I say this may teache thée the order and maner howe because herein is shewed thée howe to geue thanks to thy Redéemer for that which thou shalt meditate or call to minde he hath suffred for thée and also what thou oughtest to praye for conformable to that poynt and parte of the passion thou â—ast to meditate vpon Which â—oing by Gods grace with as great deuotion as thou canst â—hou mayst then well hope thou shalt not at any time be occupied therein without fruite the which shal be so much the more as thou shalt more earnestlye perseuer in so godly an exercise ¶ Diuers profitable wayes how to meditate vpon the blessed passion of Christ our Redeemer IT is declared in the booke oâ— the Prophet Daniell that there was shewed in a vision to Nabuchodonosor a trée planteâ— in the middle of the earth whicâ— trée was very hye garnisheâ— with goodly leaues and abundance of fruite By this trée is figured Christ crucified in the middest of the earth vnder the shadow of which trée whosoeuer is willing to rest him selfe and recorde within his minde the most holy passion he shall finde fruite both swéete and copious and that so muche the more as his vnderstanding shall serue him in more diuers sort to meditate on the same And therfore ye must note that ther be diuers wayes to meditate vpon the holy passion out of eche of them there may be gathered new varieties of fruites for that you shall finde one fruite and taste when you do in your meditatioÌ„ take sorow compassion within your selfe for the great torments iniuries which Christ suffered and an other kinde of fruite when thou shalt meditate thereon in minde to followe the great vertue that is taught thée therein and so in diuers other sortes as your meditation may runne for diuers other endes and purposes And although the deuotion of euery man may deuise different wayes of exercise in this meditation yet neuerthelesse I thought good in this litle treatise to set foorth certayne sortes which I hope shall not a little further and helpe such as be willing to serue their turne therewith The first maner or sort which is generall and here set foorth before the rest we intende to speake of may be called historicall or literall whiche consisteth in knowing wel the letter and historie of that mysterie which thou purposest to haue in minde and contemplation the which thou must as freshly remember and consider of as it were presently set before thine eyes The second maner of this meditation is by way of compassion that is to say for that intent that thou wouldest haue compassion and as it were lament and be sory for the grieuous tormentes reproches and sorowes which thou conceyuest in thy minde that Christe hath suffred for thée considering wel the quantitie and qualitie therof with other circumstances which do encrease the sorowes and passion and therefore the more styrre thy heart to pitie and compassion The third maner is to meditate by way of compunction or contrition which is to that end that thou mayst be pricked with remorse of coÌ„science and sorow for thy sinnes which are with such rigour and crueltie punished in thy redéemer for that he was offered vp as a raunsome and price for them so to make satisfaction before the iustice of his eternall Father And this shall cause thée to hate them the more and to kéepe thy selfe the more warely hereafter froÌ„ committing the like offences agayne when thou shalt consider how muche they offended God that he would punishe the same with so great seueritie The fourth maner and sort of meditation is by way of imitation or following that is to the ende to followe the marueilous vertue and rare examples that Christe our redéemer showeth and setteth foorth in his passion as well in the wordes which he spake as in the workes which he did and in the maner of his suffering All which to consider is a certayne liuely example and paterne of perfection for thée to vse as a glasse to beholde what vertue wanteth in thée and so to vse thy selfe that thou mayest obtayne it The fifth maner and sorte of meditation is by way of thanks giuing that is in rendring of thankes and prayses to God for his bountifull goodnesse calling to remembraunce the innumerable giftes and great benefites which are giuen thée by meanes of this holy passion the whiche are so great that no vnderstanding of man is able to comprise them Yet notwithstanding those whiche by this discourse thou art able to vnderstande may suffice to stirre thée to giue thankes and prayse to thy Lord God which hath done so muche for thée The sixt maner is by way of admiration for hauing well considered in thy minde the vnspeakeable charitie and loue of Christe in that he hath offered him selfe to suffer so bitter and shamefull death and likewise the infinite wisedome and iustice of God declared in the bitter passion of his deare sonne thou shalt become as a man rauished out of him selfe béeing amased of so high and wonderfull things The seuenth maner is by way of ioye and hope For if thou consider that all which Christe hath suffered and that death which he hath sustayned was onely for thy remedie and behoue and that by such meanes he would make satisfaction for thy sinnes and leaue to thée the treasures of his redemption and mercies if thou be willing to helpe thy selfe therwith Calling I say these and the like thinges to thy remembraunce they may cause thée to reioyce and be glad in hope that by this helpe thou mayst agayne recouer that infinite treasure which thou haddest lost and he by this meanes hath purchased for thée The eight and last maner of meditation vpoÌ„ this blessed passion is by way of loue For because the principal fruite which thou mayst séeme to gather of that thou hast meditate vpon is a certayne excéeding tender loue of our Lorde him selfe which so vouchsafed to suffer and dye for thée And nowe that thou mayst in all these maners and wayes of meditation knowe the better how to procéede these instructions and declarations following may serue thy turne Declarations of the sayde sortes and maners of meditations vppon the blessed passion and first concerning the first kind called historicall or litterall THE first manner howe to be occupied in meditation vpon the most blessed passion of our redéemer we haue sayde it may be termed historicall or literall because in it we presuppose chiefly that the history of things whiche happened and came to passe are therein contayned Vpon the which foundation all the other sortes of meditation are grounded which we haue before specified And therefore it is necessarie that this kinde and sort go before the other besides that this remembraunce what things Christ suffered is of it selfe laudable inough and commended in the holy Scripture as it appeareth in that which the Prophet Ieremie in person of our Lorde
it is written that the whip shal not come neare to his tabernacle diddest willingly consent to be bounde naked to a piller and so sharply to be whipped and beaten as if thou haddst bene some vile slaue and vagabound willing to pay with so sharp stripes of thy virgin fleshe for the vayne and superfluous delightes that I thy vile slaue haue pampered my fleshe withall agaynst thy will and pleasure And séeing thou hast vouchsafed to defende me with thy shoulders suffring them to be sharply whipped I beséech thy infinit clemencie to kéepe far from me the scourge of thy wrath the which I know to haue deserued for the multitude of my sinnes And let this thy discipline teach me hereafter and cause me to shake off all delicatenesse and pleasures in pampering of my fleshe by chastening and mortifying of it by due penaunce because it may not rebel any more agaynst thée and hinder me to attende vpon thy seruice as I am bound Amen Spinea serta caput pangunt illudit amictus Purpureus turbis ecce homo praetor ait Of the crowning of Christ with thornes Matter for meditation 1 Howe those tormentors béeing wéerie of beating that blessed body did loose him from the piller and howe our most patient Lorde did humbly gather vp his garmentes whiche they had caste and scattered on the grounde with the whiche he couered agayne his moste sacred body béeing all bloody sore and full of payne 2 Consider howe that hauing yet scantly put on his clothes the souldiers of Pilat were busie to honor him in scorne with royall ensignes because they sayde he had made him selfe a king they clothed him with a red purple cape or mantell and crowned his head with a garlande of moste sharpe pricking thornes and they put a réede in his hande in stead of a scepter with which they strake him and kneling before him in mocking they saluted him 3 Then also beholde howe Pilate brought foorth in the sight of all the people the king of heauen euen as he was so mocked and yll handled thinking that their obstinate furie might be so pacified when they should sée him in that case worthy of pitie and compassion But it nothing suffised them but rather they cried the more crucifie him ¶ The prayer WHat thanks may I render to thée O my God that thou being the true king of heauen of earth and so worshipped and reuerenced of the Angels them selues diddest not refuse to beare that shamefull and painfull ensignes of a faygned King with which thou waste scorned and mocked of moste vile men neither yet diddest grudge to appeare openlye in the sight of all the people with that painefull sharpe pricking crowne of thorne wherewith thou wast crowned of thē whom thou contrariwise desiredst to crowne with glory And who would not maruell at their obstinate malice in that they could finde out so many inuentions the more to put thée to shame paine and torment but more cause of maruell is in thy burning charitie Lord which the waters of so great tribulations and persecutions were not able to quenche no nor in one poynt to coole And euen as thou wast neuer satisfyed nor couldest thinke in thy self to haue loued vs inough so thou couldest neuer fully satisfye thy selfe in suffering for them whom thou louedst Let thy bountifull goodnesse therefore bée honoured and thanked of the Angels of all creatures the which I doe also adore and worship and desire that I maye alwayes so doe with all reuerence humbly beséeching thée that thou wylte cause mée to knowe thy highnesse almyghtie maiestie that I maye with truth and vnfaynedly continually honour that same to giue me grace that I may wyth the eyes of my soule beholde that lamentable spectacle and sight whiche Pilate shewed to the Iewes in saying beholde the man That my hart being therby made tender and mollyfied I maye haue the more compassion and pitie of thée and wyth more earnest desire loue thée embrace thée And also to reioyce in my selfe to be reuiled and dispised in the world for thy sake according to thine example hoping afterwardes through thy mercye to be crowned of thée in heauen Amen Insons damnatur tandem portare iubetur Proh dolor ipse suae pondera saeua crucis Howe Christ caried the Crosse to be crucified and the poynts to meditate thereon 1 Howe Pilate beyng weryed with the importune calling and cryinges on of the Iewes did iudge Christ the author and giuer of life to death whose iudgement he willingly accepted for the great desire he had to worke our saluation 2 Consyder with howe great humilitie he did beare that heauye trée of the Crosse vppon his shoulders Which for that it was so huge and great made hym often tymes to fall to the grounde and so to renewe his gréeuous paines 3 Consider also that being not well able to goe for his weakenesse and mightie burthen they tooke the crosse of his shoulders and caused Cirineus to beare it And howe hée turned himselfe to comfort and admonishe the deuout women who with great compassion followed hym wéeping Where you maye call to mynde what sorrowe his blessed mother suffered when shée sawe this lamentable sight ¶ The prayer WHo woulde not bée amased O moste swéete Iesu of the bottomlesse fountain of thy passing humilitie that beeing the iudge of the liuing and the dead to whome by thy heauenlye father all iudgement was committed wouldest submitte thy selfe to bée iudged of a mortall man being an vniust and prophane person thou being most innocent and cleare from al sin and to accepte with great obedience méekenes the sentence of death which malefactours deserue that by death they might obtaine life I render vnto thée infinite thankes as wel for this incomparable charitie as also for that good will and readinesse with the which as it were an other Isaac thou cariedst on thy backe the wood wherewith thou shouldest be sacrificed in the fire of thy most burning charity willing thereby to make satisfaction to the iustice of thine eternal father for our sinnes which thou barest on the crosse And séeyng that in accepting the sentence of death which Pylate pronounced against thée thou deseruedst that the sentence of eternall death shoulde be reuoked whiche was pronounced against me therfore I humbly beséech thée of thy mercie to defend kéepe mée that I deserue not to léese this so great priuiledge of grace to incurre by my sinfulnes into the same sentence of damnation from the which for thy part thou hast deliuered mée Geue mée also the grace and strength to bée alwayes able to followe thée in bearing of my crosse according as thou haste commaunded vs that is to say the trauels tribulation which it shall please thée to lay vppon me in this life The which for good cause maye be easie and light vnto me considering the paine and trouble thou diddest féele in bearing so willingly for my loue thy crosse Amen
that Lorde before whose sighte the powers of heauen feare and tremble Who can but wonder when he remembreth that he dyed who is the lyfe of all thinges liuing O howe aptly to this did the Prophete Abacuc vnderstanding in the spirite of prophesie say Lorde I considered thy works and I was afrayde And truely the causes of wonder be so greate to make a man muse thereat that it is more maruell to sée one not maruel and muse then one that dothe muse and maruell at it For howe can it be deare brother but thou must maruell and wonder if thou consider the greatnes the mightinesse the highnesse and the eternall maiestie of him that suffered so many kindes of paynes of iniuries of tormentes and of so shamefull a death And contrariwise the basenes the vilenesse and the vnthankfulnes of men for whom he suffered And if any of these things being by itselfe considered haue cause sufficient to make thée maruell what shal it be if thou ioyne all together that his high maiestie hath suffred suche and so great tormentes for so base and vile creatures That is to say that the iudge of the liuing and the dead was crucified betwéene two théeues that the king of glory which is adored of Angels was blasphemed of most vile men who woulde not maruell who would not be afrayd who would not be astonnied to thinke vpon it This is one thing that shall giue thée copious matter to woÌ„der and maruell to consider the infinite loue bountie and mercy of God in this worke of thy redemption declared And thou shalt no lesse maruell if thou consider the great wisedome he sheweth in the same his passion and crosse in that he found out so conuenient and apt meane to vanquish and ouercome our aduersarie euen as it were with the same weapon wherwith he ouercame vs. And this is it that the Catholike Churche singeth That he ordeined the trée of the crosse to be the instrument and meane of our saluation because the diuell like as he wanne the victorie ouer vs by one trée so likewise he might be vanquished and troden vnder foote by an other trée Also his crosse and passion was a most present remedie for all our infirmities For he humbling himselfe euen to the death of the crosse did pay sufficiently the price of our disobedience and pride Geuing vs the greatest example that might be of his humilitie which is so necessarie a vertue for vs besides diuerse examples els as of despising the worlde and of many other vertues spoken of before By meanes whereof we maye knowe our owne vices and amende them and chiefly renounce and forsake our selfe-love which is the roote of all vice Also the remembraunce of his Crosse and passion may encourage vs to suffer and patiently beare the manyfolde trauels miseries and griefes whereof our life is full For what greater comforte can there be had then to beholde Christ nayled on the Crosse whose woundes are sufficient to heale our woundes whose paynes and griefe if we well consider them may cause vs not so impatiently to take our troubles whatsoeuer they be And likewise to inflame and kindle our loue towardes him there can not be founde a better meane then to lay before our eyes how gretly and entierly he loued vs in suffering so much for vs and that he hath left vs so great ryches of his mercies of Sacraments of examples of coÌ„forts of satisfactions of fayth of hope of deuotion of consolation Beholde Christ with diligent eyes vpon the Crosse and thou shalt finde hid therein so great and so wonderfull treasures that they will cause thée to crye out say with Saint Paule O the depâ—nesse of the ryches of the wisedome and knowledge of God Thou shalt finde also good cause to maruell if thou consider his great power and might whiche he shewed in his passion for so muche as thereby he ouercame the diuell and being exalted on the Crosse he drew all things to him as he saide before dying he destroyed death triumphing ouer the world and hell Thou shalt likewise finde good cause to wonder if thou marke well the iustice he obserued in his passion and death in that he would not our sinnes and offences should remayne without recompence and satisfaction and by it giue remission and pardon of them and that more fréely and fully then of our part was due or deserued And by howe much more thou art willing to consider search out the secrets of the Crosse so muche the more high mysteries shall be reuealed vnto thée and cause thée not only to maruell but also to be greatly amased And then shalte thou knowe that Saint Paule the Apostle spake not without great cause when he sayde He would preache none other nor would learne to knowe any other thing but Iesus Christ and him crucified By this then hitherto said thou mayst gather and perceiue how copious matter thou haste to maruell and wonder at when thou art in this maner disposed to meditate vpon the death and passion of thy Redéemer All whiche the better to retayne in memorye thou mayest reduce and bring them to these poyntes The first is to consider the infinite highnesse and maiestie of thy Lorde that suffered for thée The seconde is the seruile and base estate of them for whom he suffered Thirdly the wonderfull tormentes and iniuries which he suffered Fourthly the wisedome power and iustice which he declared in his blessed passion and death These things in maner before specified and others that may happen to come into thy remembraunce whiles thou art in thy meditation if thou consider them as thou oughtest attentiuely shall minister occasion vnto thée greatly to maruell and wonder at this diuine mysterie A declaration of the seuenth manner of meditation which is by way of hope and reioysing The seuenth manner of meditation we sayde was by waye of reioysing and hope Whiche kinde of meditation is very necessarie also sometime to vse For when a man shal with him selfe consider howe great the wickednesse and euill of sinne is howe odious it is and howe muche it displeaseth God séeing for the due punishment thereof and for to repaye and repayre the great losses it had caused in the worlde our Lorde him self came downe from heauen and after so great trauels and paynefull life at the laste he would suffer so bitter passion and death And when he shall likewise call to minde that he hath runne and fallen into his haynous euill and sinfulnesse not only once but many times and in diuerse sortes he shall then rest so sad and dismayed that he shall néede of some speciall helpe for to comfort him that he dispayre not in him selfe when he remembreth that he shall appeare before the iudgement seate of the fearfull iudge to yéelde the account of all his life To remember this it hath made not onely many sinners to feare and tremble but also iuste men and persons of holy life as
do laude prayse thée so that I nor all men in the world know nor yet are able to thanke thée nor yet vnderstand thy so gret mercy And because I haue no tong able to do it as it ought to be I pray thée of thine infinite goodnes to graunt me an heart that may take compassion and féele in part that which thy most blessed mother felt when she beheld and saw those gréeuous woūds and scourgings of her and thy most louing sonne Geue me therfore O Lorde teares in abundance that I may bewayle with her his death also wéepe for that which was the occasion therof and that was my sinnes the which I pray thée for the same thy sonnes sake that thou wilt pardon me and for the time to come to preserue me that I offend not in the same agayne but alwayes hate and abhorre my sinnes and wickednesse Amen Et florum nimbo fusisque lignoribus vngunt Vnctaque candenti sindone membra tegunt How the blessed body of Christ was anoynted and dressed to the buriall Meditations thereof 1 When night drew neare S. Iohn Ioseph and Nicodemus as it maye be godly thought prayed our Lady to geue them leaue to annoynt the most blessed body of her sonne who agréed to their godly request albeit that she vnderstoode that there was an other principall annointing that is that he was annointed of his diuinitie with the which he was vnited 2 Consider with what great deuotion and reuerence that most diuine body was anoynted and how many sighes teares they shed euery one that were present thereat in séeing him so wounded and pitifully handled and specially beholding those fiue principall wounds worthy of so great compassion 3 Consider that when the blessed body was annoynted they decently wounde it in a white shéete they brought with them and couering his said body with a fine launde so shrowde it vp to be buried according to the maner of the Iewes ¶ The prayer MY soule blesseth thée O most louing Iesu and all the powers within me geue thankes prayse to thy most holy name for all thy works which I confesse to be most worthy of all prayse and blessings But specially I prayse and magnifie thée for that thou hast accomplished and finished that so highe and heauenly worke of our redemption on whiche my saluation and life dependeth I also adore and worship thy precious body with the which it hath pleased thée to suffer most gréeuous torments and seing thou my Lord and God wast content to accept that deuotion and pietie of thy friēds that came to do thée their seruices and wast cōtent being dead that thy body should be annoynted with those materiall oyntments which they brought of the which thou hadst no néede at all because thou wast preserued from all corruption with the swéete balme of thy diuinitie I beséeche thy clemencie that thou vouchsafe to graunt me that pietie that charitie and those teares of deuotion that I may be able to annoynt thee spirituallye whiche is the vnction that is wonte to bée most acceptable to thy maiestie Vouchsafe also my Sauiour to imprint in myne heart those fiue most holy woundes whiche maye bée at all tymes my comfort my medicine the tower of my fortresse my refuge sanctuarie more sure and safe then those Cityes whiche in the olde lawe were appoynted for offenders to runne vnto and saue them selues And that by meanes of them I maye escape what tyme it shall please thy diuine iustice to punish me for my sinnes Amen Conditur ah tumulo mundi mihi conditor in quo Vnicaspes hominum conditur vnasalus Howe Christ was put into the graue Matters of meditation 1 Howe that most sacred body was caried put with due reuerence of Ioseph in a newe sepulchre or graue the which was nere to the place where he was crucified And here you may call to minde also the multitude of sighes and abundance of teares of his most sorrowfull mother and of those holy persons that were there present 2 Consider the extreme pouertie of the king of heauen and of earth who when he was dead had not any place where to rest his head but after death was buried in the sepulchre or buriall of an other 3 Then finally consider howe loth and gréeuous that sorrowfull mother was to depart from the sepulchre where her tresure was left and layde and the dolefull desolate sadnesse she felt seing her selfe depriued from his ioyful company vntil his rising agayne whiche she looked for with a stedfast fayth ¶ The prayer AL thy works O my God and lord Christ Iesu be holy perfect wrought by infinite wisedome for the which without ende I laude giue thankes prayses to thée and specially for thy holy passion death and buryall For euen as when the worke of the creation of the worlde was finished the scripture saith thou diddest rest and ceasse from creating anye more thinges so also now the great worke of the redemption of man béeyng also finished thou tookest thy rest and dyddest ceasse from suffering any more and wouldest that thy blessed body vnited with thy diuinitie shoulde remayne closed within the sepulcher thy moste blessed soule vnited with the same Diuinitie in meane time discending to visite and comfort with thy presence glory those holy fathers thy great friendes the which with vnspeakable desire looked for that day Blessed and praysed for euer be thyne infinite mercie power and wisedome the which stretcheth ouer all and disposeth all thinges swéetely For the which I praye thee to open the eyes of my soule that I may learne to know loue and reuerence thée Geue mée also my redéemer plentie of teares of compassion with the which I maye accompanie thy moste sorrowfull mother who at this tyme remayned sole and desolate bewayling with great affection which shée felte for thy death and absence vnto the time that thou camest agayne to wype awaye those pitifull teares which ran downe her reuerende face I desyre also and praye thée to graunt me a cleane harte voide of all corruption of sinne where as in the lyke Sepulcher not of harde stone but of tender fleshe and louynge it may delight thée to rest vntyll the time thou vouchsafe of thy mercie to bring mée eternall rest Amen Mortis victor adest animis comitatus ab orco Ne tumulo hanc matres quaerite vinus abit The glorious resurrection of Christ our Sauiour ¶ Poyntes to meditate vpon 1 First consider how that when the most blessed soule of Christe had béen in Lymbo comforted those holy fathers and brought them frō thence the sonday morning it did returne againe and vnite it selfe with his most blessed bodye caused it to become glorious resplendent immortal and impassible and so with the diuine power those glorious indowmēts which it communicated to the body it rose vp out of the place where it lay the sepulcher or graue remaining fast shut and closed 2 Ye may also thinke that the first thing he did being raised from death was to visite his beloued mother which with so many teares sighes sorowes missed him and looked for him All which griefes were turned into incomparable ioyes gladnes with the glorious sight of her sonne raised agayne from death to life 3 Ye may also meditate howe he firste appeared vnto Magdalen before the other who when she knew him she was greatly comforted and likewise vppon his other apparitions as vpon this daye as when he shewed himselfe and appeared to the deuoute women which went to the sepulcher and after to his Disciples goyng towardes the castle of Emans ¶ The prayer THy name be blessed without end most swéete Iesu my redéemer for that after the tempest of thy passion there is come the faire bright day of thy glory to the night of sorrowes and teares for thy death the festiuall ioyful day of thy resurrection doth succéede For the one for the other I giue prayse and thanks to thée as for the one and for the other I am debtour to thée bicause thou wouldest dy for my sinnes rise again for our iustification And therefore it is iust that they which do suffer wepe with thée in thy sorowfull passion and death should also in thy gloryous resurrection reioyce with thée thy most blessed mother Who according to the measure of hir anguishe sorrowes passed hath receiued the ioyes consolatiōs of this day present And what tongue may suffice to expresse that vnspeakeable gladnesse which hir hart felt when she sawe thy glorious risyng againe and the darknesse of thy passion turned into such beautifull clerenesse thy shames reproches into glory thy wounds into such beautie brightnesse When she did consider that now the stormy winter of thy persecutions was past the waters of the fludde of thy sorows ceassed that there should be nowe no more Pharisies to accuse thée nor Iudasses to betray thée nor Pilates to iudge or condemne thée nor death to haue might power ouer thée If Iacob did so muche reioyce when hée vnderstood that his sonne Ioseph whō he beleued to be dead was a liue and did rule ouer all Egipt how great may we thinke the ioy of thy glorious mother to be when hauing sene thée dead yea and of such a death did sée thée alyue againe a vanquisher of death triumphing ouer the diuell hell Lorde of heauen and of earth wherefore I beséech thée my heauenly king that I calling to remembrance this great triumph gladnes of thy blessed mother thou wilt giue me grace to hate all other vaine pleasures and worldly consolations whiche may separate me frō thée Graūt me Lord I pray thée by thy holy resurrection that my soule may rise againe with thée by the life grace and that I dye no more by the death of sinne so that I may by thy mercy hereafter rise agayne glorious in body and soule and come to reigne with thée eternally in glory Amen FINIS Laude Honour and Glory be for euer to Iesu Christ our Redéemer which suffered dyed and rose agayne Amen