him out of his sepulcher he would not withstanding descend thither to discouer by this heroicall act of humility the loâe he bare vnto them From hence thou mayst gather to performe by thy selfe the busines which God commandeth vnto thee of helping of soules how meane soeuer they seeme humbling thy selfe as Christ our Lord humbled himselfe on earth that thou mayst be exalted in heauen THE 2. POINT TO consider the great ioy which the soule of Christ our Lord had âeeing it selfe to vanquish death to âriumph ouer hell to glorify such multitude of soules as were there in Limbo How well would he then âhinke the labours of the Crosse imployed seeing the fruit which that saâed tree began now to yield Ponder the wonderfull ioy and exultation which those holy Fathers receaued who for so many thousand of yeares with such patience considence and expectation had looked for that happy houre of their ransome and liberty when they saw that Blessed soule of Christ their Redeemer triumphant in those bottomles pits and obscure dângeons of hell destroying with his diuine vertue povver the gates of brasse and iroâ barres of that dungeon and turning that obscure and monefull place into a ioyfull and pleasant Paradise Gather hence a firme considence in God when thou shalt find thy selfe assaulted with sundry sorrowes and afflictions be not wearied afflicting thy selfe for continuâ ance of them seeing there is no timâ that commeth not at last nor any euill that hath not an end as the imâ prisonement of those Saints had ãâã happy end THE 3. POINT TO consider how that most Blesââ soule of thy Sauiour accompââyed with that resplendent brighâ shining army of holy Fathers came with them to the sepulcher where his body lay disioynted disfigured wrapt vp in a winding sheet Ponder that the first thing which our Lord did was to disâouer vnto them the lameÌtable shape of his sacred body that they might vnderstand how deere their ransome had âost him and when they beheld that holy body all blacke and blew out of ioynt and so bruized mangled ãâã euery side they yielded agayne ââto the deliuerer infinite thanks for âuing redeemed them with so great ââbours paines Ponder secondly how that as âone as that Blessed soule entred aâine into that body which was more âââfigured then any body euer was transformed it into a far more exââlleÌt shape then it had on the mount âabor made it a thousand times ââre beautifull resplendent then ãâã Sunne And with a ioyfull counâââânce he arose out of the sepulcher mortall and glorious without reââuing the stone from the place which was layd vpon the sepulcher as he issued out of the sacred bowell of the moââ Blessed Virgin vvithouâ domage of her integrity and purity Out of all this thou mayst gaâ ther affections of thankesgiuing ãâã laud prayse to the Eternall Father for that he hath conuerted the sorroâ of his most Blessed Sonne into so vâ speakable ioy so incomparabââ beauty communicating vnto his bâ dy the prerogatiues of immortalitâ glory THE 4. POINT TO consider that Christ our Lorâ when he was risen againe did nââ forth with mount vp to heaueÌ whicâ is the seat due to glorified bodyes but remayned in the vvorld for tââ space of forty dayes to comfort anâ animate his disciples informing the of many things concerning the Kinâ dome of God that being eye witnâ ses of his Resurrection they migâ preach it more considently to ãâã world it may piously be thouââ that at that tyme all the quiers of Angels came downe to gratulate his victory to celebrate the feast of âis glorious triumph for if they destended to celebrate his Natiuity wheÌ he came to liue heere a mortal passibe life with great reason may we thinke they came at his Resnrrection when he began to liue an immortall glorious life Ponder how the heauenly spirits with Angelicall harmony renewed âhat canticle of the Natiuity Glory in âhe highest to God in earth peace ãâã men of good will with great âson seeing that by meanes of this âuce of enemies we were made friâds of sâues of sin the diuell we ââre made children heyres of hie âbry Gather hence desireâ to reioyce to âay with the holy Prothet This the day which our Lord hath made vs reioyce be glad therein Deing that all may doe the like aââ him for that he hath gotten so ârious a triumph victory ouer his enemies THE II. MEDITATION Of our Sauiours apparition vnto hââ most Blessed Mother THE â POINT To consider that the first visit apparition which Christ Iesuâ our Lord made is thought tâ haue been to the most Blessed Virgâ his Mother to cleare that Heauâ darkened and ouercast with sorrow and to dry the âlouds of teares froâ those virginall eyes which had weâ so much aboue al others had ãâã thâ sorrovves and afflictions of ãâã Passion of his absence Ponder how the Blessed Vââgin being in her retirement not sleep but in prayer expected ãâã new light with liuely sayth and sured hope of the Resurrection of â Sonne mediâating those wordes the Royall Prophet Arise my gloâ arise my psalter and harp and reioâ with thy musicke those that are ãâã and lament thy absence And if vid contemplating his God and Lord so far off had such a thirst longing desire to be partaker of his Resurrection how great desires had the most Blessed Virgin louing him and desiring him much more then Dauid being so neere to the tyme and euery âoment expecting to see and inioy âgayne her beloued Sonne now gloâious in his Resurrection Gather hence like affections âesires And beseech this our Lord that he will vouchsafe to rise in thy âule to visit and comfort it as he âd his most holy Mother that thou ââyst deserue to see and enioy him â his glory at the generall Resurreâion THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv the Blessed Virgin our Lady being in this conâmplation and these Ionging desires â most holy Sonne entred in and âunifested himselfe vnto her with all â glory and brightnes which his saâed body had streÌgthening her corâiall sight to be able to behold him ãâã enioy him Ponder how great the ioy of thâ Blessed Virgin was when she saw thâ body of her most sweet Sonne noâ now hanging amiddst theeues buâ enuironed with Angells and Saint not recoÌmending her from the crossâ to the beloued disciple but himself giuing her a louing kisse of peace not dissigured as he was at his death but resplendent beautifull O hoâ fully content and satisfied did she reâ mayne vvith this comfortable sighâ how sweetly dyd they imbrace on another what teÌder speach in waââ feelings would there passe betweeâ those two blessed harts From hence thou mayst gathââ desires to giue thanks vnto this Lorâ who is so certaine a friend so read to comfort those who suffer for hâ loue
it ââvere not hauing lost the instrumeÌts ând organs whereby thou mightest âânioy them Ponder what profit rotten ââands doe now reap of thy riches so âreedily sought and hoarded vp toâeather What fruit doe thine eyes âovv enioy of all the vanities which âhey haue beheld what vviâ all thy âelicacies prouided for thy tast then ââuayle thee of vvhat continuance âaue those castles of aire been framed ân that thy head what end haue all âhose gusts and pleasures had proâured by so heynous sinnes vnto thy ââretched body And turning thâ speach vnto thy soule say Looke ând consider well what will be the ând of this flesh thou novv hast Consider vvhome thou cherishest âhome thou now adorest O miserable wretch that I am wherefore ãâã all these riches if I am to become so âaked heere For what purpose are these deckings and braueries I being to remaine at last so vgly fouleâ To what end are these delicacies and banquettings if so soone after I am tâ be food for wormes Gather hence desires that God our Lord would illuminate cleare the eyes of thy poore soule with hiâ soueraigne light that it may behold the wretched end of thy miserable body and contemne that which is present at the inward sight of thaâ which is to come THE VI. MEDITATION Of the Generall Iudgement The Preparatory Prayer as the first The Composition of place shal be to imagine a great and spacious field and therein all the People that haue beene from the beginning of the world in the midst whereof is erected a Tribunall or Throne made of a most excellent âright shining cloud and thereon a âate or chaire of Estate and Maiestâ âhere Christ our Sauiour is to sit ãâã iudge all mankind The petition shal be to crauââf Almighty God grace to apprehend ând feele now that which thou arââhen to see endeauoring that since ââou art one of those which are to be âhere called thou maist also be of âhe elect THE 1. POINT TO consider the great and fearfull signes which shal be in all creaâures at the day of Iudgement For ãâã Christ our Lord saith the Sunne âhalbe darkened the Moone shalbââurned into bloud the stârrs shall fall ârom heauen and the sea shal be trouâled Finally the dread and horrour âhich then shall possesse the harts of âen shal be so great that they shall âot find any place or corner secure âherein to hide themselues wherevpon they will all waxe pale dry âither away for feare and become ãâã it were a liuely picture of death it selfe Ponder that if when any great tempest doth arise on the sea or any boysterous whirle-wind or earthquake on the land men fall into a maze and are astonished voyd and destitute of all strength and counsaile what will they doe when the sea and the aire when heauen earth shall be turned vpside downe Who will haue list to eate who will sleep who will be able to take one sole moment of rest amiddest so great perturbation of all things Gather hence a great feare of Almighty God and detestation of thy sinnes that obtayning pardon of them thou maist be freed from all these euills which are to come as tokens fore-runners of Gods wrath and indignation and that he graunt thee through his mercy a good and secure conscience since the day of thy Redemption doth approach the end of thy labours beginning of thy euerlasting repose THE 2. POINT TO consider how the last day being now come an Archaâgel with fearefull voice in maâner of a trumââet shall summon all the dead to âudgement And in a moment all both good and bad shall rise againe âith their proper bodies which they âued in heere on earth and come toâeather into the valley of Iosaphat âhere to attend the Iudge that is to ââdge them Ponder the sorrowes paines âhich the damned will feele vvhen ââeir soules brought out of hell shalââe againe coniovned with their boâies vvhat vvill they say vnto one another hauing been Authours and âauses of ech others torments and ââiseries O with vvhat curses vvill ââey vpbraid one another being theâ ãâã be linked togeather to be ech oâhers executioners Contrarâvvise âow gâeat content shall the soule of âhe iust receaue at the good compaây of the body which whilest they âued togeather on earth was a mean ând help whereby she might suffer somewhat for the loue of God O what vvelcome and blessings vvill they wish one to another seeing that the Iudge who is to iudge their cause is their Friend and will now bestow vpon them the crowne and reward of their seruice Out of which thou maist gather feruent desires and purposes not to liue any more negligently careles of thy saluation but comparing that which shall happen to the good with what shall bâfall the euill to choose in this life that which most will help thee to rise againe vvith Christ to thy euerlasting blisse and happines THE 3. POINT TO consider how all being novv fulfilled Christ our Sauiour shall truely and really descend from heauen with most soueraigne Maiesty enuironed with an whole army of Saints and heauenly spirits and approaching to the afore mentioned Throne shall command the Angells to separate deuide the good from the bad Ponder how great the grieâfe and rage of the bad wil be who were so much honoured in this life wheâ they will see themseluâs on the left hand of God in such extremity of basenes cast off aud set at naught by his diuine Maiesty What inward feeling and sorrow will they haue seeing the iust whole life they esteemed madnes and their end without honour accounted now among the children of God for to be eternally honoured and rewarded And on the other side what ioy and content will there be among the good wheâ they shall see themselues by meanes of their humility placed on the right hand of Almighty God singularly honoured and exalted Gather heerhence not to make any account of the right or left hand in this world that choosing in this life the lowest place amongst men thou mayst merit in the day of Iudgment to sit on high with God and his Angels THE 4. POINT TO consider how all the sinnes of the wicked euen of their most hidden and secret thoughts and the vertues and good workes of the iust being layd open to the view of the whole world the Iudge will pronounce the sentence And beginning with the good will say with a gentle and amiable countenance Come yee blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdome which I haue prepared for you And to the wicked with an angry and seuere looke Depart from me you cursed into fire euerlasting Ponder these two contrary ends he calleth the iust vnto him as if he should say Seeing veâ haue imbâaced the Crosse and Mortificatioâ to follow me come and receaue the reward which is âue vnto you and take possession thereof with eternall rest And to the wicked he
holy pilgrimes ariued at Bâthleem late in the euening going fraÌ house to house from Inne to Inne did enquire after lodging either for money or for Gods sake but found none that wold receiue or lodge them all being taken vp by persons of better esteeme and faâhion then they were thought to be Ponder how often this soueraigne Lord hath called at the gates of thy hart said vnto thee that which he said to his chast Holy Espouse in ân the Cantieles Open to me my bâloued mâ sister my doue But such was thy obstâacy rebellion that thou wouldest neuer entertaine nor ledge him yea rather hast shut the dore most vngratefully against him Gather hence a great desire now at last to harbour and receiue this thy Lord and Maister giue him some place in thy hart that he may be spiritually borne in thy soule for doubtles he wil most aboundantly requite thy good hospitality and entertainement as he requited Martha Zachaeus Beseech him to come once more knocke at thy dore for that thou wilt now open it vnto him and giue him the best part of thy house to wit thy hart that he may repose remaine therein as long as it shal be pleasing vnto him THE IX MEDITATION Of the Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ in Bethleem THE 1. POINT TO Consider how the most B. Virgin not finding any other was faine to take vp her lodging in a poore forlorne cottage yea which is more in a vile loathsomâ stable the which Saint Iosepâ hauing accommodated after the best manner he could they there rested very well contended rendring to Almighty God many thanks for that sory âhelter aboad Ponder first that a poore âase habitation is nothing displeasing vnto Almighty God so it be quiet and free from all worldly vââities For God had rather come and remaine with a poore humble man if he giue him his hart quiet free then with any Prince or King that hath his mind busied disquieâed with worldly affaires Ponder secondly how the B. Virgin miraculously perceiuing the time of âer deliuery to be at hand in place of sorrow and paines which other women do feele she was filled with ioy and gladnesse of soule and body contemplating the present benefit which Almighty God bestowed vpon the world for the redemption thereof so she brought forth her only Sonne and the only begotten of God the Father without any painâ or griefe or loâââ of her Virginity wherat being wrapt with profound âdmiration she cryed our It is possible that with these eies of mine I doe see God who created me now become a child for my sake in this most vile abiect place of the earth ãâã stable Is it possible that I behould âhe Sonne of the Eternall God beâome a tender babe And the spleâââour and brightnesse of the glory of âis Father laid vpon a little straw ând hay That I heare and see him ââeep who is the only comfort of âhe miserable and the ioy of the Aââells Gather hence a great desire to feele and experience that which the Sonne of Almighty God suffered and felt at this his entrance into the world endeauouring to get at the least some one of the vertues which then he discouered of Humility Pouerty Patience and Contempt of all thinges which this most miserable world doth yield THE 2. POINT TO consider how the sacred Virgin beholding that Blessed babe whom the Seraphims all the Blessed Spirits do serue and adore lying vpon a little straw shiuâring for cold and in all thinges behauing himselfe as an infant the teares trickled downe her cheâkes and bowing with great deuotion her knees to the very ground with most profound reuerence she adored him as her God and kissed his sacred feet as of her King his handeâ as of her Lord and his face as her deerest Sonne and imbracing him and laying him at her virginall breastes did reioice with him and say O child of gold O riches of heauen O ioy of Angels O mirrour of beauty thou art most welcome into the world vtterly lost without thee in good time art thou come into this land of perdition to be a meanes for vs all to ascend into heauen Ponder with how sweet and cheerfull a countenance this Blessed Infant would behould his beloued Mother smiling vpon her would discouer vnto her how the immensity of God did there lye hidden in so small a corps his infinite wisdome inatender babe that could not speke his whole omnipoteÌcy in those weake and feeble members Gather hence feruent desires âo adore and serue as the Blessed Virgin did this thy Lord and Creatour seeing he debased âumbled himselfe so much for thee so vile a seruant of his because by thus offering thy selfe to serue him body soule ând with all thy ability and power he will most willingly accept of this thy good will and giue thee grace to effect it THE 3. POINT TO consider the ioy deâotion âeares of the Blessed Virgin and the care diligence wherewith she did performe wâatsoeâer apperââiâed to the seruice of her Sonne and Lord She swathed him in a poore yet cleane and handsome swathingbandes cloathes such as she had She with most tender loue and incomparable ioy imbraced him she gaue him a thousand kisses of ioy saying My King my Prince my loue my Lord my God and forthwith laid him downe in the manger Ponder how this Blessed Inâant though he speaketh noâ a word doth notwithstanding from the manger as from out of a chaire or pulpit teach and read vnto thee a lesson of Pouerty and neglect of whatâoeuer is in this world for he being â most mighty and potent King batââeuertheles no other throne or placâ but only a stable and in lieu of rich and costly hangings and cloath oâ gold the spiders webbeâ and hiâ bedding straw and hay insteed of the softest warmest fethers Gather hence confusion and shame for that thou dost alwayes desire procure and seeke for thy selfe whatsoeuer is best whereas Christ our Sauiour did alwaies for himselfe choose whatsoeuer was worst as to be borne be choose a stable a most loathsome place an aboad of brute beasts to dye he made choice of an infamous place appointed for the excution of ãâã and malefactours for to be borne he selected a small and silly Village and the depâh of midnight when no body mighâ see him to dye be appointed the midday and the greâtest and fairest Citty of the world When he was to be borne in Bethleâm âe ordained that there should be great concourse of people from all places of Iudea who at that time were there assembled to haue their ãâã and families enrolled once a yearâ ãâã to the custome the Emperâââ command of euâry ones ãâ¦ã which might be an ãâã that his Mother and S. Ioseph should not fââd any lodging or commodity for his birth and when he was to
dy that the Citty of Ierusalem should be full of people that it might be vnto him an occasion of more infamy To conclude if this our Lord his election choice iudgement of things be alwaies best as doubtles it is it behooueth thee in imitation of him euer to make choice of the worst for thy selfe flying whatsoeuer tendeth to thy honour and estimation and imbracing whatsoeuer may be for thy dishonour contempt THE 4. POINT TO consider what this B Child hath in heauen as he is Almighty God what in the stable as he is man who he is in both places Ponder how this poore little Infant who is heere lodged in so vile a cottage and reposeth in a manger is a God of infinite Maiesty whose seate is heaueâ whose throne are the Cherubims whose seruants are al the Angells and whome all do adore and serue This babe is the vniuersall Lord and eternall word in all thinges âquall with the other two diuine perâons who afterwardes was so gloriâusly transfigured on the mount Taâor betweene Moyses and ãâã and âho in the day of Iudgement ââall sit ãâã a throne of Maiesty amiddest the âood and bad He the very same âow in this his entrance into the âorld lyeth in the cribbe in a hard ând abiect manger betweene two ââute beastes preaching and saying ââto thee not by word of mouth âut of spirit not with many speeches âât with deedes Learne of me beâuse I am meeke humble of âart ââhold how euen from my cradle âtill my dying day I haue chosen ãâã my inseparable companionsâ poââty contempt sorroweâ and affliââons Hence maist thou gather thâââing God himselfe so great â Lord âame for thy âake so little thoââst also endeauour to humble ãâ¦ã and to become little for vnleâââ ãâã become as this little one thoâ ãâã not enter into the Kingdome of heauen THE X. MEDITATIOâ Of the ioy which the Angells and meâ ãâã the Natiuity of the Sonne of Almighty God THE 1. POINT TO consider what passed in heâuen at such time as Christ lesus our Lord was borne oâ earth Then the eternall Father gauâ commandement that all the Angeââ should adore him as the Apostle Sâ Paul saith and all of them singing iâ in the aire Hymnes and Praises ãâã this new borne King adored hiâ with most humble and profound ãâã âerence acknovvledging that littââââbe to be the only begotten Sonââ of the eternall Father the King ãâã Lord of heauen earth Ponder how much this ãâã of the Incarnation of the diuâââ world was for the glory of Almigâty God for in regard therof he ãâã glorified by all the celestiall Spiriâ ãâã in heauen and earth who like ââto so many flakes of most white how did descend from aboue as it âere a ladder from heauen to the âittle porch of Bethleem and in toâen that they did acknowledge him or their King and Lord they kissed âis sacred feete Gather hence a great ioy to see his soueraigne King adored by his âoly Angels and he hartily grieued âo see him so much forgotten neâlected amongst men yea so heiâously offended by them Beseech âim that thou maist not be of the nâuâer of those vngratefull persons but âaist glorify and adore his most holy âon on earth as the Angels did doe âlwaies in heauen THE 2. POINT To consider how the Eternall Father did manifest the Birth of ãâã âost holy Sonne to the shepheardeâ âho were watching ouer their ãâã ân the night time sending his ãâ¦ã bring them the happy ãâ¦ã and to declare so high a ãâ¦ã ânto them of which company ãâã approaching neere vnto them saidâ Reioyce for behould I shew vnââ you great ioy that shal be to all the people because this day is bornâ to you a Sauiour which is Christ out Lord in the Citty of Dauid And this shal be a signe to you You shall find the infant swathed in clouâs and laid in a manger And presently thosâ heauenly spirits brake forth into ââolt diuine melody manifesting thereby the singular content which they receiued and said Glory in thâ highest to God and in earth peace ãâã ââen of good will The shepâeardes âearing this so happy newes witâ great desire and loue inuited one another to seeke out him âhome they heârd so much praised sayâng Let vs go to Bethleem and let vs see this word that is done which our Lord had shewed to vs. Ponder the admiration of these âoly sheepheards when following thâ direction of the Angells they found âll to be so as they had told them ãâã were they greatly âstonished to seâ ãâ¦ã so ãâã base ãâ¦ã ãâã poore stable an oxe an aslâ and a âanger should be the signes to find out the Lord of Maiesty But farre greater was the admiration which this very same caused in the holy Prophet I say foreseeing in spirit âong before these shepheardes and âhis great God and Lord so little and âo much humbled wheresore he said Who euer beard such a thing and who hath seene the like to this God ân infant God in swathing bandeâ God to weep a thing so vn beseeminââis Maiesty and greatnes a thing so âtrange a worke that doth amaââ ãâã âstonish the indgements of men and Angells Gather hence desires to be hâmble and lowly as God Almighty vouch safed to humble himselfe for he manifested himselfe freely anâ of his own accord to the humble shepheards but not to prouâd Scribeâ and Pâarisies He is willing ãâ¦ã found of those who carefully ãâã ouer their owne soules but ãâ¦ã those who are ouer whelmed ãâ¦ã âyed in the dead slâep of ãâ¦ã a care therefore to watch and pray â thou shalt find our Lord as these shepheards did THE 3. POINT TO consider the great desire which these holy sheepheardes had to bring home with them to their cottage and cabins if they could haue obtained so much those lightes of the world the Sonne and the Mother seeing them so solitary poore vnprouided of all human meanes to serue and cherish them as far aâ their small forces and ability would reach in token of gratitude for the high fauour which they had receaued of them when they disclosed manifested themselues vnto them Ponder that for the finding out of Almighty God is not required âither a sharp wit or a good vnderstanding much learning or great parts neither will he be found by such if togeather therewith they seeke honour and vaine glory and not God alone but he is sooner fouÌd out by an humble Cooke or seruaut in Religion or by a poore simple swineheard and doth most bountifully communicate vnto them his celestiall gifts and fauours as the Holy Ghost himselfe testifieth in the Prouerbes Hence thou maist gather desires to seeke Almighty God with true loue and diligence that thou maist also find him as these silly sheepheards did Beseech him that seeing he is the soueraigne shepheard and thou his sheep marked with his owne most precious bloud he will
occasion shal be offered thee seeiââ thou hast so manâ imperfections ãâã sinns as thou hast Is it much ãâã thou beare be silent for the loue ãâã God who being free from all faââ gaue thee so great an example of âââuincible patience sufferance THE 2. POINT TO consider the shouts outcryes of those wicked ministers when they entred the citty with our Blessed Sauiour proclayming and vanting themselues of the prey they had gotten Ponder how different this entrance into Hierusalem was from that which the same our Lord made on Palme suÌday when many went with him with boughes of palmes in their hands in token of the victory which âhe had atchieued ouer his enemies But novv they bring him in vvith swords launces as if they had got the victory ouer him In that entraÌcâ all cryed out in his prayse Blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord in this they cry out in derision of him making him their laughing-stocke calling him by a thousand vnworthy names In that they spead their garments on the ground that he might passe vpon them In this they âhaled rent and tore his garments froÌ him âea pulled the hayre from his ââeard sacred head From hence thou mayst gather a certaine equality of mind and conformity vvith the diuine vvill in all thinges being mindfull of aduersity in tyme of prosperity of disgraces reproaches in tyme of honour of a bad day in the good for it is cleare that of little pleasure much sorrow followeth THE 3. POINT TO consider in what plight those sacred feet of thy Sauiour vvere being embrued with bloud the skin flayed of them with often stumbling and with being troden on spurned at by those hellish ministers Ponder first how those diuine feet begin to pay for the sinne which thy feet haue committed in the rash crooked ways by which they haue walked to fulfill thy desirs inordinate appetites Secondly the spirit and affection wherewith our Lord goeth a long that way and the vertues he exerciseth of humility patience offering those painefull steps vnto his Eternallâ Father in satisfaction of those which thou makest to offend him And gathering hence desires of thankefulnesse vnto so good a Lord. vvho hath walked such waies for thy saluation and remedy beseech him to giue thee grace to ordaine thyne to his holy seruice and to the performance of his holy Law and Commandements THE 4. POINT TO consider in what manner thy Sauiour vvas receaued when he arriued at Annas his Pallace and was brought in before him and before the Scribes or Interpreters of the Law with what arrogancy they began to examine our Lord causing that diuine Maiesty to stand before theÌ as one that was esteemed guilty and they in the meane time remayâing sitting as Iudges they in state and in their Doctorall robes and the Lord and Maister of the Wisdome of heauen manacled and bound before them as if he had beene a theefe malefactour Ponder how differently God our Lord is now among the doctors and Lawiers from that he was when being twelue yeares of age he sate among them hearing them and asking theÌ al being astonished vpon his wisdom answers Then he was seated in the midst of them hearing answering to the esteeme admiration of all but now he standeth if he make answere to the questions they aske him he is scorned mocked being the Doctor of all Nations Gather hence a desire to humble thy selfe to beare patiently iâââ imitation of our Lord when thou shalt be accounted by others as vnwise ignorant and perswade thy selfe that thou art so indeed and be glad to imitate in something and to be like thy Sauiour THE XXXVIII MEDITATION Of the blow giuen to our Sauiour vpon the face how he was sent bound vnto Caiphas THE 1. POINT TO consider how that Lord of vvhome it is said in Saint Iohns Neuer did there man speake so as this man giuing novv a mild and gentle answere to the high Priest is stroken and buffised by a base fellow Ponder how the face of our Sauiour remayned sorely brused and disfigured with this cruell blow and was exceeding red partly with it and partly throgh his naturall bashfulnes modesty hauing receaued so great an affront And albeit the buffets blowes and spurnes which were heaped vpon thy Lord by his enemies vvhen he vvas apprehended vvere many yet of none but only of this mention is made in particuler in holy Scripture because it was more reproachfull iniurious then the rest and because it was giuen in presence of the high Priest of many nobles of the chiefe of the people Gather from hence compassion sorrow beholding that soueraigne countenance of thy Redeemer so buffered and wounded On whome the Angells desire to looke And be ashamed to grieue and complaine not for that thou art buffeted for thou art not arriued so high as to endure so much but because others donot honour and countenance thee when thou art in presence with them desiring heerin to be better then thy Lord God who was so much reuiled scoffed at and despised for thy sake THE 2. POINT TO consider the great patience meeknes cheerfulnes and âerenity of mind which our Lord kept in his most holy soule receauiug âuch a wrong neuer reueÌging it eyther by word or deed Ponder that wheras Christ our Lord could haue caused fire to come from heauen or the earth to haue opened and to swallow and consume that wicked fellow he did it not but in all patieÌce shewed that he was ready to turne the other cheeke if he would haue stroken it Gather and take example heerby not to be angry or offended for any thing vvhatsoeuer may befall thee be it neuer so weighty nor to render euill for euill Beseeching him in this misery to giue thee in all occasions vvhich shal be offered thee that constancy of mind and meeknes which he had and shewed heere that thou mayst be meeke and humble of hart as he was THE 3. POINT TO consider the mild ansvvere which Christ Iesus our Lord gaue vnto him who had thus abused and wronged him to wit If I haue spoken euill giue testimony of euill but if well vvhy strikest thou me and accusest me of vndutifulnesse seeing thou art no Iudge but only a witnesse Ponder that albeit this reason was good and conuincing yet it was not admitted neyther did it auayle him nor any reckoning was made of it but rather all that were present vvere glad and reioyced that that blow on the cheeke was giuen him and none was found that would take his part and reprehend the audacity of that bold and barbarous companion From hence thou mayst gather conformity vvith the diuine Will when thy answers and reasons shall not be heard nor admitted nor account made of them seeing no accouÌt was made of the answere which the Sonne of God gaue whose
Lambe they add yet another iniury for bowing their knes before him in mockery scorne they sayd vnto him Hayle King of the Iewes and presently they stroke his diuine face with a reed deriding making faces at him Ponder iâ how different a manner the celestiall spirits adore thiâ great King and Lord from that men adorâ him on earth The Angâllâ ãâã him as God and King of all thinges men adore him as a falsâ God and counterfaite King they calâ him holy holyâ and men wicked sinner possessed with a Diuell Gather hence desires throâghly to feele and lament thy sinneâ and that which thy Lord and God suffââeth and as his louing child and true friend prostrating thy selfe on the ground adore him as thy King and Lord after another manner theÌ these âdo and say from the bottome of thy âart Hayle king of heauen earth King of Angells and men saue me O Lord and admit me into thy heauenây Kingdome when I shal depart this ââiserable life âHE XLVI MEDITATION âf the words ECCE HOMO THE 1. POINT TO consider hovv these cruell souldiers led thy Sauiour in this so lamentable a plight vnto the President Pilate who wondering to see him so ill handled carryed him vp to an eminent place whence he might be seene of all to the end that moued with compassion they might cease to seeke his death Ponder first how much our Lord was ashamed at his appearing in so reproachfull an habit with the crowne of thornes vpon his head ãâã âeed in his hand a rope about hiâ necke his body all bruized rent weaâ ried exhaust with so many stripes all goare bloud through the multyâude of those blowes and with thâ drops of bloud which trickled dowâ his venerable face those lights oâ heauen vvere eclipsed almost blinded Ponder secondly the differencâ betwene the figure wherein our Sâuiour appeareth now and that whiââ he shewed in the glory of the mouâ Thabor that which was so glorioââ and pleasant he discouered only ãâã three of his disâiples this so paineââ and ignominious he sheweth to ãâã the people of Hierusalem that iâ mountaine all alone and retyred this in the middest of a great populous Citty Be confounded at thy pride seeing thy Lord so much humbled and despised for thy sake and thou endeauourest not to be so handled of men but rather with all honour and esteeme desirest that they should know the good which is in thee that they may prayse thee THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv Pilate shevving Christ our Lord in presence of all the people sayd aloud Behould the Man Ponder these words in the sense and meaning with which Pilate did pronounce them and thou shalt find that moued with pitty to behold so wofull a spectacle he desired to deâiâuer Christ our Lord and therefore the savd Ecce Homo Behold this man and you shall perceaue him to be so punished that he hardly retavâeth the shape of man being so diââigured misused wherfore in regard âhat he his a man as you are and no bâast haue compassion on him But they vvould not affoard him a good looke nor haue any pitty on him Hence thou mayst gather deâârs that God would graunt thee eyeâ of compassion and a hart of flesh that beholding him thou mayst be âoued to compassion seeing he suffered so much for thy sake and giuâ thee grace to loue theÌ that hate thee seing that in thiâ kind our souâraignâ Lord God and man hâth giuen theâ ãâã rare an example THE 3. POINT TO consider vpon the sayd words of Eccâ Homo how much it behoouâth thee to stir vp thy selfe and to behold with the eyes of liuely ââyth this our Lord say vnto thy âoule Eccâ Homo behold â my soulâ this man for albeit he is so wounded with stripes so defiled with spittle sâ bruized with buffets crowned witâ thornes hath a reed insteed of a scâpâter in his hand iâ clad with an igânominious garment yet he is morâ then a man he is also God Ponder the great desire whicâ the Eternall Father hath that thou wouldst behold this soueraigne Lord God and man with meeke compassionate eyes and make benefit of thy tyme he allotteth thee to do it and not mispend so great a lewell nor omit to reap profit by beholding this man for if thou marke it well thou shalâ find that this is the man which that sicke man that lay at thâ Pond stood in need of and requiâââ his help that he might rise goe inââ the pond and be cured of his disâaâââ infiâmities This is the man whâ is the head oâângellâ men and iâ so much disgraced to honour them so defiled to beautify them condemned to death to exâmpt men from a greater death and to saue them finally he is the man who is madâ thâ outcast of men to make theÌ the children of God Gather from hence hoâ abominable a thing sin is in the sight ãâã God seeing it brought his only Soâ to such a passe and in what case thy sinnes may haue left thy soule wheâ the sinnes of others haââârought sâ straâg an effect in the fountayne of all beauty it selfe what confusion shame will a sinner sustaâne for his owne seeing the Sonne of God hath sustayned so much for the sinnes of other men THE 4. POINT TO consider the hatred and rancour of those cruell enemies against Christ our Lord seeing that so lamentable and pittifull a spectacle was not able to mollify their harts but rather raysing their voyces they began to cry aloud Away away with him out of our sight as who woââd say seeing thou hast made so good a beginning commanding him to be whipped make an end of that which thou hast begun and crucify him Ponder that although such so woful a spectacle could not assâage pacify those raging minds yet was it doubtles of force to appease the wrath of the Eternall Father who had beene moued to iust indignation foâ beholding his most Blessed Sonne so ill handled for to obey him and for our loue he graciously pardoned all those sinners who with sorrow for their sins with deuotion and confidence beholding this figure of their Sauiour shold represent it vnto him saying Ecce homo Thoâ seest O Lord the man which thou hast giuen vs the worke of thy right hand thâe man that is so humble so obedient so meeke so louing From hence thou mayst gather harty sorrow coÌpassion to see him so much abhorred by his own people who deserued to be loued most of all Endeauour from this day forward âo be so much the more seruent in the seruice of this Lord by how much his enemies did the deeper abhorre him so doing he will giue thee grace with pure and cleare eyes to behold imitate him THE XLVII MEDITATION How our Blessed Sauiour carryed his Crosse. THE 1. POINT To consider how the President seated in his tribunall seat
was made receauing for the sonne of the liuing God the sonne of a poore fisherman for the Mayster of heauen an earthly disciple for the Lord a seruant for him that can do all things him that can do nothing without his grace Gather hence a great earnest desire to take this Blessed Lady âor thy mother to loue and serue âer with speciall care And a firme âurpose to obey the diuine will learâing to reuerence as in place of God his creature that is to say thy Superiour Father or Mayster which he shal aââigne thee whosoeuer he be to serue obey him as God himselfe as our B. Lady did who tooke S. Iohn for her Son he tooke her for his mother THE 4. WORD TO consider the fourth Word which Christ sesuâ our Lord spak to his Eternall Father reprâsânting him the affliction which he felt by reason of his internall desolation of mind for he cried with a loud voicc and sayd My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Ponder how the Eternall Father permitted the most sacred humanity of his Eternall Son to suffer and to continue in torment and released him not out of those terrible paines sorrows which he had vndertaken for our good and remedy neyther in them did he giue him any comfort or ease at all To the crossâ it selfe he could not leane his head on any side without increase of painâ and griefe the thornes thrusting in deeper thereby of this hands he had no help because he could not wipe avvay the drops of bloud which ran downe from his head vpon his face nor the tears which he did shed from his eyes they being nayled fast to the Crosse. Neyther of his feet for they were not able to sustaine the poyse of âis body but rent themselues vvith âreater payne Wherfore our Lord âeeing himselfe so afflicted cryed vnâto his Eternall Father and sayd My God why hast thou forsaken me Gather hence sorrow and compassion to see that there is scarce any âhat make benefit of his passion or âhat accompany our Lord in his hard ãâã painefull tâauels foz his disciples ãâã forsaken him his people abandoed him many men lost their faith âhich before they had in him Hartiââ beseech him that he will not forââke thee now nor at the houre of ãâã death THE 5. WORD TO consider how that our Sauiour being novv quite and cleane exhaust his body though the abundance of bloud which he had shed being dryed vp and all the conduitâ of his veines emptied he had naturaâly a most grieuous thirst therforâ he sayd I thirst Ponder how great griefe pierced the soule of the B. Virgin seeinâ her beloued Sonne and her God ãâã abandoned and destitute of all manner of ease and comfort for asking little water to coole his thrist withââ there was no body that would giue him and albeit she could haue goââ for water she durst not leaue hiâ fearing least in the meane tyme ãâã shold depart this life seeing him noâ at the point of death Ponder secondly that besideâ corporall thirst which our Lord ãâã had he had a much greater thirst other three thinges First he had insatiable thirst to obey his eterâ Father in all thinges without ãâã ting any thing how painfull soeuâ should be And because he knew it to be the will of God that they should giue him vinegar and gall he would not omit to fulfill his will in accepting that also His second thirst was an inflamed desire to suffer for our sakes far more then he had yet suffered The third thirst was of the saluation of soules and in particuler of thyne and that thou wouldst serue him with perfection Gather hence confusion and shame seeing that thy thirst is not to suffer for Christ our Lord nor to be obedient patient humble and poore as he was but to haue plenty of all thinges and that nothing be vvanâing euen for superfluous expences Beseech him to graunt thee some praâticall knowledge of the thirst which âe had that thou mayst become his âisciple in something THE 6. WORD To consider that the sixt word that Christ our Lord spake from the âaire of the Crosse was Consâmaâm est It is consumate all what soâuer my Father commanded me to suffer from the cribbe vnto the Crosââ is accomplished ended Ponder how thy Lord vvho now in this chaire of ignominy reaââdy to giue vp the Ghost will comeâthe day of iudgement in another veââ different throne of glory and maiesâ to iudge and will say in like mannâthis word Consummatum est noâ the world is at an end and the vayâ pompe and glory thereof now ãâã delights of the wicked are past ãâã also the trauels of the iust From hence thou mayst gathââ desires tâ liue in such sort that at ãâã houre of thy death thou mayst ãâã with S Paul I haue consumated ãâã course I haue ended my life wherââas a good Christian or as a good Râligious man I haue fulfilled the obââ gations of my state But if thou ãâã been slacke remisse in this ãâã mayst not say It is consumated ãâã now my payne eternall woe begââneth Beseech our Lord to giue ãâã grace that thou mayst begin from ãâã day forward continue to the ãâã in his holy seruice THE 7. WORD TO coÌsider that the last word which our Lord spake on the Crosse beââg now ready to giue vp the Ghost âas to commend his spirit into the âands of his Eternall Father Ponder first that he sayth not I ââmend vnto thee my liuings or posââssions for he hath none not my âonour for he is not much follicitous âerof not my body for ââat is not that which he regardeth most but his âpirit which is the principall ought âost to be reckoned of by man Ponder secondly that our Lord âoth not only commend vnto his Faââer his own ââirit alone but also the spirit of his elect which he esteemetâ ãâã his Gather hence desires in thy lifâ ãâã and in the houre of thy death ãâã ââmmend thy spirit into the hands of âod for theron dependeth the eterâââll wâale of thy soule THE L. MEDITATION Of the taking downe from the Crosse of the buriall of our Lord. THE 1. POINT TO consider that the euening oâ that sad and dolefâll daâ beinâ novv come the Blessed Virgiâ being poore and besides destitute oâ all help knew not which way to turââe her selfe for there was no bodâ that would bring her a ladder to takâ downe the body of her beloued Sonââ neither had she any body to assist hâ disciple Saint Iohn the night dreââon euery one be tooke himselfe ãâã his home At last she saw two princiâpall men comming Ioseph Nicoâdemus who brought necessaryes foâ the buriall Ponder how our Lord God oâ dayned that because his most Holâ Sonne had a poore and reproach fuââ death he should haue a rich glorââous sepulcher and that vvhereas ãâã
the more holy receaued greater plenty of grace And so the most B. Virgin as fullest of grace vertue receaued more abundance therof then all the rest togeather Gather hence a great desire to dispose and prepare thy selfe to receaue this diuin spirit with the greaââst feruour thou canst because he communicateth himselfe more abundantly to him that is best prepared to make thy selfe such the principall vertue which thou must procure to haue is Humility which conserueth the rest as the Prophet Isay sayth Vpon vvhome reposeth my spirit sayth our Lord but vpon him that is humble and meeke Be thou then such aâ one that with like disposâtion thou mayst receaue and preserue in thy soule this diuine spirit who resisteth the proâd and to the humble giueth his grace THE XI MEDITATION Of the death of the most Blessed Virgin our Lady THE 1. POINT TO consider hovv the B. Virgin our Lady being now in years God hauing determined her some tyme in this life which some belieue vvere fifteen others more probably say that she liued twenty three yeares after the death of Christ and that she departed this life to heauen the 7â yeare of her age Almighty God hauing preserued her heere al this tyme to giue light to the vvorld for the comfort and benefit of the whole Church also that she might see the faith and name of her Blessed Sonne diuulged and spred ouer all parts of the world she had novv most earnest and inflamed desires to go to heauen vvhere she vvas to find out Lord Iesus Christ her Sonne victorious and triumphant whome she instantly besought to take her out oâ this exile banishment tempestuous sea conduct her to that secure port of happines where for euer she might enioy his glorioâs sight conpany Ponder how this most Blessed Sonne approuing the pious desires of his deerest Mother and acknowledging the aspirations of her hart to be greater then those of Dauid where he sayd Euen as the Hart desireth after the fountaines of waters so doth my soule desire after thee o God he sent vnto her an Angell which many hoâly Fathers imagine was the Angell S. Gabriel who came with a palme in his hand in token of the victory that this triumphant Lady had gotten of sinne of the Diuell of death it selfe And the B. Virgin receaued him with great comfort ioy of spirit confiâering what she so much desired was âow to effected Gather hence enkindled desires to see and enioy God that when thy dayes shall end and death arriue âhou mayst receaue it with gust and âoy hoping by meanes thereof to participate in heauen of the svveet presence and company of Christ our Lord and of his most Blessed Mother THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv the Sonne of God determining to fulfill the desires of his most B. Mother the Apostles being deuided ouer the vvhole world preaching the victories of their Lord were miraculously assembled in the house of the B. Virgin who reioyciâg much at their comming disclosed vnto them the newes of her death vvith a cheerfull graue couÌtenance declaring vnto them her desire to depart this life to go to heauen which Almighty God had graânted vnto her Ponder the feeling teares and tendernes of hart wherewith this doleâuli relation afflicted them all seeing their Mother ready to depart thiâ life and that diuine Sunne illuminating the Chruch to withdraw it selfâ go downe Ponder sâcondly how the Bleââsed Virgin without any infirmity oâ payne at all but of meere loue and desire to see and enioy her Sonne in heauen betooke her selfe to her poore bed beholding them all vvith a countenance rather diuine then humane willed them to come neere gaue them her blessing saying God be with you my deerly beloued children lament not because I leaue you but reioyce because I goe to my best beloued Sonne Gather hence an exceeding desire to approach in spirit neere vnto this B. Lady ioyning thy selfe to his good company beseech her to giue thee her holy blessing also that âherwith thou mayst increase goe âorward in grace loue of her God thy Lord. THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord this happy houre being at hand ãâã downe from heauen accompaââed with innumerable Angells by ââeir sight and presence to reioyce his âost B. Mother to conduct her iâ heauen Ponder first the gracious and sweet vvordes vvhich the Sonne of God vsed vnto his sacred Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary vvhich might be the same that the holy Ghost speaketh to his Espouse in the Canticles ãâã Arise make hast my loue my doue my beautifull and come for winteâ is now past the raine is gone and departed The flowers haue appered iâ our Land Come from libanus mâ Espouse come from Libanus comâ thou shalt de crowned vvith thâ crowne of Iustice which thou hast sâ well deserued Ponder secondly what hoâ great the iubilies and comforts vveââ that did trauerse the hart of this ãâã Lady what thanks she gaue her Soâ and her God for such benefits bâ stowed vpon her and for vouch sââfing to cloth himselfe with her fleââ and bloud in her virginall wombâ and calling to mind the manner of ãâã death on the Crosse would say O ãâã Father as thou art God and my ãâã as man into thy hands o Lord I coâ mend my spirit And vvith thâ words she yielded her spirit to hiâ whome she had inuested within her selfe From hence thou shalt gather âffections to prayse God our Lord in whose sight the death of this Lady was precious giuing her so copious and large a recompence for her labours Trust in like sort to receaue reward for that thou hast endured for his seruice glory that so thy death may be precious in his sight as is that of his Saints THE 4. POINT TO consider how the holy Apostles and disciples of our Lord vvhen they beheld that body without life of which our life had taken flesh they âll prostrated themselues vpon the ground kissing it with great tenderâes deuotion affection then layâng it forth with vpon a Beere they âooke it on their shoulders and carâyed it through the Citty of Hierusaâem singing Hymnes and deuout ârayers till they arriued at the sepulâher where it was to be placed Ponder how their griefe at such âme as the holy body vvas put into the Monument was renewed that they deuoutly kissed and with great reuerence adored it againe againe not being able to withdraw their eies from thence vvhere they had their harts Hence stir vp in thy selfe a tender feeling sorrow for the absence of this B. Lady an earnest desire spiritually with thy best endeauour to accompany her holy body conforging thy selfe with the quiers of Angels the disciples to sing with them her prayses beseeching her to obtainâ thee such a death as thou mayst inâ her company enioy for euer the presence glory of her