first his breast was fast tyed to a piller and they cruelly rent his backe according to that Vpon my backe haue sinners builded Psal 128 or according to the Hebrues Haue Ploughmen ploughed that is to say haue most cruelly torne it And when that part was cut with stripes then our Lord was vntyed that the fore-part of his body his breast his belly his thighes might bee as cruelly vsed according to the Prophet From the sole of his foote to the crowne of his head there was no wholenes in him And that this was so thou mayst knowe by this when Pilate shortly after bringing foorth Christ vnto the people saide Behold the man Hee did not shew his backe couered with Purple but his breast and his fore-part for them to behold Doe thou with the eies of thy soule beholde the cruelty of the Soldiours and the amiable patience of Christ Listen with thy eares to the wordes laughters and scoffings of these deryding Soldiours which they vttered blasphemously whilest they were whipping tormenting and binding the body of Christ Admire the deepe silence of Christ in all these stripes who complained of no paines neither in crye nor sighe To bee briefe doe thou inwardly feele the paynes of these stripes which peirced euen to the very bones and bowels Gather vp the bloud which dropped downe vpon the ground apply it to thy sinnes and wounds pray thy Lord that he will not suffer it to be shedd so plentifully for thee in vaine Thirdly after his whipping COnsider first the tormentors were wearyed the whippes and rodds fayled and Christ being spent with paines and losse of bloud was scaÌ„t able to stand vpoÌ„ his feet Spare not thou thy selfe but spend thy youthfull yeares and strength in the seruice of thy Lord. Consider secondly how thy Lord crept vp and downe to gather vp his scattered cloathes and put them on not without great paine which cleaued to his wounds and were spotted with bloud and hurt his soares Doe thou gather together the Church being the vestment of Christ and spare no labour to gayne soules which are washed with that bloud Wash the wounded body of Christ with thy teares and anoynt it with the oyle of Charity and Deuotion and omitt nothing which thou thinkest may helpe towards the cure of this body and of the members thereof Consider thirdly that Christ our Lord did drinke his bloud thus plentifully vnto thee in this his whipping in his coronation following in the third houre in which same houre after his ascensioÌ„ into Heauen he sent downe the holy Ghost into the hearts of his Apostles of his whole Church That thou mayest learne first that the bloud of Christ was plentifully shed that the grace of the holy Ghost might plentifully bee communicated vnto thee Secondly that at the same time when the effusion of this bloud is remembred renewed in the Church by the Sacrifice of the Masse thou being present shouldest with open heart plentifully receiue the fruit of this bloud the grace of the holy Ghost and diuers other guiftes The Meditation hereof stirreth vp admiration increaseth confidence in kindleth loue mooueth compassion bringeth sorrowe for sinnes exhorteth to labour and melteth the soule in giuing thankes The 25. Meditation of the Crowning of our Lord. Then they vncloathing him put a scarlet Garment about him Mat. 27 Mar. 15 Ioan. 19 and weauing a Crowne of thornes they put it vpon his head and a Reede in his right hand COnsider first that those Torturers deuised a new kinde of torment which might both afflicte and also make him to be mocked That hee which called himselfe King of the Iewes might bee cloathed in royall ornaments Consider secondly in this place foure kindes of mockings First they pull oft al his clothes which a little before he had put on renewing the griefe of his wounds to which the cloath cleaued and stripping his holy and virginall body naked not without shame and confusion Secondly they put on a scarlet garment that his purple bloud shed all ouer his body and the purple garment put vpon him might shewe foorth a royall ornament Thirdly in stead of a Dyademe they set vpon his head a Crowne wouen of many bushie thorns which saith Tertullian did teare deface the Temples of our Lord. Li. de corona militis Fourthly they gaue him a Reede in his hand in stead of a Scepter O thou Christian behold thy King behold the tryumph of his coronation Consider thirdly that the great benefites which our Lord prepared for vs are signified by these illusions For first the taking off of his garments whereby our Lords body deformed with so many wouÌ„ds spotted with bloud spittle dirt loathsome to behold was vncouered signifieth the foulenesse of thy soule defiled with the spottes of so many sinnes which foule spottes Christ by his passion remoued from thee vpon himselfe that he might cleanse thee from all filth Secondly by the scarlet Garment is signified our nature which is bloudy and guilty of death which Christ assuming to the vnity of his person did Sanctifie and also thy sinnes Isa 1. being as redde as a Worme which Christ tooke away by his Passion and also the members of the Church the body of Christ which being in this world diuersly afflicted are couered with this garment of Christ that they shall not faint but increase in merites For nothing doth fo much comfort the afflictions of a Christian man nothing doth so much aduance piety as the earnest meditation of Christ Thirdly his Crowne of thornes is thy barren and sharpe pricking sinnes sprung through concupiscence out of the cursed earth of thy body Fourthly â—our Lord holdeth a Reede in his hand whereby is signified that by thinges accounted base in the world as his Crosse Passion and Humility hee winneth the Kingdome of the whole world and vpholdeth all fraile vaine and scrupulous men by his Passion and right hand Doe thou pray our Lord to make thee partaker of all these thinges and remember that it is vndecent for dainty and delicate members to lye vnder a head full of thornes And they came vnto him Mat. 27. Mâ—r 15. Ioan. 19 and bending their knee they adored and mocked him and they began to salute him saying Haile King of the Iewes COnsider first foure other kinde of irrisions First They came vnto him as seruants vse to come vnto their King asking him in mockage if he wanted anything Whome thou doest imitate being a Christian onely in name and indeede a bondslaue vnto the Deuill confessing Christ in wordes but in thy deedes denying him Secondly they adored bending their knee or as Saint Marke saith their knees none of them bending both their knees but euery man one His adoration is fraudulent that kneeleth on the ground with one knee and holds the other vpright vpon which his body may rest WhoÌ„ thâ—u dost imitate when in thy outward gesture thou adorest God in thy minde
for thy Lord which for thy sake had no part of his body free from paine But Christ tasted this sowre potion for thee to drawe from thy soule to his owne body all the sharpnes and bitternes of thy sinnes and left for thee sweete wine mixt with no sowernes that is to say the grace of God and a pure and quiet conscience Consider fourthly When he had tasted hee would not drinke for Christ tooke vpon him thy sinnes in his body as in his mouth but hee polluted not his soule with the filth of sinne that thou also shouldest as it were taste the malice of sinne with the sowernes of pennaunce but by no meanes suffer it to enter into thy soule Consider fiftly that the houre of his execution is noted to wit the third houre which in the Equinoctiall is from Nine of the clocke in the morning till twelue at noone whereby thou mayest note the great hast which they made partly least Pilate shold change his minde and partly least Christ should dye before he was crucified Saint Iohn writeth that the sentence was pronounced almost at the sixt houre that is a little before noone And Marke affirmeth that Christ was crucified the third houre that is before the clocke had strucke 12. Consider thē what hast was made how cruelly thy Lord was pulled drawn with ropes and whipped forward Take heed least thy feete run vnto sinne but runne chearfully this way of our Lord and casting away all impediments flye vnto the Crosse of Christ and pray him to remoue all sowernes difficulties from the exercise of vertues And there they crucified him Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 COnsider first that the Apostles did not expresse so great an action in many wordes which thou mayst easily vnderstand both by the accustomed punishmēt of the Crosse and by the hatred of the Iewes and by the auncient oracles of the Prophets For first they pulled off his garment with great insolency renued the woundes sticking vnto it making his sacred body bleede and appeare all naked Secondly they outragiously threw him downe vpon the Crosse which lay on the ground thinking it sufficient if hee were nayled aliue on the Crosse Thirdly they pulled one hand to the hole which they had boared and draue a naile through it with a hammer and the bloud issued foorth aboundantly according to the olde figure They stroke the Rocke Psal 77 and the waters flowed out and the Riuers swelled vp Fourthly when one hand was fastned they tooke the other and stretched it to the other hole which being farre distant they pulled it either with their handes or with cordes with all their force and that being also fast nailed they came to the holes for his feete and with great violēce they brought his holy feete vnto it Ser. de Pasc Dō Psal 21. and as St. Cyprian saith fastened them with nailes Dauid did plainly foreshew this stretching foorth of our Lord in these words I am spred abroad like water I am wasted and decayed with the extremity of paines and destitute of all strength like water powred out hauing no power to stay in any place All my bones are dispersed that is are loosened pulled out of their places the colde drynes and extensiō vpon the Crosse dissoluing all the ioynts of my members They haue digged my handes and my feete they haue numbred all my bones so cruel was this extension of his mēbers that euery bone being pulled from another might easily be seen Thirdly they lift vp on high the tree of the Crosse cloathed with this solemne hoast and let it fall down with great violence into the hole Num. 21. Exod. 29. which they had digged for it For so was the brasen Serpent lift vp in the wildernes Leuit. 23 the hoasts of the Sacrifices were wont to be offred vnto God by lifting them vp on high In all these thinges doe thou ponder and thinke vpon the most bitter torments of thy Lord behold the banner of the Crosse lift vp look vpon the streams of bloud running down from his hands feete goe quickly and draw whilst the springs are flowing and before their veynes be dried vp Consider secondly why thy Lord chose this death of the Crosse for thy saluation and no other death There are many causes thereof First because there was no death more long more grieuous more ignominious nor more proper and fit for the procuring of thy saluation For hee would not haue his body deuided that the Church his mysticall body might bee preserued whole He would not be burnt with any other fire then the fire of charity Hee would not bee strangled with a halter drowned with water or smothered with earth least hee might seeme to haue retained something to himselfe and not to haue shed all his bloud most liberally for thy sake Secondly that being lift vp on high like an hoast hee might place himselfe as a Mediator betweene God the Father and mankinde Being the only Mediator of God and men 1 Tim. 2 reconciling the lowest thinges to the highest Thirdly to throw downe the Deuils the Princes of the ayre quite out of the ayre into Hell or at the least to subdue their forces Fourthly that he might see thee with his eyes a farre off drawe thee vnto him with the chaines of his bloud receiue thee at thy cōming with his armes spred shewe thee his inward partes and hide thee in his woundes binde thee vnto him with the linkes of charity haue thee ingrauen in his handes alwayes before his eyes keepe thee imprinted in his heart and with his feete fastened to seeke nothing but thy saluation Fiftly that thou shouldest no more fasten thine eyes vpon the ground but lift them vp on high beholde him a farre off runne vnto him require of him thy saluation and all good thinges thinke vpon him alwayes in all thy busines followe his life and fulfill his Commaundements Heere doe thou speake whatsoeuer thy spirit shall put into thy mouth And they crucified with him two Theeues Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19 Isa 53. one on the right hand and the other on the left and Iesus in the middest And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith and hee was reputed with the wicked COnsider first the malice of the Iewes who by this ignominy endeauoured to deface the name of Christ in stead of the Messias to make him reputed a notorious theefe But Christ vsed this their sinne to shewe forth his owne glory to prepare our saluation and to giue hope to all sinners For first wheras there were three nayled on the Crosse hee placed in the midst as the chiefe offender yet hee alone with his Crosse is glorious vnto the whole world Secondly dying betweene two sinners hee payed the ransome for all sinnes Thirdly hee gaue hope of pardon to all sinners and did fore-shewe that hereafter hee would be conuersant amongst sinners be alwayes ready to assist them whē
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 remēbrance 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 passiō a cup as that which containeth the cause of all our ioy And eeuen as those torments made Christ as it were drūken with the greatnes of his loue so all iust
sword 2. Doest thou thinke that I cannot aske my Father Ioan. 18 and hee will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels 3. The cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me wilt thou not that I shall drinke it Fourthly Ioan. 18. how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled because so it must be done COnsider first suffer now that is it is enough proceede no further with thy sword and defence He doth not reprehend the fact of Peter but he saith it is enough that thou in thy defence and in thy wrath maiest keepe a meane according to that Bee angry and sinne not Secondly consider these foure reasons by which he admonished Peter not to goe about to hinder his passion Thou maist learne heereby the willingnesse of Christ to suffer who vsed so many reasons that he might be permitted to suffer But thou doest auoyd all troubles for Christs sake seekest out all reasons that thou maist suffer nothing Thirdly which shal take the sword that is they which by their own authority shall vse the sword not receiuing it from God deserue by the law to be put to death and although they escape the sword of men in this world yet they shall perish with that sword which keepeth the entry into Paradise Learne to leaue all reuenge vnto God Fourthly consider the great multitude of Angells which are alwaies ready to helpe good men that thou maist learne to trust in God which hath assigned so many Angells to haue care ouer thee For Helizeus had experience in him selfe of that which Christ heere affirmeth of him selfe 4 Reg. 6. Consider fiftly the Cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me He calleth his passion a cup thereby diminishing rather then increasing the greatnes therof that thou shouldest not lightly cōplaine of the grieuousnes of thy miseries He acknowledgeth that his father gaue it him because thou shalt not ascribe thy afflictions to men or to deuills but to God alone which blessed Iob who was vexed both by deuills men Iob. 1. Our Lord hath giuen our Lord hath taken away know that God doth not leaue to be a father when hee doth afflict but rather sheweth himselfe to be a Father when he chastiseth Sixtly cōsider that the Scriptures are fulfilled by the passiō of Christ are likewise fulfilled by thy passions For through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of God Giue thankes to Christ who with so ready so prepared a minde came to his passiō for thy sake Stirre vp his loue in thee pray him that he wil stir vp in thee a desire to suffer for his name and that in all things which shall happen vnto thee thou maist finde out the reasons that it was iust which thou didst suffer And when he had touched his eare he healed it Luc. 22. COnsider first with what great benignity Christ cured the Eare of this malepert Soldiour and cruell enemy whome he foresawe would be neuer the better for such a benefit that thou maist learne to be readier to mercy then to seuerity and to doe good for euill though thy aduersary deserue it not Secondly the force of the touch of our Sauiours hand that thereby thou maist know the vertue of the body of Christ For if the onely touch of his hand did restore his enimies eare will not his whole body receiued in the Eucharist cure both the body soule of his friend Thirdly that Christ being ready to suffer did heale the eare for this is one of the chiefe fruites of the passion of our Lord to make our soules capeable of the word of God to cure them through Faith and Sacraments Therefore God would admonish his enemies by this his last miracle before his death to open their eares to heare the word of God and by hearing to lay aside all malice To be briefe admire the bounty of God pray him that he will shewe thee the like mercy for thy innumerable sinnes The eleuenth Meditation of the captiuity of our Lord. In that howre Iesus said vnto the multitude to those Mat. 26. Mar. 14. which came to him the chiefe Priests the Magistrates of the people and the elders yee went forth as to a thiefe with swords and staues to apprehēd me I was daily with you in the Temple I sate teaching you did not hold me Luc. 22. nor stretch your hands against me But this is your houre the power of darkenes And all this was done that the scriptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled COnsider first what accoūt was made of thy Lord to wit as of a thiefe for the suppressing of whome there needed so great an army Secondly how he shewed that he was no thiefe as he which had hurt no man nor lyen hid like a thiefe but had done good and had taught nothing in secret but alwaies publiquely and called those men for witnesses thereof whome he saw stand ready to be the officers for his death therfore he admonisheth them to call to remembrāce the doctrine which he had taught thē to change their mindes for they should finde nothing in it but holy learned wholesome counsaile Consider thirdly by what words he gaue his aduersaries power to rage against him without which they could haue done nothing and euery word hath his force this is as if he said you care onely for the present respect not the time to come which is the property of sinners not of iust men houre all present time is short all the pleasure of sinners passeth like an houre also al the afflictiō of the iust passeth away your this this short time is granted vnto you to doe euery thing either for your saluatiō or damnation I say this precious time which after this life will not remaine and the power of darknes that is to say a darke power both because they deserue it through the darknesse of their sinnes also because they which vse it are carryed to the darknes of Hell also because darknes remaineth in the power of the wicked and to conclude because power was giuen to the Deuils the princes of darknesse to doe all mischiefe vnto Christ Consider therfore the multitude of the paines of Christ and their greatnes when it was permitted to wicked Spirits being practised most ready in doing hurte to persecute Christ by these his most willing ministers Admire heere also this most willing permission of Christ giue him thanks offer thy selfe ready to indure al labours and torments for his sake pray him that thy power may not bee in darknesse but that all thy actions may be perfected with the light of faith and of his diuine grace Then came the company and Tribune Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. the Ministers of the Iewes laid hands vpon Iesus and so they held bound him COnsider first the wonderful insolency of these men in taking thy Lord thinke of
thou followest pride lust and other vices 3. They mocked him diuers waies as their wanton wickednes did prouoke them He is mocked vpon earth whose Maiestie the Angells in heauen adore But yet because God cannot be mocked doe thou shew thy selfe before him with all submission purity of heart 4. They saluted him saying haile King of the Iewes an excellent speach wherewith thou also maist salute the King of those Iewes which acknowledg their sins sing praises vnto God Blessed art thou if thou hast a King by whome thou maist be sweetly gouernd in this world after this life be made partaker of his Kingdome CoÌ„sider 2. that Christ by seeing and hearing those ignominies did cure all posterity froÌ„ the Serpents hissing into the eares of Eue and from the vanity of her eyes through the curiosity wherof shee infected our eyes Pray our Lord to conuert all these to the profite of thy soule And they spit vpon him and they tooke a reede Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19. and strooke his head with the reede and they gaue him blowes COnsider first 4. other kinds of mockings 1. They spit vpon him defiling in so vnworthy scurrile manner not only his face but his breast also his whole body Yea the body of him Who is the brightnes of glory and the substance of the Father Heb. 1. 1 Pet. 1 whome the Angels desire to behold 2. They take a reede faining to doe him seruice as though they would ease him being weary of the burtheÌ„ of his Scepter 3. They strike his head with the reede that the Thornes might bee deeper fastened into his head Marke how by these blowes the thornes pierced to the very Scull of his head fastned in the ioining of the bones were there brokeÌ„ 4 They gaue him blowes not with their bare hand but being armed against the pricking of the thorns Heer do thou admire together with his other vertues our Lords Charity Patience Meeknes Benignity aboue al his huÌ„ble obedieÌ„ce by which he yeilded himselfe to the will of his tormentors and being commanded to sit downe to lift vp his head to the Thornes to holde the Reede in his hand to expose his Face to blowes hee obeyed without delay Consider secondly that these Ethnicks though they offered many iniuryes to our Lord yet they neuer couered his face that Christ with the eies of his mercy might behold vs louingly and forsaking the Iewes might of Gentiles make vs Christians Thou learnest first not to couer the truth with new opinions nor to decline to Haeresie but openly to professe the true Faith how great a sinner soeuer thou beest Thou learnest secondly not to neglect thy coÌ„science when it pricketh and warneth thee of thy sinnes For the beginning of thy conuersion is when thy conscience reprooueth thee Pray vnto thy Lord that he neuer turne his face from thee that hee preserue thee in the true Faith and adorne thee with true vertues especially with humble and willing obedience that thou mayest faithfully obey thy betters not onely in light and easie thinges but also in great sharpe and difficult matters The 26. Meditation of Pilate his bringing foorth of our Lord to the People Pilate went foorth againe and said vnto them Ioan. 19 Behold I bring him forth vnto you that yee may know that I find no cause in him COnsider first that when Pilate thoght our Lord had beene so cruelly vsed that it would haue moued a stony heart to compassion then hee brought him foorth yet going himselfe a little before to prepare the hearts of the Iewes to pitty The wicked Iudge doth herein condemne himselfe when hee coÌ„fesseth him to bee innocent whome hee had handled so cruelly to please other men Consider secondly Behold I bring for it is a wonderfull thing that God who hath bestowed vpon men so many so great benefits should suffer so many wronges and wounds by meÌ„ Admire thine owne ingratitude God hath brought thee into this world adorned with all goodnes thou bringest him foorth and castest him out of thy heart shamefully misused with thy grieuous sinnes doest not suffer him to rest in thy house which thou hast filled with theft and other sinnes Doe thou rather bring him foorth to bee praysed and adored by the people First by preaching him his will to the people and then by thy good works expressing his holy life That thou mayest say with the Apostles Aâ—d now I doe not liue Galat. 6. but Christ liueth in mee And bringing him foorth let all men vnderstand that there is no cause to bee found in him why he should not be admitted by all men when as thou canst see nothing in him but signes of loue bloud shed for thee stripes and wounds so as it may be truly said of him Cernitur in toto corpore sculptus amor In all his members Loue ingrauen is Then Iesus went foorth carrying his thorny Crowne Ioan. 19. purple garment COnsider first howe thy Lord came forth amoÌ„gst the people Beholde a high place to which they ascended by twenty three marble steps which are kept till this day at Rome with great reuerence and before that a most spacious Court filled with many thousands of people who had assembled themselues out of all Iudaea against the feast of Pasch All these so soone as they espied our Lord coÌ„ming forth with Pilate came preasing nearer that they might better beholde this sadde and horrible spectacle Goe forth also yee Daughters of Ierusalem Cant. 3. and behold King Salomon in the diademe wherewith his Mother the Synagogue of the Iewes hath crowned him Goe theÌ„ also forth O my Soule behold the Diademe and the royall otnaments which thy sinnes haue set vpon thy God Marke attentiuely the whole body of thy peaceable King cruelly torn with his enemyes handes that he might gaine a most assured peace with God for thee for thy conscience Behold his Crowne wouen of boughes decked with thorns and droppes of bloud in liew of precious stones His hands and armes carry cords in stead of bracelets His necke and all his body is tyed with a rope in stead of a belt Chaine of gold The works of his apparrell is scars wounds His diuine CouÌ„tenance with fleame spittings bloud filth is as it were painted or masked and disguised Let these thinges moue horror in others coÌ„passion in thee Mark the words of Isaias Hee hath no beauty nor comelines wee saw him Isa 33 and he had no countenance That is hee looked not like a man and his countenance was as it were hidden looking downe wee esteemed him as a Leaper Doe thou reuerence this attire of thy Lord with the inward affection of thy heart in which hee fought against thy enemies got victory glory for thee For euen as thou esteemest those thinges keepest them carefully by which thy friend hath gotten riches honour for
to the Deuill Behold his tender body wounded in euery part rubbed with their cruell hands Thou canst not indure to be touched vpoÌ„ any light hurt what paine then doest thou thinke our Lord indured by the rude barbarous pullings of the soldiers Consider secondly how the soldiours pulled off his garment making his most chast heart ashamed to be seene naked afore all the people Behold how his purple garment cleauing to the congealed bloud being violently pulled off did renue the wounds make them bleed afresh plucke away the torne skin together with the flesh But Christ put off this garment that he might with more alacrity take vp the wood of the Crosse For euen as worke men when they goe about any great labour put off their cloathes that they may worke the more nimbly so it is written of Christ that in this his passion he did foure times put off his clothes when he was to effect any great worke That thou shouldest not be ignorant with how great desire he wrought thy saluation First when by his whipping he was to shedd his bloud for thee ouer his whole body Secondly when he was to receiue a crowne of thorns vpon his head to prepare an assured Kingdome for thee in Heauen Thirdly when he was to lay this wood of the Crosse vpon his shoulders as the Scepter or Soueraignty of the Kingdome or as the Key of Dauid with which he should open heauen for thee Fourthly when he was to ascend that tree of the Crosse as the thron of Salomon Consider thirdly that his owne cloathes were giuen him againe that his face being all polluted and as it were disguised with spittings bloud and filth yet he might be knowne by his accustomed apparrell But our Lord put on those vestments that hee might both consecrate vnto God his vestment the Church and euery member thereof with his Crosse and his fresh bleeding Wounds and also that he might teach vs to indure the Crosse and all afflictions It is not read that the Crowne of Thornes was taken from his head that according to the olde Prophesie of Dauid Colloq cuÌ„ Triphone Psal 98. which Saint Iustine coÌ„plaineth was razed out by the Iewes our Lord might raigne froÌ„ the wood Consider 4. That our Lord was brought foorth out of the cittie that as one vnworthy to dye in the holy Citty hee might be put to death amongst the wicked But our Lord went foorth 1. To teach that hee offered this sacrifice for the whole world and not for the Iewes onely for whom the sacrifice was offred in the Temple yea rather that this sacrifice should not be profitable to the Iewes so long as they trusted in their auncient rytes ceremonies according to that saying we haue an altar of which they haue no power to eat who serue the Tabernacle Therfore he went foorth carrying his Crosse that hee might as it were with his sheep-hook inforce thee a stray sheepe to come home vnto his fold 2. That thou shouldst not thinke that Christ is found amongst the cares of the world the troubles of the Cittye and multitude of businesse Hee is abroad in quiet of conscience in contempt and nakednesse and want of all things Let vs then goe foorth vnto him saith the Apostle without the Tents carrying his reproach Flye the world that thou maist finde Christ And carrying his Crosse Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. hee went foorth into that place which is called Caluaria and in the Hebrue Golgotha There were also carryed two wicked mâ—n with him that they should be put to death COnsider first that in the whole Citty there was no man found to carry the Crosse of our Lord to the place of punishmeÌ„t The soldiers would not the Iewes esteemed the very touching of it an execrable thing because the Scripture saith that accursed was euery one Deut. 21. which should hang on the wood therfore our Lord must needes take the wood of his punishment vpon his owne shoulders Consider weigh with thy selfe whether thou doest not imitate them when it is grieuous vnto thee to haue one thought of the passion of our Lord and a most hard thing to suffer any little affliction for the loue of thy spouse Consider secondly with what insolency they layd that wood vpon his tender shoulders beeing wounded with many stripes The world giueth this grieuous and troublesome Crosse which thou must beare alone without the helpe of any other but Christ who imposeth a sweete yoake and a light burthen Mat. 11. Osea 11. and he himselfe lifteth it vp with his grace and exalteth it ouer the iawe bones Pray our Lord to lay thy sins vpon this Crosse carrying them from thee to his owne body and washing them away with his bloud death For he is the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Consider thirdly Ioan 3. whither our Lord went to wit to a hil neer the citty Hom. 84. in Ioan. In ca. 5 ad Ephe. in Epis ad PaulaÌ„ ad Marcel Orig. tra 35. in Mat. Cip in ser de resur domini AthaÌ„ de pas dom Epip haer 40. Amb. epis 19. Aug. ser 7 de Temp. Theop. Eâ—thy in Ioan. 19 Isa 3. called Golgotha that is Caluaria either by reason of the sepulture of our first parent AdaÌ„ of his scull there found of which opinion St. Chrysostome and St. Hierome report some to haue been or else of the sculls of dead persons which had suffered death in this hill being the place of execution The place was filthy and infamous but Christ sanctified it by his death and with his bloud washed away the sinne of Adam Consider fourthly that 2. Theeues were carryed to execution with Christ that according to the prophesie of Isaias Hee might be reputed with the wicked and a rumour be spred abroad that 3. Theeues the same day were iudged to dye For it is likely that about the most famous Feasts wheÌ„ the whole people vse to assemble themselues together their custome was to condemne and execute some guilty malefactors for exaÌ„ple to the rest and now at the request of the Iewes whose will Pilate inteÌ„ded to satisfie there were certaine of the most notorious malefactors chosen of whoÌ„ thy Lord should bee accouÌ„ted the captain leader So great was the desire of the Iewes to obscure the name of Christ But our Lord chose to be crucified with those theeues and malefactors to another purpose and intent First that thou shouldest know that hee dyed for sinners that there is no offence so great but it may bee purged by the death of Christ Secondly that by this his disgrace and ignominy hee might obtaine eternall glory for thee make thee of a theefe to bee a Iudge in the world to come Pray then thy Lord to drawe thee to the hill with him and to coÌ„municate vnto thee the merites of his Crosse And going forth they found a certaine man of Cyrene
application of them to thy selfe Thy dinner indeed is ready but thou must goe to the table and put the meate in thy mouth thy medicine is made but it is kept in the shop of the Church inclosed in seauen boxes to wit in the seauen Sacraments the price is payed for thee but not yet applyed vnto thee Doe not thou thinke that onely Faith as some Heretiques would haue thee belieue is sufficient for thee thou must goe with thy feete to dinner thou must take thy meate and medicine with thy handes thou must put them into thy mouth and receiue them into thy stomache that is thou must frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exercise of vertues that that which was effected giuen for all mankinde may bee accepted for thee applied to thee and profite thee Pray thou our Lord that hee who spent and consummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer suffer thee to spend and passe away thy dayes idly and in vaine The 4◠Meditation of the seauenth worde of our Lord on the Crosse And crying againe Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. he saide with a loude voyce COnsider first that as often as Christ spake for himselfe vnto his Father hee cryed with a loude voyce but when he spake to others or for others hee vsed a lower voyce to teach thee First that thou must alwayes deale with God with great affection To others thou openest thy griefes with teares but when thou speakest with God thou art so drye that thou hast scarce any feeling of deuotiō Secondly what grieuous paines the Son of God suffered who with the violence thereof was forced to crye out Consider secondly that Christ for diuers causes cryed out in his prayers when hee was ready to dye Ioan. 11. First to shew that he was Lord of life and death hauing power to yeeld vp his soule and to take it againe at his owne will and pleasure Therfore hee called for death as Nazianzen saith which durst not come In Christo patiente except it had been called Secondly to mooue God the Father to mercy For seeing all mankinde being oppressed with grieuous sinnes was farre off from God hee who carryed the person of all men ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce being so farre absent Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares not so much with loudnes of voice as with affection of hart Thirdly that this voice being sent through the whole world might moue mens hearts and that hearing of the death of God for their sinnes they might be penitent for their offences For at this voyce the Earth was shaken the Rockes were cleft in sunder and the Monuments were opened that thy stony heart might also be broken by the force of this worde of God Not without cause did Marke say his voyce being sent forth that thou shouldst vnderstand that being sent into the world it worketh still in the heartes of men Fourthly that Hell should tremble at this voyce and euen as at the crye of our Lord calling Lazarus the soule of Lazarus returned without delay into his body so now euery one there should prepare himselfe to receiue their Lord being ready instantly to come vnto them The holy Fathers therefore in Limbo reioyced at this voyce and the Deuils in Hell trembled Fiftly to teach thee how to meditate on death not remisly or negligently as of a thing little pertaining to thee nor slowly and dully as of a thing a farre off but often and earnestly of a thing most certaine and at hand so much the more feruently because it is the onely gate to saluation Consider thirdly that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor in the houre I say of prayer and of the euening Sacrifice For then the true hoast was sacrificed vpon the Crosse and being cutt into two partes that is into body and soule was immolated to God the Father by the high Priest with a loud voyce and great labour Ioyne thou thy prayers with Christ his prayer that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares Luc. 23. O Father into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that Christ prayed not vnto his Father vppon the Crosse but in the wordes of the Scripture First because hee knewe that these wordes were most acceptable to his Father beeing written by the holy Ghost to teach vs to pray Secondly to teach thee to worship God not according to thy owne fashion vnderstanding but in such manner as the Church indued with the holy Ghost hath appointed thee Consider secondly that Christ vsed this word Father onely twise vpō the Crosse in his first in his last prayer but in his middle that is in his fourth prayer hee called him not Father but God First that thou shouldest like a Son willingly accept that punishment which thy Father sendeth and in thy punishment confesse thy own basenes who art not worthy to bee called the son of God and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator for tribulation and aduersity doe teach good men their owne fraile estate and vnworthines and thereby perswade or rather inforce them to mend their liues that in the end hauing ouercome all aduersities thou shouldest take courage reioyce as a Son For probation worketh hope Rom. 5. which confoundeth not Secondly because the beginnings of Gods word doe most sweetly affect the minde the progresse is hard to sensuality but the fruites which are gathered are most pleasaunt The booke was in the mouth of Iohn sweete as hony Apoc. 10. but being deuoured it made his belly bitter Thirdly because in his first prayer when hee prayed for sinners hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne for none but a sonne could bee heard for so great wickednes In the middle he complained as a man And in this last hauing fulfilled his embassage he desires as a Son to bee called home to his Father Consider thirdly that Christ made this petition to his Father not for feare of iudgment for now his Father had committed all iudgement to him nor for feare of the Deuill whose forces hee had already broken nor for feare of the paines of Hell which now hee came to take from good men and to carry away the spoyles of Hell But first to teach thee neuer to remit or slacke thy inuincible spirit from prayer Secondly that thou shouldest knowe with what confidence he went vnto his Father For hee sayeth not anxiously after the māner of a suppliant I pray thee Father but as it were of mine owne right and authority I commend my spirit Consider fourthly marke euery word of this last prayer which before had bin made by the holy Ghost to this purpose Psal 32. and is now recited by the Son to the Father with addition onely of this word Father Father First I haue remained thy Son in all these so great
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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
Christ to whose doctrine rule thou must cōforme thy life Ninthly secrete that for feare of the Deuills who alwaies lye in waite against good workes thou doest neuer vaunt of thy good deedes nor seeke vaine glory by them Pray thou our Lord to indue thee with these ornaments that thou maist worthily receiue his holy body He had not consented to their counsaile and acts Luc. 23. Mar. 15. Mat. 27. Ioan. 19. for he also expected the kingdome of God He boldly went into Pilate and demaunded the body of Iesus but Pilate wondred if he were already dead and hauing sent for the Centuriō he asked him if he wer already dead when he knewe of the Centuriō he was content and cōmanded the body of Iesus to be giuen him COnsider first foure other quallities of Ioseph which it is necessary for thee to imitate if thou wilt haue the body of Christ profitably committed vnto thee 1. Not to consent to the councell actes of the wicked 2. To expect the kingdome of God and to thinke long for the Heauenly countrey 3. To performe those thinges constantly which aduance the glory of God 4. To require the body of Iesus that is neuer to be seperated from the Church the mysticall body of Christ to come with great deuotion to the holy Eucharist Consider secondly how much it doth profite a man to auoide the society and company of wicked men for hee which flyeth euill shall easily be brought to do good Consider thirdly that hee which expecteth the kingdome of Heauen ought most of all to flye wicked company Therefore if thou seekest this Kingdome forsake quickly the world and all that is in the world For the blessed Apostle teacheth that Nothing is found in it 1 Ioan. 2 but concupiscence of the flesh and of the eyes pride of life Consider fourthly that Pilate maruailed whereby thou mayest vnderstand that our Lord suffered much more grieuous torments thē either the Euangelists did expresse or our vnderstanding can conceiue For whereas the crucified persons liued three whole dayes and Christ liued little aboue three houres vpon the Crosse it appeareth plainly that more torments were inflicted vpon him then commonly was vpon other crucified persons Giue thou thanks to thy Spouse for his great bounty and offer vp thy selfe likewise freely to his loue and seruice Consider fiftly that the holy body of Iesus was required of Pilate beeing a Heathen that thou mayest not meruaile if in the Church the same sacred body and other holy mysteries be committed sometimes to the distribution of wicked men Pray thou our Lord so to deliuer his body vnto thee that through any fault of thine it may neuer be taken from thee But Ioseph hauing bought a cleane piece of linnen Mar. 13 Mat. 27. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19 tooke down the body of Iesus and laying it downe wrapped it in the cleane linnen COnsider first with what reuerence this holy Senator came to the Crosse and pulled out the nayles with his owne handes tooke downe the holy body from the Crosse Saint Iohn perhappes and the women but specially our Lords Mother running to helpe him who comming all neare and beholding his sacred countenance vpō which the Angells desire to looke what wordes doe they vtter what sighes doe they send foorth what teares doe they powre out Behold then his Mother lifting vp her handes earnestly begging her sons body of Ioseph and receiuing it reuerently Come thou to the virgine and comfort her who lamented euery wound For although contrary to the custome of Parents shee refrayned from vnseemely crying and womanish gestures yet shee felt the inward griefe of minde and a most sharpe sword piercing her hart Consider secondly that Ioseph bought a cleane piece of linnen wherein the body of Iesus should bee wrapped in stead whereof thou oughtest to haue a cleane conscience bought with the price of pennance and made sit to receiue the body of Christ Consider thirdly that heere is no mention made of the seruants because holy men doe those things themselues which pertayne to the seruice of God and by their seruauntes they dispatch their worldly businesse whereas contrariwise wicked men doe Gods seruice by their deputies applying themselues wholly to temporall affaires But let such men take heede least by their deputies they obtaine eternall glory and by themselues bee throwne into euerlasting fire Pray thou our Lord to make thy conscience a worthy shroud to receiue his sacred body The 49. Meditation of the buriall of our Lord. And Nichodemus also came who had come first to Iesus in the night Ioan. 19. bringing a mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes about a hundreth poundes And they took the body of Iesus and bound it in linned with spices as the custom of the Iewes is to bury COnsider first how much Nichodemus profited by this bloud of Christ Ioan. 3. which was shed Hee came before to Iesus in the night now openly then he brought nothing but questions and words now he bringeth precious spices and helpeth to bury him that thou mayest learne to increase in vertues and to shake off all base and seruile feare Consider secondly that neither of them came without their guiftes For Ioseph bought a linnen sheete and a noble sepulcher And Nichodemus brought Myrrhe and Aloes in great plenty for the vse of the dead body First Mat. 26. that thou shouldest not say with Iudas why is all this losse when thou seest much spent about the honour seruice of God Secondly that thou by their example shouldest bring thy guiftes to Christ who dyed for thee and offer vp all thy labours to his honour Consider thirdly what manner of duty they did to the holy body of our Lord. First when it was taken downe all of them together with the Mother of our Lord stood reuerently beholding and contemplating the same body with their eyes and mindes And heere againe ponder with thy else what teares they shedd what wordes they spake and what thoughts they had casting away al vaine feare come neer and ioyne thy words prayers vnto theirs Beholde this chincke of the Wall the wound I meane of his side behold the holes of the Rock the foure wounds of his hāds and feete behold the crowne of Thornes remayning yet vpon his holy head wouen with many boughes as it may be seene in Paris in the Kings chappell where it is kept with great reuerence behold likewise his whole body blewe with stripes and torne with wounds Pray our Lord first to hide thee in these holes of the Rocke and in this chinck of the Wall that thou neuer thinkest nor desirest any thing which tendeth not to the glory of him crucified Secondly that he neuer looke vpon thee but through these wounds or windowes of his hands feete and side nor haue any other prospect but through these crannies that is these wounds of his whole body head through which hee cannot see but with the
eyes of mercy Secondly they tooke off his crown of thorns from his head and perhappes being tangled in his haire and sticking in the flesh ioynts of the bones they hardly plucked out the thornes entyre and taking a bason they reuerently washed off the spittings bloud and filth which stucke vnto the same Thirdly with great honour they washed according to the custome of the Iewes the holy body of our Lord and gathered together all the foulenesse as most holy and sacred reliques kept them with great care which in continuance of time waxing hard and being reduced into a bloudy substance mingled heere and there with a watery colour was sent by Baldwin King of Hierusalem from Palestina to Bruges in Flaunders by the Abbot of St. Bertins where it is kept and reuerenced most deuoutly by the Brugeans and hath been preserued by Gods help and their singular care from the fury of the Genseoms Fourthly they wrapped the body in the sheete and after the manner of the Iewes couered it ouer with spices Marke thou euery thing and conuert it to thy owne benefite Thy Lord is bound who looseth thee bounden his hands are bouÌ„d least they punish thee his feete are bound least they runne to reuenge his face is couered least he see the foulenes of thy sinnes Pray vnto him to season thee with the spices of vertues and to burie thee together with him And there was in the place where hee was crucified a Garden Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. Mat. 27. Mar. 15. and in the garden a Monument which Ioseph had cut out in a Rocke in which neuer any was yet laide Therefore for the Parasceue of the Iewes they laid Iesus because the Monument was hard by And Ioseph rowled a great stone to the mouth of the Monument and went his way COnsider first that Christ our Lord was not left without Sepulture but was buryed like vnto others First that hee might seeme to haue omitted nothing pertaining vnto men Secondly that thou being buried with him shouldest neither regard nor know those thinges which are done in the world CoÌ„sider secondly that the Prophet foretolde Isa 11. that the Sepulcher of our Lord should be glorious This Sepulcher may bee taken three wayes First for this whereof wee now speake which being cut out in the Rocke was reserued for an honorable man Which was made more glorious because two Senators being Noble men and one of them a Maister in Israell and a Doctor of the Lawe Ioan. 3 executed the office of buriall with their owne handes and because none but iust holy men touched the sacred body of Christ which with great cost they annoynted and seasoned Secondly for his Sepulcher in the Church where the true body of Christ being thought indeede liuing yet like vnto his dead body is reserued vnder the forme of dry and immoueable bread the siluer and golden vessels being as it were a Sepulcher wherein it is kept And this Sepulcher is glorious because it is reason that wee exhibite to this body that once dyed for vs as much honour and glory as lyeth in the power of man to giue Thirdly for the Sepulcher of our heartes and bodyes wherein communicating wee receiue the holy hoast 1 Cor. 12 For as often as we receiue this Heauenly bread by this very action we shew and declare the death and buryall of our Lord. Let therefore this Sepulcher bee also glorious to wit illuminated with the grace of God adorned with all vertues for All the glory of the Kinges Daughter is from within Psal 44. and our Lord by his comming addeth a greater brightnesse vnto our soule Consider thirdly with what funerall solemnity our Lord was carryed to his Sepulcher when the holy men did beare him and his Mother and the Holy women and his Disciple Iohn followed him Therefore as often as thou shalt see the holy Hoast carried in procession imagine that thou doest follow this body of Christ to buryall and remeÌ„bring his passion death coÌ„mend thy selfe and the necessities of the whole coÌ„mon wealth vnto him by the same Pray also thy Lord to giue vnto thy heart the strength and constancy of a stone or rocke and to prepare a sepulcher therin for himselfe Where hee may lye in the midday Cant. 1. and graciously suppresse the heate of thy temptations And Mary Magdalene Mary of Ioseph were sitting there against the Sepulcher Mat. 27. and the women which came with him from Galilee Mar. 15. and followed him beheld where the body of Iesus was laide Luc. 23. and returning they prepared spices and oyntments and on the Sabaoth they rested for the Commandement COnsider first the sorrowe both of the other women and also of the Mother of Christ when they must bee drawen from the sight of so sweet a Lord. There seemeth to be no mention made of the Virgin Mary not because she was absent but because shee which stood by him at his death could not bee absent herselfe from this office duty Consider secondly these women sate ouer against the Sepulcher and diligently marked what was done First that thou in all thy needs shouldest flye vnto the holy Eucharist of Christ and sitting as it were by the Sepulcher of our Lord meditating pondering vpon his death passion shouldest shew forth all thy griefes and receiue remedy and comfort for thy afflictions Secondly that thou with these women shouldst mark where the body of Iesus was laide First in a Garden both because by the death of our Lord the way is open to the garden of delightes from whence we were excluded by the sinne of Adam and also that thou shouldest not lay vp thy Lord in any other place then in the flowers of vertues Secondly In a new monument both because hee desireth all thinges to be new in thee Mat. 9. For New wine is not powred into olde vessels and also because he came to make all thinges newe Thirdly In which neuer any was laide least perhaps not Christ but some other might be said to haue risen from death and that thou shouldest suffer no other to rest in the sâ—pulcher of thy heart For he teacheth that our Lord alone will possesse thee wholy and that hee will suffer no companion of his Kingdome in thy soule Fourthly In a Stone both to take away all suspition of the stealing away of his body and also because from thence-foorth hee had determined to pierce the stony hearts of Gentiles and sinners Fiftly In anothers Monument that by his death hee might commend that pouerty which he had so often praised in his life for hee whose Mother had no place wherein to lay her Son when hee was borne and he who had not where to rest his head when he liued was buryed in another mans Sepulcher when hee dyed Besides it was conuenient that hee which dyed not for his owne fault but for others should be buryed not in his owne