the fyre of the loue of God and true charitie And among all meditations in the which this heauenly fyre is kindled the chiefest is this of the passion and death of our Redéemer Bicause if there be any thing that hath force to drawe the loue of one man to loue an other it is to knowe that he is loued of the other and so there can not be a thing in the worlde more apte to drawe the heart of a Christian to loue God then to consider how God first loued him the whiche he may very well vnderstande by that whiche he did and suffered for him And if it be the greatest signe that a friend can showe of that loue he beareth towardes an other to giue his owne life for him as he our Lord him self sayth this signe then haue we most manifestly of the loue he bare vs for that his will was to giue his most precious lyfe for vs or rather as Saint Paul concludeth a greater signe can we not haue of his innumerable loue then to knowe his will was to offer him selfe vnto death euen the death of the crosse and that not only for his friendes but also for his enemies If then thou were negligent slouthfull and cold to loue God before thou knewest how much he loued thée nowe thou doest knowe it by suche and so many signes and argumentes endeuour to him which hath so loued thée Call to minde in this mysterie how streatly thou art beloued of al the whole Trinitie séeing the father so muche loued thée that he gaue his onely begottē sonne vnto death for thée Remember wel those words of the Euangelist S. Iohn which saith in this maner So God loued the worlde that for it he gaue his onely begotten sonne In which wordes thou mayest knowe the greatnes of the person of whom thou art so beloued and that is the Father almightie maker of heauen and of earth and also the greatnes of his loue wherewith he loued thée is manyfest by the greatnes of the gifte whiche he gaue thée and that is his only begotten sonne who hath the same like infinite power bounty and maiestie with the father And this suche a sonne he hath graciously giuen thée that taking thy humanitie or manhood he might dye in the same for thée and redéeme thée in suche sorte as the Apostle sayth God spared not his owne sonne to pardon vs his miserable seruants O inestimable loue and greater then any vnderstanding can comprehende And likewise the loue of the Sonne was nothing lesse then this of the Father in that he came downe from heauen and was incarnate for thée spente hys lyfe and dyed for thée that by suche meanes he might in diuers sortes be giuen to thée In byrth as thy companion in life as thy comfort in his last Supper as thy foode in death as price for thée in heauen as a rewarde for thée And as the loue of the Father and the Sonne was towardes thée so was the loue of the holy Ghost who willed wrought together with the father and the sonne thy saluation redemption Now the most blessed and glorious Trinitie hath so loued thée how canst thou be so slacke in rēdring to him loue for loue séeing that loue can not be repayed but with loue And if thou vnderstande not this excéeding loue of God by other benefites whiche he hath done for thée as in thy creation and conseruation consider yet what thou hast receiued of him in thy reparation and redemption then shalt thou perceiue how true those words be which he spake by the prophet Ieremie With perpetual loue haue I loued thée and therefore haue I drawen thée to me in hauing mercy vpon thée These be the sharpe arrowes which the kingly prophet Dauid speaketh of sufficient to pearce anye hard hart These be the new warres which the scripture speaketh of that a king is from heauen elected to subdue and conquer men of the earth Differing from the first which he made with thretnings and feare These be the ropes of Adam and the cordes of charitie with which the prophet O say sayth he would draw men vnto him Because if they will worke according to the vse of reason which they haue in respect they be reasonable men they ought not to be more vnreasonable then brute beastes who suffer them selues to be drawen with ropes and halters in finding them selues forced and constrayned to loue such as loueth them When thou therefore shalte meditate vppon the death and passion of thy Redéemer let the principall ende of thy trauell be to be rauished in the loue of such a Lorde that hath so loued thée and by so many profes hath wel declared his loue towards thée and assure thy selfe that al those stripes and bloodye woundes which thou beholdest in him be voyces crying and testifying his deare and true loue towardes thée Beholde him vppon the Crosse thrust through with a speare and thou shalte perceiue how he prouoketh and forceth thée to loue him His féete so nayled do showe that he will tarie for thée if thou wilte returne come agayne to him His armes so stretched do signifie that he desireth to embrace thée His head so bowed downe doth signifie that he will giue thée the kisse of grace That side of his opened with a spere doth manifestly shew that he is willing to giue thée a place in his hart where thou mayst rest thy selfe quietly surely And what other thing might he do for thée which he hath not done And what other thing doth he more require of thée but in that acknowledging this his loue thou answere him agayne with thy loue O moste swéete Iesu the true louer of men what is he if he well consider this and know it that can denie the thing thou requirest of him and for so many causes is due vnto thée And howe can any man excuse himselfe to loue thée béeing pricked forwarde and prouoked with so many motions and swéete callings of thy diuine loue Be not therefore my good brother vnthankfull nor so dull to vnderstande this his so great loue for the which it should behoue thy hart to melt euen as the wax whensoeuer thou remembrest that he loued thée first and that he washed thée with his precious blood Denie him not the tribute of loue thou owest him for although he haue forgiuen thée other thy debtes yet this he will not discharge or acquite thée of but rather affirmeth that he came to put fyre on the earth and woulde that it should burne continually And in figure of this he commaunded in the olde lawe that the fyre shoulde stande alwayes kindled vppon his altar The whiche is not so muche ment of the materiall fyre as of the spirituall which is our loue towards him and that he would should alwayes burne vpon the altar of our heart because that sacrifice is alwayes acceptable to him whiche is offered with suche fyre And because this maye be
Palmesunday Concerning which ye may meditate these poynts following 1 HOwe that Christ oure redéemer comming vnto Bethania sixe dayes before his Passion supped in the house of Symon Leprosus where at that tyme was Lazarus his two sisters Martha and Magdalen and it is to be supposed that the most blessed virgin his mother was there also 2 Consider with what chéerfulnesse and diligence Martha serued at the table and that most feruent loue deuotion of Marie Magdalene who taking a vessell of Alabaster full of precious oyntment powred it vppon the head and féete of hir beloued maister and wyped hys féete with her heare and howe that the house was filled wyth the sauour of that swéete oyntment 3 Remember also howe the traitour Iudas murmured that Magdalene had so bestowed an oyntment of suche great value And how our most gracious Iesu defended her and praysed the woorke of so greate charitie and deuotion that she had done In the whiche was signifyed hys death and buriall that was at hande The prayer O My GOD and Lorde amongest other seruices and sacrifices which are acceptable to thée and which thou requirest of vs thou haste declared howe the sacrifice of laude and prayse pleaseth thée Wherfore knowing howe muche all men are debtours to thée for so great giftes and benefites receyued of thy most liberall hande I desire to offer to thée the same sacrifice My soule therefore most swéete Iesu maketh adoration and giueth thankes to thée and all my powers within me blesseth thy most holy name for all the works which thou hast done in the course of thy blessed lyfe for the innumerable sorowes reproches and tormentes which thou hast suffred in thy passion which thou wouldest shoulde be alwaies imprinted in my hart And first I laude prayse thée that knowing the nearer thy sorowfull death was at hand and for the whiche those thy deare friendes that loued thée so entirely should be in great sorowe and sadnesse it was thy godly pleasure first to chéere and kindly entertayne them in supping with them in Bethanie where those two moste deuoute sisters Mary and Martha declared the pure loue thy bare vnto thée I beséeche thée my good Lorde which art the faythfull louer of all them that loue thée for thine infinit loue to vouchsafe to kindle and inflame my heart with the fyre of thy loue that I may loue thée from the bottome of my heart as I am bounde and giue mée grace to followe that feruencie and deuotion which thy deuout seruaunt Magdalen shewed in casting that swéete liquor vpon thy heade and féete And that I maye also declare the same in annoynting of thée spirituallye That is in beléeuyng stedfastlye in honouring and reuerencing duely thy diuinitie and most holy humanitie in workyng accordyng to my power in the seruice of my neighbour to ayde and helpe him and to perseuer in so dooing all the dayes of my lyfe That by these meanes in exchaunge of that filthynesse and odious sauour which my sinnes haue vnto this tyme caused I may render for the time to come the swéete sauour of good workes which may bée acceptable both vnto thée and others that shall sée the same Amen Insidet in tardo regum rex Christus asello Cui vestem ac ramos plebs bona steruit ouans The solemnitie in the receiuing of Christ into the citie of Ierusalem the sunday before his passion ¶ Poynts to meditate vpon 1 How that the day folowing that is to say fyue dayes before that Christe the true Lambe should be sacrificed for vs in his passion he would present hymselfe in Ierusalem euen as the lawe commaunded of the mysticall Lambe whiche so many dayes before it shoulde be sacrificed was to be prepared And for to shewe his good wyll and with what desyre of mynde he came to offer hymselfe he woulde therefore enter into Ierusalem with that ioye and solemnitie as was shewed him 2 Consyder with what deuotion and ioye the people at that tyme receiued their true king and Lorde and the diuersitie of seruice they shewed in honouring him as in dressyng the stréetes with bowes and spreading their garments before him in the waye and praysing him with songes 3 Call to minde also howe that in the myddest of that feasting and ioye in whiche our Lorde went when he sawe the Citie of Ierusalem he shedde his sorowfull teares well knowing how farre contrarywise within the space of fiue daies he was to bée handled of them and sorowing within him selfe the destruction of that Citie which he knew for their sinnes should be destroyed and brought to ruine Consider howe straightwayes after his entring into the Citie he went to visite the Temple out of the which he draue away them that prophaned the same with their marchandize in buying and selling The prayer I Adore and worship thée most louing Iesu true and eternal King of Heauen and earthe to whom al adoration honour and reuerence is due for all the workes whiche liuing in thys worlde thou diddest with wonderfull wysedome and infinite charitie And specially I giue thankes and praise to thée for that readie good wyll with which thou most innocent Lamb knowing that thou shouldest be sacrificed for the synnes of the worlde wouldest a fewe dayes before present thy selfe in Ierusalem entring into it with feaste and triumphe willyng thereby to declare thy chéerefulnesse and moste earnest desyre wherein thou camest to offer thy self vnto death whereon thou knewest our life to depende that in dying thou shouldest ouercome and triumph ouer death it selfe hell sinne and all other our enemyes I beséech thy immeasurable bountie and goodnesse to gyue mée grace and strength willynglye and gladly to offer my selfe to suche daungers and trauele as shall behoue mée to suffer in this lyfe for thy seruice and make me to despise for thy loue all the prayses and honours with which this deceitefull world would deceiue me euen as those solemnities prayses and honours with whiche the people of Ierusalem receiued thée did not let thée with great compassion to wéepe and lament what time other sang and made great ioy Let my chiefe care be to séeke thée and haue a zeale to honour thée and thine eternall Father séeing and considering that thy care which assoone as thou haddest entred the citie thou diddest by and by goe to visite his temple and beholding that most feruent zeale of thine in dryuing oute of it all them that boughte and solde in the same not contented that the house of prayer shoulde be so prophaned I humbly therefore beséeche thy diuine maiestie that thou driue out of my heart euery thing that may prophane or defile it to the ende it maye rest as thy temple and house of prayer into the which thou mayest vouchsafe to enter and dwell Amen Conuiuis fis Christe cibus coenaque refectis Abluis ipse pedes tum loca sola petis Of the last Supper which Christ our Lorde made to his
the sonne of God and how abhominable the filth thereof is which hath outwardly so berayed darkned stayned and soyled him which is the very myrror and glasse without spotte the brightnes of eternall life This wel considered and called to thy remembraunce shall strike into thy hart gret hatred and repentance of thy sinnes which were the cause of so sore paynes and punishmentes of thy Redéemer which neuer committed sinne neither anye guyle was euer â—ouÌ„d in his mouth And so much â—he more thou oughtest to sorâ—ow and lament thy sinnes by â—ow much the oftener thou hast â—allen into theÌ„ For euery time thou hast sinned as the Apostle saith so often thou hast gone about to crucifie and despise the sonne of God And if they for their parte should repent them selues and be grieuously sorye which once onely offended him mortally and crucified him how much more oughtest thou to repent and be sory whiche haste crucified him so many times This coÌ„sideration and remembraunce maye strike into thée sometimes suche sorowe and feare of thy selfe that it shall prouoke thée to say these or the like wordes Ah my God and gracious Lorde where was my iudgement wit when I was so bolde to commit suche sinnes against thy diuine maiestie where was my vnderstanding that could not remember howe that eury time I sinned I went about to crucifie thée againe how is it possible that I should imploy my hands to offend thée thou hauing thy hands nayled on the crosse to saue me howe could I open my mouth to blaspheme thée thou hauing opened thy mouth so often to pray for me howe is my harte become so harde and stubborne to loue thée and obay thée séeing thine hart with a spere euen through perced to shewe the great loue thou barest me Thou shalt not onely learne by this consideration how to hate and be sory for thy sinnes passed but also it shal moue thée with more earnest purpose euer after to flye suche sinnes fearing agayne to runne vnto the horrible abhomination to go about to crucifie Christ agayne and likewise cause thée to be afrayed of the great punishment which thou shouldest deserue if with newe sins thou go about to defile thy self again If the sonne of a Prince would be afrayed when for the fault that he him selfe committeth he doth sée his page or slaue beateÌ„ how much more ought the slaue to feare when he séeth the sonne of the Prince beaten for the fault which he the slaue him self committeth Feare thou then and tremble miserable wretch séeing for thy fault the sonne of God thy king and Lorde is beaten and so cruelly handled and call to thy remembraunce the words he spake to the women that wept when they sawe him â—eare the crosse If they do this â—n the gréene trée what shall be â—one in the dry wood That is â—o say If in Christ which is the â—réene trée full of the leaues of most holy words and fruites of most excellent works so seuere punishment is vsed for that he hath taken vpoÌ„ him our sinnes what shal be done to thée which art a dry withered trée yéelding no good fruites neither of patience nor of charitie nor of any vertue nor yet is there to be séene in thée so much as the leaues of words profitable to thy selfe or any other and much lesse any one flowre of liuely desire to amende thyne owne life If thou then shalte be a trée not onely barren and fruitlesse but also vitious and laden with most euill and wicked fruites whaâ— shall become of thée but that which is vsed to be done of the like trée that is to be cut down and cast into the fyre And that shalt thou haue worse then any other trée for that the fyre of other wood is soone consumed but thy fyre shall be euerlasting Sée therfore how this meditation of Christes holy passion shal cause thée to sorrow for thy sinne passed to feare the sins to come because thou wouldest not willingly fall into the iustice of god the which thou séest so rigorouâ—ly and sharply executed vpon thy sauiour in that he was offered to pay thy raunsome The fourth maner of meditation which is by way of imitation or following The fourth maner howe to meditate and consider vpon the blessed passion we sayde it was by the way of imitation which is of muche fruite and highly commended by holy men For as the chiefe of the Apostles S. Peter saith one cause why that Christ suffered for vs was to leaue vs an example to followe his steps And Christ him selfe sayth that he hath giuen vs an example to do as he hath done Which so being wheÌ„ thou shalt occupie thy selfe in meditating vpon his passion marke wel the manyfold and marueilous vertues which he teacheth therein as well in that he suffered as in the maner of his suffering the which thou must desire to follow by his grace as much as is possible in thée staying thy selfe chiefly vpon the consideration of that vertue which thou knowest principally to be lacking in thée And because it may seme impossible to coÌ„sider all the vertues whiche shine in his moste glorious passion who was the most perfect paterne of all vertue and perfection I will onely â—et here before thy eyes those which thou oughtest most often to remember and whiche be moste necessarie for thy turne And first to beginne with those two vertues whiche our Lorde specially commendeth vnto vs by his owne example and to be learned of him saying Learne ye of me because I am méeke and humble of heart Consider I say howe perfectly he teacheth them in his blessed passioÌ„ Humilitie which is the foundation of all vertues he declareth playnely in humbling him selfe to so shamefull a death as that of the crosse disdaining not that the very thief Barrabas found more friendship and fauour to be deliuered before him and being content to be crucified betwéene two théeues In many other things thou mayst by discourse call to mind consider that louely humilitie which he setteth forth in the rest of his life aswel as in his passion as that in washing the féete of Iudas of his other disciples not long before in being born in an oxe stall or stable with many other examples of the same vertue whereof both the rest of â—s life death are full For in â—s birth in his liuing in his â—ing he neuer ceassed to leaue vs all examples that might be of so necessarie a vertue for vs. He shewed also a marueilous example of méekenes in his holy passion when he was led vnto death as the Prophet Esaâ— spake of him euen as shepe anâ— stoode as gentle as a lambe before them who so cruelly hanâ—led him not once opening hiâ— mouth to speake an euill word against them which railed vpoâ— him nor yet to threaten theâ— which tormented him In lykâ— maner he declared his modestâ— and sobernesse in that clere anâ— lightsome countenance of
Crux recipit fessum claui palmasque pedesque Traijciunt sedant fellea vinasitim Of the nayling of Christ vpon the Crosse ye may meditate these poyntes 1 Howe that being with great trouble and trauell nowe come to the mount of Caluarie which was the place where the malefactours shoulde put him to execution in steade of good wyne which they vsed to geue others that went to their sorrowfull death to comfort their spirites they gaue Christ wine that was myxte with gall because there shoulde no member or part nor yet anye sense remayne in him without torment 2 Remember the inhumanitie of them to spoyle him of his garmentes which was a new cause of griefe and torment to that most méeke Lambe and a renuing of the excéeding sorrowes which he suffered And likewise call to minde howe that béeyng spoyled of his garmentes hée stoode all naked in most bytter sorrowes griefe and shame 3 Then further consider with howe great crueltie they caused hym to bée stretched vppon that harde bedde of the Crosse which they had prepared for him On the which they perced throughe and nayled with bygge grosse nayles the most holy hands and féete of him that made bothe heauen and earth And on the other syde consyder wyth what excéedyng patience and charitie hée suffered so great tormentes as no tongue suffyceth to expresse ¶ The prayer NO tongue most mercifull Iesu sufficeth to giue thankes and prayse worthye to thée for thy burning charity which caused thée with so great patience to beare and suffer the incomparable tormentes thou diddest féele what tyme thou wast nayled vpon the Crosse For albeit the griefe smart of thy paine and sorrowe were excéedyng great yet without all comparison muche more passing great and vnspeakable was the greatnesse of thy loue that prycked thée forwarde to suffer it Thy verie works O Lorde prayse thée and for my parte I thanke and praise thée as much as I maye confessing my selfe neuer to be able to thanke thée for the least parte of that I am bounde vnto thée And therefore I praye the for those moste bitter sorowes and for the entier loue of thine which caused thée for the saluation of the worlde to suffer so gréeuous tormentes that thou wilt graunt me grace that they maye be alwayes fixed in my harte and minde as the percing arrowes of thy tender loue and that renouncing all vayne loue of this worlde I maye be surely nayled and fastened to thée in perfect loue and obedience And for so muche as thou art figured by that cluster of grapes whiche the two men broughte on a staffe vppon their shoulders from the lande of promise and waste troden foorth in that wine presse of the Crosse that out of thée should flowe moste swéete wine to swéeten and ouercome our soules swéeten and fil my soule with that wine which causeth men to become chast and pure And cause that I be fast nayled with thée with the nayles of thy loue and charitie Thoroughly nayle my fleshe with the feare of thée that it be not rebellious agaynst the spirite and let my hands and féete be so nayled with thine that they neither moue nor stretche besides thy blessed will And geue me so abundant grace that I may be desirous to suffer and to be dispraysed of all men for thée and to be pressed downe for thy diuine loue Amen Conspicitur crux alma solo caeloque verenda In qua expirauit mox viriusque parens How Christ was exalted vpon the Crosse ¶ Poynts to meditate vpon 1 How that béeing in maner aforesaide with such excessiue sorow and outcryes of the people nayled vpon the crosse he was exalted or lifted vp on high that all men might beholde him And was put in the place appoynted betwene two théeues that were also crucified with him 2 Remember the incomparable sorowe and anguishe which his moste blessed mother felt when she saw her swéete sonne wounded from toppe to toe and deformed so muche through the stripes and torments receiued that scarcely she might knowe her owne childe 3 Call to minde also howe amongst so many tormentes as our most mercifull sauiour suffered the first wordes he spake béeing nayled vpon the Crosse was to pray for his very enemies and them that crucified him whose blindnes and crueltie gréeued him more then his owne paynes and torments ¶ The prayer I Confesse my most swéet Lord and true louer of mankinde that in all the time of my life if I should do none other thing els both day and night yet I could not worthily for my part prayse and blesse thée for this vniuersall benefite of the redemption of mankinde both yll considered of me many other What may I then say O eternall loue of the father séeing thée in our mortall flesh so abased for my sake tormented for me and lifted vp vpon the crosse in the middest of two théeues and as one of them and muche worse handled O my Lord thanks be giuen to thée of all men and of all Angels for thine infinite charitie the which is sufficient to make them all to maruell séeing that I am he which hath committed the robbery and yet it is thy pleasure to suffer the punishment due therefore I beséech thée O infinite goodnesse that séeing it hath pleased thée to paye for mine iniquitie and sinnes and that thou haste pardoned me those whiche I haue committed that thou wilt giue me grace to take héede that I trespasse not in the like offences hereafter and that I deserue not eternall tormentes from whiche by meanes of thy tormentes thou haste so manye times deliuered me Giue me O Lorde the grace that I maye stande and staye my selfe surely and constantly by thy Crosse with thy moste blessed mother féeling some part of the sorowe that she felt And giue mine eyes grace to looke vp vpon thée raysed and lifted on high vpon the Crosse so that I maye be holpen from my spirituall soares as they were holpen from their corporall soares who did beholde the serpent that Moyses did in figure of thée exalt in the desart Vouchsafe also to graunt me so much thy fauour and grace that I maye reste my selfe vnder the shadow of this trée of life and that I maye taste of his moste swéete fruite the whiche maye cause me to loue euen mine enemies and to pray for them euen as thou standing nayled vpon the same trée as it were from thy chayre and pulpit doest teach and preach vnto me Amen Exanimum pectus transfigit cuspide miles Pectore ab effosso lympha cruorque fluunt How Christ was thrust into the side with a speare ¶ Poyntes to meditate 1 When that wicked generation had nailed and lifted vp the redéemer of the world vpon the crosse and coulde not nowe any more strike him with their handes they smote him with their tongs with many reprochefull words and blasphemies giuing him vineger to drinke in his great thirst vpon a sponge 2 Consider
is to be séene by those wordes whiche that iuste mâ—n Iob spake That euen as the maryner feareth when he seeth the swelling waues of the seas so he feared God And this feare doth ofteÌ„ grow to a man when he remembreth the latter day because he knoweth that to be true whiche is spoken by the Prophet Dauid that no man liuing shall be iustified before God Nowe if the iuste shall scarsly be saued as Saint Peter sayth howe shall the sinner do whiche remembreth howe greatly and howe many wayes he hath offended God for the whiche he hath deserued to be condemned not once but many times Therfore good brother when thou shalt find thy selfe to stand in like feare and dispayre one of the best remedies that thou canst haue to comfort thy selfe and pull vp thy hart againe is to remember and bethinke thy selfe what thy moste mercyfull Sauiour hath done and suffred for thée The very same remedie the prophet Dauid signified that he founde when he sayde My soule is troubled within me self and therfore will I remember me of thée in the lande of Iordan and Hermon and in the litle hill In which wordes he teacheth vs that the remedie a man may haue féeling himself sorowfull sad and troubled in spirit for the remembraunce of his sins or for any other thing is to remember him self agayne what Christe did for vs in his life which is signified by the land of Iordan and Hermon where he was baptised preached and was conuersant And likewise to call to minde that whiche he suffered which is noted by the litle hill that is to say at Caluarie where he was crucified When therefore thou shalte sée thy selfe troubled in minde sorrowfull sad and afflicted considering the bottomlesse pitte of thy sinnes of thy blindnesse passed and of the myserie present wherein thou findest thy selfe turne then thy consideration to thinke vpon the déepnesse of the mercy of thy moste gracious Lorde who for thée and thy saluation came downe from heauen and was made man and for thy sake was crucified and died Consider therfore the plentyfull redemption he hath lefte for thée and that if thou haue offended muche he hath muche satisfied for thée if thou be willing diligent to know how by his satisfaction to helpe thy self If the multitude of the sinnes thou hast committed do feare thée bicause thou hast thereby iustly deserued to be coÌ„demned comforte thy selfe in thinking howe he hath fully satisfied the iustice of God because thou shuldest participate of his mercies If thou faynt dispaire or els miscrust thy owne pouertie and the small good seruice thou hast done towards god remember thy selfe of the great riches and merites he hath lefte thée by meanes of his passion in the which thou mayest chiefly beholde and put all thy trust But yet so that thou fayle not to endeuour thy selfe to the vttermost of thy power to serue and please him And remember also howe that Lorde which in time to come shall be thy iudge is at this present thy aduocate to god the Father eternall to whom he showeth those his fiue blessed wounds with the markes and signes wherewith it was his pleasure to be séene after his resurrection because his heauenly father should thereby be inclined to haue mercy vpon vs and to vs they should be a testimony of the loue he bare vs. Whiche both the one and the other shall giue thée great occasion holdefast of hope and comfort Moreouer consider the number of Sacraments he hath left thée in this Churche as strong effectuous medicins and salues for all the wounds sores infirmities which thou canst haue Remember also that euen as the Apostle sayth better and lowder crieth the blood whiche Christ shed then the blood of Abel Because the blood of Abel asked vengeance agaynst his brother that shed it but the precious blood of Christe asketh mercy and pardon for them that shed it and also for al them that trust in it Sée therefore howe great hope and ioy thou mayest receiue in vsing of this kinde of meditation vpon the holy passion And the order thou oughtest to obserue herein is that when thou art disposed to meditate vpon that which thy Redéemer hath suffered then assuredly accounte and thinke all was done for thy sake and that the plentifull fruite benefite which by meanes of his passion and death he hath purchased was for thée and to thy behoue and he would that thou shuldest be partaker thereof if the fault be not in thy selfe So that thou mayest assuredly beléeue that his tormentes be thine that his teares and sorowes are thine the infinite price of his blood-shedding to be thine and finally that all his death and passion is thine For as we haue said for thée he suffred and he gratiously would thou shouldest be partaker of the fruite thereof so to vnderstand what precious treasure thou hast layde vp in him Whiche consideration shall so ease thée of thy payne and feare and giue thée so great hope and gladnesse that it shall cause thée to saye with Saint Paule God forbidde that I shoulde reioyce or glory in any thing els but in the Crosse of my Lorde Iesu Christ And worthily for in it thou hast an infinite treasure by meanes whereof thou hast obtayned saluation and reconciliation betwéene God and thée and thy sinnes be forgiuen thée thou art receiued for the sonne of god the gate of heauen is opened vnto thée and with it and by it all goodnesse in one heape is cast vnto thée Sée then what cause thou hast to reioyce and leape for gladnesse considering this But here I must not forget to aduise thée that when after this sort thou hast meditate vpon this holy mysterie thou must remember that this hope and ioye which thou shalt féele in finding thy selfe so enriched and full of spirituall treasures they cause thée not to wax colde negligent and slouthful in good workes but rather that therby thou be stirred pricked forward in feruent and earnest loue of God and to serue him Aswell to shew thy selfe as good reason is thankfull to thy benefactor as also lest he take away agayne from thée the same his giftes and riches as it hath happened to others for their vnthankfulnesse and negligence And thus much touching this maner of meditation A declaration of the eight maner of meditation by the way of loue The eight kinde and sorte of meditation vpon the passion is by way of loue whiche we haue placed here lastly because according to the mind of Saint Paule Like as the ende of the commaundementes is charitie or loue procéeding from a pure heart So also the principall purpose and ende of meditation vpon this holy mysterie and others is that the soule may remayne inflamed in the loue of God According to that which the holy prophet Dauid vnderstoode when he sayd In my meditation the fyre shall be kindled that is to say my soule shall be inflamed with
nourished and maynteined it behoueth that euen as the Priestes in the olde Lawe did bring of all sortes of materiall wood for to maynteyne and kéepe in that materiall fyre So thou muste be carefull to laye on that spirituall woode and that is of the Crosse of the whippes and roddes of the speare and other instrumentes of that holy passion whervpon if thou deuoutly meditate it shall stande thée in stead of wood most fit to kindle thy deuotion and loue towards God Let the conclusion therefore be of that which we haue hitherto saide that in meditating after this maner vpon this holy mysterie and knowing by it how much thou art bounde as is declared for that whiche he hath suffred for thée and muche more for the loue in whiche he suffred that was muche more then his excessiue tormentes thou must render and yéelde vnto him the best recompence thou canst whiche is but loue for loue And this thou shalt do if thou be minde â—ull alwayes to haue thy heart inflamed in loue towardes him melting with the meditation and remembraunce of his tender loue towards thée Thus then as thou seest we haue declared vnto thée all the foresayde orders of meditation vpon the passon but yet for thy better exercise thou mayst helpe thy selfe with these aduises following ¶ Certayne aduises which may be obserued in the sayd meditations or in any other NOwe thou hast séene all the aforesaide kinds and sorts of meditation it doth remayne for a conclusion and accomplishment of these instructions to giue thée briefly certayne aduises whereby thou mayest with more fruite and swéetenesse exercise thy selfe in the same The whiche maye not onely helpe thée to meditate vpon the mysterie of Christes passion but also in anye other meditation else vppon his life or prayers whiche thou doest intende to mark And in these aduises thou shalt learne thrée things The first what order thou must obserue before thou entrest into thy meditation Secondarily the maner of procéeding in thy meditation And the third what thou shouldest doe when thou haste finished thy meditation The first aduise to be had before thy meditation is to be learned of the wise man who counselleth thée that before thou pray thou prepare thy minde or heart Which preparation consisteth in endeuouring to go about this holy exercise with the greatest clennesse and purenesse of heart and mind thou canst For euen as we should sée alwayes that the vessell be well washed cleane in whiche we purpose to put any kinde of precious liquor Agreable to that which our Sauiour sayth That men vse not to put newe wine into olde bottels So also to receiue the newe wine or must of that heauenly loue and precious liquor of grace deuotion and other giftes that the mercy of God is willing to bestowe vpon vs it is necessarie that the vessell which should receiue it that is the soule be pure and made freshe And the more washed and cleane it shall be so muche the feruenter and better disposition it shall haue to receiue more aboundantly this moste precious liquor It shall be therefore good before thou beginne to meditate that thou examine thy coÌ„science and make clene and swéepe the dust and filthe whiche thou findest therein the whiche commonly are wont to be veniall sinnes that is to say vayne thoughtes idle wordes negligences and other like things which do easily cleaue and sticke fast in vs or rather let and take away that perfect holynes and puritie with which a man ought to endeuour earnestly to appeare before the sight of God This thou mayest do in asking God humbly pardon for thy particuler faults which thou shalt remember to haue coÌ„mitted for which and for other generall defectes that thou canst not remember thou mayest saye at the beginning of thy meditation the generall coÌ„fession with the hymne of the holy Ghost or one Pater noster and an Aue Maria or some other prayer as shal séeme beste for thy purpose desiring God of his grace to spende that time in meditation with suche attention reuerence and deuotion as thou art bound to and shall be most acceptable to his diuine maiestie The second aduise is that thou endeuour so to set thy things in order before thou pray that thy thought and care of that which thou hast after to do molest and trouble thée not or let thée in thy prayer The whiche thou mayest do if thou first dispatche all thinges thou haste to doe if thou mayest commodiously or else in making accounte with thy selfe not to haue any other care or businesse in the worlde but that whiche thou goest about and that is the gretest and chiefest thou canst do if that vpon thine obedience there be none other thing appoynted thée in charge Finally thou muste endeuour to be frée and ridde cleane from all other cares and thoughtes when thou giuest thy selfe to this exercise remembring that when the Patriarch Abraham went with his sonne Isahac to offer him in sacrifice when they came to the foote of the hill where he should sacrifice him he sayd to his seruaunts that wayted vpon him Tarie there beneath a while till I come agayne vnto you after we haue prayed to God Euen so likewise shall it be requisite that thou commaunde thy thoughtes and cares to tary without when thou goest to the place where thou muste offer to God the sacrifice of thy prayer As we reade a certen holy man did alwayes at the Churche doore euery time he went in to pray and then he made his prayer with more fruite of deuotion comfort when the soule so rested in solitary maner to it selfe ridde and discharged from all other impertinent cares and thoughts so that he might truly say as the spouse in the Canticles I to my welbeloued and my welbeloued to me In suche sort that for the time present she harken to none other voyce or companie The thirde counsell is that thou giue thy selfe to this holye exercise with a right and perfect intent for that there be diuers respectes and endes with which many go to prayer and meditation some to the ende they may receiue some to taste of spirituall comforte whiche at other times they haue proued Some to desire of God some particular grace gifte or vertue which many desire knowing that to be the principall meane to obtayne it Some to represent before God as their moste mercifull father their trauels troubles and temptations their spirituall and corporall necessities desiring to be deliuered from them Finallye other some goe to praye to fulfill a good vse and custome they haue euery daye so to exercise them selfe or because they be vppon their obedience so commaunded to doo And albeit these and suche other like causes may be both good and laudable yet the principall purpose and ende of this thy exercise must be for pure loue and only for the glory of God So that thy owne particuler necessitie or néede or thine owne
disciples there maye be these poyntes following to meditate vpon 1 With howe great méekenes and humilitie the sauiour of the world rising from supper washed the féete of his Disciples and also of Iudas and wyped them with the towell wherewith he was gyrt 2 Secondarily consider of the entier loue which moued him to institute that high Sacrament in the which he gaue his Disciples to eate his most sacred body and precious blood to drinke and willed it shoulde remayne in his Church as the foode and consolation of our soules 3 Thirdly call to minde that heauenly lesson which he preached to his Disciples comforting and exhorting them and vs also to humilitie charitie and patience of the whiche vertues he gaue vs so liuely examples in the latter ende of his life here The prayer I Geue thée thanks most swéete Iesu with all my hart for thy marueilous humilitie in abasing thy selfe to become as a seruaunt to washe the féete of thy seruants And also I prayse and worship thée for the inestimable benefite that thou diddest work for vs in willing to continue with vs in thy most holy sacrament in the whiche thy blessed body is verily conteined for the foode and comfort of our soules I humbly beséeche thy infinite clemencie pitie to graunt me grace to folowe this example of so great humilitie and that my vile condition neuer become proude when I shall consider and sée thy maiestie so humbled And vouchsafe also my gracious Lorde and Redéemer to washe my féete that is to say the affectes and naughtie passions of my soule And giue me that loue and charitie which thou diddest so greatlye commende to thy Disciples that with purenesse of hart and with suche inwarde cleannesse of minde as I am bounde and as is acceptable to God I may draw neare to this moste swéete Sacrament and participate aboundauntlye of those effectes which it worketh in deuoute soules Graunt me also O celestiall Scholemaster and euerlasting wisdome of the father that thy most blessed words may be imprinted in me which thou didst preach in this worlde chiefly those words of thy latter talke neare thy death béeing full of so great charitie coÌ„solation with the which thou didst coÌ„fort the sorowful minds of thy beloued Disciples And séeing thou hast the word of euerlasting life more swete then the hony or hony combe make my soule to tast it chiefly to delight in it and alwayes to obay it that by it as by a most lightsome lanterne I may sée how to guide my selfe in all my wayes and works Amen Ter prece sollicitat patrem sudatque pauetque Innocuas stringunt impia vincâ—a manus Of the prayer in the garden and apprehending of our Sauiour ¶ Poyntes to meditate therevpon 1 How our sauiour going into the garden to which place he knew his enemies should come for to apprehend him with that inward sorow and feare which for our saluatioÌ„ fréely his soule would féele he fel downe flat on the grounde with most great reuerence he made his prayers thrée times to his father praying him that the bitter cup which was prepared for him myght passe away yet notwithstaÌ„ding submitted himselfe alwayes to his fathers most godly will 2 Howe that his affliction and anguishe increasing which willingly he receaued caused hym at the last to sweate droppes of blood that fell vppon the earth And beyng in this agony there came downe an Angell from heauen to comfort him 3 How that being moued with the burnyng desyre of our redemption he went and met his enemyes in the face and was content to be kissed of that traitour Iudas and of the other to be taken and cruelly bounde to be forsaken of his disciples and brought to the house of Annas the Bishop ¶ The prayer BLessed be thou my Lorde and God O Iesu Christ for that thine infinit mercy that it pleased thée for to harten and comfort vs to be assaulted thy selfe wyth suche extréeme feare and sadnes And thou being the gladnesse and comforte of Angels diddest take well in worth to be comforted of an Angell I blesse and prayse thée also for that thy feruent loue that for to loose the bondes of our sinnes and to set vs at true libertie sufferedst thy selfe to bée taken and bounde of thy enemyes shamefully like a théefe I beséeche thy infinite goodnesse therefore that in mine afflictions feare and sadnesse I may haue the grace alwayes to run vnto thée with most humble and deuout praier submitting my selfe wholly into thy blessed handes and that so to doe may be my onely comfort and helpe séeing that without thée vaine is the health and helpe that any worldly creature can giue me I beséeche thée also most méeke Lambe by that thy patience and gentlenesse which with hard cordes and ropes diddest suffer thy selfe to be bounde when thou wast taken that thou wilte vouchsafe to bynde my soule with the chaynes of thy loue that I being loosed by thée from my sinnes and from my disorderly affections suffer not my selfe to bée anye more bound with them And that neither the diuell the worlde nor the fleshe may at any time separate me from thy loue seruice and most blessed will and pleasure Amen Ad sedes Annae rapitur Caifaeque tribunal Hic tota insultat nocte proterua oohors How Christ was lèd to the house of Annas and Caiphas ¶ The poyntes to meditate 1 The blasphemies and villanies which were spoken against our redéemer by those wicked ministers the outrages buffetinges and beatinges which he suffered when he was led from the garden to Annas house where he was first presented 2 Consider the great méekenes humilitie and modestie which shyned in our Sauiour whiles he stoode before the presence of that proude byshoppe and aunswered to the demaundes of his doctrine and of his Disciples tooke so patiently those reprochfull strokes and buffets 3 And after that howe wyth like spite cruell handeling and shame he was ledde to the house of Chaiphas where they vsed muche scornings iniuries towards him as in couering and blindfolding his blessed and reuerend face spitting in it and striking it so that he passed all that night without any rest at all ¶ The prayer I Render thankes and prayses to thée moste louing Iesu for thy inuincible patience with which it pleased thée for vs most vyle sinners to beare and suffer so greate trauelles paynes and iniuries submitting thy most blessed bodye to them that did beate it and thy most reuerend bearde and heare to them that dyd teare it bespit it and soyle it and diddest not turne thine amiable face from them that did spitte in in I do humbly beséech thy goodnes for that thy insuperable patience sake with which thou sufferedst so many strokes and beatinges without grudge or anger towardes thyne enemies that thou wilt graunt me strength and patience to suffer all persecutions and iniuries which in this worlde are wrought against me knowing that my