at the birth of thy sonne so that therby thou dyd not knowe thy selfe a mother at his deth thou shalt fele them in moste paynfull and sorowfull maner so that thou shalte knowe thy self then to haue had a chylde and to be a mother Our sauiour Iesus her sonne was to Marie his mother as her awne herte and therfore when he was borne of her she felte as if halfe her herte had bene borne and departed from her body And as that thynge whiche is halfe without and halfe within if that parte that is outwarde be
thus for his manhod whiche then seamed to be forsaken of god for it was subdued to intollerable paynes and most shamefull deth Christ was lefte in great paynes that therby and for those paynes we myghte be conforted of god It was done by a greate miracle that the glorie whiche was in the hygher porcyon of the soule of Chryste dyd not descende and redounde in to lawer parte of the soule but was suspended and letted so that the lawer parte suffred all paynes asmoche as is possible any creature to suffer without death for it was hollye lefte to it selfe without all comforthe whiche was not in the holye martirs in theyr martirdom and deth for the comforth that they hadde in the hygher porcyon of theyr soule dyd redownde vnto theyr senses so that theyr martyrdome and paynes was no greate payne to theym but with greate ioye they suffred them as it appereth in the lyues of saynt Laurence Vincente and many other But oure sauyoure Iesus hadde none suche consolation in his senses no helpe of any persone but all lefte to suffer what so euer was put to hym and that to the extremitie And therfore he compleynethe hym selfe to be forsaken of god whiche myghte not in dede be lefte of god for the godhed was euer ioyned bothe to the soule and also to the bodye but this he spake for vs for he knewe that many of his electe membres shulde come to so greate tribulation that it shuld seame to them that they were vtterly forsaken of god Now blessed be our dearbeloued and moste mercyfull sauioure Iesus whiche fyrst in his awne bodye for vs and nowe also in vs and with vs it pleaseth hym to suffer our tribulation for the tribulation that we suffer for iustyce and for god he reputeth it as hys awne tribulation for he saith Cum ipso sum in tribulatione I am with the good person in his trouble and that is that we shulde more surelye and faythfully truste in hym This payne when he sayd hym selfe to be forsaken of god was moste greuous payne to hym aboue al the other for without this leauyng there shuld haue ben no payne for who so is consorted by god there is no torment that can be paynfull to hym Christe sayde twyes My god and that was to shewe the vehemence of his sorowe both in soule and in bodye And herunto saynt Bonauenture sayth He cryed with a great voyce for he felte great sorowe and specyally for the great vnkyndnes of man for though he suffred for al man kynde yet there were very few present there that toke fruyte therof at that tyme as the thefe that hange on the ryghte hande and the glorious virgyne that was full heuye there by the crosse so that our lorde myght wele say why haue I so vaynly and with out fruyte subdued my selfe to so many great paynes and to deth O blessed lady what sorowe had thou when thou harde thy sonne crye so He cryed also with a great voyce for the synne was great whiche was the cause of all that miserie those paynes and deth For as saynt Ambrose saith He wepte and sorowed for the synne and miserie of them whose nature he had taken ¶ A Lesson OF this article we may lerne howe to haue a recourse to our lorde in all our tribulations and by our prayer compleyne and shewe to hym our desolation that it wolde please hym to beholde our troubles and helpe vs for so our sauyour Christ in his troubles and sorowes cryed vnto god his father saynge My god my god why hast thou forsaken me whiche as the glose ordinarie sayth was not onely a compleynte but also a prayer as it appereth in the psalme of the whiche these wordes be taken for there it is sayd thus Deus deus meus respice in me quare c. O god my god beholde me why hast thou forsaken me Also saynte Paule speakynge of the prayer of Christe seameth to speake of this prayer saynge Qui in diebus carnis sue preces cum clamore valido et lacrimis offerens exauditus est pro sua reuerentia Oure sauiour Iesus in the dayes and tyme of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and with teares was harde for his reuerence ¶ A prayer O Lorde Iesu Christe the sonne of the lyuyng god whiche at the .ix. houre of the day for me most wretched hyngynge vpon the crosse cryed to thy father with a great voyce sayng He li heli lamahazastani That is My god my god why haste thou forsaken me graunt to me that in all my trouble and anguysshe I may cry to the my lorde god with the greate voyce of my herte that so thou neuer suffer me to be reproued as lefte and forsaken of thy mercy Amen ¶ Howe they gaue hym to drynke vinegre or asell The .lx. article THe .lx. article is the drynkynge of vineger for Iesus after all the forsayd paynes and labours beynge thurstye or drye for then all that was written of Chryste in the lawe of Moyses or in the prophetes ware fulfylled excepte one that was writen in the psalme In siti mea potauerūt me aceto In my thyrste they gaue to me vineger to drynke therfore Iesus to fulfyll all the scripture he sayde I am drye Not so to be vnderstande that Iesus therfore was thirsty and therfore they gaue to hym vineger to drynke bycause it was so wryten before by the prophet but bycause god knewe longe before that Chryste shulde be drye and also that the Iues or the saugiours shulde gyue hym vineger to drynke therfore our lord wold haue it writen by the prophet and so in this thirst of Christ that scripture was fulfylled and so in lyke maner vnderstande all the other propheties of Christ Christe sayd Sitio I thyrste And this was his .v. worde that he spake on the crosse for after his longe and continuall labour and payne had all the nyght before and also that same day vnto .iii. of the clocke at after none also for his effusyon and sheddynge of so moche blode and for hangynge so longe vpon the crosse in the heate of the day it was no meruell thoughe he ware drye and of this the prophet also sayth in the person of Christe Aruit tanquam testa virtus mea et lingua mea adhesit faucibus meis My vertue or strength of my body was as dry as a shell and my tonge clyued fast to my chekes for drynes and therfore he myght wele saye Sitio I thrist For they that be let blode be more drye then other men but our sauyoure Iesus was let blode that daye both in scourgyng beatyng crownyng with thornes and crucifyeng besydes his sweatyng therfore it was no meruell if he were drye Saynte Bernarde entreatyng this article sayth O good Iesu why dost thou crye and say Sitio I am thristy Dost not thou knowe that thyne aduersaryes wyl ministre and gyue
garden of paradise that was prepared of god for our fyrst parentes in the este part of the worlde This new sepulcre also was conuenient for our new Adam that his buriyng myght reanswear to his incarnacion For when he was incarnate he was put in to the wombe of a virgyne where neuer man was before nor shuld be after hym and so was he put in a new graue where as neuer man was put before Also he was buried in an other maÌ„nys sepulcre for he had none of his owne nor wold haue For he y t came to gyue hym selfe to the comforthe of man wolde haue no erthly thyng propre to hym selfe It was not conuenieÌ„t for hym that cam to gyue vs heuenly thynges that he shulde labour for any propertie in erthly thynges and therfore he made poore for vs from his natiuytie vnto his death dyd kepe a poore liâ—e and free from all propertie in worldly thynges He was also buried in a sepulcre of stone this stone signified Christ vpon the which stone is stablished y e sure foundacion of our faith Also he was buried in a stone for many misteries This is the stone that gaue watres plentiously vnto the people of god in the desert This is the stone that gaue furth riuers of oyle vnto Iob. This is the stone vpon the which a man is exalted and fixed in the tribulacions and anguishes of his hert to his great comforth and defence if he cum therto by sure fayth This is the stone that is the refuge and comforth vnto penitent synners that be full of prickes that is contricion for theyr synnes as the hurchen is full of prickes This is also the stone agaynste or vnto the which the yong spryng of our synnes be caste and all to crushed and broken or destroyed that is our euyll cogitacions at the begynnyng of them or fyrst mocion before they encrease in vs they shuld be cast agaynst this stone remembring the death and burying of Christ and so auoyde and destroy them In to this stone they put the body of Christ which was the lorde and gyuer of lyfe And when they had buried hym then Ioseph rolled or put to the dore of the sepulcre a great stone and so departed As Simon de Cassia saith this stone put to the doore of the sepulcre doth signifie the infidelitie of the Iues and the hardnes of theyr hertes for nother they wold cease from theyr euyll workes nor yet leaue theyr obstinate and froward hertes This stone was put to the seâ—ulcre by y e handes of men but it was remouyd by aungelles to signifie that by his owne euyll deades a mam may fall to obstinacie and heardnes of hert But that can nat be remouyd but by the pouer and vertue of god If the question be mouyd why this article is nombred among the articles of the passion of Christe seyth Christe beynge deed suffred no payne therby It may be answeryd that one of the miseries of our corrupt nature is that the body will putrifie after the death and therfore it must be buryed And though this reason haue no place in Christ for his body shuld neuer haue ben putretfied as the prophet sayth Non dabis sanctum tuum videre corruptionem Thou shall not suffre thy holie sonne to see the putrefaction of his bodie yet for asmoche as the Iues had brought this body of Christ to that coÌ„dicion that it seamed necessarie to bury it and also that the Iues wolde nat haue ben otherwise contenâ— excepte it had ben buried therfore it is coÌ„ueniently accompted as an artycle And also for that there folowed this buriyng .ii. great thynges that is the lameÌ„tacion and mournyng of our Lady and the other women and also y e watche and keapyng of the sepulcre Fyrst I say for the lamentacion of the blessyd virgyn and other women by whose lamentacions ware fulfylled the lamentacions that the prophet Hieremy wrote vpon the death of the good kyng Iosias The sorowful mother of god myght fyrst direct her wordes to the father of heuyn and say Alas my lord god why hast thou gyuen to me a son to die so miserably and so to leaue me behynd hym al desolate and ful of sorowe and heuines c Secondly she myght speake to Gabriel y e archaungell O Gabriell where is the glad tidynges that thou shewed to me I fynde no ioy but most bitter sorow Thyrdly she myght speake to Iohan the euangeliste and to other women that ware with her and say if ye loue me if ye haue any compassion of me I charge you that ye bury me with hym These and other like this sorowful mother myght haue sayd The second thyng that folowyd this buriyng was the watche and keapyng of the sepulcre by the saugiours And hereof the euangelist sayth thus Altera autem die que est post parasceuem dixerunt principes sacerdotum et pharisei ad Pilatum Domine recordati sumus ê™ seductor ille c. The next day after good friday the princes of pristes and the phariseis cam to Pilate and sayd Lord or sir we remembre that this deceyuer sayd whyle he was yet aliue After .iii. dayes I wyll arise agayne Commaunde therfore that the sepulcre be made sure and keapt vnto the thyrd day lesse paraduenture his disciples come and stele hym a waye and say to the people that he is arisen from death And then the laste erroure shal be worse than the fyrst This the Iues dyd fyrst to shewe the malice of theyr hertes And therefore Symon de Cassia sayth This is a great iniquitie of men a great enuy of the Iues that they do nat cease to persue and falsly accuse y e innocent deed callyng Christ after his death a deceyuer and that also they spake before the iudge which had prouyd the contrarie they had don to moche before in y t they falsly accused hym in many thyngê and moreouerby theyr importune clamoures and criynges had made hym to be coÌ„dempned vnto a most shameful death Secondly they dyd thus for theyr owne excusacioÌ„ For as y e same Simon de Cas sayth It is y e coÌ„dicion of an enuiouse ê‘son euer to speke euyl of that person whom he hateth and though he haue slayne or hurte that person whom he so hateth yet he wyll neuer speake of hym but with obprobriouse and euyl wordes that therby he may be Iudged to be good and ryghtuouse for asmoch as he ê‘se weth that person that was euyll and vnryghtuouse and so he cloketh hideth and coloreth his enuy by false crymes that he putteth vpon the innocent But for al that the conscience of such euyl persones be euer more in feare for they knowe that they do euyll but bycause they wyll not haue theyr malyce knowen they cease nat to falsly accuse theyr enymy also after his death And so theys false Iues euer repete theyr false accusacions bycause
men is conuenient Fyrst for theyr nombre for they ware many Secondly for theyr condicyon for they were holy and the bodyes of holy sayntes Thyrdly for the noueltye for they arose after theyr death and buriyng Also for the tyme for it was after the resurrection of Christ for he was the first that rose Fyftly for the holy place for they cam into the holy citye And also for that they apperyd to many persones ¶ The .vii. Myracle THe .vii. Myracle was the coÌ„uersion of moch people Of the which the euangelist sayth Centurio et qui cum eo erant custodientes Iesum viso terre motu et hijs que fiebant timuerunt valde dicentes Vere filius dei erat iste When Centurio which was a capteyn of a C. men and they that were w t hym watchyng and keapyng Iesus sawe the erth quake and those thynges which happened then they fearyd greatly and sayd of a suerty this was the son of god This Centurio and his compaygney confessyd Christ to be the son of god and this was don for .v. causes Fyrst for that he saw so many great myracles don which mouyd hym to this confession and fayth Second was for the callyng of the paganes or gentylles to the fayth Behold sayth Simon de Cassia a great mistery that in the Natyuitie or byrth of our lorde and also at his death the gentylles dyd preuent the Iues and cam to the faith before them For at the byrth of Christ the .iii. kynges and greate wyse men which cam from the Eest to worship Christe dyd preuent the Iues at that tyme. And now at his death this Centurio with his compaigney of Rome that cam from the Weste dyd also first beleue Thyrd reason was to reuok his errours For now Centurio dyd glorifie god that so had ordred his son to suffre death He beleuyd in to god and glorifed hym beyng sory that he had obeyd to the president Pylate in so cruelly tormentynge the son of god and openly with his mouth he confessyd Christe to be iuste and innocent whom the maliciouse Iues had falsly coÌ„dempned as vniuste and worthy death In lyke maner dyd his compaigney sayng the same with great feare wondre and so commyng to the knowlege of true fayth deseruyd forgyuenes of theyr errours and infidelitie by the merit of the prayer of Christ when he prayed for his crucifiers and sayd Father forgyue them they know nat what they doo Forth reason is for to confounde the heretikes And therefore saynt Hierom sayth Note here that Centurio a gentyll and pagane seyng Christe put to most shamefull death yet for all that seyng such Myracles confessyd Christ to be the son of god and Arrius a christen man And a prest or doctor in the churche of Christe dyd blaspheme Christe and say that he was a creature not the natural son of god Fyfth reason was for the informacion of vs christians Herunto sayth the holy pope Leo. Euery man shuld tremble and be afraed in y e remembraunce of the passion of his redemar Christ as Centurio was in y e syght therof the hard hertes of men shuld be broken as ware the stones and they that be buried in the custom of synne shuld cast away all obstacles customs or occasioÌ„s of syn and without tariyng aryse vp and com vnto the holy citie that is to the church there be reconsyled and so appere to many persones that they may se and know you truly risen from y e death of synne vnto the life of grace and so that which was doon corporally at the passion of Christe may now be doon spiritually in our hertes and soulys by the remembraunce of the same passion ¶ The .viii. Myracle THe .viii. Myracle was the very blode and very watre ranne out of Christes syde after his death For as the euangelist sayth Iudei auteÌ„ quoniam parasceue erat c. The Iues bycause it was the sabboth euen that the bodyes shuld not remayne and contynue vpon the crossys on the sabboth day for that sabboth day was an hygh day and solempne fest with them they I say besought Pylate that there legges myght be broken and so taken downe of the crosse The Iues dyd make this desire to Pylate for .iiii. causes of the which Symon de Cassia maketh mencion Fyrst for the reuerence of there festfull day It was a meruelouse supersticion of the Iues sayth he that thought y t theyr sabboth day shulde be violate and defoyled if the bodies of those which ware condempned to death shulde hyng that day vpon y e crosse but they had no conscience nor wold se the coÌ„taminacion and defoylyng of theyr owne soulys whiche for enuy condempned the innocent falsly to death Secondly it was for the vnquietnes of the people that the Iues alledged for them to Pilate y e reuerence of the sabboth day but in theyr hertes was hyd great malice for they pretendyd that they wold haue his body taken downe lesse the people shuld be truobled and vnquieted vpon the sabbot day which is a day of quietnes but it was for the great signes and miracles that ware shewed at his death and after his death and they thought that if the people shuld see the bodie hyng vpon y e crosse that therby they remembryng all these signes shuld shortly be mouyd to insurrection and agaynst them that condempned hym to death Thyrdly for that they wold haue no mo myracles shewed For they ware afrayd that if he contynued long vpon the crosse that there shulde haue ben many momyracles shewed Forthly they dyd it to auoyde perilles for they councelynge to gether decreyd wisely for them selfe corporally that the bodies of the deed persones condempned to death shulde not be suffred to hyng long for the auoydyng of many perillys that myght hap It is the custome of wyse gouernars of any coÌ„mynaltie to remoue or a voyde that person quicke or deed by whome they feare any troble to com And therfore the princes of the Iues desyred Pylate that theyr leggê myght be broken and so taken downe And then the sawgioures cam brake the leggê of the .ii. theuys that was as saynt Austen sayth y t they myght the more shortly dye and also for the commauÌ„dement of the lawe but when they cam to Iesus and se that he was deed all redy they brake nat his legges And that was for .ii. causes after Symon de Cassia Fyrst for verifiyng of the figure for here of we had a figure bifore in the paschall lambe of whom it was commauÌ„dyd that they shuld breake no bone of it Nat so to be vnderstand that that figure or commaundement was the cause that Christ bonys or legges ware nat broken but contrary wise bycause that god had so prouided that no bone shuld be broken in Christ therfore it was commaundyd and keapt in the paschall lambe that was a figure of Christe Secondly it was to
our lord Iesu in the begynnyng of his passion after his last supper did wyllyngly take so great heauines that he his selfe sayd vnto his disciples Tristis est anima mea vsque ad mortem My soule is heuy vnto the death And this heuines he toke vpon hym that by it which he suffred īnocently he myght take frome vs that euerlastyng heuines which we had deseruyd for our synnes and also that he myght gyue to vs eternal ioy and gladnes Also we by our synnes deseruyd to be perpetually subdued vnder y e power and thraldom of the dyuell and so to be committed to the eternall prison of hell But our lorde in his blessyd passion suffred hym selfe to be taken prisonar that he by his sufferyng innocently that captiuitie myght therby delyuer vs from the power and captiuitie of the dyuell and also preserue vs from that most darke prison of hell and restore vs vnto the libertie of the childerne of god Moreouer we by our synnes deseruyd to be perpetually associate and accōpanyed with the dyuels and other dampned soulys Agaynst this our sauiour Iesu wold be associat with theuys and wold be accompted as one of thē that he myght bye vs from the cumpaygnie of dampned soulys and from the feloweshyp of dyuels and so to make vs the chyldern of god and felowes of aūgells He to whom al the glorie of heuyn doth serue and which only of hym selfe is all beautie and glorie wold suffre shamys rebukes and mockynges that he myght redeme vs from confusion and etarnall derision of dyuels and theyr rebukes and also that he myght reuoke and bryng vs agayne to the glorie of heuyn which we lost by our synne He that onely hath power to louce and bynde of his great mercy wold be bounde for vs that he myght louce vs from the bondes of our synnes and from al the paynes y t we deseruyd by our synnes And at last he suffred death innocently that by his death he myght destroy our eternall death and also gyue to vs eternall lyfe in glory And thus ye may vnder stonde of all other paynes of Christe For vniuersally to speake ther was no thyng vayne no thyng vnprofitable ī al his passion but euery payne that he suffred was ordenyd to take away from vs sum perpetuall euyll that we had deseruyd by our synnes and to merite and gyue to vs sum eternal goodnes that we had lost by our synne And therfore saynt Austen sayth Christ suffreth to my profit he is heuy for me he soroweth to my cōforth And the cause of these is this for he hath louyd vs eternally and hath desired to be louyd of vs agayne for loue can nat be recompensyd but by loue And hereunto also saynt Bernard sayth Myght nat our creatoure and maker repare his creature agayne or redeme hym without that gret difficulty hard paynes of his passion Yes he myght haue done it without payne if it had so pleased hym But he wold rather do it with his great iniurie and payne to wyn the loue of man and to gyue hym many and great causes of loue For this great difficultie and greuouse paynes that he suffred for our redemption shuld moue that person to gyue hym thankes which lityll regardyd the werke of his creasion bicause it was done so easly What thynke you sayd the vnkynd man of his creacion I was create and made lyghtly and frely without any payne or labour of my creatour and maker he onely spake the worde and I was creat as al other thynges ware So the wicked vnkyndnes of man lytyll regardyng the werke of his creasion shewed there matter of vnkyndnes where he shulde haue taken cause of loue But now the mouth of those wicked men be stopped For now it is more clere than the lyght what payne and labour thy lord god had o vnkynd man for thy redempcion Of a lorde he becam a seruant where he was riche he was made poore he beyng god toke vpon hym a mortall body and the son of god despised nat for the to be made y e son of man Remembre therfore thou vnkynd man though thou were made of nought yet thou wart nat redemyd of nought In .vi. dayes god made all the worlde and the o thou man amonges them all But .xxxiii. yere he labored continually with great paynes to werke thy health and saluacion What laboure had he in soueryng the incommodities of our nature as hunger thyrst heat colde and suche other What temptacions of the deuyll what slaunders rebukes despisynges mockynges beatynges with many greuouse paynes and at last most paynefull and shamefull death Therfore thou man be no more vnkynd but loue and thanke god and haue compassion of thy creatoure redemar and sauiour Amen ¶ How Christe descendyd vnto the helles The thyrd Chapitre AFter that our sauiour Iesus had gyuen vp his spirit and so was deed furthwith his soule vnit and knyt or ioyned vnto the godhed descendyd vnto the helles vnto the holy fathers that were there in prison and there stode with them Of this descension Damascen sayth thus The soule of Christe ioyned to his godhed descendyd vnto the helles that as he had bifore comforted them that were in the world aboue the erth so he myght shyne and comforte them that sat in darknes and in the shadowe of death He descendyd to comforte the holy faythers to glad them and to glorifie them For as shortly as he presentyd hym selfe to them they dyd se his godhed and so then they ware in paradise that is they had the clere syght of the godhed which is ioy and lyfe eternall Of this descension also saynt Austen in a certen sermon sayth thus Anon as Christe had gyuen vp his spirit his soule knyt to his godhed discendyd to y e deapnes of helles And whan he was cum to y t place of derkenes as a victoriouse captayne shynyng and terrible tho wicked hell houndes and legions of derknes beholdyng hym begane to enquire and say From whens cam this person so strong so terrible so shinyng and gloriouse That worlde which hath bene euer subdued to vs dyd neuer sende to vs such a deed person He neuer sent to vs suche gestes before this tyme. What is he that so boldly entreth in to our iurisdiction And nat onely he doth nat fear our tormentes but moreouer he dothe louce other frome our bondes Beholde and see howe they whiche ware wonte to weape and more ouer vnder oure tormentes nowe they rebuke vs and vpbrayde vs of theyr deliueraunce and saluacion And nat onely they in nothynge feare vs but moreouer they threten vs. There was neuer deed men so proud stubbourne borne agayst vs as these be Nor neuer myght any persones in captiuitie be so glad and ioyfull as these be O thou Lucifer our captayne why wold y u bryng this person vnto our place All thy myrth is paste all thy ioy is turned in to
weapyng and sorowe Whan thou dyd hang Christe vpon the crosse thou knewest nat what dammage thou prepared for thy selfe in hel After these complaynyng voyces of these most cruell tormentoures of hell there was a greate multitude of sayntes weapynge for ioy that sayde Welcome our redemer welcome our sauyour whom we daylye and of long tyme with great desire haue loked for and taried thy cummyng Thou haste now descendyd vnto helles for vs forsake vs nat whaÌ„ thou shalt returne agayne to heuyns O deuote soule Consider here howe tho holie fathers dyd ioy in the cummyng of Christ how they ware replenished with great gladnes al sorow and displeasure vtterly excludyd And so they stode in songes and praysyngê byfore god sayng Blessyd be he that is com in y e name of god our lord god hath shyned to vs. Thou art our god our sauiour thou hast dryuen away al derknes from vs and thou hast loused our bondes y u hast broken y e brason gates the iren barres thou iÌ„ thy great strenght deliuers y e bond prisoners and y u leades thy electe people froÌ„ prison w t great ioy Therfore now we laude and worship the for euermore and so they fell al prostrate worshypped him Than answeryng to them our lord Iesu sayd Aten dite popule meus legem meam O my people attende my lawe Peace be to you and eternall ioy I am your lord god y t brought you out of Egipte And many other thynges we may suppose that Christe spake to them of the which the gospell maketh no mencion Also he said take hede and se for I am your god which hath create redemyd and sauyd you It is written of me in the hede or begynnynge of the boke that I shulde do the wyll and pleasure of my father And for your health I haue descendyd I haue ben poore and in greate laboures from my yong age entendyng to the saluacion of your soules They that shulde haue ben my chylderne ware made straungers to me and haue made false lies vpon me My frendes and negboures thought euyll agaynst me All that saw me dyd mocke me I was scourged all the day and my betyng was in the mornyng They haue diggyd my handes and my feet and they haue nombred all my bonys They put gall in to my meate they gaue me vinegre to drynke I haue sleapte and slumberyd or dyed vpon the crosse and my bodye reasteth in hope of my restrreccion and so furth of diuers other thynges which the prophetes wrote vpon hym As saynt Bonauenture sayth In his meditacions of the lyfe of Christ And then al the holy soules answeryd blessed be y e name of thy maiesty for euermore and all the erth myght be replenyshed with thy maiestie and glorie Amen Amen For thou art made to vs a refuge and a comforter for euermore If thou had nat healpyd vs our soules shuld haue abiden in hell eternally But thou our lord god hast remembred vs and hast redemyd vs with thy preciouse blode thou hast shewyd vnto vs thy face which the aungelles in heuyn desire to beholde All the world myght worshyp the our lord god and prayse thy holie name now and euer Amen In such laudes praysynges songes and ioyenges stode the holy soules in limbo patrum nygh vnto the tyme of Christes resurrection and there was also with them a great cumpaigney of auÌ„gelles ioyeng and praysyng god with them And after this our lord toke those holy soules froÌ„ hel w t great ioy and w t great glory goyng byfore them brought them and put them in Paradise of pleasures And there a lytyll while abydyng with them and with Enoch and Hely which ther knowyng hym dyd worshyppe hym and prayse hym And then our sauiour sayd to them It is time that I go and reyse my bodie I will go and take it agayne And all the holy fathers fallyng doune prostrate sayd go ye our lord and gloriouse kyng and retourne shortly agayne if it shal so please you for we gretly desire to se your gloriouse bodye A prayer O Good Iesu thy vnspekable pitie and charitie was nat yet saciate and content with thy death but that thou wold visite the clausures of hell and redeme thy people there beyng in captiuite therfore thy moste blessyd and gloriouse soule knyt to thy godhed descendyd vnto the helles delyueryng thy elect people from y e derknes and shadowe of death I beseach the O merciful Iesu that thy grace and mercy myght descende vpon the soules of our parentes bretherne sisterne and all our kynsfolkes also vpon the soulys of our familiar aquayntance benefactoures and al other that we be bounde to pray for and of al christen soulys that thou wold delyuer them from y e paynes that they haue deseruyd for theyr synnes and that thou wold bryng them to eternall glorie Amen ¶ Of the resurrection of our Lorde The .iiii. Chaptre OUr Lord cummyng with an honorable multitude of auÌ„gelles very early on the Sonday in the mornyng and reysyng his moste holy bodye from his sepulcre dyd cum furth of the same by his owne power vertue it beyng closse or shut sealid as the Iues left it And hereof saynt Austen sayth Our sauiour Iesus after his beatynges and scornynges after the drynke of vinegre and gall after the paynes of the crosse and his woundes and at laste after his death and descendyng to hell in a new fleshe and body but yet the same he arose from death the secreat and hyd lyfe and health reseruyd in death dyd rise and cum agayne more beautiouse and gloriouse after his death Then was the age of Christe renuyd as is in the Egle. Then the Lion dyd reyse his whelp Then the byrd called Fenix dyd lyue agayne Then the potter after that his pottes ware broken of the same erth made a newe pot after his owne pleasure Then Ionas cam out of the Whallys belye with out hurte Then was the candelstike coueryd with golde Then that is at this resurrection the tabernacle of Dauid that was fallen was reysed vp agayne Then the son shone Which byfore was in a cloude Then was the whete grayne or corne quickned which cast in to the erth was deed Then the Hart toke his hornes agayn Then Sampson toke the gates of the citie and went vnto the hyll Then Ioseph brought out of prison was ordeyned and made the lorde of al Egipt Then the sacke that is the body of Christ cut and rent in his passion was now clad with glorie and ioy Wherfore this paschal solempnite is very greate and solempne In the which Christ arisyng from death dothe nat now die or is nat now deed and death hereafter shall neuer haue dominion or power ouer hym For god his father hath clothed hym with the stole of iÌ„mortalytie and glory
And in this solempnitie we haue example of our resurrection the hope and trust of the heuenly cuntre is offred to vs the clausures of hell ben destroyd and the gates of heuyn be openyd to vs. Therfore this is the day that our lorde hath made Ioy we and be glad therin For this day Christ hath taken away the burnyng swearde and openyd the gates of paradyse which no man myght cum before vnto that Christ cam thyther with the holy thefe sayng to y e auÌ„gelles Open ye to me the gates of iustyce and I entred in to them shall prayse god This is the day in the which the sinagoge is deed or endid and the church borne or begun This is the day in y e which we syng Alleluya that is we laude and prayse god Prayse we therfore frendes our lord god in our lyfe and in our speach with herte and mouth with our voyces and good maners for so will our lord god haue Alleluya that is his praysynges song to hym that there be no discorde in the prayse that his lite and wordes agrey in one O blessyd Alleluya or praysyngê of god that is song in heuyn where as is the temple of god and legions of auÌ„gelies There is the most hyghe concorde of the praysers There is no repugnaunce in the membres agaynst the spirit There is no stryuyng for couetise wherby shuld perish y e victorie of charitie Let vs here syng Alleluya diligently that there we myght syng it surely here in hope ther in the very presence of god here in the way there in our heuenly contre let vs here syng nat for that we haue the delectacion of quietnes but for the solace of our labour as we se that men goyng or rydyng by the way be wonte to syng to comforte theyr labour to quicken them in theyr iorney and to go forward merely And herunto saint Bede sayth O my soule arise with Christe from thy filthy sepulcre or custom of syn Areise vp thy hert vnto the hope and trust of thy resurreccion and eternall lefe Let vs now dye from syn in this present life for y e loue of god that after our resurrection we may lyue in the life to com for if we mortifie our body nowe for the loue of Christe then we shall reygne with him in euerlastyng ioy Let vs so enforce ourselfe to be present and to honoure god in these feastes in the cumpaigney of mortall men that we may deserue to be present at the eternall feastes with auÌ„gelles For what shuld it profite vs to keape these feastes temporally if we be excludyd from those eternal feastes For these present solemnities ben but a shadowe of the feastes to cum therfore we keape these feastes reuerently and yerely that we myght cum to those feastes that be continuall When any feast is here keapt at his day assigned our mynd shuld be referryd and occupied with the desire of that same feast that is in heuen continually eternall Therfore our hertes thorow the frequentacion and vse of spiritual ioy in these temporall feastê shuld be kyndled and wax feruent to the desire of eternal ioyes and so we shuld vse our meditacions here in the shadow of ioy that in very truth we may here after haue the fruicion of the true and euerlastyng ioy Amen All this is taken of saynt Gregory A prayer O Lord Iesu Christe our eterne and onely swetnes which breakyng the bondes of death hath glorified thy bodye and hath risen from deathe in glorie vnspekable I pray the and I beseach the for thy gloriouse and florishyng resurrection to graunt to me that I risyng from vices and y e death of soule may euer florishe in vertues and so walke in the newnes of good lyfe that I may sauer and folowe those thynges that be aboue and heuenly and nat tho thynges that be erthly and transitorie Also good lord by the vertue of thy clernes purge my soule from the derknes of syn that by the same vertue at the day of generall resurrection my bodye may arise vnto glory that I may ioy both in soule and body eternally with the in thy glory Amen ¶ Now Christ apperyd to his mother Mary the .v. Chapitre THe same houre that Christe rose the thre Maries that is Mary Magdalene Mary Iocobe and Mary Salome desirynge licence of our Ladie of great deuocion and loue they had to our sauioure Christ began to go with swete oyntmentes vnto the sepulcre of Christ to anoynt his bodye And our Lady remayned at home continuyng in weapyng and prayers And very conueniently these thre women ware called by one name for they ware of one wyll and mynde and lyke desire towardes Christe There be thre states of men that shal be sauyd and iche one of these dothe seke Christe and without these thre states there is no man sauyd that is begynners profiters and perfite persones or elles penitentes actiue and contemplatyue persones which thre states be signified by the thre Maries which sought our lord and that we may take by thre interpritacions of this worde Maria. The state of begynners or penitentes is noted by Mary Magdalene which was a famouse and knowen synner and afterwarde very penitent And thought somtyme by her may be signified the contemplatiue life as in the .x. chapitre of Luke Yet at this tyme she may signifie to vs the state of penitentes for the euangelist sayth of her that Christ cast out .vii. deuylles that is al vices froÌ„ her And also in the gospell of Luke she is knowen to be the capteyn and example of all true penitentes And for this cause she is conueniently called Maria that is a better see or elles after the Hebreus Maria commyth of Mara that is interpreted bitter And hereunto the olde woman Ruth sayde Non vocetis me Noemy pulchramised vocate me Mara c. Call nat me fayre but call me bitter for our Lord hath fulfylled me with bitternes And this was verefied in Mary Magdalen when byfore the feet of our Lorde she washed with her teares the spottes of her synnes So Petre beyng penitent weapt bitterly And so to euery penitent soule may be sayd the wordes of the prophet Magna velut mare contricio tua O thou penitent soule thy contricion is great and bitter as the see The state of profiters or of actiue persons is sygnified in Mary Iacoby that was the mother of Iames the selfe Iacobus is asmoche to say by iÌ„terpretacion as a supplanter or a wrestlar for it apperteyneth to actiue persons and profiters to supplante or to subdue vice also to wrestle and laboure in the spirituall exercise of vertues And herunto is also conuenient the second interpretacion of this name Maria which after y e Sire tonge or speach is called Domina A lady For sith these profiters and actiue persons be in continual datel for the pronitie that they haue to vice and the
difficultie vnto all goodnes and vertue therfore it is necessary that these profiters haue the dominion or ladishippe ouer theyr owne passions and that by reason so that they gyue no place vnto temptacions And through this stryfe or wrastlyng whan reason hath the dominion ouer sensualitie vertues be generate and gotten The state of contemplatiue and perfite persons is signified by Mary Salome which was the mother of Iames the more and of Iohan the euangelist This woman asked of Christ his kyngdome for her sonnys So perfite and contemplatiue ê‘sons ar chefely occupied about the kyngdom of god for they haue in them selfe the kyngdom of god and here do partely taste therof And hereunto Salome is called by interpretacion peacefull For there is no peace to man in this lyfe but in contemplacion And hereunto accordeth the thyrd interpretacion of this name Maria that is illuminate and therfore it may be sayd to euery contemplatiue person Surge illuminate Hierusalem quia venit lumen tuum Arise thou perfite soule and receyue lyght for thy lyght cummyth And also iche one of these thre Maries had theyr oyntmentes as ye may se in Ludolphe de Vita xâ—i 2. parte But if any person moue this question why our blessyd Ladie dyd nat go to visite Christes sepulcre as the thre other Maries dyd Herunto we may assigne thre causes Fyrst for the mother of Christe myght nat se the sepulcre of her son without great sorâ—â— and specially beyng so lately buried Second cause for she had weapt so moche the Friday and Saterday before and brought her selfe so lowe that she myght nat susteyne and suffre that laboure And hereunto sayth saynt Bernard The blessyd virgyn Marie was so feble weake that she was brought home from the crosse as halfe deed Third cause for y e forsayd women thought that the bodie of Christe was then liyng in his sepulcre and therfore they wold haue anoynted as of old custom haue ben vsed his bodie to preserue it frome corruption where as this gloriouse virgyn knewe that it shuld neuer corropte and that he was risen from death to life immortall or els shortly shuld rise And therfore she went nat with them But she sat in a secret place alone very feble and weake in all the powers of her bodie for she had greatly tormentyd her selfe with great sorowe watche and abstinence from that tyme y t she hard say that her onely and dere belouyd son was taken and scourged and afterwarde when she se hym crucified smytyng and knockyng with her delicate handes vpon her tendre breste And thus I say very feble sat alone in contemplacion and prayer and also weapyng for those misteries and paynes that her son had suffred And as she was thus in prayer and swete teares of deuotion sodenly her son Iesus cam and apperyd to her in most white clothes of glorie and in the newnes of his resurrection beautiouse and gloriouse with a glad and louely chere comfortyng his desolate and heuy mother And therwith she knelyng downe worshipped hym and then risyng vp with teares and vnspeakable ioy embraced hym and then all the bitternes of her sorowe was torned in to ioy and comforth After this they both setyng to gether our Ladie besily and curiously be held hym in his face handes and feet and in al his bodie whither he had the printes and sygnes of his woundes searchynge and askyng whether all his paynes and sorowe were clene paste and gon from hym And he sayd yea my worshipful mother all my sorowes and paynes be now past and gon and shall neuer retorne agayne to me O with how great ioy thynke you was then that blessyd Lady repleat When she se and beheld her son immortall and impassible and nat onely that he shuld liue euermore but also that he had the perpetuall dominion ouer heuen and erth and all creatures in them And so they louyngly and pleasantly commynyg and talkyng to gether made a great ioyfull pasch or solempne feast And though of this fyrst aperyng vnto his mother there be nothyng written in the gospels yet we do godly beleaue that Iesus fyrst appered vnto his mother Mary For so it was conuenyent as doctours don say that he shuld so do and that he shuld fyrste conforth and glad his mother by his resurrection which louyd hym aboue all other persones Also bycause she had more sorow of his death than any other had it was seamyng and worthy that he shuld fyrst comforthe her And the church of Rome dothe seame to approue this same for fyrste in the mornynge of Ester daye she maketh a solempne stacion at the churche of our Lady called our Lady the more Maria maior Mary the more Herby notyng that Christ dyd fyrst appere vnto his mother And where the euangelist sayth that Christe dyd fyrste appere vnto Mary Magdalen is to be vnderstondyd of these apperynges wherby he wold proue his resurrection For he apperyd fyrst of al vnto his mother nat for that he wolde therby proue his resurreccion but for to comforth and glad her with his presence and do his dutie and honour her as his mother A prayer O Mary the mother of god most graciouse virgyn comfortar of al desolate persons callyng and criyng vnto the I beseche the for that gret ioy wherby thou was coÌ„forted when thou knowest that thy son Iesus Christe was risen y e thyrd day from death vnto lyfe immortall impassible that thou wold be a comfortar of my soule that what tyme I shall arise both in body and soule at the last day of iudgement and there appere before that same son of thyn Iesus Christ and there to rendre myne accompte of al my thoughtes wordes and deades it wold please thy motherly pitie to healpe me that by the o blessyd mother and vigyn I myght escape the sentence of eternall dampnacion and graciously to cum to the euerlastynge ioy and glorie with all the electe and chosen people of god Amen ¶ How Iesu apperyd to Mary Magdalen The syxte Chapitre MAry Magdalen ful of bitternes sorow burning in loue and nat knowyng what she shuld do for w tout her maister Christ she myght nat lyue and wher he was buried she fonde hym nat and where to search for him she knew nat Wherfore of great feruore constancy she stode as if she had ben amaised for the vehemence of her loue wold nother suffre her to sit ne yet to lye therfore she stode without in the garden byfore the holy sepulcre weapyng lamentyng for her lorde Her hert was so feruently kyndled in loue she was moued with so great pytie drawen with so myghty and strong bondes of charitie that forgotten her owne infirmitie and frayltie she was nat withdrawen and letted frome the visitynge of Christes sepulcre for the darknes of the mournyng nor yet for the crueltie of the Iues but rather she abode there weapyng and searchyng for her lorde She wold
nat departe thoughe the disciples went from thens for she was so kindled in the fyre of loue she was so burned with a ferueÌ„t desyre she was so wounded with inpacient loue y t nothyng was pleasant to her but onely weapyng So that she myght well saye the wordes of the prophete Dauid Fuerunt mihi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte My teares ware to me my breade or meate bothe by the nyght and the day whan it was sayd to me dayly where is thy god She had lost her mayster whom she loued so syngulerly that besydes hym she could loue no body nor trust to them She was so drowned in his loue he was so moche in her mynde that in a maner she was inseÌ„sible to al other thyngê Whyles she thus weapt for the absence of Christes body she oftymes inclyned and bowed downe her body lokyng in to the sepulcre where as the body was leyd she had lost y e lyfe of her soule therfore she thought it better for her to dye than to lyue for she peraduenture deynge myght fynd hym whome she myght nat fynde lyuyng And thus weapyng I say she loked oftymes into y e graue for as saynt Gregorie sayth It is nat sufficient for a louer to loke ones for the feruour of loue encreaseth the desyre of searchyng or lokyng And at last whan she so loked she dyd se with her bodely yen .ii. Angels sittyng in whyt garmeÌ„tê which sayd to her why dost thou weap thou hast no cause to weape but rather to ioye of Christes Resurrection he is nat here he is arysen Than she supposyng that they ware men and nat Angels sayd to them shewyng the cause of her weapyng they haue takeÌ„ away my lorde and I knowe nat where they haue put hym for she se the stone takeÌ„ away and therfore she thought that somme other body had stollen the body of Christ and borne it to somme other place And whan Mary Magdalen dyd thus contynue in her sorowe and weapynge and nothynge regardynge the Angels her mooste louynge mayster Christe coulde absente hym selfe no lengar from her Than she turned her selfe about that she myght se Iesus for byfore that her backe was towarde hym and that was to signifie y e doutfulnes of her soule for she belyued nat that he was rysen from death vnto lyfe therfore her backe was towarde the face of our lorde But yet for asmoche as she loued hym thoughe she douted of his Resurrection therfore she dyd se hym and dyd nat knowe hym She se hym but nat in his glorious forme or body for as yet she dyd nat belyue that he was rysen And so he appered to her after that maner in his body as he was in her mynde and soule And than Iesus sayd to her Mulier quid ploras quem queris woman why weapest thou whome dost thou seach he doth nat aske this of any ignorance but y t hearyng her answer he myght more conueniently instructe her in the fayth And as saynt Gregory sayth He asked the cause of her sorowe to kyndle and augment or encrease her loue and desyre that whaÌ„ she shuld name hym whom she loued her loue shuld be more ferueÌ„t towardes hym And note here that Iesus appered to her in the likenes of a gardiner that very conueniently For he was to her a spiritual gardyner for he labored to plucke out the thornes and weades of infidelite and vices and to sow and plante in the garden of her soule the grene seades of fayth and vertue by the vertue of his feruent loue Suche office suche operation suche exercise and suche interpretacion of her name is conuenient for begynners or penitentes For it is coÌ„uenient that a penitent vse hym selfe as a gardyner that is that he pull out by the rootes al vices and plante in his soule vertues and also that he haue contricion accordyng to the fyrst interpretacion of this name Maria As we shewed in the chapitre next byfore this And than this blyssed woman as in a maner dronke in loue answered to Iesus as to a gardyner Domine si tu sustulisti eum dicito mihi êªc Syr if thou hast takeÌ„ hym away tell me wher he is that I may go and take hym A meruelous boldnes of this womaÌ„ for she was nat afrayd of y e syght of a deed body and wold also attempte to beare a deed cors the which far passed her power But she thought that she could do it for there is nothyng to hard to a louyng soule And than our lorde Iesus hauyng coÌ„passion of her great sorowe and willyng no lenger to suffre her to weape called her by her proper name Bifore that he called her by a coÌ„meÌ„ name sayng mulier womaÌ„ thaÌ„ she knewe hiÌ„ nat but now whaÌ„ he said Maria furthwith she was turned both hert soule as she was byfore turned iÌ„ body as a good shepe knew y e voice of her and so she reuyued sayd to hym with vnspekable ioy O Raboni O mayster for so she was wont to call hym byfore his passion y u art he whome I saught and anon she ranne to hym and fallynge downe to his feet with great loue and deuocion wold haue embrased them and kyssed them as she was wont to do byfore by an vnperfyte affection to his manhode but our lorde as a spirituall gardyner willyng to plante true fayth in her hert and to lyft vp her soule to his godhed and heuenly thynges sayd to her Noli me tangere touche nat me in that erthly maner with thy bodely handes whome as yet thou hast nat touched with true fayth of hert And so he enstructe her in the true fayth of his godhed and resurrection Let vs now lerne of this Mary to loue Iesus to trust in hym to seache hym without ceasyng to feare none aduersities to receyue no consolacion or coÌ„forth but in Iesus to despise al thynges but Iesus A prayer O Moste swete mayster o moste swete Iesu howe good art thou to them that be clene in hert howe swete art y u to them that loue the. O howe happy ar they that seache the and fynde the howe blyssed ar they that trust in the It is truth that thou louyst all them that loue the thou neuer forsakest them that trust in the lo lord this Mary thy true louer of a good siple mynd she saught the and truly she fouÌ„d the she was not forsaken of the but she had more of the than she looked for I beseach the lorde graunt me to loue the to seache the and to trust in the y t I may deserue to fynde the and to be loued of the and neuer to be forsaken of the. Amen ¶ Howe Iesus appered to his disciples Thomas beyng also present The .vii. Chapitre THe .viii. day of his Resurection our lorde Iesus appered to his disciples Thomas beyng preseÌ„t with them For the fyrst day of his
remembraunce of thy woundes and passion may expeÌ„d and put in my fynger and hand that is what so euer good werk or discreacion be in me I may put it in and expende it all holl in thy seruice to thy honour And that I may confesse with Thomas that thou art my lorde whiche hath bought me with thy preciouse blode and my god which hath creat made me And that whiche thou sayd byfore of our fayth that blyssed be they whiche haue not sene and yet beleaue I may haue experieÌ„ce therof in my selfe and that by thy grace I may be founde blyssed in thy syght Amen ¶ Of the Ascencion of our lorde The .viii. Chapitre OVr lorde Iesus knowyng that the tyme was come that he shulde departe from this worlde vnto his father he wold shewe that not onely he loued his chosen people in this lyfe or whan he was mortall but also y t he loued them vnto the ende or for euer more and therfore he said to them Vado parare vobis locum I go to prepare a place for you in heuyn yet byfore that he went he wold coÌ„fort them and take his leaue of them And therfore he appered to them in the mownt of Syon in that place where as he made his supper byfore his passion for as they ware sittyng and eatyng in that place with our blyssed lady and other frendes of our lorde he appered to them and dyd eate with them byfore his Ascencion as wel for a signe or tokeÌ„ of his special loue to his disciples as to ê“ue his resurrection And after y t they had eaten he brought them all forth not with hande but with his worde and byddyng and so they went from Hierusalem vnto Bethany and than he had them go vnto the mownt of Oliuete there they shuld se hym ascende and so he departed and vanished froÌ„ theyr syght And at y e mownt of Oliuete he appered to them agayne And than some of his disciples sayd to hym Domine si in tempore hoc restitues regnum Israel Shalt thou lorde restore at this tyme the kyngdome of Israel that is wyll thou now delyuer the Iues from the subiection of the Romays c. our lorde answered It apê‘teyneth not to you to knowe tho secreat tymes or thinges that my father hath in his onely power And so after that Christ had spoken certen thynges to theyr instruction and also comforthe he kyssed ych one of them for as saynt Ambrose sayeth he left to them y e token of peace that is he kyssed them and so byddyng them fare wel he lyfted vp his handes to offre them all to his father and blyssed them gyuynge them grace and strenght to defend them from theyr enemyes and also to werk good and godly werkes and so he asceÌ„ded And thaÌ„ his mother and his disciples seyng hym eleuate and lyfted vp in to heuen fell downe prostrate and worshypped hym And for his departyng they could not refrayne them selfe from weapyng and yet they had great ioy and comforth in that they se hym so gloriously ascende And than there came and met hym all the ordres of Angels reuerently and in ordre by dyuers compaygnyes and ordres there was not one but that he cam and dyd his deutye to his lorde god And inclynyng to hym with all reuerence they wayted vpon hym with Hympnes and songes of ioy vnspeakable For as the prophete Dauid sayth Ascendlt deus in iubilo Christ god and man ascended in great songes of ioy which is to be referred not onely to the great ioy of the Angels but also to the ioy of the holy soules redeamed by the passion of Christ and asceÌ„dyng with hym with a wonderfull ioye It folowed in the psalme Et do minus in voce tube And our lord asceÌ„ded in the voyce of the truÌ„pe And this is to be referred to the sowne and voyce of the prechyng of the apostles whiche preachyng was than enioyned and commaundyd to them our lorde sayng to them Euntes in munduÌ„ vniuersum predicate euangelium omni creature Go ye through out all the world and preache my gospell to euery nacion Whan thus both the angelles and blessed soules dyd syng our lorde ioynyng his handes to gyther deuotely and lyftyng them vp streyght byfore his brest ascendyd with a cloude vnder his feet And so al the blyssed soules reuerently ascendyd with hym Nowe for asmoche as all the actes of our redempcion ware complete in the ascencion of Christ therfore that day is worthely acompted as a hyghe and a great ioyfull day For it is the moste solempne feast of our sauiour Iesus for that day he began to sit on the ryght hand of his father in his humanite and so toke rest of all the labour and payne that he suffred in this worlde It is also the propre feast of al blessed spirites in heuyn for than began theyr ruyne and decay to be repayred It is also the feast of patriarches and prophetes and of all holy soules for that day they fyrst entred into the kyngdome of glorie It is morouer the feast of our lady for asmoche as than she saw her sonne Iesus very god and man ascend vp vnto heuen with great glory in the same fleshe and body that he toke of her Yet that day is properly our feast for than our nature was fyrste exalted aboue the heuyns and so man that byfore was lost was that daye brought agayne by our sauiour Iesus vnto the kyngdome of heuyn and vnto the compaigney of angelles Therfore let vs now ascende in hert and mynde that whan tyme shall come that we be called from this worlde we may ascende in soule and after the generall resurrection ascende both in soule and body Christ dyd ascende and withdrawe from vs his corporall â—sence to prouoke our affection and loue and that we shulde desyre to be with hym with all our herte And therfore as the Apostle sayth Quae sursum sunt queramus quae sursum sunt sapiamus Let vs serch and labour to knowe tho thynges that be in heuyn and to tast or loue the same Let vs flye all worldly and vayne desyres let no thyng transytory please vs or content vs whiche haue our father aboue in heuyn And though we be here in body and also vse these temporal thyngê for the fraylty and infirmitie of our body yet let vs go to god by our loue and desyre as we reade of a certeyn deuote knyght whiche with great deuocion went vnto Hierusalem to visite al the holy places where as our lorde suffred his passion or dyd ony notable thyng in his lyfe and whan he had with feruent deuocion visited all tho places at last he cam vnto the mouÌ„t of Oliuete vnto the place from whens our lorde ascended where after that he had deuotely prayed he sayd with teares O good lorde I haue delygently saught the in many places here in erth and where now to
Fyrst in the lykenes of a douue and that was at the baptisme of Christ In the lykenes al so of a clowde whan Christ was transfygured in the mounte And in lyknes of fyre vpon the disciples on Wytsonday Fyrste signe I say wherby we may knowe or coniecture the presence of the holy ghost by his grace is the abouÌ„idaunce of teares and that is noted by the apperyng of y e holy ghost in y e lykenes of a clowd For as the south wynd blowyng the clowdes be resolued into ruyne so by the coÌ„myng of the holy ghost our hertes relent into teares The seconde signe is the forgeuyng of iniuries or wronges done agaynst vs and therfore the holy ghost appered in the lykenes of a doue that wanteth his gall Thyrd signe is the desyre of heuenly thynges and therfore the holy ghost appered in y e lyknes of fyre whiche euer ascendeth vp ward so the holy ghost makethe our hertes assende vpwarde by desyre of heuenly thynges which thynges if thou desyre thou muste forsake and despyâ—e all vayne pleasures of the fleshe or of the worlde And herunto saynt Gregory sayth If we put awaye the pleasures of the fleshe we shall shortly fynde that thyng whiche is pleasant to the spirite Also spirituall persons or carnall may be knowen by the wordes of the Apostle sayng Qui secundum carnem sunt que carnis sunt sapiunt êªc they that be carnall loue carnal pleasures and spiritual ê‘sons loue spirituall and heuenly desyres But than specially a man is knowen to be spirituall if he as sone as shortly and asmoch wyl auoyde that place and compaigney where he maye be hurted or hyndred in spirite as he wyll do y t place where he may be hurted in body Also if he as gladly wyll heare speake of spiritual thynges as of the profytes of the body Thyrdly if he be as diligent to procure for his soule as the carnall man for his body A prayer O Iesu the gyuer of all gyftes whiche sent the holy ghost vnto thy disciples in the lykenes of fyre I praye and beseache the O moste mercyfull lorde that I thoughe moste vnworthy myght receyue to my perpetuall helth by thy grace those gyftes whiche thy disciples receyued of thy onely beautiouse goodnes and sende vpon vs good lorde thy seruantes y e spirite of thy charite and loue and peace whiche myght vysite and comforth our hertes â–ª purge them from vyces lyghten them with vertues bynd vs in the bondes of peace and loue illuminate vs with the lyght of thy knowlege and inflame vs with the fyre of thy charite forgyue vs our synnes and bryng vs to lyfe euerlastyng Amen Of the Assumpcion and prayse of our glorious Lady The .x. Chapitre AFter the sendyng of the holy vpon the disciples the blyssed virgyn the mother of Iesus aslong as she lyued dyd remayne in the mount of Syon O ye christians I beseache you if ye haue any pitie or compassion in you consyder what sorowe she had how she was cruciate with loue how she burned iÌ„ great desyre whaÌ„ she remeÌ„bred and reuolued in her mynde al such thynges as she had hard seen and knoweÌ„ of her most swete son Iesus And nowe to speake of her assumpcion this is the true and vndoutfull sentence We beleaue that she was assumpte and exalted aboue all the ordres of aungels though we were sumtyme ignorant whether she was assumpte in soule onely or els both in body and soule But the church nowe meakly and godly beleuith that she is assumpte both in soule and body And as we beleaue aungels ware present to honoure her both at her death buriyng and also assumpcion and all the court of heuyn dyd greatly ioy therof For it is to be beleauyd y t all the court of heuyn with theyr cumpaigneys in ordre cam gloriously to mete the mother of god and compassed her all about with a meruealouse lyght and so brought her vp with great praysynges and spirituall longes vnto the trone which was prepared and ordeyned for her byfore the creacion of the worlde And no doute therof all that blessyd cumpaigney of heuenly Hierusalem then reioysed w t an vnspeakable gladnes then was comforted with an in estimable charitie and then ioyed with a meruealouse gratulacion and reioysyng for that feast of this blessyd virgyns assumpcion which is but ones in the yere celebrate with vs is to them a continual feast and ioy And nat without cause for as saynt Hierom sayth our lorde Iesu the sauiour of all cam with great glory and met with his mother and with greate ioy to all the court of heuyn dyd set her in a gloriouse trone nygh vnto hym selfe O thou gloriouse Lady what may I say more Who so laboreth to considre and declare the inmensitie and hudghnes of thy grace and glory his tonge faileth his wit wanteth and his reason can nat com therto For as all sayntes in heuyn by thy glorification be inestimably beautified and gladded so al creatures vpon erth be vnspeakably exalted by the same glorificacion For as god by his power creatynge and makyng al creatures is the father and lord ouer al so our blessyd Lady by her merites repayryng all thynges is the mother and Lady of all And as almyghtie god the father dyd generate of his owne godlie substance his eterne son by whome he hath gyuen lyfe and begynnyng to all thynges so blessyd Mary conceyuyd and bare hym of her owne body which restored all thynges vnto the beautie and fayrnes of theyr fyrste condicion And as there is no thyng made or hath his beyng but by the son of god so ther is no thynge condempned forsaken or put to etarnall dampnacion but that person whome Christe absolueth frome her sauiour or whome she dothe nat fauoure or defende Who is he that considerynge these thynges with a ryght sense or wit and a pure hert may fully know or perceyue thexcellency of this Lady by whom the world is erecte and raysed vp with vnspeakable grace from so great a fall and decay Therfore we leauyng tho thynges that can nat be searched and knowen by our naturall reason let vs labour to opteyn by prayers that we may deserue to get that in holsom and fruyteful effecte which we can nat perceiue by our vnder standyng Hereby we may perceiue that it is vnpossible that any person shuld be dampned that is truly turned to her and whome she fauoreth and beholdeth She is the mother of Christe that is our iustifier and also she is the mother of them that shal be iustified She is the mother of the sauiour and of them that shal be sauyd How therfore may we despeire seth our health or our dampnacion dependeth of the wyl of our good brother pitiful mother Shall our good brother suffre his bretherne to perishe eternally whom he hath redemyd so derely Or may our pitifull mother suffre her chyldren to be dampned whose reademar she bare in