to thee as a sponge fastened to the reede of the Crosse full of grace and truth out of which thou maist sucke sweete water he will communicate vnto thee the guift of vnderstanding whereby thou maist vnderstand and be partaker of the delihgts of thy spouse And he said let be Mar. 15 Mat. 27. let vs see whether Helias come to take him downe and the others said let be let vs see whether Helias come to deliuer him COnsider first the words of the executioners One of them reaching him vineger which being dronke by the crucified person hastneth his death saith let be let vs see whether Helias come that is Helias shall not come for I will preuent him by this deadly cup and rid this man out of the way Others by the same words perswaded him to stay the cuppe that they might see by experience whether Helias would come and so reproue him as a false Prophet of vanity in calling vpon shadowes those which were dead Learn thou heere first what those executioners thought of our Lord beeing euen then ready to dye that thou mayest esteeme better of him in thy soule Secondly that he departed out of this world with great thirst and carryed that thirst of thy saluation into heauen with him where with an ardent though not troublesome desire hee worketh the meanes of thy saluation Thirdly that this cold and piercing cuppe of vineger brought death vnto our Lord for through sinne death entring into the world killed all and spared not the very Sonne of God for whom it was necessary to taste of death that he might ouerthrowe death Resolue thou therefore to flye sinne least hauing gotten power to kill thy body it creepe farther and kill thy soule also Consider secondly two kindes of men for some without faith doe by their sinnes deride the patience of God 1 Pet. 3 Where say they is his promise or his comming Others haue faith but preuent the sting of conscience with hast of sinning Whose feete runne to euill Take thou heede of both and pray vnto God not to forsake thee in the houre of death to bee mocked by the Deuill The 42. Meditation of the sixt word of our Lord on the Crosse Ioan. 19. When Iesus had taken the vineger he said COnsider 1. that this word aboue all the rest brought admirable comfort to all sinners For hitherto all that hee said pertayned for the most part to the executioners to the Thiefe to his Mother c but this he speaketh to vs all declaring that now our debts are payed and all things perfected which seeme necessary to our saluation Consider secondly who he is which saith it is coÌ„summate to wit Christ God and man for as man he offereth this payment and as God he receiueth it For euen as he that draweth wine and hee for whome it is drawne saith there is good measure we ought to credit them so we ought to beleeue Christ our Lord saying all thinges are consummate Consider thirdly where he spake it as first vpon the Altar of the Crosse in which the price was payed vnto God Secondly in a high and eminent place that like vnto a cryer he might publish these newe tydings vnto the world Listen thou vnto it and be assured that the price is paid Consider fourthly when he spake it which was when he had drunke the vineger and was now ready to dye that thou shouldest knowe that he being nothing moued with our ingratitude did confirme his last will and testament vnto vs which shall neuer bee infringed by any wickednesse of man but whosoeuer will be partaker of this bloud it shall remaine whole and holy vnto him Consider fiftly why he spake it namely for our comfort who knowe the offence of sinne to bee so great that no creature was able to redeeme the same Our Lord therefore affirmeth that the enorinity of our offences is not so great nor the number of our sinnes so many nor our debts so infinite but that he hath fully satisfied for all Pray thou vnto him to comfort thee at thy death with this word least thou beest affrayd to appeare before God thy creditor thorough the greatnesse of thy debts It is consummate COnsider first he said not this or that is consummate but absolutely it is consummate that thou maist knowe that by this passion of Christ all things are consummate and made perfect in Heauen and in earth as well those things which portain to God as those which belong to man For euen as sinne violated all things so the bloud of Christ restored all thinges againe that thou maist learn to seeke all things in the passion of Christ and with the Apostle to glory in nothing but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Gal. 6. Consider secondly how those things which belong to God are consummate by Christ For first he perfectly obserued all the commaun-of God the Father and neuer transgressed any of them no not in thought Secondly he carefully fulfilled all thinges committed to him in charge by the holy Scriptures neither did one lot or tytle passe which was not fulfilled Mat. 5. For he had receiued froÌ„ his Father a double charge one deliuered in Heauen to himselfe another committed to writing and communicated to vs. Thirdly he ended all figures ceremonies and shadowes of the old Testament and commaunded all things to cease which signified the death of the Messias and the future mysteries of the Church Fourthly whatsoeuer was imperfect in the old sacrifices hee perfected and fulfilled in one sacrifice of the Crosse Fiftly by this his death he repayred the ruines of Heauen which were opened by the sinnes of Lucifer â—oan 1. and gaue power to men to bee made the sonnes of God to those which belieue in his name and after this life spent in the seruice of God to replenish againe the seates of those Angels whom their wickednesse and sinne had throwne downe into hell Behold how thy Lord ready to goe to his Father doth glory that he hath left nothing in this world vnconsummate but that he hath executed all things to the full which hee was commaunded I would thou also at the houre of thy death according to the example of thy Lord couldest glory that thou hast left nothing imperfect in thy selfe Saint Paul said I haue fought a good fight I haue consummate my course 2 Tim. 4 I haue kept the faith And Saint Peter in the name of the Apostles Behold we haue left all things and haue followed thee Mat. 19. what therefore shall we haue What wilt thou say when thou art ready to dye who hast violated Gods commandements and hast receiued thy good in this life What canst thou offer vnto God for the reward of eternal glory Thinke earnestly of these thinges that thou mayst diligently execute the Commaundements of our Lord. CoÌ„sider thirdly that by Christ his Passion all thinges likewise are consummate which belong to vs. 1.
participate of other mens griefes and afflictions feeling the same though not in body yet in minde by which affection the griefe of the Patient seemeth to bee diuided and communicated with another and is thereby greatly mittigated and asswaged as on the contrary side it is much augmented and increased if either we â—eride him or bee not moued with his afflictions Chr st our Sauiour to diminish our sorrowes would suffer for vs and condole also wish vs as the Apostle saith Wee haue not a High Priest that cannot haue compassioÌ„ on our infirmities but tempted in all thinges by similitude except sinne And truly although we cannot lessen by this our sorrowe the most grieuous and exessiue sorrowes that our Sauiour suffered for vs yet this our compassion is most gratefull to him whereby we make his dolours ours and apply his suffrings vnto our selues Wherefore the Apostle hath said very rightly We are coheires of Christ yet if we suffer with him that we may be also glorified with him For hee that will not bee a partaker with Christ in his sufferings cannot be a partaker with him in his kingdome There are two thinges which are most availeable to prouoke this commiseration First the condition of the person that is to say his nobility his goodnesse his piety towards men and such other things which doe aggrauate the indignity of his inflicted miserie Secondly the cruelty and immanity of his torments If therefore we desire to feeâ—e in our hearts this coÌ„miseration we must consider in euery article First who it is that suffereth As first that it is God who with his Maiesty filleth Heauen and Earth secondly a most honorable man descended of the house of Dauid and conceiued by the holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgine thirdly one most learned in his vnderstanding and most holy in his will who by no error or sinne did euer offend either God or man fourthly most graue and sober in his conuersation being neuer seene to laugh but often to weepe and that for our sinnes fiftly more beautifull in his body then all the sonnes of men and of a more tender and delicate complexion Secondly wee must set before our eyes the greatnes of his torments and with what particular payne euery member was afflicted Considering first that all the sences of his body and all the powres of his soule sustayned their proper and peculiar tortures Secondly that his tormenâ—s were most grieuous both by reason of the most tender constitution of his body and also because he wanted all interior comfort to indure the same Certainly it is the vndoubted opinion of all Diuines that neuer any creature indured such paynes and torments as our blessed Sauiour did If we see a wicked man suffer such punishment as he hath most iustly deserued we cannot but be moued to compassion and griefe and if we see but a Dogge or an Asse cruelly whipped or beaten we are presently touched with commiseration Ought we not then to condole with the Son of God suffering so vnspeakable tortures and that for our sakes The second affectioÌ„ is Compunction Compunction or sorrowe for our sinnes when we are induced to an horror and detestation of our sinnes by the remembrance of our Sauiours passion which may easily be done if we ponder what the malice of sinne is and what torments it hath drawne vpon Christ our Sauiour As God is infinite so the malice of sinne which is committed against God is also infinite and this malice in the iustice of God which ought not to be violated could not by any satisfaction be taken away but by that which was infinite Wherfore either an infinite paine was to be endured which no finite creature could endure or for an infinite time which the damned in hell endure or by an infinite person which is God himselfe Hence let vs proceede and consider what it was that drewe God from Heauen to earth and induced him to vndergoe his passion which was nothing else but our sinnes For if man had neuer sinned God had neuer been incarnated nâ—uer suffered neuer dyed Wherefore like as for the sinner his sinnes prepare a place in hell for the thiefe his theft prepareth his punishment so for our blessed Sauiour our grieuous sins haue procured a necessity of suffering death The malice therefore of sinne is aboue all things to bee detested which caused euen our Lord God himselfe to bee crucified But least thou shouldest imagine perhapps that the grieuousnesse of sinne is heereby extenuated because Christ did not suffer for thy sinnes alone but for the sinnes of all the world be thou assured of this that the malice of sinne is not thereby diminished or impaired but the singular vertue of our Sauiours passion is declared which hath washed away the sins not of this or that man but of all the men in the world For the merite of his passion is infinite and no malice whatsoeuer is able to counteruaile it which thing alone doth sufficiently discouer the grieuousnes of sinne because without the infinite merite of Christ it could not be forgiuen As therefore if one only man see the Sunne it will shine no more to him alone then it would doe to him and all other men together and as a man doth no lesse kill another when alone he stabbeth him to the heart then if he should take ten or twelue others to assist him in the same so euen one mortall sinne for redeeming whereof the death and passion of the Sonne of God was necessary is no lesse the cause of our Sauiours death then all the sinnes of the world ioyned together Neither doth the passion of our Sauiour bring vs lesse profite being vndertaken for the vniuersall saluation of the world then if it had beene vndertaken for mee alone The third affection is Imitation Imitation whereby wee desire to followe and imitate those rare excellencies which we discouer in Christ as the Apostle teacheth vs Christ suffered for vs 1 Pet. 2. leauing you an example that you may followe his steppes And againe Christ hauing suffered for vs in the flesh be you also armed with the same cogitatioÌ„ 1 Pet. 4 There are two thinges principally to bee imitated in our Sauiours Passion The one is a desire to suffer for vs. The other is a great heap of vertues which appeared so plainly in this his Passion that though our Sauiour spake nothing yet by his example from the Pulpit as it were of the Crosse he taught all kinde of vertues yea and taught them most perfectly both for that hee was destitute of all interior comfort which doth ordinarily accompany our vertuous acts and also because there wanted not meanes whereby hee might haue resisted his Passion Wherefore in euery Meditation wee must search out First what vertue is chiefly coÌ„mended vnto vs therein Secondly how our Sauiour exercised the same And lastly wee must stirre vp a desire and firme purpose to obtaine that vertue deuising the
desire to see some sign Thou mayest learne first what this King thought our Lord to bee an Inchaunter a Iugler a Foole. Secondly that the custome of worldly men is more willingly to heare newe thinges which may delight then good things which may profite Cōsider 2. that Christ admireth not the outward pompe and royall dignity but beholdeth the beauty foulnes of the heart neither would hee vouchsafe to speak vnto him seeing hee expected no profit therby Learne thou 1. not to esteeme too much these outward shewes for in the future examination of the Iudge the humble poor man shal be better esteemed then the proude rich man 2. Not to vtter thy wordes in vaine but to direct thy speaches alwayes to some good purpose remembring that in the day of Iudgement thou shalt render an account of euery idle worde 3. To flatter none to auoyd ostentatiō not to expose Religious and Holy things to be laughed at not to abuse the Scriptures or diuine ceremonyes to Iests and prophane matters Consider 3. what questions were propoūded to Christ by Herode to wit vnprofitable curious Perhaps whether hee were Iohn Baptist whether he could destroy restore the Temple whether his Father in times past killed the Infants for his cause Do thou ask profitable things of our Lord pray him to answer to thy questiōs for the profit saluatiō of thy soule And the chiefe Priests and the Scribes stood constantly accusing him but Herode despised him with his Army Luc. 23. and mocked him cloathing him in a white garment and sent him backe to Pilate COnsider first that Christ suffered 4. thinges in this Kings Pallace For 1. hee was grieuously constantly accused by the Priests Secondly he was despised and mocked by Herode Thirdly hee was euil intreated by the malepert Soldiours no lesse then by the Seruants in the house of Cayphas Fourthly hee was cloathed in a white or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a bright garment in signe of an affected Kingdom or of folly as one that was able to say nothing before the King in his owne defence Consider secondly that Herode was offended at the silence of Christ lesse then the Priests who pronounced him guilty of death but more then Pilate who by his silence admired the prudent grauity of our Lord. Thou mayst learne that by the same causes some fall more grieuously then others those most grieuously which are in highest estate and calling Pilate was a lay Gentile Herode a laye man but a Iewe Cayphas the high Priest of the Iewes Consider thirdly that Christ is a King but such a one as the world knoweth not but doth accuse laugh at and dispise By these irrisions our Lord deserued for himselfe to bee exalted aboue all Kinges and for vs that wee should bee indued with true wisdome bee made immortall Kings in the Kingdome of Heauen bee cloathed with the white garments of immortality Reioyce therfore if thou dost suffer irrision and persecution with Christ for iustice because thine is the Kingdome of Heauen And beware least Christ be mocked by thee if thou dost contemn the poore and his Seruants neglect his Sacramēts words Cōmandements Lastly do thou accōpany the spouse of thy Soule cloathed in this scornfull garment in his iourney to Pilates house marke what scoffings hee heard obserue his eyes what countenance hee shewed pray vnto him with thy whole heart that thou maist be a foole vnto the world so thou bee accounted wise vnto Christ And Herode and Pilate were made friends in that day Luc. 23. for they were enemyes before one to another COnsider first a double mistery 1. That wicked men agree together against Christ and his followers Heritiques oppugning the Church and the Deuills vexing the iust man The other that the death of Christ made peace betweene the Iewes and the Gentiles and so that the first and principall Office of the passion of our Lord was to bring and maintaine Peace Therefore presently after his Resurrection in his first second meeting hee said to his Disciples Peace bee vnto you Hee would that wee should haue peace with God to whō hee payed the price of our sinnes with our own conscience which he deliuered from sinne and filled with inward grace and with our neighbours whome hee commaundeth vs to loue hauing infused his diuine loue into our hearts As often therefore as thou feelest inward war within thy self as oftē as thou seeest that thou hast lost peace with God as often as thou shalt perceiue thy neighbour angry at thee or dost experience his hatred against thee Presently turne thy selfe to the Crosse of Christ as to him which is thy onely true Mediator and will restore thee vnto peace with all men Consider secondly In that day that is the very same day That thou mayest learne how easie it is for our Lord to make peace and to pacifie mindes that are most incensed and to helpe thee in thy greatest afflictions although there bee no humane meanes Pray therefore vnto God that hee will bring tranquillitie vnto the Christian cōmon wealth cease the troubles of warre and giue a constant Peace vnto his Church The 23. Meditation of the requiring of Barrabas But Pilate calling the chiefe Priests Luc. 23. and the Magistrates and the people sayd vnto them yee haue offered vnto me this mā Mar. 27. as auerting the people and behold I examining him before you Mar. 15 finde no cause in this man of these things in which yee accuse him no nor Herod neither For I haue sent yee vnto him and behold nothing worthy of death is done vnto him therefore I will dismisse him being corrected And on the solemne day the President had a custome and must of necessity dismisse one of the prisoners whom soeuer they should require And he had thē a notable prisoner called Barrabas who was takē with the seditious who in the sedition had committed murther Then Pilate said yee haue a custome that I dismisse one in the Pasch whome will yee that I dismisse vnto you Barrabas or Iesus who is called Christ for he knew that the high priests had deliuerd him by enuy COnsider first that Herod though he sawe nothing worthy of death in Christ yet he did not deliuer the innocent out of the handes of the Iewes but to gratifie the Priests and the President hee referred the knowledge of the cause to Pilate In like manner euery one desireth to please man but none to please Christ Consider secondly that so many Iudges sought the life of Christ and nothing was found worthy of death or of imprisonment Doe thou so order thy life like vnto Christ that the Deuills at the houre of death may finde nothing of their owne on thee Purge thy soule with daily examination of thy conscience and often confession of thy sinnes so as nothing passe out of this world with thee but that which is holy
first his breast was fast tyed to a piller and they cruelly rent his backe according to that Vpon my backe haue sinners builded Psal 128 or according to the Hebrues Haue Ploughmen ploughed that is to say haue most cruelly torne it And when that part was cut with stripes then our Lord was vntyed that the fore-part of his body his breast his belly his thighes might bee as cruelly vsed according to the Prophet From the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head there was no wholenes in him And that this was so thou mayst knowe by this when Pilate shortly after bringing foorth Christ vnto the people saide Behold the man Hee did not shew his backe couered with Purple but his breast and his fore-part for them to behold Doe thou with the eies of thy soule beholde the cruelty of the Soldiours and the amiable patience of Christ Listen with thy eares to the wordes laughters and scoffings of these deryding Soldiours which they vttered blasphemously whilest they were whipping tormenting and binding the body of Christ Admire the deepe silence of Christ in all these stripes who complained of no paines neither in crye nor sighe To bee briefe doe thou inwardly feele the paynes of these stripes which peirced euen to the very bones and bowels Gather vp the bloud which dropped downe vpon the ground apply it to thy sinnes and wounds pray thy Lord that he will not suffer it to be shedd so plentifully for thee in vaine Thirdly after his whipping COnsider first the tormentors were wearyed the whippes and rodds fayled and Christ being spent with paines and losse of bloud was scaÌ„t able to stand vpoÌ„ his feet Spare not thou thy selfe but spend thy youthfull yeares and strength in the seruice of thy Lord. Consider secondly how thy Lord crept vp and downe to gather vp his scattered cloathes and put them on not without great paine which cleaued to his wounds and were spotted with bloud and hurt his soares Doe thou gather together the Church being the vestment of Christ and spare no labour to gayne soules which are washed with that bloud Wash the wounded body of Christ with thy teares and anoynt it with the oyle of Charity and Deuotion and omitt nothing which thou thinkest may helpe towards the cure of this body and of the members thereof Consider thirdly that Christ our Lord did drinke his bloud thus plentifully vnto thee in this his whipping in his coronation following in the third houre in which same houre after his ascensioÌ„ into Heauen he sent downe the holy Ghost into the hearts of his Apostles of his whole Church That thou mayest learne first that the bloud of Christ was plentifully shed that the grace of the holy Ghost might plentifully bee communicated vnto thee Secondly that at the same time when the effusion of this bloud is remembred renewed in the Church by the Sacrifice of the Masse thou being present shouldest with open heart plentifully receiue the fruit of this bloud the grace of the holy Ghost and diuers other guiftes The Meditation hereof stirreth vp admiration increaseth confidence in kindleth loue mooueth compassion bringeth sorrowe for sinnes exhorteth to labour and melteth the soule in giuing thankes The 25. Meditation of the Crowning of our Lord. Then they vncloathing him put a scarlet Garment about him Mat. 27 Mar. 15 Ioan. 19 and weauing a Crowne of thornes they put it vpon his head and a Reede in his right hand COnsider first that those Torturers deuised a new kinde of torment which might both afflicte and also make him to be mocked That hee which called himselfe King of the Iewes might bee cloathed in royall ornaments Consider secondly in this place foure kindes of mockings First they pull oft al his clothes which a little before he had put on renewing the griefe of his wounds to which the cloath cleaued and stripping his holy and virginall body naked not without shame and confusion Secondly they put on a scarlet garment that his purple bloud shed all ouer his body and the purple garment put vpon him might shewe foorth a royall ornament Thirdly in stead of a Dyademe they set vpon his head a Crowne wouen of many bushie thorns which saith Tertullian did teare deface the Temples of our Lord. Li. de corona militis Fourthly they gaue him a Reede in his hand in stead of a Scepter O thou Christian behold thy King behold the tryumph of his coronation Consider thirdly that the great benefites which our Lord prepared for vs are signified by these illusions For first the taking off of his garments whereby our Lords body deformed with so many wouÌ„ds spotted with bloud spittle dirt loathsome to behold was vncouered signifieth the foulenesse of thy soule defiled with the spottes of so many sinnes which foule spottes Christ by his passion remoued from thee vpon himselfe that he might cleanse thee from all filth Secondly by the scarlet Garment is signified our nature which is bloudy and guilty of death which Christ assuming to the vnity of his person did Sanctifie and also thy sinnes Isa 1. being as redde as a Worme which Christ tooke away by his Passion and also the members of the Church the body of Christ which being in this world diuersly afflicted are couered with this garment of Christ that they shall not faint but increase in merites For nothing doth fo much comfort the afflictions of a Christian man nothing doth so much aduance piety as the earnest meditation of Christ Thirdly his Crowne of thornes is thy barren and sharpe pricking sinnes sprung through concupiscence out of the cursed earth of thy body Fourthly â—our Lord holdeth a Reede in his hand whereby is signified that by thinges accounted base in the world as his Crosse Passion and Humility hee winneth the Kingdome of the whole world and vpholdeth all fraile vaine and scrupulous men by his Passion and right hand Doe thou pray our Lord to make thee partaker of all these thinges and remember that it is vndecent for dainty and delicate members to lye vnder a head full of thornes And they came vnto him Mat. 27. Mâ—r 15. Ioan. 19 and bending their knee they adored and mocked him and they began to salute him saying Haile King of the Iewes COnsider first foure other kinde of irrisions First They came vnto him as seruants vse to come vnto their King asking him in mockage if he wanted anything Whome thou doest imitate being a Christian onely in name and indeede a bondslaue vnto the Deuill confessing Christ in wordes but in thy deedes denying him Secondly they adored bending their knee or as Saint Marke saith their knees none of them bending both their knees but euery man one His adoration is fraudulent that kneeleth on the ground with one knee and holds the other vpright vpon which his body may rest WhoÌ„ thâ—u dost imitate when in thy outward gesture thou adorest God in thy minde
to the Deuill Behold his tender body wounded in euery part rubbed with their cruell hands Thou canst not indure to be touched vpoÌ„ any light hurt what paine then doest thou thinke our Lord indured by the rude barbarous pullings of the soldiers Consider secondly how the soldiours pulled off his garment making his most chast heart ashamed to be seene naked afore all the people Behold how his purple garment cleauing to the congealed bloud being violently pulled off did renue the wounds make them bleed afresh plucke away the torne skin together with the flesh But Christ put off this garment that he might with more alacrity take vp the wood of the Crosse For euen as worke men when they goe about any great labour put off their cloathes that they may worke the more nimbly so it is written of Christ that in this his passion he did foure times put off his clothes when he was to effect any great worke That thou shouldest not be ignorant with how great desire he wrought thy saluation First when by his whipping he was to shedd his bloud for thee ouer his whole body Secondly when he was to receiue a crowne of thorns vpon his head to prepare an assured Kingdome for thee in Heauen Thirdly when he was to lay this wood of the Crosse vpon his shoulders as the Scepter or Soueraignty of the Kingdome or as the Key of Dauid with which he should open heauen for thee Fourthly when he was to ascend that tree of the Crosse as the thron of Salomon Consider thirdly that his owne cloathes were giuen him againe that his face being all polluted and as it were disguised with spittings bloud and filth yet he might be knowne by his accustomed apparrell But our Lord put on those vestments that hee might both consecrate vnto God his vestment the Church and euery member thereof with his Crosse and his fresh bleeding Wounds and also that he might teach vs to indure the Crosse and all afflictions It is not read that the Crowne of Thornes was taken from his head that according to the olde Prophesie of Dauid Colloq cuÌ„ Triphone Psal 98. which Saint Iustine coÌ„plaineth was razed out by the Iewes our Lord might raigne froÌ„ the wood Consider 4. That our Lord was brought foorth out of the cittie that as one vnworthy to dye in the holy Citty hee might be put to death amongst the wicked But our Lord went foorth 1. To teach that hee offered this sacrifice for the whole world and not for the Iewes onely for whom the sacrifice was offred in the Temple yea rather that this sacrifice should not be profitable to the Iewes so long as they trusted in their auncient rytes ceremonies according to that saying we haue an altar of which they haue no power to eat who serue the Tabernacle Therfore he went foorth carrying his Crosse that hee might as it were with his sheep-hook inforce thee a stray sheepe to come home vnto his fold 2. That thou shouldst not thinke that Christ is found amongst the cares of the world the troubles of the Cittye and multitude of businesse Hee is abroad in quiet of conscience in contempt and nakednesse and want of all things Let vs then goe foorth vnto him saith the Apostle without the Tents carrying his reproach Flye the world that thou maist finde Christ And carrying his Crosse Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. hee went foorth into that place which is called Caluaria and in the Hebrue Golgotha There were also carryed two wicked mâ—n with him that they should be put to death COnsider first that in the whole Citty there was no man found to carry the Crosse of our Lord to the place of punishmeÌ„t The soldiers would not the Iewes esteemed the very touching of it an execrable thing because the Scripture saith that accursed was euery one Deut. 21. which should hang on the wood therfore our Lord must needes take the wood of his punishment vpon his owne shoulders Consider weigh with thy selfe whether thou doest not imitate them when it is grieuous vnto thee to haue one thought of the passion of our Lord and a most hard thing to suffer any little affliction for the loue of thy spouse Consider secondly with what insolency they layd that wood vpon his tender shoulders beeing wounded with many stripes The world giueth this grieuous and troublesome Crosse which thou must beare alone without the helpe of any other but Christ who imposeth a sweete yoake and a light burthen Mat. 11. Osea 11. and he himselfe lifteth it vp with his grace and exalteth it ouer the iawe bones Pray our Lord to lay thy sins vpon this Crosse carrying them from thee to his owne body and washing them away with his bloud death For he is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Consider thirdly Ioan 3. whither our Lord went to wit to a hil neer the citty Hom. 84. in Ioan. In ca. 5 ad Ephe. in Epis ad PaulaÌ„ ad Marcel Orig. tra 35. in Mat. Cip in ser de resur domini AthaÌ„ de pas dom Epip haer 40. Amb. epis 19. Aug. ser 7 de Temp. Theop. Eâ—thy in Ioan. 19 Isa 3. called Golgotha that is Caluaria either by reason of the sepulture of our first parent AdaÌ„ of his scull there found of which opinion St. Chrysostome and St. Hierome report some to haue been or else of the sculls of dead persons which had suffered death in this hill being the place of execution The place was filthy and infamous but Christ sanctified it by his death and with his bloud washed away the sinne of Adam Consider fourthly that 2. Theeues were carryed to execution with Christ that according to the prophesie of Isaias Hee might be reputed with the wicked and a rumour be spred abroad that 3. Theeues the same day were iudged to dye For it is likely that about the most famous Feasts wheÌ„ the whole people vse to assemble themselues together their custome was to condemne and execute some guilty malefactors for exaÌ„ple to the rest and now at the request of the Iewes whose will Pilate inteÌ„ded to satisfie there were certaine of the most notorious malefactors chosen of whoÌ„ thy Lord should bee accouÌ„ted the captain leader So great was the desire of the Iewes to obscure the name of Christ But our Lord chose to be crucified with those theeues and malefactors to another purpose and intent First that thou shouldest know that hee dyed for sinners that there is no offence so great but it may bee purged by the death of Christ Secondly that by this his disgrace and ignominy hee might obtaine eternall glory for thee make thee of a theefe to bee a Iudge in the world to come Pray then thy Lord to drawe thee to the hill with him and to coÌ„municate vnto thee the merites of his Crosse And going forth they found a certaine man of Cyrene
Sun no lesse dependeth then the light of the other starres depend vpon the brightnes of the Sunne Thirdly that thou shouldest knowe the greatnes of this sinne from which the Sunne abhorring did as it were turne away his face and withdraw his light and shewed himselfe ready to reuenge and offered to his Lord and creator to perish for his death Thou learnest hereby that euery mortall sinne is so grieuous that it were better the Sunne and starres should perish then that the maiesty of God should bee offended by one sinne For by euery mortall sinne God is put to death whose death cannot bee recōpenced with the perishing of all creatures Fourthly that thou mayst know that Christ suffred this death for the great and thicke darknes of sinners and of the Iewes that this darknes being driuen away throgh the death of our Lord there might a nowe light of faith diuine wisedome be restored vnto the world as at the 9. houre the light appeared againe Fiftly that thou mayst vnderstand that the fruite of our Lords death consisteth in the cōtempt of the splendor fauour of the world for they which are crucified with Christ reioyce not in Honors Nobility but in obscurity neglect contempt Consider 2. the manner of this Eclipse with St. Dionisius Areopagita being an eye witnes Epist 7. ad policarpū 11. ad Apolloph hath described 1. The Moone being at the full and opposite to the Sun returned from midnight to noone 2. It returned not by his ordinary motion from the West but by a contrary motion to himselfe from the East Thirdly the Sunne it selfe lost his light in it selfe Fourthly not in one only part of the earth as in other Eclipses but ouer the whole world this darknesse of the Sunne was seene in like manner as of the Moone eclipsed and depriued of her light by the shadowe of the earth falling vppon her Fiftly this eclipse continued three whole houres which vsually lasteth but a small time All these thinges are not voide of their reasons and considerations Christ is the Sonne of Iustice the Moone is the world and foolish sinners Eccles 27 For a foole is changed like the Moone Therfore our Lord dyed when the world being opposite to God did shine in glory riches and wisdome The world also came to this eclipse that is to the death of our Lord to which not onely by other sinnes but also by this seeking of the death of Christ it had giuen cause But because the maiesty of Christ is not subiect to humane power hee could neuer haue beene obscured put to death by the power of man except hee had bin deliuered to death by the diuine will of God Therfore the Sunne is truly obscured and Christ is truly slaine both by the malice of the world by his Fathers wrath For our Lord was like vnto him which standeth between two men a fighting and receiueth both their swordes into his owne body The world fighteth with God and our Lord receiueth in his body both the wrath of God and the fury of men Thy wrath saith hee hath passed through me Psal 87. and thy terrors haue troubled me Therfore when the Sun of Iustice was eclipsed the Earth was couered with darknes both because by this grieuous sinne there was newe matter giuen of lamentation and reuenge and also because by the death of our Lord all power ouer men was taken away from the Prince of the world and in stead thereof he was bound in chaynes of fire and condemned to the darke prison of Hell But whereas the Moone by a contrary motion came from the East to the Sunne in the South thereby is signified that the Iewes without all consideration of equity and iustice hastened the death of Christ contrary to Law contrary to the right of nature and contrary to their owne conscience and did violently suppresse all good motions in themselues To bee briefe the Sunne was eclipsed three houres because our Lord lay hid three whole dayes partly in torments and in the handes of the Iewes and partly in the Sepulcher Pray thou vnto Christ to preserue the true light of faith and grace in thy soule About the nynth houre Iesus cryed out with a loude voyce saying Eli Eli Mat. 27. Mar. 15. lammasa bactani which is interpreted My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee COnsider first why thy Lord at the end of his life made this crye Certainly not to escape the paines like vnto vs who crye out assoone as wee feele any paine for now the end of his paine approached nor to bee reuenged on the Iewes for this his death for the bloud of Christ speaketh better then the bloud of Abell But first that hee who by the space of three houres being couered with darknes had giuen no signe of life neither by worde nor groane might be knowne to bee still aliue Doe thou consider with thy selfe what hee did all the time of his silence in the midst of his torments surely hee prayed without ceasing vnto God for thee in that admirable lyturgie and sacrifice and hee rehearsed the holy wordes of the Psalmes for thy saluation speaking some with a loude voyce that he might be heard of the standers by Secondly least by the continuall silence of Christ and his admirable patience and constancy of minde hee might erroneously be thought to be but a vision and no man and not to haue felt any paine at all For hee did truly suffer feele paines but the loue of thee restrained him from complaining Thirdly to teach thee in all thy miseries to crye only and with all affection to almighty God Fourthly that thou shouldest learne by this loud voyce to obtaine of God the Father through Christ the fruite of his Passion Fiftly that thou shouldst earnestly pōder with thy selfe what thinges how great for whome and by whome our Lord suffered For our Lord saith St. Epiphanius spake these thinges in the Syriack tongue Haere 69 that all the standers by might vnderstand him Consider secondly and marke the wordes O God hee sayeth not Father First because hee was ashamed representing the person of all sinners to call him Father that thou setting aside all pride shouldest learne humility Secondly least he should seem as a Sonne to complaine of his Father but rather as a naturall man of his affliction My that is though thou art the God of all creatures yet thou art peculiarly my God for many respectes both because thou wouldest haue humane nature assumed into the person of the Son and mee to be exalted aboue al creatures and because thou with thy owne handes didst frame this body in the Virgins wombe and also because I haue euer loued and obserued thee sincerely without any vice The repetition My God my God sheweth the great affection of this speach Why hee asketh not the cause least the perfection of his obedience shold be diminished but hee complaineth out of a
application of them to thy selfe Thy dinner indeed is ready but thou must goe to the table and put the meate in thy mouth thy medicine is made but it is kept in the shop of the Church inclosed in seauen boxes to wit in the seauen Sacraments the price is payed for thee but not yet applyed vnto thee Doe not thou thinke that onely Faith as some Heretiques would haue thee belieue is sufficient for thee thou must goe with thy feete to dinner thou must take thy meate and medicine with thy handes thou must put them into thy mouth and receiue them into thy stomache that is thou must frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exercise of vertues that that which was effected giuen for all mankinde may bee accepted for thee applied to thee and profite thee Pray thou our Lord that hee who spent and consummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer suffer thee to spend and passe away thy dayes idly and in vaine The 4◠Meditation of the seauenth worde of our Lord on the Crosse And crying againe Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. he saide with a loude voyce COnsider first that as often as Christ spake for himselfe vnto his Father hee cryed with a loude voyce but when he spake to others or for others hee vsed a lower voyce to teach thee First that thou must alwayes deale with God with great affection To others thou openest thy griefes with teares but when thou speakest with God thou art so drye that thou hast scarce any feeling of deuotiō Secondly what grieuous paines the Son of God suffered who with the violence thereof was forced to crye out Consider secondly that Christ for diuers causes cryed out in his prayers when hee was ready to dye Ioan. 11. First to shew that he was Lord of life and death hauing power to yeeld vp his soule and to take it againe at his owne will and pleasure Therfore hee called for death as Nazianzen saith which durst not come In Christo patiente except it had been called Secondly to mooue God the Father to mercy For seeing all mankinde being oppressed with grieuous sinnes was farre off from God hee who carryed the person of all men ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce being so farre absent Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares not so much with loudnes of voice as with affection of hart Thirdly that this voice being sent through the whole world might moue mens hearts and that hearing of the death of God for their sinnes they might be penitent for their offences For at this voyce the Earth was shaken the Rockes were cleft in sunder and the Monuments were opened that thy stony heart might also be broken by the force of this worde of God Not without cause did Marke say his voyce being sent forth that thou shouldst vnderstand that being sent into the world it worketh still in the heartes of men Fourthly that Hell should tremble at this voyce and euen as at the crye of our Lord calling Lazarus the soule of Lazarus returned without delay into his body so now euery one there should prepare himselfe to receiue their Lord being ready instantly to come vnto them The holy Fathers therefore in Limbo reioyced at this voyce and the Deuils in Hell trembled Fiftly to teach thee how to meditate on death not remisly or negligently as of a thing little pertaining to thee nor slowly and dully as of a thing a farre off but often and earnestly of a thing most certaine and at hand so much the more feruently because it is the onely gate to saluation Consider thirdly that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor in the houre I say of prayer and of the euening Sacrifice For then the true hoast was sacrificed vpon the Crosse and being cutt into two partes that is into body and soule was immolated to God the Father by the high Priest with a loud voyce and great labour Ioyne thou thy prayers with Christ his prayer that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares Luc. 23. O Father into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that Christ prayed not vnto his Father vppon the Crosse but in the wordes of the Scripture First because hee knewe that these wordes were most acceptable to his Father beeing written by the holy Ghost to teach vs to pray Secondly to teach thee to worship God not according to thy owne fashion vnderstanding but in such manner as the Church indued with the holy Ghost hath appointed thee Consider secondly that Christ vsed this word Father onely twise vpō the Crosse in his first in his last prayer but in his middle that is in his fourth prayer hee called him not Father but God First that thou shouldest like a Son willingly accept that punishment which thy Father sendeth and in thy punishment confesse thy own basenes who art not worthy to bee called the son of God and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator for tribulation and aduersity doe teach good men their owne fraile estate and vnworthines and thereby perswade or rather inforce them to mend their liues that in the end hauing ouercome all aduersities thou shouldest take courage reioyce as a Son For probation worketh hope Rom. 5. which confoundeth not Secondly because the beginnings of Gods word doe most sweetly affect the minde the progresse is hard to sensuality but the fruites which are gathered are most pleasaunt The booke was in the mouth of Iohn sweete as hony Apoc. 10. but being deuoured it made his belly bitter Thirdly because in his first prayer when hee prayed for sinners hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne for none but a sonne could bee heard for so great wickednes In the middle he complained as a man And in this last hauing fulfilled his embassage he desires as a Son to bee called home to his Father Consider thirdly that Christ made this petition to his Father not for feare of iudgment for now his Father had committed all iudgement to him nor for feare of the Deuill whose forces hee had already broken nor for feare of the paines of Hell which now hee came to take from good men and to carry away the spoyles of Hell But first to teach thee neuer to remit or slacke thy inuincible spirit from prayer Secondly that thou shouldest knowe with what confidence he went vnto his Father For hee sayeth not anxiously after the māner of a suppliant I pray thee Father but as it were of mine owne right and authority I commend my spirit Consider fourthly marke euery word of this last prayer which before had bin made by the holy Ghost to this purpose Psal 32. and is now recited by the Son to the Father with addition onely of this word Father Father First I haue remained thy Son in all these so great
bouÌ„d by Christ the Conquerour with most straite chaynes carryed into Hell to bee condemned to eternall prison Consider 3. the glorious company of Angels which did not so much carry as followe the soule of Christ descending vnto Hell Consider 4. that by Christ his comming to Hell those fearfull darke places were indued with a new light that the holy Fathers came flying to meet him and to giue him thankes for themselues and for their vngratefull children that theÌ„ they were all clothed in a new garment and admitted to beholde the diuine nature and that Hell was filled with blessed soules before Heauen the seate of the blessed Consider fiftly what thy Lord did heere these three dayes Hee beganne to exercise the power which hee receiued from his Father both in Heauen and Earth in the lowest part of the world First hee inflicted worthy punishment vpon the Deuill with the rest of his enemies whome hee had ouercome with great wisdome power Secondly hee made new lawes to Hell and prouided that none of the Saints should euer bee carryed thither againe Thirdly hee stopped the mouth of that stinking place and shut it so close that none of that deadly sauour should breath vnto mortall men Fourthly he brought saluation promised so many yeares before to the holy Fathers 1 Pet. 3 and preached to those Spirites which were in prison That is brought tydings of peace euen vnto theÌ„ who being punished by the deluge other miseryes for their incredulitie sin were seriously coÌ„uerted before their death Pray thou our Lord that at the time of thy death hee will subdue the Deuill and bring to thee true peace and comfort The 45. Meditation of the signes in the death of Christ And behold the vaile of the Temple was slut in two peeces Mat. 27. Mat. 15. Luc. 23. euen from the top to the bottome COnsider first that when Christ sent foorth his spirit with a loude cry all creatures reioycing with their Creator for his noble victory ouer his enemy made great noyses shoutings for ioy in like manner as we vse to shewe publike ioy by discharging great gunns and ordinance of warre Consider secondly that by this noyse all thinges were opened the Tabernacle the Earth and the stones were resolued Lib. de in carnatione verbi and as St. Athanasius saith the very Mountaines were cleft in sunder 1. Because the sacke of grace being opened by so many woundes did by our Lords death poore out his guiftes most aboundantly and inuited all men to open the vessels of their hearts Looke thou therfore to thy selfe withdrawe not thy selfe out of this holy shower 2. Because all creatures shewed themselues ready to bee reuenged vpon the wicked and offered euen their bowels vnto God Consider thirdly that the vaile of the Temple was rent 1. Because by this death of our Lord all the mysteries of the olde Testament shadowed and couered so diuersly vntill this time did now at last the vaile being taken away shine most cleerly and were manifested and fulfilled by the 7. wounds of Christ of his handes feete side head and whippings of his whole body and that the Temple it selfe and all the legall Sacrifices remained prophane and destitute of all holynes and sanctity 2. Because now was opened the way into Sancta sanctorum that is the kingdome of Heauen 3. To signifie that the Temple it selfe for the Synagogue lamented the death of Christ detested the great blasphemy of the Iewes and to shew her griefe and anger cutt her vaile or garments 4. That thou remembring the death of thy spouse shouldest remooue the vaile of all excuses from thy heart and open thy inward thoughtes to our Lord without any vaile or colour hiding nothing from the Priest in confession nor couering thy sinnes with the pretence of piety For most certainly the vaile of thy body shall shortly be broken by approaching death and thy wickednesse shall bee reuealed to the whole world And the Earth was moued and the Rockâ—s were cleft a sunder Mat. 27. COnsider first that at the death of our Lord the earth was mooued and trembled 1. For the horror of so great a sinne 2. Because the Prince of the world who was wont to shake the earth with seditions and wickednes was with great violence throwne headlong into Hell 3. Because God of infinite Maiesty entred into the bowels of the earth at whose comming into the Mount Syna the mountaine it selfe as it were honoring him trembled and smoâ—ked Ex 19.20 4. Because by the death of our Lord all the earthly heartes of men were to be moued and carried out of their places vnto Christ 5. Because the new Law of the Gospell was to bee brought into the world If thou therefore when the whole Earth shaketh art nothing mooued by the death of Christ thou art more drye and colde then the earth it selfe Consider secondly the Rocks were cleft Ephe. 2. 1 Cor. 10. 1. Because Christ the corner stone who was also signified in the old rocke was now cut a sunder his soule being pulled from his body and his body beeing torne with diuers woundes 2. Because mens heartes being more hard then the very stones were to bee molified in the bloud of Christ the true Goate prefigured in the typicall Goate euen as the hardnes of an Adamant is said to bee molified and made soft by the bloud of a Goate Consider 2. that the state of sinners is fitly declared by stones For euen as the earth is colde filthy base and without the labour industry of men becoÌ„meth barren beareth nothing but weeds as a stone is likewise hard heauy troublesome so sinners polluted with diuers crimes are grieuous and troublesome to all men yea euen to themselues Pray thou our Lord to open thy heart to bring forth fountaines of teares to dissolue it into very dust that it may bee framed according to the will of God and drinke in the liquour of his diuine grace Mat. 27. And the Monuments were opened many bodyes of Saints which had slept rose and going out of the monuments after his resurrection entred into the holy Citty and appeared to many COnsider first that by this signe being the greatest of all other is signified First that Christ thy Lord opening by his death the gates of Hel did set at liberty the holy Fathers there imprisoned and brake hell-gates so as neuer any Saint hereafter should bee detained there Secondly that by the same death the stinking closets of our heartes are to bee opened that all the stinche of sinne and death may vapour out and bee dispersed Thirdly that the bodyes of the iust should rise againe liue for euer Consider secondly that though the Sepulchers were opened yet the Saints did not rise before Christ who is the first begotten of the dead for as the Apostle saith Our Lord was deliuered vp or slaine Col. 1. Rom.
consolation Admire heere the benignity of Christ and pray him that he neuer suffer thee to be tempted aboue thy power but that he will encrease his grace in thy temptation that thou maist be able to sustaine it And Peter answearing said vnto him Mat. 26. Mar. 14. although all shall be scandalized in thee I will neuer be scandalized Iesus said vnto him Amen I say vnto thee O Peter that in this night before the Cocke shall twise giue foorth his voyce thou shalt deny me thrise Peter said vnto him although it behoued me to dye with thee I will not deny thee and al the disciples said the like THe Apostles after the Cōmunion of the body of our Lord had made a firme resolution to liue well and were feruent and followed Christ as thou often times especially after the receauing of the holy Eucharist dost seriously resolue to amend thy life but in time of consolation thou must also thinke of the time of desolation and of the expectation of contrary things least thou shouldst desist from prayer through vain confidence resolue therfore to doe well but before God praying for his helpe be vigilant and obserue all thine owne actions be not rash nor negligent for if the prince of the Apostles did slip being the foundation rock of the Church who spake confidently out of his loue and charity how can he stand that through pride and ambition or for some other cause hath too much confidence in him selfe that doth seldom resolue to amend his life nor set God before his eyes Contemplate heere also that the sorrow of Christ was not small to leaue his Disciples whome he loued so dearely troubled sorrowfull for his departure This place is very fitte to meditate vpon those things which a man feeleth in time of consolation as quietnes of minde ioy illustration of the vnderstanding c. And contrarywise on such things as he feeleth in time of desolation as perturbatiō sowrenesse and darknesse of vnderstanding to the end that he may in time of prosperity propose vnto him selfe such good things as in aduersity he shall not change Pray vnto Christ that hee neuer forsake thee in time of aduersity The second Meditation of his entrie into the Garden Then came Iesus with them into a village which is called Gethsemani Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Ioan. 18. where was a garden into which he entered and his disciples BEhold the place where Christ began his passion First neare vnto a village or farme Secondly in Gethsemani which signifieth a fatte valley Thirdly in the Garden For through sinne we got an vnclean village that is worldly and frayle things which by their own instinct and nature slide down to the earth again and Christ would begin our redēptiō from thence whence we were fallen through sinne Gethsemani or the fatte valley as it doth rightly signifie the valley of mercy so it doth plainly declare that the passiō of Christ had neede of great mercy and clemency which changed this world being full of miseries into a place flowing with mercy Consider then that this world is like vnto a durty valley in which is much durt and filth with which men being polluted do forsake God but to such men as follow Christ this fame world is like a shop of the mercies of God of our merites in which so long as we liue mercie is offered aboundantly and such rewards gotten by good workes as neuer shall haue end But it was a garden wherin Christ prayed for Adam sinned in a garden in a garden wee haue all offended For what is the world but a little garden pleasant to behold wherin diuers herbes and faire flowers doe delight the eyes but not the minde All things which the world admireth are buds flowers which as they take their beginning from the earth so in a short time they wither away to be briefe Christ caried his Disciples foorth to the place of his passion being the last place to which he lead his Apostles that thou maist knowe thereby that Christ doth earnestly require of thee that with great diligence and study thou shouldst meditate and imitate his passion Pray vnto thy Lord that thou maist despise this world which was all the cause of the passion of Christ Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Then he said vnto his Disciples sit heere whilst I goe yonder and pray pray yee least yee enter into temptation COnsider that if thou wilt not enter into temptation that is if thou wilt not be ouercome and swallowed vp by temptation thou must sit downe and pray but wee sit when we enioy quietnesse of minde and that inward peace which true humility bringeth for he which sitteth humbleth his body that he may rest in quiet we must pray because by prayer victory is obtained against the Deuill and we must pray as long as Christ prayerh for vs. Heere againe consider thine owne slouth and sluggishnes which art not touched in conscience when as Christ is carefull for thee how thou maist be saued and sitting at the right hand of his Father prayeth still for thee To enter into temptation is to be occupied and drowned in wickednesse both inwardly outwardly for he which is ouercome by tēptation hath neither inward peace nor cā enioy any true outward comfort where euery thing oppresseth the minde but nothing can satisfie it whereupon also it followeth that he which in this world entereth into temptation shall in the next enter into Hell euen as hee which in this world is in Gods fauour shall afterwards enter into the ioy of God And he tooke Peter Iames and Iohn with him Mar. 14. COnsider with what great griefe our sorrowful lord left his other sorrowfull Disciples he tooke these three for his companions with him that he might open his heauinesse vnto them who onely amongst all his disciples sawe his glory in the Mount Thabor and who were present at the wonderfull myracle of the daughter of Iayrus the Arch-synagogue being raysed vnto life Mat. 17. Mar. 9. for by how much a man is more perfect and neerer ioyned vnto God so much the more he feeleth the force of the passion of our Lord in himselfe as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe Consider therfore what manner of men these were whome Christ chose for his companions Peter the Pastor of the Church Iohn a Virgine who afterwards should be the keeper or the Virgin his Mother and Iames the first Martyr of the Apostles That heereby thou maist vnderstand that nothing doth so much lighten our cares ease the labours of any office encourage vs to chastity and to other vertues to be briefe nothing helpeth man so much in al his labours vndertaken for Christs sake as the memory of the passion of Christ he tooke vnto him also his two Cosins that thou maist see to what dignities our Sauiour exalteth his best friends to wit to suffer innumerable calamities in this life that
sword 2. Doest thou thinke that I cannot aske my Father Ioan. 18 and hee will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels 3. The cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me wilt thou not that I shall drinke it Fourthly Ioan. 18. how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled because so it must be done COnsider first suffer now that is it is enough proceede no further with thy sword and defence He doth not reprehend the fact of Peter but he saith it is enough that thou in thy defence and in thy wrath maiest keepe a meane according to that Bee angry and sinne not Secondly consider these foure reasons by which he admonished Peter not to goe about to hinder his passion Thou maist learne heereby the willingnesse of Christ to suffer who vsed so many reasons that he might be permitted to suffer But thou doest auoyd all troubles for Christs sake seekest out all reasons that thou maist suffer nothing Thirdly which shal take the sword that is they which by their own authority shall vse the sword not receiuing it from God deserue by the law to be put to death and although they escape the sword of men in this world yet they shall perish with that sword which keepeth the entry into Paradise Learne to leaue all reuenge vnto God Fourthly consider the great multitude of Angells which are alwaies ready to helpe good men that thou maist learne to trust in God which hath assigned so many Angells to haue care ouer thee For Helizeus had experience in him selfe of that which Christ heere affirmeth of him selfe 4 Reg. 6. Consider fiftly the Cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me He calleth his passion a cup thereby diminishing rather then increasing the greatnes therof that thou shouldest not lightly cōplaine of the grieuousnes of thy miseries He acknowledgeth that his father gaue it him because thou shalt not ascribe thy afflictions to men or to deuills but to God alone which blessed Iob who was vexed both by deuills men Iob. 1. Our Lord hath giuen our Lord hath taken away know that God doth not leaue to be a father when hee doth afflict but rather sheweth himselfe to be a Father when he chastiseth Sixtly cōsider that the Scriptures are fulfilled by the passiō of Christ are likewise fulfilled by thy passions For through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Giue thankes to Christ who with so ready so prepared a minde came to his passiō for thy sake Stirre vp his loue in thee pray him that he wil stir vp in thee a desire to suffer for his name and that in all things which shall happen vnto thee thou maist finde out the reasons that it was iust which thou didst suffer And when he had touched his eare he healed it Luc. 22. COnsider first with what great benignity Christ cured the Eare of this malepert Soldiour and cruell enemy whome he foresawe would be neuer the better for such a benefit that thou maist learne to be readier to mercy then to seuerity and to doe good for euill though thy aduersary deserue it not Secondly the force of the touch of our Sauiours hand that thereby thou maist know the vertue of the body of Christ For if the onely touch of his hand did restore his enimies eare will not his whole body receiued in the Eucharist cure both the body soule of his friend Thirdly that Christ being ready to suffer did heale the eare for this is one of the chiefe fruites of the passion of our Lord to make our soules capeable of the word of God to cure them through Faith and Sacraments Therefore God would admonish his enemies by this his last miracle before his death to open their eares to heare the word of God and by hearing to lay aside all malice To be briefe admire the bounty of God pray him that he will shewe thee the like mercy for thy innumerable sinnes The eleuenth Meditation of the captiuity of our Lord. In that howre Iesus said vnto the multitude to those Mat. 26. Mar. 14. which came to him the chiefe Priests the Magistrates of the people and the elders yee went forth as to a thiefe with swords and staues to apprehēd me I was daily with you in the Temple I sate teaching you did not hold me Luc. 22. nor stretch your hands against me But this is your houre the power of darkenes And all this was done that the scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled COnsider first what accoūt was made of thy Lord to wit as of a thiefe for the suppressing of whome there needed so great an army Secondly how he shewed that he was no thiefe as he which had hurt no man nor lyen hid like a thiefe but had done good and had taught nothing in secret but alwaies publiquely and called those men for witnesses thereof whome he saw stand ready to be the officers for his death therfore he admonisheth them to call to remembrāce the doctrine which he had taught thē to change their mindes for they should finde nothing in it but holy learned wholesome counsaile Consider thirdly by what words he gaue his aduersaries power to rage against him without which they could haue done nothing and euery word hath his force this is as if he said you care onely for the present respect not the time to come which is the property of sinners not of iust men houre all present time is short all the pleasure of sinners passeth like an houre also al the afflictiō of the iust passeth away your this this short time is granted vnto you to doe euery thing either for your saluatiō or damnation I say this precious time which after this life will not remaine and the power of darknes that is to say a darke power both because they deserue it through the darknesse of their sinnes also because they which vse it are carryed to the darknes of Hell also because darknes remaineth in the power of the wicked and to conclude because power was giuen to the Deuils the princes of darknesse to doe all mischiefe vnto Christ Consider therfore the multitude of the paines of Christ and their greatnes when it was permitted to wicked Spirits being practised most ready in doing hurte to persecute Christ by these his most willing ministers Admire heere also this most willing permission of Christ giue him thanks offer thy selfe ready to indure al labours and torments for his sake pray him that thy power may not bee in darknesse but that all thy actions may be perfected with the light of faith and of his diuine grace Then came the company and Tribune Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. the Ministers of the Iewes laid hands vpon Iesus and so they held bound him COnsider first the wonderful insolency of these men in taking thy Lord thinke of
vouchsafe to answere Christ their Lord What will they doe at the latter iudgement when they shall haue him for their Iudge whome they iudged vnworthy of their answer Thinke thou hereof as often as thou shalt be admonished by God in thy conscience and thou dost reiect his inspiratiō Cōsider fourthly that our lord being asked whether he was Christ did answere out of Dauids Psalme of the sitting of the right hand of his Father Psal 109. which Psalme he alleaged to them another time that by that argument which otherwise they could not solue they might knowe that the Messias was the Sonne of God Mat. 22. which they did easily vnderstand for they inferred vpon his answere Art thou then the Sonne of God Admire the goodnes of God which ceased not to admonish and to withdrawe them from this grieuous sinne wherein they should sinne not against man onely but against him who was the Sonne of God Pray thou vnto Christ that the reuerence respect of him may moue thee that whensoeuer thou shalt sinne thou mayest thinke of that saying To thee alone haue I sinned Psal 50. and I haue done euill before thee For it is God who is offended not man alone But they said what neede wee testimony any further Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. for wee our selues haue heard from his owne mouth And all the multitude of them rising and binding Iesus brought him bound to Pilate the President COnsider first from an excellent answeare an euill conclusion because hee is Christ and the Sonne of God therefore hee must be offered to Pilate to dye Thou oftentimes concludest in like manner God is mercifull therefore let vs sinne more freely Consider secondly out of St. Chrysostome Hom. 85. in Mat. that the Iewes would not put Christ to death secretly but openly that the glory which he had gotten by his miracles might be taken away by the publique shame and ignominy of his death and that he might generally be esteemed a wicked man in all places But God permitted it vpon a far different reason First that hee which should dye for all men should be put to death not secretly by the Iewes onely but openly by the Gentiles also before all men Secondly that this death which seemed to bee infamous and full of ignominy should sanctifie all Nations and should bee glorious for euer throghout the whole world Galat. 6. Doe thou with the Apostle Paul Glory in nothing else but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Ser. 8. de Pasc Dō Cōsider thirdly out of St. Leo that after Iesus was offered being boūd with hard knottes beaten with many boxes blowes defiled with spittings condemned before-hand with clamours To the end that amongst so many fore-iudgments wherby euery one desired to haue him dy Pilate should not dare to discharge him Follow thou thy Lord in this iourney as neare as thou canst and offer him vp for thy selfe not to Pilate the President but to God the Father desire him that hee who was once adiudged to dye for thy sinnes may by his death deliuer thee from all euils The 18. Meditation of the death of Iudas Then Iudas who had betrayed him seeing that hee was condemned Mat. 27. repenting himselfe brought againe the thirty peeces of siluer to the high Priestes and to the Elders saying I haue sinned betraying iust bloud But they said what is that to vs Looke you to it COnsider first that Iudas hearing of the condemnation of Christ by the high Priests being led by repentance either good through the greatnes of his offence or false through the shame whereby hee thought he should neuer be able to indure the reproaches which would insue brought againe the money This also was permitted by God whereby the innocency of Christ might be manifested to all men least the Iewes by this argument might confirme the death of our Lord to be iust because his inward disciple who knew all secrets had deliuered him vp to them to dye But Iudas betrayed our Lord not that Christ shold dye but because hee would haue the money hoping that as at diuers times before so at this time also our Lord might escape Learne first the innocency of our Lord which the Traytor himselfe confessed openly with most earnest wordes and by throwing downe of the money Secondly the bitter torments of our Lord which moued the very Traytor to repētance Thirdly the quallityes of the Deuill who bewitcheth our eyes before the sinne bee cōmitted least we should fee the foulnesse thereof but after the sinne hee openeth the same that wee should dispaire Cōsider secondly the answere of the Priests What is that to vs Peter after his sinne cōmitted went out from the cōpany of the wicked and obtained pardon Iudas contrariwise came to the wicked fell into desperation Learn hereby that they which offend the Maiesty of God because they may haue the fauour of other men are after forsaken by them that alwaies after this life when euery one shall beare his owne burthen and often times also euen in this life Consider thirdly the grieuous burthen of an euill conscience which feared neither shame nor death Doe thou lamenting for thy sinnes say with Iudas I haue sinned betraying iust bloud that is to say I haue through my sinnes cast oftentimes from my selfe the passion of Christ which was giuē me for my soules health But trusting in the mercy of Christ dispaire not but in thy prayer adde this O Lord restore it thou vnto me that it may profite my soule Consider fourthly that it is manifest by the answer of the Priests that Christ dyed not for any fault committed by himselfe but of meere malice enuy For this What is that to vs is as much to say it skilleth not whether hee dye iustly or vniustly so hee dye Consider fiftly Looke thou to that that euill men giue onely matter of dispaire Learne hereby first the disposition of wicked superiours who care not how their subiects liue so as they may inioy their owne profite and pleasure Learne secondly to suffer with the afflicted and to comfort them at least with good wordes if otherwise thou art not able Learne thirdly in thy afflictions not to repaire to euery one but to seeke out those whome God hath appointed to be the guiders of thy soule are commended for their life and wisdome And casting downe the peeces of siluer in the Temple Mat. 27. Act. 21. hee went aside and going away he hanged himselfe in a halter being hanged hee brake in the midst and all his bowels were scattered COnsider first that the fact of Iudas which exceeded all measure of reuenge deserued no other Iudge or executioner then Iudas himselfe For if hee had bin put to death by another De Leo ser 3. de Pasc Dō he might haue hoped for pardon But hanging himselfe hee cōmitted a new sinne of murther desperation Behold how
thy Lord and let thy chiefest care bee to be better esteemed of God then of men Consider thirdly that that thing happened to the Iewes which they feared For they did not eate the mysticall Pasch because Christ the true Pasch tooke it away by his death and that which they did eate they celebrated with polluted minds hatefull vnto God Be thou therefore carefull not so much for the outward beauty cleannes as for the inward purity of thy mind that thou maist receiue the true Pasch of our Lord in the Eucharist praying vnto God that thou mayst be pure in hart wherby thou maist often eate worthily this holy Pasch Ioan. 18. Then Pilate went foorth vnto them said what accusation do you bring against this man they āswered him if he were not a malefactor we would not haue deliuered him to thee Then said Pilate to them take ye him and according to your Law iudge him The Iewes said to him It is not lawfull for vs to kill any man that the speach of Iesus might be fulfilled signifying what death he should dye COnsider 1. The humanity of Pilate who might haue interpreted their refusing to come into his house as to an vnclean person as a contempt of him yet he yeilded to their religion being better then thou many other Christians who being contemned yeild contempt againe by no intreaty will yeild in any poynt or tytle of honour Consider 2. The proud answere of the Iewes by which they abused the outward face of Religion to the death of an innocent We say they being Priests making conscience to breake the least commandement of the law would neuer haue deliuered this man vnto you except for many causes he had beene most worthy of death So great was the innocency of our Lord that without compulsion they would not haue come to accuse him Consider thirdly Pilates answere more wise then the answer of the Priests For many times secular men haue more goodnesse then Priests The Gentile seemed to be not a little offended that hee should bee required to put him to death without hearing or cōuicting him as if hee should say If your Law permit this yet the Lawe of the Romanes doth not But the Iewes had no consideration of this iust scandall whome thou doest immitate so oft as thou doest giue cause of scandall whom thou doest immitate so oft as thou giuest cause of scandall or reproach to the weake or to Heretiques Remember the word of our Lord It is better that a mil-stone should be hanged about his necke Mat. 18. and he throwne into the bottome of the Sea then one of those little ones should be scandalized Consider fourthly the other answere of the Iewes saying it is not lawfull for vs to kill any man Act. 7. that is to say vpon the Crosse Ioan. 8. For they stoned Stephen and they prepared to stone the Adulteresse For our Lord must be put to death not with stones hut vpon the Crosse and not by the Iewes but by the Gentiles which is shewed by that which followeth that the speach of Iesus might be fulfilled who had foretold them both Giue thankes therefore vnto thy Lord that he passed from the Iewes to the Gentiles and pray him that he which by the handes of the Gentiles would vndergoe the Crosse suffer death will accept for thee the vnbloudy sacrifice which in remembrance of his Passion is offered in the Church of the Gentiles world without end Then they beganne to accuse him Luc. 23. saying We haue found this man subuerting our people and forbidding to giue tribute vnto Caesar and saying that hee is Christ our King THey began saith hee as the beginning of many accusations which should follow We haue found wee haue not heard of others but wee our selues haue seene Consider 1. three accusations al which depended vpō one He doth affirme say they that hee is the Messias King of the Iewes promised to our fore-Fathers and thereby draweth the people vnto him and he cōmaundeth neither to obey Caesar Ioan. 6. nor to pay tribute vnto him Lying plainly who knew that our Lord did shun a Kingdome did teach obedience did pay tribute Mat. 27. Mar. 22. and did answeare that it should bee payed Hereby thou mayest learn how enuy maketh a mā blinde so as hee cannot perceiue the ignominy reproach that hee doth vnto himselfe For by these words they proued thēselues lyars before Pilate who could not bee ignorant of Christ his answer to the Herodyans Render vnto Caesar those thinges which are Caesars Mat. 22 Auoyd thou therefore all perturbation of minde which doth both much hinder the seeing of the truth weaken thy reputation Consider secondly wherof Christ was accused First that hee did subuert the people His office is to mooue the people to turne them vp and down to subdue the flesh which ruled the spirit vnto the spirit to place poore and base Fisher-men aboue Kinges and after his life to throw the proude rich men downe into Hell and to lift poor Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Secondly that hee forbad to giue tribute vnto Caesar Our Lord doth forbid to pay tribute vnto the Deuill who is called Prince of this world and requireth no small tribute of the actions of men whome hee would haue to attempt or execute nothing without some mixture of sin Christ contrariwise commandeth to this tribute vnto God that thou shalt refer all thy actions to his glory Thirdly that he is a King the Messias Thy Lord is truly a King and the Messias who gouerneth and feedeth all his people both with his body and holy spirit Yeilde thou thy selfe vnder the gouernment of this King fight against his enemies and follow him thy Captaine in all thinges The 20. Meditation of the examination of Pilate Ioan. 18 Then Pilate went againe into the Pallace and called Iesus and Iesus stoode before the President Mar. 27. And Pilate asked him art thou King of the Iewes Iesus answered doest thou speake this of thy selfe or haue others tolde it thee of me Pilate answered am I a Iew thy people and thy Priests haue deliuered thee to me what hast thou done COnsider first Pilate dealt with Christ not afore the multitude but priuately in his house of whome saith St. Chrysostome hee had conceiued a great opinion Hom. 85. in Ioan. Thou in like manner if thou wilt deale with Christ auoide company much busines enter into the chamber of thy heart that thou mayest more clearly heare our Lord speaking Consider secondly that the Lord of all creatures standeth as guilty before the Gentile President to whom he must render account of his life Liue thou so that thou needest not blush to render an account of all the actions before any man Consider 3. the question of Pilate Art thnu King of the Iewes That is to say can it bee that thou being so poore and
them that hate him Consider fourthly that the place day and houre of the condemning of Christ is distinctly noted first to declare the greatnesse of the sinne when the onely begotten Sonne of the true God was condemned to dye on the Crosse Secondly to signifie the mysterye which is contayned in the same It was the day of the Paraseene that is the sixt day in which man was created in which man was to bee redeemed in which the true Lamb was to be immolated and in which the typicall Lamb was slaine About the sixt houre that is a little before noone in which houre the typicall Lambe was prepared to be sacrificed and men doe commonly pamper and cherish their bodies The place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is strowed with stones and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is high because Christ was condēned by men more hard and more proud then the very stones and did receiue this sentence of death for thy pride and for the hardnes and blindenes of thy heart Pray vnto thy Lord to lighten thy blindenes to mollifie thy hardnes and to suppresse thy pride And Pilate said to them behold your king Ioan. 19 and they cryed away with him away with him crucifie him COnsider first that Pilate preuailing nothing by other reasons began to prouoke them to mercy by laughter as if he should lay behold your great King whō yee accuse of aspiring for he which scarce looketh like a man how can he hope to be a King or else that he spake these words to make them deny their Messias and to submit themselues to the bōdage of the Romanes which was hatefull vnto them For yet there remained a little sparke of pietye in his minde that thou mayst learne how hardly our Lord forsaketh vs. Consider secondly the three names giuen to Christ in this time of his passion by Pilate and the Iewes A man a king the sonne of God Mat. 2. which three names the Sages acknowledged by their offerings For saluation could not be giuen vnto vs except God and man should suffer who by his Passion tooke away the kingdome of the world from the deuill Consider thirdly the word full of comfort behold your king by which word the conditions of our King are shewed vnto vs who is not a sowre hard and importunate exactor oppressing vs with labours and leading vs with great burthens and imposing a grieuous yoake vpon vs but louing and gentle bestowing on vs through his aboundant charity his owne labours dolours bloud and life and that bloud by which alone all the filth of our sinnes is washed away who caryeth also our sinnes beareth our burthens briefely who refresheth vs with his body and bloud and lifteth vp his sweet yoake vpon our shoulders Osea 11 To this King thou hast giuen thy name in baptisme thou hast begun to fight vnder his banner behold therefore diligētly his armour and obserue the manner of his fighting with his enemy For thou must vse the same weapons fight in the same māner and if thou dost desire to be rewarded with the like Honours thou must striue for the victory by humility contempt Charity and other vertues Cōsider fourthly the vnbridled rage of the Iewes who reiected the King of glory together with his Kingdome Away with him Luc. 19. away with him say they we will not haue him reigne ouer vs. But do thou take this king of the Iewes reiected by the Iewes and giuen to the Gentiles Cant. 3 and bring him into the house of thy Mother and into the chamber of her that bare thee Make him thy King and not the World nor the Deuill nor thy Belly nor Mammon And say not now Behold your King but beholde our King yea my King who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me And beware that thou doest not againe by any sinne crucifie this King whome thou hast once admitted least hee complain of thee saying Yee all yee people Mala. 3 Galat. 2. Psal 118. doe nayle me But rather being fastened thy selfe vnto the Crosse with Christ pray him that hee will fasten thy flesh with his feare Pilate said vnto them shall I crucifie your King The Priests answered wee haue no King but Caesar COnsider first in this question of Pilate howe vnworthy a thing it was that the Messias who was promised to Man-kinde from the beginning of the world and expected so many ages and at last thorough the mercy of the eternall Father sent for the saluation of the Iewes should come to such and so miserable a death and as an vnworthy accursed person should bee demaunded to the horrible punishment of the Crosse Do thou look vpō thy selfe mark whether perhaps thou art not in the same error Thou knowest that thou wert borne into this world to this end that at the last thou shouldest enioy God in euerlasting and heauenly felicitie Thou knowest that all the whole world was made and framed by God for thy sake and that for the same cause the very Son of God discended down from Heauen was borne of the Virgin Mary and consecrated all his labours yea his Passion and Death vnto thee But thou hauing no consideration of all this doest by thy sinnes driue away God from thee when thou oughtest to imbrace him thou shuttest vp heauen neglectest wholy thy saluation Consider secondly the franticke choise of the Priests They refuse the Messias sent by God as if it were in them to choose a Messias according to their owne will and pleasure not rather to receiue the Messias whome God gaue vnto them O intollerable madnes of mē who will make to themselues a God according to their owne will or deuise a newe Religion or frame the manner of seruing God out of the holy Scriptures wrested and interpreted according to their owne fantasies Wherefore they are truely called Haeretiques that is choosers It is Gods office to appoint Religion and the manner how to serue him and not ours to choose Consider thirdly the nature of enuy which seeketh the hurt of another though it bee to his owne losse The Romane gouernment was very grieuous and hatefull vnto them and yet the Priests both for themselues and for the whole people preferred it before the sweete yoake of Christ Learne first to lay aside all euill affections of thy minde least thou fall into more grieuous sinnes Secondly not to esteeme so much of outward Nobility or power that thou shalt therefore breake the least Commaundement of God or swarue one iote from truth and iustice For Nobility power and authority are of no estimation except the same be vnder Christ and for Christ from whom all power proceedeth both in Heauen and Earth and vnto whom all Honour and power is due Consider fourthly that this foolish election of the Iewes is cōfirmed by God Mat. 22 Mat. 24. Psal 78 for they haue beene both deptiued of their Messias nowe so many yeares and also giuen
cōfesse his own faults to extenuate the sinnes of other men if hee can Thirdly hee declareth the innocency of Christ But this man hath done no euill which saying is true only in Christ and in his most holy Mother for hee hath done no sinne neither is their any fraude in his mouth But because he did no sinne therfore hee ought to beare the sinnes of all men and suffer the punishment thereof in his body The good Theefe teacheth vs heere that we should not complaine in aduersities but confesse our sinnes and giue glory to God openly and conuert our soules earnestly vnto God Doe thou imitate this theefe for death is at thy gates or at least lyeth in waite for thee And pray our Lord to strike his sauing feare into thy heart And hee said to Iesus O Lord remember mee when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome Luc. 23 COnsider first that this good Theefe fulfilled the partes of iustice First hee declyned from the euill which he reprehended in his companion and then hee did good turning vnto Christ Secondly according to the doctrine of Micheas Michea 6. Hee exercised Iudgment greuously accusing his sinne hee loued mercy admonishing his companion to conuertion and hee walked carefully with God of whome deuoutly and humbly he craued pardon Cōsider secondly the seuerall fruites of the crosse and affliction according to the seuerall dispositions of men The wicked are not amended but rather blaspheme the good confesse their fault and come nearer vnto God Doe not maruaile then if our Lord grant prosperity in this world to the wicked and affliction to the good which hee doth mercifully for these causes both because the wicked should not offend more deepely by their impatience the good be ioyned more firmely vnto God also that the wicked may haue some reward in this life seeing they are to bee depriued of euerlasting life that eternall reward may be reserued for the good Consider thirdly euery worde of the theefe O Lord a worde of reuerence feare subiection I submit and promise my selfe to bee thy seruant and bondslaue hee doth not say O my Lord For hee speaketh to the Lord creator and possessor of all creatures Remember mee a modest humble petition I aske not a Kingdom nor any honous but only that thou wilt remember mee knowing that thou canst not remēber me not help me I dare desire this remembrance though I am a sinner 1. Because thou hast admitted other sinners praying vnto thee 2. Because thou hast done so many so great thinges in fauour of sinners 3. Because I a sinner hauing giuen ouer my will of sinning doe now beleeue in thee with my whole heart doe intirely loue thee and with my mouth doe openly confesse thee 4. Because I ask nothing but remembrance and pray for nothing but mercy 5. Because it is reason that hee bee partaker of thy rest and glory whome thou hast vouchsafed to be a companion with thee in thy labours torments and death When thou shalt come into thy kingdome I acknowledg thee to bee a King but thy kingdom is not of this world I knowe that the Angells expect thee at thy death and a whole Army of Seruants who shall not carry thee as they did Lazarus but shall attend and followe the comming of thy owne will and power Admire thou the saith of this Theefe who alone when all others blasphemed did beleeue and detest thine owne infidelity who when the whole world belieueth doest scarcely beleeue and pray Christ to increase thy faith and bring thee into his kingdome with this theefe And Iesus saide to him Amen I say to thee Luc. 23. this day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise COnsider first that Christ answered nothing to the theefe blaspeming that thou mightest learne to pacifie thy anger with the vertue of mildnes and that hee approued the counsel of the other who thought it requisite in necessitie to haue recourse vnto Christ that thou mayest obtaine the guift of councell Consider secondly that Christ as a Priest of the newe Testament did forgiue sinnes and as a Iudge doth assigne merite and rewardes For to the iust Theefe hee promiseth glory and to the vniust to whom he appointeth no crowne of Iustice hee declareth by his silence that the fire of Hell was prepared For Christ giueth glory but the paines of hell are not giuen by Christ but rather proceed frō our sinnes according as the Apostle faith Who shall render to euery one according to his workes Rom. 2. to those truely who according to patience in good worke seeke glory and honour incorruption life euerlasting But to those which are of contention and which doe not yeeld vnto the truth but beleeue iniquity wrath indignation That is it shall be rendred not so much by the will of Christ as through the malice merite of sinne Consider thirdly the benignity of this King of the Iewes 1. Hee doth not reiect a man infamous for theft who beholdeth not the outward opinion of men but the inward disposition of the heart 2. Hee presently heareth him confessing and forgiueth his sinnes 3. He giueth more thē was asked Remēbrance only was craued glory is promised and the same to be rendred by by euen the very same day Consider 4. the words of our Lord Amen this is a worde of confirmation for that thou mayst giue credit to my words I affirme it by that worde which I neuer vse but in affirming great and serious thinges and I promise it to thee openly before all these witnesses I say I the truth who cannot lye whose promise is effectuall I the Lord of the Kingdome dispose of mine owne and of no bodyes else To thee not to all least they might take occasion to deferre their pēnance to the end of their life but to thee alone lamenting earnestly cōfessing thy sins making satisfactiō for them by this thy punishment that if perhaps any sinner at the last instant of his death will conuert himselfe hee may by thy example conceiue hope of pardon For before we sinne wee ought to set before our eyes the innumerable sinners standing before the Crosse of our Lord and yet obtaining no pardon least our Lord perhaps leaue vs and wee perish amongst them for hee who hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not promised repentance to the sinner But after our sinne wee must remember the Theefe least wee dispaire This day presently after thy death that thou mayest acknowledge the vertue of the Crosse For euen as a Conquerour carryeth his noble spoyles in tryumph to shewe the greatnes of his victory so Christ hauing gotten the victory ouer the Deuill tooke this notable prey from him and carryed away the spoyle and lead this Theefe with him into triumph who had before been a most faithfull slaue to the Deuill With mee that thou which hast beene partner with mee in my paines mayest not be depriued of
Sinne receiued his end as Daniel foreshewed All debts are payed Dan. 9. the price of all the sinnes of the whole world is fully numbred to God the Father 2. To the faithfull all their goods are gotten that nothing is wanting to vs in any grace 1 Cor. 2. 3. He hath perfected his Church a new Common wealth and a chosen vineyard for whereas indeede it was begun to bee planted from the beginning of the world but for want of good manuring did not prosper Christ by his Passion prepared al things necessary for it he instituted a Sacrifice Sacraments he ordained Pastors he made new lawes he diuided offices to euery one hee sent the holy Ghost into the harts of the faithfull to be short he perfected it in such manner as he had spoken before Hiere 31 I will consūmate my new Testament vpon the house of Israell vpon the house of Iuda Hee began to write this Testament many ages past which now with this worde as with the subscriptiō of his hand with his bloud and passion as with his seale is signed by him 4. He fulfilled the desire of the Saints heaped aboūdantly his guifts vpō all the faithfull whom he would haue consummated into one ioyned together in perfect charity replenished with the 7. guifts of the holy Ghost Ioan. 17 Do thou therfore who hast receiued so many benefites frō thy spouse neuer leaue to doe his will because his will is thy sanctification 2 Thes 1. and bee thou carefull to keepe whole vnuiolate the white garment and grace of the holy Ghost which thou didest receiue in the Sacraments Consider 4. that many things are consummate by this passion of Christ euen in wicked men First the hate of the Iewes which could not further bee extended 2. The malice of the Deuils who could doe no more against Christ 3. The Kingdome of the Deuil the Prince of this world was ended his forces broken his spoyles taken away he himselfe bound in hel with a chain neuer to be feared more but to be laughed at euen by little children Apoc. 11. Feare not then the assaults of the deuill who can only counsel threaten but cannot compell nor hurt Cōsider 5. that Christ himselfe is also consummate for vs as the Apostle saith Beeing consummate Heb. 5. he was made to all that obey him cause of eternall saluation 1. His bloud is consummate all which he powred out of his veines for thy sake his strength is consūmate which hee exhausted for thee all his goods are consummate both within without which he offred for thee 2. His paines are consūmate an end is come of all his euils glory only remaineth Therefore in this sence It is consummate is a worde of reioycing that his labours are ouercome Now saith he all thinges are perfect Winter is done Cant. 1. the shower is past and gone there is an end of all euils the begining of good For his very Sepulcher shall presently after his death bee glorious Isa 35. Be thou carefull whilst thou liuest that thy death may end all euills open the way to good Thirdly this mortall life is consummate O Father saith hee I now leaue the world and come vnto thee This word one day shal also be spoken vnto thee It is cōsummate thy life must be ended thou must leaue all thinges which thou hast thy riches thy honours thy parents thy wife thy children and thy friends For I haue seene an end of all consummation and wee Psal 118 who brought nothing into this world 2 Tim. 6. without doubt cannot carry away any thing Therefore if with Christ thou hast nothing but troubles and crosses if all thinges in the world be bitter and sower vnto thee the voice of Christ calling thee will not be vnwelcome It is consummate because the houre of thy redemptiō draweth nigh Mat. 24. Eccle. 4. But O how bitter is the remembrance of death to a man hauing peace in his substance It is Consummate COnsider first that Christ had spoken somthing before of his consūmation as in Luke Behold we goe vp to Hierusalem Luc. 18. and all thinges shall bee consummate which are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man Hee gaue also some beginning to this cōsummation when hee saide in his last supper Ioan. 15 I haue consummate the worke which thou gauest mee that I should doe But in the altar of the Crosse all thinges are consūmate neither could any thing bee consūmate before his passion on the Crosse because without shedding of bloud there is no remission of sinnes Heb. 9. and a testament is not confirmed but by the death of the testator Consider secondly the manner of his consummation to wit the notable constancy of thy Lord and his inuincible courage First hee perfected all thinges alone I haue trodden saith he the presse alone Isa 6. and amongst the people there was not a man with mee that thou shouldst neuer giue ouer the study of piety deuotion though thou wert forsaken of all men For God seeth and helpeth thy endeauours who because he would not be wanting to thee in thy labours denyed his helpe and assistance to his Sonne Secondly hee submitted all his members filled them with torments that thou shouldst spare no labor for the seruice of thy spouse Thirdly hee perseuered euen to the end of his worke Thou oftentimes conceiuest a good worke but thou doest seldome begin it and more seldome proceed in it and scarce euer bring it to an end Pray our Lord to graunt thee the guift of fortitude that thou neuer faint in the study of vertues Consider thirdly with what liberality hee inuiteth thee to those thinges which hee hath consummated by these his labors My Bulles saith hee and my Fowles are killed Mat. 22. come to the marriage For in this passion First Sap. 17. All spirituall daintyes are found for euery man his tast and necessity as the Scripture reciteth concerning Manna Secondly it is the medicine of all diseases Thirdly it is the payment of all debts Do thou therefore inioy this liberality of Christ and being wholy melted into his loue desire to know nothing else but Iesus Christ and him crucified ◠Cor. 2. Consider fourthly that by this word It is consummate God the Father is asked by Christ whether any thing bee wanting to our perfect saluation and that also all creatures yea euen our enemies are as it were iudicially cyted to consider what is wanting and to speake it before the death of Christ For our Lord professeth that hee will pay to the full if there be any punishment yet remaining Behold the liberall mind of thy Lord. Pray him then that laying aside all couetousnes thou mayest bee indued with this bountiful liberality Cōsider fiftly that these great riches of Christ are so prouided for thee that thou oughtest to make
their departure Doe thou likewise for whose sake the Son of God suffred death come neare vnto the Crosse behold all thinges diligently with the eyes of thy soule and let thy speach bee often times thereof Consider secondly that crying he bowed his sacred head first because hee would call thee both by his voyce and becke to learne the profite of the Crosse and to receaue the merites and benefites of the same Secondly to speake in thy eare to communicate his secretes vnto thee to teach thee his commandements and counsailes Thirdly to signifie his consent to all thy petitions and prayers which depend vpon this his holy passion Fourthly that thou mightest the better viewe his head and marke euery thing diligently his thornes his spittinges his bloud his eyes now shutt to thy sinnes his mouth silent from reuenge his face pale with death Consider thirdly that the Euangelists wrote this death of our Lord in diuers words Iohn saith he deliuered vp his spirite Mathewe he sent foorth his spirit Marke and Luke hee breathed out that thou shouldest knowe that Chriâ—t died not like vnto other men but in a singular and peculiar manner neither did he against his will or by compulsion but of his owne free accord render vp his spirite This word hee deliuered signifieth first that he gaue his spirite into his Fathers hands to be kept three dayes and that from thence all merites all vertues all iustice and grace should bee gathered for man-kinde Secondly that as he had already giuen his body to the executioners so now also hee would deliuer his soule for vs because nothing should be wanting to our felicity and happinesse He had giuen his garments he had giuen his honour he had giuen his body hee had giuen his bloud and now there remained nothing but to giue his soule that according to the prophesie of Isaias Isa 9. the whole Sonne might be giuen 3. That he deliuered vp the full price of our redemption For hitherto something was wanting and he had payed as it were but in part but now he made an absolute and full payment that thou maist knowe that now thou art not thine owne man but Christs who hath bought and redeemed thy members with his thy powers with his thy honours and riches with his thy body with his and thy soule with his If thou doest consider these things rightly thou shalt learne first not to abuse thy selfe thy goods to thy owne pleasures nor to spend them according to the will of the Deuill no nor yet to vse them as thine owne but to referre all to the honour of Christ to whome all thinges belong and appertayne Secondly seeing thou hast gotten Christian liberty and art deliuered out of the power of the Deuill neuer to yeilde to him againe For hee hath no right to thee whome Christ hath so dearely redeemed with his bloud Do thou giue thankes vnto thy Lord and offer vp thy selfe and all that thou hast freely vnto him He breathed foorth Mar. 15. Luc. 23 COnsider first that by this word is signified that Christ breathed foorth his last spirite by which spirite and holy breathing first hee purged the ayre being infected with deuils by vertue wherof the Deuills also are driuen away in exorcismes and exsafflations Therefore as the earth is sanctified by the holy body of our Lord and the element of water and all lyquors by the holy bloud and water yssuing from his side so by the diuine spirite of Christ the ayre is sanctified that it may the more profitably carry and inspire into our sences the word of God and his holy mysteries Secondly hee coÌ„municated vnto this world his inward guifts and graces not onely through the holy wounds of his body but also by his mouth Consider secondly that Christ for many causes would suffer not onely paine and torments but also death First to offer vp himselfe by his death as a sacrifice and Holocaust vnro God Secondly to redeeme eternall death due vnto thee through this his death of infinit value Thirdly to confirme by his death all his Sacraments and the newe Testament Fourthly that by this his death as by the death of the high Priest according to the old figure Num. 15. he might recall thee into thy heauenly countrey Fiftly to let thee knowe that thou oughtest to bee his who dyed for thee and not to submitt thy selfe to the Deuill who suffered neither death nor wound for thy saluation Sixtly that thou shouldest account thy selfe dead to the world with Christ and mortifie thy vices and affections For if saith the Apostle one dyed for all 2 Cor. 5. therefore all are dead Consider thirdly that Christ dyed in his flourishing age being three and thirty yeares old when his sences were freshest his heat greatest and his strength best to indure labour First because he was willing to bestowe all his most flourishing things vpon thee to preserue the heate of his loue in thee and with great forces to prepare many benefites for thee Secondly that thou shouldest not prolong the change of thy life till thy withered and decayed old age but consecrate thy youthfull yeares strength vnto Christ Consider fourthly that our Lord was nayled to the Crosse in the sixt houre and in the nynth houre when the day began to growe to an end hee dyed First because he which in the precedent ages had beene immolated in the figures of the sacrifices did in this fourth age of the world dye truly for vs. Secondly that thou who hitherto perhapps hast spent the rest of thy life vnprofitably and wickedly mayest at the least in the end of thy life flye to the death of our Lord. A great comfort is heere giuen vnto sinners who languishing either with age with sicknes or in minde are not able by exacting grieuous punishment of themselues to satisfie for their sinnes may haue the paines bloud and death of Christ to offer for their offences Giue thankes vnto God and dispise not so great a treasure Ioan. 19 Hee sent forth his spirit COnsider that heere also mention is made of the liberty freedome of Christ to dye For euen as in former times Noe sent the Doue out of the Arke Gen. 8 which after a few dayes returned bringing in her mouth a boughe with greene leaues So Christ sent foorth his spirit to returne againe after three dayes with an army of flourishing Saints Emisit saieth hee hee sent forth and not Amisit he lost that thou shouldest not loose thy spirit amoÌ„gst the wicked Consider secondly how the Deuills expected this spirite being ready to come foorth that by the coÌ„mon law of all it might bee ioyned to other soules in Hell For the Euangelist seemeth to signifie so much when hee said the Deuill went from him for a time as though at this time of his death hee would returne againe But because the Prince of this world had nothing in Christ Luc. 4. hee was
Consider thirdly corrected or chastised I will let him goe Pilate thought to deliuer our Lord but corrected not because he deserued it but in fauour of the raging people that they might be satisfied with his stripes Thou seest first that the people could not be satisfied but with the bloud of Christ both because euill men are delighted onely in sinnes which drawe bloud from our Sauiour and also because iust men haue no sweetnes but through the bloud of our Lord nor any reioycing Galat. 6. but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ Consider fourthly that Pilate intended a good work when he purposed to set Christ free but not pure but mingled with much euill to wit with beating and whipping Christ And thou doest imitate him as oft as thou attemptest any good thing mixed with sinne when thou giuest almes out of money euill gotten or goest to the Church that thou mayest seeme religious or doest any other thing not with a true intention Consider fiftly when Pilate thoght of the deliuering of our Lord after this manner then hee remembred a more milde way For he sawe the people assembled together that according to their custome one of the prisoners should be giuen vnto them whome they should choose out of many which the President should propound vnto them of what crime soeuer they were accused and that in remembrance of the people of Israell which about that time of Pasch were deliuered out of the bondage of Egypt When he remembred this Custome he resolued to name Christ alone whome he knewe to be well liked of many for his noble acts and hated onely of the Priestes and Pharisees with a Murderer a Captayne of the seditious and a hatefull man making no doubt but that they would choose Christ before that most wicked man Thou seest first that the Author of life is compared with a turbulent murtherer thou art angry if neuer so little be detracted from thy honor and tytles Thou seest secondly the holy custome of deliuering a prisoner in remembrance and fauour of the benefite of their deliuerie out of the bondage of Aegipt Thou being so often deliuered from the snares of the Deuill and from the bonds of sinne succour and helpe also thy neighbours in memorie of this benefite that by thy labour and help they may be freed from the bonds of their debtes sinnes miseries and of all other euils And as he was sitting in place of iudgement Mat. 27. his wife sent vnto him saying haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in my sleepe for him COnsider first when the people were sent away to deliberate whom they would choose Pilate sate in iudgement and receiued this message from his wife Hil. cā 33 In Mat. Chr. ho. 8 in Mat. Am. lib. 1 in Luc. Hierō in Mat. Augu. ser 121. de tē Ori. tract 35. in Mat Au. Epist ad Philip. Cip. se de Pasc Dō Gre. li. 33 Mor. c. 21 Rab. citatur in Cathena diui Thom. Ber. ser 1. de Pasc admonished either by her good Angell according to the opinion of Hilarius Chrisostome Ambrose Hierome Augustine and Origen or else by a wicked spirit who perceiuing his owne power by little and little to be weakened and that his iudgement was at hand and that the holy Fathers in Lymbo did exult for their speedy deliuerance indeuored to hinder the death of Christ according to the doctrine of Ignatius Ciprian Gregorie Rabanus and Bernard Thou learnest here the innocency of Christ witnessed by the very Angels either good or bad And if this vision came by the helpe of the deuill thou maist see the malice of men whome when the Deuill hath once incited to euil he cannot call backe from sinne For the malice of concupiscence and the force of sinne is so great that it cannot be taken away but by the help of God alone Therefore the Priestes which were prouoked by enuy were not warned but Pilate whom the disease of concupiscence had not yet stirred vp Labour thou with all thy strength to subdue the force of thy concupiscence Consider secondly the Epithetō of Christ that iust man for he is truely our Iustice perfectly iust in himselfe without sinne alwaies doing most iust workes by which he satisfied his Fathers wrath for vs and left an example for vs to imitate Consider thirdly haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man that is meddle not with his businesse let there be no dealings betweene thee and that iust man Learne that this iust man doth not appertain to wicked men and that onely good men are partakers of his iustice Doe thou pray this iust man to vouchsafe to admitte thee into his commerce and society that thy wares from his wares that is thy good workes from his merites may bring much profite to the saluation of thy soule But the chiefe priests elders stirred vp the multitude perswaded the people that they shold demaund Barrabas and destroy Iesus Mat. 27. and when the multitude were come vp Mar. 15 they began to pray Pilate that hee would doe as he did alwaies vnto them Luc. 23. And the President answering said to thē which of the two will ye haue dismissed Ioan. 18. They all cryed out together not him but Barrabas take away him and dismisse vnto vs Barabas And Pilate answering againe said to them What then shal I do with Iesus who is called Christ but they cryed out againe let him be crucified crucifie him crucifie him but Pilate said vnto them the third time for what euill hath this man done I finde no cause of death in him therefore I will correct him dismisse him but they vrged with many cryes desiring that he should be crucified and their voyces increased and they cryed more let him be crucified COnsider first that the people inclyning to Christ were ledd by the Priests to demaund Barabbas and to destroy Christ That thou maist knowe first that one speach of wicked men doth more hurt then many exhortations of Saints can profite For that which Christ had builded with great labour in three yeares is heere ouerthrown in a moment Beware therfore of the speach of euill men especially of heretiques whose words creepe like a canker Thou seest secondly that the authority of Superiours is of great force either to good or euill If therefore thou hast any of Christs sheep vnder thy charge vse thy authority to the glory of God Consider 2. the ingratitude of the people which esteemed so great a Benefactor lesse then a Theefe and chose him to the Crosse Thou learnest first to contemne the applause of the world which hath so cruell an end They cryed a little before Blessed is hee which commeth in the name of our Lord and now in other words Not this man but Let him be crucified Secondly thou seest the blinde iudgment of the world which contemning the highest good