to whom he had gyuen in coÌ„maundmeÌ„t to trouble and punisshe the people of the world saynge Nolite nocere terre et mari neque arboribus quoadusque signemus seruos dei nostri in frontibus eorum Noy nat nor hurte the erth nor the see ne yet the trees vnto suche tyme we haue marked the seruauntes of our lorde god in theyr forheedes that is with the signe of the crosse and that we do by the meditation of the passion of Christe In figure herof the aungell that dyd kyl and sley the fyrst gotten both of man and of beest thoroughout all Egipte dyd spare and saue hermles the Iues whose houses or postes of theyr doores were sprynkeled with the blode of the lambe Also saynt Gregory in his second boke of his Dialogê sheweth y t when one certen malicious person purposing to poison saint Benedict dyd gyue vnto hym wyne mixted with poyson he made the signe of the crosse and anone the cuppe brake in to pecys and so escaped the peryll of deth thoroughe the vertue of the crosse ¶ The .xiiii. profit Orthodoxorum speificat timiditatem IT also gyueth great hope and truste vnto faythfull people And herunto saynt Barnarde expounynge these wordes of the canticle In foraminibus petre sayth thus I shall speke these thynges I shall sure abyde and rest in the hooles of the stone that is in the woundes of my sauiour for I haue set my feet surevpon that stone though the worlde frowne and be troubled with me and the flesshe or sensualitie stryue agaynst me and also the deuyll ley in await of me I shall nat fall for I haue set my fete and affection or loue vpon a sure stone I haue offendyd in a greuouse and dampnable synne my soule therby shall be troubled or vexed but it shal nat be vtterly cast downe by dispaire for I shal remembre the wouÌ„des of my sauyour Iesu for he was wounded for my synnes Also saint Austin sayeth Longius opened the side and herte of my sauiour Iesu for me that I myght entre therein And I haue entred therin and do rest there surely quietly The nayles and the spere do call crye vnto me that I may be truely reconsiled vnto Christe yf that I wyll loue hym ¶ The .xv. profite Peccatorum aduocat viuacitatem THis meditacion induceth and bryngeth to man the grace of god whiche is the lyfe of the soule and therefore saynte Bernard sayeth As ofte as that person that deuoutely remeÌ„breth the passion of Christe breâ—â—eth receyueth brethe agayne so ofte he receyueth a new gyft of grace and grace is the life of the soule Phisiciens don say that whan a sicke man wepyth it is a signe token of lyfe So whan a synner wepyth for coÌ„passion of the passion of our lorde it is a signe of the lyfe of grace and quickenes of the soule And therfore sayeth the prophete Hieremy in his lamentacions Spiritus oris nostri xâ—s dominus captus est in pecatis nostris cui dicimus In vmbra tua viuemus Our lorde Christe the spirite of our mouthe that is to saye the spirite whereby our soule liueth lyke as the body liueth by the ayre or brethe receiued at the mouthe This spirite Christe I say giuynge lyfe vnto the soule is taken in our synnes that is he suffred payne dethe for our synnes We shall lyue in his shadow that is we shal haue the lyfe of grace thrughe the deuout feruent remembraunce of that his dethe and passion And so Christe by his blessid passion doeth gyue the lyfe of nature the lyfe of grace the lyfe of glory Fyrste I say he giueth the lyfe of nature for dede men after his passion resurrection dyd ryse vnto lyfe agayne appered vnto many in Hierusalem Secondly he giueth the lyfe of grace for many after his passion were conuerted vnto the faythe And he gyueth also the lyfe of glory as it well appered in the thefe to whom he sayd whaÌ„ he was fast nayled on the crosse Hodie mecuÌ„ eris iÌ„ paradiso This day shalt thou be with me in glory Also hereunto speketh saynt Bernarde sayenge The tree of the crosse yf there be any man that wyll gader it by feruent meditacion doeth burgyn and brynge furth lyfe it fructifieth ioy gladnes it droppeth oile of confort it sweteth the balme of spiritual gracê This tree of life is no wilde vnfruitfull tree to them y t wyll gader it Also saint Austin sayth The blood of the phisicien is shed to make a medecin for the mad sicke soule The soule spouse of Christe sayth in the canticles Sub vmbra illiê° queÌ„ desideraui sedi et fructê° eius dulcis gutturi meo I haue sittten restyd vnder y e shadow of him in whom is all my desyre confort his fruit is swete pleasauÌ„t vnto my taste For who so euer doeth sauourly taste of the fruit of the crosse all carnall pleasure shal be vnsauoury to hym ¶ The .xvi. profite Quassatorum mitigat aduersitatem THis meditacion of the passion of Christ doeth mitigate swage all tribulacions doeth giue pacience in all aduersities so maketh vs quiet Herunto speketh saint Paule sayng Recogitate euÌ„ qui taleÌ„ sustinuit a pâ—toÌ„ribê° coÌ„tradictioneÌ„ aduersê° semetipsuÌ„ vt non fatige mini animis vestris deficieÌ„tes RemeÌ„bre hym that suffred great contradiction of synners against him selfe that is suche rebukes slaunderous wordes at last moost painefull deth that ye by suche remembrauÌ„ce shuld nat faynt in your myndes whan ye suffre aduersities As yf he shulde saye ye can nat faynte or be ouercom in your tribulacions yf ye haue the deuout remembraunce of his paines passion And this approueth saint Austin sayenge There is nothynge so harde or painfull but y t it may be easely borne yf the passion of Christe be quicke ferueÌ„t in our myndes And this is y e reason herof for the lesse passion or payne is nat perceyued or at leest it is nat regarded where as y e more greuous payn or passion is felt or doeth occupy the minde of man And therefore Auicenna sayeth that suche persones as be in feruent agues or axes doeth nat fele or perceiue the apostume And so the passion of Christe yf it be ferueÌ„tly remembred it putteth away all worldly tribulacion For lyke as wyne thoughe it be sumwhat stronge sharpe of it selfe yf it be myxte with suger and other spyces or be put in the potecarye spiced bagge so go thrugh it it is made moost dulce pleasant So the tribulacioÌ„s of this worlde yf they be ioyned mixte with the remembraunce of the passion of Christe they be moche pleasant confortable to the soule And therfore our lorde sayeth vnto his spouse the soule in his canticles Dabo tibi poculum ex vino condito I shall gyue to the Ipocras for
felyng with Christ in hauyng compassion of Christ of his neighbour with Christ Also it hath one sauory knowledge with Christe in duely honouryng god one zele and feruent desyre to the saluacion of mannes soule with Christe and so that soule is in a maner transfourmed into Christ thrugh this gifte of pitie whiche as we sayd before is profitable to all thynges It couetyth thonour of god it expelleth sorowes and troubles from mannes soule it feruently they steth and desyreth the fruite and profite of soules it laboureth that the blood of Christe might take effecte in other persones and it kyndeleth the soule in feruent loue to god and his neighbour Wherefore dere beloued frendes let vs approche hereunto and labour diligently for this gyfte For doubtles this one amonge all other and peraduenture before all other gyftes doeth moost please god I pray you therfore let vs labour to do the wyll and pleasure of god and let vs draw or sucke out of his woundes and syde this gifte of pitie Let vs be all one in our lorde Iesu Christe crucified and let vs requyre se or desyre non other thyng in our neighbour but Iesus Christe crucified So louyng our neighbour that with him we runne at all tymes into the woundes of Christe Nat beholdynge or louynge hym as fayre beautifull stronge or wyse or any other suche lyke vaine and transitory thynges whiche may hinder or withdraw our soule from the loue of god but onely beholdynge and louynge our neighbour as redemyd and bought by the precyouse blood and dethe of our lorde as anointed wasshed with his blood and applied or put to the woundes of Christ by receiuyng the fruit of them Let it nat be sene or thought hard and painefull to vs to suffre great paines or yf nede shulde requyre moost shamefull dethe for our neighbour for whoÌ„ Christ the onely sonne of god suffred moost greuous paynes and the moost shamefull dethe of the crosse Let vs all couet and desire for the profite and helthe of soules all maner of rebukes and dispisynges all afflictions and tourmentes and also to suffre moost vile or shamfull dethe Let euery man be to vs as our owne hert for whom the hert of Christ was perced with a spere Let vs multiply our preachynges and exhortacions good examples prayers fastynges knelynges watche labours also suffre mockes or scornes for the helthe of soules Let this be our office and dayly excercise our glory and ioye and our consolacion euer to offre sum thyng to almighty god for the profite of soules Let nat the ryuer fountaine of teares cease from our iyen for our owne synnes and also for the synnes of other Let vs be content to be saciat and fulfylled with suche wepynges and sorowes in this vale of myserye and teares Let our synnes and also the synnes of our ueighbours hynge euer in our syght nat to iudge or condempne our neighbours but to lament and wepe for them at all tymes nat onely let them be in our syght but also let them entre perce the ynner partes of our hertes Let vs at all tymes and in all places haue our sauyour Christe crucified in our presence Let vs alwayes be feruent and deuout in all honour due to god in the reuerence of holy scrypture and in the loue and compassion of our neyghbours In the whiche thre consysteth the gyfte of pitie This ordre and ascencion in our soule doeth molifie all our hert and sprede it abrood and make it apte to receyue the spyryte of pitie whiche doeth quyet vs set vs in great pleasure and fauour of Christe where as we shall fynde spirituall foode bothe within outwarde that is our moost tendre louer our lorde Iesu Christe the rest or our soules the rewarde of our good dedes that we do thrugh this gyfte of pitie And to this gyfte of pitie doeth corresponde the seconde beatitude Beati mites Blessed the mylde And hereunto saynt Austin sayeth Pitie accordeth and is conuenient vnto mylde persons And as concernynge the fruites of the holy goost these .ii. that is goodnes and benignitie ben directly attributed appropriate vnto this gyfte of pitie but the thyrde y t is called Mansuetudo that is myldenes or geÌ„tilnes perteineth to this gyfte of pitie indyrectly for it taketh away the lettes impedimentes of the actes of pitie And the spirite of pitie is gyuen to man for that his hert shuld be moued kyndled vnto beâ—ignitie so that man vsyng duely this gyfte shuld cum to the same eternall possession heritage y t he wold haue other men cum to And this is it that we sayd before y t by the great compassion pitie mercy y t our sauiour Iesu Christ shewed vpon vs vnto vs on y e crosse we shuld be styred moued kyndled to lyke werkes of pitie accordyng to our power habilitie vnto our neighbour y t thereby we myght be made apt to the restauracion of thorder of archauÌ„gels ¶ Example of this gifte of the spirite of pitie Cha. ix OF this gyfte of pitie we haue example in the forsayd blessed woman Maria de Ogines in the sayde boke of the histories of Vincent Where as it is writen that nat only she auoyded all maner of euyll by the gyfte of the feare of god but also by the spyryte of pytye whiche she had withoute doubte by the ofte and feruente remembraunce of the passyon of Christe she was made very feruente and prone or redye to all goodnes She laboured and enforced hyr selfe as farre as hyr power wolde stretche to fulfyll all the werkes of mercy of a great and aboundaunte pytye that was in hyr And aboue all other werkes of pitie she had a feruent desyre to vysyte the sycke and to assyste them in theyr infirmities and also to be present at the deathe and sepulture or buryenge of the ded folkes where she very oft tymes receyued from god great spyrytuall conforte and also thrughe the reuelacion of god knewe many secrete and heuenly mysteryes And this well appered in this history folowynge Vppon a certayne day whan one of the systers of Ogines laboured in the extreme panges of dethe this blessyd woman Maria beynge in hyr celle se in spyryte a great multitude of deuylles about the bed of the sycke syster And as the couent dyd say coÌ„mendacions for the soule of the sayd sycke syster whoÌ„ they thought to haue be ded this holy Mary in a maner forgettynge hyr mylde grauitie sad shamfastnes ran with hast vnto the bed of the sicke systerâ— stryuynge with those wicked spirites nat only dyd resist theÌ„ with hyr feruent prayers but also dyd chase dryue theÌ„ away with hyr mantell or pall as a man wolde chase away the flyes And whan these wycked spyrytes dyd terrybly resyst hyr and alledgyd reasons for them y t this soule shuld perteyn to them than she nat content with theyr importunitie cryed and
loue and seruice his hart was also openyd for the effusion of the price of our redemption As ye shall see in the next article ¶ Here folow .iii. lessons THe fyrste lesson of this article is that we shulde dye with Christe that is from the worlde and synne if we wyll lyue with hym in glorie eternall And here vnto saynt Paule sayth Si commortui sumus cum Christo et conuiuemus If we dye with Christe we shall lyue with Christe And in an other place Mortui enim estis et vita vestra abscondita est cum Christo in deo ⧠✚ ☞ Ye be deade fromme the worlde and all vayne or transitorie thynges and your lyfe is hyd with Christ in god The second lesson is that it is very good and profitable to say deuotely those .x. psalmes coÌ„monly called the psalmes of the passion which Christ sayd in his prayer hangyng vpon y e crosse for without doute who so reades or sayes them deuoutly shal finde great conforthe Thyrdlie euery christian at his death shulde vse and keape the forsaid .v. thynges that Christ dyd at his death he dyd pray crie weape commendyd his soule to his father and gaue vp his spirite So we at our death shulde pray crye to our lorde for his helpe at leste in hert wepe for our synnes by trewe contricion commend our soule to god and to gyue vp our spirit that is with a good will to dye and so to conforme our wyll to the will of god A man to conforme hym selfe to this article may ofte remembre these lessons with y e premisses sayd in this article and pray as foloweth ¶ A Lesson O Blissed Iesu which for me dyeng vpon y e crosse dyd commend thy soule to thy father graunt to me that I may spiritually so dye to the and with the in this life that it wold please the at the houre of my death to haue my wretched soule recoÌ„mendyd to the which liues and reignys with god the father and the holy ghost world without ende Amen ¶ The openyng of Christes side and hert with a spere the .lxiii. Article THe .lxiii. Article is the openynge or wondyng of Christes hert with a spere For at y e death of Christ there ware shewed many miracles as y e derknes of the soÌ„ne y e cuttyng of y e veyle in y e temple y e rentyng or breakyng of the stonys the openyng of the monumentes or grauys the conuersion of the noble man and capiteyn Centurio the conuersion of the thefe of many other that seyng these great thynges that ware done knocked vpon there brestes in sygne or token of penaunce and returned homewardes his moste heuy mother there abidyng with a fewe women with her The Iues then bicause it was the sabboth euyn that the bodyes shulde not remayne vpon the crosse on the saboth day for that sabboth day was an high day and festfull with them they I say besought Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and so taken downe of the crosse then camme the sawgyours and brake the legges of both the theuys And when they camme to Iesus and saw that he was deed alredie they brake not his legges for as the legges of the paschall lambe ware not broken no more ware the legges of Christ that is the true lambe of god and in that was the scripture fulfylled that saith os non comminuetis ex eo He shall not breake a bone of hym But there cam one of the sawgiours with a spere and dyd thrust Christ in to the side and forthwith there came out blode and watre This sawgior was called Longius and he was blinde or at lest his sight was but weke and what tyme he had thrust Christ to the hert with his spere y e blode runnyng downe by the speare vnto his handes he not knowing the vertue therof touched or rubbed his yen with his blody haÌ„des and so had his syght clerely gyuen to hym Also of this blode and watre all the sacramentes of y e churche haue theyr efficacitie vertue and strenght as by theyr meritoriouse cause As the mayster of the sentence sayth and all doctours And though at that tyme the deed bodye of Christ could feale no payne yet y e Iues did this thing of a great malice and to the great rebuke of Christ for they ware not â—aciate and content with the obprobries rebukes and paynes that they put hym to in his lyfe but that also they wolde put hym to more and so persew hym after his death And for that cause this wondyng of Christes syde is taken here for a speciall article of Christes passion for all y e cruelties shames and despites that be done to y e deed corpes or corse be acompted as if they ware done to the persones lyuyng As somtyme the bodyes of deed persones be drawen hangyd headyd quarteryd or burned for the correction and punishment of suche defawtes as those persones dyd in ther liues And though Christ that tyme deed felt not that wounde of his syde yet the blessyd virgyn his mother felt it for that spere then dyd perse her most sorowfull soule as saynt Bernard sayth truly O blessid mother than the swerde of sorow did perse thy soule when that cruell spere openyd thy son syde after his death His soule then was not present with his bodye But thy soule myght not be departed from it for y e soule is rather there where it louyth than where it gyuith life so not without great cause we say that thou art more than a martyr for the effecte of compassion in the dyd exceade the fealyng of all bodilye paynes ¶ Of the miracles that ware done at this tyme we shall speake in the begynnyâ—g of the thyrd parte of this myrrour boke or treatesse OF this wounde of the side of our lorde the deuote and holy saynt Bernard saith thus O good Iesu thy side was wouÌ„ded and openid that we myght haue entrance or a way to cumme to the. Thy hert was wouÌ„ded that we absolued from al outward trobles and busines myght reste and abyde therin It was also wounded that by that visible wounde we myght see the inuisible wounde of thy loue for who so euer feruently louith he is wounded with loue And how myght his burnyng loue be more clerelie and openly declared to vs but in that y t he wold not onely haue his bodie outwardly woundyd but also haue his hart wounded with a spere therfore this bodely wounde doth shewe to vs his spiritual wounde of loue Arise therfore thou spouse of Chryst as a doue buyidyng thy nest and restyng place in the deapnes of this hole or wounde there watche coÌ„tinually as a sparow fynding thy nest there hyd thy birdes of chaste loue with the turtyll Ioyne or put thy mouth to that wounde that thou may sucke or drawe the watre of helth from y e fouÌ„tayns of our sauiour This is y e wel that
nat departe thoughe the disciples went from thens for she was so kindled in the fyre of loue she was so burned with a ferueÌ„t desyre she was so wounded with inpacient loue y t nothyng was pleasant to her but onely weapyng So that she myght well saye the wordes of the prophete Dauid Fuerunt mihi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte My teares ware to me my breade or meate bothe by the nyght and the day whan it was sayd to me dayly where is thy god She had lost her mayster whom she loued so syngulerly that besydes hym she could loue no body nor trust to them She was so drowned in his loue he was so moche in her mynde that in a maner she was inseÌ„sible to al other thyngê Whyles she thus weapt for the absence of Christes body she oftymes inclyned and bowed downe her body lokyng in to the sepulcre where as the body was leyd she had lost y e lyfe of her soule therfore she thought it better for her to dye than to lyue for she peraduenture deynge myght fynd hym whome she myght nat fynde lyuyng And thus weapyng I say she loked oftymes into y e graue for as saynt Gregorie sayth It is nat sufficient for a louer to loke ones for the feruour of loue encreaseth the desyre of searchyng or lokyng And at last whan she so loked she dyd se with her bodely yen .ii. Angels sittyng in whyt garmeÌ„tê which sayd to her why dost thou weap thou hast no cause to weape but rather to ioye of Christes Resurrection he is nat here he is arysen Than she supposyng that they ware men and nat Angels sayd to them shewyng the cause of her weapyng they haue takeÌ„ away my lorde and I knowe nat where they haue put hym for she se the stone takeÌ„ away and therfore she thought that somme other body had stollen the body of Christ and borne it to somme other place And whan Mary Magdalen dyd thus contynue in her sorowe and weapynge and nothynge regardynge the Angels her mooste louynge mayster Christe coulde absente hym selfe no lengar from her Than she turned her selfe about that she myght se Iesus for byfore that her backe was towarde hym and that was to signifie y e doutfulnes of her soule for she belyued nat that he was rysen from death vnto lyfe therfore her backe was towarde the face of our lorde But yet for asmoche as she loued hym thoughe she douted of his Resurrection therfore she dyd se hym and dyd nat knowe hym She se hym but nat in his glorious forme or body for as yet she dyd nat belyue that he was rysen And so he appered to her after that maner in his body as he was in her mynde and soule And than Iesus sayd to her Mulier quid ploras quem queris woman why weapest thou whome dost thou seach he doth nat aske this of any ignorance but y t hearyng her answer he myght more conueniently instructe her in the fayth And as saynt Gregory sayth He asked the cause of her sorowe to kyndle and augment or encrease her loue and desyre that whaÌ„ she shuld name hym whom she loued her loue shuld be more ferueÌ„t towardes hym And note here that Iesus appered to her in the likenes of a gardiner that very conueniently For he was to her a spiritual gardyner for he labored to plucke out the thornes and weades of infidelite and vices and to sow and plante in the garden of her soule the grene seades of fayth and vertue by the vertue of his feruent loue Suche office suche operation suche exercise and suche interpretacion of her name is conuenient for begynners or penitentes For it is coÌ„uenient that a penitent vse hym selfe as a gardyner that is that he pull out by the rootes al vices and plante in his soule vertues and also that he haue contricion accordyng to the fyrst interpretacion of this name Maria As we shewed in the chapitre next byfore this And than this blyssed woman as in a maner dronke in loue answered to Iesus as to a gardyner Domine si tu sustulisti eum dicito mihi êªc Syr if thou hast takeÌ„ hym away tell me wher he is that I may go and take hym A meruelous boldnes of this womaÌ„ for she was nat afrayd of y e syght of a deed body and wold also attempte to beare a deed cors the which far passed her power But she thought that she could do it for there is nothyng to hard to a louyng soule And than our lorde Iesus hauyng coÌ„passion of her great sorowe and willyng no lenger to suffre her to weape called her by her proper name Bifore that he called her by a coÌ„meÌ„ name sayng mulier womaÌ„ thaÌ„ she knewe hiÌ„ nat but now whaÌ„ he said Maria furthwith she was turned both hert soule as she was byfore turned iÌ„ body as a good shepe knew y e voice of her and so she reuyued sayd to hym with vnspekable ioy O Raboni O mayster for so she was wont to call hym byfore his passion y u art he whome I saught and anon she ranne to hym and fallynge downe to his feet with great loue and deuocion wold haue embrased them and kyssed them as she was wont to do byfore by an vnperfyte affection to his manhode but our lorde as a spirituall gardyner willyng to plante true fayth in her hert and to lyft vp her soule to his godhed and heuenly thynges sayd to her Noli me tangere touche nat me in that erthly maner with thy bodely handes whome as yet thou hast nat touched with true fayth of hert And so he enstructe her in the true fayth of his godhed and resurrection Let vs now lerne of this Mary to loue Iesus to trust in hym to seache hym without ceasyng to feare none aduersities to receyue no consolacion or coÌ„forth but in Iesus to despise al thynges but Iesus A prayer O Moste swete mayster o moste swete Iesu howe good art thou to them that be clene in hert howe swete art y u to them that loue the. O howe happy ar they that seache the and fynde the howe blyssed ar they that trust in the It is truth that thou louyst all them that loue the thou neuer forsakest them that trust in the lo lord this Mary thy true louer of a good siple mynd she saught the and truly she fouÌ„d the she was not forsaken of the but she had more of the than she looked for I beseach the lorde graunt me to loue the to seache the and to trust in the y t I may deserue to fynde the and to be loued of the and neuer to be forsaken of the. Amen ¶ Howe Iesus appered to his disciples Thomas beyng also present The .vii. Chapitre THe .viii. day of his Resurection our lorde Iesus appered to his disciples Thomas beyng preseÌ„t with them For the fyrst day of his
but that also the deuotion of the remeÌ„berer be enflamed by loue in his wyl And suerly yf our vnderstandynge do his diligence in the remembraunce of the said passion it shall shortly moue our affection And so the passion of our lord shall nat onely in our cogitacions be remeÌ„bred but also it shal inflame your wyl by compassion pitye Wherunto we be admonysshed by our lord saynge Pone me vt signaculum super cor tuum Put me sayth our lord as a seale vpon thy herte A seale as ye knowe if it be iÌ„prynted in to wax it leaueth in it his image So our lord wolde that his passion shuld be so imprinted in our hertes nat onely be ofte remembraunce but also by deuoute compassion that the prynt and image therof abyde in our affection and feruent desyre so that as Iesus Christe was made reed and blody on the crosse so our deuocion in vs may be made reed and feruent by the vertue of compassion And hereunto we be counselled by the wordes of Moyses saing Sumes de sanguine vituli et pones super coâ—nua altaris That thou shal take of the blode of the calf signifieng the blode of Christe and thou shal put it vpon the corners of the aulter that is vpon thy thoughtê affections with feruent remembrauÌ„ce of the blode of Christe And so we shal fulfyll the admonition of saynt Paule saynge as I sayde before Hoc sentite in vobis quod et in Christo Iesu Feale in your self that Christe Iesu felt And thus we may feele hym in our soule .ii. maner of wayes First by the bitter affection of compassion and that is when we remembre the passion of Christe with so great compassion that it bringeth forth of vs most bytter teares so y t suche a deuoute soule may say with the wise man O mors quam amara est me moria tua O deth howe bitter and sorowfull is thy remeÌ„braunce and specially the remembrauÌ„ce of the deth of Christe Secondly we may feele hym in our hertes or soules by the moste swete and pleasaunt affection of deuotion and that is when we remembre most inwardly depely the great loue and charite of Christ that wolde suffer so greuous paynes and shamefull dethe for so vyle wretches and vnkynde as we be And so this deuout remeÌ„brauÌ„ce bringeth forth of vs most swete teares of deuotion So that we may say that is writen in the boke of Iudith Fontes aquarum ob dulcorati sunt That is the bitter fountayns ben made swete and delectable A figure herof we rede in scripture where as our lord commaunded to Moyses to put a tree that was both longe and bitter in to the water that was so bitter that no man culde drynk therof and so therby the waters were made swet and delectable What is signified by this water but the passion of our lord which is so bitter and paynful that no man may taste therof And by this long and bitter tree is signified the longe and continual remembraunce Whiche if it be ioyned and put to the passion of our lord it shal make it swete and pleasaunt so that the more we taste of it by deuout remeÌ„braunce the more delectable it shal be to vs. And therfore our holy mother the churche sayth in a certen hympne Dulce lignum dulces clauos dulce pondus sustinet That is The swete tree of the crosse susteyneth and bereth a swete burden nayled fast with swete nayles For that whiche was most bitter and paynfull to our sauiour Iesu in his passion somtyme is moste delectable and comfortable to vs in our deuoute meditations These two maners of teares that is bitter and swete sprynge out of this deuout affection of the passion of our lorde And hereunto speaketh saynt Barnarde as we sayd a fore In the remeÌ„braunce of the paynes that my sauiour Iesu sufferd for me I drynke somtyme a draught of holsome bitternes And somtyme agayne I receyue the pleasaunt vnction or oyntment of deuoute consolation ¶ Howe we shuld fele Christes passion in our actes and dedes The thyrde Chapitre THyrdly we shulde fele the paynes of Christe in our effectes and outward operations That lyke as the deuout remembraunce of Christes passion enflameth our affection and loue inwardly so it myght appere be shewed outwardly in our warkes and lyuing Hereunto we be couÌ„seled by the wyse men sayng Prepara foris opus tuum That is to say Suche deuotion as thou haste inwardly conceyued by affection and loue let it be shewed outwardly in thy dedes For as saynt Gregore sayth the dede outwardly done is a sufficient argumeÌ„t or proue of the inwarde loue So by the inwarde loue of man is shewed or knowen his inwarde compassion Also it is writen in the seconde boke of the kynges Omnia que habes in corde tuo fac quoniam dominus tecum est As if he shulde say what so euer good thynge thou hast conceyued in thy hert shewe it outwarde in thy dedes Also it is writen in Exodo Fac secundum exemplar quod tibi monstratum est in monte Performe in thy lyuynge that goodnes whiche thou receyued of god in thy soule And therfore our lorde sayth to vs in his gospel Si quis vult venire post me abneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam quotidie If any man wyll be my disciple and cum after me let hym denye hym selfe that is forsake his owne wyl and pleasure and take his own crosse that is put his owne body to payne and that dayly For we must coÌ„tinue in penaunce and so folowe Christe in our lyuyng outwardly and nat onely inwardly and hereto saith saint Paule Ostentionem caritatis vestre ostendite in faciem ecclesie That is shewe your good wyl and charitie openly in the face of the churche that is in our werkes in our dedes And saynt Peter sayth Christus passus est pro nobis relinquens exemplum vt s equamini eum Christ hath suffered paynes and deth for vs gyuynge vs example to folowe hym he doth nat say that we shulde haue a wyll desyre only to folowe hym but he sayth playnly that Christe hath left vnto vs an example that we shulde folowe hym in our dedes in sufferynge paynes as he dyd And then it myght be truely sayd of vs that we fele in our selfe that Christe felte whan he suffere lyke paynes as Christe suffred so that by suche sharpe penaunce and harde laboures our bodyes be subdued and our blode minysshed And so the sayng of scripture may be verifyed in vs Effudit sanguinem belli in pace He hath shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace They do shed the blode of battell in the tyme of peace which by sharp penaunce great bodyly labours so subdue theyr bodyes that theyr blode is moche minisshed and theyr face made pale Suche maner of exercises of the
principates y t be the .vii. order of aungels For as the prophet sayth Factê° est principatus super humerum eius His principalitie kyngdom is made vpon his sholder that is in that he bare the crosse suffred the paines dethe of the crosse he gat his kyngdom so bought it for vs that is the kyngedome of heuyn Also in the passion of Christe apereth the releuacion of archangels that be the .viii. order For by the passyon of Christe we were sufficiently releuyd deliuered a pena et culpa that is both from synne froÌ„ payn due for synne But now yf we synne actually after our baptisme it is conuenient y t we suffre payne temporall for our synne though thrugh the vertue of y e sacramentes of the chyrch theternall payn be coÌ„muted into temporall payne And therfore our lorde sayeth Date eleemosinaÌ„ ecce oiÌ„a muÌ„da suÌ„t vobis Gyue almose and all thynges shal be clensed in you In this passion also shineth the reuelacion and manifest doctryne teachynge of aungels that be called the nynthe order For all the hyd secretes of scripture all the secret misteries of god were reueled made open by the passion of Christe openynge of his herte with the spere And in token hereof at the passion of Christe the veile of the temple was broken or diuided into two partes that all the thyngê that before were secret hyd in the inner sacrate temple might be open and manifestly sene And thus by these forsayd conformities whiche the passion of Christe hath with the orders of aungels it is done most conueniently y t nat onely Christe shuld redeme mankynde but also that he shulde mooste ordinately order dispose repare the ruyne fall of aungels For by the great loue charity which he had in the crosse he kindled the fyre of loue in the hertes of his electe people towardes god and theyr neyghbours that suche as folowed and duely executed that feruent loue were made and yet be made apte to repare the moste hyghe ordre called Seraphin By the true knowledge expressed in that blessed passyon were his electe people illuminate to the hyghe contemplacyon of the knowledge of god and hyghe misteryes that so they may be apte to the reparacyon of the seconde ordre called Cherubym Agayne for his great meaknes and reuerence that Christ had in his blyssed passion towardes the hyghe maiestie of god his electe people were prouoked to lyke meaknes and reuerence and due honoure to be rendred to the hyghe maiestie of god as farâ—e fourthe as theyr frayle nature wolde serue them and so to be apte to y e reparcyon of thordre called Thrones Morouer thorough the example of his great pacyence and obedience vnto the dethe of the crosse for the whiche he was exalted of god as we sayde before he prouoked his electe people to ouercome all vices and concupiscence by labour abstinence and affliccions and to subdue all inordinate appetites vnto reason that no vayne or inordinate thynge shulde haue any domynacyon in them that so they myght be made apte to the reparation of the ordre called Dominationes And so who so euer humbleth hymselfe shal be exalted And so truely to passe ouer all the residue of thordres of aungelles our sauiour Christe in his blyssed passion gaue example vnto his seruauntes to resist and ouercome the suggestyons and temptacyons of the deuyll that they myght be apte to the reparacion of the Potestates Also he gaue vnto them exaÌ„ple of good conuersacion and vertuous operacions that they myght ascend to the ordre of Vertues He gaue them also example so to directe and gouerne theyr outwarde senses and inwarde mocyons and all other thynges that be vnder theyr cure that they might ascend vnto the Principates Morouer he gaue them example so to releue and comforthe the nede and necessities of other persons that be in nede that they myght ascende vnto the ArchauÌ„gelles And lest he gaue them example so to instruct and teache the ignorant that they myght be apte to ascende vnto the ordre of AuÌ„gelles ¶ In the passion of Christe is also conteyned the beatitude of men Chaptre .iii. IT may be declayrede that the true beatytude and blysse or ioye of men is conteyned in the passion of Christe by the same reasons wherby we haue nowe declared that the beautye and perfeccyon of aungelles done shyne in the sayde passyon For to that cleare knoweledge of treuthe whiche appeared in that blissed passion as we sayd afore in thorder of Cherubin correspondeth y e open clere vision of y e godhed y t thelect people of god shall haue in heuyn to saciate beatitie the reasonable or intellectable power of the soule Secondly to y t profouÌ„de mekenes reuerence wherby we sayd that the passion of Christe hathe the perfection of the order of the thrones correspondeth the surety of blysse wherewith the wrathfull power of y e soule comonly called Vis irascibilis is saciate For on whom shall rest continue y e spirite glory of god but vpon the meke person Thyrdely to that excellent charitie y t was shewed at the passion of Christe correspondeth theternall fruicion loue of the deitie wherwith y e wyll reasonable appetite of man shal be fulfilled and this for the beatitude of the soule Now for the .iiii. dowries of the glorified body Fyrst to that high dignitie of presidencie y t our lorde had by his sufferauÌ„ce obedieÌ„ce vnto y e deth for y e which he was exalted to hygh dignity correspondeth in y e glorified body agility wherby he may do what he will Secondly to y t great power streÌ„gth wherby our sauiour ouercam dethe correspondeth impassibilitie that is y t the glorified body shall suffre no payne Thyrdly to that mighty operacion of vertue whereby he drew all thynges to him self correspondeth subtility wherby the glorified body may penetrate all thynges Fourthly to that noblenes or principality for y e whiche the prophet said of Christe Factê° est pricipatê° suê‘ humeruÌ„ eiê° His principalitie or noblenes is made vpoÌ„ his shulder also of this noblenes or clerenes is sayd in the gospell where as christ said to his father Pater clarifica filiuÌ„ tuuÌ„ Father clarify thy son or make knoweÌ„ the noblenes of thy son To this noblenes I say correspoÌ„deth y e fourth dowry of thy glorified body called clerenes for thaÌ„ our bodies shal be clere shyne as y e son so sayeth our lorde in y e gospel TuÌ„c iusti fulgebuÌ„t sicut sol iÌ„ regno patris eoruÌ„ Than after y e generall resurrectioÌ„ y e rightuouse meÌ„ shal be clere shyne as y e son in y e kyngedom of theyr father Furthermore to the office ê‘fectioÌ„ of archaugels auÌ„gels which as we said before were shewed in y e passioÌ„ of criste correspoÌ„deth the beauty or accideÌ„tall glory called iÌ„
called vppon Christe vppon the blood of Christe that he shed for mannes saluacion continually with a feruent mynde remembred the dethe of Christe that he suffred for vs. And yet these woode raungynge fendes nat ceasyng of theyr importunity but euer busy to deuour this soule by many craftye and deceytfull reasons than this blessyd woman Maris conceyuynge in hyr soule a great trust and confidence in god by the grace of the holy gooste For as Paule sayth where as is the spyryte of god there is lyberty great confidence she I say hauyng great trust in god sayd with a free spirite great boldenes Good lorde I wyll be pledge surety for this soule And thaÌ„ furthwith the daÌ„pned spirites fled vtterly auoyded and the good auÌ„gels cam and toke the soule And so this blessyd woman gyuyng thankes to god went to hyr owne cell prayed for y e sayd soule And afterward as she was iÌ„ deuout prayer in y e day of y e feest of saint Peter Paule for y e sayd soule saint Peter appered to hyr and shewed vnto hyr how the soule of the foresayd woman was in greuouse paynes of purgatorye for as moche as she in hyr lyfe had moche inordinat loue to y e world to the pleasures therof though at her dethe she had very contricion therof And than this blessed woman moued of pitie as she was alwayes full of pitie and specyally towardes the soules in purgatory dyd praye moche feruently and deuoutely for that soule And nat content with hyr onely and owne prayers requyred instantly and opteyned the prayers of many other deuout persons and also caused many masses to be sayd for the sayde soule vnto the tyme she was delyuered from payne and taken vnto ioye and glory eternall Many other examples of hyr pitie and compassion ye may rede in the sayde .xxxi. booke of the hystoryes of Vincent ¶ The gyfte of science or knowledge is opteyned by the feruent remembraunce of the passyon of Chryste The .x. Chapitre THe gyfte also of scyence and kuowledge of spyrytuall and godly thynges is gyuen to man by the continuall and deuoute remembraunce of the passion of Christe thorughe the whiche gyfte man may duely and iustly lyue in this wretched worlde where as flourysshe many frowarde and wycked persons And yet that man that hath this gyft shall lyue godly though he be amonges them for he shall contynue in his faythe and defende it and haue true compunction in his herte He shall absteyne from euyll and wysely admynystre or vse these temporall goodes He shall dyrecte and ordre all his werkes to ryght reason and applye his wyll to the wyll of god Or we may saye that this gyfte of scyence doeth teache vs to beholde as in a moost pure glasse all maner of contemplacion and all maner of pacyence And that is yf we take this gyfte knowledge as a science or knowledge of these inferior thynges in that that they be helpynge and inducynge to the contemplacion and knowledge of spyrytuall and heuenly thynges As be the knowledge of our synnes that we haue done of the benefytes that we haue receyued of god and of the paynes that we haue deserued for our synnes For the fyrste that is for the knowledge of oure synnes it is sayde by the prophete Arguet te malicia tua auersio tua increpabit te scito c. Thy malyce and synne shall reproue the and thy tournynge frome god shall rebuke the therefore know thou and dilygently consyder that it is bytter and paynefull to the to haue forsaken thy lorde god and to wante his feare in the. This maner of science is a very true knowledge and moche necessarye for vs that is to knowe our selfe and so to meke dispise or set lytle by our selfe Of the seconde maner of knowledge that is of the benefites of god I say vnto you that amonges all the benefites that we receiuyd or dayly receyue the greatest benefite of all other is the benefite of our redemption in the which our lorde hath shewed vnto vs a sure argument or ê“fe of his infinit and inestimable loue that was whan he suffred the moost shamefull and paynefull dethe for vs his enemies This argumente or profe doeth engendre and greatly encrease in vs a knowledge moche pleasaunte and also necessarye for vs. Of the whiche knowledge saynt Paule sayeth Non enim iudicaui me aliquid seire inter vos nisi Iesum Christum et huÌ„c crucisixum I haue iudged thoughte in my selfe that I haue non other knowledge amonges you but the knowledge of Iesu Christe crucified The thyrd maner of knowledge that is of the paynes due for our synnes is also necessary for vs the profe or argument thereof that is the knowledge of the paynes of hell or of purgatory hath ben reueled and shewed to many holy sayntes And those paynes of hell ben conteined in these two verses folowynge Sitis esuries â—rigus ignis fetor et horror Tenebre desperantes victi vermesque rodentes That is Thyrste hunger colde fyre stynche and vgsomnes or lothesomnes Darkenes desperacion subiection and gnastynge or gnawynge wormes These thre maner of sciences with many other we may moost specially fynde get in the meditacion of the passion of our lorde And moost of all we shall get moche knowledge yf ye diligeÌ„tly serche the fygures of the olde law correspondynge or signifienge this sayd passion of our lorde For there is innumerable treasure hyd vnder those fygures whiche may be founde with diligent serche In y e which fygures be hyd a meruelouse swetenes of deuocion all maner of scyence and sacietie or full contentacion of the soule for this lyfe For he that is crucified with Christe by the continuall feruent meditacion of his passion shall se how these fygures the scripture of god do shyne in the sayd passion and so by the gyfte of science he shall be eleuate and lyfted vp vnto a meruelouse swetenes of deuocion and vnto an high perfection of contemplacion and that on this maner For fyrste to suche a person that feruently remembreth this passion and depely sercheth these figures shall appere how that the moost hygh goodnes of god the father hath ordryd all thynges muche diligently vnto our profite Secondly it shal appere how the onely sonne of god the father our lord Iesus Christe muche godly and faithfully hath shewed vnto vs all thynges necessary vnto our helthe saluacion Nat onely by his wordes but also by his examples Thirdly it shall appere how the passion of our sauiour Iesu was figured signified from the begynnyng of the world as it clerely appereth in holy scripture What inwarde ioye pleasure shall this be thynke you to that person that feareth these thinges knoweth them All these great and meruelouse thynges were done for vs. And to declare vnto you how all these thynges do figure and signifie our sauiour Iesus
and vertuouse thoughtes And therefore suche a persone that is thus puryfyed in soule and bodye may trewly order hym selfe to the contemplacyon of god For he neuer lyfteth vppe his syght or iyes vnto vayne thynges Ne hys eares to heare noysome or vnprofytable thynges Nor hys nose to smell swete odours nor smelles Nor hys mouthe to taste delycate thynges Ne yet hys touchynge to feele softe thynges and that inordynately But with all dylygence he kepeth hym selfe bothe inwardely and outwardly so that nowe he shoulde nat be called a seruaunte or bounde but rather a lorde and free For he hathe domynyon ouer hym selfe by subdewynge of all inordynate and sensuall appetytes as muche as a man may haue lordeshyppe ouer hym selfe in thys lyfe And so I say suche a persone for his puritie is mooste apte to receyue the godlye influencys and spyrytuall illustracions For the sonne of Iustyce doeth inhabyte suche a pure and clene soule shynynge in euery corner thereof and lyghtenynge the inwarde partes of the same That is the thre powers of the soule so that he may do all thynges necessarye for his saluacion by the power of the father almyghty He knoweth all thynges by the wysdome of the sonne our sauyoure Christe Iesus and wyll all goodthynges by the goodnes of the hooly gooste These be the thre mansyons or tabernacles that god maketh in the soule of the iuste and pure persone for there he fyndeth nothynge that shulde let or resyste contrarye to hym And so our lorde doeth shyne so longe in that soule vnto suche tyme that soule thorughe that bryghte lyghte and clearenes be absorpte and in a maner as it were drowned or swalowed vppe into god And than the soule so rauysshed and lyfted vp aboue it selfe doeth entre in to the godlye clowde after thys maner cryenge and sayenge thus Et nox illumininatio mea in delitiis meis This nyghte or clowde is my lyghte to my great conforte and pleasure And thus ye may se that the soule by the gyfte or spyryte of strengthe is lyfted vp aboue all feare of perylles of our enemies it feareth nothynge but synne that displeaseth god it is nat subdued to any passion and is redy to excercyse all werkes of strengthe It is nat ouercum by any conflyete or battell in temptacion And all this is opteyned and gotten by the continuall and feruent remembraunce of Christes passion And here vnto saynt Paule sayeth Confortamini in domino et in potentia virtutis eius Ye be conforted in our lorde and in the power of his vertue that is in his passion where as his great power and vertue was shewed Also the prophet Dauid sayeth Ipse dabit virtutem et fortitudineÌ„ plebi sue He shal giue vertue power strength to his people And by his power we haue the vyctorye oure ouer enemies as saynt Paule sayeth Deo gratias qui fecit nos vincere per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Thankes and praysynges be to god that hath gyuen to vs the vyctory ouer all our enemies by the merytes of our lorde Iesus Christe And in an other place saint Paule sayeth thus Induâ—te vos armatura dei vt possitis stare aduersus inâ—idias diaboli Put vpon you the armoure of god that ye may stande strongly agaynst the disceites and pryuy assautes of the deuyll These be the armours of god and also vnder hym our armoure Let vs take his crowne of thorne for our salet or helmet For our swerde the nayles of his handes For our spurres the nayles that persed his fete For our Iacke or haubergyn the betynges of his body with scourges For our sheld the crosse as our lorde bare it to the mounte of Caluary For our horse the same crosse as Christe dyd hynge and dye thereon With this armoure we shall ouercum the deuyll for thereunto we shall haue strength thrugh the feruent meditacion of the passion of Christe To this gyfte of goostly strength correspondeth the fourthe beatitude that is Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt iustitiam Blessed be they that hunger and thyrste iustice For as saynt Austyn sayeth Strengthe is conuenient to them that hunger and thyrst iustice for they labour diligently desyrynge to haue ioye and pleasure in and of thynges that be very good and also labourynge to tourne theyr loue from all worldly and vayne thynges And this conueniency doeth also appere in that that this gyfte of strengthe consysteth and standeth in harde thinges of great difficulty as we sayde before It is a greate and an harde thynge that a man shuld nat only do vertuouse werkes which comonly beÌ„ called the werkes of iustice but also that he shulde do them with a feruent and in a maner an insaciable desyre of iustyce whiche is signified by this hungre and thyrst of iustice To this gyfte also of goostly strength correspondeth and accordeth amonges the fruites of the spyryte these two fruites Pacience whiche concerneth the sufferaunce of euyll or payne And longanimitie whiche consysteth in the taryenge or continuall abydynge for the good promyses of god that is eternall glory the rewarde of vertuouse werkes And so this spyryte of strength is gyuen to man that it shulde aryse and lyfte vp the tedyouse wery soule whiche was almoost deiect cast downe by the dayly sufferaunce of euyll and paynes and for beholdynge or abydynge of the good promyses of god And this gyfte so doeth lyfte vp this soule that it opteynynge his formar vertue and strength doeth put away all suche dulnes werynes and also waxeth stronge to the desyre of inwarde swetenes and so consequently to the desyre of eternall pleasure Also this spyryte of strength doeth cause in mannes soule the hunger desyre of iustice so that the soule here in this lyfe feruently desyryng the werkes of iustice may herafter be full saciate with consolacion eternall for his rewarde And to this we sayd before that by thexample of the mekenes pacience of Christe in his passion for the whiche he was exalted and had a name aboue aboue all names as saynt Paule sayeth Men shuld be prouoked and moued to the folowynge of Christe in corporall paynes and afflictions In subduynge all vyce inordinate concupiscencys or desyres In hungerynge thrystynge the werkes of iustice and in hauynge dominion ouer all his appetytes and rewlyng them by ryght reason that they so doynge may be made apte to the reparacion of thorder of the dominacions aungels or heuenly spyrytes so called ¶ Example of this spyryte of strengthe The .xiii. Chapytre VIncent in his hystories sheweth an example of this gyfte of strengthe of the blessed woman Maria de Ogines thus sayenge For as moche as it but lytle auayleth to auoyde euyll by the spyryte of feare and to do good by the spirite of pitie thyrdely by the spyryte of knowledge to haue discrecioÌ„ in all thynges except also by y e spirite of strength we resyst all
foueas habent et volucres celi nidos filius autem hominis non habet vbi caput suum reclinet The foxes haue theyr caues or dennes the byrdes of the ayre haue theyr nestys but the son of a vyrgyn hath nat where to hyde or laye his hede He was pore in his natiuitie or byrthe Porer in his lyfe or processe of his lyfe And moost pore vpon the crosse at his deth At his byrthe he was fedde with the vyrgyns mylke and lapped in vyle or pore clothes In the processe of his lyfe he had pore clothynge But oft tymes he wanted meat drynke for his necessary sustenaunce But at his dethe thou shalt fynde hym naked and in extreme thyrste or dryenes excepte thou say that he had vynegre myxte with bytter myrre and gall to quenche his thyrste These thynges well consydered the soule of the person beholdynge and depely remembrynge them is shortely and easely persuaded and moued to folow our sauiour Iesu in lyke thynges so that he may now gladly withdraw him selfe from all worldly honours and desyres of the same from all possession of temporall goodes from all corporall consolacion and pleasure desyrynge with his lorde god all vylenes abiection and derision and to suffre payn in all his hole body that thereby he myght in sum thynge be made conformable to his lord god and so do to hym sum thankfull seruice His appetite and desyre is nat now to please men but rather for the loue and honour of his lorde god to be mocked scorned despised and to be rather hated of them than honoured And therefore all vayne prayse and laudes gyuen to hym ben abhominacion as stynkynge caryon vnto hym for he onely requyreth and desyreth the laudes and prayses of god Vnto that is all his study labour payne That he desyreth with an vnsaciable thyrst In all thynges he onely desyreth thonour of god Nothynge lokynge to hym â—elfe nor regardynge any thynge perteynynge to hym selfe ne yet wyll be bounde to do any thyng but all to gyder with hert and mynde lokynge vnto heuen where as is moost his pleasure And also he desyreth that by his rebukes his lorde god myght be honoured greatly and continually desyrynge thrughe this gyfte of councell bothe to be pore and also despysed and abiecte for the loue of god for as muche as he perceiued bothe these to be in his lorde god crucified And truely he wolde now and euer be naked with Christe vpon the crosse beynge very heuy or sory y t he shuld haue any thynge that myght helpe the pore or els that perteyneth to thonour of god Therfore he forsakynge all superfluitie vseth as few thynges as his necessitie wyll suffre hym so that his pleasure is moche more set to despyse and cast awaye rychesse than to get or multyply it And to speke of corporall delectacions consolacions and pleasures we may truely say that from al these and also from all other consolacion that is nat in god of god or for god he vtterly refuseth them as moche as it is possyble for hym euer askynge and desyrynge to be saciate and fulfylled with bytternes sorow and payne or affliction with his lorde and mayster Christe Wherfore what so euer he perceyued to be pleasaunt vnto his bodye or yet vnto his herte by the whiche he may nat be made conformable vnto the moost blessed woundes and passion of Christe that thynge he abhorreth withdrawynge hym selfe from all thynges thrugh this gyfte of councell wherein he seeth any peryll or daunger lyke to cum to hym And therfore he doeth all thynges with greate deliberacion And also thrughe the sayde gyfte of couÌ„cell he applyeth hym selfe to do all tho thynges wherby thonour of god y e charitie of his neighbour the helth of soules may be in any thynge encreased And for these causes he is ofte tymes solitarie depely considerynge the passion of Christe therin lerchynge the hygh honours of god theternall ryches and heuenly pleasures that the deuout soule therin restynge may haue great ioye Also thereby the bytter soule for the compassion of Christes passion is made swete and pleasaunte And the mynde eleuate and lyfted aboue it selfe is made dronken or is drowned in loue And â—o the soule full of pleasure and lenyng vpon hyr dere beloued restyth hoolly in hyr lorde god And this is it that we sayd before how thrugh the spyryte of councell we auoide all perylles and dauÌ„gers make our selfes sure in the holes of the stone that is in the woundes of Christe to entrepryse great herde and paynefull thynges and also to excercyse the werkes of supererogacioÌ„ as is to loue our enemies and to forgiue them for Christe to gyue all our goodes to pore people for the loue of Christe to the which werkes don by the spiryte of couÌ„cell correspondeth the fyfte beatitude of the whiche Christe sayeth Beati misericordes quoniam ipsi misericordiam consequentur Blessed be y e mercyfull for they shall haue mercy For as saynt Austyn sayeth Councell is accordynge to mercyfull persones for there is but one remedy or meane to be delyuered from all the perylles of this worlde and that is this to forgyue and to gyue Councell is properly and specially to be taken of these thynges that be to cum and that be profytable vnto our ende that is to do the werkes of mercy whiche moost of all corresponde or accorde to the gyfte of councell And therefore saynte Paule sayeth Pietas ad omnia vtilis est Pytye and mercye is profytable to all thynges And thus ye may perceyue that the beatitude of mercye correspondeth to the gyfte of councell Nat that this gyfte of councell doeth produce and brynge furthe the werkes of mercye as his effecte and operacion but that it dyrecteth and orderyth the doer and werker For the spyryte of councell is specially gyuen to man to that intent that he shulde lerne therby to forgyue freely and gladly and also to shew mercy vnto those persons that haue offeÌ„dyd agaynst hym knowynge that yf he so do he shall fynde lyke mercy in our lorde in forgyuynge his synnes done agaynst god as our lorde sayeth in the gospell And this is it that we spake before that men consyderyng and beholdynge the vnspekeable pitie mercy of our lorde that he shewed whan he prayed for them that put him to dethe shulde be moued and styrred to lyke pitie and mercy so made apte to the restauracion of the order of aungelles called vertues O sayeth the prophete Dauid in the persone of Christe Calix-meus inebrians quam peclarus est That is as the glose of saynte Austyn sayeth the cuppe of the blood of our lorde whiche inebritynge the mynde and makynge it dronken in god doeth so cure and heale it that it maketh it forget all vayne delectacion pleasure This dronkennes maketh men sobre This fulnes and plenteousnes maketh men empty and voyde of euyll maners and vyces And therfore the
it to that person whiche is inebriate and drowned in the blood of Christe yf he se his hert enclyned to any other thyng thaÌ„ to Christe crucified Therfore suche a ê‘son disdeyneth to vse any other potion or drynk with pleasure but the blood of Christ whiche hath wasshed hym clene greatly beautified made hym like vnto Christ He knoweth that thrugh the openyng of the syde or hert of Christe his soule is maryed vnto Christe and therfore he wyll euer stande nygh vnto that wounde touchynge felynge his spouse wounded for his loue so he feruently desyreth that he myght be wounded in his herte and therfore he oft tymes layeth his herte vnto those woundes by continuall remembraunce of them and also ioyneth byndeth hym selfe vnto his spouse wouÌ„ded with the indissoluble and continuall or sure bonde of charitie for the wouÌ„des of Christ be as a cellar of wynes new broched whereby our soules may be inebriate or made drunke in charitie And hereunto it is wrytten in the canticles Introduxit me â—ex in cellam vinariam ordinauit in me charitatem The kynge hathe brought me into his wyne cellar that is into the feruent loue remembraunce of his woundes He hathe made me drunke in his loue and charitie Also it is sayd Canticorum 1. Introduxit me rex in cellaria sua The kynge hathe brought me into his cellers There shall we sucke hony out of the stone and drynke the moost purest blood of y e grape Christe crucified is this stone also this grape whereof we all may plenteously drynke And therefore he sayeth to his louers Bibite amici et inebriamini Cum drynke frendes hereof at your wyll and be drunke thereof my moost dere frendes Also the spouse Christe sayeth to his spousesse oure soule Vulnerasti cor meum soror mea sponsa vulnerasti cor meum Thou haste wounded my hert for thy loue my syster my spouse thou haste wounded my hert And she agayne wounded with his loue sayeth in lyke maner Vulnerata charitate ego sum ideoque filis Ierusalem nunciate dilecto quia amore langueo I am wouÌ„ded with charitie and therfore ye doughters of Ierusalem shew vnto my dere beloued spouse Christe that I languysshe and am sycke for loue And so the wounded spouses is ioyned to Christe crucified her wounded spouse and wounde is coupled to wouÌ„de that is loue to loue And than also the columbyne blood of the spouse that is of Christe whiche is symple as the downe by the whiche bloode our soule the spousesse of god receyueth hyr spirituall syght This blood I say doeth flow into the wouÌ„des of the spousesse whiche is so wounded by compassion that she hathe of hyr spouse Christ crucified that in a maner she fainteth swowneth for sorow and mylteth or waxeth sycke for the loue of his spouse and so than she swetely resteth in our sauiuor Iesu where she redeth and seeth vnderstandeth and fyndeth what she is of what meryte or dignitye in the loue and fauour of god for whose loue the sonne of god wolde suffre so great and greuouse tourmentes Hereunto speaketh saynte Bernarde O good Iesu thou haste made thy body as a glasse vnto my soule That whiche thou dyd suare openly I suffred pryuely That whiche thou suffred of the ministers of Cayphas openly I suffred of the ministers of wickednes of Sathanas inwardely Thy face was couered and also smyten or buffeted in the house of the prince of prestes and that was to put away the confusion of our ignoraunce and spirituall blyndenes We were sumtyme darknes that was before our baptisme but nowe we walke in the lyght that was set or hanged vp on height vppon the aulter or candelstycke of the crosse and from thence shyneth very bryght vnto our conforte And so Christe by his passion doeth illuminate or lyghten our reason vnderstandynge This is the ointement wherewith as saynt IohnÌ„ sayeth our iyen shulde be anointed that we myght se clerely This is also the rodde wherewith Ionathas toke of the hony and ate thereof and so his iyen were lyghtenyd This is more ouer the gall of the fysshe wherwith Thobie anointed his iyen and so receyued his syght agayne And so Longyne beynge blynde and wasshed with the blood of Christe receyued his syght and was also conuerted to the faythe And so ye may perceyue howe the passion of Christe doeth illuminate our vnderstandyng and gyueth knowledge to meke persons faythfully and deuoutly remeÌ„bryng his passion And this is thrugh the gyft of vnderstandyng to know god by his creatures or in comparyng hym to his creatures as we sayd before And also to be illuminat or lyghtened by the wrytynges and saynges of prophetes in the maner of contemplacion or knowledge of those thynges that be wryten of our lord Iesu Christe whereby man begynneth to retourne to his owne selfe for by this gyfte of vnderstandynge he recouereth his spirituall syght wherby he may se and know his owne honour and dignitie so retourne to his lorde god and se hym as it is possible for man in this lyfe And therefore to this gyfte correspondeth the .vi. beatitude that is Beati mundo corde quoniam ipsi deum videbunt Blessyd be the pure clene in hert for they shall se god And saynt Austen sayeth that the syxt operacion or gyft of the holy goost that is the gyfte of vnderstandynge is conuenient and accordyng to them that be pure in hert For they so clensed made pure may knowe se that whiche the corporall iye or syght can nat se And here note that there be two maners of clennes of the herte One is as a disposicion to the syght of god which is a clensyng of the wyll or affecte from all mordinate affections and this clennes is made or goten by the gyftes and vertues that perteyn to the wyll comonly called Vis anime appetitiua The desyrouse power of the soule There is an other clennes of the hert which is as a complete perfyce clennes whereby god is sene And this is the clennes of the mynde or vnderstandynge purified clensed from all fantasyes errours so that the soule so purified perceyueth the more clerely truely those thynges that be wryten or spoken of god nat onely perceyueth them by corporall fantasies ne yet vnderstandeth them as the peruerse and obstinate heretykes done declare them And this clennes is opteyned or goten by the gyfte of vnderstandyng wherunto correspondeth as I sayd before the .vi. beatitude that is Blessyd be the clene in herte for they shall se god And faythe or fidelitie one of the fruytes of the spyryt accordeth also hereunto And as ye se that the fruite of the tree is the last thynge and moost delectable or pleasaunt that we haue of the fruitfull tree so be the fruites of y e holy goost the most pleasaunt delectable thynges that cummeth to man by
the vertue and operacion of the holy gooste And so the spirite of vnderstaâ—dynge cummynge to the soule of man thrugh the deuout and ofte remembraunce of Christes passion clenseth it and purifieth the inwarde and spirituall syght of man whiche was derked and blynded by the synne of our fyrst parent Adam and also doth cure and heale it with the knowledge of the worde of god as it were with an holsum ointement and doeth make it so pure and lyghtsum that it is apte to receyue or to beholde the clearenes of the deytie Clennes doeth sprynge of the gyfte of vnderstandynge And this clennes bryngeth in the vision or syght of god and therfore Christe sayeth Blessyd be the clene in herte for they shall se And therfore we sayd before that by the truth expressed declared in the moost blessyd passion of Christe men be illuminate thrugh the feruent remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of the sayd passion vnto the knowledge of the heuenly and godly truthes that so they may be made apte vnto the reparacion of thorder of Cherubyn For man in his fyrst creacion was so made of god that yf he had nat synned he shulde euer haue ben presente in the contemplacion of his creatoure and maker that man so seynge his lorde god shulde euer haue louyd hym and so louynge hym shulde euer haue cleued fast vnto hym And in so cleuyng fast to hym whiche is immortall he also shuld haue had lyfe euerlastyngly But man for his inobedience was cast from the face fauour of god And by his synne he was blynded with ignorauÌ„ce And he was put from that inward light of coÌ„templacion bycause he inclined his mynde gaue it to erthly desyres And the more depely he gaue hym selfe to the desyre of these vaine transitory thynges the more he forgat the swetenes of heuenly desyres whose taste and knowledge he had lost by his syn And so he was exiled banisshed from Paradise for his synfull conscience and wandred about here in this vale of misery by inordinate concupiscence And also the hert of man whiche fyrste fyxed in the loue of god was than stable permaneÌ„t in louyng onely one thynge that is god was at all tymes one after that it began to slyde vnto vayne worldly desyres it was diuided into as many thinges as thoo thinges that he desyred were dyuers many And so it foloweth consequently that y t mynde which can nat or wyll nat loue y t one thyng y t is very good one in it selfe y t mynde I say can neuer be stable For y e mynde nat fyndyng the ende of his desyre his purpose in those thynges y t he loueth so euer labouryng in vayne desyryng that thyng which he can nat opteyn can neuer rest stably quietly And herof foloweth continuall mouyng without stabilitie labour without rest runnyng without any ende of his runnyng And so the hert is euer vnquyet vnto the tyme it cleue fast by loue vnto one thyng in the which his desyre shall be saciate fully content with pleasure and also he shall haue a sure confidence and trust that that thynge whiche he so loueth shall neuer be taken from hym this shal be by our lorde Iesu Christe whiche is the way truthe and lyfe eternall And therfore he sayth Cum exaltatus fuero a terra omnia traham ad meipsum Whan I shal be exalted vpon the crosse I shall draw all my elect people to my self And this his eternall father promysed vnto hym by the prophet sayenge Ab oriente adducam semen tuum c. That is I shall brynge thy sede and faythfull chyldren or seruantes from the Eest by one parte of the crosse And I shall gader to the from the west by an other arme or parte of the crosse And I shall say vnto Northe Gyue to my sonne his seruauntes by the thyrde parte of the crosse And I shall saye to the Southe parte of the worlde Let nat my sonnes seruantes to cum to hym by the fourthe arme or parte of the crosse Brynge my sonnes or chyldren from farre cuntreys and my doughters from thextreme and vtttermoost partes of the erthe ¶ Example of this gyfte or spyryte of vnderstandynge The .xvii. Chapytre OF this spirite of vnderstandyng whiche is oft tymes gyuen to those that deuoutly remeÌ„bre the passion of Christ we haue example in the sayd hystoryes of Vincent of the ofte named holy woman Maria de Ogines Of whome he sayeth thus â–ª This blessyd doughter of Hierusalem adourned by the feruent remeÌ„braunce of Christes passion with manyfolde vertues illustrate or lyghtenyd with the foresayd gyftes of the holy goost and also hyr herte purified clensed with the gyfte of vnderstandyng she was conuersant in with heuenly thynges For she vtterly excludynge from hyr hert all vayne transitory sensuall faÌ„tasies gat into hyr mynde vniforme vnuariable heuenly imaginacioÌ„s And the more she apê“ched drew nigh vnto thimmutable maiesty of god the more purely these heuenly imaginacions shone in hyr soule And whaÌ„ hyr spirit so purified was kyndled burnynge in the fyre of feruent loue of god she asceÌ„ded into heuen by contemplacion as the fume or smoke of insence or other swete spices doth ascende so walkyng in heuen as it were from place to place euer ascendynge sought about to fynde hym whom she loued god omnipotent And so serchynge she was suÌ„tyme coÌ„forted with y e lilies of vyrgins Now refresshed with thodiferouse swete smellyng roses of the holy martyrs And suÌ„tyme she is venerably or worshipfully receiued of thonorable cuÌ„pany of the apâ—â—les sumtyme she is associate to the cuÌ„pany of aungels Whan she had thus ascendyd froÌ„ degree to degree walked with ioyouse glad mynde thrughe many places of heuenly paradise whan she was a lytle past all these cuÌ„panies she fouÌ„de hym whoÌ„ hyr hert moost feruently desyred there she perfitely restyd And whan she was in this quietnes it pleased our lorde to shew vnto hyr the boke of lyfe wherin whan she loked she perceyued many thynges by the spirite of vnderstandyng whiche afterward whaÌ„ she was cum to hyr selfe she shewed by the spirit of prophecy And so vpoÌ„ a tyme whan the heretikes called Albigenses were greatly multiplied thre yeres before that the people were marked with the signe of the crosse to go fyght against them she sayd that she se many crosses descende from heuen vppon a great multitude of people whiche people moued of god feruent zele that they had to our sauiour crucified intendyng to reuenge the great dishonour of god don by those heretykes cam froÌ„ farre cuntreys And whan they cam to a place called Mons gaudii the mount of ioy there were many of theym slayne by the heretikes And than this blyssed woman though she were in a farre cuntrey from y t place yet she se holy aungels makynge great ioye bearynge the soules of those
no wyse man wolde gladlye or lyghtely lese that thynge whiche he bought so derely with his owne preciouse blood yf he might with any iustice or ryghtfully kepe it And so considerynge these she conceyueth in hyr selfe a hope and trust of forgiuenes And thaÌ„ she maketh hyr supplicacion prayer to god for his fauour grace promyseth to make amendes for hyr offences synnes as farre as it is possible for hyr to do ThaÌ„ she beholdeth considereth his house that our Salomon hathe made that is hyr owne body soule how hyr soule is made to that intent that it shulde be the house temple of the holy goost Also she coÌ„sidereth how gloryous goodly this house was made that is to thimage similitude of god And how vylely shamefully she hath defoiled it by hyr owne synne And so she beginneth to haue wonder maruell of the great mercy of god that so mercyfully wolde spare the synfull soule Secondly she beholdeth y e meates of his table or borde that is she coÌ„sidereth how mercifully he doeth nouryssh fede synners with his benefites though indede they be nat worthy to haue the bread that they eate Thyrdly our synfull Saba considereth his ministers seruantes that is she seeth how all creatures were create and made of god for to do seruyce vnto man and how they contynue they obedience and seruyce vnto man though man be inobedient vnto his lorde god creatour maker and so for his inobedience and synne vnworthy the seruice of any creature Fourthely she considereth theyr vestures and garmentes that is how mercyfully our lorde hytherto hath hyd and couered the priuy sinnes of our synfull soule though all thynges ben open to his syght and knowledge Fyftely she seynge his buttlers doeth consyder howe benignely our lorde god doeth byrle and gyue to vs the wyne of contricion and deuocion And therefore the prophete Dauid sayeth Potasti nos vino compunctionis Thou haste gyuen vs to drynke the wyne of compunction and sorow for our synnes Syxtely she beholdeth the oblacions that our Salomon doeth dayly offre that is how Christ offred hym selfe freely vpon the aulter of the crosse for our synnes and how the same body and bloode is dayly offered in the chyrche for our spirituall conforte And this oblacion excedeth all the other benefites of god gyuen to man And thus our quene Saba our synnefull soule hauynge the iyen of hyr wysdome in hyr hede Christe that is beholdynge and depely considerynge all the premisses she faynted and hyr spyryte fayled hyr She had no spyryte that is of synne iniquitie for that hath now lefte hyr And bicause now the holy spirite of god hath entred into that soule the wycked and vnclene spirite is expelled and put away And now finally as Salomon gaue to the quene of Saba many great precyouse gyftes so our kyng that hath wrought our saluacion in the myddest of the erth doeth gyue vnto the soule depely remeÌ„bryng the premisses great treasures of knowledge wysdom of vertue grace that moche more thaÌ„ she deserueth or asketh For whan a man inwardly considereth how he y t was most myghty of power was so dispiteously troden vnder fote for our synnes He that was most wyse was deluded mocked as a fole He that was best and all full of goodnes was replenisshed with the bytternes of sorow And he that was moost rightuouse to be coÌ„dempned to the moost shamefull dethe Whan a man I say coÌ„sidereth all these thynges anon the mynde aryseth into a greate meruell admiracion of y e worthynes noblenes of god wonderynge meruelynge of the great benignitie charitie of god towardes vs moost wretched and vnworthy seruauntes And than begynneth the mynde with a ferueâ—ent desyre and burnynge loue to be kyndled towardes our lorde god And the spirituall taste of our affection in a meruelouse maner is made moche pleasant and swete and our appetyte is wonderfully refresshed And so all our inwarde man is in a maner alienate lyfte vp from hymself and quietly doeth rest in our lorde Iesu O a meruelouse thynge and neuer herde or sene before that is that vnspeakable swetenes shuld be founde in the moost bytternes The moost bytter bytternes of our dere beloued sauioure Iesu is meruelously turned in our louynge mynde into a swetenes y t can nat be expressed rauysshyng and takynge into it the hole spirite of man so that that swetenes ones tasted all carnall and worldly pleasure waxeth all vnsauory and is excluded And in this swetenes is the speculacion or wysdom of the person contemplatynge beholdynge our lordes passion made perfite For herin he ioyneth putteth to gydre the hyghe inenarrable swetenes that he feleth in the consideracion beholdyng of that infinite goodnes of god that it wolde please hym to suffre so vyle a dethe for vs with that inestimable bytternes that he felte or feleth in hauynge compassion of the paynes sorowes of his lorde Iesu crucified And note here that that bytternes of compassion of Christes passion doeth gader in vnyt the mynde of man And thadmiracion or wonderful consideracion of the great goodnes of god in the same passion doeth eleuate lyft vp the mynd so vnit and gadred in offre it holly vnto god And for asmoche as therin is founde perceyued an vnspekable bytternes with an vnspekable swetenes therfore the mynd of the person that beholdeth considereth this wondereth at it so is alienated from hym selfe rauisshed aboue hym selfe lyke as yf he were all drunke he falleth vnto his lorde god where than the soule melted with loue thrughe the beholdynge of thinestimable charitie loue of god is made as moost pure golde purified in the hore furneys And in the consideracion of y e most excellent benignitie goodnes of god the soule is anointed made fat with the moost pleasant oyle of grace It also obumbrate shadowed with that 〈◊〉 of iustice is made moost shynynge The soule also clensed and gadred in with that great bytternes is abstract withdraweÌ„ from all bytternes sorow That soule beholden receyued of god all good is made all godly so at last it is absorpt and rauysshed with an vnspekable ioye meruelouse swetenes And the spousesse doeth reste swetely with hyr spouse and amonges those pleasaunte and swete enbracynges she may than sucke and drynke of the fountaynes of our sauiour the lyuely waters and true wysdome And here note that it perteyneth to this gyfte of wysdom nat onely to beholde consyder godly heuenly thynges but also to rule and order the actes and operacions of man In the whiche direction and order fyrst it aperteyneth to auoyde all euyll vyce that be contrary vnto trew wysdome And therfore the feare of god is called the begynnyng of wysdom for asmuche as it causeth a man to auoyde all euyll and synne The last thynge perteynynge
gyuen to vs the victorie ouer death by our lorde Iesu Christe And note here after summe doctours that the same houre that our fyrste adam dyd synne our seconde adam Chryste gaue vp his spirite and so the same houre that the fyrste adam by his synne subdewed hym selfe and al his posteritie to death the same houre this second adam by his death distroyed death eternall so that none of his electe chylderne shal be subdued there vnto And the same houre that paradise was shyt frome our fyrste adam the same houre Christe openyd paradyse to vs. ¶ A compassion and a contemplacion of the death of Christe SAynt Bernard entreatynge this artycle sayth on this maner I am sory and haue coÌ„passion vpon y e my lorde kyng mayster and father yea my good brother and most belouyd Iesu more amyable and to belouyd aboue all women whose arowe or dart hath not turne backward thyne arowes ben very sharpe thy doctrine is valiant and myghtie thy sermon and worde is quicke and leuely of moche efficacitie and vertue more persynge than any two edged swerd entryng thorough euen to the deuidyng a sonder the soule the spirite Also thy shyld neuer declined from the batell for thou haste crowned vs with the shylde of thy grace and of thy good wyll The spear of thy prayers neuer turned bac void for y u prayed for thy enemies y t they shuld not perish How more then dost thou praye for thy fryndes and saruauntes Thou art stronger than the lion yea thou art y e lion of the tribue or stocke of Iuda that haste ouercumme the raumpyng lion that runnyth all ouer searchyng whom he myght deuoure Thou art more swyfte than the egle For thou as a giant had great ioy to runne in the waye to fulfyll the misterie of thy incarnation vnto the tyme y t thou as an egle dyd prouoke thy byrdes to flye Thou spred the wynges of thyne armes abrode vpon y e crosse and fliyng ouer vs thou toke vs lefted vs vp and bare vs vpon thy sholders with greate strenght vnto thy holie habitacle vnto the houshold of thy father where for the fedyng of thy shepe and draÌ„me that was loste and by thy passion founde agayne thou madest a great feast and ioyfull to thy fryndes and neyghboures thy holy aungels makyng to them greate ioy for the conuersion of a penitent synner And though thou be suche a myghtie and noble ê‘son yet thou wast condempned vnto the most shamefull death and so thy spirite commendyd in to the handes of thy father and thy heade enclined and bowed downe thou gaue vp thy spirite O all ye that desyre to ioy in our lorde cumme I beseach you and sorowe with me Take hede and behold our myghtye and strong Dauid how he is all to rent with wheppys behold hym whom we most desire and whom the aungelles desire to behold how he is slayn in our batell Wher is thy red rosy colour where is thy beautie where shall thou fynde fayrnes in thy broused bodye Behold our dayes haue decayed and fayled the dayes I say of our most benigne Iesu which onely is the day without all derknes And his bones haue waxed drye as a fier brande he is cut downe as the grasse and his hart hath wydred away he was lyfted vpon the crosse and very greuously hurt and broused And though he was thus shamefully and vilenously arayed outwardly yet he kepte his beautie and fayrnes in wardly Therfore faynt not for hym in thy trobles for the Iues and gentylles that see this person hangyng vpon the crosse which in hym selfe was more beautyouse than all the chylderne of men they I say onely beholdyng outward thynges see hym hauyng nother beautie ne yet fairnes for his face was more lyke to a lepre than a clene man and all the disposicion of his bodie was then very deforme and foule to beholde yet of that deformytie of our redemar dyd essew and flew out the price of our beautie of our inwarde beautie I mean In parte we haue shewed vnto you now the deformitie blaknes or fowlnes of the bodie of moste amyable Iesu but his inward beautie there is no man that can declare for in him restith and inhabiteth the hole diuinitie or godhed let vs therfore be contented to be deformed in our bodie outwardly with our sauiour Iesu shamefully deformed let vs conforme our selfe in our bodye to the body of our true vine Christ that he myght reforme the body of our mortalitie vnto the bodie of his clernes and glorification O death most to be belouyd O passion of Christ most to be desired O meruelouse misteries what is more meruelouse thaÌ„ that death shuld gyue lyfe wondes shuld cure and heale blode shuld purifie and that sorowe shuld enflame and kyndle loue The openyng of his syde doth cople ioyne hert vnto hert Also what is more meruelouse than that the sonne in the eclipse or darked by clowdes shuld shyne more clere and bryght the fier extincte doth more enflame and kyndle the hert the shameful passion doth glorifie and make gloriouse thirst or drines maketh one dronke Nakydnes doth cloth with the garmentes of vertue the handes fast nayled doth louce vs his feet nayled done make vs to ruÌ„ne Christ yeldyng his spirit doth gyue to vs lyfe he diyng vpon the tree doth call vs to heuen the sonne of god is lead to death he is smiten buffetid and beat that is our victorie he is crowned with thornys that cam to breake the thornys of our synnes he was bownd that lowseth them that be bounde he was hanged vpon a tree that reyseth them that be fallen downe the well of lyfe hath vinegre offeryd to hym for his drynke health is wounded lyfe dieth pitie is scourged for the synner wisdom is mocked lyke a fole treuth is slayne as a lier Iustice is dapned for a wicked person mercy is vexed for an infidell swetnes is made dronke with gall life is deade for the deed man All this is the sayng of faynt Austen By the premisses ye may perceyue that Christe suffred death he iuste and ryghtuouse for vs vnryghtuouse he suffred death for vniuste persons by vniuste persones with vniuste persons for vniuste causes and vnder vniuste iudges and also with vniuste paynes and tormentes Beholde therfore thou deuote soule in to the face of thy sauiour Christ and see in hym how he dyd beare and suffre the payne of the crosse that thou shuld folow hym in bearyng the crosse his bodie was naked for our example that we shuld make our confession openly or plainly and nakedly to our gostlyfather without all clokyng or hydyng and excusyng of our synnes his armes was spred abrode vpon the crosse redy to embrace the in a token that he wyl gladly receyue the vnto his grace if thou forsake thy synne he was fast nailed both in handes and feet that thou shuld perseuer and continue in his
seache the I knowe not but in heueÌ„ coÌ„mauÌ„de therfore swete Iesu my soule to departe fro my body that I may fynde the in heuen where as thou syttes on the ryght hande of thy father in great glory And with these wordes he yelded vp his spirit without any sorowe A prayer O Iesu our crowne and glory whiche rysyng from death dyd ascende vnto the ryght hande of thy father drawe my soule vnto the that I myght feruently seache and desyre y e onely grauÌ„t to me I beseache the that I maye with all my desyre and studye come to that place to the whiche as I stedfastly belyue thou hast ascended And that I beyng here in body may be with the in loue and desyre that my hert may be there where as thou art my loue and treasure moste to be louyd and desyred Drawe me after the that by thy grace I asceÌ„dyng from vertue to vertue may deserue to se the my lorde god in the heuenly Syon Amen ¶ Of the sendyng of the holy ghost The .ix. Chapitre THe L. day after y e Resurrection of Christ and the .x. day after the Ascension that is on wytsonday whan the discyples of Christe were gadred to gether in the place of mount Syon where as he made his supper both men women to the nombre of C.xx or there about there contynuyng in prayer and abydyng the comyng of the holy ghost acordyng to promysse of Christ about the thyrd houre of that same daye there cam sodenly from heuen a wonderfull noyse or sounde as if it had bene the commynge of a great wynde and it fylled all the house and there appered vnto them clouen tonges or dyuyded as they had ben fyre And here note that the gyftes of the holy ghost be not gyuen but to them whiche be gadred to gyther by vnite or one assent in vertue and lyfted vp by desyre vnto heueÌ„ly thynges Also the .vii. gyftes of the holy ghost be conueniently signified or shewed by fyre Fyrst for the holy ghost doth purge lyke as fyre doth and that is by the gyft of feare Secondly as the fyre doth melt so doth the holy ghost by the gyft of pytie Thyrdly he beautyfieth and maketh fayre by the gyfte of science or knowlege Fourthly he strenghtheth by the gyft of strenght Fyftly he lyfteth vp the soule by the gyft of councell Syxtly he doth illumyne or lyghten the soule by the gyft of vnderstandyng And seuently he doth make swete and pleasant by the gyfte of wysdom And all that compaigny ware fylled with the holy ghost and so began to speake dyuers speaches or langages that is whan they spake ony thyng to the glory of god euery nacion ê‘ceyued that speache as theyr owne speache for so it sounded to them and so they spake after the mocion of the holy ghost and as he gaue to theÌ„ vtterauÌ„ce whiche dyuydeth and gyueth his grace to euery person after his wyll and pleasure where he wyl whaÌ„ he wyll asmoche as it pleaseth hym by what maner he wyll and to whome he wyll Peraduenture thou wyll aske this question Syth the ways and operacions of god the holy ghost be vnserchable and can nat be perceyued howe may I knowe that the holy ghost is in me Surely I may greatly coniecture his presence in me by the good mocions of my hert Also I may aduerte and consydre the power of his â—tue in me by that I auoyde all carnall vyces and subdewe al inordinate affections Also I may perceyue his wysdom in me by the ofte discussion of my conscience and rebukyng of my selfe for my synnes Also I may suppose his goodnes and myldnes to rest in me by the amendement of my maners and lyuyng And also by the reformacion renouation of my spirite I may coniecture the same Let euery man looke well in his owne hert If he loue his neyghbour it is a signe that the spirite of god is in hym Also if he loue peace and vnite and that in al the membres of Christes churche through out al the worlde And note here that these signes be taken dyuersly in dyuers degrees of persons For the holy doth inspire he doth enhabite doth replenishe or fulfyll he doth inspire or come to the begynners he doth inhabite the profyters and he doth fulfyll the perfyt ê‘sons The signes or tokens of the holy ghost wherby he is perceyued to inspire the begynners ben iii. after saynt Bernard Fyrst is contricion or sorowe for the synnes paste For the holy ghost hateth the fylth y e syn and wyll not inhabite nor come to that ê‘son that is subdewed to syn Seconde signe is a firme and a sure purpose to beware and auoyde al synne here after and this purpose is nat had without the grace of y e holy ghost assistyng and helâ—yng our infirmite and frayltie Thyrd signe is a diligent redines to do good For the loue of god which is the holy ghost is neuer ydle but always redy to do good There be also .iii. tokens wherby we may coniecture that the holy ghost doth inhabite the profiters that goo forward in vertue Fyrst is the deligent true and ofte examination of his conscience nat onely of mortall synnes but also of veniall synnes for as the grace of the holy ghost is contrary to mortall synne so is the feruour of charite whiche also coÌ„meth of the holy ghost contrary to veniall syn and expelleth it out of the soule that in nothynge he shuld desplease the holy ghost and hynder the soule from the ê“fytyng in vertue The second to keÌ„ is the mynyshyng or subdewyng of the inordinate concupiscence for the more that charite is encresed in the soule of the ê“fyter the more is his soule remoued from the loue of temporall thynges Thyrd signe is the diligent keapyng of the coÌ„maundementes of god which can nat be had without true loue There be also .iii. other signes by the whiche we may coniecture that the holy ghost doth fulfyl the perfyte persoÌ„s Fyrst is the manifestacion or shewyng of the godly truthe For sytghe the holy ghost is the spirit of truth it is his propertie to teache and shewe all truthe necessarie for man and therfore wher he fulfylleth there he sheweth all godly truthe necessarie for that soule Second signe is whan a person feareth nothyng but god for perfyt charite putteth a way all seruile or worldly feare And therfore saynt Paule sayth Vbi spiritus domini ibi libertas where as is the spirite of god there is libertie and no vayne feare For liberty can nat stande with y t seruile feare Thyrd signe is whan a maÌ„ of the vehemeÌ„t loue that he hath to god desireth to be desolued and departed from this myserable lyfe and to be with Christ Besyde all these tokens there be other thre wherby a man may coÌ„iecture y t he hath the holy ghost And for this cause the holy ghost appered in .iii. similitudes or lykenes