thy Lord and let thy chiefest care bee to be better esteemed of God then of men Consider thirdly that that thing happened to the Iewes which they feared For they did not eate the mysticall Pasch because Christ the true Pasch tooke it away by his death and that which they did eate they celebrated with polluted minds hatefull vnto God Be thou therefore carefull not so much for the outward beauty cleannes as for the inward purity of thy mind that thou maist receiue the true Pasch of our Lord in the Eucharist praying vnto God that thou mayst be pure in hart wherby thou maist often eate worthily this holy Pasch Ioan. 18. Then Pilate went foorth vnto them said what accusation do you bring against this man they āswered him if he were not a malefactor we would not haue deliuered him to thee Then said Pilate to them take ye him and according to your Law iudge him The Iewes said to him It is not lawfull for vs to kill any man that the speach of Iesus might be fulfilled signifying what death he should dye COnsider 1. The humanity of Pilate who might haue interpreted their refusing to come into his house as to an vnclean person as a contempt of him yet he yeilded to their religion being better then thou many other Christians who being contemned yeild contempt againe by no intreaty will yeild in any poynt or tytle of honour Consider 2. The proud answere of the Iewes by which they abused the outward face of Religion to the death of an innocent We say they being Priests making conscience to breake the least commandement of the law would neuer haue deliuered this man vnto you except for many causes he had beene most worthy of death So great was the innocency of our Lord that without compulsion they would not haue come to accuse him Consider thirdly Pilates answere more wise then the answer of the Priests For many times secular men haue more goodnesse then Priests The Gentile seemed to be not a little offended that hee should bee required to put him to death without hearing or cōuicting him as if hee should say If your Law permit this yet the Lawe of the Romanes doth not But the Iewes had no consideration of this iust scandall whome thou doest immitate so oft as thou doest giue cause of scandall whom thou doest immitate so oft as thou giuest cause of scandall or reproach to the weake or to Heretiques Remember the word of our Lord It is better that a mil-stone should be hanged about his necke Mat. 18. and he throwne into the bottome of the Sea then one of those little ones should be scandalized Consider fourthly the other answere of the Iewes saying it is not lawfull for vs to kill any man Act. 7. that is to say vpon the Crosse Ioan. 8. For they stoned Stephen and they prepared to stone the Adulteresse For our Lord must be put to death not with stones hut vpon the Crosse and not by the Iewes but by the Gentiles which is shewed by that which followeth that the speach of Iesus might be fulfilled who had foretold them both Giue thankes therefore vnto thy Lord that he passed from the Iewes to the Gentiles and pray him that he which by the handes of the Gentiles would vndergoe the Crosse suffer death will accept for thee the vnbloudy sacrifice which in remembrance of his Passion is offered in the Church of the Gentiles world without end Then they beganne to accuse him Luc. 23. saying We haue found this man subuerting our people and forbidding to giue tribute vnto Caesar and saying that hee is Christ our King THey began saith hee as the beginning of many accusations which should follow We haue found wee haue not heard of others but wee our selues haue seene Consider 1. three accusations al which depended vpō one He doth affirme say they that hee is the Messias King of the Iewes promised to our fore-Fathers and thereby draweth the people vnto him and he cōmaundeth neither to obey Caesar Ioan. 6. nor to pay tribute vnto him Lying plainly who knew that our Lord did shun a Kingdome did teach obedience did pay tribute Mat. 27. Mar. 22. and did answeare that it should bee payed Hereby thou mayest learn how enuy maketh a mā blinde so as hee cannot perceiue the ignominy reproach that hee doth vnto himselfe For by these words they proued thēselues lyars before Pilate who could not bee ignorant of Christ his answer to the Herodyans Render vnto Caesar those thinges which are Caesars Mat. 22 Auoyd thou therefore all perturbation of minde which doth both much hinder the seeing of the truth weaken thy reputation Consider secondly wherof Christ was accused First that hee did subuert the people His office is to mooue the people to turne them vp and down to subdue the flesh which ruled the spirit vnto the spirit to place poore and base Fisher-men aboue Kinges and after his life to throw the proude rich men downe into Hell and to lift poor Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Secondly that hee forbad to giue tribute vnto Caesar Our Lord doth forbid to pay tribute vnto the Deuill who is called Prince of this world and requireth no small tribute of the actions of men whome hee would haue to attempt or execute nothing without some mixture of sin Christ contrariwise commandeth to this tribute vnto God that thou shalt refer all thy actions to his glory Thirdly that he is a King the Messias Thy Lord is truly a King and the Messias who gouerneth and feedeth all his people both with his body and holy spirit Yeilde thou thy selfe vnder the gouernment of this King fight against his enemies and follow him thy Captaine in all thinges The 20. Meditation of the examination of Pilate Ioan. 18 Then Pilate went againe into the Pallace and called Iesus and Iesus stoode before the President Mar. 27. And Pilate asked him art thou King of the Iewes Iesus answered doest thou speake this of thy selfe or haue others tolde it thee of me Pilate answered am I a Iew thy people and thy Priests haue deliuered thee to me what hast thou done COnsider first Pilate dealt with Christ not afore the multitude but priuately in his house of whome saith St. Chrysostome hee had conceiued a great opinion Hom. 85. in Ioan. Thou in like manner if thou wilt deale with Christ auoide company much busines enter into the chamber of thy heart that thou mayest more clearly heare our Lord speaking Consider secondly that the Lord of all creatures standeth as guilty before the Gentile President to whom he must render account of his life Liue thou so that thou needest not blush to render an account of all the actions before any man Consider 3. the question of Pilate Art thnu King of the Iewes That is to say can it bee that thou being so poore and
torments I haue remitted nothing of my deuotion loue to thee Secondly I thy Sonne am returned to thee from this hard embassage from this bloudy battell I carry away the victory and I bring the spoyles What reward wilt thou giue me what glory wilt thou prepare for mee what triumph wilt thou assigne mee The Roman Emperors triumphed with the victorious Army Poore Lazarus Luc. 16. which was denyed cruÌ„mes from the rich mans table was carryed in a triumphant Chariot that is in Angels hands into Abrahams bosome What glory then wilt thou giue to me thy Sonne I am more honorable because I am thy Son I haue labored more then the rest for I haue spent my bloud I haue vndergone more danger for I haue fought alone with the enemy I haue indured more want for a drop of water hath been denyed mee I haue ouercome more strange enemyes for I haue subdued the Prince of this world broken his forces and thrust him out of possession and to bee briefe I haue taken more noble spoyles hauing deliuered so many thousand soules from the bondage of the Deuill and subdued all the whole world vnto thy gouerment What then wilt thou prepare for so great a conqueror Into thy handes First as sacrifices are offered into the handes of God so I as high Priest doe offer my soule as a most fatt sacrifice into thy handes Secondly hitherto the soules which departed out of this world went not into the handes of God but into Abrahams bosome in the places belowe but now I desire first to be receiued into thy handes and my Disciples hereafter to bee receiued also Thirdly this my spirit which is now descending into Hell to deliuer the Fathers shall not want the diuinity but euen as the diuine nature took the humane nature into the same person so it shall remain both with the body in the sepulcher with the spirit in Hell Fourthly I commend it to thy hands that thou shouldest endowe it with glory adorne it with rewardes I commend or as the Greeke text saieth I will commend that is euen now I will send it to thee First hitherto neither this body nor my soule hath seemed to bee greatly commended vnto thee because both the body hath remained in the hands of enemies and my soule being sorrowfull euen vnto death was alwaies in my own hands subiect to many miseries Psal 118. and death it selfe Hitherto thou hast seemed to haue care only of thy bondslaues and to neglect thy Sonne for thou hast deliuered vp thy Sonne to redeeme thy seruant doe thou now at last receiue my spirit coÌ„mended vnto thee Secondly I commend that is I leaue it with thee to haue it againe after three dayes Thirdly no man taketh it from mee for I am not compelled to dye against my will but I willingly yeild it and deliuer it to thy custody My spirit hee saith not my soule which beastes possesse aswell as men but my spirit because the sensual man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perceiueth not those thinges which are of the spirit of God In Christ the spirit 1 Cor. 2. that is the higher part had as it were conuerted the soule into it selfe so as the inferiour man desired nor coueted nothing but according to the rule of reason Pray thou vnto God the Father that hee will receiue thy soule alwayes commended with the spirit of his Sonne Into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that though the spirit of Christ needed not to be commended to the Father yet it was coÌ„mended to him that all faithfull and holy men should knowe that they are coÌ„mended vnto God by this prayer of Christ For God calleth those by the name of Spirit which are indued with his spirit That saieth hee which is borne of the spirit Ioan. 3. is spirit euen as they which are ruled by the spirit of the Deuill are called the spirits of Deuils Doe thou looke into thy selfe what spirit raigneth in thee 1 Tim. 4 whether of Christ or of the Deuils And againe whether thy soule hath changed the spirit into it selfe so as thou seemest little different from a brute beast or whether the spirit of our Lord hath thy soule wholy subiect and obedient vnto it Heb 4. For the worde of God being liuely and powerfull reacheth euen to the diuision of the soule and of the spirit And therefore in the houre of death diligent inquiry shal be made what the spirit hath done and what the soule and they onely shall bee commended vnto God Rom. 8. which haue wrought by the spirit of God Consider 2. if Christ commended vs to God the Father then wee ought to bee carefull to commend our soules vnto him in good workes Therefore let vs prouide First that what the grace of the holy Ghost hath wrought in our soules Pet. 4 may be preserued framed perfited as it were by his diuine hands Secondly that our spirite bee often conuersant in Heauen and adhere not too much to any worldly things For saith St. Augustine if our mindes be there wee shall haue rest heere Ser. 175. de temp Thirdly that God will holde vs in his handes according to that Sap. 3. Ioan. â—0 The soules of the iust are in the handes of God neither can any man take theÌ„ out of his handes Fourthly that our spirits when they goe out of this world may bee deliuered to the handes of God to be crowned and be commended to his keeping till the future resurrection of our bodyes Consider thirdly that the Church of God which is directed and guided by the spirit of Christ is so commended to God the Father by this prayer of her spouse That the gates of Hell cannot preuaile against her Mat. 16. Therefore doe thou neuer seperate thy selfe from her except thou wouldest fall into thy enemies handes but defend the life and safety of thy soule by the spirit faith grace and Sacraments of the same Consider fourthly that there is coÌ„mended vnto thee by his prayer First the guift of the feare of God and next diligent deuotion against the vice of slouth For if Christ the Son of God did with such earnest prayer commend his spirit to his Father it behooueth thee not onely to pray but also to worke thine owne saluation with feare and trembling Phil. 2. Pray then vnto our Lord to take care of thy soule and to bestow rather heauenly guifts vpon thy spirit then earthly benefites vppon thy body The 44. Meditation of the death of Christ Luc. 23. Ioan. 19. And saying this bowing his head gaue vp the ghost COnsider first in what manner the Spouse of thy soule ended his life The standers by vse to obserue the countenaunce gesture and words of those which are to dye mothers also vse to marke the eyes and countenaunce of their children when they goe farre from them and to remember often in their minds the manner of
their departure Doe thou likewise for whose sake the Son of God suffred death come neare vnto the Crosse behold all thinges diligently with the eyes of thy soule and let thy speach bee often times thereof Consider secondly that crying he bowed his sacred head first because hee would call thee both by his voyce and becke to learne the profite of the Crosse and to receaue the merites and benefites of the same Secondly to speake in thy eare to communicate his secretes vnto thee to teach thee his commandements and counsailes Thirdly to signifie his consent to all thy petitions and prayers which depend vpon this his holy passion Fourthly that thou mightest the better viewe his head and marke euery thing diligently his thornes his spittinges his bloud his eyes now shutt to thy sinnes his mouth silent from reuenge his face pale with death Consider thirdly that the Euangelists wrote this death of our Lord in diuers words Iohn saith he deliuered vp his spirite Mathewe he sent foorth his spirit Marke and Luke hee breathed out that thou shouldest knowe that Chriâ—t died not like vnto other men but in a singular and peculiar manner neither did he against his will or by compulsion but of his owne free accord render vp his spirite This word hee deliuered signifieth first that he gaue his spirite into his Fathers hands to be kept three dayes and that from thence all merites all vertues all iustice and grace should bee gathered for man-kinde Secondly that as he had already giuen his body to the executioners so now also hee would deliuer his soule for vs because nothing should be wanting to our felicity and happinesse He had giuen his garments he had giuen his honour he had giuen his body hee had giuen his bloud and now there remained nothing but to giue his soule that according to the prophesie of Isaias Isa 9. the whole Sonne might be giuen 3. That he deliuered vp the full price of our redemption For hitherto something was wanting and he had payed as it were but in part but now he made an absolute and full payment that thou maist knowe that now thou art not thine owne man but Christs who hath bought and redeemed thy members with his thy powers with his thy honours and riches with his thy body with his and thy soule with his If thou doest consider these things rightly thou shalt learne first not to abuse thy selfe thy goods to thy owne pleasures nor to spend them according to the will of the Deuill no nor yet to vse them as thine owne but to referre all to the honour of Christ to whome all thinges belong and appertayne Secondly seeing thou hast gotten Christian liberty and art deliuered out of the power of the Deuill neuer to yeilde to him againe For hee hath no right to thee whome Christ hath so dearely redeemed with his bloud Do thou giue thankes vnto thy Lord and offer vp thy selfe and all that thou hast freely vnto him He breathed foorth Mar. 15. Luc. 23 COnsider first that by this word is signified that Christ breathed foorth his last spirite by which spirite and holy breathing first hee purged the ayre being infected with deuils by vertue wherof the Deuills also are driuen away in exorcismes and exsafflations Therefore as the earth is sanctified by the holy body of our Lord and the element of water and all lyquors by the holy bloud and water yssuing from his side so by the diuine spirite of Christ the ayre is sanctified that it may the more profitably carry and inspire into our sences the word of God and his holy mysteries Secondly hee coÌ„municated vnto this world his inward guifts and graces not onely through the holy wounds of his body but also by his mouth Consider secondly that Christ for many causes would suffer not onely paine and torments but also death First to offer vp himselfe by his death as a sacrifice and Holocaust vnro God Secondly to redeeme eternall death due vnto thee through this his death of infinit value Thirdly to confirme by his death all his Sacraments and the newe Testament Fourthly that by this his death as by the death of the high Priest according to the old figure Num. 15. he might recall thee into thy heauenly countrey Fiftly to let thee knowe that thou oughtest to bee his who dyed for thee and not to submitt thy selfe to the Deuill who suffered neither death nor wound for thy saluation Sixtly that thou shouldest account thy selfe dead to the world with Christ and mortifie thy vices and affections For if saith the Apostle one dyed for all 2 Cor. 5. therefore all are dead Consider thirdly that Christ dyed in his flourishing age being three and thirty yeares old when his sences were freshest his heat greatest and his strength best to indure labour First because he was willing to bestowe all his most flourishing things vpon thee to preserue the heate of his loue in thee and with great forces to prepare many benefites for thee Secondly that thou shouldest not prolong the change of thy life till thy withered and decayed old age but consecrate thy youthfull yeares strength vnto Christ Consider fourthly that our Lord was nayled to the Crosse in the sixt houre and in the nynth houre when the day began to growe to an end hee dyed First because he which in the precedent ages had beene immolated in the figures of the sacrifices did in this fourth age of the world dye truly for vs. Secondly that thou who hitherto perhapps hast spent the rest of thy life vnprofitably and wickedly mayest at the least in the end of thy life flye to the death of our Lord. A great comfort is heere giuen vnto sinners who languishing either with age with sicknes or in minde are not able by exacting grieuous punishment of themselues to satisfie for their sinnes may haue the paines bloud and death of Christ to offer for their offences Giue thankes vnto God and dispise not so great a treasure Ioan. 19 Hee sent forth his spirit COnsider that heere also mention is made of the liberty freedome of Christ to dye For euen as in former times Noe sent the Doue out of the Arke Gen. 8 which after a few dayes returned bringing in her mouth a boughe with greene leaues So Christ sent foorth his spirit to returne againe after three dayes with an army of flourishing Saints Emisit saieth hee hee sent forth and not Amisit he lost that thou shouldest not loose thy spirit amoÌ„gst the wicked Consider secondly how the Deuills expected this spirite being ready to come foorth that by the coÌ„mon law of all it might bee ioyned to other soules in Hell For the Euangelist seemeth to signifie so much when hee said the Deuill went from him for a time as though at this time of his death hee would returne againe But because the Prince of this world had nothing in Christ Luc. 4. hee was
meanes wherehy it may bee acquired imploring the assistance of our Sauiour to accomplish our intēt Christ in his Passion gaue vs a patterne of all vertues but especially of those which the Scriptures doe so often commend vnto vs. Of which the first is Humility whereby being most bitterly scoffed at cloathed in a white and purple garment crowned with a crowne of thornes lesse esteemed then the murtherer Barrabas crucified betwixt two Theeues and suffering many other mockings and contempts he alwaies humbly behaued himselfe The second is Meekenes whereby he euer shewed himselfe milde and gentle to all men endured torments most patiently was silent in all reproches and iniuries neuer vsed any excuses neuer offended any body with his language or froward actions The third is Obedience which then deserueth greatest commendation when hard thinges are commanded by wicked men Christ was not onely obedient to his Father euen vnto death Phil. 2. yea the death of the Crosse but also to wicked Iudges and torturers whome he obeyed simply chearefully and constantly when hee put off his garments put on the purple receiued the Crowne of Thornes caryed his owne Crosse stretched out his hands and feete to be nayled and did many other things that they cōmanded him The fourth is Charity which then onely seemeth to be perfect when as for Gods sake wee loue not onely our friends but also our enemies esteeming them not our enemies but our friendes Which our Lord seemeth to haue performed most aboundantly when speaking of his most perfect loue towards vs hee said No man hath greater charity then this that a man giue his life for his friends For albeit it may seeme greater charity to yeild our life for our enemies yet that charity is indeed most perfect which acknowledgeth no enemies but reputeth those for our friends which are our enemies and doth good no lesse to them then to our friends Now Christ was so tenderly affected towards his enemies that the more iniuries and wrongs he receiued at their hands the more his loue encreased towards them and the greater benefites he bestowed vpon them like vnto fire which the more it is blowed the hotter it burneth Therefore in the whole time of his passion he prayed vnto God his Father for his enemies For this that they should loue me Psal 108 they detracted from me and I prayed in minde but not in voyce But whē he was fastned to the Crosse and the bloud ranne out of the foure fountaines of his hands feete then with a loud voyce he prayed for them that crucified him at the last when he yeilded vp his spirite he moued with exceeding charity the heartes of the standers by to faith and penaunce The first is Mercy which is the daughter of charity By this our Lord gaue vnto vs his garments honour fame estimatiō flourishing age strēgth health life The sixt is Contempt of the world by which he refused all thinges which the world admireth and accounteth good and tooke vpon him those things which the world abhorreth for riches choosing pouerty for honours contempt for pleasures paines for comme dations mockings The seauenth is Perseuerance through which being neither ouercome by his Mothers sorrowes nor moued by the heauines of his friends nor conquered by the derision of his enemies nor wearied with the torments of his body he would not come down from the Crosse which he had ascended for thy saluatiō The fourth is Thanksgiuing Thankesgiuing by which pondering the benefites bestowed vpon vs wee breake foorth into praises not in wordes onely which is the least praise and action of thankes but rather in heart and workes that weighing in our mindes the great benefite bestowed vpon vs we should esteeme much thereof and take heede of all offending our Benefactor and omitt no occasion in all things to requite it There are fiue thinges which doe mooue much vnto this thankefulnesse First the euill which we haue escaped Secondly the good which we haue receiued by the benefite Thirdly the worthinesse of our Benefactor Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed And fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed Therefore that we may be moued to thankefulnesse wee must consider first the euills which we haue escaped through this passion of Christ as sinne the greatest of all euills blindnes of minde hardnes of heart bondage of the deuill fowlenes of the soule the present perill of eternall fire so grieuous as cannot be conceiued so long as it hath no end so certaine as without Christ it cannot bee avoyded Secondly the goods which we haue gayned as grace iustice the adoption to bee the sonnes of God Sacraments Sacrifice vertues the promise of euerlasting life and to be briefe all the goods both of body and minde For there is no good thing in mans life which the passion of Christ hath not either giuen or preserued Thirdly the dignity of the person for euen as we vse to allowe a greater stipend to a Nobleman or Doctor for a smell office then to a plaine country man for a great labour so we ought to be more thankefull to the more worthy person How thankefull then shall we bee to Christ who is of infinite dignity Fourthly the manner of the benefite bestowed to wit gratis and not without great labour God made Heauen and Earth without any trouble by his onely word but thee he redeemed with paynes bloud and his owne life and for all these benefites he requireth nothing of thee but praise and thankefulnes Fiftly the condition of the person vpon whome the benefite is bestowed if base if an enemy if ingrateful What are we then If as the wise man sayeth The whole world before God is as a drop of the morning deawe Eccle. 11. which falleth vpon the earth What in comparison of God shall one silly man be who being compared with the whole world with all the multitude of men is nothing Holy Iob hath expressed our basenesse I said to rottennes thou art my Father Iob. 17. and to the wormes my Mother my Sister Now we are not only base but we were also enemies estranged averted frō God neither seeking nor desiring his grace but rather reiecting it when it was offered When therefore thou shalt consider first that thou art deliuered from the greatest most certain euerlasting miseries secondly that thou art indued with most high and infinite goods thirdly by the most mighty God of infinite maiestie fourthly with so great labours and paines as neuer any mortall creature sustayned thou canst not choose but thinke whether it is fit that so abiect a creature should bee dissolued into praise thankesgiuing The fift is conceiuing Hope Hope By the consideration of three things our hope is much shaken and weakened First of the purity which is required for eternall life Apoc. 21. into which nothing defiled or vncleane shall enter Secondly of the strict
application of them to thy selfe Thy dinner indeed is ready but thou must goe to the table and put the meate in thy mouth thy medicine is made but it is kept in the shop of the Church inclosed in seauen boxes to wit in the seauen Sacraments the price is payed for thee but not yet applyed vnto thee Doe not thou thinke that onely Faith as some Heretiques would haue thee belieue is sufficient for thee thou must goe with thy feete to dinner thou must take thy meate and medicine with thy handes thou must put them into thy mouth and receiue them into thy stomache that is thou must frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exercise of vertues that that which was effected giuen for all mankinde may bee accepted for thee applied to thee and profite thee Pray thou our Lord that hee who spent and consummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer suffer thee to spend and passe away thy dayes idly and in vaine The 4◠Meditation of the seauenth worde of our Lord on the Crosse And crying againe Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. he saide with a loude voyce COnsider first that as often as Christ spake for himselfe vnto his Father hee cryed with a loude voyce but when he spake to others or for others hee vsed a lower voyce to teach thee First that thou must alwayes deale with God with great affection To others thou openest thy griefes with teares but when thou speakest with God thou art so drye that thou hast scarce any feeling of deuotiō Secondly what grieuous paines the Son of God suffered who with the violence thereof was forced to crye out Consider secondly that Christ for diuers causes cryed out in his prayers when hee was ready to dye Ioan. 11. First to shew that he was Lord of life and death hauing power to yeeld vp his soule and to take it againe at his owne will and pleasure Therfore hee called for death as Nazianzen saith which durst not come In Christo patiente except it had been called Secondly to mooue God the Father to mercy For seeing all mankinde being oppressed with grieuous sinnes was farre off from God hee who carryed the person of all men ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce being so farre absent Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares not so much with loudnes of voice as with affection of hart Thirdly that this voice being sent through the whole world might moue mens hearts and that hearing of the death of God for their sinnes they might be penitent for their offences For at this voyce the Earth was shaken the Rockes were cleft in sunder and the Monuments were opened that thy stony heart might also be broken by the force of this worde of God Not without cause did Marke say his voyce being sent forth that thou shouldst vnderstand that being sent into the world it worketh still in the heartes of men Fourthly that Hell should tremble at this voyce and euen as at the crye of our Lord calling Lazarus the soule of Lazarus returned without delay into his body so now euery one there should prepare himselfe to receiue their Lord being ready instantly to come vnto them The holy Fathers therefore in Limbo reioyced at this voyce and the Deuils in Hell trembled Fiftly to teach thee how to meditate on death not remisly or negligently as of a thing little pertaining to thee nor slowly and dully as of a thing a farre off but often and earnestly of a thing most certaine and at hand so much the more feruently because it is the onely gate to saluation Consider thirdly that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor in the houre I say of prayer and of the euening Sacrifice For then the true hoast was sacrificed vpon the Crosse and being cutt into two partes that is into body and soule was immolated to God the Father by the high Priest with a loud voyce and great labour Ioyne thou thy prayers with Christ his prayer that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares Luc. 23. O Father into thy handes I commend my spirit COnsider first that Christ prayed not vnto his Father vppon the Crosse but in the wordes of the Scripture First because hee knewe that these wordes were most acceptable to his Father beeing written by the holy Ghost to teach vs to pray Secondly to teach thee to worship God not according to thy owne fashion vnderstanding but in such manner as the Church indued with the holy Ghost hath appointed thee Consider secondly that Christ vsed this word Father onely twise vpō the Crosse in his first in his last prayer but in his middle that is in his fourth prayer hee called him not Father but God First that thou shouldest like a Son willingly accept that punishment which thy Father sendeth and in thy punishment confesse thy own basenes who art not worthy to bee called the son of God and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator for tribulation and aduersity doe teach good men their owne fraile estate and vnworthines and thereby perswade or rather inforce them to mend their liues that in the end hauing ouercome all aduersities thou shouldest take courage reioyce as a Son For probation worketh hope Rom. 5. which confoundeth not Secondly because the beginnings of Gods word doe most sweetly affect the minde the progresse is hard to sensuality but the fruites which are gathered are most pleasaunt The booke was in the mouth of Iohn sweete as hony Apoc. 10. but being deuoured it made his belly bitter Thirdly because in his first prayer when hee prayed for sinners hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne for none but a sonne could bee heard for so great wickednes In the middle he complained as a man And in this last hauing fulfilled his embassage he desires as a Son to bee called home to his Father Consider thirdly that Christ made this petition to his Father not for feare of iudgment for now his Father had committed all iudgement to him nor for feare of the Deuill whose forces hee had already broken nor for feare of the paines of Hell which now hee came to take from good men and to carry away the spoyles of Hell But first to teach thee neuer to remit or slacke thy inuincible spirit from prayer Secondly that thou shouldest knowe with what confidence he went vnto his Father For hee sayeth not anxiously after the māner of a suppliant I pray thee Father but as it were of mine owne right and authority I commend my spirit Consider fourthly marke euery word of this last prayer which before had bin made by the holy Ghost to this purpose Psal 32. and is now recited by the Son to the Father with addition onely of this word Father Father First I haue remained thy Son in all these so great