Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	holy_a	manner_n	son_n	14,262	5	5.8799	4	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B12232	Meditations of the whole historie of the Passion of Christ. Written by the Reuerend Father, F. Franciscus Costerus, Doctor of Diuinity, of the Society of Iesus. Translated out of Latine into English by R.W. Esquire; De universa historia Dominicae Passionis meditationes quinquaginta. English	Coster, Franciscus, 1532-1619.; Worthington, Lawrence.	1616 (1616)	STC 5827; ESTC S114528	155,460	681

and made a peace and reconciliation with his Father Hee sayeth therefore O Father forgiue and that by and by For the time of hauing mercy on him commeth Pâ—al 101. for the time commeth to wit the houre of sacrifice the day of satisfaction the time of forgiuenes the last instant of my life in which being presently to yeeld vp my breath I now propound my last petitioÌ„ and intreat onely this O Father forgiue them Fourthly hee saith not forgiue the sinnes already committed but onely forgiue euen those euills which they shall hereafter coÌ„mit against mee their irrisions their blasphemies the bitternes of the vineger my death and the wound in my side that thou also shouldst quickly forgiue thy enemies and remit all thinges keeping no rancor at all in thy heart Fiftly hee sayth not I forgiue both because the offence against his Father grieued him more thâ—â— his own torments and also because being intentiue vpon the happines which should redound to all the world by this his Passion hee seemed to esteem all the euils which the Iewes did vnto him rather as a benefite then any hurt Like as a man hauing a grieuous vlcer in his side if his enemy thinking to kill him should wound him in that place whereby the vlcer should be opened and the corruption let out would bee glad of that wound which was the cause of his cure So desirous was our Lord of thy saluation that hee reioyced at those his paines which were the cause of so great good vnto thee Them Note first that hee sayeth not these wicked Crucifiers these Hangmen these aduersaries and enemies both because thou shouldest refraine from all euill wordes and reproaches and also because thy Lord reputeth no man his enemy who payed the price of his death for all men and offereth saluation to euery one louing dearly euen these very Iewes his executioners Rom. 11. not for their owne euill workes but for their Fathers sakes who were holy and iust men and therefore speaking of his stripes Zach. 13. I was whipped saith hee in the house of them that loued mee Not by them that loued me but the Sonnes of them that loued mee that good might be done vnto the Children for their holy Fathers sakes Secondly them in the plurall number not onely those which conspire now against my death but also to all those who at any time by their sinnes haue giuen cause of this my Passion For thou shalt not bee excluded from this prayer whose sinnes haue been cause of our Lords death and thou mayst haue hope of pardon if thou wilt ioyne thy prayer with the prayer of Christ For if the prayer of Christ did profite them which neuer required it doubtlesse it will profite thee requiring it of him and praying together with him For they knowe not what they doe Luc. 23. COnsider first that Christ to whome all iudgement is giuen and whome his enemyes had offended did not take vpon him the office of a Iudge or an accuser but rather of a defender patrone The Iewes sought how to accuse him and found nothing worthy of accusation in him Our innocent Lord that was offended seeketh how to excuse the offence and the malice of the offence was such that nothing could be alleadged for the extenuating therof but onely ignorance And yet this ignorance being voluntary could no more excuse the Iewes then him who wittingly and willingly hideth his eyes because he will not see him whom he striketh or killeth If Christ then in the midst of his torments mittigateth the sinnes of his torturers will hee not now before his Father excuse their sinnes who call vpon his name with faith deuotion and sorrow for their sinnes Consider secondly that the Father answered not his Sonne by worde and yet Christ was heard for his reuerence Heb. 5 For God when he denyed his Sonnes request answered in the garden by an Angell but when hee graunted it hee answered not in worde but in deede Ioan. 19. For first hee restrained all creatures froÌ„ rising against his enemies in reuenge of his death all which would haue fought for their creator if this prayer of Christ had not stayed them Secondly hee reduced one of the Theeues vnto pennance Thirdly at the death of his Sonne he changed the minde of the Centurion and others Fourthly vpon the solemnity of Penticost hee conuerted sometimes three somtimes fiue thousand of the same Iewes vnto his faith Therefore God the Father not by outward words but by inward consent answered his Sonne in this manner O my Sonne I grant that which thou requirest laying aside all wrath I open the fountaines of mercy and I offer grace and pardon of sinnes Iustice and adoption of children as wel vnto these who haue afflicted thee as also vnto all the Nations of the world for euer and euer so as they will admit mercy offer'd vnto them For I will compell none against their will but I giue power to all to returne into grace and fauour with mee if they will and to be made the Sonnes of God and to come into my inheritance in Heauen so as they will be partakers of the merit of this my Passion through faith and the Sacraments Doe thou cry out now with great affliction great are thy mercyes therfore we giue thankes to thee our Lord God And pray him to bestow the guift of wisdome vpon thee that thou mayst know and admire his bounty and goodnes and driuing away all enuy to giue vnto thee the vertue of charity that thou mayst bee inflamed with the loue of thy neighbour The 36. Meditation of the diuision of his Garments Ioan. 19 Then the Soldiours when they had crucified him tooke his garments and made foure partes to euery Soldiour a part and his coate And the coat was without seame wouen all ouer COnsider first the pouerty of Christ thy Lord hee had not change or many suites of apparrell nor the same of silke and other costly matter but his garments were fewe and poore to defend him only from the cold and to couer his nakednes And by tradition it is deliuered as Euchemius witnesseth that his coate without seame was the worke of the mother of God In Mat. 27 which she did weaue with her owne hands for her sonne when he was a little infant which grew miraculously as our Lord grewe and was not worne nor torne out in all that long time the like whereof is rehearsed in holy Scripture to haue happened to the children of Israell that thou mayest learne by the example of thy Lord to forsake all curiositie and superfluity as well in apparrell as in other things Consider secondly the liberality of thy spouse he had already giuen his body shedde his bloud and spent his youthfull yeares for thee and now he giueth a fewe poore garments leauing nothing for himselfe but nayles thornes spittings and bloud clodded on his body Behold the riches of thy

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 4â— 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 deuotioÌ„ 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 vpoÌ„ 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 maÌ„ner 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

comfort by his prayer though hee prayed with great affection nor yet could be refreshed by the presence of his Disciples euen as sicke folkes are wont to turne this way and that way to ease their wearines Consider secondly that Christ was neuer so troubled with any occasions no not now wheÌ„ he was ready to suffer but that he alwaies thought vpon thy saluatioÌ„ Yea euen now when he is in Heauen hee hath his eyes alwayes bent fauorably towards thee CoÌ„sider thirdly how little man can doe without Christ how soone he falleth a sleepe how soone hee fainteth if Iesus depart neuer so little from him Consider fourthly what it is to haue our eyes heauy that is when wee are not so apt ready to meditate on diuine and heauenly thinges by reason of earthly cares which hinder the mind As the immoderate desire of honor riches ambition the vanities of this world such like affections of the minde Therfore thou must pray vnto God to take from thee that slouthfulnes heauines and accoÌ„modate thee to his owne will CoÌ„sider fiftly how much ashamed the Apostles were who being admonished now the second time could not yet contain themselues froÌ„ sleepe wherfore amongst themselues they did carefully both accuse and excuse their own infirmity Note also this they did not knowe what they should answere vnto him For if the Apostles themselues being men excelling others in sanctity holines of life in a matter of no great fault wherein they might haue aleaged their owne frailty were so sorrowfull knew not to answere what answer wilt thou giue to Almighty God when thou shalt be cyted before him for matters of great moment and many grieuous sinnes shall be obiected against thee which thou hast committed not only by frailty but also craftily maliciously Consider sixtly that our Lord did not complaine that hee was left alone in prayer and labor Because thou shouldest resolue not to be grieued if at any time thou beest inforced to take great paines whilst others bee idle And pray vnto our Lord that hee will stirre thee vp when thou art slouthfull And hee prayed the third time Mat. 26. prayed the same speach saying O my Father if this cup cannot passe from me but that I mmst drinke thereof thy will be done COnsider first that Christ runneth againe to his Father and crauing still one and the same thing is not heard This prayer comprehendeth the wonderfull submission of Christ yeelding himselfe and all that he had into the hands of his Father taking it in no euil part that he was not hard Learne thou hereby not to be troubled in thy minde when things succeed not according to thy desire when thou hast done thy best endeauours Consider secondly the great necessity that Christ should suffer For the eternall Father would neuer haue suffered his sonne to haue prayed so often vnto him if thy saluatioÌ„ might haue been gotteÌ„ by any other meanes Consider thirdly this maÌ„ner of speaking if it cannot passe except I drinke it for hee would be vnderstood that all the benefit of our Lords passioÌ„ should passe vnto vs who are the meÌ„bers of his body but as it were drawne through our mouth that is through Christ who is our head Moreouer as a potioÌ„ is bitter vnsauory to the tast yet very profitable for the meÌ„bers of the body So the dolours of Christ were bitter vnto him and profitable vnto vs. And the passioÌ„ of Christ passeth vnto vs partly because his merit is coÌ„municated and imparted vnto vs and partly because our tribulatioÌ„s labors are sanctified Therfore so often as thou shalt suffer any aduersity so ofteÌ„ do thou think that thou doest participate with the passioÌ„ of Christ And pray him to mittigate thy miseryes through his dolours which hee indured The sixt Meditation of his agony bloody sweate And there appeared vnto him an Angel froÌ„ heauen coÌ„forting him Luc. 22. COnsider first that though in Christ the diuine nature was ioyned with humaine nature into the same person yet in this time of his passion hee tooke no comfort at all from thence Consider secondly how great and grieuous those torments were that man was not sufficient to mittigate them but that it was necessary for an Angel to come from Heauen CoÌ„sider thirdly what was the cause why Christ wold be comforted by an Angell to wit because he wold know to suffer with vs when we are afflicted and teach vs not to haue recourse to fraile vain delights such as are coÌ„monly drawn from creatures but vnto spirituall angelicall heauenly things CoÌ„sider fourthly that God neuer forsaketh them that trust in him For although he doe not alwaies free vs from our troubles yet he doth euer giue vs his grace and strength that we may be able to beare them Consider fiftly that Angells are alwaies present at our prayers therefore thou must be carefull and diligent to worship them being present in a religious and comely manner and pray vnto God according to the Psalme in the fight of Angells I will sing vnto thee Epiph in an corato Haeresi 69. Consider sixtly how the Angell did comfort Christ for he did it not by any inward comfort or grace because Christ admitted no comfort in all the time of his passion but vsed some outward wordes wherin hee propounded vnto him both the absolute necessity of such bitter paines and the great profite that shall come thereby and also the resolute will of his Father the oracles of the Prophets c. Consider seuenthly whether there bee any thing wherein thou maiest comfort and confirme Christ and incourage him to doe something for thy sake which will be effected if he shall see thee behaue thy selfe well wisely to imploy the tallent which he hath deliuered vnto thee and that thou doest indure thy labours couragiously For then hee will behold thee louingly exalt thee to higher honour In the meane time do thou pray vnto Christ to comfort and instruct thee not onely in outward words but especially in inward vertue and wisdome Luc. 22. And being in an agony hee prayed longer THis agony was a certain inward striuing not of the flesh against the spirit but of nature against Death and in all this bitter time Christ was to fight in three seuerall coÌ„flicts and he was superiour in euery one First with nature abhorring to dye so cruell a death Secondly with the iustice of his Father exacting grieuous punishment Thirdly with the most cruell enemy of man-kinde But hee began with the battel against nature that thou mayest knowe how to behaue thy selfe in thy coÌ„flict for thy saluation that is that first of all thou must indeauour to subdue thy inclination to restraine thy desires which being ouercome thou shalt finde God pacified and the Deuill will flye from thee Consider first with what contention with how great labour Christ thy Captaine doth fight and

the greatnes of their enuy whereby they desired to doe all mischiefe vnto Christ and that our lord had giuen them power to satisfie their desires Acts. 22 The Apostle Paul was taken with great cruelty pulled out of the TeÌ„ple by force preseÌ„tly beaten with their fistes almost killed with stripes but it was nothing to this cruelty which surpassed all cruelty Consider the antient predictions of this his captiuity Many clogs compassed me about they tooke me as a Lyon prepared for his prey Psal 11 Psal 16. casting me downe they compassed me now about they compassed me like Bees and they burned like fire in the thornes being pushed I was ouerthrowne that I fell Secondly marke the words of the Euangelists a coÌ„pany the tribune the Ministers not a few but the whole army laboured for this captiuity euery one went about some thing they came they leaped with great violence as blessed Gregory Nazianzene affirmeth Laid hands on him not onely apprehending him but grieuously beating him They held him as St. Leo saith In Christo patieÌ„te ser 7. de pas domini they pulled him hither thither and they bound him O how many cords were pulled not by one but by many both because he should not escape and also because being seene in such habit he might be iudged worthy of death by all men These bands were due vnto thee for thy sinnes except thou beest partaker of them thou shalt bee bound with euerlasting chaynes in hell Suffer then with thy lord who was so cruelly bound for thy cause and endeauour to be thankefull and pray him that by this his captiuity hee will deliuer thee free froÌ„ al the power of the Deuill and from all bonds of euill desires which according to the Deuills will might drawe thee into any sinne restore thee to spirituall liberty that being deliuered out of the hand of thy enemie thou maist serue him Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Then all his Disciples leauing him fled but a certaine young man did followe him cloathed in linnen vpon the bare and they layd hold of him but he leauing his linnen fled away naked from them COnsider first that heere are two things declared whereby thou maist vnderstaÌ„d the great fury cruelty which was vsed in taking Christ and carying him away One was the flight of his most deare Disciples who were stroken into so great a feare that although they burned in loue with him yet euery one of them fledd away The other that a young man in one of the next houses being moued with the tumult rose out of his bed couered onely with linnen came foorth to see what was done in the streete whome they thinking to bee one of his Disciples would haue apprehended but he leauing his linnen fled away naked whereby thou maist gather what a clamor they made as if their prey were now taken and how much they raged and desired to hurt all them which belonged vnto Christ Consider secondly that Christ was forsaken by all his friends and followers and cruelly carryed away by the hands of the wicked Learne heereby not to trust in men which oftentimes in this life and euer in death doe forsake all men and pray thy Lord that he neuer forsake thee although thou beest forsaken of al men especially in the houre of thy death when thou must goe into a strange countrye without the company of any man with thee The twelfe Meditation of the acts in Annas house and his sending to Caiphas And they brought Iesus first to Annas Ioan. 7. for he was father in law to Caiphas who was the high Priest of that yeare And Caiphas was he which gaue counsaile to the Iewes Because it is necessary that one man dye for the people COnsider first that Christ was brought to Annas either because he should be caried to his father in law Caiphas an old man which should succeede the next yeare in the high priesthood and dwellling in the way to the high Priests house or else for the traytor to whome as Saint Cyrill saith Annas was appointed by the Priestes to pay the reward of his treason Lib. 11. in Ioan. cap. 37. for the taking of our Lord. Behold thou the affections of euery man the cruell ioy of this most wicked Annas tryumphing that at the last his enemy was taken the flattering congratulations of the Soldiours the couetousnesse of Iudas hauing now receiued his money the modesty of Christ and his cheerefull minde to suffer for thee Consider secondly that mention is here made of the counsaile which Caiphas gaue for the putting of Christ to death that it may be shewed that he prosecuted his death who first gaue the counsell of his death Secondly that thou maist learn that al things which our Lord suffered in his passion did not happen vnto him so much by humane counsaile as by the will of God For those words of the death of our Lord although Caiphas vttered them out of a wicked minde yet he spake them by the instinct of the holy Ghost who vseth to apply the words of the wicked for the profit of the iust that he might teach thee that God the Father inioyned God the Son tooke vpon him this cruell passion only for the loue of maÌ„kinde that thou again mightst be caried into the loue of God with all thy heart minde Thirdly that thou maist know that God neuer forgetteth sinnes past though perhappes they are out of thy minde For all things are kept in memory and an account shall be demanded at the houre of death And Annas sent him bound to Caiphas the high Priest Ioan. 18 Mat. 26. where the Scribes and Seniours were assembled COnsider first that Christ suffered many wrongs in the house of Annas for this word hee sent him signifieth that he did not lightly suffer him to goe away but that he made some stay But search out with thy selfe what those things were For blessed Cyrill saith that the blowe was giuen him in the house of Caiphas and many affirme that this word he sent should be taken in the Hebrue for this word he had sent Consider secondly what this word signifieth bound to wit that either he was newly bound or else that his former boÌ„ds were not loosed that he might bee accounted condemned as guilty worthy of bonds by the iudgmeÌ„t of this graue maÌ„ But as the wicked Priest did take no compassion vpon him that was bound so neither doest thou take any pittie vpon thy poore afflicted Neighbour nor yet vpon thy owne soule which is grieuously tyed with the bondes of sinnes Consider thirdly this wearisome iourney in which thy Lord was cruelly drawne with with cordes and whipped on with stripes whether soeuer it pleased the wicked people to earye him He walked indeede the hard waies that he might make the way to HeaueÌ„ easie and plaine for thee and that thou mightest goe in the way of the CoÌ„maundements

thee so thou oughtest religiously to meditate worship and imbrace those spittings whips reproaches which haue brought aboundance of so great goods vnto thee For our Lord knoweth his owne attyre and he will more easily receiue thee comming in such garments then in worldly pompe and brauery And hee had rather haue thee to pray and worship him in this poor array then in all thy braue attyre Consider secondly that this sack of the body of Christ which came down from Heauen Ioan. 1 full of grace and truth is now opened and torne in all partes breathing out of his holy bowels a wonderfull sauour so sharpe that it driueth away Deuils Mat. 24. so peircing that it entreth into stony hearts and so sweete that it draweth the Eagles from all partes of the world For where the body shall bee Mat. 24. thither also will the Eagles be gathered Purge thou the nostrils of thy heart purge thou the filth of thy vices that being stirred vp with the sweetnes of the sauour of God Thou mayst runne into the sweet sauour of these oyntments Cant. 1 And pray vnto our Lord to drawe thee after him with his sweetnes to instill into thy heart the loue of his Passion that thou mayest contemne the world in respect therof And he said behold the man by this worde Pilate endeauoured to mooue some commiseration shewing first the bitternes of his punnishment as if hee had said knowe that hee is a man and not a beast if hee haue committed any fault he hath paid wel for it therfore Ã´ meÌ„ take pitty vpon a man it is the part of beasts not to spare the conquered And again behold he is a man a most miserable man whom ye haue accused as King of the Iewes there is no cause why yee should be afraid of this King whome through the great deformity of his body cruell tormeÌ„ts yee can scarce knowe to be a man Doe thou apply these words profitably vnto thy selfe in this maÌ„ner 1. Behold the man he is set before thee to imitate in this habite in these gestures and in this shape of body and minde Abraham was proposed to our Auncestours for an example of life Isa 51 Marke the Rock saith Isaias out of which yee were cut Heere a man is proposed vnto thee of whom our Heauenly Father saith Heare him and the Sonne of God Learne yee of mee Mat. 27. for I am meeke and humble of heart Looke therefore not vpon other mens manners but vpon this mans vpon this face of Christ who although hee be God whose vertues and deedes thou canst not attayne vnto yet he is true man indued with the same frayle and humane nature like thee and other men Thy first Father Adam made thee of a man like to foolish Beastes Psal 84. If thou wilt returne to the auncient dignity of humane nature ioyne thyselfe with this man Secondly beholde the man to whome thou maist flye in all thy necessities these spittings are suffered for thee this bloud is shedd for thee and all these euills are indured for thy sake both that thou shouldest take away thy sinnes and cure thy wounds by these medicines and also that thou shouldest pay them to the eternall Father for thy infinite depts Thirdly behold the man marke what thy sinnes haue brought vnto this man thy pride hath caused these irrisions and this contempt thy couetousnesse this nakednes thy drunkennesse this effusion of bloud thy lust these thornes and thy sloath these bonds O man behold this man but who art thou and what is he thou a man like a worme he a man and God Oh how great glory is due vnto him and how much shame vnto thee yet what is he become for thy sake and what sufferest or doest thou for him Psal 21 he is made a worme and no man a scorne of men and an abiect of the people And this because he would carry thee vp to God But thou being carefull of nothing lesse then of exalting his glory applyest thy selfe about thine own honor wealth and commoditie The 27. Meditation of the third accusation of our Lord before Pilate Ioan. 16 Then wheÌ„ the high Priests and the Ministers sawe him they cryed saying crucifie him crucifie him COnsider first the people holding their peace and inclyning to coÌ„miseration the Priestes and their ministers and flatterers were not pacified That thou maist knowe first that no man is moued more hardly to repent his sinnes then he which sinneth of set purpose and malice For they which fall thorough weakenesse and ignorance are sooner recalled and deserue pardon but they which wittingly and willingly are euill are rather hardned indurate theÌ„ any way ameÌ„ded by admonitions 2. That the enimies of Christ and of his Church are neuer the better for being vsed geÌ„tly curteously For these kind of meÌ„ are to be subdued by thretnings terrors constancy not by sufferance Consider 2. That euen as these wicked men did vpon the sight of the bloud of Christ thirst after his death like dogges vpon the sight of the bloud of a wilde Beast So thou oughtest to be inflamed with the loue of the passion of our Lord by the contemplation of his paines Psal 38. that the fire of Deuotion may be inkindled in thy meditations Consider thirdly how the words of these wicked people did pierce the bowells of thy Lord crucifie him crucifie him of which he foretold in the Prophet I haue left my house I haue put away my inheritance Hiere 12 I haue giuen my beloued soule into the hands of her enemies my inheritance is made vnto me like a Lyon in the woâ—d Sâ—ffer with thy Lord and lament thy sinnes which continually send foorth the same cryes and are bloud-suckers instantly crying Pro. 30 Bring Bring Pilate said vnto them take yee him and crucifie him Ioan. 19. for I finde no cause in him COnsider first that Pilate being moued with disdaine answered somewhat sharply vnto the Iewes Admire thou thy own coldnesse who art a Christian knowest the dignity of Christ and the greatnesse of his paines and doest confesse that thou wert the cause thereof and yet art not moued neither with commiseration towards Christ nor with disdaine against thy selfe Learne iustly to be angry at them which goe about to incite thee and others vnto sinne that is to say at the Deuill and his ministers Say vnto him if thou wilt offend the goodnesse of God I finde no cause in him but of loue reuerence and thankesgiuing Consider 2. Though Pilate was loath to pronounce the senteÌ„ce of death aganst our Lord yet he did not hinder his death but wold put it ouer to other meÌ„ WhoÌ„ thou doest imitate as often as thou leauest to the will of others that mischife which thou thy selfe darest not coÌ„mit Consider 3. That this wicked PresideÌ„t after all this grieuous punishment found no cause in him either of

meanes wherehy it may bee acquired imploring the assistance of our Sauiour to accomplish our inteÌ„t Christ in his Passion gaue vs a patterne of all vertues but especially of those which the Scriptures doe so often commend vnto vs. Of which the first is Humility whereby being most bitterly scoffed at cloathed in a white and purple garment crowned with a crowne of thornes lesse esteemed then the murtherer Barrabas crucified betwixt two Theeues and suffering many other mockings and contempts he alwaies humbly behaued himselfe The second is Meekenes whereby he euer shewed himselfe milde and gentle to all men endured torments most patiently was silent in all reproches and iniuries neuer vsed any excuses neuer offended any body with his language or froward actions The third is Obedience which then deserueth greatest commendation when hard thinges are commanded by wicked men Christ was not onely obedient to his Father euen vnto death Phil. 2. yea the death of the Crosse but also to wicked Iudges and torturers whome he obeyed simply chearefully and constantly when hee put off his garments put on the purple receiued the Crowne of Thornes caryed his owne Crosse stretched out his hands and feete to be nayled and did many other things that they coÌ„manded him The fourth is Charity which then onely seemeth to be perfect when as for Gods sake wee loue not onely our friends but also our enemies esteeming them not our enemies but our friendes Which our Lord seemeth to haue performed most aboundantly when speaking of his most perfect loue towards vs hee said No man hath greater charity then this that a man giue his life for his friends For albeit it may seeme greater charity to yeild our life for our enemies yet that charity is indeed most perfect which acknowledgeth no enemies but reputeth those for our friends which are our enemies and doth good no lesse to them then to our friends Now Christ was so tenderly affected towards his enemies that the more iniuries and wrongs he receiued at their hands the more his loue encreased towards them and the greater benefites he bestowed vpon them like vnto fire which the more it is blowed the hotter it burneth Therefore in the whole time of his passion he prayed vnto God his Father for his enemies For this that they should loue me Psal 108 they detracted from me and I prayed in minde but not in voyce But wheÌ„ he was fastned to the Crosse and the bloud ranne out of the foure fountaines of his hands feete then with a loud voyce he prayed for them that crucified him at the last when he yeilded vp his spirite he moued with exceeding charity the heartes of the standers by to faith and penaunce The first is Mercy which is the daughter of charity By this our Lord gaue vnto vs his garments honour fame estimatioÌ„ flourishing age streÌ„gth health life The sixt is Contempt of the world by which he refused all thinges which the world admireth and accounteth good and tooke vpon him those things which the world abhorreth for riches choosing pouerty for honours contempt for pleasures paines for comme dations mockings The seauenth is Perseuerance through which being neither ouercome by his Mothers sorrowes nor moued by the heauines of his friends nor conquered by the derision of his enemies nor wearied with the torments of his body he would not come down from the Crosse which he had ascended for thy saluatioÌ„ The fourth is Thanksgiuing Thankesgiuing by which pondering the benefites bestowed vpon vs wee breake foorth into praises not in wordes onely which is the least praise and action of thankes but rather in heart and workes that weighing in our mindes the great benefite bestowed vpon vs we should esteeme much thereof and take heede of all offending our Benefactor and omitt no occasion in all things to requite it There are fiue thinges which doe mooue much vnto this thankefulnesse First the euill which we haue escaped Secondly the good which we haue receiued by the benefite Thirdly the worthinesse of our Benefactor Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed And fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed Therefore that we may be moued to thankefulnesse wee must consider first the euills which we haue escaped through this passion of Christ as sinne the greatest of all euills blindnes of minde hardnes of heart bondage of the deuill fowlenes of the soule the present perill of eternall fire so grieuous as cannot be conceiued so long as it hath no end so certaine as without Christ it cannot bee avoyded Secondly the goods which we haue gayned as grace iustice the adoption to bee the sonnes of God Sacraments Sacrifice vertues the promise of euerlasting life and to be briefe all the goods both of body and minde For there is no good thing in mans life which the passion of Christ hath not either giuen or preserued Thirdly the dignity of the person for euen as we vse to allowe a greater stipend to a Nobleman or Doctor for a smell office then to a plaine country man for a great labour so we ought to be more thankefull to the more worthy person How thankefull then shall we bee to Christ who is of infinite dignity Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed to wit gratis and not without great labour God made Heauen and Earth without any trouble by his onely word but thee he redeemed with paynes bloud and his owne life and for all these benefites he requireth nothing of thee but praise and thankefulnes Fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed if base if an enemy if ingrateful What are we then If as the wise man sayeth The whole world before God is as a drop of the morning deawe Eccle. 11. which falleth vpon the earth What in comparison of God shall one silly man be who being compared with the whole world with all the multitude of men is nothing Holy Iob hath expressed our basenesse I said to rottennes thou art my Father Iob. 17. and to the wormes my Mother my Sister Now we are not only base but we were also enemies estranged averted froÌ„ God neither seeking nor desiring his grace but rather reiecting it when it was offered When therefore thou shalt consider first that thou art deliuered from the greatest most certain euerlasting miseries secondly that thou art indued with most high and infinite goods thirdly by the most mighty God of infinite maiestie fourthly with so great labours and paines as neuer any mortall creature sustayned thou canst not choose but thinke whether it is fit that so abiect a creature should bee dissolued into praise thankesgiuing The fift is conceiuing Hope Hope By the consideration of three things our hope is much shaken and weakened First of the purity which is required for eternall life Apoc. 21. into which nothing defiled or vncleane shall enter Secondly of the strict

hereafter they may haue the greater rewards in the life to come Doe thou desire rather to be afflicted in this world for thy sinnes then after thy death to be separated from Christ with euerlasting punishment The third Meditation of the great perplexitie of Christ in the Garden Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And he began to feare to waxe weary to be sorrowfull and to be sad BEcause that sinnes are first committed in heart before they be done in worke Christ would suffer the sorrowes of heart before the paines of body that thou maist know that he was grieuously afflicted not onely in body but also in minde and there are foure principall kindes of sorrowes assigned by the Euangelists which Christ admitted of his owne will in the Garden and retayned them euen till his death The first was a certaine terror and feare of the most grieuous paines now at hand and also of a most terrible death which nature alwaies abhorreth beyond measure also of the sinnes of all man-kinde which he tooke vpon him in the Garden and cloathed himselfe therewith as with a garment weaued of all kinde of filthinesse with which in the person of all sinners he must suffer the seuerity of God The second griefe was loathsomnesse being weary of all things in this life seing himselfe forsaken not onely of all men but also of his heauenly Father The third was sorrowfulnesse first for the grieuous sins which the Iewes should commit in his death and also for the small number of them which should be pertakers of this his so great affliction and likewise for the vnfaithfulnesse of thee and of other Christians who by their blasphemous words and grieuous sinnes should shed and defile the most precious bloud which he was now ready to offer for them The fourth was sadnesse that is a grieuous trouble or anxiety of minde when he sawe there was no meanes for him to escape For of the one side the commaundement of his Father and the great loue of man-kinde encouraged and pricked him forward and on the other side nature feared and repugned These foure affections Christ tooke vpon him that he might prepare a medicine for sinners who are troubled with the like passions For they which are not content with any estate liue in continuall wearinesse and loathsomnesse they which are alwaies pricked in conscience liue in perpetual sorrow and they which are troubled with the remeÌ„brance of death liue in continuall feare and they passe their life in sadnesse and doubtfulnes which know that their sinnes shall be examined by the strict iudgment of Christ which happenneth chiefely at the houre of death when Christ our Iudge standeth at our doores Doe thou pray vnto our Lord that those his afflictions may bring vnto thee fortitude ioy alacrity and security Mat. 26. Mar. 14. And he said vnto them my soule is sorrowfull euen vnto death LEt vs weigh euery word wisely for he doth not say my soule is fearefull or I am weary of life or my soule is doubtfull least he should seeme to goe to his passion rather against his will then willingly but he saith it is sorrowfull not onely for the sundry causes of sorrowe but that therby he might shew that he was very man that suffered my soule he doth not say I am sorrowfull because his wil reioyced and was desirous to dye but my soule that is my nature which neuer moued his will Againe my soule that is griefe hath inwardly entered into my soule least perhappes you might thinke through the continuall contemplation of his diuine nature that he felt no griefe in his soule Euen vnto death that is either because that sorrowe continued vntill his death and no longer or else because it was so vehement that mans nature could endure no more without perill of death Pray vnto our Lord that this his sorrowe may bring life vnto thy soule Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Stay yee heere and watch with me and he was drawne away from them and he went as farre as the cast of a stone COnsider first what euery one must doe in his troubles to wit he must stay that is expect patiently and hee must watch that is he must be carefull that no euill happen vnto him for to an vnquiet troubled man many vicious and euil things are suggested Consider secondly how vnwillingly Christ left his disciples For this worde drawne away discribeth a violent pulling and going hee went not farre but as farre as the cast of a stone like as mothers are wont to goe a little way from their young children when they teach them to goe so as they may catch them againe when they are ready to fall All these thinges declare the loue of Christ his greeuous inward sorrowes by which hee was moued to pray vnto his Father that he might haue some comfort from him Bee thou moued with the sorrowes of Christ thy Lord who was forsaken of all men because he loueth nothing better then to bee with thee apply all thy endeauours that he may alwaies remaine with thee The fourth Meditation of the first prayer of Christ And kneeling downe hee fell on his face vpon the ground and prayed Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. if it might bee that that houre might passe from him Saying O my Father if it may bee let this cup passe from me but yet not as I will but as thou wilt COnsider first the ceremony which Christ vsed in this praier For he kneeled downe on the ground as one guilty of death for thy sinnes hee fell down vpon the earth prostrating himselfe to be sacrificed for thy saluation representing whose person hee had now taken vpon him the most abiect estate of sinners who as they are vnworthy to looke vp to Heauen so lying vpon the earth with the weight of their sinnes they are worthy to bee troden trampled vpon by all men Consider secondly his wonderfull affection in this prayer and the force of euery worde My Father that is I am thy Son that must suffer most bitter paines for most vilde men O father wilt thou not spare me thy only begotten Sonne If it may bee hee vnderstandeth that sauing Gods iustice there was no other meanes left for the redeeming of man-kinde but onely by the death of the sonne of God Consider heer in thy minde the loue of God who spared not his own Son that he might spare thee Let passe from me This prayer was to escape so cruell a kinde of death Yet in these wordes there lyeth hidden some secret meaning as if hee should say I would not that this affliction should remaine in mee but that the fruit thereof may passe vnto all Christians I will drinke and they shall bee satisfied This cup he calleth his passioÌ„ a cup as that which containeth the cause of all our ioy And eeuen as those torments made Christ as it were druÌ„ken with the greatnes of his loue so all iust

men are made drunk with the heat of the loue of God throgh the mediatioÌ„ merite of the passioÌ„ of Christ In this place wee may call to minde the quallities of excellent wine when men drinke plentifully therof for by wine the inward partes of man are warmed it maketh men merry it causeth sleep it lifteth vp the heart it maketh men eloqueÌ„t it is druÌ„ken with ease and pleasure Apply all these things to the passioÌ„ of our Lord which Christ begaÌ„ with great charity sustained with cheerfulnes as one besides himselfe became foolishnes to the Gentiles scandall to the Iewes and so his charity was not onely diminished by his paines as in men it often hapneth but rather inflamed euen as stones by rubbing wax hotte And to be briefe our Lord was laid asleep in death If thou when thou sufferest any thing for Christs sake dost feele the like affections in thy selfe be thou assured that the passion of Christ shall bring much profit vnto thee Consider thirdly the forsaking his owne will in so hard a case and offer thyselfe ready for all thinges and desire of God to graunt thee a will indifferent in all occasions Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. And when he was risen from his prayers hee came to his disciples and found them sleeping and hee said to Peter Simon sleepest thou couldest thou not watch one houre with mee COnsider first Christ was troubled his disciples slept the Church suffereth and wee grieue not thereat Thou also how slack art thou oftentimes in the seruice of God how earnest in thy priuate busines Consider secondly that after a short prayer our Lord rose presently vp as if for griefe of minde hee could not stay long in one place desirous to haue some comfort sometimes of his Father and sometimes from his disciples Euery word spoken vnto Peter hath force Simon hee saith not Peter which newe name signifieth constancy but Simon his auntient name So in euery Christian may bee found a new name of the sons of God with which being indued they sinne not and a name of nature by which they are accounted frayle men and subiect to many vices Doest thou sleepe Peter is reprehended not for any great fault but because he slept and belieue thou that God valueth much the least faultes which thou dost commit Couldest thou not he teacheth vs to labour be diligent in doing good works though they be hard seeing that temptations infirmity of nature and such like which wee pretend for excuses shall not excuse vs. Our hower he toucheth the shortnesse of time wherein wee must labour And where he saith watch he sheweth the easinesse of the seruice of God in which is onely required of thee that thou shalt watch that is that thou beest watchfull in all thy actions to wit that in all thy sences thou beest careful and watchfull least the Deuill creepe into thy minde with me that is not alone but hauing me for thy guide Heere examine thy conscience what hetherto thou hast done for Christ and what labours thou hast taken for the world and now at the least referre all things to the glory of God which thou doest for the world and pray him that hee will be thy guide in thy spirituall warfare Why doe you sleepe watch and pray Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. least ye enter into teÌ„ptation the spirit truely is ready but the flesh is weake COnsider first the sharpe reprehension of the disciples after the admonition of Peter for thou shalt not therfore be excused because thou doest offend in imitatioÌ„ of thy Superior Consider secondly that thou must watch pray for except thou doest worke with God God with thee thou shalt doe nothing Consider thirdly what that spirit is which is said to be ready and how the flesh is weake First the spirite that is the will of a good man is ready doth often apprehend very notable thinges Secondly the holy Spirit is prompt ready but men being allured by the pleasures of the flesh doe not alwaies follow and obey it Thirdly the euill spirit is alwaies busie and ready to hurt but we are weake to make resistance These things may worthily moue thee to watch and pray for it is a matter of great moment not to bee deiected in time of aduersity Pray vnto Christ to giue thee not only a ready and willing desire but also power to effect and to graunt vnto thee whatsoeuer he commandeth command what he will The fift Meditation of the second third prayer of Christ He went away again the second time prayed the same speach saying Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc 22. Abba father all things are possible vnto thee if thou wilt transferre this cup from me but yet not mine but thy will be done CHRIST acknowledgeth that he hath not yet obtained that which he prayed for therefore he prayeth the second time because thou shalt not be grieued if thou art not heard by by which art neither so worthy a persoÌ„ nor so earnest a prayer Marke euery word of this prayer Abba pater that is Father father which repititioÌ„ is a signe of a most vehement calling to him which is farre off God truly is farre off from sinners wherefore wee must say with Dauid Out of the depth I haue cryed vnto thee O Lord O lord heare my voyce And because Christ in this place did represent the person of all sinners which hee had now taken vpon him knowe thou that our heaueÌ„ly Father is a louing Father of all sinners that whensoeuer thou shalt fall into sin thou shalt not be dismayed therewith And he doth not a little comfort vs when he addeth all things are possible vnto thee for nothing is impossible or hard vnto God this word if thou wilt doth expres that God can easily helpe vs and that he needeth not to work or labor because by his will only he can doe al things And the reason why he will not when we pray vnto him is because through his continuall loue towards vs he guideth al things to our saluatioÌ„ Now ioyne these three together Father which word importeth the loue of God All thinges are possible whereby is declared his omnipotency if thou wilt by which thou seest the easinesse to performe it thereby thou shalt take great coÌ„fort of thy sorrowes It is the surest way in all prayer to lay aside our owne will for God wil guid thee much better according to his wil when thou dost not interpose thine owne iudgment sences Pray therfore vnto God that he will direct thee like vnto a plough Oxe without thine own will And he came againe found them sleeping Mat. 26. Mar. 14. for their eyes were very heauy and they knewe not what to answeare him and leauing them he went away again COnsider first how often Christ doth visite his Disciples wherby he sheweth the passing griefe of his minde who receiued no

of any moment was alleaged Yet he vrged those things which hee knew to be false Consider secondly that Christ helde his peace both because hee knewe that his conscience did answer all those things and also because he would not avoyd death by his eloquence Hee teacheth the first to contemne all iniuries and lyes to suffer them patieÌ„tly partly because thogh perhaps thou art not guilty of those thinges which are obiected against thee yet thou hast offended God in many thinges whereof no man accuseth thee and partly because thou art neuer the worse because other men thinke thee to bee euill For euery one is such as hee appeareth to bee in the sight of our Lord. Secondly not to thinke them worthy of an answer which do offer wrong because their owne conscience doth reproue them CoÌ„sider thirdly what our Lord did when hee held his peace For this saith hee That they should loue mee Psal 108. they did detract from mee but I did pray Hee prayed then that the fruite of his Passion might passe vnto thee Therfore in euery trouble of thy minde conuert thy selfe vnto Christ For it cannot bee that hee remembring this vniust accusation can be vnmercifull vnto thee in thy troubles false accusations Consider fourthly that the high Priest euill interpreting this silence of our Lord did vse adiuration in these words I adiure thee or as the Greek text is I coniure thee which worde is vsed in the coniuration of Deuils Marke heere whom thy Lord is accounted to bee to wit one obsessed of a deuill And the high Priest by his coniuration demanded two things First whether he bee Christ that is to say the Messias promised in the Law Secondly whether hee be the Sonne of God For therefore was hee put to death because he was Christ and therefore hee redeemed man-kinde by his death because he was the Sonne of God that is to say of equall Maiesty with God the Father Iesus said vnto him thou hast said Mat. 26. Mar. 14. I am but I say vnto you hereafter yee shall see the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God and coÌ„ming in the cloudes of Heauen COnsider first that Christ being admired by the name of the liuing God did holde his peace no longer both because hee would not seeme to auoide death by holding his peace and also that thou shouldest alwayes reuerence the name of God Thou hast said That is so it is as thou hast spoken and as thy conscience doth witnes vnto thy selfe Consider secondly that hee maketh mention of the Iudgment to come in the wordes of Daniel First that hee might take away the iealousie of his affecting a Kingdome because hee sought not an earthly but a heauenly and eternall Kingdome Secondly that they should abstaine from this euill iudgment for feare of the Iudgment to come Learne first in all thy actions to remember thy last end Secondly in all accusations to haue patience because power shall be giuen thee to Iudge thy accusers and those which haue afflicted thee Thirdly alwayes but especially at the end of thy life to confesse a truth euen though it be great losse both to thy body and goods And pray thy Lord that hee will strike thy flesh with wholsome feare and inflame thy hart through the MeditatioÌ„ of his Passion The 16. Meditation of the first condemnatioÌ„ of Christ and of his mocking Then the chiefe Priest rent his garments Mat. 26. Mar. 14. saying Hee hath blasphemed what neede wee witnesses any further beholde yee haue now heard the blasphemy what thinke yee they answering said he is guilty of death IF in any great matter there happened any grieuous euill as without doubt blasphemy is then the Iewes did cut or teare their garments and by that signe did shew the grieuousnes of the matter which should cut the heart with griefe and bee reuenged euen with the losse of honour and goods But the high Priest was forbidden to cut his garments by this Lawe The high Priest shall not vncouer his head hee Leuit. 21 shall not cut his garments Neuerthelesse this vnlearned Priest being ignorant of the Lawe did cut his garment and by cutting it made an end of the Priesthood of the Iewes Learne thou to be moued with the iniuries offered vnto God though it bee to thine owne losse hinderance CoÌ„sider first what opinion the Iewes had of thy Lord. He was first accounted an Imposter or Inchanter wherupon Iudas said Carry him warily least in wrapping your eyes with his iugling he slippe from you Secondly iniurious vnto men doest thou so saith hee answere the high Priest Thirdly obsessed by a Deuill in the exorcisme and coniuration of the high Priest Fourthly blasphemous against God Fiftly a false Prophet in the Officers scoffing and mocking him Behold with what Titles thy Lord was honoured in this his passion Consider secondly with what minde Christ heard this generall voice of the people He is guilty of death and euen of that people whose dead hee had raised whose sicke he had healed and whose profite hee had procured Admire the malice of wicked men and the gentlenes of Christ who being nothing mooued with this sentence of death offered himself ready to dye for them which killed him Pray therfore that by this sentence of his death thou mayst be deliuered from the sentence of eternall death And the men Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14 which helde Iesus mocked him beating him and they spet in his face beate him with blowes they couered him struck his face asked him saying Prophesie vnto vs O Christ who is hee that struck thee COnsider first that Christ in the couÌ„sel was not only tyed with bondes but also held by the hands of many who after the sentence of death pronouÌ„ced did handle him most cruelly as a coÌ„demned man against whom they could not sinne The deuil increased their cruelty who because he had obserued no sinne in him in his whole life desired by these tormeÌ„ts to moue him to some impatience CoÌ„sider secondly that then they raged most against Christ when hee confessed himselfe to be the Son of God For then thou must expect most temptations both by men and deuils when by the amendment of their life and manners thou shalt shew thy selfe to bee the Sonne of God Consider thirdly there were fower kinde of mockings First they beat him with their fists and handes about the head face and necke Secondly they spit their filthy fleame in his face Thirdly they couered his face which by the sweet aspect therof seemed to hinder and stay their fury and wickednes Fourthly they vsed reproachfull words prophesie as if they should say thou art not a true but a false Prophet Take thou heede of these kinde of illusions For first thou doest strike Christ when thou hurtest thy neighbour thou dost strike his head with blowes when secretly thou doest hurt thy superiours his face

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 inspiratioÌ„ CoÌ„sider 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 DoÌ„ CoÌ„sider thirdly out of St. Leo that after Iesus was offered being bouÌ„d 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 repeÌ„tance Thirdly the quallityes of the Deuill who bewitcheth our eyes before the sinne bee coÌ„mitted least we should fee the foulnesse thereof but after the sinne hee openeth the same that wee should dispaire CoÌ„sider secondly the answere of the Priests What is that to vs Peter after his sinne coÌ„mitted went out from the coÌ„pany 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 giueÌ„ 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 DoÌ„ he might haue hoped for pardon But hanging himselfe hee coÌ„mitted a new sinne of murther desperation Behold how

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. caÌ„ 33 In Mat. Chr. ho. 8 in Mat. Am. lib. 1 in Luc. HieroÌ„ in Mat. Augu. ser 121. de teÌ„ Ori. tract 35. in Mat Au. Epist ad Philip. Cip. se de Pasc DoÌ„ 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 EpithetoÌ„ 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 theÌ„ 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

death or stripes Doe thou inquire the cause in the opened bowells of Christ to wit his burning loue which cutt brake asunder this sacke of his body poured foorth his bloud so pleÌ„tifully What will the holy Angels do which were astonished in the natiuity of this Lord at the wonderfull loue which caused almighty God to take vpon him a frayle and infants body How will they be amazed both at this loue of God which for man was coÌ„tent to be esteemed a worm rather then a man to be the scorn of men and the outcast of the people the scum and laughing stocke of all men also at the raging malice of the Iewes who would neuer bee satisfied with the paines and punishment of their Messias which so many ages before was expected promised vnto them and likewise at the hardnes of thine owne heart which is not softened and melted with this burning charity of thy Creator Admire thou these thinges and pray thy Lord to inflame thy heart with the loue of him Ioan. 19 The Iewes answered him we haue a Lawe and according to the lawe he ought to dye because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God COnsider first the proud answere of the Iewes we haue a Lawe They belieued in the lawe which they had in writing and did not fulfill it in worke Those men doe imitate them first which boast of the word of God and continually obiect the same and are wholy in the commendation of faith when in the mean time they do nothing worthy neither of faith nor of the holy Scriptures nor yet of a Christian man Secondly they which place all piety in outward ceremonies onely and not in the worship of God in brotherly charity Consider 2. That according to the Lawe Christ ought to dye For the whole lawe of Moses and of the Prophets foreshewed the death of Christ for all the sacrifices of the old Law were shadowes of the sacrifice of the Crosse and all the Prophets referred their prophesies to the death of the Messias Therefore the Iewes said true but not according to their owne intention whose meaning was that the sinne and blasphemy of Christ deserued death by the Lawe that thou maiest learne that God turneth to thy good those things which are badly spoken or done by the wicked and also that thou shouldest drawe goodnes euen out of wicked men Consider third-the cause of his death Because hee made himselfe the Sonne of God A most true cause of death First if thou doest consider God the Father for the Son of God being made man made man the Sonne of God assuming humane nature into one person of the Sonne of God For wee should neuer haue come into grace with the eternall Father but by the death of that man who was the true and very Sonne of God Secondly if thou consider the Iewes because hee liued the life of the Sonne of God For therefore their enuy was exasperated to the death of Christ because his most Holy life reprehended their wicked behauiours Take thou heede that neuer any other fault bee noted in thee but onely that thou art the sonne of God For if thou doest suffer for that cause thou art happy and the faithfull Disciple of Christ And because the Sonne of God did vndergoe this death to make thee the Sonne of God pray him that hee will lighten thy soule with his Grace and exalt thee to bee the Sonne of God and after this life by communicating his Diuinity vnto thee he will number thee amongst the Sonnes of God and graunt thee thy portion among his Saints which shall bee called the sonnes of God The 28. Meditation of the second examination of Christ made by Pilate When Pilate heard that speach hee feared more Ioan. 19 and entred againe into the Pallace and said vnto him whence art thou but Iesus gaue him no answere COnsider first that Pilate being an Ethnicke and possessed with the error of the Gentiles feared least Christ was the Son of some God as perhaps of Iupiter or Maâ—s For so the Poets faine of Romulus and Remus and of diuers others and Christ his modesty in answering and his grauity of manners confirmed this opinion Hee feared therfore the indignation of the God his Father whose Sonne hee had so vniustly whipped The Gentile feared the vaine wrath of the Gentile God and feared not the grieuousnes of his sin neither did the Iewes feare the most iust wrath of the true God Thou likewise doest feare sometimes shadowes dreames and childish fancies and art not affraid of the Deuill who is alwayes at thine elbowe when thou sinnest nor the district iudgment of Christ whome thou doest offend nor Hell mouth gaping for thee Consider secondly Whence art thou Euill men neither knowe God the giuer of all good thinges nor from whence any good commeth to them The Oxe knoweth his Keeper and the Asse the manger of his Lord. Hennes Cattes and Hogges when meat is cast vnto them lift vp their heades and looke vpon them that cast the same And man who hath receiued so many benefites froÌ„ God doth neither thanke nor knowe God Consider thirdly that Christ made no answere First because it was not necessary seeing hee had manifested his innocency before and also satisfied this question saying My Kingdome is not of this world I was borne for this and for this I came into the World c. For our Lord spake but seldome and necessary thinges and as St. Chrysostome saith least hee might seeme proude by his continuall silence Hom. 87. in Mat. Secondly least by his answeares hee might bee thought desirous to escape and to auoyde death which he might easily haue done if either hee himselfe or any other for him had seriously defended his cause Thirdly least hee should giue holy thinges vnto Dogs For at this time Pilate by his great sinne of whipping him had made himselfe vnworthy of an answere at Gods handes Fourthly because an Heathen man could not vnderstand the answere of that which the Angells cannot conceiue For from whence is that Person which with his Maiesty filleth both Heauen Earth which alwayes springing in the bosome of the Father Isa 53 is alwayes borne and perfect whose generation noe man can declare Thou therefore pondering in thy minde the Maiesty of thy Lord and seeing him before this wicked President thus fowly torn deformed with so many stripes and couered with so many spittings filth and torments admire and aske him whence art thou Art thou hee whose Father is God whose Seruants are the Angels and whose Kingdome is Heauen For if wee may Iudge of a man according to his habite thou seemest to bee a Worme rather theÌ„ a Man brought forth of the durte rather then comming from Heauen Then Pilate said vnto him Doest thou not speake vnto mee Ioan. 19 doest thou not knowe that I haue power to crucifie thee and power to dismisse thee COnsider first the

the children of this earthly Hierusalem conuert themselues to the faith of Christ Consider secondly whereas in former times the barren were accursed now the barren in Christ are blessed For there is giuen to Eunuches that is to them which liue chaste and single in the Church Isa 56. a name better then from sonnes and daughters Consider thirdly that in all troubles of this life wee must say vnto the mountaines fall vppon vs and to the hills couer vs that is to say we must haue recourse to the helpe of Saints who in the Scriptures are called by the names of mountaines and hilles as in Isaias Isa 2. the house of our Lord shall be a prepared mountaine that is to say Christ the head of the Church in the toppe of the mountaines and he shall be eleuated aboue the hills exceeding in dignitie and worthynes all Saints great and lesse Consider fourthly although these predictions of our Lord pertaine cheifly to the ouerthrowing of Hierusalem yet they may and ought to be referred also to all sinners who by their sinnes were cause of the death of our Lord and yet are not made partakers of his merits nor returned into Gods fauour by his death For they which now liue securely and whome no danger will make to refraine from sinnes shall then runne into the dennes and Caues of the earth Isa 2. Osea 11. Apoc. 6. as the Prophets haue forespoken From the face of God sitting on the throne and from the wrath of the Lambe For there shall come a great day of wrath on them and who shall be able to stand The countenance of the Iudge shall be terrible to the wicked and his sentence intollerable Then the barren shall bee called blessed that is they whome the world accounted vnprofitable and the wombes which haue not brought foorth that is which haue not followed the concupiscence of the flesh but haue subdued the vices of their belly and throat the pappes which haue not giuen sucke that is the humble and such as are not high minded Pray thou thy Lord that thou maiest not feare the face of his fury in the day of wrath and last reuenge whilst time serueth bee reconcyled vnto Christ For if they doe these thinges in greene wood Luc. 23 what shall bee done in the drye Consider first Christ is the wood euer greene and flourishing delectable to behold moderating the great heate with the shadowe of his thicke leaues bringing foorth fruit pleasant both to the taste and smell delighting the earth with the singing of birds For by his diuine nature and by the inward grace of the Holy Ghost hee doth not onely exceede all beauty but also preserue chearish and comfort all creatures Thou also art wood but dead without the sappe of Grace barren without the fruite of charitie naked and vnprofitable without the leaues of good workes Consider secondly who they are which doe these things in the greene Wood that is which gaue these torments and death vnto Christ thy Lord. First Rom. 8 God the Father who spared not his owne sonne but deliuered him vp for vs al. Secondly the Deuill who prouoked his sernants to put Christ to death Thirdly the Iewes and other ministers of his death But all these did not concord in the passion of Christ to one end For God the Father punished his Sonne for the loue of thy saluation Gen. 22 and like Abraham carrying the sword of iustice in his hand against his sonne and the fire of Charitie towardes thee hee layed the wood vpon his sonnes shoulders to be carryed by him for the burning of the holocauste The Deuill greiuing at the conuersion of many indeauored to hinder the course of his preaching to intangle the Iewes in the most grieuous sinne of innocent death and to ouercome the patience of Christ by his torments And the Iewes being moued by enuie could not indure to be admonished to amend their liues by the wordes and example of Christ Consider thirdly the argument of our Lord If they doe these things in greene wood what shall be done in the drye First if I suffer this for other mens sins what shalt thou suffer for thine owne SecoÌ„dly if the Father doe so grieuously afflict his innocent and obedient Son what will he do against his wicked and disobedient seruÌ„at Thirdly if the deuills could by their officers doe these things in another kingdom against the sonne of God what will they bee able to doe in hell in their owne kingdome against their owne bond-slaues Fourthly if by the permissioÌ„ of God wicked men raged thus against the onely begotten Sonne of God for the sinnes of men why shall any man meruaile that God will permit men to vexe and molest men when their sinnes deserue it Pray thou thy Lord to ingraft thee into himselfe being the green wood and that neuer more punishment bee exacted of thee then that which he himselfe suffered for thee The 33. Meditation of the crucifying of our Lord. And they came into the place which is called Golgotha which is a place of Caluaria Luc. 23. Mar. 27. Mar. 15. and they gaue him wine to drinke mixt mith gall and when he had tasted hee would not drinke and it was the third houre COnsider first the ascending of this hill howe painfull it was vnto thy Lord how hee inforced his tender and consumed body that it should not faile to procure thy saluation but that in the mountaine nearer vnto heauen he might stande before God the Father and offer Holocaust as a sauor of sweetnes for thy sinnes Follow thou the Lord ascending his hill as neare as thou canst and stand by him in this hill euen vntill death Consider secondly how the executioners made ready the Crosse how they bored the holes for the nailes and prepared nayles hammers and ropes thy Lord behoulding them with his eyes Doe thou also behold them and lament and beware because thou doest prepare a Crosse for thy Lord as often as by thy sinnes thou deseruest a place in hel for thy soule which is created to his owne likenes Consider thirdly that according to the custome of such as were put to death they offered a cup to Christ but much differing from that was vsed to be giuen to others The drinke was mixed with wine Myrre gall and vineger for St. Mathew vseth in stead of wine this word ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ Vineger that none of his sences should want his paine and punishment His cruell enemies compasse him round about troubled his sight their cruell wordes vpbraydings and blasphemies tormented his hearing the stench of the of the place and of the filth which couered his face offended his smelling his touching suffered most grieuous paines all ouer his body and because no sence should bee without his tormeÌ„t this most bitter drinke was giuen him to afflict his tast Is it not reason then thinkest thou that thou shouldest suffer some affliction or trouble

tytle was ingrauen because it should last for euer and in wood because by the wood he shall alwayes raigne ouer them whome the wood had ouerthrown Thirdly the Hebrue was first in order which the rest doe imitate For our saluation is from the Iewes to whose diuine Scriptures all humane wisdome is to bee directed Fourthly they are written from the left hand to the right to signifie that if thou desirest to be exalted by wisdom with Christ thou must humble thy selfe and not be proud in thy owne conceipt For knowledge puffeth vp 1 Corr. Iac. 3.8 wisedome without Christ is earthly carnall and diabolicall Fiftly the Greeke is before the Latine for first the Grecians and then the Latines were conuerted to the faith and leauing the manners and customs of their fore-fathers followed that doctrine which God gaue to the Iewes in the Hebrewe language that thou shouldest not rely vpon thine owne wisdome but follow them with thy whole heart whome thou knowest to be the seruants of God Pray our Lord to ingraue this tytle in thy heart Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Ioan. 19. COnsider first and marke euery word of this tytle Iesus a Sauiour which name our Lord receiued when hee first shedd his bloud for thee For then seeking thy saluation he gaue part of his bloud as a pledge that he would aftewrards giue it all for thee He then receiued at thy hands circumcision which was the signe of a sinner euen as it is the signe of a theefe to bee boared through the eares that the eternall Father omitting thee a sinner might satisfie his wrath vpon his sonne This name vntill that day was obscure and of small reputation but being fastened to the Crosse it became so glorious that In the name of Iesus euery knee is bowed Phil. 2. Of Nazareth not of Bethlehem although he were borne in Bethlehem First because there was a greater myracle and benefite wrought in Nazareth by the incarnation and conception of our Lord then by his Natiuity in Bethlehem Secondly because Nazareth signifieth flourishing and Christ is an oderiferous flower hanging on the Crosse which rendreth vnto vs the wholesome fruite of grace and glory King who being crowned with a Diadem cloathed with bloud like a purple roabe raigneth vpright and fast tyed by the feete ready to help thee with his hands boared through because he would not keepe his guiftes but bestowe them plentifully vppon thee and with his armes spread that he may imbrace thee when thou commest He did not write Bishop or Priest although he did the office of a Priest but King both because hee once by himselfe immolated the bloudy sacrifice Heb. 10 Ezo 19 1 Pet. 2 by which he did consummate the sanctified and raigneth for euer and euer and also because it is a priestly kingdome a kingly priesthood where Christ being God is king doing all things in power and Christ being man is Priest obtaining all things by sacrifice Of the Iewes sent first to the Iewes not to the gentiles For I am not sent saith our Lord but to the sheepe which perished of the house of Israel Mat. 15 Rom. 15. and the gentiles doe honour God for his mercie that thou maist thanke God that the Messias was taken from the Iewes and offered vnto thee and showe thy selfe in praysing God a true Iewe not by carnall birth but by spirituall circumcision of thy vices and true confession of thy sinnes Consider secondly the true cause of the Crosse was to saue thee to adorne thee with vertues and to gouerne thee sweetly Pray thy Lord to suffer none to rule in thee but only himselfe Therefore many of the Iewes reade this title for the place where Iesus was crucified was neare the Cittie Therefore the Priests said to Pilate doe not write King of the Iewes but that he said I am King of the Iewes Pilate answered what I haue written I haue written COnsider first that many Iewes did see and reade these holy words but they vnderstood them not and therefore scorned them that thou maist learne that none scoffe at diuine things the holy Ceremonies of the Church the Doctrine life of Saints but only they which vnderstand them not Therefore because it is written He shall mocke the mockers Pro. 1. and I will laugh in your distruction do thou take heede and refrayne from these blasphemous scoffings Secondly because the name of Iesus was to be highly honoured and this tytle to be celebrated ouer the whole world and the Crosse it selfe to be imprinted in kings foreheads therefore it was conuenient to haue it first laughed at and scorned For euen as a brasen vessell doth shine brightest after it hath beene fowled and rubbed with dyrt and clay so he shall be most glorious which hath suffered most shame and vexation for Christ Yeelde not then to thy afflictions nor be dismayed since there is so great glory prouided for thee Consider secondly that Christ was crucified not farre from the Cittie for though hee bee throwne out by the inhabitants of the Cittie and of this world yet because it is proper alwaies to him to spare and to be mercifull he goeth not farre but stayeth hard by knocking continually at the gates of our heart to trye if he may be let in Consider thirdly that the wicked cannot indure the very name of the kingdome of Christ because the Crosse of Christ is distastefull to sinners who choose rather to haue a delicate king then one nayled to the Crosse This was the cause as St. Damascene testifieth why the Iewes crucified Christ with his face turned from the Cittie Lib. 4. Act. 11. Cap. 13 and looking towards the gentiles because neither they nor their children should euer receiue him for their Messias Giue thou thankes vnto Christ that he would behold the gentiles from his Crosse thinke vppon thee and bring thee to the knowledge of him Pray him neuer to turne his eyes from thee Consider fourthly Pilates answere Hee indeede set on this tytle but moued thereunto by the instinct of God Therefore that ought not to be vndone which by God had beene done for the glorie of the Crosse and the kingdome of Christ which is his Church wil stand continue though thou shouldest forsake it For if thou wilt refuse this King and his kingdome another shall be called and receiue the Crowne Remember the holy Oyntment and consecrated Oyle in thy baptisme and conformation by which was imprinted in thee the tytle and signe of the Crosse that the marke and badge of Christ might remaine in thee as oyle doth penetract is not easily washed off and that the writing made vppon thee by the finger of God Apoc. 3. might alwaies be imprinted in thy soule Pray then our Lord to ingraue in thee his new name and the name of his holy Citty and write thee also in the booke of euerlasting life The 35. Meditation of the first word of

Christ But Iesus said COnsider first what thy Lord in these great paines of the Crosse did doe say or thinke when as amongst all those torments he found no comfort neither outwardly by men nor inwardly in his owne soule Yf he moued his body the woundes of the nayles tormented him if his head the thorns ranne in deeper and pricked him if he stirred not at all his torment was intollerable ouer his whole wearied body Thinke thou yppon these things in all thy labours and afflictions which thou sufferest for thy Lord. Hee reproued no man although he were slaundered diuers wayes But because the mouth speaketh from the aboundance of the hart his wordes euen vppon the Crosse were directed to thy profite and saluation and doe declare most manyfestly that he prayed to his Father incessantly for thee when by reason of his torments he was not able to vtter one word Consider secondly his swan-like song and note the last words of thy Lord which he spake to thee at the poynt of death For euen as the voyce of the Serpent hyssing out of the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill instilled the poyson of sinne so the last wordes of Christ from the Tree of the Crosse were very effectuall for our saluation and full of burning feruour as proceeding from the depth of infinite charitie Hee spake with a loud voyce and weeping teares with great affectioÌ„ and deepe sighes in fewe words but with many teares mixed with bloud streaming downe from his head His teares watered his prayers Heb. 5 and his bloud adorned them his eyes pierced his Fathers eares his sighes moued his heart Doe thou listen to these wordes marke them diligently and gather the fruite thereof For by these seauen wordes the wordes and formes of the seauen Sacraments are sanctified the seauen guiftes of the holy Ghost are obtained and the seauen deadly sinnes are driuen away Consider thirdly but Iesus said First whilst the Iewes were busie in crucifying tormenting mocking him Iesus as if he had not marked these thinges yea rather that he migh render good for euill said Secondly hee who hetherto in his owne cause to the admiration of all men held his peace and could not be brought to speake but being adiudged and had also abstayned from the most iust defence of himselfe now in the middest of his torments is not silent in thy most vniust cause but being not intreated intreateth yea and intreateth with most effectuall wordes Iesus said who the Sonne of God To whome to God the Father Where vpon the Crosse When being ready to dye and his vitall spirits being spent How not sitting nor lying easily but vpright vpon his feete with his hands lift vp and spread abroad like Moses in former times Ezo 17. and all bleeding For whome for sinners who were carelesse of their owne saluation for Christ and his frtends pray for sinners Heb. 5. before sinners pray for themselues What he craueth mercy offring his prayers and supplications appealing from this cruell sentence of the Iewes his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children to a better sentence and full of mercy and desiring that this cruell sentence might be made frustrate Before whome openly in the hearing of his enemies to teach them mercy sweetnesse and in the presence of his Mother and of his friends both because they should bee witnesses of his pardoning them also that they should neuer pray for the reuenge of this sinne O excellent speach of highest merite and worthy to be imitated by all men full of labour charity mercy and piety Haue confidence then in Christ and pray him who by speaking first for sinners before he spake for his Mother left to vs a testimonye how much he esteemeth the saluation of sinners that hee will vouchsafe to haue continuall care of thee now in Heauen Luc. 23 Father forgiue them PAuse vpon euery word Father he doth not say Lord which is a name of seuerity and iustice but Father which is a name of mercy and of the newe TestameÌ„t giuen vnto vs in this place by the bloud merites of Christ that euen as he would be our Brother so we should haue all one father in Heauen He saith therefore O Father knowe me thy Sonne the Father will denye nothing to his sonne I came into the world to this end that thou shouldest receiue thine enemies for thy children Heare me then praying for them For euen as the prayers of the Priestes in the Church shall hereafter be very effectuall which shall conclude in my name in these wordes through Christ our Lord so I doe now pray vnto thee my Father thorough me thy onely begotten Sonne Therefore as thou louest mee thy Son so receiue these my prayers For I ascended this crosse haue suffred all these stripes that I might obtaine mercy and pardon for them If therefore thou doest reiect the prayers of thy sonne and not hear thy sonne thou shalt impose a greater torment on mee then the Crosse it selfe which I suffer that I might take away a greater euill that is that I might turne away thy wrath from them Spare therfore the great dolors of thy Son least he seeme to haue indured them in vaine Thou giuest reward to others labours I desire onely this reward for my paines that thou wilt forgiue these men Forgiue heer our Lord doth the office of a Priest for he prayeth for the sinnes of the people and he cryeth Heb. 5. not only as a Priest but as a sacrifice desiring not a free pardon but offering a full satisfaction His wounds crye his bloud cryeth his spittings his paines and all his members crye Forgiue accept of these torments for their sinnes I haue paied their debtes I giue my bloud for the pryce my paines for the ransom my life in satisfaction my body soule for a sacrifice Be thou therfore merciful for this is a copious redemption A hard thing is required to wit that the Father should forget the death of his onely begotten Sonne and of such and so gteat a Sonne but the Sonne beggeth and hee beggeth with his bloud Secondly hee asketh it not conditionally as he praied for himselfe in the Garden If it bee possible if thou wilt if it may bee done but absolutely Forgiue Both that thou mayest learne to pray to God for pardon of thy sinnes and for his diuine grace without any coÌ„dition because that hath alwayes relation to Gods honour And also that thou shouldest freely forgiue thy neighbours faultes without any condition Thirdly hee prayeth to haue them forgiueÌ„ presently and not to bee deferred till after his death For hee would not leaue this life till peace was made with God Parents when they are dying doe often leaue vnto their children small store of goods and those intangled with many difficulties charges debts and contentions But Christ before his death payed all debts with his owne bloud took away all difficulties and charges

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 recoÌ„penced 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 coÌ„tempt 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 policarpuÌ„ 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 poÌ„der 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

naturall affectioÌ„ First that he is forsaken through no demerite of his owne Are saith he the words of my offences far from my saluation that is Psal 21. doe my sinnes hinder my saluation and thy helpe but I haue committed no sinne Secondly of the vnworthines of the cause that thou mightest saith hee redeeme a poor seruant thou hast deliuered thy Sonne to his enemies Hast thou forsaken hee sheweth that hee receiued no helpe nor comfort from the vnion of his Diuinity and that all the time of his Passion hee was left as man to his owne power Hee sayeth not doest thou forsake but hast thou forsaken not onely in this passion but in all my life thou hast not assisted mee in my labours Amongst the Prophets many thinges were spoken hereof Psal 87 I am poore in labors from my youth An vnworthy thing I haue a rich Father but hee giueth his riches plentifully amongst wicked men For of thy hidden thinges Psal 16. that is of riches which vse to bee hidden Their belly is filled but I thy Sonne am left in the meane time poore and beggerly from my child-hood am inforced to great labours Thou hast remoued farre from mee my friend and my neighbour who might comfort mee in my troubles Thy fury is setled ouer me Psal 87 and thou hast brought all thy floods vpon mee thou hast oppressed and drowned mee in calamities Mee thy Sonne whome thou hast begotten froÌ„ all eternity whom aboue all creatures thou oughtest to holde most deare In these thinges beholde the iust cause of complaint in Christ together with the most ardent loue of his Father towards thee who because hee would heare thy complaint refused to heare the coÌ„plaints of his Son whom hee would haue not onely to knowe but also really to feele affliction and misery both that hee might take compassion vpon thy infirmityes and also bestow on thee the guift of knowledge how to vse all things to thine owne saluation Mat. 27. Mar. 15 But some standing there and hearing said Beholde this man calleth Helias COnsider first that the Romane Soldiours according to St. Hierome being ignorant of the Hebrue tongue for Eli is Hebrue and Lammasabactani Syriack and hauing heard many times among the Iewes with whome they coÌ„uersed mention made of Helias were deceiued by the meer sound of the words and thought that our Lord had called vpon Elias Learne thou not to vse nor interpret rashly the wordes of God which thou vnderstandest not Consider secondly that all those three houres of the eclipse euery man stood amazed without motion and without speach but assoone as the light returned the wicked also returned to their irrisions that thou mayest learne First that the impiety of wicked men may bee restrained for a time but cannot be quite taken away without the speciall fauour of God Secondly to obserue diligently and feare the miracles and thratenings of God For euen as God by this darknes did foreshew vnto the Iewes the iminent darknes wherin for euer they shall remaine except they repent so by his threatning signes by comets thunder earthquakes pestilence famine and other strange thinges and euents he foresheweth the calamity and mischiefe to come Consider thirdly whereas heretofore the Iewes required a signe to bee giuen them from Heauen heere they hauing a signe are made neuer the better That thou mayest knowe that they would not haue beleeued as they promised if hee should discend from the Crosse because the desires of the wicked are not directed to their saluation but to vanity and mocking Consider fourthly what comfort is brought froÌ„ the world to wit mocking and contempt for how can they comfort others which want true comfort of minde themselues Consider fiftly that these wordes were spoken by them which stood by and heard that thou mayest learne First the idle men which are not occupied in their own affaires doe nothing but carp and scoffe at the wordes and deedes of others Secondly that such wrest Gods wordes to an euill sence which onely heare them and doe not imploy their time to the study of vertue Consider sixtly that the wicked knowe no difference betweene Helias Eli and the honour which is due vnto God and which is due vnto creatures Therefore some leauing God seeke help of his creatures to which they vse to flye in all their necessities others giue more honor to men then to God himselfe others thinke those thinges to bee done to creatures which by them are referred vnto God as the reuerence worship done to Images Saints obedieÌ„ce to their Pastors c. But doe thou better interpret the wordes of Christ pray him to informe thy soule with his diuine guift of knowledg The 41. Meditation of the fift worde of Christ on the Crosse Afterwards Iesus knowing that all thinges were now consummate Ioan. 19. that the Scripture might bee fulfilled hee saide I thirst COnsider first that our Lord in all these torments of the Crosse did neuerthelesse in his minde reuolue the Scriptures and diligently view them all least perhaps there might bee somthing in them vnfulfilled for thy saluation that thou likewise being alwayes attentiue to the will of God and to the coÌ„mandements of thy Superiours mayst neuer ouer-flip any thing belonging to thy office duty Consider secondly that Christ neuer spake nor did any thing rashly but referred all thinges to this end that the Scripture might bee fulfilled Blessed art thou if thou doest nothing but of obedience which giueth a great ornament to the dooer and deserueth an admirable recompence for the worke Consider thirdly that this thirst was most grieuous which the kingly prophet Dauid foresawe so many ages before which grewe both from the labours and torments of the Crosse and froÌ„ the continuall streams of bloud and from his fasting all the day and night before Mark the wordes of the Psalmist Psal 21. My strength is dryed like an earthen pott and my tongue hath cleaued vnto my iawes and thou hast brought mee into the dust of death that is thou hast made mee like to dry ashes Consider fourthly why the Scriptures that spake of this thirst were fulfilled last after all the rest to wit First that the first sinne coÌ„mitted in the wood by intemperaÌ„ce which infected all mankinde might as the greatest prouoker of all the rest be last of all washed away and abolished vpon the wood of the Crosse Secondly because this thirst proceeced from the decaying of his strength and from the losse of all naturall moisture that our Lord might declare vnto vs that hee had with a liberall hand bestowed all his benefits vpon vs. Consider fiftly why being inwrapped compassed with so many torments paines on euery side he complained onely of thirst First to show that he did truly and sharply feele the torments of the Crosse for Christ vseth not to complaine lightly but onely in matter of great moment Secondly to commend

temperance by his example aboue all other vertues which doth both lift vp the minde to God and bringeth a most certaine remedy for sinnes 3. That hee which had shed all his bloud for vs and had giuen vs all his goods and had prayed for the sinnes of all men to his Father might vnderstand what sign of a thankfull minde men would shew vnto him when he was ready to depart out of the world I desire yee not saith hee to take me from the Crosse nor to giue me my cloathes to couer my nakednes nor to heale my woundes but onely to giue me one drop of water to quench my thirst which is denyed onely to the damned in Hell I desire yee onely to refresh my drynes I require this fauour only of you for all my labours Fourthly that he might be vnderstood to speak not of his bodily onely but specially of his spirituall thirst Hee thirsted indeede for our amendment our perfection and our saluation which thirst he had euer from the beginning of his life most burning and to quench the same he left nothing vnattempted but did all things most liberally and suffered all thinges most constantly and both shewed it alwayes by his deeds and declared it often by his wordes Therefore hee said to the Samaritan woman Ioan. 4. Giue me to drinke And hee said to his Apostles I haue to be baptised with a baptisme Luc. 12. and how am I straitned till it bee dispatched Also hee admonished Iudas that which thou doest do quickly And here also at the houre of his death hee shewed his thirst more clearly both because his loue did then shine more bright vpon vs like vnto a candle which oftentimes giueth more light immediately before it goeth out and to a Swan which before his death singeth more sweetly also to shew that hee was ready to suffer more for our saluatioÌ„ if neede were I thirst saith hee that is resteth there any thing for mee to doe to my vineyard which I haue not done Isa 5. Beholde whilest I haue time I offer my selfe to suffer more greater thinges neither can my thirst be satisfied by reason of the heate of my loue except I drinke aboundantly of the cup of my Passion and transferre the fruite thereof to my members that is to my Disciples And hee speaketh to his Father who knewe the inward desires of his Sonne Admire heere the loue of Christ which in this his Passion sent forth a sweete sauour vnto vs like vnto precious spices which doe then yeilde forth the sweetest sent when they are most bruzed broken into powder Fiftly to leaue this thirst vnto vs by his last will and testament The world thirsteth after riches honours pleasures and other vaine delightes which put them to a great deale of trauaile and yet neuer satisfie their thirst and desire but like strong poyson kill them presently as soone as they haue drunke thereof as it happened to the Captaine Sysara beeing killed by a woman after he had drunke milke Iudi. 4. Christ would haue thee to thirst after God the fountaine of the water of life and not to digge broken Cesternes which cannot hold water I would thou diddest thirst after thine owne saluation as Christ thirsted after it or as the Deuill thirsteth after thy perdition Be thou the heire of the thirst of Christ pray him to satisfie thee with the breasts of his grace Then a vessell of vineger was set Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19 and presently one of them running filled a sponge which he had with vineger and set it vpon a reede and Hysope and gaue him to drinke COnsider first the pronenes of men to mischiefe who vpon the least occasion offered make hast to sinne and also the helpe of the Deuill who presently affoordeth them meanes to sinne Heere were all thinges prepared a vessell vineger a sponge and a reede Marke what sinners brought into Mount Caluary and into the Church to wit instruments for the death of our Lord. Contrariwise holy men with Nichodemus and Ioseph of Aramathia bring thither instrumeÌ„ts to take downe the body of our Lord from the Crosse Thinke thou with thy selfe what instruments thou dost vse in holy Church whether to kill or to saue soules Consider secoÌ„dly that Christ at the houre of his death had no comfort neither in word nor deed but was denyed euen a droppe of water Perhappes according to the custome there wanted not wine which the executioners themselues had spent through their cruelty and wantonnes according to the prophesie of Amos They sate vpon the pleadged garments hard by the Altar of the Crosse and they dranke the wine of the condemned in the house of their God Amos. 2. which was the Mount Caluary Consider thirdly the sponge was filled with vineger and fastned to a branch of Hisope according to the custome in their auncient sacrifices Leuit. 4. and set vpon a reede and so put to the mouth of our Sauiour to sucke thereof which beeing done with a Soldiour-like rudenesse many droppes fell into the wounds of him that was crucified and with the sharpenes thereof afflicted his flesh Was this the reward of that mouth which opened so often for our saluation and of that tongue which gaue vs so many good lessons cured so many diseased wrought so many myracles But Christ who had already satisfied God the Father for thy other sinnes with his other paines curing thy pride with his great shame thy couetousnesse with his exceeding pouerty thy lust with his most bitter torments thy wrath with his incredible patience thy sloath with his diligent alacrity would now also apply a medicine for thy gluttony and intemperance and by this bitternesse as by a contrary medicine purge and wash thy mouth which was infected by eating the apple in Paradise Behold what drinke thou vsest to drinke vnto thy Lord to wit vineger and the bottome dregs of wine To the world thou giuest sweete wine for her sake thou labourest earnestly thou seekest to winne her fauour by all diligence and sparest neither industry strength wealth nor any thing which thou hast but to Christ thy God thou minglest all thy worst things thy sloath thy theft thy hatred and thy other sins for which our Lord complaineth I expected that he should make Grapes Isa 5. and hee made the wilde Vine And the world againe for thy sweete wine reacheth vnto thee vineger vpon a reede that is cold and bitter delightes in a broken and vaine soule for the world hath not nor cannot giue any true comfort or sweetnes Therefore doe thou rather drinke sweete wine vnto Christ and earnestly from thy heart consecrate thy selfe all that thou hast vnto him and euen as thou wilt not offer to thy louing Father a withered but a fresh sweet smelling flower so doe thou offer vnto Christ the flower of thy age thy sweetest labours and he will exhibite himselfe againe

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.

torments I haue remitted nothing of my deuotion loue to thee Secondly I thy Sonne am returned to thee from this hard embassage from this bloudy battell I carry away the victory and I bring the spoyles What reward wilt thou giue me what glory wilt thou prepare for mee what triumph wilt thou assigne mee The Roman Emperors triumphed with the victorious Army Poore Lazarus Luc. 16. which was denyed cruÌ„mes from the rich mans table was carryed in a triumphant Chariot that is in Angels hands into Abrahams bosome What glory then wilt thou giue to me thy Sonne I am more honorable because I am thy Son I haue labored more then the rest for I haue spent my bloud I haue vndergone more danger for I haue fought alone with the enemy I haue indured more want for a drop of water hath been denyed mee I haue ouercome more strange enemyes for I haue subdued the Prince of this world broken his forces and thrust him out of possession and to bee briefe I haue taken more noble spoyles hauing deliuered so many thousand soules from the bondage of the Deuill and subdued all the whole world vnto thy gouerment What then wilt thou prepare for so great a conqueror Into thy handes First as sacrifices are offered into the handes of God so I as high Priest doe offer my soule as a most fatt sacrifice into thy handes Secondly hitherto the soules which departed out of this world went not into the handes of God but into Abrahams bosome in the places belowe but now I desire first to be receiued into thy handes and my Disciples hereafter to bee receiued also Thirdly this my spirit which is now descending into Hell to deliuer the Fathers shall not want the diuinity but euen as the diuine nature took the humane nature into the same person so it shall remain both with the body in the sepulcher with the spirit in Hell Fourthly I commend it to thy hands that thou shouldest endowe it with glory adorne it with rewardes I commend or as the Greeke text saieth I will commend that is euen now I will send it to thee First hitherto neither this body nor my soule hath seemed to bee greatly commended vnto thee because both the body hath remained in the hands of enemies and my soule being sorrowfull euen vnto death was alwaies in my own hands subiect to many miseries Psal 118. and death it selfe Hitherto thou hast seemed to haue care only of thy bondslaues and to neglect thy Sonne for thou hast deliuered vp thy Sonne to redeeme thy seruant doe thou now at last receiue my spirit coÌ„mended vnto thee Secondly I commend that is I leaue it with thee to haue it againe after three dayes Thirdly no man taketh it from mee for I am not compelled to dye against my will but I willingly yeild it and deliuer it to thy custody My spirit hee saith not my soule which beastes possesse aswell as men but my spirit because the sensual man ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ ã€ˆâ—Šã€‰ perceiueth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God In Christ the spirit 1 Cor. 2. that is the higher part had as it were conuerted the soule into it selfe so as the inferiour man desired nor coueted nothing but according to the rule of reason Pray thou vnto God the Father that hee will receiue thy soule alwayes commended with the spirit of his Sonne Into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that though the spirit of Christ needed not to be commended to the Father yet it was coÌ„mended to him that all faithfull and holy men should knowe that they are coÌ„mended vnto God by this prayer of Christ For God calleth those by the name of Spirit which are indued with his spirit That saieth hee which is borne of the spirit Ioan. 3. is spirit euen as they which are ruled by the spirit of the Deuill are called the spirits of Deuils Doe thou looke into thy selfe what spirit raigneth in thee 1 Tim. 4 whether of Christ or of the Deuils And againe whether thy soule hath changed the spirit into it selfe so as thou seemest little different from a brute beast or whether the spirit of our Lord hath thy soule wholy subiect and obedient vnto it Heb 4. For the worde of God being liuely and powerfull reacheth euen to the diuision of the soule and of the spirit And therefore in the houre of death diligent inquiry shal be made what the spirit hath done and what the soule and they onely shall bee commended vnto God Rom. 8. which haue wrought by the spirit of God Consider 2. if Christ commended vs to God the Father then wee ought to bee carefull to commend our soules vnto him in good workes Therefore let vs prouide First that what the grace of the holy Ghost hath wrought in our soules Pet. 4 may be preserued framed perfited as it were by his diuine hands Secondly that our spirite bee often conuersant in Heauen and adhere not too much to any worldly things For saith St. Augustine if our mindes be there wee shall haue rest heere Ser. 175. de temp Thirdly that God will holde vs in his handes according to that Sap. 3. Ioan. â—0 The soules of the iust are in the handes of God neither can any man take theÌ„ out of his handes Fourthly that our spirits when they goe out of this world may bee deliuered to the handes of God to be crowned and be commended to his keeping till the future resurrection of our bodyes Consider thirdly that the Church of God which is directed and guided by the spirit of Christ is so commended to God the Father by this prayer of her spouse That the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against her Mat. 16. Therefore doe thou neuer seperate thy selfe from her except thou wouldest fall into thy enemies handes but defend the life and safety of thy soule by the spirit faith grace and Sacraments of the same Consider fourthly that there is coÌ„mended vnto thee by his prayer First the guift of the feare of God and next diligent deuotion against the vice of slouth For if Christ the Son of God did with such earnest prayer commend his spirit to his Father it behooueth thee not onely to pray but also to worke thine owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. Pray then vnto our Lord to take care of thy soule and to bestow rather heauenly guifts vpon thy spirit then earthly benefites vppon thy body The 44. Meditation of the death of Christ Luc. 23. Ioan. 19. And saying this bowing his head gaue vp the ghost COnsider first in what manner the Spouse of thy soule ended his life The standers by vse to obserue the countenaunce gesture and words of those which are to dye mothers also vse to marke the eyes and countenaunce of their children when they goe farre from them and to remember often in their minds the manner of

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.

taken so out of the side of our Lord sleeping the Church should bee deduced For out of his side issued bloud water by which both Baptisme is signified whereby the faithful are regenerate washing their body with water and purging their soule with bloud also the Sacrament of the Eucharist by which the faithfull being regenerate in Christ are as it were strengthened with meat preserued aliue Fiftly that thou mightest enter into the inmost parte of his heart as it were by a gate in the side of a Tower For by this wound onely is the way opened into the Church Gen. 6 and into the wine Cellar that is into the secret mysteries of Christ Sixtly that hereafter we should make no more doubt of the humanity of Christ seeing we finde heer the 4. Elements and the 4. vitall Humours plainly shewed by the bloud and water For there are three saith the Apostle which giue testimony in the earth of the humanity of Christ 1 Ioan. 5. the Spirit the Water and Bloud Seauenthly that his Resurrection might bee the more admirable wheÌ„ he should come to liue againe whose breast and heart the Soldiour had pierced with his launce and that thou shouldest not doubt of the resurrection of thy own body Come thou hither and according to the councel of the Prophet drawe the flowing springes of water from this mysticall true Rocke and sucke good nourishment as froÌ„ thy Mothers breastes and pray our Lord to wash thee with the water of his side and to strengthen and maintaine thee with his bloud And hee which sawe it hath giuen testimony Ioan. 19 his testimony is true and hee knoweth that he saith true that yee also may beleeue for these things were done that the Scripture might be fulfilled Exo. 12. Yee shall not break a bone of him and againe another Scripture saith They shall looke on him Zach. 12 whome they pierced COnsider first that these three thinges spoken of before to wit that the legges of our Lord were not broken that his side was opened and that there issued foorth bloud and water are proued by a three-fold testimony of Moses of the Prophet and of the Apostle who declareth by many words that he was an eye witnes hereof that thou shouldest knowe that this was a matter of great weight from the meditation whereof thou shouldest not easily depart Consider secondly that the Commandement giuen in Exodus touching the paschall Lambe is fitly applyed in this place vnto Christ For he is the true Lambe who beeing so cruelly sacrificed tooke away the sinnes of the world with whose flesh thou oughtest to satisfie thy selfe with all speed and desire Therefore those thinges which are commanded about the eating of the Lamb in the figure ought also to bee obserued diligently in the holy Communion And first we must take heed that we breake not a bone that is that wee search not into his diuine power nor breake our brotherly charity For euen as the diuine nature and Maiestie which is signified in a bone suffred no euil vpon the Crosse so in the Communion of this most holy Sacrament nothing concerning the Diuine power ought to be curiously searched into or doubted of And as by the passion of our Lord the power of the Church was not broken or taken away but augmented and increased so by receiuing of the Eucharist the forces of the Church ought to bee vnited and strengthened and her charity not to bee abated and weakened Consider thirdly that Zacharias the Prophet heere cyted by the Euangelist spake of the future comming of Christ to iudgement For then shall all the wicked see the Iudge comming marked with his holy wounds shewing to the good his bowels of charity powred out for them and vpbrayding to the wicked the manifold sinnes wherewith they had wounded him together with the number of benefites which hee had bestowed vpon them Pray thou our Lord to open and shewe vnto thee his wounds to the comfort and saluation of thy soule The 48. Meditation of his taking downe from the Crosse When the euening was come because it was the Parascheue Mat. 27. which is before the Sabaoth behold there came a certaine rich man from Aramathia Mar. 15. a Cittie in Iurie Luc. 23. called Ioseph who was a Senatour Ioan. 19 a good man and a iust who himselfe also was a Disciple of Iesus but secret for feare of the Iewes COnsider first that Christ our Lord who about the nynth houre of the day that is about three in the after noon had yeilded vp the ghost did hang at the least 2. houres dead vpon the Crosse that thou with the eyes of thy soule shouldest continually meditate vpon him both aliue and dead and shouldest neuer forget this so great a benefite of his death Consider secoÌ„dly by whom by what manner of man he would be taken down from the Crosse to wit by him whose riches nobility and authority gaue courage to demand the body of Christ for hee was rich noble and a Decurion that is a Senatour of Hierusalem and whose integrity of life commended him vnto God Consider thirdly the power of the bloud of Christ which gaue courage to a noble man and one that was timerous to confesse Christ openly and to take him downe from the Crosse with his owne hands Pray thou our Lord to confirme thy strength to perform those thinges couragiously which seeme hard and difficult to nature CoÌ„sider fourthly what manner of man Christ would haue thee to bee that he might commend his body vnto thee that thou mightest preserue it profitably in the sepulcher of thy heart First Rich not to the world least thou fall into the snare of the Deuill but hauing thy treasure layed vp in Heauen Secondly Noble a worthy Sonne of God Thirdly a Decurion which word in this place signifieth not a man of warre but a Counsailor or Senatour that thou shouldest order thy life according to the wholsome counsailes of God Fourthly of Aramathia a Citty of Iurie which was the countrey of the Prophete Samuell Aramathia signifieth high Iudaea or Iurie confession and praise that thou shouldest alwaies be conuersant with thy mind in the high Heauens that is in the countrey of the Saints confesse thy sinnes vnto God sing his praises vnto him with his holy angels Fiftly Ioseph which was the name of that Patriarch who long before prepared with great pomp the funerall of his Father Iacob and the name also of the Virgins spouse who was the first man that tooke the infant Iesus in his armes and cherished and brought him vpp This name signifieth increase for God would haue thee to increase in vertues to proceed in deuotion and with great charity alwaies to helpe thy neighbours Sixtly a good maÌ„ that in thy selfe thou shouldest be indued with grace and leade an vnspotted life Seauenthly iust and vpright towards thy neighbour Eightly the Disciple of

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