that time The petition TO ask grace to contemne whatsoeuer iniurious infamous or dishonourable words to the end we may become true folowers of Christ The praier O My sowle wherfore art thou not astonished why art thow not confounded why art thow not ashamed seeing thy Lord thy spouse thy louer so tormented on the crosse and that thow wilt liue in pleasures that he is naked and thow wilt be vainlie apparelled that he doth pray for them whoe take from him his substance his good name and his life and thow art so far from this O charitie neuer heard of O my Lord by this thy wounderfull charitie powre I beseeche thee into my sowle a newe spiritte renew in my bowels thy right spirit that I may haue thee alwaies ingraued in my heart and may still remaime with thee vppon the crosse and still pray for them that speake or doe yll vnto me that folowing thee here on earth as thy child I may after see thee and inioy thee in heauen Amen Pater and Aue. The eleuenth mysterie OF the paine he had beholding his mother and the torments wherewith he knew her holy sowle was replenished Poincts of meditation 1. COnsider how sorowfull the blessed virgin was seing her sonne so misused but what sonne of whome and wherefore 2. Her patience she not doing nor saying any thing in the middest of so many cruelties which she did see were vsed towards her most beloued sonne that was not seemely to a most wise and graue matrone 3. The conformitie of her will with that of God by which she would haue become the ladder as S. Catherine of Siena writeth that by it Christ might goe vp to the crosse so to saue the whole world 4. The manner of God so diuers from that of the world that he maketh euen his dearest frinds to suffer so much as were his sonne his mother and others beloued of him 5. That the affection which our Ladie as mother did beare to Christ did not withhold him from being crucified on the Crosse nor the loue which he as a sonne did beare to his mother from dying for vs vppon the same crosse Poincts of confusion for vs. 1. THat we be so tyed to our children kindred not louing them nor holding them as things of God and at his commaundement 2. That we be so afflicted and impatient when they be yll at ease or that God doth take them from vs by death 3. That we be so far of from taking all things at Gods hands and conforming our selues to his most holy wil. 4. That we be so rude and ignorant in vnderstanding the meanes that God is wont to vse and so contrarie to the same 5. That we be so easilie addicted to the things of this world and with such difficultie to those of God The petition TO demaund grace that as neither the loue of his deare mother nor the manie torments and iniuries of his enimies could make Christ come downe from the crosse so likwise nor the loue of any creature nor the displeasures of the same may be able to withdrawe vs from the seruice of our Lord God and to leaue of the good once begunne for his sake The praier YF thow o my sweetest Lord being vppon the crosse naked tormented and afflicted neither for the loue of thy deare mother nor for any iniurious woords of thyne enimies wouldest for the loue thow didst beare to me come downe from thy painfull crosse Wherefore should I seruing thee that art king of kings and whose seruice is nought els but raigning faile in the lest point of thy honnourable seruice so full of peace so full of pleasure so full of all comfort Wherefore should I leaue the same for the loue of my kinsfolks for the displeasure of myne enimies and for the speeche of the foolish common people Wherfore should I cease to become thine seeing thow art altogeather mine and to spend my whole life for thy maiestie whoe hast spent all thine for so base a creature as I am Wherfore seeing thow didst hold it for a greate fauour to suffer for my loue infamies paines and most cruell death should not I esteeme it as a most great honour to be for thy loue diffamed scorned and yll vsed O Lord graunt me this grace by thy most tender loue that with a syncere and pure heart I loue thee alone praise thee alone and serue thee alone euen till death that then with a ioyfull and quiet countenance I may goe to thee and with louing affection vtter these words In manus tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy hands O Lord I doe commend my spirit Amen Pater and Aue. The tweleuth mysterie OF the gall giuen him being in the midest of so great thirst of sorows and paines Poincts of meditation 1. COnsider the crueltie of those Iews whoe denied a litile water to him that was so much tormented and voide of bloud which water he demaunded dying 2. That in steede of water they giue him vinaigre and gall a thing which Abraham did not to the riche glutton that was in hell 3 The great desire that Christ had to suffer seeing that because of all his members his toung onlie remained without paine he would therfore that the same should also in the end suffer paine 4. With this consider also his admirable patience in this case 5. Aboue all consider the great loue which in this he shewed vnto vs. Poincts of confusion for vs. 1. THat he hauing so great thirst of our saluation we our selues haue so little of the same and that we think not at all how to quench it by turning to him 2. That he being thirstie to remaine alwaies in our soules chieflie by means of the blessed Sacrament there be yet so fewe that seeke to pleasure him 3. That the Lord of all things would become so extreme poore as to haue neede of a little water and yet could not obtaine it and that we notwithstanding will abound in all things 4. That the desire of Christ was alwaies to suffer and that ours is to be still in pleasures and pastimes 5. That we haue so small desire to help our neighbour and that we care not to scandalize him for whome Christ died of thirst The petition TO request the grace of God not to render him any more gall for hony that is yll for so many benifits as he bestoweth vppon vs at all tymes by the most bitter passion which then he did feele by that most louing loue which induced him to take so painfull and bitter a cuppe The praier O How many times my good Lord haue I giuen thee bitter gall for the sweete and continuall hony thow hast giuen me how many sinnes for so many gifts how many euills for so many goods O how many times whilest I enioyed thy goods which I haue alwaies enioied and yet doe enioie them not hauing any thing that is not thine how often I say haue I offended
if we doe vnite and ioine our woorkes with those of Christ they become no lesse noble and worthie then doth brasse when it is melted with golde which brasse is by this meane chaunged frō his owne basenes into the excellencie and worthines of golde It is then a good thing to ioine our woorks with those of Christ that by the value price of his ours be also receaued and esteemed For as the Iuie tree can not of it selfe mount vp on highe but leaning to some other tree it climmeth as highe as the same tree groweth so likewise in a certaine maner doth the basenes of our woorkes ascend mount vp on highe if they leane vppon this tree of life which is our Lord Iesus Christ And euen as a droppe of water is of it self nought els but water but cast into a greate vessel of wine getteth an other kind of being more excellent and noble so our woorkes which be in them selues but of smal value when they be ioined with the woorkes of Christ become more worthie and of greater price by reason of that grace which they receaue from the same Iesus Christ It is therefore a thing verie cōuenient and behofefull that in like sort as men ar called Christians of Christ so in all theire actiōs in their woords in theire thoughts and in all other things they procure and seeke to imitate and follow Christ And so when they speake conuerse with others eate praie or doe anie thing els whatsoeuer they ought to doe it in that sorte in which they maie think that Christ did such things By which practise it wil come to passe as a certaine Doctor saith that theire life and behauiour wil become noble and renued no otherwise thē a noble bird when he is chaunged from a filthie and ill fauouring place into a good and pure ayre Whence it commeth that Christians doe so little remember Christ and thinke vppon him CHAP. II. THis proceedeth chiefelie of the little loue we beare to Christ because as our Sauiour saith Matth. 6.21 where thy treasure is that is the thing which thou doest loue there is thy hart also to wit all thy thought and care for the nature of true loue is to transforme and chaunge him that loueth into the thing beloued And therefore S. Austen saith that our soule is more where it doth loue then where it doth giue life in so much that with greate reason Dalila said to Sampson Iudic. 16.15 How doest thou saie that thou doest loue me if thy hart be not with me which is as much as if she had saide Thou doest endeauour thy selfe O Sampson to perswade me that thou deest more affect and loue me then all other woomen but how can this be true seeing thou doest nether thinke of me nor remember me nor trust me For the signe of one that loueth trulie sincerlie is to desire ernestlie to become one thing with that which he loueth And therfore he that loueth hath all his powers that is his memorie his vnderstanding his will his imagination and whatsoeuer els wholie imploied in that thing which he loueth in so much that S. Denys of Areopagus saith that loue is a certaine alienatiō of it self which commeth of this that a mā is altogether trāsformed into the thing beloued of him And as a man that is inamoured and cast awaie in some vaine and lasciuious loue 2. Reg. 13. as we reade that Amnon was for his sister Thamar doth nether eate nor drink nor sleepe nor repose being alwaies bent and occupied in this thought because the wound of his inward affection doeth not suffer him to take anie rest nether is he fitte to thinke of anie other thinge nor doth feare what soeuer labour so the loue of God which proceedeth frō a more noble beginning and tendeth to a more excellent end when it is true loue in deede thinketh nothing els esteemeth nothing els desireth nothing els nor seeketh nothing els but God and so accounteth of all trauail and difficultie as of nothing onlie for his loue It is then a thing most euident that it proceedeth of little loue that we thinke so little of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Now if anie one should demaunde whence it commeth that Christians doe soe little loue our Sauiour Christ the aunswere might be that the reason is this which our Sauiour vttered in the ghosple Io. 3.19 when he said The light is come into the world and men haue loued the darknes rather then the light And that which he said in another place Math. 6.24 that No man can serue two masters such as is God and the world the spirite and the flesh heauenlie things and earthlie things A man maie likewise aunswere that which to the like purpose that learned and godlie man Thaulerus awnswered in this pretie question propounded vnto him to wit whence it proceedeth that almightie God being within vs more neere vnto vs then we be to our selues we yet feele him not To this he aunswereth verie wel and yeeldeth the reason in this manner saying that it proceedeth of this Because the grace of God doth not woorke in vs. But whie doth not the grace of God woorke in vs Because we desire not the same with al our hart Wherfore doe we not desire the same with al our hart Because we doe not loue the same with al our hart And whie doe we not loue the same with al our hart Because we know it not But whie doe we not know it Because we know not our selues And what is the reason whie we doe not knowe our selues Because we are negligent in considering our owne life Wherfore doe we not consider our owne life Because the eye of our vnderstanding is blinded But wherfore is the eye of our vnder standing blinded Because it is ful of dust and filthines that is of disordinate loue and delight of creatures of the world of our flesh and of our selues Behold then heere the reason verie manifest and euident And therfore our Sauiour said Luc. 14.26 If anie man come to mé and hateth not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his owne life besides he can not be my disciple to make vs vnderstand that no man can trulie loue God and think of him as he ought to doe if first he doe not abandone al disordinate loue of him selfe of his owne sensualitie and whatsoeuer creature For as a little dust is sufficient to hinder vs that with oureyes we behold not the heauens so a little disordinate loue is sufficient to hinder vs that we haue no tast of almightie God Luc. 14.33 Heerehēce it is that our Sauiour said Euerie one of you that forsaketh not al that he possesseth that is al disordinate loue and affection can not be my disciple Certaine aduises wherby to meditate the passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ with more fruite CHAP. III. 1. THe first
is that the gift of praier and to think wel vppon the passion of our Sauiour and the benifit of our redemption is a gift of God and so it behoueth vs to desire the same and to demaund it continuallie with al our hart forasmuch as it is writen Aske Luc. 11.9 and it shal be giuen you 2. The second is that a man ought aboue al other things to be exceeding humble for how can it be that with a proude and loftie hart a man should euer meditate wel the life and passion of him whoe being God was made man and taughte vs to be huble with his woords with his woorkes with his example in his birth in his life and in his death These misteries can not be vnderstoode without supernatural light which is not giuen but to such as be hūble Wherfore our Sauiour said in the Ghosple Matt. 11.25 I confesse to thee O father Lord of beauen and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent of this worlde and hast reuealed them to litle ones that is to the humble And so for want of this humilitie there be verie fewe that haue anie tast of these misteries He then that wil meditate these holy misteries profit him self by the same must humble him self exceedingly and euen from the bottom of his heart esteeme himself altogether vnworthy 3. The third is that it is also necessarie to haue our cōscience voide and cleane from al sinne for how can he with sinne meditate the death and passion of Christ whoe ought to vnderstand that Christ died to giue death to sinne And therfore it is a verie profitable thing that a man first demaund pardō at Gods hands for all his sinnes and stedfastlie purpose with him selfe that he wil rather die then euer anie more offend his diuine maiestie and this as often as he goeth to meditate these holie misteries 4. The fourth is that à great impedimēt let also is too much loue and too much anxietie or carefulnes of woorldlie thinges the which how litle that they be hinder vs verie much from seeing God no otherwise then whatsoeuer little impediment that is put before our eyes doth let vs that we can not behold the heauens And he that with such thoughts doth make his praier is as one that eateth garlike and afterward goeth to negotiate with some greate Prince It was not without greate cause therfore that our Sauiour did so often make his praier in a mountaine being solitarie and alone 5. The fift is that if we earnestlie desire to tast the mysteries of the life and passion of Christ it is verie expedient to exercise our selues in mental praier because to praie with our mouth and to haue our hart distracted is of smal profit and it is as if one should eate al the flesh of a capon and afterward send the bones to anie great personage Therfore Christ our Sauiour warneth vs in the ghosple saying God is a spirite Io. 4.24 and they that adore him must adore in spirite and veritie 6. The sixt is that because mental praier is one of the most hard tedious things that we can doe which is the cause that there be manie that giue them selues to the woorkes of mercie and to sundrie mortifications but fewe that imploie them selues in mental praier therfore we haue greate necessitie of much patience of much strength of minde of greate hope in God and of perseuerance for that by the help of God and by dooing what lieth in vs we maie obteine all things And for so much as this treasure is inestimable make account to sel al that thou hast and to buy it and enioie it for euer 7. The seuenth is that to make our mental praier wel it is a verie good thing to vnderstand and know the impediments that maie hinder vs and to consider them oftentimes thereby the better to auoide them and they be these that folowe 1. The litle account that we make of venial sinnes which neuertheles amongst other things doe depriue vs of that perfect puritie of mind which we ought to haue 2. To much trouble vnquietnes of conscience for venial sinnes 3. Superfluous scruples which hold our minde alwaies vnquiet 4. Bitternes or tediousnes of hart which proceedeth somtimes of anger somtimes also of rancour because our hart is as it were a vessel of gall which we must emptie and voide if we wil fill it with honie 5. Sensual consolations for many there be that desire to enioie God but they wil not leaue nor forbeare the good morsels of the world and yet spiritual consolation is not giuen but to such as for the loue of God be afflicted and heauie and not to those that haue comfort and ioie in the world So the ghosple teacheth vs Matt. 5.5 that Blessed ar they that mourne for they shal be comforted 6. The disordinate care of temporal affaires and necessaires the remedie whereof is first to shake of from vs al disordinate affectiō that we bere to creatures Loue not and thou shalt not be afflicted An other remedie is to cast al our care vppon God and to relie vppon him with a stedfast faith for when thou hast done what lieth in thee to doe God wil take ordre for the rest seeing he hath commaunded vs Matt. 6.33 that our chiefest care be to think vppon him to serue him alwaies 7. Ouermuch diligence and tendernes in gouerning our owne bodie 8. The vice of curiositie in desiring to know other mens dooings and to haue our things too neat and fine 9. To leaue of and not continue our ordinarie custome and time of praier without iust cause for that the cōtinuing of praier although the time be not long is of greate frute and profitte 10. Delicious dainties and superfluitie in eating and drinking which hinder vs verie much from eleuating and lifting vp our mind to God 11. Too excessiue abstinence or indisposition of bodie 12. Ouergreat affection to anie creature or anie thing els because our mind is alwaies in that Matt. 6.21 which we most loue and where our treasure is there is also our hart 8. The eighth is that we must wel vnderstand those things that further vs to make our mental praier wel to th' end that we obserue them with all diligence Such be the things that ensue 1. A great and carefull desire of mental praier because the loue of th' end which we seeke moueth vs to woorke and maketh al paines to seeme but light in somuch that we ought to desire mental praier euen as one that is hungrie desireth bread and as he that is couetous longeth after treasures and as a man caried away with affection towards her whome he desireth for his spouse as the scripture saith 2. Strength and diligence to ouercome the impediments and difficulties of this exercise 3. The garde and custodie of our hart which being the principal instrument of this musicke
eleuenth is that whē thou doest feele thy selfe much cōforted fauoured of almightie God at time of praier thou then persuade they self that thou art prouoked to a greater warre therfore thou must prepare thy self to fight valiauntlie and manfullie or to drink ioifullie that calice that God shal giue the. 12. The twelth is that we must not desite reuelations visions traunces and such like things to th' end we giue no occasiō to the illusions and deceipts of the diule 13. The thirthenth is that we must not discouer to euerie bodie the fauours that God doth aford vs in our praier but keepe them secreate dissemble them in the presence of others for daunger of vaine glorie because sweete things the more that they be kept close the better they be preserued and therfore in the presence of others it is good to abstaine from weeping sobbing sighing such like things 14. The fourtenth is that albeit almightie God show vs greate fauours yet we must stand before him with greate feare and reuerence considering the goodnes of him that is so delighted with so vile a creature Of which consideration riseth loue and that we put our selues in the lowest place 15. The fifteenth is that at certaine times as at greate solemnities and festiual daies it is good to dilate our selues more in praier 16. The sixteenth is that in the exercises of praier and mortification we must vse discretion to the end we fall not into extremities And therfore it is expedient to giue account of our selues to our ghostlie father 17. The seuenteenth is that manie whoe esteeme it sufficient to giue them selues to praier are withdrawen from other vertues but they must vnderstand that all the vertues are vnited and linked one with an other And therfore in vaine he laboureth for one whoe laboureth not for all 18. The eighteenth is that although manie haue laide downe manie rules how to make praier yet when we haue donne al that lieth in vs we must set aside all considence of our selues and put it all in God 19. The nineteenth is that a man is not bound to be alwaies tied to one onlie sort of meditation but he maie take that for his meditation wherein he findeth more deuotion more tast and more profit 20. The twentith is that if such things as be requisite for deuotion seeme vnto vs to be ouer manie we esteeme with our selues that God doth wel recompenceour labour with the deuotion it selfe which if we perseuer in it doth leaue vs more comforted and strengthned then al maner of contentments and pleasures of the world are able to doe Fruites that come by meditating the passion of IESVS-CHRIST CHAP. IIII. SAint Bonauenture saith that we can not offer vnto almightie God a sacrifice more grateful for the deade a more essectual remedie to the Angels a greater ioie to the most blessed Trinitie a more high signe of reuerence and of thank fulnes then to exercise our selues continuallie in meditating the passion of Iesus Christ Wherfore on a certaine time our Sauiour appeared with his crosse vppon his shoulders to an Hermite whoe desired verie much to know what seruice he might doe that might be most acceptable to almightie God and told him that he could doe him no greater seruice then to beare cōtinuallie in his hart his crosse and passion because the remembrance thereof doth woork in vs that which heere foloweth 1. Compunction and sorow for our sinnes Mat. 27.51 and therfore in the passion of our Sauiour the rockes were rent 2. It induceth vs to confesse our sinnes therfore the graues were opened 3. It moueth vs to make satisfactiō whē we see that Christ doth suffer so much 4. It purgeth our sowle from sinne as the serpent of brasse did heale those that were bitten of the liue serpents 5. It doth illuminate and lighten our vnderstanding verie much as wel to know it self as God 6. It holdeth vp our hope in somuch that S. Austen saith O Lord I can not despaire seeing thee to die vppon the crosse for me 7. It inflameth our charitie and therfore S. Bernard saith Aboue al other things the chalice o good IESVS which thou didst drinke and the work of our Redemption doe make thee amiable vnto me 8. It increaseth our vertues and merites if it be applied so as before hath ben said In the 1. chap. the 9. reason for which cause Albertus the greate writeth that the deuoute and feruent remembrance of the passion of Christ is more meritorious then if without it we should whippe our selues euen til the blood doth come 9. It giueth grace and strength in tribulation wherfore S. Austen saith In al mie aduersities I haue not found anie remedie more effectual then the wounds of Christ in which I sleepe securelie and repose without feare 10. It is of maruelous efficacie against al temptations and so S. Bernard writeth in this sort When anie filthie temptatiō doth assault me I runne to the wounds of Christ When the flesh doth molest me with this remembrance I rise againe When the diule doth laie waite to intrappe me I haue recourse to the sacred wounds of Christ and he forth with fleeth from me When the heate of carnal lust doth moue mie mēbres it is suddainlie quenched with calling to mind the wounds of mie sweete Sauiour 11. It comforteth vs in euerie heauie burden to which end S. Gregoire saith There is nothing so heauie which we bere not willinglie by remembringe the passion of Christ figured and signified by the woode which made the bitter waters to become sweete 12. It doth incite and stirre vs vp to fight manfullie as the Elephantes doe which when they see theire owne bloud become more coragious and therfore in the primitiue church were so manie martyrs 13. It quickneth a faithful sowle and giueth her life So S. Bernard saith O strength that lieth hidden in the death of Christ which giueth life to the dead 14. It filleth our mind with sweetenes being as it were a honie-combe 15. It inflameth vs to praise God and therfore the children of Israel hauing past thorough the red sea began to sing verie sweetelie 16. It maketh vs gaine glorie because the more that one doth remember the passion of Christ with affection of charitie and loue the more glorie he shal haue in heauen as S. Thomas saith And we reade of a certaine Sainct that he was seene to haue a diamond in his brest for a singular reward because he oftentimes did call to mind the passion of Christ 17. It deliuereth from purgatorie as wel those that be there being offred as a sacrifice for them as also that we our selues goe not thither if this passion be wel applied vnto vs. 18. It doth prouoke vs exceedinglie to al kind of vertue Io. 10.18 Mat. 26.39 Mat. 26.62 for first albeit Christ had in his owne power to die or not to die yet he falling vppō his face praieth his father
and for the circumstances of the same which heereafter we shall see 6. Because he suffred in his bodie in his good name in his honour with so manie reproches and discommendations in his substance being naked and in his frinds whoe did forsake and denie him Christ suffred in al the parts of his bodie HIs head was crouned with thornes His eyes were couered with teares and blood His face was beraied with spittle His eares were enuironed with iniuries and reuilings His tounge was siroped with vinagre and gall His holie beard was neere drauen off His hands were passed through with nailes His side was opened with a speare His shoulders were torne with whippes His feete were pearced with hard nailes All his bodie was wounded stretched most miserable and wholie out of ioint 7. For the number of so manie and so diuers torments and calamities as did concurre together in his passion for he was taken bound accused scorned spitt vppon buffeted crouned with thornes stricken with a reede blinfolded stripped naked blasphemed charged with his crosse and led and haled from one iudgment seate to an other as if he had ben a publique malefactour finallie he was crucified dead and buried That which we ought to gather out of these paines 1. HOw filthie malicious a thing sinne is sith Christ endured so much to destroie it for in what manner could God shew a more greate signe of hatred against sinne then by deliuering his owne sonne to death to abolish sinne 2. How grieuous the paines and torments of hell be for somuch as to deliuer vs from them Christ would enter into a bottomles depth of paines sorowes 3. How passing great the riches of grace and of glorie be when as there was neede of such merite to purchase them 4. The exceeding dignitie of man and the passing value of his sowle seeing God hath giuen for it so noble à price 5. How good how pitiful and sweete God is How the goodnes the charitie the mercie and the iustice of God doth appeare in the Passion of Christ. To the goodnes of frindship it perteineth to communicate giue a mās self to his frind but now what greater goodnes maie there be found then that of almightie God whoe arriued to make him self one thing with man and to suffer so much for him as he did To loue it perteineth to doe good to the thing beloued but what loue is greater then that of God whoe died for mans sake to make him partaker of al his good To mercie it perteineth to take vppon our selues other mens miseries nowe what greater miserie could Christ take vppon himself then to die with so greate paines and shame for our sinnes To iustice it perteineth to punish offences but what iustice is more greate then that of God which punished sinne in the person of his owne Sonne How he that doth meditate the passion becometh ful of vertue WHoe is he that wil not become humble seeing the onlie Sōne of God to be lesse esteemed then Barrabbas to be crucified betwixt two thieues Whoe wil not be patient beholding the inuincible patience of Christ his so great contumelies and iniuries so great paines and sorows Whoe wil not be obedient seeing Christ is become obedient euen to the crosse Whoe wil liue anie longer in pleasures beholding Christ in so manie torments Whoe wil esteeme wealth riches and other things of the world seeing Christ to be naked vppon the Crosse Whoe wil not perseuer in goodnes and vertue seeing that Christ so perseuered in his paines and torments euen til death Whoe wil not forgiue his enimies seeing Christ forgiueth those that tooke awaie his garments his good name his life and not onlie forgiueth them but also praieth for them Let vs then giue most hartie thanks to our Lord God for this so great a benefit to wit for al that which in it he gaue vs for al that which it did cost him much more for that he did so exceedinglie loue vs because his loue towards vs was far greater then was that which he endured for vs in so much that he would haue suffered more if more had bene needefull Let vs giue our selues ernestlie to meditate the passion of our Sauiour Christ remouing awaie from vs whatsoeuer maie hinder the same and let vs procure to reape thereby that frute which we ought to his diuine honour and glorie Of the partes of meditation CHAP. VI. THe partes of meditation be foure that is Preparation Representation Consideration and Praier Preparation is a certaine short eleuation lifting vp of our mind which we make in the presence of almightie God with which we inuoke first his diuine help that we maie make our praier wel as we ought Then after this we think a little vppon that which we goe to doe which is the greatest thing in the world for so much as we goe to worship to thanke and to praie almightie God to worship him for his maiestie which is infinite to thank him for his wonderful woorks of our creation redemption and iustification to praie him for our owne necessities and those of the holie Catholique Churche And what thing is there more reasonable more worthie more necessarie then this Representation is nothing els but to imagine the misterie vppō which we be to meditate as if now we did see it donne before our eyes forming to our selues the place where it is donne the thing it selfe which is donne and the personnes that doe it As for example in the misterie of the crucifying of our Sauiour to set before oure imagination the mount Caluarie the Crosse the Crucifixe which gusheth out bloud on euerie side Consideration is meditation it selfe which is a woorke of our vnderstāding with which we discourse vppon the present misterie considering dulie the circumstāces of the same and pōdering with our selues who he is that suffereth what he suffereth for whom in what sort somtimes conferring one thing with an other and procuring alwaies to drawe som affections of loue sorow or the like as the misterie shall giue vs occasion Praier foloweth last in the end of meditation in which a man as it were now in wardlie inflamed talketh with almightie God or with Christ crucified as if he had him there present praising him thanking him worshipping him discouering vnto him his owne defects and necessities desiring him to pardon them and with obsecration to request him of his grace of his gifts and of such vertues as be needful for his saluation Obsecration is nothing els but praying of almightie God by sacred and holie things as by his pretious wounds by his blessed mother by his Saincts by his passion merites and such other like things which be of greate efficacie and force to make vs obtaine that which we demaund Certaine things that we ought to consider in euerie misterie of the passion which be of exceeding great maruel and compassion NOte that in all the misteries
than he wherfore should not I whoe am but dust and ashes and for my sinnes vnworthie to liue put my selfe euen vnder all creatures And why shall I esteeme the iudgment of the world so foolish and without all reason that it telleth vs that euill is good that bitter is sweete and maketh lesse accoumpt of eternall wisdome then of foolishnes it self Alas my good Lord deliuer me from this blindnes by that thine infinite loue which moued thee to suffer so vnworthie things and neuer heard of before that I may alwaies praise and exalt thy power wisdome and goodnes whoe art blessed world without end Amen Pater and Aue The eigth mysterie WHen the Iews made him beare his crosse so heauie and waightie he being wearie and afflicted that so his heart might first feele the paine of death before he died O crueltie neuer read nor heard nor thought of before Poincts of meditation 1. TO take cōpasion of Christ whoe hauing neede of rest was forced to beare so painfull a burden 2. To consider how readie he was to take vppon him and beare his crosse 3. His passing great humilitie 4. His loue so patience and his patience so louing 5. The crueltie of the Iews towards one of theire owne nation and whoe was the honour and glorie of theire countrie Poincts of confusion for vs. 1. THat we so much abhorre all sorts of Crosses 2. That we be so readie to murmour in euery little tribulation 3. That we be so prowd as yf God were bound vnto vs and we deserued no manner of yll 4. That knowing the Crosse to be the means by which we must goe to heauen we doe yet so little think vppon it 5. That we be so cruell towards our selues and so vnlike to Christ and his holy Saincts The petition TO aske grace that we may beare the Crosse which he thorough his great loue did beare and that he giue vs light to knowe how honourable a thing it is to suffer for his holy names sake The praier WHen I think with my self ô my Lord how with so great readines of mind thow didst take that heauie crosse vppon thy shoulders for the loue of me thou being yet in so pitifull and painfull case I am altogeather confounded and much ashamed that I for thy sake can not endure as much as a fleae byting Alas let thy mercie ouercome my miserie and giue me grace that heereafter I may desire to suffer much for thee and that this may be my glorie to say with the holy Apostle Galat. 6.14 God forbid that I should glory sauing in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome the world is crucified to me and I to the world Amen Pater and Aue. The ninth mysterie THe kind of this cruell death of the crosse because by it a man died not so soone as whē he is beheaded or doeth dye of some such like death and yet neuertheles the wounds became greater through the waight of the body Moreouer they were in the most sensible parts of the body as in the hands and feete which both be full of vaines and sinowes in somuch that not hauing receaued any mortall wound at all by force of most cruell paines he rendred vp his most holy sowle Wherfore when Pilat vnderstoode that he was dead he marueled at it as the Euangelist reporteth Marc. 15.44 And consider well heere the fower poincts aboue mentioned Poincts of meditation 1. THe great paines which he then did feele which were in deede the verie greatest that could be felt 2. The shame he suffered seeing him self hanging betwixt twoe thieues in an infamous place and in presence of so many people 3. That the great loue held him on the crosse not the nayles or anie other thing 4. That whilest they tooke from him his goods his life and his good name he praied for them 5. That he was euerie way exposed to paine without feeling anie euen the lest comfort that might be Poincts of meditation 1. THat we be so farr from suffering for Christ whoe suffered so much for vs. 2. That we mistrust to put our life in his hands whoe so ioyfullie did giue his life for vs. 3. That we be so greedie of goods and of worldlie fame so much despised by Christ 4. That we be so afraid of death knowing that Christ died whoe is the gate to goe to heauen 5. That Christ for loue of vs neither esteemed goods nor honour nor life and that we be not aunswerable to so great loue The petition TO request grace to perseuer on the crosse till death and to be alwaies mindfull of the passion of Christ crucified The praier GRaunt me grace ô most mercifull Lord that I desire for thy loue to remaine on the crosse which thou shalt giue me euen till death and that I beare thee crucified still engraued in my heart by the bloud which thow didst shed on the crosse by the paines which thow didst feele and by the loue which did induce thee to all this that being made partaker of thy paines I be also partaker of thy eternall ioyes in the kingdome of heauen Amen Pater and Aue. The tenth mysterie TO haue ben so much despised whilest he was vppon the crosse in the middest of so great paines the Iews somtimes saying vnto him that yf he were the sonne of God he should descend from the crosse som others that he had saued others but could not saue him self and againe that in three daies he should build againe the temple Consider well the fower poincts we spake of before Poincts of meditation 1. COnsider that Christ was held infamous suffered infamous death in an infamous place of infamous persons and with infamous woords 2. His patience humilitie loue and contempt of the world 3. His charitie in praying his father that not onlie he would not throw them head-long doune to hell but would also forgiue them 4. The crueltie of the Iews for yf such extremities had ben vsed to anie dogge they would haue moued to compassion 5. The maruell and woundering of the Angels whoe did see these things what we our selues would haue donne yf we had ben present at such enormities especially knowing him that suffered to be the sonne of God Poincts of confusion for vs. 1. THat Christ being glorious suffered him self to be accoumpted as infamous and vsed as such a one and that we being in deede infamous thorough our sinnes and vngratefulnes will be esteemed glorious 2. That when anie doe contradict vs we giue them forthwith the lye prouoke them to the combat and become contentious and angrie 3. That for any the lest iniurie donne to vs we would yf we could incōtinent lie ruine him that did it 4. That we feele so little compassion of all that Christ suffered and yet haue so great compassion of our selues and of anie thing pertaining to vs. 5. That some of vs Christians doe now no lesse blaspheme Christ then the Iews did in