so but maketh choice of that which is most to the purpose for the curing of his infirmity So we see that blind man in the Ghospell to haue done who went to our Sauiour crying and beseeching him to haue mercy on him whome when our Lord asked what he would haue him to do vnto him he forhwith represented vnto him his greatest necessity and that wherin he receaued most affliction which was the want of sight and of this therfore he craueth remedy So that we see he did not demannd any otherâthing whereof he had also need for he did not say Lord Bestow a garment on me for I am poore giue me necessaries to maintaine me for I am in need these thinges he did nor beg but all the rest omitted he imploreth remedy for his greatest necessity After this manner we see the holy Prophet Dauid to haue done for he directed his Prayers to obtaine that which he desired and had most âeed off and so he sayth in one of his âpsalmes One thing I haue asked of our Lord this will I seeke for and procure vntill I obtaine it Euen so we ought to doe in our Praiers to Almighty God insisting perseuering therin vntill we obtaine And hauing once preuayled against that vice pasâion or bad inclinatioÌ which did most âfflict and molest vs then are we to âall in hand with another thus in âime we shall subdue and cut off the âeads of them all with the sharpe âiercing sword of Prayer But heere it seemeth vnto me âhat some will doubt and say How is ât possible for me to apply this point of Prayer mistery which I mediâate and wherin the charity of Christ ând his loue towardes me doth most âppeare and wherein his greatnesse ând goodnesse is most apparent to âhe necessity I haue of humility patiânce purity and other vertues And how when thinking on the glorious misteries of Christ can I haue sorrow for my sinnes and in his dolorous and painefull passage ioy and spirituall contentment Wherto I answer two thinges the first that it cannot be denied but that some Mysteries are more to the purpose then others to gather the fruit of some vertues more then they be for others Let vs put an example In the birth of the child Iesus who doubteth but that the humility pouerty which Christ there did practise and experience in his owne persoÌ do shine most bright and are most eminent in that mistery In the crowning with thornes the contempt of worldly honour In the whipping at the piller the mortification of the flesh and in the mystery of the Crosse the humility patience and obedience which Christ exercised suffering himselfe to be nayled thereunto The second thing is and that of much importance to be knowne that vpon whatsoeuer point or mystery we meditate we may apply it to âhe vertues we haue most need of ãâã most for our purpose for that the âonsideration of euery one of them is ãâã certaine diuine Manna which tastâth to euery one according to his deâire If we will that it tast of humility âhen of humility the consideration of âinnes of hell of death will sauour ând tast If of patience and the loue âf God hereof the Passion and Reâection of Christ will tast being euery where full of motiues for the one ãâã incitements to the other If of poââerty and mortification of the flesh ând so of all the rest the most holy âfe of our Lord Iesus will affoard vs âatter for our spirituall gust in ech âne abundantly But let vs see the âractise of this declaring it by some âew examples Put the case we meditate vpon âome part of the Passion and Paines âf our Sauiour would draw therâut desire and affection of ioy and âpirituall gladnes Consider to this ând and reflect vpon the exceeding âreat glory and praise which through ââese paines and ignominies did arise vnto God both in heauen and earth and the infinite good of grace and glory which by meanes of the sufferings and labours of Christ were purchased for mankind and heerat we may reioice therein fulfilling the counsayle of the Apostle Reioice in our Lord alwaies If we meditate vpon the glorious Resurrection of Christ our Lord and desire to haue sorrovv for our sinnes Consider that this our Lord doth therefore rise againe to bestow on vs the life of grace deliuering vs from the death of sinne and by the beauty of the glorious life which he promiseth in this spirituall Resurrection we may gather the lothsomnesse and deformity of the death of sinne from which by his death he deliuered vs. And thus we may mooue our selues to abhor and detest a thing so vgly as sinne is and to loue and imbrace the beauty seemlinesse of grace If meditating on the Ascension of our Sauâour we desire to reape the fruit of patience let vs see how well ãâã eternall Father rewarded his most ãâã Sonne for the paynes he suffered ãâã his loue that we may like wise ââue patience in ours Finally if thinking vpon the ââost holy lyfe of Christ we would be ââued to the contempt of the world âhold the little reckoning he made the honours and vaine estimation âââerof that the glory which ought be esteemed is the Eternall which ââârist our Lord hath and doth comâunicate vnto his But now all this supposed ââich hath bin said that which hereââmaketh most for our purpose is ãâã light and direction of the holy ââost who in what mystery soeuer ãâã shall meditate will best suggest ãâã graunt vnto vs the feeling of the âârtue we most pretend and which it ââhoueth vs most to seeke for and ãâã obtaine at his holy hands THE XIIII ADVERTISMENT Of Iaculatory Prayers to be made ãâã in and out of Meditation IT is a very good remedy to exeââcise and stir vp the soule that prayâeth as well in time of distractioââ and driâesse in meditation as to coâserue deuotion in the rest of thâ day to walke alwaies as in the presence of Almighty God and no lessâ for such as haue not health to pray ãâã mediâate to vse some short payeââ or iaculatory aspiratioÌs which are ãâã if one should cast a dart or shoot ãâã arrow of seruent affection vnto heââuen crauing of Almighty God ãâã few words his diuine loue his graââ or some vertue whereof he standetâ most in need as it were represeâting and laying before his maiesty his owne weaknesse asking humblâ remedy therof or victory ouer somââ vice from which he most desireth ãâã be freed The practise of these shoââ prayers is as solloweth â my God that I could alwayes âe thee â that I could perfectly obey thee â that I could alvvaies serue thee â that I neuer had offended thee ââat I could see my self free from ãâã or that imperfection â that I could obtaine this or that âââellent vertue Giue me o Lord purity of soule ââânility of hart pouerty of spirit Pardon my sinnes
of hart say vnto him Come Iudas mv deere Apostle giue me thy feet for I will wash them and bath them and wipe them euen now it being the eue of that day in which my feet are to be nayled vpon the Crosse and washed in my bloud for thy sinnes and by occasion of thy treachery And if thou hast any complaint against me behould I am heer at thy feet doe with me what thou wilt vpon condition that thou beââray me not nor offend me no more Gather out of this so remarkable an example of humility two thingsâ First motiues of loue tovvards him who humbled himselfe so much for thee and learne to humble thy selfe that thou mayst doe good to thy neighbours although in regard of their vnvvorthinesse they deserue iâ not Secondly learne out of the obstinacy of Iudas to be wiser by others harmes Beseeching Almighty God to take away thy stony hart to change it into a hart of flesh thaâ thou mayst feele his diuine inspirations and imbrace his louing examples TâE 4. POINT TO consider how that Christ our Lord hauing finished this worke of so rare humility and charity tooke his garments sitting downe againe at the table sayd to his Apostles ânow you what I haue done to you Ponder this demand as if our Lord would say Know you the myâtery which is comprehendâd in this my deed and the end wherfore I do it make account that God sayth vnto thee Dost thou know what I haue done for thee the benefits which I haue bestowed vpon thee the euills dangers from which I haue preserued thee knowest thou how much I haue humbled my selfe to exalt thee Dost thou know that I made my self man to make thee the Sonne of God if then I haue washed your feeâ being your Lord Maister that is if I haue humbled my selfe so much with how much more reason ought you to humble your selues exercise all works of humility and charity specially I hauing spent my whole life in giuing you so rare and admirable examples of these other vertues Gather a desire and firme purpose from this day forward to do that which our Lord Iesus doth counsaile and command thee Because humbling thy selfe thou shalt euer find grace in the sight of God and therby be exalted to the dignity of the sonne of God THE XXXII MEDITATION Of the institution of the most Blessed Sacrament THE 1. POINT TO consider the vnspeakable greatnes of the loue which our Lord bare to mankind seeing ân the very selfe same night of his passâon when men went about to kill him and to deuour his sacred flesh as it were by bits and sucke his preâious bloud with terrible torments disgraces and ignominies he was preparing for them this soueraigne morsell and celestiall banquet to make them partakeâs of euer lasting life Ponder how neither the conâradictions of the wicked nor the presence of death and of any torments were able to turne his mind âor to diminish his inflamed charity and make him relent in his loue and purpose of comforting his elect with this soueraigne banquââ From thence thou mayst gather purposes that no afflictions conteÌpts or persecutions or torments or pains shal be able to separate thee froÌ him nor to make the omit to serue him or to receiue him often in this most B Sacrament for to this end he hath vouchsafed to stay heere with vs vnder the forme of bread which is a meat that all eate off great little poore rich THE 2. POINT TO consider the place which Christ our Redeemer did choose to institute this most Blessed Sacrament which was a great Hall and comely adorned offered freely for his vse by a man whose name is not known Ponder how this hall is thy soule into which Christ entreth and reâayneth there in this most diuinâ Sacrament and it importeth thee very much to haue it adorned with all kind of vertues which be the hanâgings of the house wherin God dwelâleth Ponder secondly how Christ our Lord esteemeth greatly of a ready and prompt will to reâeaue him â maketh no account of the state ââles of the world And therefore he âold that this mans name that gaue âim this house or Hall should nor be ânowne to signify that he regardeth âot whether he be poore or rich noâle or ignoble learned or vnlearned âhat is to receâue him into his soule âut only that he offer what he hath ânto him with a prompt and deuout âill Gather hence a great affection ând longing desire to giue the selfe âholy vnto this thy Lord offering ây selfe willingly vnto his seruice âting though thou be so miserable ând so vile and base yet he vseth so âreat mercy towardes thee that he âouchsafeth to make thee his house ând aboad and to celebrate his saââed and diuine Mistery in thee THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ Iesus our Lord whiles he was at supper ââoke bread in his Blessed hands sayââg This is my body c. by vertue ãâã which wordes he conuerted the âbstance of the bread into his owne most sacred body and bloud Ponder the omâipotency â this our Lord for in an iustant he ââuerted the bread into his sacred flesh in such a sort that both God maâ entâerly wholy is vnder that smâ quantity of the host in euery paâ or parcell therof without any diuâsion of the body although the hoâ be broken and deuided Ponder secondly that Chrâ our Lord sayd not this is part of mâ body or of my flâsh but this is mâ body wholy and perfectly for albeiâ euery least particle of his Blessed ãâã would haue sufficed to sanctify va â would neuertheles be there wholy euery part of him that is his heaâ eyes eares breast and hart to giââ thee to vnderstand by the partiââpation of his most holy members â would sanctify all those that woâ duely receiue him perââctly ãâã and heale them Gather hence a desire to giââ thy selfe vâholy vnto our Lord â ploying all thy members and senââ in his ãâ¦ã that thoâ maââ wholy be a perfect representation of him THE 4. POINT TO consider how Christ Iesus our Lord communicated all his Apostles and Iudas amongst the rest albeit he knew what an one he was because as yet his sinne was not noâtorious wherefore to him as to all âhe rest he gaue in this diuine Sacraâment all he had to wit his most âoly body and bloud his soule diuiâity and humanity that they might euer haue in mind his great loue toâards them what he had suffered for their sake Ponder the reuerence and deâotion wherewith those B. Apostles â Iudas only excepâed who was in mortall sinne â did take and receiue ânto their breasts that most Blessed âread There S. Peter did stir vp his âavth and turning his speech to him âhat he beleeued to be contained to âye hidden in that sacred bread said âhou art Christ the Sonne of the liâing God
gaue finall sentence in his cause and our Lord Iesus being condemned to the death of the Crosse the souldiers forthwith pulled off the purple garment which they had put on him iâ scorne stripping him naked they put him to that sham againe the secoÌd tyme not only before the officers but in presence of all the people also gaue him backe his owne garmentâ embrued in bloud to put on Ponder how Christ our Lord to carry his Crosse layd aside the garments which others had put on him in Herods and Pilats house cloathed himselfe vvith his ovvne not without extreme great paine for they cleaued fast to his sacred vvoundes vvere dryed into them they being now cold Gather hence desires to put ãâã all affections vn worthy the child of God that is all vicious customeâ of the world of the flesh wherewiââ thou hast gone clad and assume thosâ which are beseeming and proper to Christ to wit humility charity the like by vvhich thou must be knowne and held for his disciple for this was euermore the liuery of the Sonne of God THE 2. POINT TO consider how our Lord taking the Crosse vpon his tender and wearied shoulders because there was not any one found among so many who would carry it for him to thâ place of punishment for the ãâã held it an accursed thing the Genâills esteemed it reproachfull he ãâã âorced himselfe to go with it on ãâã âacke to wards mount Caluary Ponder hovv this meeke Laâbââull willingly spread forth his armââ ãâã imbrace the Crosse and not withââanding it was so heauy a burden ãâ¦ã his so great dishonour and shamefull death he carryed it vvith more loue then he did euer before any other crtsse because the vâiliây fruit the honour glory which through the weight of this Crâsse was to be gathered was thine it is credible that he did vvelcome it vvith kisses of peace interiourly saluting it with a thousand svveet louing acts fat better then S. Andrew did the crosse of his Martyrdome Hence thou mayst gather confusion and shame to be an enemy of the Crosse of Christ flying so much âaking of paynes and procuring to cast thy burden vpon another mans shoulders imitating in this rather these wicked people for if thou wert the seruant of Christ thou wouldest be glad reioyce to follow him with thy Crosse although it should cost thee thy life and shouldst dye in thâ fact THE 3. POINT TO consider how the obedient Isaac commeth out of Pilats housâ with the burden of the wood of thâ Crosse vpon his backe The trumpeââ foundeth the common Cryer cryeth aloud clamours outcryes are heard on euery side an infinite multitude of people approach they behold coÌming out of the pallace gate a lamentable and such as was neuer seene before a most afflicted creature doubled ouercharged with the weight of a Crosse of fitten foot long crowned with a crowne of thorne scarce able to stand on his feet nor to sustayne the weight of the Crosse without crouching falling vnder it Ponder the barbarousnes of those mercilesse harts agaynst our Sauiour for insteed of helping him vp to rise agayne taking compassion on him as to make him goe on that bitter and paynefull iourney they gaue him a thousand blowes kickes and spurnes saying vnto him Arise traitour sorcerer didst not thou say that thou weât the Sonne of God he who in three dayes could build vp his holy Temple vvhy dost not thou rayse now thy selfe Gather hence comfort in thy âfflictions carrying with patience and loue in imitation of our Lord Iesus the crosse which shall fall to thy lot though it be very heauy and should make thee stoop for it is impossible in this life to want Crosses and afflictions Trust in God and in his diuine mercy who will prouide one to assist thee to carry it that thou mayât not be ouerloaden and fall vnder it THE 4. POINT TO consider that the Blessed Virgin vnderstanding how they carryed her most holy Sonne to crucify him accompanyed him in this last iourney and making âast finding meanes to passe through the throng of the people according as some deuouââontemplatiue persons obserue ãâã came ãâã met her deerest Soââe Ponder what may haue passed betvveene these tvvo diuine âarts where that âunne and Mâone so sad and âcliâsed behold one the other this was no doubt one of the greatest sorrowes which Christ our Lord endured to see that meâke Doue his ãâã come out of the ârkâ of ãâã retirement so much grieued afflicted at the sight of him so disfigured enuironed with his enemies that desired to make a finall end of him and loaden vvith so heauy a burden that it permitted him not to goe one step more forward the Blessed Virgin would haue holpen him but the cruell mynisters would not permit her And this sorrowfull encouÌter was so mouing and full of compassion that this peraduenture vvas the tyme and place where the vvomen beholding it burst out into âeares bewayled and lamented hiâ so much that theâ enforced our Lord to say vnto them that they should not weep vpon him but vpon themselâes and for the sinnes of the people and the punishments which for them weâe to befall that vngratefull Citty For if in the greeâe wood they do these thinges in the dry what shal be done By vvhich he vvould say If the diuine iustice chastice me so terribly for other mens sinneâ who am a greene and fruitfull tree hovv vvill he I pray you punish sinners who are dry withered stocks vnfruitfull trees for their owne sinnes If I who am innocent haue beene scourged buffited spit vpon âeuiled though I deserue nothing of all this doe not withstanding now go with this Crosse on my shoulders to be nayled vpon it what will becomâ of the guilty what stripes what buffets finally what torments will befall them From hence thou mayst gather desires to bewaile thy sins offâces for they were that which ouercharged weighed downe the wearyed âhoulders of thâ Lord God made him stoop ãâã THE XLVIII MEDITATION How our Sauiour was crucifyed THE 1. POINT TO consider that Christ ouâ Lord being arriued at mount Caluary sore afflicted tyred with going that long and payneâull iorney was by those furious souldiers with barbarous cruelty dispoyled of his sacred garments and because the bloud was now dry and cold his garments stucke fast to his body and so they agayne rent flayed that meeâ lambâ who did not open his mouth nor speake a word against them that thus tormented him Ponder that of all the times that they stripped our Lord which werâ in all soure this was the most painefull most ignominious being now stripped naked from top to toe not only of his garments but of his skin also Gather hence patience longanimity in iniuries and aduersity and not to be angry nor offended when thou shalt
he had negotiated and broght to passe by his death said vnto them Peace be with you Ponder how great a friend Christ our Lord is of peace sith the first word he vttered by the ministery of his Angells when he came into the world was giuing peace to men And being in the world he sayd to his Apostles My peace I giue vnto you And being to depart out of thâ vvorld My peace I leaue to vouâ purchased by my death and Passion Whence it followeth by good conâsequence that our Lord recommended vnto vs in life death nothing so much as peace and because sinnâ had beene cause of so great emnitâ betweene God and man Christ ouâ Lord vouchfased thereby to reconcile and set vs at peace with his Eternall Father to receaue the blowes oâ his rigorous iustice vpon that sacreâ humanity rent and torne in a thoâsand places and setting himselfe ãâã the middest to say Peace be vviâ you Hence thou maâst gather two thinges the first how often thou being at emnity with God he hath inââted thee to peace thou hast not âdmitted it nâuer ceasing to warre âgainst him with thy sinnes The seâond how little peace thou hast kept with thy neighbour falling out with âim for matters of small importance ând trifles Beseech this Lord who is God of peace to come into thy soule â graunt thee that which the world âannot giue establishing peace beâvvene thy soule and thy spirit beâeene thy powers and senses beâeene his Eternall Father thy breâren THE 4. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord entring the disciples were troââed and affrighted imagining that âey saw a spirit and our Lord sayd them Why are you troubled and âgitations arise into you harts See ãâã handes and feet that it is I âdle and see for a spirit hath not ãâã and bones as you see me to ãâã Ponder the sweetnes of his voice which was sufficient to appease them rid them of all feare to makâ them to know him as who shoulâ say My deerest disciples I am thâ same I was wont to be in my nature in person in quality I am you Sauiour your Master your brother your God feare not the fury of thâ Iewes nor the indignation of thâ Gentills nor the cruelty of Kings Princes who haue risen against me nor those who oppose theÌselues anâ persecute you for I being in your câââpany you are secure in safeguard Gather hence security confââdence for thy soule timerous feaâ full through the manifold sinnes thâ hast committed saying to her O mâ soule feare not for although thy ãâã be many this Lord promiseth sureth thee of the pardon of them This Lambe is he that taketh avvâ the sinnes of the world and he ãâã will take away thine if he be protectour of thy life of who shouldst thou be afrayd âHE VII MEDITATION âf Christ his apparition to the Apostles Saint Thomas being present THâ 1. POINT TO consider how our Lord the disciples being gathered togeather entred and sayd to his âisciple who had not belieued the Miâââery of his Resurrection Put in thy ânger hither see my handes being hither thy hand put it into ây side be not incredulous but âithfull Ponder the infinite charity oââod in being solicitous for the vvellâre of his sheep for hauing expected ãâã dayes to see if Thomas vvould call himselfe and acknowledge the ârdnes of his âart he would not âferre the remedy any longer but me in pârson to cure this his ãâã and lost sheep and taking him by âhand desired to put place him his hart Gâther hence hovv great the mercy of God is graunting thee ãâã infallible promise and assurance ãâã he will not conceale himselfe froâ thee if thou seeke him yea albeit thâ hast been as incredulous as S. Thââ mas confessing him for thy ãâã thy God as he did he will grauââ thee that which he afforded him thââ is his body not only to touch hiâ but also to receaue and enioy him thy brest THE 2. POINT TO consider how that our Lorâ who permitted not himselfe to ãâã touched by Mary Magdalen louiâââ him so deerly and seeking him earnestly taketh Thomas as we ãâã being incredulous by the cold ãâã froâen hand maketh it warme ãâã cherisheth it and putteth it into bosome heaping vpon him so maââ benefits Ponder how that whatsoeâââ S. Thomas desired and asked ãâã Lord graunted him as if by his liâuing some profit were to ensuâââ Christ whome loue made to ãâã for gaynes as his owne yea ãâã procure them euen with his losse Gather hence an exceeding deââre to beare with the defects of thy brother not to be slacke nor weaâyed with seeking his redresse but euen leauing thy owne right to goe vnto him if he will not come to thee ând with breach of thine owne will âo coÌdescend vnto his perfectly imiâating Iesus Christ our Lord who alâeyt he was triumphant and glorious âet did he not omit to come and doe âaint Thomas so great and speciall âauours and priuiledges And as he âid with him so doth he also dayly âith thee when thou commest to reâeaue him corporally and spiritually âarne to be gratefull and seruiceable âerfore THE 3. POINT TO coÌsider S. Thomas his worthy ãâã confession for as soone as he touââed as piously vve may belieue âe precious wounds of his Sauiour had his eyes enlightned with that ââuine Sunne he became so illumiâââed with the rayes beames of his ââuine light and splendour that he confessed plainly clearly the articlâ of his resurrection which he had noâ belieued before Ponder the loue which Chrisââ our Lord hath to sinners and whicâ himselfe shevved to haue to this hiâ incredulous and sinnefull Apostleââ sâth the sinne of his small sayth waâ not inough to make him leaue to bââstow such fauours and benefits vpoâ him as being impâssible gloriouâ to vouchsafe him his diuine hands ãâã feet bowells and hart to touch anâ handle Ponder secondly how the Apââstle seeing himselfe so honoured anâ fauoured of our Lord brake out iâ to these tender and deuoât vvord saying My Lord and my God ãâã with good reason he called him hiâ and not our Lord because he louâ him so tenderly that for his good loue âe appeared to all the Apostleâ and forgetting as it were all the ãâã vpon him alone bestovved the ãâã and benefit to inflame him in his ââuine loue From hence thou mayst ãâã desires to confesse with S. Thomas that Iesus is thy Lord and thy God for his loue is so exceeding great that âhe is ready to do for thee alone that which he did for Saint Thomas sith that as well for thee as for him he deliuered himselfe vp to death to purchase for thee eternall life THE 4. POINT TO consider the worder which our Lord said to his Disciples Becausââhou hast seene me Thomas thou haââ belieued Blessed are they that haue not seene haue
same thing For not content to haue prayed once vnto his Eternall Father he repeateth the ââme the second and third tyme ââea and the holy Euangelist addeth ââat towards the end longer then beââre And for this our B. F. S. Ignatius ãâã his Booke of Spirituall Exercises âoth make so great account of the reâetitions which after euery Exerââse once or twice he ordaineth to be âade for that which at the first is âot found may be afterwards found ây repetition of the same And so our âord himselfe affirmeth He that seeâeth findeth and to him that knocâeth it shal be opened So it hapned ânto that woman of Chanaan who âor her perseuerance in renewing oft âer petition vnto our Sauiour obâained of his Diuine Maiesty the deââred health for her daughter So also ãâã will happen with vs in Praier that âeturning thereunto once or more âften if need require and for seuerall âayes renewing and perseuering in âhe same consideration we come to âiscouer more_vnknown grounds or ãâã to say better more heauenly misteâies not knowne to vs before Much like as entring into a darke chamber at the beginning we see little or nothing but staying there a while wââ come to see that which we could not see before THE XI ADVERTISMENT How we are to begin our Prayer This is generally speaking of all those who giue theÌselues to the practise of this holy Exercise that in the beginning and entrance therof they alwayes make for the space of an Aue MARIA the Praier commonly called Preparatory which is as it were a preparatioÌ to begin Prayer saying thus I beseech thee O Lord to direct this houre or time of Praier to thy greater glory bestowing vpon me such plenty of thy grace as shall be necessary to performe it and I humbly offer vp vnto thy Diuine Maiesty whatsoeueâ I shall thinke say or do according to thy holy will and as it shal be most pleasing vnto thee THE XII ADVERTISMENT How the Powers of our Soule are to be exercised in Prayer MENTALL Prayer whereof heere we treate is the worke of the three Povvers of the âoule to wit of the Memory Vnâerstanding and Will Noting by âhe way that in euery Mistery and point we take in hand of all the Meâitations of the books following we âre to exercise these three powers in Prayer in manner following First with the Memory we âre to call to mind Almighty God our Lord with whome we speake setâing before our eyes the point or Mistery on which we are to mediâate belieuing with a liuely faith the âruth thereof Secondly with the Vnderstanâing we are to discourse and consiâer those things which best may help ãâã moue the Will pondering and as ãâã were chewing them againe and aâaine by leasure to the end we may find our selues moued with the vertue and fruite included therein For that which is not well chewed is neither bitter nor sweet and so ney ther Sinne nor Death nor Iudgment nor Hell it selfe is bitter or loathsome vnto the sinner because he doth not ruminate and chew these things but swalloweth them whole running them ouer rashly without any mature consideration at all and little to his profit Hence it is also that we take no gust nor haue any feeling in the Misteries of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection of Christ because we doe not throughly ruminate chew them Let vs therefore bruize and chew with our Vnderstanding this graine of mustard seed searching out the precious diuine vertue which therein is hidden that is to say within this holy and diuine Mistery and we shall see by experience that it doth not only heat and bite vs but also prouoke and cause in vs teares of deuotion Thirdly with the Will we are âo draw out of that consideration âundry affections some belonging to âur selues and others to Almighty God for example Detestation of our âelus in regard of our offences against God Sorrow for our sinnes the Loue âf God and his diuine Precepts the âiuing of thanks for benefits and faâours receaued Desires of true and âolide vertues of imitating Christ âesus our Lord in those which he exârcised in his most holy life to wit ân Charity Mercy Humility Patiânce Meeknes and Pouerty and so ân all the rest Neglect Contempt âf all that the world esteemeth and âoueth seeing the small account this âur highest Lord made of them in his âife and death great longing and ferâent desires to suffer and shed our âloud for his diuine honour pondeâing with attention and leasure in eâery Mistery some one of these verâues vntill we imprint and settle in âur Will an earnest desire to obtaine ãâã And these be the acts which we âre to exercise with the power of our Will in the consideration of the life PassioÌ of Iesus Christ our Sauiour therby to come to the true imitation of his most perfect vertues And this third of our Will is the principall that wherin we ought to make most stay as a thing whereof most reckoning is to be made in Prayer this being alwaies in our power to perform how dry soeuer wee be or full of desolation All these and the like affections and desires of true and solid vertues we must put in practise so that we may profit our selues in some of them by one Meditation and in some by another according as the matter of Meditation shall require THE XIII ADVERTISMENT The fruit which is to be gathered out of Prayer IT is a thing of speciall moment and which maketh much to the purpose that before we begin our Prayer we forsee know the fruit which we ought to gather thereof For it is to be presupposed that we âo to seeke remedy for our spirituall âecessities to obtaine victory of our âassions and peruerse inclinations ãâã procure sorrow for our sinnes to ââote out vices to plant vertues to ââbdue all difficulties which may ocâurre in the way of vertue weighing âârst with our selues and very seriouâây what is the greatest spirituall neâessity we haue what is that which âindereth most our progresse in verââe and that which assaulteth most âur soule And this is that we ought âarticulerly to forethinke haue in âreadinesse therein to insist and to âbtaine that our desire in Praier âs if we find our selues to want the âertue of patience thither to direct âur considerations for the attayning âf a true desire to suffer and endure âr the loue of God thinges painfull ând contray to our liking If our âhiefest want be Charity then to âake firme purposes to shew our ââlues affable courteous and sweet ânto our neighbours not to contriâate or do them any harme but raâher all the good we can c. For it were a great folly deceit for one when he goeth to prav to lay hand vpon that which first offereth it selfe and not that whereof he hath most need For we see the sicke person going to the Apothecaries shop doth not
ãâã thy selfe poorely apparelled and to want necessiâies seeing so rare an example as Christ our Lord hath giuen thee of sâfferances nakednâsse pouerty in all his life and specially in his death for his nakednes must be thy garment his dishonour thy liuery his pouerây thy riches his conâusion thy glory and his death thy life of grace glory THE 2. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord being now naked the souldiers âaying the Crosse on the ground they commanded him to lye downe vpon it on his backe that he might be nayled to it so he did Ponder first the most excellent obedience of thy Sauiour which shined most in hearing and obaying in whatsoeuer hard difficult matters those cruell tormentors proposed vnto him giuing thee an example to subiect thy selfe to euery humane creature for his loue where there is no sinne Ponder secondly âow our Sauiour lying vpon that bed of the Crosse which thy sinnes had prepared for him lifted vp his eyes to heauen and rendred thankes to his Eternall Father for hauing brought him to that point wherein he beheld himselfe so poore so dishonoured and misused for his loue Gather hence whân thou shalâ see thy selfe in adâersity and distresâe to be resigned to the diuine vvill in thâ giuing Almighty God due thanks for them for once giuing thanks to God in aduersity is more worth and of mâre merit then many tymes iâ prosperity THE 3. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord was mayled on the Crosse the âxâessiue paines which he felt when those rough and boisterous nailâ eâtred breaking the veynes piercing ãâã sinewes and renting thâ most tender parts of the most delicatâ body of all bodyes enduring with great patience and loue to see himselfe so loaden with painââ ful of vââpeakable sorrowes Ponder how our Lord permitted the nayles to pierce his sacâed hands and diuine feet to shew theâ that he should haue thee alwayes imprinted in his hands feet so great was the loue and holy zeale whicââe had of the saluation of soules and of thine in particuler Gather hence deâires of thy he owne saluation and of thy neighbours setting light by whatsoâuer difficultyes paynes and trauells which to deliuer them out of siâne may befall thee that by this meanes as a souldier of this spirituall warfare thou mayst imitate in some âort thy Captaine Iesus who vvith so great loue gaue his life for them hanging on the Crosse. THE 4. POINT TO consider that after Christ our Lord was nayled to the Crosse his enemies lifted it vp on high with that true lambe of God vpon it who taketh away the sinnes of the world letting it fall downe voilently into the pit which they had made for the purpose Ponder the paine confusion and shame vvhich Christ our Lord had when he savv himselfe on high naked in the middest of an open field full of innumerable people and as another Noe exposed shamefuâ to the sight of all without any thing to couer his nakednes withall noâ hauing any to affoard him any thing but many who were ready to take from him all that might be giuen him Gather hence a great shame confusion at the small griefe sense feeling thou hast of the paynes of our Lord not shedding so much as onâ teare of compassion wheras he powreth out all his bloud And seeing the insensible creatures which want both reason and feeling made so wonderfull demonstration of sorrow at the death of this our Lord that they were âorne and rent in pieces for euery griefe it is good reason that thou who art his creature and the cause âhy he endured that which he did shouldst acknowledge be thankeâull for it and haue a speciall and inâard feeling thereof seeing he suffeâed it in benefit of thee THE XLIX MEDITATION Of the seauen wordes which our Lord spake hanging on the Crosse. THE I. WORD TO consider the great charity of our Lord which waâ such that before he vvould comfort his Mother before he vvould prouidâ for his friends before he would coÌmend his spirit to his Father he promideth his enemies of remedy Wherfore the first word he spake on thâ Crosse was to excuse his enâmiââ who crucified blasphemed murdered him Ponder how Christ Iesus our Lord being full of grieâous dâlors paines in euery part of his body noâ finding any place of rest in that harâ bed of the Crosse euen then did lifâ vp his diuine eyes to heauen shedâding teares of most tender loue anâ compassion opening his diuiâ mouth not to commaund that firââ should câme from heauen as Eliââ prayed but to beseech his Eternall Father to pardon those which were there and the sinne they committed in crucifying him Gather hence how exactly our Lord God fulfilleth the precept he bath giuen thee To loue thyne enemyes to pray for them that persecure thee that by this example thou mayst learne and know to doe the like THE 2. WORD TO consider how that the second Word which thy Redeemer spake from the chayre of the Crosse was to pardon the Theefe graunt him heauen Because he confessed his fault and declared the innocency of Christ our Lord and freely and plainely âalling him King craued fauour aâ his hands saying Lord remember âe when thou shalt come into thy Kingdome And so our Lord Iesus âid honouring this thâeâe before his âternall Father aâ he conâessed him âeforâ men ânduing him with so exceeding great graces priuiledes that being the last ãâã made him of all mortall men the first who departing this life should presently reâeaue the reward of glory Ponder that if God rewarded him with so great liberality who did only follovv him not fully three houres hovv will he reward those who shall serue and follow him vvith perfection all the houres dayes of their life And if our Lord shewed himselfe so gratefull to this sinner who had iniuried him innumerable tymes for one only time that he confessed and honoured him what manner of gratitude will he shew to him who shall spend his vvhole life in seruing and honouring him Gather hence desires to serue him alwayes that securely vvitâ confidence thou mayst haue accâssâ vnto him and aske him thââ vvhich this good theese did aske him saying Remember me o Lord that is remember not my sinnes nor the robberies which I haue done but that am a frayle man and infirme that am thy creature made to thy imagâ likenesse wherefore I beseâh the to remember me THE â WORD TO consider that the third word which Christ our Lord spake froÌ the Altar of the Crosse was to recommend his B. Mother to Saint Iohn S. Iohn vnto his Mother And from that houre the disciple tooke her to his owne and loued her with speciall loue Ponder the exceeding great griefe vvith vvhich this vvord of recommandation pierced the hart of the Blessed Virgin for she throughly weighed the inequality of the change which
and humbled wherefore replenished vvith excessiue ioy and comfor they vvould say to ech other Ascend o Lord ascend not to mount Caluary to be crucifyed betweene two theeues on a tree but vnto the holy hill of Sion iâ the heauenly Hierusalem to be glorified betweene two diuine persons by the quyers of Angells and blessed soules that inuisibly accoÌpany thee Ascend O Lord ascend to this soueâaigne Court not to suffer and dye âut to triumph ouer death it selfe sinne c. From hence thou mayst gather how well afflictions endured for the loue of God are imployed seeing he can and will reward and recompence them so largely magnifying and exalting aboue all creatures him vvho humbled himselfe and suffered more then all Beseech him that sith he saith by Saint Iohn If I be exalted from the earth I will draw all things to my selfe it may be fulfilled in thee that thy mind and affection being separated from earthly vanities thou maist ascend with him his holy company to heauen THE 3. POINT TO consider how the holy Apostlâ after they had lost the sight oâ their God and Lord they vvenâ backe to Hierusalem with great ioy because the same loue that caused them so much to lament their losse enforced them on the other side to reioyce at his glorious triumph entrance into that celestiall countrey where he should be receaued of thosâ courtiers of heauen with singuler ioâ exultation triumph some singing others playing on their admirable melodious instruments Ponder how different this Thursday in mount Oliuet was from that Friday in mount Caluary there solitary heere so well attended there nayled on a Crosse heere exalted aboue the clouds there cucified betweene two theeues heere enuironed with quiers of Angels there blasphemed and scorned heere honoured renowned finally there suffeing dying heere reioyeing tryumphing Gather hence great comfort to see this so wonderfull a mutation change and reioyce in this day of Christs Ascension into heauen to be thy aduocate feare his Comming to be thy Iudge THE 4. POINT TO consider the ioy of Christ our Lord in this triumph of whome it is sayd God is ascended in iubilation seeing the happy end of his trauels Ponder how much the Eternall Father exalted him aboue all vvho humbled himselfe more then all giuing him for the throne of the Crosse a throne of Maiesty for the crowne of thornes a crowne of glory for the company of theeues companies of Angells for the ignominies and blasphemies of men honours and prayses of celestiall spirits And because he descended first into the inferiour parts of the earth he made him ascend aboue all the heauens In conclusion that nature vvherto it vvas sayd Dust thou art into dust thou shalt returne now is raised from the dust of the earth aboue all the heauens Gather hence how requisite it is to humble thy selfe for Christ so to be exalâed vvith Christ because if thou wilt not be like vnto him in debafing and humbling thy selfe in vaine hopest thou to follovv him in ascending raigning ¶ After the Meditation of the Ascension of Christ our Lord to heauen it vvere much to the purpose to set downe the meditatioÌ of his glory but in regard vve haue treated therof in the first Booke togeather vvith the last things of man we remit him who desireth to read medicate thereon to that place THE X. MEDITATION Of the comming of the Holy Ghost THE â POINT TO consider how after our Sâuiour was ascended into heauen his disciples retyred themselues into an vpper chamber in Hierusalem where they all perseuered in continuall prayer expecting the Holy Ghost Ponder that the strongest and most effectuall meanes that may be to procure the comming of the Holy Ghost into thy soule is a continuall inflamed and feruent perseuerance in ârayer for otherwise if when others pray thou sleepest if when others aââend and are carefull of their saluatiân and spirituall profit thou remayââ carelesse negligent of thy owne if when others haue their minds and conuersation vvith God thou hast thyne with men although thou be in company of the good and holy in one house and residence in one same Religion this diuine spirit vvill not come vpon thee Gather hence desires to perâeuere in prayer and to be frequent therin that this diuine fire of the holy Ghost may come also vpon thee as it came vpon the Apostles who with so many sighes longing desires expected its comming THE 2. POINT TO consider how there came sodeÌly a wind that filled the whole house vvhere the Apostles vvere in prayer Ponder first how this vvind and coole ayre of heauen did noâ leaue any chamber roome closet oâ corner of that house which it did noâ penetrate to signifâ that this quikninâ spirit is offered giuen to all meâ generally in whatsoeuer part or coââner of the world they are Ponder secondly that when thâ Holy Ghost entreth into a soule it filleth all her faculties by his power vvith verities and celestiall vârtues not leauing any part voyd or vnfurnished From hence thou shalt gather that if thou desire this soueraigne spirit should replenish the house of thy soule vvith his diuine graces and gifts thou must not wander out of it distracting busiyng thy thoghts about creatures but remayne setled and quietly reposed therein imploying her in good desires thoughts works for doing so this diuine spirit vvill fill thee vvith his aboundanâ loue grace THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Holy Ghost desceÌded in forme of fiery toÌgues vpon all the Apostles and disciples that were retyred in that house verifying that vvhich Christ our Lord sayd vnto them I came to cast fire on earth and what will I but that it be kindled and inflame the harts of men Ponder that the cause why this Lord commeth in forme of ãâã vvas that the Apostles might be like vnto burning torches which should set on fire the vvhole vvorld that they might illuminate inflame the harts of men with this fire of diuine ãâã making them of wolues to become sheep of crowes doues of lions lambes of brutish people and infernall monsters spirituall Angella Gather hence great desires that this fire would vouchsafe vnto thee one sparke of his âeat that thy lips being purified as were those of the Prophet thou mayst hence forward neither speake nor discourse of vainâ base thinges of the world but oâ God and his prayses endeauouring with thy speuches and conâersation to inflame thy selfe and those vvith whome thou conuersest with the fire of thy diuine loue THE 4. POINT TO consider that albeit the discipleâ which were in that chamber werâ more then an hundred and all of ãâã different merits yet that pure spiriâ replenished all with his diuine gifts ând graces imparted himselfe entierly to euery one Ponder that although all were full of the Holy Ghost yet some reââaued greater grace benefit then others that is
hath beene so bold as to offend the infinite Maiesty of thy Creatour before whome the most highest Saints doe tremble and thou shalt find that it is thy presumption and pride and want of Humility which maketh thee to stumble fal not permitting thee to vnderstaâd that to sinne is worse then not to be at all and that it had been better not to haue beene borne then to haue sinned as our Sauiour said speaking of Iudas For it is certainâ that there is no place so base conteÌptible in the sight of God among either things created or not created as is man who is in mortall sinne Gather hence a great desire ãâã be despised and contemned of men for that with thy sinnes thou hast dishonoured and contemned Almighty God and doe sharp pennance foâ them therby to incline thy Sauiour to pardon thee beseeching him thââ seeing he hath not beene wearyed in suffering for thee he will vouchsafe to pardon thee restoring thee againâ to gis grace and friendship THE 3. POINT TO consider how much the Sonne of Almighty God doth abhorâe and detest sinne for that louing and esteeming so much his life as it wââ reason that so iust and holy a life aâ his should be loued and esteemed did choose neuertheles to loose and spend it to destroy this bloudy and cruell best Sinne feeling more ouâ faults then his owne paines Ponder that if sinne cost Almighty God so much in that for to destroy the same he imbraced the Crosse offering on it his most precious bloud and life in satisfaction of âânne how art thou so blind and fooââsh that thou wilt needes loue and âsteeme a thing so abhominable vnâo God How art thou so besotted âs to choose death it selfe How so âold and foole-hardy as to adâenture the committing of a mortall âânne it hauing cost God himselfe so âigh a price And if this be true as ãâã is is it not a madnes incredible to âelieue with fayth what thou belieâest and to liue in manner as thou âuest That is to say to belieue that ânne is so bad and detestable and euertheles to commit the same so ââperatly to belieue that God is so âod and notwithstanding to offeÌd ââm Hence thou shalt gather a great âislike and detestation of sinne seeââg that for the curing thereof humââeanes did not suffice but diuine aâne And know that he who comâitteth it as much as lyeth in him âs S. Paul saith doth crucify againe ââe Sonne of God THE 4. POINT TO coÌsider the innumerable soules ãâã that be now burning in hell for one only sinne which they commiâted Where ponder first how all those damned soâles vvere men aâ thou art and many of them Christians and were perhaps sometimes highly in the fauour of Almighty God but by little little they greâ carelesse and came to fall into thaâ miserable estate by the iust iudgments of God death ouertooke thââ therein and so were they most iustly condemned for all eternity Secondly vvith hovv much more reason thou deseruest to be iâ Hell as those soules are for hauinâ offended God in that very kind oâ sinne not once but many times how iust reason there was that death should haue caughâ thee in commiâting the first sinne and that God should haue giuen theâ no time oâ repentance Hence thou shalt gather desirââ and affections of loue and gratitudâ towardes Almighty God for the fâuours and benefits done vnto thee in deliuering thee from the dangââ before thou didest fall into it Alââ feruent desires of doing satisfaction for thy offences in this life lameâting and bewayling them THE III. MEDITATION Of Death THe Preparatory Prayer as before The Composition of place shall be to imagine the King of heauen seated on his Royall throne dispatching thence his Iudges Sergeants Apparitors and other his Officers to depriue of their liues all those that are to dye Suppose that the last day of thy life is now come and that this is the last houre therof and that thou preparest thy selfe for the finall account The Petition shal be to beseech our Loâd to open the eyes of thy soule giuing thee grace To liâe so now as thou wouldst then wiâh thou hadst liued so composing and ordering now thy disordered life that thou mayst dye a happy death THE 1. POINT TO consider how doubtfull and vncertaine this day and houre of thy death is so that thou neyther knowest when nor in what manneâ it will attach thee For that ordinarily when a man is most carelesse and thinketh least thereof it then commeth the diuine prouidence so oâdayning to oblige thee to be alwayes watchfull expecting this day and fearing this houre For as there is nothing more vncertaine then thaâ houre so thou must belieue that nothing is more certaine then that after health followeth sicknesse afâer life ensueth death Ponder how this Verity is most sure and vndoubted yet thoâ liuest neuertheles with so great carelesnes and negligence not preparing for death which daily doth threaâen thee And mooue heere in thy selfâ a great desire to liue well to day as one that is to dye to morrow for the day wiil âome and that very quickly wherein thou shalt line to âee the morning but not the eueningâ or the euening but not the morning and order thy life from this day forward in manner as thou wouldest wish to haue liued at the houre of thy death And if thou wouldest not that death should seize vpon thee in the state in which now thou staÌdest procure forth with to come out of it for it is not good to liue in that state wherein thou wouldst not dye THE 2. POINT TO consider of what importance it is as the holy Ghost saith to haue alwayes in mind the presence of Death thereby not to sinne for euer For thou wert very vnwise if in a businesse of so great consequence ând importance as is alwayes to walke prepared and armed witâ his âoly and wholsom remembraÌce âhou wouldst so much forget thy selââs to deferre it to the very point and ânstant of thy death not knowing how or in what manner thou aât to dye whether sodainly or by some âtone throwne at randoâ or by a tile of a house falling downe vpon thee by sword fire or water for doutles thou art not certaine whether ãâã sodaine and violent death will befall thee as it hath befallen many othersâ Ponder that euery sinner whosoeuer doth deserue to be chastised with this sodaine death and to perish and dye therein as very many haue done Seeing therfore thou aââ so great a sinner how doest thou noâ tremble to be but one houre in moâtall sinne Why art thou not carefull hovv death may find thee well or ill prepared That is in mortall sinne or in the grace fauour of Almighty God Hence raise in thy selfe an earnest desire with a firme purpose and resolution to do so and not to be sâ carelesse as hitherto thou hast beeâ in
called the Illumiââtiuâ Way The end of which way is to Illuminate the soule with the light of sundry truthes and vertues with âiâely and effectuâll desirââ of knowing God and to vnite himselfe witââim exercising himselfe in the conâiderations of the diuine Mysterieâ of the life and death of our B. Sauiâur for by meditating of these and ây carrying them alwâyes in his hârt âe shall stâr vp and enkindle in himâelfe motions of deuotion proper ãâã peculiar to this way to wit louâând desire of the vertues of Humiââity Patience Chastity Obedience âouerty of spirit Câarity the like For to what vertue can any one bâânclined wherof he may not find in âhe life and death of our Sauiour meruaillous examples it being as iâ were a royall table or banquet furâished with all sorts of meates a pââradise full of all delights a garden âet forth with all manner of flowers â market abounding with all things âand as it were a spirituall Faire repleâââshed with all good thinges that wââan wish for as in this second bookââhalbe seene An Aduertisement âT seemeth vnto me conueniâââ ãâã for the better obseruing of our intended breuity not to treate froâ hence forward in the ensuing Meditations of the Preparatory Prayer of the composition of Place or oâ the Petition since it wil suffice to hauâ done it in all the Mediâations of thâ first Boobe of which euery one may make his benefit and haue a generall knowledge light inough to make alwaies the sayd three thinges according as the subiects of the Meditation shall require for more perspicuity whereof let vs put an example or two Will you meditate vpon the Birth of our Sauiour Christ or on the pennance which he did in the desert c In the Former the composition of place may be as followeth Imagine that you see with the eyes of consideration as it were â house or cottage vnhabitable forsaken of all open on euery side full of cobwbes and filth exposed vnto the wind and snowy weather and in a corner thereof on the ground vpon â little straw the only begotten Sonne âf Almighty God Iesus Christ ouâ Lord crying like a little infant trâbling and quaking for cold the most Blâssâd Virgin our Lady and her Spouse S. Ioseph full of deuotion admiration and astonishment adoring him on their knees Let thy Petition be to obtainâ grace of his Maiesty to performe the like with them and to know serue and be gratefull for the fauours and benefits he commeth to bestow vpon thee thou being so vnworthy of âhem In the Meditation of the desert the composition of the place may be made thus Behold with the interiour sight of thy soule Iesus Christ our Lord all alone in a desert compassed with high mountaines and craggâ rocks doing for the space of forty dayes hard and rigorous pennance not eating any thing at all enuironed with the fierce and wild beâstes of the woods cast vpon the ground vnder a hedge or at the fooâ of some tree for such was his shelter and place of repose treating day and âight with his Eternall Father about thy saluation The Petition shal be that his Maiesty will vouchsafe to doe thee so great a fauour as thou maist serue accompany him in that desert willdernes for such holy company wilbâ to thee a paradise and glory And after this manner âhou mayst alvvaies make in the beginning and entrance of thy Prayer the Composition of place and Petition according as the passage or Mystery which thou dost meditate shall reqâire humbly crauing ayd and fauour of the holy Ghost who as â most excellent maister of spirit will teach thee far better then I can But one thing is specially to be noted that when thou art to make the Composition of place in some passage or Mistery of Christ either newly borne or bound to the pillar or nayled âo the crosse thou must not imagine as though it happened a far off in Bethelem or in Ierusalem a thousand and so many yeares since for this doth wearâ the imâgination and is not of so much force to moue But rather imagine those thinges as if they were present and euen now did passe before thyne eyes seeing and beholding with the eyes of thy soule the infant Iesus weeping and crying in the cradle or manger And as it were heare the strokes of whips and knocking of the nailes whereby âhou shalt both pray with more facility swetnes attention and deâotion and be moued more reaâ more aboundant fruite and profit âhereof THE I. MEDITATION Of the Conception of our B. Lady THE 1. POINT TO consider and with the eyââ of thy vnderstanding to behold the three diuine Persons Faâher Sonne and Holy Ghost in thââhrone of their glory and Maiesty in whose presence do assist an innuâerable number of Angells ordayâing and decreeing in thaâ supremâ Councell that seeing the âuine ând perdition of mankind and the forgetfullnes of their eternall weale and saluation was so great to redresse the domage and vniuersall hurt the second person of the most B. Trinity the only begotten Sonne of the Eternall Father should become Man to redeeme vs. Ponder the excessiue louâ which did burne and inââame his diâine breast for hauing many other meanes to redeemee thee which would haue cost him farre lesse he would notwithstanding make choice of no âther but of that which should âost him most of all the more to declare his vnspeakable loue towardes thee making himselfe Man that he might be more humbled therby and inueâting himselfe with the basenes of thy flesh to communicate vnto thee âis greatnesse he that was before impassible became mortall be that was Eternall temporall and oâ a Lord a âlaue of the king of heauen a worme and reproach of the earth Hence thou mayst gather the great longing desire our good Lord had of thy saluation seeing he would vndertake so much for thee for thy soules health Stir thou vp likewise in thy selfe feruent desires of humiliation the better to serue him for that he so huÌbled himself to redeeâ thee THE 2. POINT To consider how Almighty God hauing determined to make himselfe Man and to be borne of a Mother as other men are ordayned that his holy spirit should begin to build the house wherein he vvas to dwell creating the sacred Virgin our B. Lady pure and without spoâ or blemisâ free from all stayne of sinne originall or Actuall And certainely it âas meete that such a priuiledge should be graunted her in whomâ God was to lodge and dwell as in hiâ holy Temple Ponder that as all our hurt and perdition entred into the world by a man and woman God in like manner would that our redemptioâ should haue beginning by another âan and another women And ãâã death entred into the world by Adam and Eâe when they sinned so the life of grace should enter by Iesus Mary which neuer sinned vnto whomâ men should repaâre for remedy of their
holy pilgrimes ariued at Bâthleem late in the euening going fraÌ house to house from Inne to Inne did enquire after lodging either for money or for Gods sake but found none that wold receiue or lodge them all being taken vp by persons of better esteeme and faâhion then they were thought to be Ponder how often this soueraigne Lord hath called at the gates of thy hart said vnto thee that which he said to his chast Holy Espouse in ân the Cantieles Open to me my bâloued mâ sister my doue But such was thy obstâacy rebellion that thou wouldest neuer entertaine nor ledge him yea rather hast shut the dore most vngratefully against him Gather hence a great desire now at last to harbour and receiue this thy Lord and Maister giue him some place in thy hart that he may be spiritually borne in thy soule for doubtles he wil most aboundantly requite thy good hospitality and entertainement as he requited Martha Zachaeus Beseech him to come once more knocke at thy dore for that thou wilt now open it vnto him and giue him the best part of thy house to wit thy hart that he may repose remaine therein as long as it shal be pleasing vnto him THE IX MEDITATION Of the Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ in Bethleem THE 1. POINT TO Consider how the most B. Virgin not finding any other was faine to take vp her lodging in a poore forlorne cottage yea which is more in a vile loathsomâ stable the which Saint Iosepâ hauing accommodated after the best manner he could they there rested very well contended rendring to Almighty God many thanks for that sory âhelter aboad Ponder first that a poore âase habitation is nothing displeasing vnto Almighty God so it be quiet and free from all worldly vââities For God had rather come and remaine with a poore humble man if he giue him his hart quiet free then with any Prince or King that hath his mind busied disquieâed with worldly affaires Ponder secondly how the B. Virgin miraculously perceiuing the time of âer deliuery to be at hand in place of sorrow and paines which other women do feele she was filled with ioy and gladnesse of soule and body contemplating the present benefit which Almighty God bestowed vpon the world for the redemption thereof so she brought forth her only Sonne and the only begotten of God the Father without any painâ or griefe or loâââ of her Virginity wherat being wrapt with profound âdmiration she cryed our It is possible that with these eies of mine I doe see God who created me now become a child for my sake in this most vile abiect place of the earth ãâã stable Is it possible that I behould âhe Sonne of the Eternall God beâome a tender babe And the spleâââour and brightnesse of the glory of âis Father laid vpon a little straw ând hay That I heare and see him ââeep who is the only comfort of âhe miserable and the ioy of the Aââells Gather hence a great desire to feele and experience that which the Sonne of Almighty God suffered and felt at this his entrance into the world endeauouring to get at the least some one of the vertues which then he discouered of Humility Pouerty Patience and Contempt of all thinges which this most miserable world doth yield THE 2. POINT TO consider how the sacred Virgin beholding that Blessed babe whom the Seraphims all the Blessed Spirits do serue and adore lying vpon a little straw shiuâring for cold and in all thinges behauing himselfe as an infant the teares trickled downe her cheâkes and bowing with great deuotion her knees to the very ground with most profound reuerence she adored him as her God and kissed his sacred feet as of her King his handeâ as of her Lord and his face as her deerest Sonne and imbracing him and laying him at her virginall breastes did reioice with him and say O child of gold O riches of heauen O ioy of Angels O mirrour of beauty thou art most welcome into the world vtterly lost without thee in good time art thou come into this land of perdition to be a meanes for vs all to ascend into heauen Ponder with how sweet and cheerfull a countenance this Blessed Infant would behould his beloued Mother smiling vpon her would discouer vnto her how the immensity of God did there lye hidden in so small a corps his infinite wisdome inatender babe that could not speke his whole omnipoteÌcy in those weake and feeble members Gather hence feruent desires âo adore and serue as the Blessed Virgin did this thy Lord and Creatour seeing he debased âumbled himselfe so much for thee so vile a seruant of his because by thus offering thy selfe to serue him body soule ând with all thy ability and power he will most willingly accept of this thy good will and giue thee grace to effect it THE 3. POINT TO consider the ioy deâotion âeares of the Blessed Virgin and the care diligence wherewith she did performe wâatsoeâer apperââiâed to the seruice of her Sonne and Lord She swathed him in a poore yet cleane and handsome swathingbandes cloathes such as she had She with most tender loue and incomparable ioy imbraced him she gaue him a thousand kisses of ioy saying My King my Prince my loue my Lord my God and forthwith laid him downe in the manger Ponder how this Blessed Inâant though he speaketh noâ a word doth notwithstanding from the manger as from out of a chaire or pulpit teach and read vnto thee a lesson of Pouerty and neglect of whatâoeuer is in this world for he being â most mighty and potent King batââeuertheles no other throne or placâ but only a stable and in lieu of rich and costly hangings and cloath oâ gold the spiders webbeâ and hiâ bedding straw and hay insteed of the softest warmest fethers Gather hence confusion and shame for that thou dost alwayes desire procure and seeke for thy selfe whatsoeuer is best whereas Christ our Sauiour did alwaies for himselfe choose whatsoeuer was worst as to be borne be choose a stable a most loathsome place an aboad of brute beasts to dye he made choice of an infamous place appointed for the excution of ãâã and malefactours for to be borne he selected a small and silly Village and the depâh of midnight when no body mighâ see him to dye be appointed the midday and the greâtest and fairest Citty of the world When he was to be borne in Bethleâm âe ordained that there should be great concourse of people from all places of Iudea who at that time were there assembled to haue their ãâã and families enrolled once a yearâ ãâã to the custome the Emperâââ command of euâry ones ãâ¦ã which might be an ãâã that his Mother and S. Ioseph should not fââd any lodging or commodity for his birth and when he was to
dy that the Citty of Ierusalem should be full of people that it might be vnto him an occasion of more infamy To conclude if this our Lord his election choice iudgement of things be alwaies best as doubtles it is it behooueth thee in imitation of him euer to make choice of the worst for thy selfe flying whatsoeuer tendeth to thy honour and estimation and imbracing whatsoeuer may be for thy dishonour contempt THE 4. POINT TO consider what this B Child hath in heauen as he is Almighty God what in the stable as he is man who he is in both places Ponder how this poore little Infant who is heere lodged in so vile a cottage and reposeth in a manger is a God of infinite Maiesty whose seate is heaueâ whose throne are the Cherubims whose seruants are al the Angells and whome all do adore and serue This babe is the vniuersall Lord and eternall word in all thinges âquall with the other two diuine perâons who afterwardes was so gloriâusly transfigured on the mount Taâor betweene Moyses and ãâã and âho in the day of Iudgement ââall sit ãâã a throne of Maiesty amiddest the âood and bad He the very same âow in this his entrance into the âorld lyeth in the cribbe in a hard ând abiect manger betweene two ââute beastes preaching and saying ââto thee not by word of mouth âut of spirit not with many speeches âât with deedes Learne of me beâuse I am meeke humble of âart ââhold how euen from my cradle âtill my dying day I haue chosen ãâã my inseparable companionsâ poââty contempt sorroweâ and affliââons Hence maist thou gather thâââing God himselfe so great â Lord âame for thy âake so little thoââst also endeauour to humble ãâ¦ã and to become little for vnleâââ ãâã become as this little one thoâ ãâã not enter into the Kingdome of heauen THE X. MEDITATIOâ Of the ioy which the Angells and meâ ãâã the Natiuity of the Sonne of Almighty God THE 1. POINT TO consider what passed in heâuen at such time as Christ lesus our Lord was borne oâ earth Then the eternall Father gauâ commandement that all the Angeââ should adore him as the Apostle Sâ Paul saith and all of them singing iâ in the aire Hymnes and Praises ãâã this new borne King adored hiâ with most humble and profound ãâã âerence acknovvledging that littââââbe to be the only begotten Sonââ of the eternall Father the King ãâã Lord of heauen earth Ponder how much this ãâã of the Incarnation of the diuâââ world was for the glory of Almigâty God for in regard therof he ãâã glorified by all the celestiall Spiriâ ãâã in heauen and earth who like ââto so many flakes of most white how did descend from aboue as it âere a ladder from heauen to the âittle porch of Bethleem and in toâen that they did acknowledge him or their King and Lord they kissed âis sacred feete Gather hence a great ioy to see his soueraigne King adored by his âoly Angels and he hartily grieued âo see him so much forgotten neâlected amongst men yea so heiâously offended by them Beseech âim that thou maist not be of the nâuâer of those vngratefull persons but âaist glorify and adore his most holy âon on earth as the Angels did doe âlwaies in heauen THE 2. POINT To consider how the Eternall Father did manifest the Birth of ãâã âost holy Sonne to the shepheardeâ âho were watching ouer their ãâã ân the night time sending his ãâ¦ã bring them the happy ãâ¦ã and to declare so high a ãâ¦ã ânto them of which company ãâã approaching neere vnto them saidâ Reioyce for behould I shew vnââ you great ioy that shal be to all the people because this day is bornâ to you a Sauiour which is Christ out Lord in the Citty of Dauid And this shal be a signe to you You shall find the infant swathed in clouâs and laid in a manger And presently thosâ heauenly spirits brake forth into ââolt diuine melody manifesting thereby the singular content which they receiued and said Glory in thâ highest to God and in earth peace ãâã ââen of good will The shepâeardes âearing this so happy newes witâ great desire and loue inuited one another to seeke out him âhome they heârd so much praised sayâng Let vs go to Bethleem and let vs see this word that is done which our Lord had shewed to vs. Ponder the admiration of these âoly sheepheards when following thâ direction of the Angells they found âll to be so as they had told them ãâã were they greatly âstonished to seâ ãâ¦ã so ãâã base ãâ¦ã ãâã poore stable an oxe an aslâ and a âanger should be the signes to find out the Lord of Maiesty But farre greater was the admiration which this very same caused in the holy Prophet I say foreseeing in spirit âong before these shepheardes and âhis great God and Lord so little and âo much humbled wheresore he said Who euer beard such a thing and who hath seene the like to this God ân infant God in swathing bandeâ God to weep a thing so vn beseeminââis Maiesty and greatnes a thing so âtrange a worke that doth amaââ ãâã âstonish the indgements of men and Angells Gather hence desires to be hâmble and lowly as God Almighty vouch safed to humble himselfe for he manifested himselfe freely anâ of his own accord to the humble shepheards but not to prouâd Scribeâ and Pâarisies He is willing ãâ¦ã found of those who carefully ãâã ouer their owne soules but ãâ¦ã those who are ouer whelmed ãâ¦ã âyed in the dead slâep of ãâ¦ã a care therefore to watch and pray â thou shalt find our Lord as these shepheards did THE 3. POINT TO consider the great desire which these holy sheepheardes had to bring home with them to their cottage and cabins if they could haue obtained so much those lightes of the world the Sonne and the Mother seeing them so solitary poore vnprouided of all human meanes to serue and cherish them as far aâ their small forces and ability would reach in token of gratitude for the high fauour which they had receaued of them when they disclosed manifested themselues vnto them Ponder that for the finding out of Almighty God is not required âither a sharp wit or a good vnderstanding much learning or great parts neither will he be found by such if togeather therewith they seeke honour and vaine glory and not God alone but he is sooner fouÌd out by an humble Cooke or seruaut in Religion or by a poore simple swineheard and doth most bountifully communicate vnto them his celestiall gifts and fauours as the Holy Ghost himselfe testifieth in the Prouerbes Hence thou maist gather desires to seeke Almighty God with true loue and diligence that thou maist also find him as these silly sheepheards did Beseech him that seeing he is the soueraigne shepheard and thou his sheep marked with his owne most precious bloud he will
vouchsafe to take from thee all presumption and pride which is the disease and infection that doth vvast thee away and make thee so leane and that he will shew thee as he did his holy and chast Espouse where he âeedeth where he lyeth in the mid-day to wit in the manger that seeing thou hast made thy selfe a beast through sinne thou maist find him in the stable a place proper for beastes THE 4. POINT To consider that the Eternall Father sent this multitude of Angells to honour his only Sonne who had ââuch humbled himselfe for his loue to teach instruct vs by their ãâã ample what infinite thanks we owe vnto God for so soueraigne a benefit as he now had bestowed vpon vs in giuing vs his best beloued Sonne not only as a Sauiour King or Lord but which is more wonderfull as our Brother our flesh and bloud Ponder what care the Eternall Father euer had to exalt his most holy Sonne when he did most humble and debase himselfe as is to be well seene both heere and in all other passages and mysteries of his most holy life He was Circumcised and a Name most honorable and most glorious was giuen to him to wit the naâe of IE â VS He was Baptized and the Heauens were opened for him the Holy Ghost descended vpon him and the Eternall Father honoured him saying This is my beloued Sonne He was Crucified betweenâ two theeues and presently the heauens grew darke the earth quaked the rockes rent the dead rose all the elements altered Finally he was acknowledged of his enemies for the Sonne of God Gather hence a great and earnest desire to imploy thy selfe wholy all thy life time in honouring and praysing so good a God and he will haue care to exalt and honour thee as he had of his most holy Sonne who humbled himselfe so much for his honour and glory And so doing thou maist also sing the Hymne of the Angels with the like spirit and deuotion as they did THE XI MEDITATION Of the Circumcision and of the Name Of IESVS THE 1. POINT To consider how God Almighty hauing sent his only ãâã into the world in habit likenesse of a sinner he was not conteââ to take only vpon him humane Nature and to seeme lesse then the Angells in our mortall flesh but âould also on the eight daâ after his moââ holy natiuity subiect himselfe âo the Law of circumcision which was the badge of a sinnefull child and shed not only teares from his eies but also sacred bloud from out his veines Ponder how great loue towards vs he doth daily discouer for he cannot endure that his suffering for our weale and remedy should be any with delayed though those who were to see him Circumcised might iudge and account him a sinner as taking vpon him the marke badge of a sinner Whence thou maist gather very great confusion that being so great a sinner as thou art thou wilt not seem to be accounted so but rather iust and a very Saint and to that end often excusest thy sinnes Wherefore thou must humble thy selfe and giue thanks vnto this thy Lord who hath so wonderfully humbled and sought to hide himselfe Beseech his diuine Maiesty that as he subiected himselfe to carry vpon his tender shoulders âhe old Law of CircuÌcision so heaây and painefull thou maist likewise carry and haue before thine eyes and in thy hart the sweet Law of his diuine Commandement and that he will vouchsafe to season it with one drop of his most precious bloud which he so liberally shed vpon the ground to the end it may loose all the hardnes distast which it hath THE 2. POINT TO consider ãâã is Gods will pleasure thaâ ãâã Circumcise thy selfe spiritually that is that thou cut off all superfluities in pampering thy flesh in honour and commodities of this world Circumcising and mortifying thine eies not suffering them to behould that which is not lawfull to desire circumcising thy tongue making it to keep silence from vaine idle wordes Circumcising thy tast that it feed not it selfe with gluttânies delicacies Ponder in how much need thoâ standest of this Circumcision how much thou art giuen vnto thine owâââill and ãâã much it ââhoouetâ âhee allwaies to carry in thy handesâ that is in all thy actions the knife of Circumcision Gather hence also a great and earnest desire to suffer willingly that others both Superiours Inferiors may circumcise thee if thy selfe shouldst be remisse and slacke therin and help thee to cut away whatsoeuer may hinder thee from comming vnto this thy Lord whether they doe it with a good ãâã intention bearing it patiently ãâã they shall depriue thee of thy delight honour pleasure and content euen to she sheading of thy bloud for him who first hath shed it for thee THE 3. POINT TO Consider how they imposed vpon this child the Name of Iesus which is to say Sauiour of sinners as one who was to deliuer them not only from all euill but also to bestow vpon them most excellent fauours and riches that theiâ remedy saluation might be most abundant Ponder that this glorious Name âas imposed vpon him ãâ¦ã greater honour For his Eternall Father seeing him so humbled and marked with the badge of a sinner would that he should euen then be exalâed haue giuen him as S. Paul saith a Name which is aboue all Names that is IESVS And whereas our saluation was to cost him the sheding of his most precious bloud he gaue leaue to whatsoeuer instrumeÌts were fit for the drawing of bloud to worke their effect vpon him to the knife at his entrance into this world and at the end therof to the whip scourges thornes nayles spâare Hence thou mayst gather affections and desires to adore and reueâence this âost holy and most sweet Name of IESVS hauing it alwaies in thy mouth and hart thereby to obtaine victory oâer thine enemies For the Diuells doe flye from this holy Name and the infernall powers do tremble at it and by it and in it sinners haue their hope and confidence because IESVS is as much to say as Sauiour And if to saue thee and truely to beare that Name cost him so deare as the sheding of his most precious bloud and the spending of his life for thy sake what is it meet thou shouldst doe for thine owne saluation And seeing all is but little though it should cost thee thy very hart bloud life say vnto him with the Prophet My hart is ready o God my hart is ready so to doe so that thou vouchsafe to make me partaker of that sacred pledge THE 4. POINT TO consider how the Circumcision bsing performed the knife of griefe hauing pierced the tender flesh of thy Sauiour they restored him vnto our Blessed Lady all bloudy and the teares trickling down his cheeks Ponder with what griefe of hart with how many teares gushing out of her eyes this
most B. Virgin receiued her beloued Sonne endeauouring to comfort him taking him in her armes laying him at her virginall breasts giuing him to sucke of her most pure milke and saying O spouse and King of glory how deare doth the sinne of âdam cost thee how soone dost thou performe the office of a redeemer suffering paines âheding thy bloud for mankinâ Stir vp in thy selfe a desire to accompany this Blessed Virgin in her teares and good offices towardes her Sonne And shedding aboundant teares of compassion bewaile thy sinnes and offences that thou mayst obtaine pardon of them And render vnto Christ our Sauiour most humble thankes for the bloud and teares which he shed for thee auoyding heereafter to increase his paine with other new offences Beseech the B. Virgin to obtaine for thee grace of her most holy Sonne that at the entrance and beginning of this new yeare thou mayst renew thy life forsaking and casting off thy old garments wherein thou hast been hitherto wrapped to wit thy lukewarmnesse sloth and negligence in thy spirituall exercises putting on from hence forwardes feruour loâe and charity towardes God and thy neighbour THE XII MEDITATION Of the comming of the three Kings and of their giftes THE 1. POINT TO consider how the same day on which Iesus Christ our Sauiour was borne in Bethleem he sent to these Kings or Sages a new and most bright shining star giuing them thereby to vnderstand that the true King redeemer of the world was borne in Iury and they illuminated with that heauenly light and inflamed with diuine loâe much reioyced at the sight therof congratulating and iouiting one another to go and adore that true King of Kings and forthwith leauing their Counââey they went with much content and ioy to seeke Cârist Iesus in a forraine Land and to behold with their corporall eyes whome they had already seene with the eyes of âayth knowing very well how blessed those eyes should be that should behould him Ponder how great the deuotion was of these Kinges which moued them to leaue their owne Countrey to vndertaâe so long and so dangârous a iourney to breake through so many difficultâes which they might well imagine would befall them herein whereas many though they be no Kings because they will not depriue themselues of their coâmodityes and vndergoe some small difficulties for the loue of God will not so much at set one foot before another for his seruice and so doe not find him And it falleth out oftentymes that those who are very faâ from Christ do bâ little little draw neere vnto him and find him as may be seene by these holy Kings and that those who be neere at hand are cast backe and left of Almighty God for their ingratitude as it happened vnto Herod and to those of his Court. Gather hence a liuely ãâã to seeke find and adore this great King ând soueraigne Lord of all ãâã as often as thou shalt see the starre of his diuine inspiration to vvit the voice of thâ Superiour the rule of thy profession following it with great alacrity though it bring thee to the stable because there thou shalt certainly âind Almighty God THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Kings being come to Bâthleem the star stood ouer the place where our Sauiour was borne and sparckling cast forth bright beames of light as it wârâ saying vnto them Loe heere he is whome you doe seeke And entring the place they found the true Lambe of God who taketh away the sinneâ of the world reposed in the armes and sucking at the breasts of his B. Mother Who illuminating their vnderstanding with a celestiall beame of diuine light discouered vnto theâ how that little babe though in exteriour shew the most poore and contemptible in the world was true God and Lord of all Ponder the goodnes mercy of this our Lord who vouchsafed ãâã impart the faith of this sacred Mystery of the incarnation in such plenty vnto the Gentills and communicated himselfe vnto them so gratiouâây as to call them vnto him though they had no knoledgh at all of him before to seeke them out in so farre Countreyes though they liued without thoght of him to call as it werâ at their dores eÌter into their harts as if he had need of them not they of him Hence thou mayst gather that he hath often done the same to thee for thou being neither able to desire him nor to tast of any such matter he hath sought called chosen theâ euen when thou wert most carrelesse of him and didst fly away from him Be therefore thankefull and seruiceable towards him for it as these holy Kings were And if thou hast nothing els to offer take all thy sinnes togeather and with harty sorrow and repentance for thine offences committed against this thy Lord God offer them vp vnto him that they may be consumed with the fire of his diuine charity and thy soule remaine perfectly cleane and pure from them all THE 3. POINT TO consider that albeit these holy Kings saw this poore infant lodged in a vile stable ârapped in poorâ ragges layd in a âard manger so destâââte and forsâken of all humane help and comfort yet they stedfastly belieued that he was the true King and Lord of heauen and earth and forth with câst their Sceptârâ and Crownes at his feet and prostate on the ground with great humility and reuerence âdored him and offered him gold as to their King Incense as to their God and myrrh as to a mortall man Ponder that as these holy Kings offered vnto this heauenly King and Blessed Infant these three mysticall gifâes so were it meet thou didst offer him whatsoeuer thou hast receiued from his most bountifull hands And prostrââing thy selfe before him and adoring him as thy King and Lord âith ferueât loue in lieu of gold wouldst offer vnto him all the riches goods of the world so that if they were thine thou âouldst most willingly lay them at his feet In lieu of Incense all the smoke and vanity of the honours and glory which the world can affoard thee And insteed of myrrh the delights pleasures of the flesh wholy and most vvâllingly renouncing them and desiring not to haue or enioy them although they were offered thee Hence thou mayst gather great âonfidence in the liberality of this Soueraigne Lord that he will râceaue this thy Presenâ and returne thee abundance of spirituall riches for the pouerty which thou hast promised him Victory ouer thâ Paâââons and thy flesh for the vow of Chastity which thou hast made vnto him And for the vow of Obedience his diuine loue grace that thou maâst alwayes keep his holâ Law and Câmmandements And âhou maâst offer thy selfe vp wâoly and entierly ãâã euery thing to thy Lord God as ââese holy Kings his disciples did offer themselues and al that they had THE 4. POINT TO consider that after the offering was
iubily which was in his âart for that the day of thy redemption did now approach Ponder how Almighty God difâoâeth and prepareth himselfe with âreat longing and ioy of mind to ândergoe afflictions and paines for âhee whereas when any thing is to be âone for his seruice or to be suffered âor his loue thou art presently affilâted and discomforted and flyest away Ponder furthermore how that â the iniuries persecutions ignominies and reproaches which our Lord receaued in Hierusalem vvere not able to diminish his great loue charity towards vs. Gather hence an inflamed loue and desire to suffer something for thy Lord thy eternall louer seeing that all the times thou hast offended him with thy so grieuous sins which haue not beene few haue not beene able to extinguish in his diuine breast the loue be beareth thee and his desire to doe thee good and to saue thee THE 2. POINT TO consider the humility and pouerty of the Sonne of God who as alvvaies before vvas vvont to make his iourney on foot so this day being to enter in triumph into Hierâsâlem he chose not to go in coach orin a chariot but vpon a âilly aâre vvhich also vvas another mans and albeit he entred with so great humility yet all the people receaued him with exceeding ioy solemnity and triumph Ponder that the cause why our Lord would this day be so magnified receaued with so great honour applause of all hauing euer fled such honours before was that his reproaches ignominies might be the greater his dishonour the more notorioâs Gather hence a great desire to condemne and abhorre all worldly pompâs and honours and to loue âmbrace the pouerty humility and meekenes of thy Sauiour because if these be the armes ensignes of thy King and God they ought also to be theirs who esteeme themselues his vassals and seruauts THE 3. POINT TO consider how our B. Saâiour and Lord of the Angels being mouâted vpon the asse innumerable people by dinine inspiration came to ceceaue him with boughes palmes in their hands with voices of laud and praise said Hosanna to the Son of God Blessed is he that commeth in the name of God Hosanna in the highest Ponder how the Eternall Father did honour his most B. Sonne not only when he entred first into the world and was borne poore in Betaleem sending âosts of Angells to solemnize his entrance and to bring those happy tidinges of glory to God and peace to men But this day also when he entred humble and meeke a multitude of people came to solemnize and celebrate his entrance into Hierusalem and his departure out of the world giuing God many thankes and praises for so great a benefit Gather hence a desire to imitate the great deuotion where with this people receaueth their God and be ashamed that thou commest so often to receiue thy Lord and God in the most Blessed Sacrament with so great vndeuotion coldnes THE 4. POINT TO consider the deuotion loâe where with all did spread their clothes and garments on the ground to adorne the way by which our Sauiour passed accounting it a great happines to cast themselues and âhatsoeuer they had at the feet of his our Lord that he might dispose of it all according to his most holy will acknowledging that vnto hims as to the owner and Lord of all all subiection seruice was most due Ponder the little regard and esteem which is to be had of the glory of this world seeing it receaued our Sauiour to day with so great honour within few dayes after it held him for worse then Barabbas and sought his death crying out against him Crucify Crucify him And whome to day it extolled termed the Son of Daâuid that is the Holy of Holyes and the most holy amongst Saints toâmorrow it reckoneth the most vile of all men and treateth him as a maâlefactour loading his sacred shoulders with a heauy Crosse on which he was to be crucifyed and dye Gather hence great compassion and griese to see the Lord of Angells so much neglected and despised by men and to seeke their honour at so great charge and cost of his Dâsire thou to serue and honour hiâ much more heereafter and say ãâã him Behold O my King my Loââ I cast at thy most holy feet not onlâ all my goods and wealth but my honour also my content my life my selfe and all tread vpoâ me and do with me what thou wilt for thou art my God my King and Lord the head of Angelâ and men better and exalted aboue them all THE XXX MEDITATION Of the supper which Christ our Lord made which his Disciples THE 1. POINT TO consider how Christ our Sauiour sent Saint Peter S Iohn his Apostles to prepare for the legall supper of the Lambe and how that forth with the Goodman of the house to whome they were sent inspired by the Holy Ghost gaue them the best best accoÌmodated roome of the whole house Ponder the fauour which Alâmighty God vouchsafeth to doe theâ in pdrticuler wheÌ he entred into thy house that is into thy soule to celebrate therein his feast and Pasch and make thee thereby partaker of the merits of his most precious bloud passion Gather hence great sorrow and repentance for that thou âast bebaued thy selfe so ill towardes so louing a Lord seeing not once but many times thou hast shut the dore of thy soule vpon him shutting it against his diâine inspirations thou hast opened it to the persâasions of thy enemy the Diuell whome thou hast receaued and entertained as if he not God had beene the owner and Lord of thy soule And therfore that which thou ougntest to do is to offer him not only the best roome in thy house that is thy soule but also to giue it him wholy for it is all wholy his And would to God it were better then it is that it might please his diuine Maiesty to âome dwell in it for euer THE 2. POINT TO consider how that Christ our Lord the day being come wheÌ the Paschal lambe was to be eaten wold fullfill that ceremnny of the Law for the accomplishing of the shadows and figures of the old law be sacrificed as the true Lambe which taketh away the sinnes of the world at the same time and in the same place that the mysticall Lambe was wont to be sacrificed Wherefore our Lord being at the table with his disciples and all things being prepared and ready he said vnto them With desire I haue desired to eate this pasch with you to giue you to vnderstand how much I loue you as if he should say Very long haue I greatly desired this day and this houre wherein you shall see nothing in me but ignominies reproaches blowes stripes woundes c. Ponder the great and earnest desire which God had to suffer and to giue his life for thee longing to be plunged
in the bitter sea of his passiân and to encounter with death expecting it as a thing after which he much hungred tooke much pleasure and delight in And this was that which he desired as he sayd with a great desire because it was very pleasing to him and a thing wherein he receaued speciall gust Gather hence great confusion and shame considering thy desires are not like vnto those of thy Lord and God to suffer and endure something for his honour and glory thou being so worthy of all reproach and contempt but rather thy desires are to follow thine owne pleasure c contentment not to serue his diuine maiesty but to fulfill thy owne will and disordeded appetite THE 3. POINT TO consider how christ our Lord did behold and contemplate that Lambe which he had before him on the table layd there dead flayed âosted It is no question he saw himselfe represented more innocent then â lambe and how without any his deserts he was to be flayed with stripes and embrâed with his owne most precious bloud through most cruell torments and finally to be put as it were vpon the spit stretched on the table of the Crosse where with the hote burning coals of loue he was to be rosted to death Ponder how bitter this supper was vnto thy Redeemer being mingled with sauce of so distastfull a representation as was that of his death and passion Purpose when thou sittest at table to mingle thy meat vvith this âauce to wit with the consideration of the passion and paines of thy Sauiour that thou be not carryed away with the gust and sauour of the meat and that if thy meat be not good or not so well dressed or seasoned or not in such due time prepared ãâã thou wouldst thou maist haue patience and haue somewhat to offââ vnto God make thy spirituall profit therof THE 4. POINT TO consider how the lâgall supper being ended Christ our Lord gaue thanks to his eternall Father did offer himselfe perfectly entierly to accomplish his holy will as hauing taken vpon him our mortall flesh to be sacrificed dye vpon the Crosse. Ponder how pleasing this offering sacrifice of the Sonne of God was to the heauenly Father in which he offered himselfe to fulfill in all things the diuine will for where this perfect resignation is wanting whatsoeuer other sacrifices and holocausts are not of any value because we offer not our selues Gather hence an inflamed and effectuall desire to offer thy selfe vnto God with an humble prompt will to performe whatsoeuer he shall command thee how painefull difficult soeuer it be THE XXXI MEDITATION Of washing the Apostles feet THE 1. POINT TO consider that Supper being ended Christ Iesus our Lord arose from table putting off and as it were despoyling his royall Maiesty of his authority and greatnes humbled himselfe to be the seruant of his seruants and laying aside his vpper garment himselfe alone not admitting the help of any girded himselfe with a towell tooke the taukerd in his hand and put water into the bason and washed not the hands but the foule and dirty feet of those poore silly fishermen his Disciples and louingly tenderly did bâth them wipe them make them cleaue Ponder the excellency of the person that performeth this so meane and so base an office and humbleth himselfe to these things The Creator of the world the beauty of the heauens the splendour and brighnes of the glory of the Father the fountaine of wisdome in whose hand God hath put heauen earth âell life death Angells and men power and authority to pardon sinnes the saluation and iustification of soules the glory of the iust and all the treasure of God this same our Lord so great in Maiesty abased himselfe to this act of so great humility charity Gather out of all this great confusion to see thy selfe so proud notwithstanding that thou art so base a creature Admire thy haughtinesse of mind yea thy foolishnes that being most ignorant and most poore and vile canst be so proud seeing Christ who is Lord of infinite power and wisdome hath so humbled himselfe Our Lord Iesus himselfe teacheth vs âo exercise workes of humility and charity choosing rather to practise these acts then to coÌmand why then wilt not thou do the like seriously âet vpon that worke from which so great profit and abundant fruit is to âe reaped THE 2. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord being now ready to performe this so humble and base an office came first to S. Peter to wash his feet but the Apostle was so amazed and coâfounded considering vvith liuely faith the greatnes of his Lord and Maister togeather his owne basânes that he said with admiration Lord dost thou wash my feet Thoâ being the infinite God and Lord of all thinges And I the most vile and basest of them all Thou the Creatour of heauen earth Lord of the Angells and Seraphims aud I thy creature thy slaue a most vile sinâer yet wilt thou wash with thosâ hands which giue sight to the blind health to the sicke life to the dead not my head or my hands but my filthy and abominable feet This O Lord I may not endure but I shall fall dismayed at thy blessed feet But our Lord saying vâto him Peter know for certaine that if I wash thee not thou shalt not haue part with me âhis threat was so terrible vnto him that forth with he yelded not only to haue his feet âââhed but also his hands head Ponder what so high and soueâ raigâe a God doth for so low base a creature and what his diuine Maiesty vndertaketh himselfe to doe to make vs humble esteeming highly of this which Christ doth and meanly of thy selfe Gather affections of admiration of thank sgiuing and imitation propose vnto him the necessity which thou hast that his diuine Maiesty wash purify thee from thy sinnes seeing he is so humble so desirous to doe thee this fauour to the end thou mayst haue part with him for no creature hath this power and authority of himselfe but the only Son of God alone THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ Iesus our Lord prosecuting this act of humility charity vouchsafed also to doe the same to Iudas And prostrating himselfe at his feet as if he had âeene the Lord and Mayster and Christ Iesus the seruant he washed â wiped his feet with signes of more speciall loue to mollify that his hard rebellious and obstinate hart and to win him if it had beene poââible to some good with this inspeakable humility and charity Ponder and behold Christ our Lord prostrate at the feet of so wicked a fellow as Iudas And we may piously thinke that our Blessed Sauiour being thus humbled and prostrate at the feet of this traytour and wretched Disciple would with teares falling from his eyes for his impiety and hardnes
To whome we may imaâine that our Lord would ansâere Blessed art thou Simeon Bariona beâcause flesh and bloud hâth not reuealed it to thee but my Father which is in heauen S. Iohn like wise would enkindle in himselfe affections of loue seeing his âoueraigne Maister not only to vnite himselfe so vnto him as to permit him to leane on his breast buâ also to do him so great a fauour ãâã to enter into his soule body for morâ perfect coniunction Learne when thou commest tâ receane our Lord to bring with theâ these vertues to wit fayth purity and loue as these holy Apostles did that thou mayst reap such profit â they did follow our Lord as they did follow him â It is to be noted that in the enâ of the ââird booke a ãâã meditation are added for prepatation before ãâã thankes-giuing after we haue râceaâued this most â Sacrameat vvherâ he that is ãâã to know how ãâã prepare himselfe and to giue ãâã thanks after vnto our Lord for ãâã benefit receaued may find them THE XXXIII MEDITATION Of our Blessed Sauiours prayer in the Garden and agony there THE 2. POINT TO consider the great desire that Christ had to suffer for our sake and because the tyme seemed âong till he should be deliuered into âhe tormetÌors hands that they might âee that he did nor shrinke nor yet âây supper being ended he went into âhe garden to pray that being a place well knowne to the traytor Iudas to âhew that of his own free will he offerâed himsâlfe to prison to death it âelfe Ponder how our Lord for no âanner of afflictions or perils would ââaue his good and laudable exercise of prayeâ and meditation for supâer being ended he betooke ãâã âorth with to a solitary place to pray âefore he was to enter vpon his pasâion Be confounded because through thy tepidity and negligence for euery light occasion thou leauest thy prayer and forgettest thy laudable customs whereas thou shouldst do quite contrary because in time of greater perills afflictions and temptations we ought to haue more particuler recourse vnto Almighty God prayer being the only meanes to strengtheâ our selues in them THE 2. POINT TO consider how our Redeemer being come to the garden wenâ aside from his disciples and began ãâã wax sorrow full to be sad Ponder what is that which maâketh our Lord to grieue to be sad and afflicted he ãâã the ioy of Anâgells whom when they behold they are exceedingly reioyced thou shal find that the cause of this afflâctioâ was the feare of the ãâã and ãâã the death which he ãâã to âo staynââ the remembrancâ and liuely appââ hension of the sinnes of all men preâsent pasts and future the multitudâ and grieuousnes of them both waâs the cause of this his trouble griefâ â also the vnspekable domage which ãâã sinne commeth to men in that ãâã it they deserue to be condemned ãâã the euerlasting torments of hell ââat of all this arose his so increââble âârrow Gather hense affections of griâfe ââd sorrovv for the torments death ââhich is euen novv to come vpoÌ thv âord for thâu hast beene the cause âhis pavnes and afflâctions Endeaâour from this day forvvard to abâorre and detest and fly from sinne ââh thou seest in what case thy Lord ãâã to deliuer thee from it and from ââe eternall damnation which for thy ãâã thou dâseruest THE 3. POINT TO consider the ãâã of our Saâuiouâ in his prayer many ââmes crauing of his Eternall Father ãâã the selfe same thing to wit ââat the bitter chalice of his paââion âight passe Ponder the deuotion âwrodââeling the teares and sorrovv of thy âord how solitary destitute comârtles he is in this his so great affliction his disciples were aloofe of fast a sleep his Eternall Father gaue him no answere neither graunted him his petition his most holy Mother was also absent his enemies now ready to come vpon him notwithstanding all these afflictions discoÌforts he remained constant and perseuered in his prayer Gather hence the great esteeme shou oughtst to haue of prayer seing Christ teacheth thee that the only remedy of thy afflictions and sorrows it not talke or conuerse with men but to treat with God continue in prayer confiding that though in the beginning he deây that which thou askest yet at last he will graunt it if it be a thing conuenient for thee THE 4. POINT TO consider how the Son of God seeing his Eternall Father gaue him no answere the first nor second tyme had recourse vnto him the third tyme and repeating the same prayer with great loue and confidence said Father if thou wilt transfer this Chalice from me But yet not my will but thine be done Ponder that the cause why the Eterâall Father did defâr so long to make answere vnto the prayer of his most holy Sonne vvas to let thee know the great necessity thou and all haue of the passion and death of our Sauiour Learne not to complaine not to be weary when thou prayâst if God do not heare thee for certainely he heareth thee But if vnto Christ our Lord who deserued to be heard at the first opening of his mouth anâswere was not made till he had prayed the third time what vvonder is it if thy petitions be deferred who in regard of thy sinnes deseruest not to be heard at all Ponder secondly how Christ many times will not comfort nor remedy thy necessity in prayer that thou mayst perceiue and know the need thou hast to haue recourse vnto him with patiânce and perseuerance THE XXXIV MEDITATION Of the apparition of the Angell and the sweating of bloud THE 1. POINT TO consider how the Eternall Father seeing his most Blessed Sonne in so great affliction and anguish of mind and that according to the inferiour part he feared to suffer and dye he sent him an Angell from heauen to comfort and strengthen him and to propose vnto him the glory of God which thence wold arise the benefit which would follow to all mankind by meanes of his passion and that for humiliation and ignominy of the Crossâ his Name should be exalted and adored of all creatures Ponder how the Lord of Angells as if he had forgotten his owne soueâaigne Maiesty vouchsafeâ to receaue comfort by one of his creatures and being the Fortitude of the Father and he vvho vvith power might gouerneth and suâtaineth the world receaueth comfort and reliefe from an Angell hauing made himself by reason of humane nature which he assumpted inferiour to the Angells Gather hence that the office of the Angells is to assist vs in our prayers to comfort and animate vs and to present our prayers in the sight of God which if they be performed as they ought they haue their effâât for God doth either deliuer vs out of tribulation or giueth vs force to endure it with patience and ioy Trâst in God that thou shalt reap
the like comfort and benefiâ by thy paines afflâctions if in them thou haue recourse to prayer as our B. Sauiour had in his THE 2. POINT TO consider how the Sonne of God praying with more force earnestnesse the anguish sorrow feare of death and the manifold torments which he was to suffer did so wonderfully increase that his sweat became as drops of bloud âtickling downe vpon the earth Ponder first the greatnes of the torments which our Sauiour suffered for if the only representation of them wrought so strange an effect in him who is the vertue and fortitâde of God what may we thinke it was to endure them Ponder secondly the example which our Lord giueth thee to striue strongly with thy passions and bad inclinations withstanding them all valiantly euen to the shedding of thy bloud if it be needfull for the ouercomming of them Gather hence desires to fight against them propâsing to thy selfe all those things which may terrify thee or cause thee any way to shrinke in the way of vertue or in the accomplishment of the diuine will whether ât be feare of pouerty dishonor sicknes griefe torment or vvhatsoeuer other difficulty that thus preparing thy selfe thou maist preuaile and get victory ouer them THE 3. POINT To consider the immensity of the loue of Christ our Lord and the great liberality vvhich he shevveth thee in shedding voluntarily his precious bloud for thy sake not staying till the tormentors should doe it vvith their stripes thornes nailes Ponder hovv great the agony sorrovv of our Lord was though the apprehension of all the torments vvhich he vvas to suffer in euery part of his body sith it vvas of force to make a bloudy svveat to fall dovvne from his face necke breast shoulders leauing him vvholy bathed and embrued in his ovvne bloud Gather from hence desires that all the parts of thy body might become as so many tongues to praise magnify the loue and mercies of thy Lord or so many eyes to weep tears of bloud for thy sinnes or so many hands to chastise reuenge thee on thy flesh by rigourous and sharp pennance it hauing beene the cause why thy Sauiour suffered so much especially at that time all at once and vpoÌ a heap all that he was to sustaine after at seuerall times THE 4. POINT TO consider the vigour and force which the most holy flesh of Christ receaued by praver to encouÌter with the many griefs torments of his passion it being strengthned to vndergo that which before it did naturally fly from abhorre Ponder that the causes of courage and strength of mind and body which our Lord shewed hââre were tvvo First because he saw that by his death and passion he was to heale al the mortal soares wounds of the mysticall body of the Church which are the faithfull Secondly to giue vigour force courage to his elect to vanquish and subdue their spirituall and corporall enemies vâdergoing for him and for his honour and glory afflâctions persecuâions reproaches torments Crosses and death as Saint Peter and S Paul S. Andrew S. Steuen S. Laurence many others did imitating like faithfull souldiers their valiant Captaine who went before and gaue them a liuely example of suffering patiently constantly Gather hence a desire to arme thy selfe like a true souldier of Christ with the armour of prayer which is the aâmour of light that in all thy labours and afflâctions thou mayst fight and get the victory ouer thine enimes the world the flesh and the âiuell THE XXXV MEDITATION Of the comming of Iudas of the inturies done vnto our Sauiour THE 1. POINT TO consider how that our Saulour hauing ended his prayer that salfe traitor âained friend Iudas approached with a great multitude of armed men making himselfe the leader and Captaine of them to apprehend Christ our Lord. Ponder the extremity of euills wherinto this wretch is falleÌ because he did not resist his couetousnes at the beginning and vvhat may be expected from thee if thou resist not that which thou feelest in thy selfe especially hauing got so good meanes of vertue as he had for thou dost not learne in such a schoole thou seest not such miracles neither conuersest with such a Mayster nor with such school-fellowes Yet all this was not âhough to restraine this accursed conpânion and keep him from falling like another Lucifer from the highest degree in the Church to the deepest bottome of all wickednes to wit to become the head conspirer of the death of Christ. Gather out of all this a great feare of the iudgements of God beseeching him not to leaue thee least thy impiety proceed so far as to work thine owne ruine by the benefits which he bestoweth vpon thee THE 2. POINT TO consider that the signe vvhich this traytor had giuen to the Ministers of Sathan to betray his Mayster was this Whomesoeuer I shall kisse that is he hold him fast Ponder that the enemies of the authour of life could entrap him by no other wile then by shew of loue And âe accepted this cruell kisse that with the swetâes thereof and of his meeknes he might soften the rebellious and obstinate hart of Iudas From thence thou maist gather a great confidence in the mercy of this our Lord that he will not refuse nor disdaiâe thy kisse nor of those sinners which desire to reconcile thâselues to him renew their friendship with him which they haue lost seeing he did not reiect the kiââe of him who so cruelly betrayed him sold him as Iudas did THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord encountred those impiouâ officers of iniustice and demanding of them Whome seeke yee they answered him Iesus of ãâã and âur Lord said vnto them I am ãâã Ponder first that word of Christ whome seeke yee as if he should say âake heed you seek a iust innocÌetââan who doth good to al ãâã no man You seeke him who descended from heauen to earth for your eternall weale and saluation and you seeke him to depriue him of his life Gather from hence desires to seeke this thy Lord but after a far different manner to wit for thy saluation and remedy for his honour and glory thou mayst be assured that seeking him after this manner thoâ shalt find him Ponder secondly that word I am he A vvord which vnto his good Disciples vvas alvvayes a great comfort in their trauailes and afflictions but vâto the bad it is of so great feruour and dread that it alone did fell them flat to the grouÌd neither could they haue risen agayne if the same our Lord who ouerthrew them with one only word had not giuen them leaue to rise Gather hence desires to seeke God and note by the way that vnto the good who seeke him in prayer he is a Father and protectour he is their repose and ioy But vnto the euill vvho seeke him to offend him and
kill him he is iudge that shall iudge and condemne them Finally he is he which is to their losse and eternall griefe THE 4. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord the most innocent Lambe himselfe giuing place to the fury of his enemyes was deliuered vp to the rauenous wolues and prinoes of darknes which are the infernall spirits by meanes of his seruants and ministers to be put to all manner of torments and cruelties his life not eâcepted as in holy Iob it was when he was delluered to the power of Sathan but without any limitation at all that they might wreâke their fuây vpon his most sacred hamanity Ponder the ãâã rudeneâ of those sauadge suryes maâing their sport pastime to iniure ând torment the Sonne of God of whome they had receaued so great âenefits and whome a little before they had iudged worthy of highest âonour but forgetting all this they Stroke him on the face they spurned and buffeted him with their fists they plucked him by the haire by the heard Hence thou maist stir vp in thy selfe shame and confusion for that thou hast beene so bold as to handle thy Sauiour as ill as these traitors did laying thy sacrilegious and violent hands vpon him if not in outâard shew at least through thy manifold sinnes and wicked deeds persecuting him with them as hit enemies did not once only as they did but many times THE XXXVI MEDITATION How Christ our Lord was apprehended THE 1. POINT TO consider how our Lord being Innoââncy it self was reckoned treated as a Theese and for such his enemies came to apprehend him with chaines and cordes vvith swords and clubbâ and our Sauiout gaue them power ouer his body to spurne torment it at their pleasure Ponder the surpassing great âumility of our Lord and how he is âast at the feet of most vile sinâers whose sâat and throne is aboue the Seraphims hovv he is kicked at and troden vnder foot as a malefactour who is the mirrour of innocenây and the vnsported Lambe Admire the rare submission humiliation of so great a God who did not only prostrate himselfe at the feet of his Apostles and of Iudas and washed them and kissed them but also suffered this traytor and his accursed company to set thâir abominable fert vpon him to tread vpon him and spurne him Gather hence an earnest desire to yield and humble thy selfe to thy inferiours be holding Christ thy Redeemer so humblâ and meeke and considering of whom and for whom he recââueth such iniuries râproaches THE 2. POINT TO consider how that wicked band of souldiers after they had striken and abused Christ our Lord tying him by the wrests with strong cords like a Theefe they brought him bound vnto Annas the High Priestes house Ponder how farour Lord was from being a Theefe and robber of other mens goods for he gaue all he had and that which was particuler to himselfe alone for thy good tooke vpon him the forme of a seruant concealing the dignity of a Lord and Maister But if to rescue and deliuer soules out of the thraldom of Sathan and to dravv our harts to his loue which he hath euer done be to beâ Theese beseech him to take thy hart and all that which thou hast besides And with earnest affection say vnto him Bind o Lord I beseech thee my hands with the fetters of thy loue that my workes may be grateful vnto thee Bind my memory that it for get not so many fauours and benefit which thou dayly bestowest vpon me Bind my eyes that they may not behold vnlawfull thinges Binâ my tongue that it detract not noâ murmure against my neigbour Bing my feet that they may only walke the pathes of thy diuine Commandements Bind finally O Lord this nature of myne and all my seâes and powers from all that which is sin and offence set me free to all that which is vertue THE 3. POINT TO consider that the Apostls seeing their Lord Maister apprehended by the lewes âast bouÌd much affrighted fled away and forsooke him Ponder how thy Sauiour in this âxigent is all alone and forsaken of his friends enuironed with cruell and mercilâsse enemies how he was well accompayned at his supper and in time of prosperity but now abandoned of all in time of ãâã From hence thou mayst gather confusion and shame for ãâã often forsaken left thy Father Lord and Maister and omitted to accomplish his holy will to fulfill thine ovvne And our Sauiour heere being forsaken of his heauenly Father and of his disciples giuâth thee a rate example of patience that if thoâ be destitute left by thy friendes kinsfolkes thou eâdure it patiently for iâ is not much that the disciple suffeâ that which his Maister hath suffered before him Beseech him humbly that seeing he is a true faythfull friend he will neuer forsake thee although all others should forsake thee but esâpecially that he will not leaue thee iâ the houre of thy death THE 4. POINT TO consider who this Lord is vpââ whome so many iniuries are discharged who he is that sustaineth ãâã many reproaches indigâities ãâã whose hands he taketh them Ponder first that he is the Etâânall Word of the Father of infinit vertue innumerable goodnâs truââ glory and the cleare fountiane of a beauty He it is that is bound manaââ cled buffâted haled spurned an trâdden vnder foot He it is that handled in so vâhumane and ruââ manner Ponder secondly the grieâ which our Sauiour sâlfe seing himself â much abused by so base a people ând so vngratefull that for so many âenefits returned him so many so ââieuous iniuries And if God tooke so heauily to be so delt with all by â enemies how heauily did he take suffering the like from his friendes âeing himselfe all alone and desolate in so great aâfliction hauing beene trayed and sould by one of them ânyed by another and forsaken of ãâã Gather from hence a desire to come a true disciple of our Lord deuouring neuer to leaue him but accompany him and follow him âen to the Crosse that so thou maist âoy him in his glory âHE XXXVII MEDITATION ãâã Christ our Lord was presented before Annas the high Priest THE 1. POINT âO consider vvhat thy God and Lord suffered in that long way betweene the garden Annas his house vnto vvhome his enemieâ carryed him buffeting him spuââning him and forcing him to goe aâ pace halfe running and trayling hiâ on the ground as it is wont to happâ to them that are led like theeues anâ maleâactours are fettered chaââned Ponder the meeknes silenââ wherewith our Lord suffered so mââny affronts not hauing deserued ãâã of them for he neuer had ãâã could haue coÌânitted any fault thouââ his aduersaries pretended that he ãâã guilty of many Gather hence a great desire âââmitate the exaÌple of thy Lord in bââing silent suffering patiently whââ
nature it is euer to speake that which is reason therfore he is now stroken abused to satisfy for thy faults which thou hast done dost dayly commit in euill speaking Beseech our good Lord that he will giue thee grace alwayes to speake well of him to do honour vnto all THE 4. POINT TO consider that the hatred rancour of Annas of all the rest of that wicked counsell against our Redeemer vvas so great that blinded with the splendor of such patience meeknes they determined to send the most meek lambe fast bouÌd vnto Caiphas the high Priest that beholding him brought in that manner he might vnderstand that they thought him guilty worthy of death Ponder how different these bands and fetters were wherewith the cruell tormentors bouÌd the Lord of Angells from those with which he bound them to wit the bands of charity but his charity is so great that he delighted to be tyed with new fetters cords to loose thee and them from the grieuous sinnes which thou hast coÌmitted against his diuine Maiesty From whence thou mayst gather desires to suffer and to beare the like Crosses if in publik or in priuate thou be held guilty or faulty for in truth thou art no lesse seeing thy Lord though he be so much worthy to be glorifyed is notwithstanding so desâised scoffed at THE XXXIX MEDITATION Of the deniall of S. Peter THE 1. POINT TO consider how Peter hauing fled the night of the Passion of our Sauiour with the rest of the Disciples entring into himselfe agayne desiring to know the euent of the businesse and the successe of the imprisonment of his Mayster he followed him And by Saint Iohn Euangelist his meanes vvho vvas knowne in the house of the high Priest he entred in being known by those which were there to be our Sauiours Disciple he denyed him thrice swearing and forswearing that he knew him not Ponder how deeply this sinne and grieuous offence of his Disciple did pierce the very soule of our Lord that his deere and tenderly beloued Apostle and so much honoured aboue the rest with the primacy of the Church should be ashamed to be accounted his Disciple Gather hence confusion and shame for that thou hast oftentimes denyed thy Sauiour if not in words at least in deeds beeing ashamed to keepe his holy Commandements or to performe some actions of vertue as to confesse and communicate or to suffer some iniury All which what els is it then to be ashamed to seeme the Disciple of Christ to deny him vvherefore thou mayst iustly feare least that sentence of our Sauiour and punishment fall vpoâ thee where he sayth He that denieth me before men the Sonne of man shall deny him before the Angels of God or he that shal be ashamed to seeme my disciple before men the Sonne of the Virgin wil be ashamed to acknowledge him for his before the holy Angells THE 2. POINT TO consider how daÌgerous a thing it is to continue in the occasion of sinne and not to learne to beware by the first fall for the present occasion and the presuming too much of himselfe and his owne vertue and also euill company were the cause of his fall Almighty God permitting that a silly vvoman Portesse in Pilates house should preuayle against him who had the keyes of the house of God so doth he chastice pride and presumption Ponder that he vvho vvas the fundameÌtall stone of the Church and so much fauoured by our Lord he that confessed Iesus Christ for the Sonne of the liuing God he that offered himselfe to dye for him rather then to be scandalized and to flye now findeth himselfe so weake and fearefull that being demanded by a poore girle whether he be the disciple of Christ is ashamed to coÌfesse it seareth and trembleth at last flatly denieth it not once or twice but three times Gather out of this weaknes and frailty of Peter âow neer he is to a fal who confideth much and presumeth of himselfe And seeing thou art not a Rocke but dust and ashes and all the gould and siluer of thy vveake vertue is founded vpon feet of ââay and the least stone of contradiction is sufficient to ouerthrow it and bring the whole tower to ground therfore boaât nor bragge of any thing for thou hast not any stronger hold nor greater strength then vvith humble acknowledgment of thine owne nothing and vveaknes wholy to rely on the goodnes and mercy of our Lord. Wherefore not to fall it behooueth thee to fly bad company and all occasions of danger arrogancy pride and presumption THE 3. POINT TO consider that as soone as Saint Peter had denyed his Mayster Christ our Lord moued vvith compassion and grieuing to see the Pastour of his flocke and that sheep which was head of all the rest now fallen into so great calamity and mysery looking on him reclaymed conuerted him Ponder the infinite mercy and charity of Christ our Lord vvho albeit he be enuironed vvith his enemies and loaden vvith afflictions is mindefull of his Disciple insteed of chastising him hath pitty on him turning his eyes of mercy towards him illuminateth his blindnes with heauenly light that he may know see his errours for the eyes of God haue this property that they open avvake the drovvsy and reuiue the dead Gather hence affections of loue tovvardes this our Lord because wheÌ thou goest about to offend him he inuenteth meanes and findeth out wayes to pardon thee he hath compassion on thee he beholdeth thee vvith the eyes of his mercy he toucheth thy hart and all to the end that thou mightest know feele lament thy sins and offences THE 4. POINT TO coÌsider how our Lord enlightning penetrating the wounded soule of Peter with that his silent louing looke that remembring himselfe and being sory for his sinne he might bitterly bewaile the same he presently returned to himselfe and vvept bitterly for more effectuall redresse of his offence he departed the house and Pallace of the high Priest where he had found so bad intertainement and shut himselfe vp into one of those caues which were towardes the fountaine of Siloe and lamented his sin with deep sorrow sayd O treacherous old age o yeares ill spent o life naughtily imploied o blasphemous tongue o wretched sinner coward lyer what hast thou done Oughtst thou so to haue denyed thy Maister hauing receiued so many fauors benefits of him Ponder how Peter because he had denyed his Maister thrice in one night wept and repented himselfe of his sinne all his life tyme and did very sharp and rigorous pennance albeit he knew that God had already pardoned him From hence thou mayst gather desires to doe the like for thy sinnes seeing that not one night alone but all thy life tyme and not thrice but innumerable times thou hast denyed and abandoned thy God Wherfore ãâã behooueth thee if
thou desire to haue pardon very seriouâly âo bewayle and hartily to repent for thy sins do pennance for them THE XL. MEDITATION What happened vnto our Sauiour in Caiphas his house of the thinges he suffered that night THE 1. POINT TO consider the answere vvhich our Lord gaue vnto the demaund of Caiphas the high Priest I adiure thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs if thou be Christ the Sonne of God And our Lord although he knew right vvell the great iniuries reproaches and torments which his coÌfession would cost him yea death it selfe he plainely ansvvered and told the truth and savd what was be fitting his person The high Priest blinded with splendour of so great light and being in passion iudged that he had blasphemed and so he and all the rest of his Counsell condemned our Lord to death And hauing no respect to the innocency of his life nor to their owne state and quality treated him most vilely Ponder the meâknes wherwith our Lord suffered these affronts and iniuries and heard that vniust sentence He is guilty of death O how that immaculate lambe hearing this sentence wold offer himselfe willingly to death to giue life vnto them who gaue sentence against him and condemned him to death Gather hence desires alwaies to say of our Sauiour the contrary to that vvhich these his enemies pronounced of him to wit such innocency such a Lord such a benefactorâ such a Sauiour and Maister deserueth life Such a God and Redeemer is most vvorthy to liue and all those which condemne him or offend him or accuâfe him are worthy of euerlasting death THE 2. POINT TO consider that it being now late and tyme for the high Priest and his fellowers to rest they deliuered vp our Lord to the souldiers to watch him they to keep themselues from sleeping did deride scoffe mocke at our Lord and couering his eyes with a shamefull ragge smote his diuine face saying voto him Prophesy vnto vs O Christ who is he that strooke thee Heere thou mayst ponder Christ our Lord full of payne and affliction reiected despised and contemned of all great and little neyther was it the least cause of griefe to haue his diuine eyes couered that his enemies might the more freely strike him on the face perswading themselues that so he could not see them for it is the property of great sinners to desyre not to be seene that they may sinne more freely and without restraint But he savv them notvvithstanding with the eyes of his soule and of his God-head because he vvas God whose eyes sayth the Wiseman behold in euery place the good and the euill which euery one continually doth Hence thou mayst gather that vvhen thou sinnest forgetting that God doth see thee thou art as it were hood-winked deceauest thy selfe couering thine owne eyes vvith this false and blacke veile for Gods eyes are most cleare and open vpon thee beholding thy thoughts words and deeds Wherfore from this day forword be affrayd to offend our Lord carrying euer in thy memory this admirable saying Behold God beholdeth thee THE 3. POINT TO consider now that after this inâury those cruell fellowes deuoid of all humanity did vnto our Sauior another no lesse affront spitting in his face and couering it with their âoathsome and stinking spittle for all of them and they vvere many striuing who shold do worst did cast their spittle vpon him wonderfully defiling and obscuring that beauty which reioyceth the heauenly court company Ponder whose face it is that is âhus defiled spit vpon as if it were he most vile contemptible corner of the world and thou shalt find that it is the face of the God of Maiesty of whome the Prophet sayd Shew thy face and we shal be saued It is the face before whom the Seraphims out of due respect reuerence do couer theirs It is his face vvherevvith his diuine spittle gaue sight to the blind hearing to the deafe and speach to the dumbe It is his face whom the Angells of heauen continually beholding and adoring are neuer satiated From hence thou mayst gather abundant motiues and affections of compassion and sorrow grieuing to behold the face of such a Lord defaced and spit vpon by such and so base miscreants to see the Creator so abused by so vile creatures his diuine maiesty permitting himselfe to be obscured defiled that thou mightst become pure and cleane THE 4. POINT TO consider the iniurious disgracefull words that euen the very Kichen scullians of that pallacâ gaue vnto Christ our Lord and also how they layd load vpon him with blowes buffets spurnes asked him Ghâsse who stroke thee seeing thou sayest that thou art Christ a Prophet who gaue thee this blow on thy care who this spurne with his foot who this kick who this cuffe in the necke And laughing aloud ãâã iesting at him they manifestly declared that they held him for a faigned Christ a false Prophet Ponder the inuincible patience the inestimable meeknes the most louing hart wherwith God our Lord suffered all this as also that patience with which he supporteth thee seeing that as much as ly eth in thee thou hast far oftener scoffed at thy Redeemer âffending him with thy manifold sinnes and yet his mercy is so great that he grieueth more at thy offences at the harme which commeth to them that torment him then at the paynes which he himselfe sustayneth Gather hence affections desires to suffer something for this thy Lord vvho endureth so much for thee louing him vvith all thy hart who gaue thee such to many signes of loue ioyning with coÌtinual thanksgiuing continuall seruice for them THE XLI MEDITATION Of the presentation of our Lord before Pilate what questions he asked him THE 1. POINT TO consider how much Christ Iesus our Lord also his enemies desired the coÌmming of the morning but for very different ends Our Lord to suffer dye they to put in execution their damnable intent which was to murther him and forthwith in the morning the high Priest Caiphas and the whole Counsell assâmbled togeather calling our Lord Iesus the second tyme he asked him Art thou Christ the Son of the Blessed God but our Lord answered him not to his demand Ponder how much it importeth thee to aske our Lord this question but with a different meaning and desire from that which his enemies had âaying O my Lord if thou art Christ ãâã thou art the promised Messias if ãâã art the Sonne of the liuing God ând the splendour of the glory of ãâã Eternall Father as it is most true ãâã thou art how commeth it to âasse that thy diuine face is so disfiâured how is it defiled with spittle ãâã is it bruised with buffets And âaming hence affections of tender âue and compassion acknowledge at thy sinnes haue beene the cause âhy thy Sauiour Christ and Lord is that
piety that thou mayst be assured of the Kingdome of heauen for there is no greater wisedome then to reioyce in contempt for the loue of God nor greater folly then to seeke to be honoured without him THE 4. POINT TO consider hovv that amongst so many garments which our Lord changed that night of his Passion his Eternall Father neuer permitted his enemies to inuest him with a blacke one it being the vse and custome among the Iewes that he who went to the tribunal to be arraygned should be clad in blacke which was a signe of a condemned person but would that it should be white in token of ânnocency or ruddy in token of âoue Ponder how that garment which was giuen vnto Christ our Lord in âerision was a figure of the witnesse ând purity of his most blessed soule ând of the innocency of his life as his enemies themselues were faine to confesse saying I haue fouÌd no cause in this man of those thinges wherein you accuse him Gather hence desires that our Lord wold inuest adorne thy soule with the white garment of innocency thy body with his reproaches that in all thou mayst imitate him and so thou shalt become more white purer then snow THE XLIII MEDITATION How Barabbas was compared and preferred before Christ THE 1. POINT TO consider that Pilate defirous to deliuer Christ from death and being to release some one condemned person in honour of the Pasch sayd vnto the Iewes Whom will you that I release Barabbas ãâã Iesus that is called Christ for Barabbas being so seditious wicked a fellow he made no doubt but thââ rather then he should goe vnpunished they would release our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Ponder the vvonderfull humiliation of Christ our Lord who being so great so wise so holy and so great a benefactour of all is novv ballanced and compared with Barabbas an infamous companion a theef a murderer a seditious publik malefactour Gather hence desires not to disdayne grudge or repine when an inferiour and worse then thy selfe is preferred before thee and more honoured and respected if account be made of him and not of thee if another be imployed in offices and busines of thee no mention be made nor thou regarded seeing thy Lord thy God endured all this much more THE 2. POINT TO consider how the vngratefull people and those blind passionate Scribes Pharisies out of malice brake into open iniustice how in their sight Barabbas his life notwithstanding all his murders robberies abhominations weighed more was thought more profitable then the innocency of Christ our Redeemer for all his vertues and miracles Wherefore they besought the iudge to release the man-killer and wicked villaine to murder crucify the author of life Ponder how mutable men are easy to be deceaued for they who a few dayes before vvith common consent festiuall acclamations called Christ their King now with a different note tumultuous clamour say Make Iesus away and release vs Barabbas Gather hence confusion for thy pride endeauour from this day forward to humble aud submit thy selfe seeing that our Lord is held for lesse then the lewdest fellow in the world And heere thou mayst see litterally fullfilled that which our Lord sayd by his Prophet I am a vvorme and no man â reproach of men and outcast of the people And for such he is novv reputed of those vvho ought to honour respect him aboue all men Angells THE 3. POINT TO consider that the more the President Pilate desired to deliuer Christ our Lord the more the Iewes were earnest to haue Barabbas released Ponder how often the like iudgement strife and controuersy passeth betweene thy flesh thy spirit the one making choice of Christ and the other of âarabbas the one of God the other of a creature the one seeketh after the vayne perishing glory of men the other seeketh the glory of God which is perpetuall euerlasting Finally the one enquireth after corruptible transitory thinges the other after things permaneÌt which endure for euer Whence thou mayst gather great sorrow for hauing left Christ thy only and chiefest good for so vile and contemptible a thing as Barrabbas I meane for hauing so often câosen regarded more a creature â little sensible delight and vayne honour then Christ Iesus our Lord In whome be all the goods treasures of the wisdome and infinite knovvledge of God hidden Be confounded in consideration of this thou miserable wreth as thou art THE 4. POINT TO consider how Pilaâe did testify vnto the people the innocency of Christ saying I find no cause in him why he should deserue death but the outragious people raising their voices cryed aloud saying Crucify him crucify him Ponder hovv much those redoubled often repeated clamours grieued our Lord seeing that they did not only seeke his death but that he should dye so cruell a death as the death of the Crosse. Gather hence sorrow for that thy sinnes haue put our Lord to so great straites for they alone vvere those that importuned and cryed out that he should be crucified Wherefore it behooueth thee to abhorre them detest so cruell and bloudy beasts which with so great cruelty murdered our Sauiour THE XLIIII MEDITATION Of the stripes which our Lord receaued at the pillar THE 1. POINT TO consider how the Present Pilate seeing that his former proiect and deuise did not succeed and that all the people began to be in an vproare he tooke another meanes and counsell to appease the fury of those cruell enemies vvhich was to giue sentence against the Lord of Angells that he should be whipped Ponder how vniust cruell reproachfull this sentence was which the President gaue agaynst our Lord notwithstanding he knew very well and was sure of his innocency But our Lord Iesus lifting his eyes to his Eternall Father sayd these wordes of the prophet I am ready O my Lord for scourges desirous to pay the thinges that I tooke not And without appellation or making any other meanes to quit himselfe he accepted that bloudy sentence offering most willingly his sacred body to be scourged in satisfaction of our sinnes Gather hence desires not to complaine vvhen by thy Superiours equalls or inferiours thou shalt be reprehended and chastized although thou be without fault seeing God most free from all fault is not only reprehended but also cruelly whipped and handled like a theefe vvith so horrible a punishment and yet not complayning but as if he vvere âumbe not once opening his mouth THE 2. POINT TO consider how the sentence of his whipping being pronounced those cruell Butchers layd hand on the Lord of heauen the creatour of the world glory of Angells âed him into the court to the place of punishment where with barbarous inhumanity and fury they stripped him naked couered him vvith stripes from top to toe as if he had beene
Lambe they add yet another iniury for bowing their knes before him in mockery scorne they sayd vnto him Hayle King of the Iewes and presently they stroke his diuine face with a reed deriding making faces at him Ponder iâ how different a manner the celestiall spirits adore thiâ great King and Lord from that men adorâ him on earth The Angâllâ ãâã him as God and King of all thinges men adore him as a falsâ God and counterfaite King they calâ him holy holyâ and men wicked sinner possessed with a Diuell Gather hence desires throâghly to feele and lament thy sinneâ and that which thy Lord and God suffââeth and as his louing child and true friend prostrating thy selfe on the ground adore him as thy King and Lord after another manner theÌ these âdo and say from the bottome of thy âart Hayle king of heauen earth King of Angells and men saue me O Lord and admit me into thy heauenây Kingdome when I shal depart this ââiserable life âHE XLVI MEDITATION âf the words ECCE HOMO THE 1. POINT TO consider hovv these cruell souldiers led thy Sauiour in this so lamentable a plight vnto the President Pilate who wondering to see him so ill handled carryed him vp to an eminent place whence he might be seene of all to the end that moued with compassion they might cease to seeke his death Ponder first how much our Lord was ashamed at his appearing in so reproachfull an habit with the crowne of thornes vpon his head ãâã âeed in his hand a rope about hiâ necke his body all bruized rent weaâ ried exhaust with so many stripes all goare bloud through the multyâude of those blowes and with thâ drops of bloud which trickled dowâ his venerable face those lights oâ heauen vvere eclipsed almost blinded Ponder secondly the differencâ betwene the figure wherein our Sâuiour appeareth now and that whiââ he shewed in the glory of the mouâ Thabor that which was so glorioââ and pleasant he discouered only ãâã three of his disâiples this so paineââ and ignominious he sheweth to ãâã the people of Hierusalem that iâ mountaine all alone and retyred this in the middest of a great populous Citty Be confounded at thy pride seeing thy Lord so much humbled and despised for thy sake and thou endeauourest not to be so handled of men but rather with all honour and esteeme desirest that they should know the good which is in thee that they may prayse thee THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv Pilate shevving Christ our Lord in presence of all the people sayd aloud Behould the Man Ponder these words in the sense and meaning with which Pilate did pronounce them and thou shalt find that moued with pitty to behold so wofull a spectacle he desired to deâiâuer Christ our Lord and therefore the savd Ecce Homo Behold this man and you shall perceaue him to be so punished that he hardly retavâeth the shape of man being so diââigured misused wherfore in regard âhat he his a man as you are and no bâast haue compassion on him But they vvould not affoard him a good looke nor haue any pitty on him Hence thou mayst gather deâârs that God would graunt thee eyeâ of compassion and a hart of flesh that beholding him thou mayst be âoued to compassion seeing he suffered so much for thy sake and giuâ thee grace to loue theÌ that hate thee seing that in thiâ kind our souâraignâ Lord God and man hâth giuen theâ ãâã rare an example THE 3. POINT TO consider vpon the sayd words of Eccâ Homo how much it behoouâth thee to stir vp thy selfe and to behold with the eyes of liuely ââyth this our Lord say vnto thy âoule Eccâ Homo behold â my soulâ this man for albeit he is so wounded with stripes so defiled with spittle sâ bruized with buffets crowned witâ thornes hath a reed insteed of a scâpâter in his hand iâ clad with an igânominious garment yet he is morâ then a man he is also God Ponder the great desire whicâ the Eternall Father hath that thou wouldst behold this soueraigne Lord God and man with meeke compassionate eyes and make benefit of thy tyme he allotteth thee to do it and not mispend so great a lewell nor omit to reap profit by beholding this man for if thou marke it well thou shalâ find that this is the man which that sicke man that lay at thâ Pond stood in need of and requiâââ his help that he might rise goe inââ the pond and be cured of his disâaâââ infiâmities This is the man whâ is the head oâângellâ men and iâ so much disgraced to honour them so defiled to beautify them condemned to death to exâmpt men from a greater death and to saue them finally he is the man who is madâ thâ outcast of men to make theÌ the children of God Gather from hence hoâ abominable a thing sin is in the sight ãâã God seeing it brought his only Soâ to such a passe and in what case thy sinnes may haue left thy soule wheâ the sinnes of others haââârought sâ straâg an effect in the fountayne of all beauty it selfe what confusion shame will a sinner sustaâne for his owne seeing the Sonne of God hath sustayned so much for the sinnes of other men THE 4. POINT TO consider the hatred and rancour of those cruell enemies against Christ our Lord seeing that so lamentable and pittifull a spectacle was not able to mollify their harts but rather raysing their voyces they began to cry aloud Away away with him out of our sight as who woââd say seeing thou hast made so good a beginning commanding him to be whipped make an end of that which thou hast begun and crucify him Ponder that although such so woful a spectacle could not assâage pacify those raging minds yet was it doubtles of force to appease the wrath of the Eternall Father who had beene moued to iust indignation foâ beholding his most Blessed Sonne so ill handled for to obey him and for our loue he graciously pardoned all those sinners who with sorrow for their sins with deuotion and confidence beholding this figure of their Sauiour shold represent it vnto him saying Ecce homo Thoâ seest O Lord the man which thou hast giuen vs the worke of thy right hand thâe man that is so humble so obedient so meeke so louing From hence thou mayst gather harty sorrow coÌpassion to see him so much abhorred by his own people who deserued to be loued most of all Endeauour from this day forward âo be so much the more seruent in the seruice of this Lord by how much his enemies did the deeper abhorre him so doing he will giue thee grace with pure and cleare eyes to behold imitate him THE XLVII MEDITATION How our Blessed Sauiour carryed his Crosse. THE 1. POINT To consider how the President seated in his tribunall seat
disgraces had been such and so greaââhis honour also exalâation should begin euen from the Crosse many of his enemies euen then confessing him to haue been the Sonne of God And therefore he ordayned that Ioââph should ioyne with Nicodemus ând that both togeather shoud stoutly without respect or seare of the lewes vndertake that enterprize Gather hence desires that God would vouchsafe to touch thy hart âith the vertue and force of his diââine inspiration that making no acââount of humane feare nor of the sayâângs of men thou mayst with great âârtitude and zeale set vpon whatsoââuer shal be for the seruice honour ãâã glory of his diuine Maiesty as these âaints did THE 2. POINT TO consider that these holy men hauing first obtayned leaue of the âresident Pilate to bury the body of ââeir Maister came to the place where âur Lord Iesus remayned hanging ân the Crosse and hauing comforted âe afflicted and sorrowfull Mother ând craued her licence tâ mount ââto the Crosse she willingly ãâã them Ponder first hovv they kneeled dovvne vpon their knees anâ with exceeding great deâotion madâ their payers to Christ crucifyed saying O good Lord thou didst perâit that those sacrilegious hands vvhich haue intreated thee in thiâ manner and put thee vpon the crosse should hale and pull thee so irreueârenly graânt that the hands of thesâ thy deuout seruants may with reâerence touch thy sacred body takâ ãâã dovvne from the Crosse. Wheââ they had sayd these or the like wordâ with many teares rearing the ladderâ they mounted vp with great silencâ to the Crosse and tooke downe thâ holy body placed it in the armeâ of his most Blessed Mother who tâ receaue it to wash it with her tearâââte her selfe downe hauing euer beâfore stood constant at this rufull anââorrowfull tragedy Ponder secondly the angâisâ and grieâe of mind that the Blesseâ Virgin felt whân she beheld and imâbraced that sacred body of her Sonne ând our Lord so mangled how she held him fast in her armes and layd her face betweene the thornes of his âacred head and ioyned her face to the face of her Beloued Sonne O âovv vvould this soueraigne Lady âhen remâber how far different kisses imbracings were these from those âhich she had giuen him in his natiââity childhood and what diffeââence there was between these dayes ând those vvhich she had spent vvith âim in Bethleem and in Hierusaâem âow cleare was that night of his naâââty and how darke and obscure ãâã this day of his passion How rich ãâã she in the stable and how poore ãâã the Crosse And if when she lost ãâã whiles he was yet aliue she was ãâã much grieued and aââlicted for his ââsence how great vvas her sorrow âere seeing him dead in her armes ãâã in so vvocfull a shapâ vvithout ãâã it was a sword of so excâssiue ãâã vnto her that it priârced heâ ãâã soule and hart Gathâr henâe desires that our Blâssed Lady vvould vouchsafe to giue thee licence to adore him in spiârit to kisse and haue in thy armeâ her most holy Sonne as she held him in hers obtayne for thee some inâvvard griefe and feling of the Passion death of her God thy Lord to the end that thou mayst be par aâ ker of his trauells seeing thou hope â hoaue part of his ioyes and Resuâ rection THE 3. POINT TO coÌsider how that after the moâ Blessed Virgin had held the deaâ body of her Blessed Sonne for some time in her lap Ioseph and Nicodeâmus fearing least she should dyâ with griefe besought her with all huâmility and respect she would moderate her sorrow giue them leau to bury him she yielded to their râ quest forthvvith those holy me annoynted him with Mirrhe anâ wrapt him in a cleane syndon câ ãâã his face with a napkin Ponder the loue which Chrâ our Lord had to poueâty for ãâã would not that the Myrrhe wherââ with they annointed him the napkin and sheet in which they foulded him should be his owne but anothers his sepulcher borrowed as iâ were lent him of almes Hence thou mayst gather to loue pouerty which this our Lord loued so much exercising thy selfe in this vertue in life death as he did because if thou renounce not all that thou possessest in imitation of him thou canst not be his disciple THE 4. POINT TO consider how the body of our Lord being annointed bound in a white syndon they found means to carry him bury him in a new monument which was in a new garden hard by the place where he was ârucifyed there they layd the holy âody of our Sauiour And when the â Virgin saw that there she was to âaue him whom her soule loued so much the treasure of her hart then âer griefe began a fresh she fell to âment her solitude Ponder hovv he vvho is the plendour brightnes of the Father the glory of Angells the saluation life of men refuseith not to be straitned and prest togeather as it were enclosed euery day in the loathsome stincking sepulcher of our brests couering his sacâed body vvith the white vayle of the accidents or forme of bread Gather from hence desires to beâseech this Lord that seeing he vouch safeth to straiten as it were himselfe and to enclose himselfe so often in thy sepulcher to the end thou mayst reâeaue eate him being as thou arâ a silly vile worme he would alsâ renew thee with vertues that so thy sepulcher may become remaynâ cleane pure as if no dead thing haâ ãâã some in it THE THIRD BOOKE OF MEDITATIONS Appertayning to the Vnitiue Way What is the Vnitiue Way THE end of the Vnitiââ Way is to vnite and ioyne our soule vvith God by perfect vnion sloue being glad vvhen we conââder his innumerable and infinite âches and perfections reioyâng at ãâã infinite glory povver and wisâme desiring that he be âââwne of all the world and that his holy and diuine will be done and performed in all creatures For this is the way by which those who arriue to the perfect state of vertue do walke exercising themselues in the contemplation of the impassible and glorious life of Christ our Lord. THE 1. MEDITATION How our Lord descended into Limbo of his glorious Resurrection THE 1. POINT TO consider how our Lord Iesuâ Christ hauing finished the conâbate of his Passion to accomplish fully the businesse of our saluation as soone as he had giuen vp hââ sacred Ghost leauing his body deaâ on the Crosse in soule he descendeâ to the lowest parts of the earth intâ Limbus to deliuer the soules of thoâ holy Fathers that were there and ãâã carry them with him to heauen Ponder how our Lord thouââ he were so mighty and powerfuââ that he could vvith one only word haue deliuered out of Limbo those holy soules without descending thither personally as he did vvith Lazarus when he called
for according to the measure his Mother sorrowes he gaue her ãâã sâlation and ioy so if thou accompâ nie Christ crucified in his paynes â Passion thou shalt also be partak of his rest shalt rise as he did to new life of glory THE 3. POINT To contemplate the most Blessed Virgin enioying those graces and ââuours which her most Blessed SoÌne had done her and what tender pleasant and louing discourses he held vvith her perchance these or such like Mother behold thy Sonne I doe not now recommend thee from the Crosse to my disciple Iohn I doe not call thee woman thou dost not hold me dead in thine armes but âehold I am aliue and risen agayne â come to bestow on thee a thouând imbraces and to shew thee the âpeciall loue affectioÌ which I beare âhee Ponder the ioy that wholy posâessed the soule of this most Blessed âady when she saw her selfe so fauoâed honoured and cherished and âvith such loue vviping avvay the âeares from her virginall eyes full of âeuotion doubtles and prostrating âer selfe vpon the ground she would âdore him and say O my Sonne ây God I giue thee infinit thankes âr that according to the multiuude of my sorrovves my consolation haue abounded And making no enâ of kissing those Blessed signes of thâ sacred wounds which yet remaynâ In his glorious body and had cause vnto him so great payne in his passâ on and seeing them now so beautâ full and shining they were a cause â great confort vnto her Gather hence desires to giââ thanks vnto this Lord for so special and singular sauours done vnto hâ Blessed Mother as to one most woâ thy thereof for disposing thy selâ to a good life holy desires workâ he will doe thee the like fauour aâ graces albeit thou be vnworthy the of THE 4. POINT TO consider how well accompaned Christ our Lord was when came to visit his beloued Mothâ with that most bright shining squâ dron and troupe of so many Saiâ which he had deliuered from Limbâ where diuers of them had for so mâ ny thousands of yeares expected enioy him in heauen Ponder how that when all those ââints saw themselues in presence of ãâã B. Virgin our Lady acknowleding her for the mother of their Reâeemer bruizer of the infernal serâents head they would kneele down âprostrate themselues vpon the groând yielding her a thousand thankes â congratulations for such a Sonne â she had there for the paines she âad taken in the worke of their Reâmption Ponder secondly how glad and âyfull the Blessed Virgin was to see âe fruit of the PassioÌ which now the âred tree of the holy Crosse began yield in so many soules ransomed ãâã with O how well imployed did â B. Lady then account all those afâtions sorrowes labours trauaills paynes which pierced her soule all life tyme seeing that which then saw enioying that which then enioyed Hence thou mayst gather deâ to associate and ioyne thy selfe âh this holy company to adore ârence this most Holy Virgin for the Mother of such a Redeemer aâ knowledging that by her meames thou take her for thy Patronesse anâ become truly deuout vnto her thoâ mayst by the grace of God be paâ taker of the glory and eternall blissâ which thou hopest to enioy in heââen THE III. MEDITATIONâ Of the apparition of Christ to S. Mâ ry Magdalen THE 1. POINT TO consider how S. Mary Mâ dalen vpon Sunday very eaâ came to the monument briâ ging with her odoriserous oyntmâ and aromaticall spices to anoynt maysters body and not finding hiâ she thought that he had been stollâ vvhich occasioned in her soule nâ griefe sorrow for before the wâ because her Lord was dead and because they had taken him a way put him she knew not where Anâ she stood at the monument coâ not depart thenâe but sayd O mayâ ãâã where art thou where shall I seeke thee my ioy my life where ãâã they put thee O Lord whither shall I goe where may I seeke thee ââome shall I aske for thee Ponder how muoh the earnest ând longing desire the âboundant âeruent teares of this holy sinner ârought in the louing breast of God âr by her tears she obtained pardon âher sinnes by teares she obtained âhe resurrection of her deceased broâher by her teares she deserued to âue Angells for her comforters yeal âd the Lord of Angells himselfe âbe the first vnto whome our Sauiâr did appeare Gather hence a great shame and âsusion for that thou so little feelest âd lamentest thy sinnes hauing by âem so often lost God and his grace ât if thou desire to find and not to âse him imitate this holy and sferâât woman not taking comfort in thing vntill thou find possessd Creatour for if thou seek in âsort thou shalt find him and he will comfort thee with ãâã sight anâ presence THE 2. POINT To consider how that our Sauiouâ seeing the holy desires of his diâciple would now without further dâ lây fulfill them appearing vnto he yet disguised so that she might ãâã know him and speaking vnto heâ ãâã a different voyce from that he vvâ wont to vse vnto her he sayd Wâ man vvhy weepest thou vvhomâ seekest thou And she answered him Because they haue taken a way mâ Lord I know not where thâ haue put him Ponder that when this sinner bâ fore wept at the feet of Christ wâ shed them with the tears of her eyâ our Lord said not to her Why wâ pest thou nor whome seekest thoâ because those teares proceeded frâ the selfe knowledge of her sinnes from a liuely fayth and loue of Lord whome she had present wâ knew and approued them but inâ gard these teares proceeded out of norance and want of fayth bewâ âing him as dead who liued and seeâung the liuing among the dead he sayth Why weepest thou whome âeekest thou For doubtlesse thou snowest not because knowing thou wouldest not lament for me in this manner neither wouldst thou seeke him as absent whome thou hast preââm with thee Gather hence desires to examine and discusse wel the cause of thy âeares because many tymes thou wile âârswade thy selfe that thou weepest âr thy sinnes and thou dost not ât for the temporal losse which they âaue caused thee And other whiles âhou wilt thinke that thou lamentest âith desire to see and enioy God yet ââou dost not but only tofly the traâell which thou endurest And in like âanner thou wilt thinke that thou âokest God his glory in very âed thou seekest thy selfe thine âne honour and commodity And ââking God in this âort with good âson he will aske thee Whom seeâ thou Seeke therefore Gâd in âth sore that he may approue thy teares and say vnto thee and vnto all Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted THE 3. POINT To coÌsider the mercy of our Lorâ vvho vvould not long concealâ himselfe but
forth with meekly anâ louingly discouered himselfe vnto hâ disciple calling her as he accustomeâ Mary And the presently acknowâledging his voice ansvvered Maââster seeing her Lord and her Goâ glorious and risen to life she adorâ him Ponder how far the ioy aâ miration deuotion and astonishmeâ she conceiued of so great a wondeâ might extend it selfe finding so muâ more then she desired for seeking dead body she found her Lord aliâ and victorious ouer death And ãâã sting her selfe at his feet she vvouâ haue adored kissed the most cred signes of his wounds that vvâ beautifull and resplendent but oâ Lord vvould not permit her as the saying Do not touch me for I haâ not yet ascended to my Father thou thinkest I am not to leaue thee so soone neyther shall this be the last tyme that thou shalt see me for he fulfilled her desires when he appeared to the women with whome she also was From hence thou mayst gather seruent desires to seeke God for if thou exercise thy selfe in the vertues of loue and deuotion patience ând perseuerance in which this holy sinner exercised her selfe seeking our Lord be assured that albeit thou hast been as great a sinner as this his disâble as he will shew thee his mercy âraunting thee that vvhich he gaue ânto her to wit to see her Lord and âayster risen glorious THE 4. POINT TO consider the infinite charity of thy Redeemer in honouring sinâers truly penitent sith that he chose âran eye witnes of his Resurrection woman a notorious sinner that he should deserue this âsapnâ the Apostles yea bââfore the ãâã of the Apostles before the âsciple singularly belouâd thoue the rest of the Apostles because with so many teares such perseuerance shâ had sought the Blessed body of her Lord. Ponder how that the multitudâ of sinnes past do not preiudice wheâ they are recompenced with greateâ seruour present Wherefore in regard that Magdalen was emineÌt in perforâming many thinges that others diâ not for the loue of Christ as we haââ said in her 25. MeditatioÌ of the seconâ booke was present accompaâ nied him at mount Caluaty assâ sted at his buriall euen so she ãâã most fauoured cherished of all Gather hence courage conâ dence that thou be not dismaid at thâ multitude of thy sinnes for if thoâ some in time art diligent in the seâ nice of God excelling therein througâ particuler seruices he will bestow ãâã thee speciall graces fauours thâ thou mayst deserue to see and eââ him for euer in his glory THE IIII. MEDITATION Of Christ his apparition to the Apostle Saint Peter THE 1. POINT TO consider how Saint Peter S. Iohn went to the monumeÌt entring in saw only the linnen clothes wherein his holy body had beene vvrapt and the napkin lying at one side which they tooke for a certaine signe of his Resurrection as the women had told them Ponder hovv that amongst the disciples of Christ Peter and Iohn were the most seruent and who ââcelled most in the loue of Christ â Lord for although these Apoâles knevv right well of the persecuâon that the lewes raised against the âciples of Christ keeping watchân at the monument they resolued âuertheles to go see how matters âssed Gather hence how the loue of âd maketh all thinges easy ouermaistereth preuayleth agaynst difficulties be they neuer so great Beseech him to graunt thee that loue charity which he gaue to his Apostls that laying aside humane feare thou mayst seeke him and enter whereso euer he shall be THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv these Apostles returning to their lodging Saint Peter retired himself to pray al alonâ and to ruminate vpon this mistery and meruayling with himselfe at thaâ vvhich he had seene and done ouâ Lord appeared vnto him risen anâ glorious Ponder first the singular content and ioy that bathed the hart ãâã the holy Apostle when he perceiueâ him present whome his soule loueâ and desired With hovv liuely a faââ of the Resurrection vvould he say I verily belieue o Lord that thou aââ Christ the Sonne of the liuing Goâ with what deuotion and tears vvoulâ he cast himself at the feet of his Loââ and Mayster who had done the samâ vnto him the night of his Passion deeming himselfe vn worthy of such a sight and presence vvould repeate those vvordes which he had spoken vpon another occasion to wit Goe forth from me o Lord because I am asinnefull man But by how much the more he humbled and debased himselfe the greater were the prerogatiues fauours he bestowed vpon him Ponder secondly what it was whereby Saint Peter made himselfe vvorthy of this apparition and thou âhalt find that it was the prayer and meditation of the thing he had seene in the monument Gather hence desires to be a loâer of prayer because that a good âife repentance of our sinnes and purpose of amendmeÌt are the means âredemy to find see enioy Christ âsen glorious THE 3. POINT âo consider how that the holy Apostle enioying that soueraigne âght and presence of Christ risen ãâã Lord would say vnto him Peace to thee it is I feare not thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Ponder how much S. Peter would be abashed and blush to see himselfe in the presence of his maister calling to mind how he had denyed and offended him and it is credible that he would abundantly renew his teares weeping bitterly and lamenting his sinne crauing agayne pardon therof From hence thou mayst gather how meruaylous great the diuine mercy is towardes all those who hartily bewayle their sinnes doe pennance for them Wherefore if thou lamentest thy sins although thou be a greater sinner theÌ this Apostle was and so vn worthy to receaue fauour benefits yet comming in time thou shalt make thy selfe worthy oâ his soueraygne apparitioÌ in the Kingâ dome of his glory THE 4. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lorâ hauing visited S Peter sayd vntâ him Goe confirme thy brethe in the fayth of this mistery so hâ our Lord vanishing out of his sighâ betooke himself presently with great ioy content to the place where his companions were to confirme them in fayth as his mayster had giuen him in charge And the testimony he gaue of the Resurrection of our Lord was so effectuall strong that many belieued in him Ponder the great desire God hath of thy saluation and that thou shouldst know the mistery of his Resurrection giuing thee maisters to instruct declare it vnto thee that thou shouldst belieue in him thereby to obtaine eternall life And gathering hence desires to be gratefull vnto our Lord endeaâour to make benefit of the fauoure thou shalt receaue at his diuine hand âo confirme thy brethren in vertue with thy exaÌples words that they may glorify prayse him THE V. MEDITATION Of Christ his apparition vnto the two disciples that went to Emmaus THE
1. POINT To consider the desolation and sorrow wherewith the two disciples going to a towne called Emmaus talked and reasoned with themselus of the paines and Passion of Christ our Lord who approaching went with them and vouchsafed to accompany them in this voyage but their eyes were held they might not knovv him meaning to discouer vnto them in the end of the iorney his glorious Resurrection Ponder the loue of Christ towordes these two disciples sith the small slânder faith they had of his Resurrection was not a cause to with dravv him from their company beâcause he is infinitly delighted to ãâã with them who speake and discoursâ of holy thinges vvho sayth Wherâ there be two or three gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them Gather hence how fit and beseeming a thing it is euer to talke of God and to entertayne thy selfe in like discourses with thy companions especially in tyme of affliction sith our Lord is at hand to comfort them conuerting their sorrow and deâolation into ioy and content And contrary wise hovv ill it is to speake of prophane and bad matters because such do banish exclude Christ Ieâus from their company he flyeth from them THE 2. POINT To consider how Christ our Lord encountred these his two seruantâ ãâã a pilgrimes weed as if he had âot known sayd vnto them What ãâã these communications that yoââonferre one with another walking ãâã are sad Ponder that our Lord is not ânly glad and recreated for that haâ ãâã endured so much as he hath yea ãâã death it selfe being so reproachfull and ignominious but desireââ that all should heare it recounted anâ spoken off And therefore he asked hiâ disciples which he as an eye vvitâ nesse knew right well of what they only by hear saâ treated off for theiâ feare cowardlines had caused theâ to fly Gather hence confusion and shame considering hovv forgetful thou att of vvhat our Lord suffered for thee whereas thou hauing donâ sustayned so little for him noâ withstanding most mindfull therof expecting that he reward crownâ thy flender seruice desirous to bâ esteemed as one who hath trauelled and endured much for the loue oâ God yea art discontented to be oâ therwise reputed THE 3. POINT To consider how our Lord haâ uing heard them forthwith beâ gan to rid deliuer them from theââ ignorance and reprehending theâ for their incredulity and hardnes oâ hart proued vnto them by authoritâ out of the Prophets hovv Chriââ oughâ to haâe suffered so to enter into his glory Ponder that if it were necessaây that Iesus Christ should suffer such so grieuous iniuries reproaches thereby to enter into glory which was his by inheritance as being the âaturall Sonne of God how will it be possible that thou who art a seruant ãâã spendst all thy life in coâtentmeÌts pleasures vanities shouldst enter into glory which is not thine but that it must cost thee a Crosse mortificatiââs and afflictions for costing God ãâã this âhouldst thou enioy it at free âost that is for nothing From hence thou mayst gather âesires to imitate in some thing thy Captaine Iesââ with a great feare least âhy want of fayth be a iust cause why âhou deseruest to be reprehended of âs diuine maiesty and held as foolish ând slow of hart to belieue vnderâând his diuine Misteryes THE 4. POINT To consider that as these holy pilgrimes drew neere to the tovvne vvhither they vvent our Lord made femblance to goe further but they with much instance and intreaty forced him saving Tarry because it iâ towards night and the day is novâ far spent Ponder that howsoeuer Chriââ our Lord made semblance to go further his intention and desire was tâ remaine vvith them to impart vntâ thâegrave e that toothsome repast to opeâ their eyes and manifest himselfe vnââ to them as he did in this occasion râfreshing feeding them with his ââcred body for his delights are to bâ and conuerse vvith the children ãâã men Hence thou maist gather coâfusion and shame that thy delighâ are not to be with God nor to draâneere and conuerse with him but withdravv thy selfe from him ãâã to discourse and treat of him but the vayne transitory and periââââ thinges of this world not reflecâââ hovv that the day of thy life passeth on and hasteneth to an end the night of thy death approcheth wherin thou art to giue an account to God of all THE VI. MEDITATION Of his apparition to the Apostles upoâ Easter-day THE 1. POINT To consider hovv Christ our Lord appeared to his Apostles being gathered togeather vâon the day of his Resurrection Ponder the great care our Saâiour hath to visit his beloued disâiples forgetting the small âidelity âhey shewed him in his Passion when â leauing him in the handes of his ââemies they all fled and forsooke âim Gather hence desires of gratiâde to this Lord vvho many times âoardeth thee spiritually that which did to his Apostles visibly corâally for albeit thou hast beene so vngratefull and dislovall vnto him shonned forsaken fled from him many tymes he neuertheles omiteth not oftentimeâ to visit âhee with his diuine inspirations giuing himselfe also vnto thee with great lone corporally as often as thou commeââo receaue him in the most B. Sacrâment THE 2. POINT To consider how our Lord entred in to his disciples hauing the dores of the house shut wherâ they vvere retyred for feaâe of thâ Iewes our Lord entring in far betteâ then the Sunne entreth through thâ chinks of the windows to awakâ thâ sleepy to rid the fearefull of theiâ dread Ponder that the causes why ouâ Lord entred to visit his disciples thâ dore being shut amongst otherâ were these The first was to manifeâ vnto them that his body being glorifyed he could enter and penetraâ by the grace of subtility whitheâ foeâeâ he would without any obstâcle or let at all The second to maâ knoâne vnto them the efficacy of his ãâã The third that which maâeth most for thy purpose is to teach thee that Gods ' holv will pleasure is thou shouldst keep shut âhe gates and windows of thy harâ which are thy senses that theeues may not enter therat which are the âiuells to robbe spoyle the fruit of a good conscience Gather hence liuely effâctuâll desires from this day forwardes to be very vigilant and circumspect ââer the guard and custody of thy âoule powers senses not permitâing them to wander without bridle ãâã pursuit of creatures And so doing ââe Lord and owner thereof will entââ to replenish her with true ioy âomfort THE 3. POINT âo consider how our Lord the disciples being thus gathered toâather came with a cherfull counâance and placing himselfe in the âiddest of them which is the place him who maketh peace to infiââte thereby that for this effect he had come into the world that this vvas which
belieued Ponder that albeit our Lord âpproued the confession of S. âhoâas yet wold he not call him Blessâââhe did S Peter when he confessed âim for the Sonne of God and the âeason was because he had been flow ãâã belieuing wherefore insteâd of âraysing him he repreâended him ââying Because thou hast seene me Thomas thou hast belieued as who âould say Thankes be to thy hands ãâã eyes which I haue giuen thee to âelieue that I am thy Lord and thy âod Endeauour to gather hence anâ earnest desire to see Christ thy Lord if not corporall as the disciples saw enoyed him with their corporaâ eyes at least spiritually sith those who belieue his Resurrection not hauing seene him Almighty God calleth Blessed THE VIII MEDITATIONâ Of his apparition to the Apostles vpoâ Ascension day THE 1. POINT TO consider how our Sauiouâ appearing to his disciples tolââhem that the same day he waâ to go to his Father that if they lââued him they shold verily be glad ãâã regard that it was expedient for theâ that he went to heauen Ponder how desirous the discââples were not to loose the corp orââ presence of their Maister seeing it ãâã necessary vvith these and other likâ speaches to aduertise them that was not only expedient for his ãâã to ascend to heaueÌ but also that it imported them much thereby to make mere perfect their faith to raise their hope to purify their charity For if I go not to my Father our Lord sayd vnto theÌ the Holy Ghost shall not come to you Gather hence that if to loue the corporall presence of their Lord and Mayster with a loue somewhat lesse pure in part interessed would haue hindred the comming of the Holy Ghost to the discipls how much more will it hinder thee to loue thy selfe or any other creature with an inordinate loue THE 2. POINT TO consider that our Lord sayd vnto his discipls to comfort them Reioyce my beloued disciples at my departure because I goe to prepare you a place Ponder how that thy Redeeââer directeth lik wise the same speech âo thee as to his Apostles Reioyce âecause I goe to heauen that novv from this day forward thou mayst âaue entrance therin reioyce for that I ascend and goe before to open for thee those celestiall ãâã by which thou albeit a wretched sinnefull creature mayst haue franke and free entrance vvhich beforâ I ascended was not graunted to the iust and holy Reioyce because I ascend to day ãâã that thou mayst ascend to morrow ãâã be seated by me in the place assigned thee by my Father Hence thou mayst receâueâ meruailous great ioy and content for that thy Lord and thy God ascendethâ into heauen because for him principally it vvas created Craue of him his diuine grace that by meaneââ of a good vertuous life thou maisâ deserue to see and enioy him in his glory THE â POINT TO consider hovv our Lord hauing comforted his disciples said vnto them Tarry in the Citty tilâ you be endued vvith povver from aboue Ponder that word Tarry that is they should abide rest and stay vvhereby he meant to signify thaâ they were to expect him with patience and perseuerance vvith repose of body and mynd Secondly God commanded them to keep in the Citty to giue them to vnderstand that this fauour was not done to them alone but was also ordayned for the good of the vniuersall world Gather hence desires to expect the coÌming of this diuine spirit vvith repose and quietnes because God desireth that his though they liue in the middest of the streets and noyse of the world may haue their mind quiet and peaceable that they may pray and attend to him with such spirit and recollection as his diuine maiesty requireth to thee shal be necessary THE 4. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord commanded his disciples forthâith to betake themselues to mount ãâã because from thence he vvas âascend to heauen Ponder how these holy disciâles vvould call to mind that the ãâã which their Lord and Mayster had chosen to suffer iniuries reproathes on the Crosse he now chose to mount thence vp to Heauen there to enioy the immeasurable greatnes of his glory that the way to ascend to heauen is the mount Oliuet or of oliues which signifyeth charity and mercy Gather hence desires to be charitable mercifull towards thy neighbours to extoll magnify thâ wisdome prouidence of God who is able to make that which is the beginning of thy humiliation contempt to be the origen cause oâ thy exaltation prayse as may bâ seene in Ioseph whose calamity iâââamy imprisonment God vsed as meanes to mak him soueraigne Lorâ King of Aegipt THE IX MEDITATION Of the ascension of Christ our Lord. THE 1. POINT TO consider that fourty dayes being past after the resurrection of Christ our Lord in which he had treated and conuersed with his the houre of his glorious asâension being come hauing all his disciples present he tooke his leaue of them with manifold signes and demonstrations of loue and as a most louing Father who departeth lifting vp his hands he blessed them and so departed from them Ponder how great the griefe feeling of these most louing children would be for the departure of their Father when they should see that Lord to leaue them for whom they had left all thinges It is to be belieued that then some would cast themselues at his feet others would kisse his most sacred hands others would âang vpon his necke and all would say Hovv O Lord dost âhou go and leaue vs thus alone and orphanes in the middest of so many enemies What shal children do without their Father disciples without their Maister sheep without a Sheepheard feeble and vveake souldiers without their Captaine But our Lord comforted them promising them the fauour and ayd of the Holy Ghost and his perpetuall assistance and prouidence vvhich neuer should fayle them Gather hence desires that this Lord before he depart to heauen vouchsafe to giue thee his benediction taking hold spiritually of his hands casting thy selfe at his feet hanging on his necke thou shalt ãâã an other Iacob say vnto him I vvill not let thee goe o Lord vnles thouâ blesse me for thereon my whole remedy and euerlasting blisse dependeth THE 2. POINT TO consider how that glorious boâdy of Christ our Lord hauing imâparted his benediction to his in theiâ presence ascended to heauen the disciples remayning in suspence and astonished to behold their Elias mount vp to heauen whereas they could not follow their Lord with their bodies they followed him with their eyes harts Ponder the great admiration of the Angells and men which were there assembled seeing that sacred humanity of Christ our Lord to mount aboue all celestiall spirits towards that Citty and to be seated at the right hand of the Father vvho had been so much debased
the more holy receaued greater plenty of grace And so the most B. Virgin as fullest of grace vertue receaued more abundance therof then all the rest togeather Gather hence a great desire to dispose and prepare thy selfe to receaue this diuin spirit with the greaââst feruour thou canst because he communicateth himselfe more abundantly to him that is best prepared to make thy selfe such the principall vertue which thou must procure to haue is Humility which conserueth the rest as the Prophet Isay sayth Vpon vvhome reposeth my spirit sayth our Lord but vpon him that is humble and meeke Be thou then such aâ one that with like disposâtion thou mayst receaue and preserue in thy soule this diuine spirit who resisteth the proâd and to the humble giueth his grace THE XI MEDITATION Of the death of the most Blessed Virgin our Lady THE 1. POINT TO consider hovv the B. Virgin our Lady being now in years God hauing determined her some tyme in this life which some belieue vvere fifteen others more probably say that she liued twenty three yeares after the death of Christ and that she departed this life to heauen the 7â yeare of her age Almighty God hauing preserued her heere al this tyme to giue light to the vvorld for the comfort and benefit of the whole Church also that she might see the faith and name of her Blessed Sonne diuulged and spred ouer all parts of the world she had novv most earnest and inflamed desires to go to heauen vvhere she vvas to find out Lord Iesus Christ her Sonne victorious and triumphant whome she instantly besought to take her out oâ this exile banishment tempestuous sea conduct her to that secure port of happines where for euer she might enioy his glorioâs sight conpany Ponder how this most Blessed Sonne approuing the pious desires of his deerest Mother and acknowledging the aspirations of her hart to be greater then those of Dauid where he sayd Euen as the Hart desireth after the fountaines of waters so doth my soule desire after thee o God he sent vnto her an Angell which many hoâly Fathers imagine was the Angell S. Gabriel who came with a palme in his hand in token of the victory that this triumphant Lady had gotten of sinne of the Diuell of death it selfe And the B. Virgin receaued him with great comfort ioy of spirit confiâering what she so much desired was âow to effected Gather hence enkindled desires to see and enioy God that when thy dayes shall end and death arriue âhou mayst receaue it with gust and âoy hoping by meanes thereof to participate in heauen of the svveet presence and company of Christ our Lord and of his most Blessed Mother THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv the Sonne of God determining to fulfill the desires of his most B. Mother the Apostles being deuided ouer the vvhole world preaching the victories of their Lord were miraculously assembled in the house of the B. Virgin who reioyciâg much at their comming disclosed vnto them the newes of her death vvith a cheerfull graue couÌtenance declaring vnto them her desire to depart this life to go to heauen which Almighty God had graânted vnto her Ponder the feeling teares and tendernes of hart wherewith this doleâuli relation afflicted them all seeing their Mother ready to depart thiâ life and that diuine Sunne illuminating the Chruch to withdraw it selfâ go downe Ponder sâcondly how the Bleââsed Virgin without any infirmity oâ payne at all but of meere loue and desire to see and enioy her Sonne in heauen betooke her selfe to her poore bed beholding them all vvith a countenance rather diuine then humane willed them to come neere gaue them her blessing saying God be with you my deerly beloued children lament not because I leaue you but reioyce because I goe to my best beloued Sonne Gather hence an exceeding desire to approach in spirit neere vnto this B. Lady ioyning thy selfe to his good company beseech her to giue thee her holy blessing also that âherwith thou mayst increase goe âorward in grace loue of her God thy Lord. THE 3. POINT TO consider how Christ our Lord this happy houre being at hand ãâã downe from heauen accompaââed with innumerable Angells by ââeir sight and presence to reioyce his âost B. Mother to conduct her iâ heauen Ponder first the gracious and sweet vvordes vvhich the Sonne of God vsed vnto his sacred Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary vvhich might be the same that the holy Ghost speaketh to his Espouse in the Canticles ãâã Arise make hast my loue my doue my beautifull and come for winteâ is now past the raine is gone and departed The flowers haue appered iâ our Land Come from libanus mâ Espouse come from Libanus comâ thou shalt de crowned vvith thâ crowne of Iustice which thou hast sâ well deserued Ponder secondly what hoâ great the iubilies and comforts vveââ that did trauerse the hart of this ãâã Lady what thanks she gaue her Soâ and her God for such benefits bâ stowed vpon her and for vouch sââfing to cloth himselfe with her fleââ and bloud in her virginall wombâ and calling to mind the manner of ãâã death on the Crosse would say O ãâã Father as thou art God and my ãâã as man into thy hands o Lord I coâ mend my spirit And vvith thâ words she yielded her spirit to hiâ whome she had inuested within her selfe From hence thou shalt gather âffections to prayse God our Lord in whose sight the death of this Lady was precious giuing her so copious and large a recompence for her labours Trust in like sort to receaue reward for that thou hast endured for his seruice glory that so thy death may be precious in his sight as is that of his Saints THE 4. POINT TO consider how the holy Apostles and disciples of our Lord vvhen they beheld that body without life of which our life had taken flesh they âll prostrated themselues vpon the ground kissing it with great tenderâes deuotion affection then layâng it forth with vpon a Beere they âooke it on their shoulders and carâyed it through the Citty of Hierusaâem singing Hymnes and deuout ârayers till they arriued at the sepulâher where it was to be placed Ponder how their griefe at such âme as the holy body vvas put into the Monument was renewed that they deuoutly kissed and with great reuerence adored it againe againe not being able to withdraw their eies from thence vvhere they had their harts Hence stir vp in thy selfe a tender feeling sorrow for the absence of this B. Lady an earnest desire spiritually with thy best endeauour to accompany her holy body conforging thy selfe with the quiers of Angels the disciples to sing with them her prayses beseeching her to obtainâ thee such a death as thou mayst inâ her company enioy for euer the presence glory of her
is the cause why he permitteth himselfe to be once many times sold scorned crucifyed nayled betweene theeues for such are they vvho receaue him vnworthily Ponder how far the goodnes of God reached and how much the beames of his diuine and inflamed loue extended it selfe sith it made that generous and magnificent Lyon vvho vvith his roaring terrified the world to put on such meeknes that he hath couched himselfe vpon the Altar and is become a meeke Lambe that thou mighâst eat him And this same Lord being he who commaunded that no sinner should dare to approach vnto him vnder payne of malediction his loue hath now so disposed and so changed him and he is become so desirous that al men approach vnto him to giue himselfe entierly to all that he doth not only call and inuite them but also eateth vvith them yea and his loue doth proceede so far as that he doth not only eate vvith them but commandeth them also to eate him giuing them his sacred body and bloud to eate From hence thou mayst gather feruent desires to loue him vvho hath loued thee so much to haue confidence in him vvho hath beene so liberall with thee to haue accesse vnto him who is so good so communicatiue of himselfe saying vvith the holy Prophet What shall I render to our Lord for so many fauours and benefits which he hath rendred to me and especially for this I am to receaue now but now I know that it is my hart which he desireth and this will I intierly offer vp vnto him as his diuine Maiesty willeth commandeth me THE 2. POINT TO consider hovv that Father of mercy who vouchsafed to be chastized in his owne flesh for thy loue âo shed his most precious bloud dye vpon a Crosse for thee this very same is there glorious and him thou goest to receaue The same that dyed for thee is there aliue to giue thee life making himselfe as he himselfe said thy meate that by vertue of this âacred food thou mayst come to transforme thy selfe spiritually into God to put in his liuery Ponder the great desire this our Lord hath of thy weale and remedy âith he stood not vpon his owne cost and charges nor regarded the losse of his honour life and liuing so that he might feed cherish thee vvith this diuine food Giuing it vnto thee not only to see adore and kisse as to the theepheardes and Kinges but that thou mayst receaue him also haue him in thy breast as his holy chast Espouse had Gather from hence desires to consecrate thy selfe wholy vnto this Lord endeauouring to be like vnto him in life manners seeing he said Be holy because I am holy to thee in particuler he sayth Learne of me that is to be humble as Christ chast and pure as Christ patient and obedient as Christ and by this meanes thou shalt goe clad with his garmenâ liuery THE 3. POINT TO coÌsider that God loued sinners so much as that he was not only content to take flesh in likenesse of a sinner but vouchsafed also therby to communicate vnto thee his riches and treasures to remaine in this most Blessed Sacrament vnder that sacred veile in that humble curâayne of that sacred host and this not for a small tyme but euen to the consummation of the world Ponder hovv the loue that brought him into the world mâ him put himselfe into the handes oâ sinners this very same is that which maketh him to come the second and infinite tymes into the world and to shew himselfe so inamoured as it were and so much in loue vvith them that he sayd that all this delights âoyes and affections are to be and conuerse vvith sinners And yet he far more affectionatly declareth and specifieth his loue saying that He who toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye and veynes of his âart From hence thou mayst gather desires to haue accesse vnto him and to set thy loue and affection entierly vpon this Lord. And although thy grieuous sinnes on the one side detayne and terrify thee not withstanding let his great loue and clemency on the other side preuaile and moue thee âimitating the prodigall Sonne who albeit he saw his owne basenes and misery yet the goodnes and loue of his Father encouraged him to goe vnto him and to cast himselfe at his feet do thou also as he did seeing thou hast imitated him that sinned imitate him that repented and thy heauenly Father will runne out to receaue thee and as to a beloued child will fall vpon thy necke in token of his singular loue vnto thee HEERE FOLLOW SIX MEDITATIONS Of the most Blessed Sacrament to giue thankes vnto our Lord ofter Communion and to meditate vpon the Feasts Octaues therof AN ADVERTISMENT THERE is wont to be much negligence distraction in some after they haue receaued the âost Blessed Sacrament they reap âhall fruit and profit thereby beâse they are not prepared vvith âe pious consideration to render due thankes vnto our Lord or because they alwayes meditate one and the selfe same thing Wherfore to remedy this negligence and to repayre this domage it wil be good that he vvho is Priest be prepared before Masse and others before Communion with one or more points of the six ensuing Meditations that variety may take a way wearisomnes which deprineth both of gust profit And heereby they may drâsse this diuine meat in sundry manners sith it hath no lesse properties in it then had that celestiall Manna vvhich gauâ such tast as euere appetite desired Sâ this diuine Manna is of such vertuâ and substance that euery one maâ apply it as he liketh best and it wiâ sauour vnto him of vvhatsoeuer hââart shall desire for whatsoeuer is iâ ãâã is profitable to be eaten and pleâ sing to the tast as the diuine Espouâ doth note Saint Ambrose othâ holy Fathers say Christ is all thinâ vnto vs If thou be sicke of an aguâ he is a Phiâââian if thou feare dearâ he is ãâã if thou fly darknes hâ light if thou seeke sustenance he is food if thou be cold he is fire if thou haue want he is rich Let the conclusion be âaith this holy Doctor that we proue and tast of this soueraigne food because our Lord who is in it is most sweet pleasing to the palate of the soule If therfore whatsoeuer may be and thou canst desire thou findest hast in Christ coÌsideâ him euery tyme thou communicatest according to these or the like attributes that thou mayst reape the fruit thou desirest know how to render due thankes vnto our Lord because that time is more fit for mentall prayer then to read vocall prayers or to say beads Wherfore before thou enter into the Meditation or coÌsideratioÌ of any of the eÌsuyng points to illuminate thine vnderstanding stir vp deuotion thou mayst first euerv tyme thou communicatest
vvhether is be iron or stone I meane whatsoeuer sinner how wicked soeuer he hath been though cold as iron and hard as a stone for this soueraigne fire which is God hath such power force that he maketh his ministers a burning fire Gather from hence desires thaâ this Lord vouchsafe to doe the same to thee and that because thou hast come vnto him and receaued him into thy breast although thou be iron stone he will with his diuine heate kindle melt and inflame thee in his loue that tryed and tempred in this ouen and diuine fornace thou mayst become pure and without any rust at all of sinns imperfections THE 3. POINT TO consider the great desire which the Apostles had of that fire of the Holy Ghost and with what cryes sighes prayers groanings they craued it of God And after he descended vpon them what manner of men became they how different how much changed how inflamed in the loue of God Ponder what may be the cause vvhy notwithstanding this diuine fire hath descended from heauen and enclosed it selfe so often in thy breast thou art not inflamed and set on fire Salomon saying vvith admiration Can a man hide fire in his bosome that his garments burne not Wherfore the cause of this euil must needs proceed from thy bad disposition and negligent preparation for if thou shouldst dispose prepare thy selfe as the Apostles did themselues and desire it as they did it would enlighten and shine vnto thee much more then it doth and thou wouldest be another manner of man then now thou art Gather hence desires to begge this benefit and diuine fire of God saying with his Prophet Burne my reines o Lord my hart leaue in it some sparke of thy fire some token signe that it hath been in my soule fith thou hast vouchsafed to come so often vnto her for where is fire there euer remaineth some heate and signe there of in the ashes THE III. MEDITATION That Christ our Lord is Food THE 1. POINT TO consider that Christ our Lord is food of the soule as he sayd himselfe My flesh is meate indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Ponder first the wonderfull prouidence of this Lord sith he had such particuler care in regard of thy necessity and weaknes to prouide thee this corporall and spirituall food of bread and wine that thy spirit might not âaint in the way nor perish with famine as the prodigall Sonne did Ponder secondly that if the bread which the Prophet Elias did eate had such vertue that he walked in the strength of that meate fourty dayes and fourty nights through the desert unto the mount of God how much better greater is the povver and strength of this My sticall bread whereof that vvas only a representation to nourish thee in the desert of this life till thou arriue at the holy mount of euerlasting blisse this being the bread that comforteth and confirmeth the hart of man Gather hence a firme purpose and resolution in regard of the necessity thou hast to nourish thy selfe and to line to come often vnto this soueraigne table to eate this sacred bread for in it is coÌtained thy health and life and vvithout it as Christ himselfe said thou shalt not haue life in thee THE 2. POINT TO coâegrave sider the great loue that God our Lord hath vnto men sith he as one inamoured and possessed with their loue vvould that they should eate him sacramentally that he might eate them spiritually Ponder the great liberality of this Lord in inuiting all though feeble blind or lame not reiecting any be he rich or poore great or little compelling all to come fit at his table so that they be not guilty of mortalââinne Gather hence a firme purpose from this day forward to come vnto this royall table seeing God inuiteth thee to eat him neither let him be inforced to compell thee bring thee in by violence and force for although thou hast offended him so often and beene lame of both feet that is of vnderstanding and will he will thus much honour thee that tasting seeing how sweet our Lord is who giueth himselfe vnto thee in this meate thou maist loose thy selfe and find him renounce all things thou dost pleasingly possesse for this soueraigne food wherein is contained all the good of heauen earth THE 3. POINT TO consider the great vertue and power this diuine food coÌtaineth in it which is such that eaten it changeth and conuerteth man into God by participation hovv different an effect from that vvhich the eating of that forbidden tree wrought in the first man sith he perswadeth himselfe that eating the fruit therof he should be like ânto God which he did not only not obtaine but became also lesse then man made himselfe like vnto a breast Ponder the worth excellency of this diuine food which in such fort changeth and transformeth him that receaueth it in state of grace that it maketh him like vnto Christ as himselfe sayd He that eateth my flesh abideth in me and I in him From hence thou mayst gather a great feare of reprobation that eating so often this soueraigne food fed like an insant with the milke of the delightes and daintines thereof thou hast not withstanding such a languiâhing appetite and reapest thereby so little fruit and profit as if thou receauedst him not persisting in thy wicked life bad customes THE IIII. MEDITATION That Christ our Lord is most rich THE 1. POINT TO consider how our Lord God whome thou hast in thy breast is most rich and most mighty In vvhome as S. Paul sayth be all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hidden and there thou shalt find them if with humility vvithout curiosity thou shalt seeke them vnder those sacramentall formes of bread wine Ponder that if the goods which are contained in this sacred host that thou hast receaued be so great and soueraigne as in very deed they are why dost thou not rid thy selfe of all the other goods thou hast which are not such to possesse and enjoy these as the Apostles did and Christ himselfe did the same for thy loue spending liberally all he had for the benefit of harlots and sinners instructing some curing others shedding his precious bloud for all giuin to thee his Blessed flesh to eate that thy spirit might liue Gather hence desires to giue thy selfe intierly to him who gaue himselfe so entierly for thee and beseech him that seeing he is so rich and thou so poore and bestoweth his riches so bountifully on such as are so vnworthy therof as thou art he will vouchsafe to relieue thee and that sith he commandeth the rich to fauour the poore his diuine maiesty being so rich he will not leaue thy soule deuoid of his goods but that he vouchsafe to furnish and enrich her therewith enduing thee with the graces vertues and giftes of the Holy
soueraigne food of his sacred Body and Bloud which she receaueth in the most holy Sacrament that by these pledges and tokens of loue she may know that he desireth to be her Maister and Spouse alone Gather hence desires wholy to yield thy selfe from this day forward as an Espouse to such so worthy Spouse and for no affliction or tribulation whatsoeuer to abandone his friendship and sweet conuersation and keeping the word thou hast giuen him beseech him to communicate vnto thee some of the manifold graces and vertues which he hath in himselfe that thou maist be able to correspond with loue to that great loue he beareth vnto thee THE 2. POINT TO consider how that Christ our Lord oÌly out of his meere goodnes hath set his affection on thy soule deformed poore thou hauing been disloyall and broken thy faith to him not once but an hundred times yet the loue neuertheles which he beareth thee is such that he doth solicite and intreate thee to open him the dore of thy soule and hart for his desire is to be vnited with thee Ponder thy indignity folly want of loue how vnwise and how much ouerseene thou hast beene in âot acknowleging this diuine spouse as an adulteresse hast been disloyall vnto him hauing so often cast thy âies and affection on base and deformed slaues Yet the bouÌty of this our Lord is such that albeit thou deseruest a thousand hells he pardoneth thee inuiteth and intreateth thee to returne as a fugitiue to his house falling on thy necke as on the prodigall sonne receaueth louingly entertaineth and cherisheth thee honoring thee with the garment of his graces and vertues Gather from hence desires to enter into his house purposing rather to dye a thousand deaths then to forsake such a Lord such a Father such a Spouse Beseech him to giue thee his grace hence forward to keep thy promised fidelity vnto him commending thy soule all the powers thereof vnto him that thou mayst be no more thine but his who hath taken thee for Espouse saying with her I haue found him whome my soule loueth I hold him neither will I let him go THE 3. POINT TO consider how great the dignity honour hath been in which thy Spouse hath placed thee sith not regarding what thou deseruest nor thy slender fidelity he graciously giueth thee his hand ring of his hart that henceforward thou mayst account receaue enioy him as thine with pledges of so great loue Ponder how great reckoning thou art to make of thy soule sith God esteemeth so much thereof that he giueth himselfe all thinges els to espouse himselfe with her notwithstanding her deformity and misery And such is his loue and mercy that he hathfull often set his affection been enamoured with soule slaues to make theÌ his beautifull daughters which he hath bought not with delight and pleasure but with sorrowes torments which is the coine of the Crosse. From hence thou mayst gather desires to offer vp thy hart and will to such a Lord so to be no longer thine own but his who hath bought thee with his precious bloud and taken thee for his espouse Beseech him to graunt thee his grace that thou mayst obserue fidelity and loyalty towardes him and that seeing hitherto thou hast been barren thou mayst from hence forward begin with his grace to yield fruit of benediction with holy desires words deeds FINIS THE TABLE The Introduction contayning XVI AduertisemeÌts shewing the vse of the MeditatioÌs following THE FIRST BOOKE THE 1. Meditation Of the knowledge of our selues pag. 68. The 2. Medit. Of sinns pag. 76. The 3. Meditat. Of death pag. 83. The 4. Meditat. Of the particuler Iudgemeut pag. 89. The 5. Medit. Of the body after our death pag. 96. The 6. Medit. Of the generall Iudgment pag. 102. The 7. Medit. Of Hell pag. 109. The 8. Medit. Of the glory of Heauen pag. 116. THE SECOND BOOK THE 1. Meditation Of the Couception of our B. Lady pag. 109. The 2. Medit. Of the Natiuity of ãâ¦ã The 3. Medit. Of the betrothing of the B. Virgin to S. Ioseph p. 144. The 4. Medit. Of the Annuntiation of the B. Virgin pag. 152. The 5. Medit. Of our Blessed Ladyes visitation of S. Elizabeth pag. 160. The 6. Medit. Of the reuelatioÌ therof made to S. Ioseph pag 167. The 7. Medit. Of the expectation of our B. Lady her deliuery pag. 175. The 8. Medit Of our B. Ladyes iourney from Nazareth to Bethleem pag. 180 The 9. Medit. Of the Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ in Bethleem pag. 186. The 10. Medit. Of the ioy which the Angels and men had therat pag. 194. The 11. Medit. Of the Circumcision and of the Name of IESVS pag. 201. The 12. Medit. Of the comming of the three Kings of their gifts p. 208 The 13. Medit. Of the Purification of our B. Lady pag. 215. The 14. Medit. Of the flying into Aegypt pag. 222. The 15. Medit. Of the murther of the holy Innocents pag. 229. The 16. Medit. How the child Iesus remayned in Ierusalem pag. 235. The 17. Medit. Of the life of Christ till he was thirty yeares of age pag. 241. The 18. Medit. Of the Baptisme of our Sauiour pag. 247. The 19. Medit. Of the temptation of our Lord in the desert pag. 253. The 20. Medit. Of the vocation and election of the Apostles p. 259. The 21. Medit. Of the miracle at the marriage in Cana of Galilee pag. 265. The 22. Medit. Of the eight Beatitudes pag. 271. The 23. Medit. Of the tempest at the Sea pag. 283. The 24. Medit. How Christ onr Lord Wâlked on the sea pag. 289. The 25. Medit. Of the Conucrsion of S. Mary Magdalen pag. 294. The 26. Medit. Of the myracle of the fiue Loaues pag. 300. The 27. Medit. Of the TransfiguratioÌ of our Lord. pag. 306. The 28. Medit. Of the raysing of Lazarus pag. 312. The 29. Medit. Of the entrance of Christ into Hierusalem vpon Palme-sunday pag. 317. The 30. Medit. Of the supper which Christ made with his Disciples pag. 322. The 31. Medit. Of washing the Apostles feet pag. 328. The 32. Medit. Of the institution of the most B. Sacrament pag. 335. The 33. Medit. Of our Lords prayer in the garden agony there p. 341. The 34. Medit. Of the apparitioÌ of the Angel the sweating of bloud p. 346. The 35. Medit. Of the comming of Iudas to betray him pag. 351. The 36. Medit. How Christ our Lord was apprehended pag. 336. The 37. Medit. How Christ our Lord was presented before Annas the high Priest pag. 361. The 38. Medit. Of the blow giuen him and his sending vnto Cayphas pag. 367. The 39. Medit. Of the deniall of S. Peter pag. 372. The 40. Medit. VVhat happened to Christ in Caiphas his house pag. 783. The 41. Medit. Of Christs presentatioÌ before Pilate pag. 384. The 42. Med. Of the presentation of Christ before Herod pag. 389. The 43. Medit. How Barabbas was preferred before Christ. pag. 394. The 44. Medit. Of the stripes which our Lord receaued at the pillar p. 399. The 45. Medit. Of the purple Garment and crowne of thornes pag. 404. The 46. Medit. Of the wordes Ecce Homo pag. 409. The 47. Medit. How our B. Sauiour carryed his Crosse. pag. 416. The 48. Medit. How our Sauiour was crucifyed pag. 422. The 49. Medit. Of the seauen words Christ spake on the Crosse. p. 428. The 50. Medit. Of his taking downe from the Crosse buriall pag. 438. THE THIRD BOOKE THE 1. Meditat. How our Lord descended into Limbo of his glorious Resurrection pag. 446. The 2. Meditat. Of our Sauiours apparition vnto his B. Mother pag. 452. The 3. Med. Of the apparitioÌ of Christ to S Mary Magdalen pag. 458. The 4. Medit. Of Christ his apparition to the Apostle S. Peter pag. 465. The 5. Medit. Of Christ his apparitioÌ vnto the Disciples at Emaus pag. 470. The 6. Medit. Of his apparition to the Apostles vpon Easter day pag. 475 The 7. Medit. Of his apparition S. Thomas being present pag. 481. The 8. Medit. Of his apparition to his Apostles vpon Ascension day pag. 486. The 9. Medit. Of the Ascension of Christ our Lord. pag. 491. The 10. Medit. Of the comming of the Holy Ghost pag. 497. The 11. Medit. Of the death of our most B. Lady pag. 502. The 12. Medit. Of the Assumption Coronation of our B. Lady pag. 509. Meditations before Communion THE 1. Medit. Of Eeare pag. 519. The 2. Medit. Of Loue. pag. 524. Meditations after Communion THE 1. Medit. How Christ is a Phisitian pag. 533. Med. 2. How he is Fire pag. 537. Medit. 3. How Christ is Food p. 541. Medit. 4. How Christ is riâh p. 545. Medit. 5. How he is a Pastour p. 549. Medit. 6. How he is a Spouse p. 553. FINIS