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<DATE>2013-09-04</DATE>
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<NAME>Olivia Bottum</NAME>
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<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
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<P>&cross; I H S. MEDITATIONS of the whole Hi&s;torie of the Pa&s;&s;ion of <HI>CHRIST.</HI></P>
<P>Written by the Reuerend Father, <HI>F. Francis Co&s;terus,</HI> Doctor of Diuinity, of the Society of <HI>IESVS.</HI></P>
<P>Tran&s;lated out of Latine into Engli&s;h by <HI>R.W.</HI> E&s;quire.</P>
<Q><BIBL>1. Pet. 4.1.</BIBL>
<P><HI>Chri&s;to igitur pa&s;&s;o in carne, &amp; vos eadem cogitatione armamini.</HI></P>
<P>Chri&s;t therefore hauing &s;uffered in the fle&s;h, bee you al&s;o a<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">med with the &s;ame cogitation.</P></Q>
<P><HI>Printed at</HI> Doway. 1616.</P>
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<DIV1 TYPE="preface">
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<PB REF="3">
<HEAD>The Preface. <HI>To the Sodality of the mo&s;t ble&s;&s;ed Sacrament in</HI> A|quicincts Colledge, <HI>in the Vniuer&s;ity of</HI> Doway. Of the be&s;t manner of Meditati|on of the Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>IT is manife&s;t, that the end, for which Almighty God created Man, was, that beeing indowed not onely with that inferiour part, which is common to him with o|ther Creatures; but al&s;o with the peculiar priuiledge and prehe|minence of a Coele&s;tiall minde;
<PB REF="4"> hee &s;hould onely imploy his exte|riour &s;ences in the mannaging of outward and tran&s;itory thinges, and with his minds &s;urpa&s;&s;ing all humane affaires &s;hould a&s;pire wholy to God, and bee carryed to him, as to his fir&s;t beginning. Wherefore it is wonderfull, and much to bee lamented, that &s;ome being vnmindefull of their con|dition and end, doe with &s;uch earne&s;tnes follow the&s;e temporall Vanityes, as if they wanted this diuine vnder&s;tanding; hauing not their mindes eleuated on high, but fixed on the earth, and creeping like Wormes vpon the ground, &s;o as the very bru<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e Bea&s;tes accu&s;e them of ingrati|tude, which by a certain in&s;tinct of Nature &s;eeme to retaine a memory of the benefite they haue
<PB REF="4"> receiued. Whom lea&s;t you &s;hould &s;eeme (deare brethren) to re|&s;emble, you are accu&s;tomed to|gether with the frequent partici|pation of the holy Sacraments, to giue your &s;elues daily to the pious meditation of Heauenly thinges: That although in your bodyes you bee heere on Earth, yet your minde is tran&s;ported in|to Heauen, where you conuer&s;e with the ble&s;&s;ed Saints, and with Chri&s;t him&s;elfe, labouring to v|nite your minde to him, from whome at fir&s;t it did proceed. This Godly endeauour both of you, and all pious per&s;ons, that I might in &s;ome &s;ort promote and further, I haue gathered toge|ther diuors Meditations of the Pa&s;&s;ion of our ble&s;&s;ed Sauiour, which may mini&s;ter vnto you
<PB REF="5"> occa&s;ion and matter of many de|uoute and profitable contempla|tions. Which Meditations I haue thought good to commend vnto you for diuers rea&s;ons: Fir&s;t, becau&s;e nothing is of &s;uch force to mooue mens mindes, and to inflame them with the fire of the loue of God, as the &s;erious co|gitation of benefites, e&s;pecially &s;uch as are &s;o great, and pro|ceed from &s;o great a Lord and God. Some indeede, who&s;e con|&s;ciences are oppre&s;&s;ed with the burthen of &s;inne, are oftentimes re<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">laimed from their wickednes with the horror of Death, Iudgement, and the paines of Hell: b<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t the vertuous &s;ort, and &s;uch as &s;erue Almighty God ra|ther for loue than feare, are wholy &s;et on fire with the loue of their
<PB REF="5"> Redeemer through the remem|brance and meditation of his Death and Pa&s;&s;ion. Secondly, becau&s;e nothing doth &s;o ea&s;ily pre&s;ent it &s;elfe vnto our vnder|&s;tanding, as the meditation of the paines, torments, &s;orrowes, and tribulations, wherewith in our whole life we are enuironed, and be&s;et on euery &s;ide. As for Heauen, Hell, and the la&s;t Iudg|ment, becau&s;e they are not &s;ub|iect to our &s;ight, and &s;eeme to be a farre off, we doe not &s;ufficiently conceiue or apprehend the &s;ame: but for the afflictions of the body and the angui&s;hes of the minde, we vnder&s;tand oftentimes by ex|perience more then wee would. Thirdly, becau&s;e I know no me|ditation to be more acceptable to our ble&s;&s;ed Sauiour, then that
<PB REF="6"> which wee conceiue of the bitter pa&s;&s;ion, that hee &s;uffered for vs. For as a Conqueror doth reioyce at the remembrance of his bat|taile, &s;o we may well thinke, that Chri&s;t our Lord is delighted, when wee doe often remember his Pa&s;&s;ion; both becau&s;e by &s;o blou|dy a combat hee hath obtained a perpetuall and renowned victo|ry both for him&s;elfe and vs; and al&s;o becau&s;e herein hee &s;eeth our thankefulnes which wee render vnto him for &s;o great a benefite. Fourthly, becau&s;e I perceiued that the meditation of no other thing could bee &s;o nece&s;&s;ary for Man-kinde, as of that, from which alone is deriued vnto vs the remi&s;&s;ion of our &s;innes, our iu|&s;tification, our workes of merite, and our whole &s;aluation. Which
<PB REF="6"> certainly is the principall cau&s;e, why the Catholike Church, ac|cording to the in&s;titution of the Apo&s;tles, hath ordained that the memory of this Pa&s;&s;ion &s;hould by &s;undry wayes be &s;o ofte~ iterated; as, by making the &s;igne of the Cro&s;&s;e with our handes: by Pi|ctures and Images of the P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;i|on, which the Laye people are accu&s;tomed to v&s;e in &s;tead of Bookes; by fa&s;ting on Fridayes and Saterdayes; by the yearely celebritry of the Pa&s;&s;ion in the end of Lent; by Sermons, by Le&s;&s;ons, by &s;ounding of Bells and &s;uch like, yea Chri&s;t him&s;elfe hath in&s;tituted a mo&s;t &s;acred and daily remembrance of his Pa&s;&s;i|on, to wit the holy Sacrifice of the M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">&s;&s;e, wherein his dea<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">h, and &s;hedding of his bloud is mo&s;t
<PB REF="7"> clearly repre&s;ented vnto vs. Fiftly, becau&s;e greater vtility redoundeth vnto vs by the&s;e Meditations, then by the con|templation of any other thing what&s;oeuer. For as all good thinges are purcha&s;ed for vs by the merites of our Sauiours Pa&s;|&s;io~, &s;o in the &s;ame as in a wel fur|ni&s;hed &s;hop all precious wares of vertues and good examples are to bee found.</P>
<P>But that you may more ea&s;ily reape the&s;e fruites, I thinke it requi&s;ite to propo&s;e vnto you cer|taine aduerti&s;ements touching the be&s;t manner of Meditation. For many are deceiued, which thinke it is &s;ufficient to repeat in their mindes the hi&s;tory of the Pa&s;&s;ion, or by con&s;ideration ther|of to feele an inward delight;
<PB REF="7"> whereas notwith&s;tanding, that auaileth little to their &s;aluation, if withall, the affection and wil<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> bee not thereby mooued. For meate neuer &s;atisfieth a man, if hee onely looke vpon it, and doe not put it into his mouth, chewe it with his teeth, and let it downe into his &s;tomacke. The know|ledge indeed of the Hi&s;tory is the ground of Meditation, and the di&s;cour&s;es of the vnder&s;tanding doe affoord the matter, but all the profite con&s;i&s;teth in this, that the will, which beareth the grea|te&s;t &s;way in man, bee moued with many affections: for &s;he onely meriteth, &s;he onely loueth, &s;he onely directeth all our thoughtes, and actions towards God.</P>
<P>Therefore to comprehend all in fewe wordes, tho&s;e which haue
<PB REF="8"> treated be&s;t of this matter of Meditation, haue de&s;igned and &s;et downe vnto vs &s;eauen affect|ions of the minde, which may bee moued with this con&s;ideration of the Pa&s;&s;ion: To wit; Compa&s;|&s;ion, Compunction, Imaginati+on, Thanke&s;giving, Admiration, Hope, and the Loue of God. Which I will explicate vnto you briefly and in fewe wordes, to the end you may vnder&s;tand, after what manner you may bee im|ployed with profite in the&s;e en&s;u|ing Meditations. For by the&s;e &s;eauen wayes, as by &s;eauen teeth, the matter mini&s;tred by the&s;e Meditations may bee chewed, and with the affection ta&s;ted, and d <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ge&s;ted.</P>
<P>The fir&s;t therefore is <HI>Com|pa&s;&s;ion,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Compa&s;|&s;ion.</NOTE> that is, an affection of
<PB REF="8"> the minde, by which we partici|pate of other mens griefes, and afflictions, feeling the &s;ame though not in body yet in minde: by which affection, the griefe of the Patient &s;eemeth to bee diui|ded and communicated with an|other, and is thereby greatly mittigated and a&s;&s;waged; as on the contrary &s;ide it is much aug|mented and increa&s;ed, if either we <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">eride him, or bee not moued with his afflictions. Chr &s;t our Sauiour, to dimini&s;h our &s;or|rowes, would &s;uffer for vs, and condole al&s;o wish vs, as the A|po&s;tle &s;aith: <HI>Wee haue not a High Prie&s;t, that cannot haue compa&s;&s;io~ on our infirmities, but tempted in all thinges by &s;imilitude, except &s;inne.</HI> And truly although we cannot le&s;&s;en
<PB REF="9"> by this our &s;orrowe the mo&s;t grie|uous and exe&s;&s;iue &s;orrowes that our Sauiour &s;uffered for vs; yet this our compa&s;&s;ion is mo&s;t grate|full to him, whereby we make his dolours ours, and apply his &s;uf|frings vnto our &s;elues. Wherefore the Apo&s;tle hath &s;aid very right|ly: <HI>We are coheires of Chri&s;t, yet if we &s;uffer with him, that we may be al&s;o glorified with him.</HI> For hee that will not bee a partaker with Chri&s;t in his &s;ufferings, cannot be a partaker with him in his kingdome. There are two thinges which are mo&s;t availeable to prouoke this com|mi&s;eration. Fir&s;t the condition of the per&s;on, that is to &s;ay, his nobility, his goodne&s;&s;e, his piety towards men, and &s;uch other things, which doe aggrauate the
<PB REF="9"> indignity of his inflicted mi&s;erie. Secondly, the cruelty and imma|nity of his torments. If therefore we de&s;ire to fee<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e in our hearts this co~mi&s;eration, we mu&s;t con&s;i|der in euery article, Fir&s;t, who it is that &s;uffereth: As fir&s;t, that it is God, who with his Ma|ie&s;ty filleth Heauen and Earth; &s;econdly, a mo&s;t honorable man, de&s;cended of the hou&s;e of <HI>Dauid,</HI> and conceiued by the holy Gho&s;t in the wombe of the Virgine; thirdly, one mo&s;t learned in his vnder&s;tanding, and mo&s;t holy in his will, who by no error or &s;inne, did euer offend either God or man; fourthly, mo&s;t graue and &s;ober in his conuer&s;ation, being neuer &s;eene to laugh, but often to weepe, and that for our &s;innes; fiftly, more beautifull in his body
<PB REF="10"> then all the &s;onnes of men, and of a more tender and delicate complexion. Secondly wee mu&s;t &s;et before our eyes the greatnes of his torments, and with what particular payne euery member was afflicted. Con&s;idering fir&s;t, that all the &s;ences of his body, and all the powres of his &s;oule &s;u&s;tay|ned their proper and peculiar tor|tures. Secondly, that his tor|men<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s were mo&s;t grieuous, both by rea&s;on of the mo&s;t tender con|stitution of his body, and al&s;o be|cau&s;e he wanted all interior com|fort to indure the &s;ame. Certain|ly it is the vndoubted opinion of all Diuines, that neuer any cre|ature indured &s;uch paynes and torments as our ble&s;&s;ed Sauiour did. If we &s;ee a wicked man &s;uf|fer &s;uch puni&s;hment, as he hath
<PB REF="10"> mo&s;t iu&s;tly de&s;erued, we cannot but be moued to compa&s;&s;ion and griefe: and if we &s;ee but a Dogge or an A&s;&s;e cruelly whipped or beaten, we are pre&s;ently touched with commi&s;eration. Ought we not then to condole with the Son of God, &s;uffering &s;o vn&s;peakable tortures, and that for our &s;akes?</P>
<P>The &s;econd affectio~ is, <HI>Com|punction,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Compun|ction.</NOTE> or &s;orrowe for our &s;innes, when we are induced to an horror and dete&s;tation of our &s;innes by the remembrance of our Sauiours pa&s;&s;ion: which may ea&s;ily be done, if we ponder what the malice of &s;inne is, and what torments it hath drawne vpon Chri&s;t our Sauiour. As God is infinite, &s;o the malice of &s;inne, which is committed again&s;t God, is al&s;o infinite: and this malice
<PB REF="11"> in the iu&s;tice of God (which ought not to be violated) could not by any &s;atisfaction be taken away, but by that, which was infinite. Wherfore either an infinite paine was to be endured, which no finite creature could endure; or for an infinite time, which the damned in hell endure; or by an infinite per&s;on, which is God him&s;elfe. Hence let vs proceede, and con|&s;ider, what it was that drewe God from Heauen to earth, and induced him to vndergoe his pa&s;&s;ion; which was nothing el&s;e but our &s;innes. For if man had neuer &s;inned, God had neuer been incarnated, n<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uer &s;uffered, neuer dyed. Wherefore, like as for the &s;inner, his &s;innes prepare a place in hell; &amp; for the thiefe, his theft prepareth his puni&s;h|ment:
<PB REF="11"> &s;o for our ble&s;&s;ed Sauiour our grieuous &s;ins haue procured a nece&s;&s;ity of &s;uffering death. The malice therefore of &s;inne is aboue all things to bee dete&s;ted, which cau&s;ed euen our Lord God him&s;elfe to bee crucified. But lea&s;t thou &s;houlde&s;t imagine per|happs, that the grieuou&s;ne&s;&s;e of &s;inne is heereby extenuated, be|cau&s;e Chri&s;t did not &s;uffer for thy &s;innes alone, but for the &s;innes of all the world; be thou a&s;&s;ured of this, that the malice of &s;inne is not thereby dimini&s;hed or impai|red, but the &s;ingular vertue of our Sauiours pa&s;&s;ion is declared, which hath wa&s;hed away the &s;ins not of this or that man, but of all the men in the world. For the me|rite of his pa&s;&s;ion is infinite, and no malice what&s;oeuer is able to
<PB REF="12"> counteruaile it: which thing a|lone doth &s;ufficiently di&s;couer the grieuou&s;nes of &s;inne, becau&s;e without the infinite merite of Chri&s;t it could not be forgiuen. As therefore if one only man &s;ee the Sunne, it will &s;hine no more to him alone, then it would doe to him, and all other men together; and as a man doth no le&s;&s;e kill another when alone he &s;tabbeth him to the heart, then if he &s;hould take ten or twelue others to a&s;&s;i&s;t him in the &s;ame: &s;o euen one mortall &s;inne (for redeeming whereof the death and pa&s;&s;ion of the Sonne of God was nece&s;&s;ary) is no le&s;&s;e the cau&s;e of our Saui|ours death, then all the &s;innes of the world ioyned together. Nei|ther doth the pa&s;&s;ion of our Saui|our bring vs le&s;&s;e profite, being
<PB REF="12"> vndertaken for the vniuer&s;all &s;aluation of the world, then if it had beene vndertaken for mee alone.</P>
<P>The third affection is <HI>Imita|tion,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Imitation.</NOTE> whereby wee de&s;ire to fol|lowe and imitate tho&s;e rare ex|cellencies, which we di&s;couer in Chri&s;t, as the Apo&s;tle teacheth vs: <HI>Chri&s;t &s;uffered for vs,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 2.</NOTE> <HI>lea|uing you an example, that you may followe his &s;teppes.</HI> And againe: <HI>Chri&s;t hauing &s;uffered for vs in the fle&s;h, be you al&s;o armed with y^e &s;ame cogitatio~.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 4</NOTE> There are two thinges princi|pally to bee imitated in our Sa|uiours Pa&s;&s;ion. The one is a de|&s;ire to &s;uffer for vs. The other is, a great heap of vertues, which appeared &s;o plainly in this his Pa&s;&s;ion, that though our Saui|our
<PB REF="13"> &s;pake nothing, yet by his ex|ample from the Pulpit as it were of the Cro&s;&s;e he taught all kinde of vertues; yea and taught them mo&s;t perfectly, both for that hee was de&s;titute of all interior com|fort, which doth ordinarily ac|company our vertuous acts; and al&s;o becau&s;e there wanted not meanes, whereby hee might haue re&s;i&s;ted his Pa&s;&s;ion. Wherefore in euery Meditation wee mu&s;t &s;earch out, Fir&s;t, what vertue is chiefly co~mended vnto vs there|in; Secondly, how our Sauiour exerci&s;ed the &s;ame; And la&s;tly wee mu&s;t &s;tirre vp a de&s;ire, and firme purpo&s;e to obtaine that vertue, deui&s;ing the meanes wherehy it may bee acquired, &amp; imploring the a&s;&s;i&s;tance of our Sauiour to accompli&s;h our inte~t.
<PB REF="13"> Chri&s;t in his Pa&s;&s;ion gaue vs a patterne of all vertues, but e&s;|pecially of tho&s;e which the Scrip|tures doe &s;o often commend vnto vs. Of which the fir&s;t is <HI>Humi|lity,</HI> whereby being mo&s;t bitterly &s;coffed at, cloathed in a white and purple garment, crowned with a crowne of thornes, le&s;&s;e e&s;t|eemed then the murtherer <HI>Bar|rabas,</HI> crucified betwixt two Theeues, and &s;uffering many o|ther mockings and contempts, he alwaies humbly behaued him|&s;elfe. The &s;econd is <HI>Meekenes,</HI> whereby he euer &s;hewed him&s;elfe milde and gentle to all men, en|dured torments mo&s;t patiently, was &s;ilent in all reproches and iniuries; neuer v&s;ed any excu&s;es, neuer offended any body with his language or froward actions.
<PB REF="14"> The third is <HI>Obedience,</HI> which then de&s;erueth greate&s;t commen|dation, when hard thinges are commanded, &amp; by wicked men. Chri&s;t was not onely obedient to his Father euen vnto death,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2.</NOTE> yea the death of the Cro&s;&s;e; but al&s;o to wicked Iudges and torturers, whome he obeyed &s;imply, cheare|fully, and con&s;tantly, when hee put off his garments, put on the purple, receiued the Crowne of Thornes, caryed his owne Cro&s;&s;e, &s;tretched out his hands and feete to be nayled, and did many other things that they co~manded him. The fourth is <HI>Charity,</HI> which then onely &s;eemeth to be perfect, when as for Gods &s;ake wee loue, not onely our friends, but al&s;o our enemies, e&s;teeming them not our enemies, but our friendes.
<PB REF="14"> Which our Lord &s;eemeth to haue performed mo&s;t aboundantly, when &s;peaking of his mo&s;t perfect loue towards vs, hee &s;aid, <HI>No man hath greater charity then this, that a man giue his life for his friends.</HI> For albeit, it may &s;eeme greater charity to yeild our life for our enemies; yet that charity is indeed mo&s;t perfect which acknowledgeth no enemies, but reputeth tho&s;e for our friends, which are our ene|mies, and doth good no le&s;&s;e to them then to our friends. Now Chri&s;t was &s;o tenderly affected towards his enemies, that the more iniuries and wrongs he re|ceiued at their hands, the more his loue encrea&s;ed towards them, and the greater benefites he be|&s;towed vpon them; like vnto fire,
<PB REF="15"> which the more it is blowed, the hotter it burneth. Therefore in the whole time of his pa&s;&s;ion he prayed vnto God his Father for his enemies: <HI>For this that they &s;hould loue me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 108</NOTE> <HI>they detract|ed from me, and I prayed in minde but not in voyce,</HI> But whe~ he was fa&s;tned to the Cro&s;&s;e, and the bloud ranne out of the foure fountaines of his hands &amp; feete, then with a loud voyce he prayed for them that crucified him: &amp; at the la&s;t when he yeil|ded vp his &s;pirite, he moued with exceeding charity the heartes of the &s;tanders by to faith and pe|naunce. The fir&s;t is <HI>Mercy,</HI> which is the daughter of charity. By this our Lord gaue vnto vs his garments, honour, fame, e|&s;timatio~, flouri&s;hing age, &s;tre~gth,
<PB REF="15"> health, &amp; life. The &s;ixt is <HI>Con|tempt of the world,</HI> by which he refu&s;ed all thinges which the world admireth, and accounteth good; and tooke vpon him tho&s;e things which the world abhor|reth; for riches choo&s;ing pouerty, for honours contempt, for plea|&s;ures paines, for comme dations mockings. The &s;eauenth is <HI>Per|&s;euerance,</HI> through which being neither ouercome by his Mo|thers &s;orrowes, nor moued by the heauines of his friends, nor con|quered by the deri&s;ion of his ene|mies, nor wearied with the tor|ments of his body, he would not come down from the Cro&s;&s;e, which he had a&s;cended for thy &s;aluatio~.</P>
<P>The fourth is <HI>Thank&s;giuing,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Thanke&s;|giuing.</NOTE> by which, pondering the benefites be&s;towed vpon vs, wee breake
<PB REF="16"> foorth into prai&s;es, not in wordes onely, which is the lea&s;t prai&s;e, and action of thankes, but rather in heart and workes; that weigh|ing in our mindes the great bene|fite be&s;towed vpon vs, we &s;hould e&s;teeme much thereof, and take heede of all offending our Bene|factor, and omitt no occa&s;ion in all things to requite it. There are fiue thinges, which doe mooue much vnto this thankefulne&s;&s;e. Fir&s;t, the euill, which we haue e&s;|caped. Secondly, the good, which we haue receiued by the benefite. Thirdly, the worthine&s;&s;e of our Benefactor. Fourthly, the man|ner of the benefite be&s;towed. And fiftly, the condition of the per&s;on vpon whome the benefite is be|&s;towed. Therefore that we may be moued to thankefulne&s;&s;e, wee
<PB REF="16"> mu&s;t con&s;ider: fir&s;t, the euills, which we haue e&s;caped through this pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t; as &s;inne the greate&s;t of all euills; blindnes of minde; hardnes of heart; bon|dage of the deuill; fowlenes of the &s;oule; the pre&s;ent perill of eter|nall fire, &s;o grieuous, as can|not be conceiued; &s;o long, as it hath no end; &s;o certaine, as without Chri&s;t it cannot bee a|voyded. Secondly, the goods, which we haue gayned; as grace, iu&s;tice, the adoption to bee the &s;onnes of God, Sacraments, Sa|crifice, vertues, the promi&s;e of euerla&s;ting life, and to be briefe, all the goods both of body and minde. For there is no good thing in mans life, which the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t hath not either giuen or pre&s;erued. Thirdly, the dignity
<PB REF="17"> of the per&s;on: for euen as we v&s;e to allowe a greater &s;tipend to a Nobleman, or Doctor, for a &s;mell office, then to a plaine coun|try man, for a great labour: &s;o we ought to be more thankefull to the more worthy per&s;on. How thankefull then &s;hall we bee to Chri&s;t, who is of infinite dignity? Fourthly, the manner of the be|nefite be&s;towed, 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 the&s;e benefites he re|quireth nothing of thee, but prai&s;e and thankefulnes. Fiftly, the condition of the per&s;on, vpon whome the benefite is be&s;towed; if ba&s;e, if an enemy, if ingrateful.
<PB REF="17"> What are we then? If (as the wi&s;e man &s;ayeth) <HI>The whole world before God is as a drop of the morning deawe,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle. 11.</NOTE> <HI>which falleth vpon the earth:</HI> What in compari&s;on of God &s;hall one &s;illy man be, who being compared with the whole world, &amp; with all the multitude of men is nothing. Holy <HI>Iob</HI> hath expre&s;&s;ed our ba&s;ene&s;&s;e: <HI>I &s;aid to rottennes, thou art my Father;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 17.</NOTE> <HI>and to the wormes, my Mother &amp; my Si&s;ter.</HI> Now, we are not only ba&s;e, but we were al&s;o enemies, e&s;tran|ged, &amp; averted fro~ God, neither &s;eeking, nor de&s;iring his grace, but rather reiecting it, when it was offered. When therefore thou &s;halt con&s;ider, fir&s;t, that thou art deliuered from the greate&s;t, mo&s;t certain, &amp; euerla&s;ting mi&s;eries;
<PB REF="18"> &s;econdly, that thou art indued with mo&s;t high and infinite goods: thirdly, by the mo&s;t mighty God, of infinite maie&s;tie; fourthly, with &s;o great labours and paines, as neuer any mortall creature &s;u&s;tayned: thou can&s;t not choo&s;e but thinke, whether it is fit that &s;o abiect a creature &s;hould bee di&s;&s;olued into prai&s;e &amp; thanke&s;|giuing.</P>
<P>The fift is conceiuing <HI>Hope.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Hope.</NOTE> By the con&s;ideration of three things our hope is much &s;haken and weakened. Fir&s;t of the puri|ty which is required for eternall life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 21.</NOTE> into which nothing defiled or vncleane &s;hall enter. Secondly, of the &s;trict examination of the Iudge, who will demaund an ac|compt of euery idle worde, and will reach euen vnto the diui&s;ion
<PB REF="18"> of the &s;oule and the &s;pirit, and will &s;earch out the cogitations &amp; intentions of the heart. Thirdly, of our ba&s;enes, who both offend the iu&s;tice of God with our dayly &s;innes &amp; liue full of concupi&s;ence &amp; imperfections, &amp; do not enter into the inward cogitations of our hearts.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 4.</NOTE> <HI>And if I be &s;imple</HI> (&s;aith Iob) <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uen this my &s;oule &s;hall not knowe.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 6.</NOTE> To this diffi|dence the Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t giueth help and remedy, and lifteth vp the hart of a &s;inner to confidence and hope. For fir&s;t, as the glory of eternall life requireth great cleannes: &s;o the Pa&s;&s;ion &amp; blood of Chri&s;t wa&s;heth away all our i|niquities; it cau&s;eth our &s;oules to be more bright then the Sunne; it maketh vs the &s;onnes of God, it giueth vs right vnto euerla&s;ting
<PB REF="19"> life, that now we goe not into a &s;trange, but into our owne inhe|ritance. Secondly, the iudgement of Chri&s;t is very &s;trict; but the merits of the Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t can wel beare the &s;euerity therof; becau&s;e the &s;ati&s;faction is grea|ter then the debt; and our &s;innes being in number infinite, his me|rits are in value infinite; and to be briefe, he &s;hall be our Iudge, which was our Aduocat, Medi|ator, and Redeemer, who, that he might giue vs heauen, payd the price thereof for vs, that is to &s;ay, his bloud, which he &s;hed for our &s;innes, being not ignorant of the value and dignity of that which he &s;hed with &s;o great paine and labour. Thirdly our ba&s;enes is very great, being able to doe nothing of our &s;elues; but
<PB REF="19"> his grace being communica|ted vnto vs through the merite of his Pa&s;&s;ion, addeth an admira|ble &s;plendor and brightnes to our &s;oules, remitteth all our &s;innes, giueth vs &s;trength nnd power to worke, and addeth &s;uch dignity to our workes, as to bee able to merit euerla&s;ting life. Therefore our hope will be much confirmed, if we con&s;ider, that all the wealth of Chri&s;t, all his merits, all his fa&s;tings, labours, paines, and, to be briefe, all that euer he did, or &s;uffered, is ours, no le&s;&s;e then the goods of the hu&s;band belong vnto the wife, which &s;he may v&s;e for the payment of her debtes, and her other nece&s;&s;ities.</P>
<P>The &s;ixt is, the <HI>Loue of God.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Loue of God.</NOTE> And fir&s;t the nobility &amp; beauty of the thing beloued &s;tirreth vp
<PB REF="20"> the affection of Loue; euen as we are enflamed with the de&s;ire of vertues and &s;ciences through their beauty and excellency. Se|condly, <HI>Loue,</HI> when we &s;ee our &s;elues fir&s;t beloued. And to in|crea&s;e this Loue, it auayleth much: Fir&s;t if wee &s;ee the loue of our Louer prooued, not onely by word<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s, but al&s;o by great bene|fites. Secondly, if hee procured the&s;e benefites for vs by his owne great labour and di&s;commodity. T<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">irdly, if we often repelled him, and did him iniuries, and yet his loue was not dimini&s;hed thereby. Fourthly, if by all his labours &amp; troubles he de&s;ireth nothing but to bee beloued againe. All the&s;e hath Chri&s;t done for vs in his Pa&s;&s;ion. Fir&s;t hee loued vs in deede and truth, and gaue vs all
<PB REF="20"> good thinges. Secondly, hee to his great di&s;co~modity became poore, that hee might inrich vs; and tooke vpon him &s;elfe all euills, that hee might repleni&s;h vs with all goodnes. Thirdly, being &s;o often repelled by vs, hee abated nothing of his Loue. Fourthly, hee requireth nothing of vs, but our Loue. Loue (&s;aith hee) and it is enough. Moreouer, that thou maye&s;t loue, thou mu&s;t ob|&s;erue the Lawes and conditions of a Louer, which Chri&s;t expre&s;|&s;ed in this his Pa&s;&s;ion. The fir&s;t is, that we alwayes thinke of that which we Loue; and this by the example of Chri&s;t him&s;elfe, who, becau&s;e hee would neuer forget vs, ingraued vs in his owne handes. Secondly, that we &s;peake often of it: for <HI>Out of the a|boundance
<PB REF="21"> of the heart the mouth &s;peaketh:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 12.</NOTE> and this al&s;o by the example of Chri&s;t, who on the very Cro&s;&s;e &s;pake to his Fa|ther of vs, and prayed vnto him for vs. Thirdly, that we feare nothing more, then to offend him whome wee loue, as Chri&s;t hath taught vs, who referred his Pa&s;|&s;ion, and all that hee had to this end, that hee might induce vs to loue him. Fourthly, that we be|&s;tow all our labours and indea|uours to helpe our freind: for Chri&s;t laboured not for him&s;elfe, but for vs. Fiftly, that we &s;hould de&s;ire to bee alwayes with our friend: for <HI>The delight of Chri&s;t is, to bee with y^e &s;onnes of men,</HI> who hath &s;ought vs, in Sea and Land, in the Ayer, &amp; in Hell; that hauing found vs hee
<PB REF="21"> might ioyne vs with him in euer|la&s;ting bli&s;&s;e, and communicate his Diuinity vnto vs.</P>
<P>The &s;eauenth and la&s;t ma~ner of meditating vpon the Pa&s;&s;ion proceedeth from Admiration.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Admirati|on.</NOTE> This Admiration is commonly prouoked by &s;ome newe, &s;trange, and incredible accident. Now, there are fower thinges, which &s;hew the Pa&s;&s;ion of our Sauiour Chri&s;t to bee exceeding admira|ble. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e hee &s;uffered, who&s;e Maie&s;ty cannot &s;uffer, who is the glory and ioy of Saintes, who&s;e dignity is infinite, who&s;e life is eternall, &amp; who&s;e Power is incomprehen&s;ible. Secondly, becau&s;e hee &s;uffered for them, by whom he was puni&s;hed, ba&s;e men enemyes, and vngratefull per&s;ons. Thirdly, becau&s;e hee &s;uffered &s;o
<PB REF="22"> many torme~ts, as neuer any mor|tall man indured, a&s;well if you con&s;ider the torments them&s;elues as al&s;o his ignominyes, his irri&s;i|ons, his pouerty, and other mi&s;e|ryes of his life. Fourthly, becau&s;e when hee redeemed Man-kinde by his Pa&s;&s;ion, he v&s;ed admirable meanes for the fulfilling thereof. For fir&s;t, with the great weake|nes of his body hee ioyned great power, wherewith hee beat downe and ouerthrewe the Deuill the Prince of this world. Secondly, hee ioyned perfect Iu&s;tice with perfect Mercy: for taking com|pa&s;&s;ion vpon man, hee &s;uffered the rigour of Gods Iu&s;tice vpon him&s;elfe. Thirdly, his excellent Wi&s;dome &s;hined foorth in that, which to men &s;eemed exceeding folly: <HI>For the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t
<PB REF="22"> to the</HI> Iewes <HI>is a &s;candall,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2.</NOTE> <HI>and to the</HI> Gentiles <HI>folly.</HI> Great wi&s;dome al&s;o it was; Fir&s;t, to o|uercome his mo&s;t &s;ubtill enemy by Art and &s;uffering, and to ca&s;t him downe with the &s;ame wea|pons, by which he had ouercome. Secondly, to deliuer vs by &s;uch a kinde of puni&s;hment, in which he might lay vp for vs a medicine for all di&s;ea&s;es, and &s;et before our eyes an example of all vertues, and kindle the flames of Loue in vs. For nothing doth &s;o much in|cite vs, either to the imitation of Chri&s;t, or to the loue of God, as this bitter Pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord. And thus much &s;hall &s;uffice to haue &s;poken of affections.</P>
<P>Now that wee may v&s;e the&s;e Meditations with fruit &amp; profit for the &s;aluation of our &s;oules,
<PB REF="23"> the&s;e few thinges ought to bee ob|&s;erued. Fir&s;t, that wee come not vnprepared to meditate, but (as the wi&s;e man adui&s;eth vs) <HI>Let vs prepare our &s;oule before prayer.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccl. 18.</NOTE> Which preparation con|&s;i&s;teth in this, that laying away all will to &s;inne, wee commit our &s;elues wholy into the handes of God, and put out of our minde all externall cares and cogitations, and pray vnto Chri&s;t very ear|ne&s;tly for his grace, that we may obtaine whol&s;ome fruite by this meditation. Secondly, that fir&s;t of all wee read the Euangelicall text of that Meditation; &amp; then th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> meditation it &s;elfe either in whole or in part. Thirdly, that we lay a&s;ide the booke, and repeat in our memory, what wee haue read; and con&s;ider what affecti|ons
<PB REF="23"> may bee &s;tirred vp thereby, and labouring to excite, and moue them in our &s;elues. Fourth|ly, that we breake forth into &s;ome &s;peach and prayer vnto God, through that affection, which is now &s;tirred vp in vs; and that we either prai&s;e, or admire God, or pray for the forgiuenes of our &s;ins, or for &s;ome other benefite: or (to bee briefe) that we &s;peake tho&s;e thinges, which our minde &s;o mo|ued &s;hall dictate vnto vs. It will profit vs al&s;o to begin fir&s;t at the beginning of the&s;e Meditations; both becau&s;e we &s;hall better vn|der&s;tand the Hi&s;tory of the Pa&s;&s;i|on; and al&s;o that by little and little we may proceed from the le&s;&s;er to the greater.</P>
<P>Al&s;o to the end that the&s;e Me|ditations may bee more gratefull
<PB REF="24"> and profitable, I haue incerted nothing, which is not &s;ound and approued, becau&s;e the vncertain|ty &s;hall not dimini&s;h the authori|ty, nor be a hindrance to deuotio~. For nothing is affirmed in this Hi&s;tory, but what the Scriptures &s;ay, or the Fathers confirme, or traditio~ vndoubtedly deliuereth. The documents the~&s;elues, which are ioyned to the&s;e meditations, are for the mo&s;t part taken out of the auncient Fathers, or out of the later Writers, which haue written be&s;t of the ma~ner of me|ditating vpon the Pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord. I haue drawen out &s;ome Meditations of purpo&s;e &s;omwhat long, e&s;pecially &s;uch, as are either of great force to mooue our affe|ctions, or may bee v&s;ed &s;euerally for Sermons; as namely, tho&s;e of
<PB REF="24"> the &s;eauen words, which our Lord &s;pake vpon the Cro&s;&s;e. For I was de&s;irous in this Booke, not onely to &s;et foorth the manner of con|templation, but al&s;o to helpe the Preachers them&s;elues, that they may teach the people profitably, and &s;tirre vp their mindes with diuers Meditations.</P>
<P>And I haue thought good to dedicate this my labour to you, my be&s;t beloued brethren &amp; fel|lowes, as to tho&s;e, who&s;e peculiar in&s;titute is to honour and receiue the ble&s;&s;ed body of Chri&s;t our Lord in the mo&s;t holy Euchari&s;t, and to defend the honour thereof again&s;t the bla&s;phemyes of wick|ed Heritikes: that comming to Chri&s;t his mo&s;t Holy table, you may (according to the Co~man|dement of our Lord) repeate in
<PB REF="25"> your memory his Pa&s;&s;ion, Death and Buriall; and make your bo|dyes &s;itt Sepulchers for the body of our Lord; &amp; with your mindes render vnto him prai&s;e, and thanke&s;giuings: and to be &s;hort, being inflamed with the loue of him, who gaue him&s;elfe wholy for you, you may likewi&s;e imploy your &s;elues wholy in his &s;eruice, and the helpe of your neighbours. To conclude, I pray you that in re|compence of this my Labour, yee will vouch&s;afe to offer vp your prayers to our Ble&s;&s;ed Sauiour for mee, that by his grace I may bee partaker of tho&s;e benefites, which by his Death and Pa&s;&s;ion hee hath purcha&s;ed for vs.</P>
<P>Farwell.</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED><HI>Your Seruant in Chri&s;t.</HI> Francis Co&s;terus.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="1" REF="25" MS="y">
<HEAD>&cross; IHS. Of the Pa&s;sion of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The fir&s;t Meditation of his going out of the hou&s;e from &s;upper.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>The Hymne being &s;aid Ie&s;us went foorth beyond the torrent <HI>Cedron</HI> according to his cust|ome,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. Ioan. 18.</NOTE> and his di&s;ciples followed him.</HEAD>
<P>CHRIST beganne his pa&s;&s;ion fir&s;t from pray|er: Secondly from his going out of the place of &s;upper, both becau&s;e hee would not be apprehended as an eater &amp; drinker, but as one
<PB N="2" REF="26"> praying vnto God, and the patrone of man-kinde, and al|&s;o becau&s;e his Ho&s;t with whom he &s;upped &s;hould &s;u&s;t|aine no dammage by his pas|&s;ion, which ought to profite all men and to hurt none. Thirdly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Reg. 15.</NOTE> he went beyond the torrent <HI>Cedron,</HI> by which way in old time <HI>Dauid</HI> fled from his &s;onne <HI>Ab&s;olon:</HI> A torrent in the holy Scriptures &s;ignifi|eth the inco~modious things of this life, as in this place, <HI>My &s;oule hath pa&s;&s;ed the tor|rent:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 125</NOTE> all which calamities be|ing very great, our Sauiour o|uercame with exceeding con|&s;tancy of minde. Fourthly, he went into the Mount <HI>Oliuet:</HI> Mount &s;ignifieth excellency, and Oliue Charity. Heere do
<PB N="3" REF="26"> thou con&s;ider that Chri&s;t be|ganne his pa&s;&s;ion with great, earne&s;t, and feruent prayer, with much co~&s;tancy of mind, and exceeding charitie, in which vertues he was well ex|erci&s;ed, as appeareth by the&s;e wordes <HI>(according to his cu&s;t|ome.)</HI> He inuiteth thee like|wi&s;e to the &s;ame vertues when he caried his Apo&s;tles with him: For except thou bee&s;t diligent in prayer, ex|cept thou auoyde&s;t the perils of euil occa&s;ions, except thou make&s;t a re&s;olute purpo&s;e, ex|cept thou bee&s;t enflamed with the loue of God, and, to bee briefe, except thou doe&s;t dili|gently v&s;e vertues, thou &s;halt neuer ouercome thy tempta|tions. Follow then our Lord
<PB N="4" REF="27"> with his Apo&s;tles, and pray him that he neuer leaue nor for&s;ake thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then he &s;aid to his Di&s;ciples all yee &s;hall &s;uffer &s;candall in me in this night.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> For it is written, I will &s;trike the Shepheard and the Sheepe of the flocke &s;halbe &s;cattered:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE> but after I &s;hall ri&s;e againe I will goe before you into <HI>Galilee.</HI></HEAD>
<P>CHri&s;t in his pa&s;&s;ion tooke the beginning of his griefes from his Di&s;ciples, who &s;eeking to &s;aue them|&s;elues by flight, did all either wauer in faith, or openly de|ny our Lord: Con&s;ider euery word, <HI>(All)</HI> Fir&s;t not one &s;hall &s;tand for me, <HI>(yee)</HI> Se|condly, whome I haue be|&s;towed &s;o many benefites vp|on,
<PB N="5" REF="27"> &amp; loued &s;o dearely <HI>(&s;hall &s;uffer &s;candall)</HI> that is, &s;hall &s;inne being e&s;tranged from me, and none of you in this time of my pa&s;&s;ion &s;hall bee free from &s;inne: yee &s;hall &s;uf|fer &s;candal, but I will not giue it <HI>(in me)</HI> of who&s;e wordes and deedes after the &s;ight of &s;o many miracles ye can iu&s;t|ly take no manner of offence: <HI>(in this night)</HI> that is, by and by, or in the night of igno|rance. Now call thy wits vn|to thee, and marke whether the&s;e &s;ame things may not happen vnto thee, I &s;ay, vnto thee, on whome God hath be&s;tow'd &s;o many good things at who&s;e coun&s;ailes &amp; deedes neuerthele&s;&s;e thou take&s;t of|fence, for that trouble of thy
<PB N="6" REF="28"> vicious minde in aduer&s;ity is referred vnto Chri&s;t our lord, who either &s;endeth them, or at the lea&s;t permitteth them. But &s;uch kinde of &s;candall ri|&s;eth alwaies in the night, that is, from thy blindne&s;&s;e; for if thou woulde&s;t all at once looke vpon the benefites re|ceaued at Gods hands, &amp; the rewards prepared for thee, and the euills which thou ha&s;t committed, thou woulde&s;t re&s;olue in thy minde neuer to be moued with any aduer&s;ity. Con&s;ider heere the cau&s;e of thy offence and &s;candall, I &s;ay, thine owne euil and troubled will, and pray vnto God; that he will lighten thy darkne&s;&s;e, becau&s;e thou ha&s;t neuer any iu&s;t cau&s;e of anger &amp; di&s;con|tent:
<PB N="7" REF="28"> Chri&s;t promi&s;eth that he will goe before them into <HI>Galilee,</HI> in which promi&s;e hee declareth his owne goodnes, who neuer foretelleth any afflictions, without hope of con&s;olation. Admire heere the benignity of Chri&s;t, and pray him that he neuer &s;uffer thee to be tempted aboue thy power, but that he will en|crea&s;e his grace in thy temp|tation, that thou mai&s;t be able to &s;u&s;taine it.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Peter</HI> an&s;wearing &s;aid vnto him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> although all &s;hall be &s;candalized in thee I will neuer be &s;candalized: Ie&s;us &s;aid vnto him Amen, I &s;ay vnto thee, O <HI>Peter,</HI> that in this night before the Cocke &s;hall twi&s;e giue foorth his voyce, thou &s;halt deny me
<PB N="8" REF="29"> thri&s;e: <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aid vnto him, although it behoued me to dye with thee I will not deny thee: and al the di&s;ciples &s;aid the like.</HEAD>
<P>THe Apo&s;tles after the Co~munion of the body of our Lord had made a firme re&s;olution to liue well, and were feruent, and followed Chri&s;t, as thou often times, e&s;|pecially after the receauing of the holy Euchari&s;t do&s;t &s;e|riou&s;ly re&s;olue to amend thy life, but in time of con&s;o|lation thou mu&s;t al&s;o thinke of the time of de&s;olation, and of the expectation of contra|ry things, lea&s;t thou &s;hould&s;t de&s;i&s;t from prayer through vain confidence; re&s;olue ther|fore to doe well, but before God, &amp; praying for his helpe,
<PB N="9" REF="29"> be vigilant and ob&s;erue all thine owne actions; be not ra&s;h nor negligent, for if the prince of the Apo&s;tles did &s;lip being the foundation &amp; rock of the Church, who &s;pake confidently out of his loue and charity, how can he &s;tand that through pride and ambi|tion, or for &s;ome other cau&s;e hath too much confidence in him &s;elfe, &amp; that doth &s;eldom re&s;olue to amend his life, nor &s;et God before his eyes? Contemplate heere al&s;o that the &s;orrow of Chri&s;t was not &s;mall, to leaue his Di&s;ciples whome he loued &s;o dearely, troubled &amp; &s;orrowfull for his departure. This place is very fitte to meditate vpon tho&s;e things which a man feeleth in
<PB N="10" REF="30"> time of con&s;olation, as quiet|nes of minde, ioy, illu&s;tration of the vnder&s;tanding &amp;c. And contrarywi&s;e on &s;uch things as he feeleth in time of de&s;o|lation, as perturbatio~, &s;owre|ne&s;&s;e, and darkne&s;&s;e of vnder|&s;tanding, to the end that he may in time of pro&s;perity pro|po&s;e vnto him &s;elfe &s;uch good things, as in aduer&s;ity he &s;hall not change. Pray vnto Chri&s;t that hee neuer for&s;ake thee in time of aduer&s;ity.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="11" REF="30">
<HEAD>The &s;econd Meditation of his entrie into the Garden.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then came Ie&s;us with them into a village which is called <HI>Geth&s;emani,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Ioan. 18.</NOTE> where was a gar|den, into which he entered and his di&s;ciples.</HEAD>
<P>BEhold the place where Chri&s;t began his pa&s;&s;ion: Fir&s;t neare vnto a village or farme: Secondly, in <HI>Geth&s;e|mani,</HI> which &s;ignifieth a fatte valley: Thirdly in the Garden: For through &s;inne we got an vnclean village, that is, world|ly and frayle things, which by their own in&s;tinct and nature &s;lide down to the earth again, and Chri&s;t would begin our rede~ptio~ from thence, whence we were fallen through &s;inne.
<PB N="12" REF="31"> <HI>Geth&s;emani</HI> or the fatte valley as it doth rightly &s;ignifie the valley of mercy, &s;o it doth plainly declare that the pa&s;&s;io~ of Chri&s;t had neede of great mercy and clemency, which changed this world being full of mi&s;eries, into a place flowing with mercy. Con&s;i|der then that this world is like vnto a durty valley, in which is much durt and filth, with which men being polluted do for&s;ake God, but to &s;uch men as follow Chri&s;t, this fame world is like a &s;hop of the mercies of God, &amp; of our me|rites, in which &s;o long as we liue mercie is offered aboun|dantly, and &s;uch rewards got|ten by good workes as neuer &s;hall haue end: But it was a
<PB N="13" REF="31"> garden, wherin Chri&s;t prayed; for <HI>Adam</HI> &s;inned in a garden, &amp; in a garden wee haue all of|fended: For what is the world but a little garden, plea&s;ant to behold, wherin diuers herbes and faire flowers doe delight the eyes, but not the minde: All things which the world admireth are buds &amp; flowers, which, as they take their be|ginning from the earth, &s;o in a &s;hort time they wither a|way: to be briefe, Chri&s;t cari|ed his Di&s;ciples foorth to the place of his pa&s;&s;ion, being the la&s;t place to which he lead his Apo&s;tles, that thou mai&s;t knowe thereby that Chri&s;t doth earne&s;tly require of thee that with great diligence and &s;tudy thou &s;hould&s;t meditate
<PB N="14" REF="32"> and imitate his pa&s;&s;ion. Pray vnto thy Lord that thou mai&s;t de&s;pi&s;e this world, which was all the cau&s;e of the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE>Then he &s;aid vnto his Di&s;ci|ples, &s;it heere, whil&s;t I goe yon|der and pray, pray yee lea&s;t yee enter into temptation.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider, that if thou wilt not enter into temptati|on, that is, if thou wilt not be ouercome and &s;wallowed vp by temptation, thou mu&s;t &s;it downe and pray; but wee &s;it when we enioy quietne&s;&s;e of minde, and that inward peace which true humility bringeth, (for he which &s;itteth hum|bleth his body that he may re&s;t in quiet) we mu&s;t pray, becau&s;e by prayer victory is
<PB N="15" REF="32"> obtained again&s;t the Deuill, and we mu&s;t pray as long as Chri&s;t prayerh for vs. Heere againe con&s;ider thine owne &s;louth and &s;luggi&s;hnes, which art not touched in con&s;cience when as Chri&s;t is carefull for thee how thou mai&s;t be &s;aued, and &s;itting at the right hand of his Father prayeth &s;till for thee: To enter into tempta|tion is, to be occupied and drowned in wickedne&s;&s;e both inwardly &amp; outwardly; for he which is ouercome by te~ptati|on hath neither inward peace, nor ca~ enioy any true outward comfort, where euery thing oppre&s;&s;eth the minde, but no|thing can &s;atisfie it; whereup|on al&s;o it followeth, that he which in this world entereth
<PB N="16" REF="33"> into temptation, &s;hall in the next enter into Hell, euen as hee which in this world is in Gods fauour &s;hall afterwards enter into the ioy of God.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And he tooke <HI>Peter,</HI> &amp; <HI>Iames,</HI> and <HI>Iohn</HI> with him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider with what great griefe our &s;orrowful lord left his other &s;orrowfull Di&s;|ciples, he tooke the&s;e three for his companions with him, that he might open his heaui|ne&s;&s;e vnto them, who onely among&s;t all his di&s;ciples &s;awe his glory in the Mount <HI>Tha|bor,</HI> and who were pre&s;ent at the wonderfull myracle of the daughter of <HI>Iayrus</HI> the Arch-&s;ynagogue being ray&s;ed vnto life,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 17. Mar. 9.</NOTE> for by how much a man is more perfect, and neerer
<PB N="17" REF="33"> ioyned vnto God, &s;o much the more he feeleth the force of the pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord in him&s;elfe, as Saint <HI>Paul</HI> confe&s;|&s;eth of him&s;elfe: Con&s;ider therfore what manner of men the&s;e were whome Chri&s;t cho&s;e for his companions, <HI>Peter</HI> the Pa&s;tor of the Church, <HI>Iohn</HI> a Virgine, who afterwards &s;hould be the kee|per or the Virgin his Mother, and <HI>Iames</HI> the fir&s;t Martyr of the Apo&s;tles: That heereby thou mai&s;t vnder&s;tand that nothing doth &s;o much lighten our cares, ea&s;e the labours of any office, encourage vs to cha&s;tity and to other vertues, to be briefe, nothing helpeth man &s;o much in al his labours vndertaken for Chri&s;ts &s;ake as
<PB N="18" REF="34"> the memory of the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t: he tooke vnto him al|&s;o his two Co&s;ins, that thou mai&s;t &s;ee, to what dignities our Sauiour exalteth his be&s;t friends, to wit, to &s;uffer innu|merable calamities in this life that hereafter they may haue the greater rewards in the life, to come. Doe thou de&s;ire ra|ther to be afflicted in this world for thy &s;innes, then af|ter thy death to be &s;eparated from Chri&s;t with euerla&s;ting puni&s;hment.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The third Meditation of the great perplexitie of Chri&s;t in the Garden.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE>And he began to feare, to waxe weary, to be &s;orrowfull, and to be &s;ad.</HEAD>
<PB N="19" REF="34">
<P>BEcau&s;e that &s;innes are fir&s;t committed in heart before they be done in worke, Chri&s;t would &s;uffer the &s;orrowes of heart before the paines of body, that thou mai&s;t know that he was grie|uou&s;ly afflicted not onely in body, but al&s;o in minde, and there are foure principall kindes of &s;orrowes a&s;&s;igned by the Euangeli&s;ts, which Chri&s;t admitted of his owne will in the Garden, and retay|ned them euen till his death: The fir&s;t was a certaine terror and feare of the mo&s;t grie|uous paines now at hand, and al&s;o of a mo&s;t terrible death, which nature alwaies abhor|reth beyond mea&s;ure, &amp; al&s;o of the &s;innes of all man-kinde
<PB N="20" REF="35"> which he tooke vpon him in the Garden, and cloathed him&s;elfe therewith as with a garment weaued of all kinde of filthine&s;&s;e, with which in the per&s;on of all &s;inners he mu&s;t &s;uffer the &s;euerity of God. The &s;econd griefe was loath&s;omne&s;&s;e, being weary of all things in this life, &s;eing him&s;elfe for&s;aken not onely of all men, but al&s;o of his hea|uenly Father. The third was &s;orrowfulne&s;&s;e fir&s;t, for the grieuous &s;ins which the <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;hould commit in his death, and al&s;o for the &s;mall number of them which &s;hould be per|takers of this his &s;o great af|fliction, and likewi&s;e for the vnfaithfulne&s;&s;e of thee and of other Chri&s;tians, who by their
<PB N="21" REF="35"> bla&s;phemous words and grie|uous &s;innes &s;hould &s;hed and defile the mo&s;t precious bloud which he was now ready to offer for them. The fourth was &s;adne&s;&s;e, that is, a grie|uous trouble or anxiety of minde, when he &s;awe there was no meanes for him to e&s;|cape: For of the one &s;ide the commaundement of his Fa|ther, and the great loue of man-kinde encouraged and pricked him forward; and on the other &s;ide nature feared and repugned. The&s;e foure affections Chri&s;t tooke vpon him, that he might prepare a medicine for &s;inners who are troubled with the like pa&s;&s;i|ons: For they which are not content with any e&s;tate liue
<PB N="22" REF="36"> in continuall wearine&s;&s;e and loath&s;omne&s;&s;e; &amp; they which are alwaies pricked in con&s;ci|ence liue in perpetual &s;orrow; and they which are troubled with the reme~brance of death liue in continuall feare; and they pa&s;&s;e their life in &s;adne&s;&s;e and doubtfulnes which know that their &s;innes &s;hall be exa|mined by the &s;trict iudgment of Chri&s;t, which happenneth chiefely at the houre of death, when Chri&s;t our Iudge &s;tand|eth at our doores. Doe thou pray vnto our Lord that tho&s;e his afflictions may bring vnto thee fortitude, ioy, alacrity, and &s;ecurity.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE>And he &s;aid vnto them, my &s;oule is &s;orrowfull euen vnto death.</HEAD>
<PB N="23" REF="36">
<P>LEt vs weigh euery word wi&s;ely: for he doth not &s;ay, my &s;oule is fearefull, or I am weary of life, or my &s;oule is doubtfull, lea&s;t; he &s;hould &s;eeme to goe to his pa&s;&s;ion ra|ther again&s;t his will, then wil|lingly: but he &s;aith <HI>(it is &s;orrow|full)</HI> not onely for the &s;undry cau&s;es of &s;orrowe, but that therby he might &s;hew that he was very man that &s;uffered. <HI>(my &s;oule)</HI> he doth not &s;ay I am &s;orrowfull, becau&s;e his wil reioyced and was de&s;irous to dye, but, my &s;oule, that is my nature, which neuer moued his will. Againe, <HI>(my &s;oule)</HI> that is, griefe hath inwardly entered into my &s;oule; lea&s;t perhappes you might thinke through the continuall con|templation
<PB N="24" REF="37"> of his diuine na|ture, that he felt no griefe in his &s;oule. <HI>(Euen vnto death)</HI> that is, either becau&s;e that &s;orrowe continued vntill his death, and no longer, or el&s;e becau&s;e it was &s;o vehement that mans nature could en|dure no more without perill of death. Pray vnto our Lord that this his &s;orrowe may bring life vnto thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE>Stay yee heere and watch with me, and he was drawne away from them, and he went as farre as the ca&s;t of a &s;tone.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t what euery one mu&s;t doe in his trou|bles, to wit, he mu&s;t &s;tay, that is, expect patiently, and hee mu&s;t watch, that is, he mu&s;t be carefull that no euill happen
<PB N="25" REF="37"> vnto him; for to an vnquiet &amp; troubled man many vicious and euil things are &s;ugge&s;ted. Con&s;ider &s;econdly how vn|willingly Chri&s;t left his di&s;ci|ples. For this worde <HI>(drawne away)</HI> di&s;cribeth a violent pul|ling, and going, hee went not farre, but <HI>(as farre as the ca&s;t of a &s;tone)</HI> like as mothers are wont to goe a little way from their young children, when they teach them to goe, &s;o as they may catch them againe, when they are ready to fall. All the&s;e thinges declare the loue of Chri&s;t, &amp; his greeuous inward &s;orrowes, by which hee was moued to pray vnto his Father, that he might haue &s;ome comfort from him. Bee thou moued with the &s;or|rowes
<PB N="26" REF="38"> of Chri&s;t thy Lord, who was for&s;aken of all men, &amp; becau&s;e he loueth nothing better then to bee with thee, apply all thy endeauours, that he may alwaies remaine with thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The fourth Meditation of the fir&s;t prayer of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And kneeling downe hee fell on his face vpon the ground, and prayed,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE> if it might bee, that, that houre might pa&s;&s;e from him: Saying, O my Father, if it may bee, let this cup pa&s;&s;e from me: but yet not as I will, but as thou wilt.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the cere|mony which Chri&s;t v|&s;ed in this praier: For he kneeled downe on the
<PB N="27" REF="38"> ground, as one guilty of death for thy &s;innes; hee fell down vpon the earth, pro&s;trating him&s;elfe to be &s;acrificed for thy &s;aluation, &amp; repre&s;enting (who&s;e per&s;on hee had now taken vpon him) the mo&s;t ab|iect e&s;tate of &s;inners, who as they are vnworthy to looke vp to Heauen, &s;o lying vpon the earth with the weight of their &s;innes, they are worthy to bee troden &amp; trampled vp|on by all men. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly his wonderfull affe|ction in this prayer, and the force of euery worde, <HI>(My Father)</HI> that is, I am thy Son, that mu&s;t &s;uffer mo&s;t bitter paines for mo&s;t vilde men: O father, wilt thou not &s;pare me thy only begotten Sonne? <HI>(If
<PB N="28" REF="39"> it may bee)</HI> hee vnder&s;tandeth that &s;auing Gods iu&s;tice, there was no other meanes left for the redeeming of man-kinde, but onely by the death of the &s;onne of God. Con&s;ider heer in thy minde the loue of God, who &s;pared not his own Son, that he might &s;pare thee. <HI>(Let pa&s;&s;e from me)</HI> This prayer was to e&s;cape &s;o cruell a kinde of death. Yet in the&s;e wordes there lyeth hidden &s;ome &s;e|cret meaning, as if hee &s;hould &s;ay, I would not that this affli|ction &s;hould remaine in mee, but that the fruit thereof may pa&s;&s;e vnto all Chri&s;tians: I will drinke, and they &s;hall bee &s;atisfied: <HI>(This cup)</HI> he calleth his pa&s;&s;io~ a cup, as that which containeth the cau&s;e of all our
<PB N="29" REF="39"> ioy. And eeuen as tho&s;e tor|ments made Chri&s;t as it were dru~ken with y^e greatnes of his loue, &s;o all iu&s;t men are made drunk with y^e heat of the loue of God throgh the mediatio~ &amp; merite of y^e pa&s;&s;io~ of Chri&s;t. In this place wee may call to minde the quallities of excel|lent wine, when men drinke plentifully therof: for by wine the inward partes of man are warmed, it maketh men mer|ry, it cau&s;eth &s;leep, it lifteth vp the heart, it maketh men elo|que~t, &amp; it is dru~ken with ea&s;e and plea&s;ure: Apply all the&s;e things to y^e pa&s;&s;io~ of our Lord, which Chri&s;t bega~ with great charity, &s;u&s;tained with cheer|fulnes, &amp; as one be&s;ides him|&s;elfe became fooli&s;hnes to
<PB N="30" REF="40"> the Gentiles, &amp; &s;candall to the Iewes, and &s;o his charity was not onely dimini&s;hed by his paines (as in men it often hap|neth,) but rather inflamed, e|uen as &s;tones by rubbing wax hotte: And to be briefe, our Lord was laid a&s;leep in death. If thou, when thou &s;uffere&s;t a|ny thing for Chri&s;ts &s;ake, do&s;t feele the like affections in thy &s;elfe: be thou a&s;&s;ured that the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t &s;hall bring much profit vnto thee. Con|&s;ider thirdly the for&s;aking his owne will in &s;o hard a ca&s;e, and offer thy&s;elfe ready for all thinges, and de&s;ire of God to graunt thee a will indifferent in all occa&s;ions.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE>And when he was ri&s;en, from his prayers, hee came to his di&s;|ciples,
<PB N="31" REF="40"> and found them &s;leeping, and hee &s;aid to <HI>Peter, Simon,</HI> &s;leepe&s;t thou? coulde&s;t thou not watch one houre with mee?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t: Chri&s;t was troubled, &amp; his di&s;ciples &s;lept, the Church &s;uffereth, and wee grieue not thereat. Thou al&s;o how &s;lack art thou often|times in the &s;eruice of God, &amp; how earne&s;t in thy priuate bu|&s;ines. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that after a &s;hort prayer, our Lord ro&s;e pre&s;ently vp, as if for griefe of minde hee could not &s;tay long in one place, de&s;i|rous to haue &s;ome comfort, &s;ometimes of his Father, and &s;ometimes from his di&s;ciples. Euery word &s;poken vnto <HI>Pe|ter</HI> hath force: <HI>(Simon)</HI> hee &s;aith not, <HI>Peter,</HI> which newe
<PB N="32" REF="41"> name &s;ignifieth con&s;tancy, but <HI>Simon,</HI> his auntient name: So in euery Chri&s;tian may bee found a new name of the &s;ons of God, with which being indued they &s;inne not; and a name of nature, by which they are accounted frayle men, and &s;ubiect to many vi|ces. <HI>(Doe&s;t thou &s;leepe?) Pe|ter</HI> is reprehended, not for a|ny great fault, but becau&s;e he &s;lept: and belieue thou, that God valueth much the lea&s;t faultes, which thou do&s;t com|mit. <HI>(Coulde&s;t thou not?)</HI> he teacheth vs to labour, &amp; be diligent in doing good works though they be hard, &s;eeing that temptations, infirmity of nature, and &s;uch like, which wee pretend for excu&s;es,
<PB N="33" REF="41"> &s;hall not excu&s;e vs. <HI>(Our how|er)</HI> he toucheth the &s;hort|ne&s;&s;e of time, wherein wee mu&s;t labour: And where he &s;aith <HI>(watch)</HI> he &s;heweth the ea&s;ine&s;&s;e of the &s;eruice of God, in which is onely re|quired of thee, that thou &s;halt watch, that is, that thou bee&s;t watchfull in all thy actions, to wit, that in all thy &s;ences thou bee&s;t careful, and watch|full, lea&s;t the Deuill creepe into thy minde: <HI>(with me)</HI> that is, not alone, but hauing me for thy guide. Heere exa|mine thy con&s;cience what he|therto thou ha&s;t done for Chri&s;t, and what labours thou ha&s;t taken for the world, and now at the lea&s;t referre all things to the glory of God,
<PB N="34" REF="42"> which thou doe&s;t for the world, and pray him that hee will be thy guide in thy &s;piri|tuall warfare.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Why doe you &s;leepe? watch and pray,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE> lea&s;t ye enter into te~p|tation, the &s;pirit truely is ready, but the fle&s;h is weake.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the &s;harpe reprehen&s;ion of the di&s;ci|ples after the admonition of <HI>Peter:</HI> for thou &s;halt not ther|fore be excu&s;ed, becau&s;e thou doe&s;t offend in imitatio~ of thy Superior. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that thou mu&s;t watch &amp; pray, for except thou doe&s;t worke with God, &amp; God with thee, thou &s;halt doe nothing Con|&s;ider thirdly what that &s;pirit is which is &s;aid to be ready, and how the fle&s;h is weake; Fir&s;t,
<PB N="35" REF="42"> the &s;pirite, that is the will of a good man is ready, &amp; doth of|ten apprehend very notable thinges. Secondly, y^e holy Spi|rit is prompt &amp; ready, but men being allured by the plea&s;ures of the fle&s;h doe not alwaies follow and obey it. Thirdly, the euill &s;pirit is alwaies bu&s;ie and ready to hurt; but we are weake to make re&s;i&s;tance. The&s;e things may worthily moue thee to watch and pray, for it is a matter of great mo|ment not to bee deiected in time of aduer&s;ity. Pray vnto Chri&s;t to giue thee not only a ready and willing de&s;ire; but al&s;o power to effect, and to graunt vnto thee what&s;oeuer he commandeth, &amp; command what he will.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="36" REF="43">
<HEAD>The fift Meditation of the &s;e|cond &amp; third prayer of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>He went away again the &s;econd time, &amp; prayed the &s;ame &s;peach, &s;aying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc 22.</NOTE> Abba father all things are po&s;&s;ible vnto thee: if thou wilt, transferre this cup from me, but yet not mine, but thy will be done.</HEAD>
<P>CHRIST, acknowledgeth, that he hath not yet ob|tained that, which he prayed for, therefore he prayeth the &s;econd time: becau&s;e thou &s;halt not be grieued, if thou art not heard by &amp; by, which art neither &s;o worthy a per&s;o~, nor &s;o earne&s;t a prayer, Marke euery word of this prayer, <HI>(Abba pater)</HI> that is, Father, fa|ther, which repititio~ is a &s;igne of a mo&s;t vehement calling to him which is farre off. God
<PB N="37" REF="43"> truly is farre off from &s;inners; wherefore wee mu&s;t &s;ay with <HI>Dauid (Out of the depth I haue cryed vnto thee O Lord, O lord heare my voyce:)</HI> And becau&s;e Chri&s;t in this place did repre|&s;ent the per&s;on of all &s;inners, which hee had now taken vp|on him, knowe thou that our heaue~ly Father is a louing Fa|ther of all &s;inners, that when|&s;oeuer thou &s;halt fall into &s;in, thou &s;halt not be di&s;mayed therewith. And he doth not a little comfort vs, when he ad|deth <HI>(all things are po&s;&s;ible vnto thee)</HI> for nothing is impo&s;&s;i|ble or hard vnto God: &amp; this word <HI>(if thou wilt)</HI> doth expres that God can ea&s;ily helpe vs, and that he needeth not to work or labor, becau&s;e by his
<PB N="38" REF="44"> will only he can doe al things. And the rea&s;on why he will not, when we pray vnto him, is, becau&s;e through his conti|nuall loue towards vs, he gui|deth al things to our &s;aluatio~. Now ioyne the&s;e three toge|ther <HI>(Father)</HI> which word im|porteth the loue of God: <HI>(All thinges are po&s;&s;ible)</HI> whereby is declared his omnipotency: <HI>(if thou wilt)</HI> by which thou &s;ee&s;t the ea&s;ine&s;&s;e to performe it, &amp; thereby thou &s;halt take great co~fort of thy &s;orrowes: It is y^e &s;ure&s;t way in all prayer to lay a&s;ide our owne will, for God wil guid thee much better ac|cording to his wil, when thou do&s;t not interpo&s;e thine owne iudgment &amp; &s;ences. Pray ther|fore vnto God that he will di|rect
<PB N="39" REF="44"> thee like vnto a plough Oxe, without thine own will.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And he came againe &amp; found them &s;leeping,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> for their eyes were very heauy, and they knewe not what to an&s;weare him, and lea|uing them he went away again.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t how often Chri&s;t doth vi&s;ite his Di&s;|ciples, wherby he &s;heweth the pa&s;&s;ing griefe of his minde, who receiued no comfort by his prayer, though hee prayed with great affection, nor yet could be refre&s;hed by the pre|&s;ence of his Di&s;ciples, euen as &s;icke folkes are wont to turne this way, and that way to ea&s;e their wearines. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly that Chri&s;t was neuer &s;o troubled with any occa&s;i|ons, no not now, whe~ he was
<PB N="40" REF="45"> ready to &s;uffer, but that he al|waies thought vpon thy &s;al|uatio~: Yea &amp; euen now, when he is in Heauen, hee hath his eyes alwayes bent fauorably towards thee. Co~&s;ider thirdly how little man can doe with|out Chri&s;t, how &s;oone he fal|leth a &s;leepe, how &s;oone hee fainteth if Ie&s;us depart neuer &s;o little from him. Con&s;ider fourthly what it is to haue our eyes heauy, that is, when wee are not &s;o apt &amp; ready to me|ditate on diuine and heauenly thinges; by rea&s;on of earthly cares which hinder the mind: As the immoderate de&s;ire of honor &amp; riches, ambition, the vanities of this world, &amp; &s;uch like affections of the minde: Therfore thou mu&s;t pray vnto
<PB N="41" REF="45"> God to take from thee that &s;louthfulnes &amp; heauines, and acco~modate thee to his owne will. Co~&s;ider fiftly how much a&s;hamed the Apo&s;tles were, who being admoni&s;hed now the &s;econd time, could not yet contain them&s;elues fro~ &s;leepe; wherfore among&s;t them&s;elues they did carefully both ac|cu&s;e, and excu&s;e their own in|firmity: Note al&s;o this, <HI>(they did not knowe, what they &s;hould an&s;were vnto him.)</HI> For if the Apo&s;tles them&s;elues, being men excelling others in &s;anc|tity, &amp; holines of life, in a mat|ter of no great fault, wherein they might haue aleaged their owne frailty, were &s;o &s;orrow|full, &amp; knew not to an&s;were: what an&s;wer wilt thou giue to
<PB N="42" REF="46"> Almighty God, when thou &s;halt be cyted before him for matters of great moment, and many grieuous &s;innes &s;hall be obiected again&s;t thee, which thou ha&s;t committed, not on|ly by frailty, but al&s;o craftily &amp; maliciou&s;ly. Con&s;ider &s;ixt|ly that our Lord did not com|plaine, that hee was left alone in prayer and labor: Becau&s;e thou &s;houlde&s;t re&s;olue not to be grieued, if at any time thou bee&s;t inforced to take great paines, whil&s;t others bee idle. And pray vnto our Lord, that hee will &s;tirre thee vp, when thou art &s;louthfull.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And hee prayed the third time,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> &amp; prayed the &s;ame &s;peach, &s;aying, O my Father, if this cup cannot pa&s;&s;e from me, but
<PB N="43" REF="46"> that I mm&s;t drinke thereof, thy will be done.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that Chri&s;t runneth againe to his Fa|ther, and crauing &s;till one and the &s;ame thing is not heard. This prayer comprehendeth the wonderfull &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, yeelding him&s;elfe, and all that he had into the hands of his Father, taking it in no euil part, that he was not hard. Learne thou hereby not to be troubled in thy minde, when things &s;ucceed not according to thy de&s;ire, when thou ha&s;t done thy be&s;t endeauours. Con&s;ider &s;econdly the great nece&s;&s;ity that Chri&s;t &s;hould &s;uffer: For the eternall Father would neuer haue &s;uffered his &s;onne to haue prayed &s;o often
<PB N="44" REF="47"> vnto him, if thy &s;aluatio~ might haue been gotte~ by any other meanes. Con&s;ider thirdly this ma~ner of &s;peaking <HI>(if it cannot pa&s;&s;e, except I drinke it)</HI> for hee would be vnder&s;tood; that all y^e benefit of our Lords pa&s;&s;io~ &s;hould pa&s;&s;e vnto vs, who are the me~bers of his body, but as it were drawne through our mouth, that is, through Chri&s;t, who is our head. Moreouer as a potio~ is bitter &amp; vn&s;auory to the ta&s;t, yet very profitable for the me~bers of y^e body: So the dolours of Chri&s;t were bitter vnto him, and profitable vnto vs. And y^e pa&s;&s;io~ of Chri&s;t pa&s;&s;|eth vnto vs, partly becau&s;e his merit is co~municated and im|parted vnto vs, and partly be|cau&s;e our tribulatio~s &amp; labors are &s;anctified. Therfore &s;o of|ten
<PB N="45" REF="47"> as thou &s;halt &s;uffer any ad|uer&s;ity, &s;o ofte~ do thou think, that thou doe&s;t participate with the pa&s;&s;io~ of Chri&s;t. And pray him to mittigate thy mi|&s;eryes through his dolours, which hee indured.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The &s;ixt Meditation of his agony, &amp; bloody &s;weate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And there appeared vnto him an Angel fro~ heauen, co~forting him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that though in Chri&s;t y^e diuine nature was ioyned with humaine na|ture, into the &s;ame per&s;on; yet in this time of his pa&s;&s;ion hee tooke no comfort at all from thence. Con&s;ider &s;econdly how great and grieuous tho&s;e torments were, that man was not &s;ufficient to mittigate them, but that it was nece&s;&s;a|ry for an Angel to come from
<PB N="46" REF="48"> Heauen. Co~&s;ider thirdly what was y^e cau&s;e why Chri&s;t wold be comforted by an Angell; to wit, becau&s;e he wold know to &s;uffer with vs, when we are afflicted, and teach vs not to haue recour&s;e to fraile &amp; vain delights, &s;uch as are co~monly drawn from creatures; but vn|to &s;pirituall, angelicall, &amp; hea|uenly things. Co~&s;ider fourth|ly that God neuer for&s;aketh them, that tru&s;t in him. For although he doe not alwaies free vs from our troubles, yet he doth euer giue vs his grace and &s;trength, that we may be able to beare them. Con&s;ider fiftly that Angells are alwaies pre&s;ent at our prayers, there|fore thou mu&s;t be carefull and diligent to wor&s;hip them
<PB N="47" REF="48"> being pre&s;ent, in a religious and comely manner, and pray vnto God according to the P&s;alme <HI>(in the fight of Angells I will &s;ing vnto thee.)</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Epiph: in an corato &amp; Haere&s;i. 69.</NOTE> Con&s;i|der &s;ixtly how the Angell did comfort Chri&s;t; for he did it not by any inward comfort or grace, (becau&s;e Chri&s;t ad|mitted no comfort in all the time of his pa&s;&s;ion) but v&s;ed &s;ome outward wordes, wher|in hee propounded vnto him, both the ab&s;olute nece&s;&s;ity of &s;uch bitter paines, and the great profite, that &s;hall come thereby, and al&s;o the re&s;olute will of his Father, &amp; the ora|cles of the Prophets, &amp;c. Con|&s;ider &s;euenthly whether there bee any thing, wherein thou maie&s;t comfort and confirme
<PB N="48" REF="49"> Chri&s;t, and incourage him to doe &s;omething for thy &s;ake: which will be effected, if he &s;hall &s;ee thee behaue thy &s;elfe well, &amp; wi&s;ely to imploy the tallent, which he hath deliue|red vnto thee, and that thou doe&s;t indure thy labours cou|ragiou&s;ly: For then hee will behold thee louingly &amp; exalt thee to higher honour. In the meane time do thou pray vn|to Chri&s;t, to comfort and in|&s;truct thee, not onely in out|ward words, but e&s;pecially in inward vertue and wi&s;dome.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE>And being in an agony, hee prayed longer.</HEAD>
<P>THis agony was a certain inward &s;triuing, not of the fle&s;h again&s;t the &s;pirit, but of nature again&s;t Death: and
<PB N="49" REF="49"> in all this bitter time Chri&s;t was to fight in three &s;euerall co~flicts, and he was &s;uperiour in euery one. Fir&s;t with nature abhorring to dye &s;o cruell a death: Secondly with the iu|&s;tice of his Father, exacting grieuous puni&s;hment: Third+ly with the mo&s;t cruell enemy of man-kinde. But hee began with the battel again&s;t nature, that thou maye&s;t knowe how to behaue thy &s;elfe in thy co~|flict for thy &s;aluation: that is, that fir&s;t of all thou mu&s;t in|deauour to &s;ubdue thy incli|nation. &amp; to re&s;traine thy de|&s;ires, which being ouercome, thou &s;halt finde God pacified, and the Deuill will flye from thee. Con&s;ider fir&s;t with what contention, &amp; with how
<PB N="50" REF="50"> great labour Chri&s;t thy Cap|taine doth fight; and doe&s;t thou hope to bee &s;aued with|out fight? Con&s;ider &s;econdly that in this agony hee prayed longer, becau&s;e thou mu&s;t co~|tinue longe&s;t in prayer in time of affliction. Con&s;ider third|ly what that is, which he de&s;i|red in his long praier? not that the cup might be taken from him (for hee had before v&s;ed &s;horter wordes to that end) but, &s;ince he mu&s;t needes &s;uf|fer, that thou mighte&s;t obtain profite by his torments. Ad|mire heere that excellent loue of Chri&s;t, who alone is y^e true comfort of Angels. Lament for thy &s;innes which were the cau&s;e of his &s;uffering, &s;tirre vp al&s;o in thy &s;elfe the other af|fections
<PB N="51" REF="50"> of loue, confidence, &amp; co~mi&s;eration, whereof this place admini&s;treth abou~dant cau&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And his &s;weat was made like droppes of bloud,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> running downe to the ground.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t by the qua|lity and quantity of his &s;weate the great griefe, of thy Spou&s;e, without which nei|ther the bloud could i&s;&s;ue with the &s;weate, nor yet &s;o great plenty, as &s;hould fall downe to the ground. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly that our Lord both began, &amp; ended his pa&s;|&s;ion with a prodigious effu&s;io~ of bloud &amp; water: That thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe, that the di|uine nature did bring this chiefely vnto Chri&s;t, at that
<PB N="52" REF="51"> time, that hee might the lon|ger bee able to &s;uffer tho&s;e mo&s;t bitter torments, which humane nature al alone could neuer haue indured. Con&s;ider thirdly that bloud i&s;&s;ued out of euery part, both becau&s;e euery member of the Church, of which number thou art one &s;hould lament the death of Chri&s;t; and al&s;o becau&s;e eue|ry Chri&s;tian might gather one drop of his bloud, to wa&s;h a|way their &s;innes, and al&s;o that thou maye&s;t know, how libe|rally he offereth his bloud for thee, by as many fountaines, as hee hath members. Con&s;i+der fourthly howe much this great effu&s;ion of bloud and water did weaken the mo&s;t tender body of Chri&s;t. Con|&s;ider
<PB N="53" REF="51"> fiftly that it ranne down vpon the earth, to take away the &s;innes of men, which are adicted too much to the plea|&s;ures of the world. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly that the droppes ranne downe vpon the ground, that thou maye&s;t vnder&s;tand, that thou mu&s;t make ha&s;te, if thou wilt bee partaker of this pre|cious bloud, which no &s;ooner i&s;&s;ueth foorth, but that it run|neth away mo&s;t &s;wiftly. Ther|fore except in this life thou doe&s;t gather, and lay vp &s;ome of this bloud, it will all runne away after thy death, &s;o as none will be left for thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="54" REF="52">
<HEAD>The &s;eauenth Meditation of the co~ming of <HI>Iudas</HI> with the Soldiours.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And he came the third time, and &s;aid vnto them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> &s;leepe now, and re&s;t, it &s;ufficeth: the houre is come: Behold the Sonne of man &s;hall bee deliuered into the handes of &s;inners, ari&s;e, let vs goe: behold he, that &s;hall betray me, is hard by.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that Chri&s;t hauing three times vi&s;i|ted his Apo&s;tles, and found the~ &s;leeping, did the fir&s;t time reprehend them, the &s;eco~d time held his peace, and the third time bad them &s;leepe on: That thou maye&s;t learne, fir&s;t to beare with the infirmity of another; Seco~dly to a&s;&s;ent pre&s;ently to diuine
<PB N="55" REF="52"> in&s;pirations; for if Chri&s;t per|ceiue that thou do&s;t contemn his admonitions, hee will af|terwards holde his peace, and more &s;paringly &s;ugge&s;t the&s;e things, which tend to thy &s;al|uatio~. Thirdly that when thou ha&s;t begun any good worke, thou &s;houlde&s;t not wauer, nor change thy minde: for Chri&s;t after hee had &s;ubdued the in|clination of nature, &amp; had re|&s;olued euen again&s;t nature to dye, did not at any time after, &s;hew any &s;igne of &s;orrow, in|con&s;tancy, or doubt. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that Chri&s;t framed him&s;elfe to take a little re&s;t or &s;leepe with his Di&s;ciples, but that could neither bee great, nor long, e&s;pecially in a man &s;o ouer wearied, &amp; &s;hortly af|ter
<PB N="56" REF="53"> to be apprehended. Con&s;i|der thirdly this word <HI>(It &s;uffe|reth)</HI> as thogh he taught vs to v&s;e a meane or mea&s;ure in our re&s;t and humaine co~modities. Con&s;ider fourthly that this word <HI>(behold)</HI> is twi&s;e repeated becau&s;e it was a &s;trange thing that any man could be found, which would betray the Son of God &amp; man. Co~&s;ider fiftly <HI>(Ari&s;e let vs goe.)</HI> It is not e|nough for thee, if thou doe&s;t not &s;leep, when Gods glory is in hand; but thou mu&s;t ari&s;e, goe forward, &amp; preuent euils, &amp; &s;uffer all aduer&s;ities coura|giou&s;ly for Gods cau&s;e. Heere &s;hake off thy &s;leepe, and pray vnto God, to &s;tirre thee vp effectually to labour for his names &s;ake.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="57" REF="53">
<HEAD>As hee was yet &s;peaking, be|holde <HI>Iudas</HI> one of the twelue came: And <HI>Iudas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Ioan. 18</NOTE> which be|trayed him, knewe the place, be|cau&s;e <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> had come thither of|ten with his Di&s;ciples.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that <HI>Iudas</HI> had no neede to be war|ned to watch; for it hapneth co~monly, that when mi&s;chiefe is to be done, wicked men ne|uer &s;leepe. Con&s;ider &s;econdly (<HI>behold</HI> Iudas <HI>one of the twelue</HI>) It is a &s;trange thinge, that hee, who had receiued &s;o great a benefite at Chri&s;t his hand, could euer come to that ma|lice, and ingratitude, that hee would betray his Lord &amp; be|nefactor. Thou maye&s;t learne hereby not to tru&s;t in guiftes freely be&s;towed vppon thee,
<PB N="58" REF="54"> but how much the more God hath be&s;towed vpon thee, &s;o much the more to feare, be|cau&s;e God in the houre of death wil weigh all his guifts, as y^e Scripture here with great empha&s;is &s;aith. (<HI>Behold</HI> Iudas <HI>one of the twelue.</HI>) Con&s;ider thirdly that an euill man fea|reth not to abu&s;e good things as <HI>Iudas</HI> came to the place of the prayer of Chri&s;t to betray him: how much better had it bene for him to haue left his trea&s;o~, &amp; to haue ioyned him|&s;elfe with Chri&s;t &amp; his Apo&s;t|les in prayer: Co~&s;ider fourthly that y^e knowledg of many, yea of diuine things, &s;hal not help a wicked man, but rather &s;hall condemne him, euen as it did not help <HI>Iudas</HI> to haue known
<PB N="59" REF="54"> Chri&s;t, and the time &amp; place of the prayer of Chri&s;t, &amp;c. In this place if thou doe&s;t con&s;i|der thine owne ingratitude, who hauing receiued many good benefites, doe&s;t re&s;tore nothing but wickednes, thou wilt admire &amp; dete&s;t thy &s;elfe, &amp; thou wilt pray vnto Chri&s;t not to &s;uffer thee to peri&s;h with wicked <HI>Iudas.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Therfore <HI>Iudas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18. Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE> when he had receiued, his company &amp; the mi|ni&s;ters, from the Prie&s;ts &amp; Pha|ri&s;es: hee came thith r with lan|thornes &amp; torches, with &s;wordes and &s;taues &amp; armour, &s;ent from the chiefe Prie&s;ts &amp; Seniors of the people, and hee, which was called <HI>Iudas,</HI> went before him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t what a great company of men a&s;&s;em|bled
<PB N="60" REF="55"> together to apprehend Chri&s;t: Fir&s;t a co~pany of y^e <HI>Gen|tils,</HI> with their tribune, perhaps fiue hundreth &s;oldiours; then no &s;mall number of the mini|&s;ters of y^e <HI>Iewes,</HI> with &s;ome of the chiefe Prie&s;ts, Seniors, and Magi&s;trates of the people: there were therfore two com|panies, one of the <HI>Gentils,</HI> and another of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> armed with &s;undry weapons, &amp; pre|pared to hurt: the ring-leader &amp; captaine of all the&s;e was he (who was called <HI>Iudas</HI>) that is that famous <HI>Iudas,</HI> who was knowne to all tho&s;e <HI>Iewes</HI> and <HI>Gentils.</HI> Co~&s;ider &s;eco~dly what they talked among the~&s;elues as they came, what mindes they bare towards Chri&s;t, &amp; how they thir&s;ted after his bloud.</P>
<PB N="61" REF="55">
<P>Con&s;ider thirdly this tytle of <HI>Iudas (who was called Iudas)</HI> that is, he which a little before was knowne to the Di&s;ciples, and to good people, when by the commandement of Chri&s;t he di&s;tributed the almes, whe~ he wrought myracles, when he followed Chri&s;t, he is now renowned among&s;t knaues, and famous among&s;t theeues. Be thou carefull to celebrate thy name in Heauen, rather then in the world or in hell. Co~&s;ider fourthly what a grief it was to Chri&s;t, to &s;ee him, who was one of the principall of y^e Church to become chiefe amo~g knaues: &amp; do thou take heede, lea&s;t by the like change of thy &s;elfe, thou giue&s;t him cau&s;e of &s;orrowe, by falling
<PB N="62" REF="56"> from being the &s;onne of God to be a &s;laue vnto the Deuill; and pray with all thy heart, that it neuer happe~ vnto thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The eight Meditation of the falling of the Iewes to the earth.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Ie&s;us therefore knowing all things which &s;hould come vpon him, went forward, and &s;aid, whome &s;eeke yee? they an&s;wea|red him, Ie&s;us of Nazareth.</HEAD>
<P>CHRIST went forward to meet them, that he might teach thee, fir&s;t that he was not ignorant of the practizes of the wicked: Secondly that he made ha&s;t to die of his own free wil: Thirdly that he is rea|dy to receiue a &s;inner, if he wil reclaime him&s;elfe. Wherefore
<PB N="63" REF="56"> &s;tirre vp thy &s;elfe to the loue of Chri&s;t: and offer thy &s;elfe wholy vnto him, who yeilded him&s;elfe cheerefully into his enemies hands for thy &s;ake. <HI>(whom &s;eeke yee?)</HI> as if he &s;hou|ld &s;ay, co~&s;ider I pray ye whom ye &s;eeke, a iu&s;t &amp; innoce~t man, who hath v&s;ed to doe euery man good, &amp; to hurt no man, who for your &s;aluation de&s;|cended down from heauen, &amp; who at la&s;t &s;hall come to be iudge ouer all creatures. Doe thou con&s;ider the&s;e things, when&s;oeuer thou &s;halt be te~p|ted to offend God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10.</NOTE> For as the ble&s;&s;ed Apo&s;tle St. <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aith: <HI>By &s;inning the &s;on of God is trod|den vpon, &amp; ignominiou&s;ly v&s;ed. (Ie&s;us of Nazareth)</HI> they knew not that he was pre&s;ent,
<PB N="64" REF="57"> for they did not &s;ay we &s;eeke thee, but <HI>Ie&s;us of Nazareth.</HI> Note that for thee Ie&s;us is &s;ought for, to be put to death, that is a Sauiour, and, of <HI>Na|zareth,</HI> that is flouri&s;hing and adorned with all vertue, for none el&s;e by his death could deliuer thee from the flames of hell fire: Therefore in all thy nece&s;&s;ity thou mu&s;t &s;eeke for him, and pray him that thou maie&s;t not &s;eeke him to his &s;hame and death, but to thine owne &s;aluation, and in &s;eeking thou mai&s;t finde him, and hauing found him, thou maie&s;t alwaies keepe him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE>Ie&s;us an&s;weared them: I am he: and <HI>Iudas,</HI> who betrayed him, &s;tood with them: Therefore as he &s;aid vnto them I am he,
<PB N="65" REF="57"> they went backward, and fell vpon the ground.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the power of Chri&s;t, ouerthrowing a whole company by his worde onely. His wrath therefore is to bee feared, when hee &s;hall come to Iudge, which &s;hew|ed &s;o great power being rea|dy to &s;uffer. Learne hereby to e&s;teeme much the worde of God, which bringeth &s;aluatio~ to the belieuer, &amp; perditio~ to y^e incredulous. Co~&s;ider &s;econd|ly the mi&s;erable change of <HI>Iu|das,</HI> who a little before &s;ate at our Lords table with the Apo|&s;tles, &amp; is now ouerthrown a|mong&s;t y^e wicked: For neither &s;hall the dignity of thy order, or religio~ excu&s;e thee, nor the goodnes of others defe~d thee,
<PB N="66" REF="58"> nor the piety of thy former life profite thee, when&s;oeuer thou &s;halt for&s;ake Chri&s;t, and follow his enemies and &s;inne. Con&s;ider thirdly, that one and the &s;ame word is a comfort to the good, and a terror to the wicked: This word <HI>(I am he)</HI> did comfort the Apo&s;tles &s;ay|ling on the &s;ea,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Ioan. 18</NOTE> prouoked the Phari&s;ees to watch, and heere ouerthrewe the armed men. Thou therefore, if thou bee&s;t good land, wilt receiue the word of God with plentifull fruit; but if thou bee&s;t naught, thou wilt take hurt by the be&s;t &s;eede. Con&s;ider fourthly, the difference betweene the ruine of wicked men, and the fall of the iu&s;t: the wicked man fal|leth back, &amp; not vpon his face
<PB N="67" REF="58"> becau&s;e when he &s;uddenly goeth out of this life, he fal|leth &s;hamefully vpon thinges which he &s;eeth not, and vnto puni&s;hments, which he was ignorant of: For to fall vpon the face, is to acknowledge our &s;ins in this life, &amp; by pen|nance to lament them:<NOTE PLACE="marg">D. Greg. lib. 31. Mora, ca: 18. &amp; ho. 9. in Eze|chielem.</NOTE> The wicked man falleth backward becau&s;e he becommeth wor&s;e by that, which &s;hould amend him, that euen again&s;t his will he &s;hal be compelled to looke vp to heauen. Do thou admire the goodne&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, who by &s;o many meanes &s;ought the &s;aluation of his enemies; and pray him that he will &s;o &s;trike thy heart with his word that falling vpo~ thy face thou maie&s;t by humility reconcile
<PB N="68" REF="59"> the Maie&s;ty of God, who is offended with thy &s;innes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Therefore hee asked them a|gaine: whom &s;eeke yee? they &s;ay vnto him, <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> of <HI>Nazareth:</HI> he &s;aith vnto them: I haue told you that I am hee: If therefore yee &s;eeke mee, &s;uffer the&s;e men to goe away, that the Speech may bee fulfilled, which &s;aide: Becau&s;e, whome thou gaue&s;t vnto mee; I haue not lost any of them.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the malice of the wicked, which is pa|cified, neither with &s;weetnes, nor punni&s;hment. For the blindne&s;&s;e of indurate malice doth increa&s;e: as in the&s;e men who being taught &amp; admoni|&s;hed who Chri&s;t was, did not yet acknowledge him: For they an&s;wered not, wee &s;eeke
<PB N="69" REF="59"> thee, but, &s;peaking as it were of another, they &s;aide <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> of <HI>Nazareth.</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly y^e great care, which Chri&s;t had of his people, of whome in &s;o great perils he was more care|ful, the~ of him&s;elfe. This is the perfect loue of our neighbors to helpe them though it be to our own lo&s;&s;e. Thirdly if in &s;o great aduer&s;ity he had care of a few Apo&s;tles, wil he not now being free fro~ all perils, &amp; qui|et, be careful in heauen for his only beloued &s;pou&s;e y^e whole Church? Yes verily he is care|full &amp; de&s;irous to helpe euery particular me~ber thereof. This place is full of comfort, to co~|&s;ider that our Lord thinketh on thee. Con&s;ider fourthly how our Lord doth glory in this, that hee had not lo&s;t any
<PB N="70" REF="60"> any of his Di&s;ciples. In like manner how much cau&s;e of ioy maie&s;t thou conceaue, if no man be the wor&s;e by thy words, example, or negli|gence; but thou ha&s;t rather gayned, and pre&s;erued many. La&s;tly pray thou vnto Chri&s;t, that hee will neuer cea&s;e to haue care ouer thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The ninth Meditation of the ki&s;&s;e of <HI>Iudas.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE>And the Traytor had giuen them a &s;igne, &s;aying, whome &s;o|euer I &s;hall ki&s;&s;e, that is he, hold him, and carie him warily.</HEAD>
<P>THe great name of an A|po&s;tle wherewith <HI>Iudas</HI> was honoured, is now turned into the name of a Traytor, and &s;o this name, <HI>Iudas,</HI> which
<PB N="71" REF="60"> among&s;t the ancient <HI>I&s;raelites</HI> was mo&s;t honourable, is be|come through dete&s;tation of that &s;inne almo&s;t ignominious among&s;t Chri&s;tians. This is the fruite of &s;inne, that good men auoyd all conuer&s;ation with the wicked. Con&s;ider the carefull diligence of this tray|tor, who lea&s;t he &s;hould not haue his money, taught them the way how to apprehend him, and al&s;o how to keepe him, and &s;o of a mai&s;ter of vertue, he became a mai&s;ter of iniquity: He was before &s;ent, for the conuer&s;ion of people, now he teacheth o|thers to de&s;troy the Author of life. Thou doe&s;t learne heere|by the qualitie of &s;inne, which re&s;teth not in this, to make a
<PB N="72" REF="61"> man a &s;inner, but proceedeth further, to make him al&s;o a teacher of wickedne&s;&s;e. Pray thou vnto God, that he neuer &s;uffer thee to be drawne from him, lea&s;t thou fall into &s;inne like <HI>Iudas.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE>Iudas went before them, and drewe neare, that hee might ki&s;&s;e him, and comming pre&s;ently hee &s;aid, haile <HI>Rabbi:</HI> &amp; he ki&s;&s;ed him.</HEAD>
<P>HEere admire the good|ne&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, who ad|mitted him to ki&s;&s;e him, who~ hee knew to be a traytor. Nei|ther do thou flatter thy &s;elfe, if thou bee&s;t called into Reli|gion, or by Gods permi&s;&s;ion exalted to diuine mi&s;teryes, Eccle&s;ia&s;ticall offices, or Ho|ly functions &amp; dignityes; be|cau&s;e
<PB N="73" REF="61"> Chri&s;t doth &s;uffer thee, as hee &s;uffered the ki&s;&s;e of <HI>Iu|das.</HI> It &s;eemeth that the A|po&s;tles v&s;ed to ki&s;&s;e Chri&s;t, when they came from any &s;trange place: For otherwi&s;e <HI>Iudas</HI> wold not haue dared to doe it, &amp; Chri&s;t obiected vnto the Phari&s;ee, &s;aying <HI>(thou ha&s;t not giuen mee a ki&s;&s;e.)</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 7.</NOTE> Heere thou maye&s;t learne the facili|ty of Chri&s;t in admitting &s;in|ners, and his great de&s;ire to bee with the &s;onnes of men. Come therefore with great confidence, for hee will neuer reiect thee, who addmitted a traytor. Secondly doe all things &s;incerely, for he betrai|eth Chri&s;t with a ki&s;&s;e, which vnder pretence of holyne&s;&s;e deceiueth his neighbours;
<PB N="74" REF="62"> and hee which receiueth the body of our Lord in the Eu|chari&s;t, with an vnclean heart, is guilty of the body &amp; bloud of our Lord, which hee put|teth into the fowle &s;inke of his naughty con&s;cience.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;aide to him: Friend wherfore art thou come?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Luc. 22.</NOTE> O <HI>Iudas,</HI> doe&s;t thou betray the Sonne of man with a ki&s;&s;e?</HEAD>
<P>MArke euery worde, <HI>(Friend.)</HI> Fir&s;t hitherto thou ha&s;t beene a friend: Se|condly thou comme&s;t in the habite of a Friend, offering a ki&s;&s;e, a token of loue: Thirdly I doe not hate thee, but offer thee reconciliatio~, &amp; am rea|dy to &s;hed my bloud &amp; to of|fer my death al&s;o for thy &s;ake, which I mu&s;t now &s;uffer, if
<PB N="75" REF="62"> thou thy &s;elfe wilt. I de&s;ire not that thou &s;hould&s;t deliuer me out of the handes of the&s;e Iewes for I am borne to that end to &s;uffer death, but that thou &s;houlde&s;t repent thee, of this thy great &s;inne, &amp; returne into grace and fauour. <HI>(Wher|fore art thou come.)</HI> Fir&s;t I am not ignorant with what mind thou art come hither, I haue &s;earched already into the bot|tome of thy heart: returne a|gaine therfore vnto thy &s;elfe, for I thy Iudge am not igno|rant of thy fraude. Thou wretch, whither art thou fal|len? Late an Apo&s;tle nowe a traytor; of late a principal pil|lar of the Church, now chief|e&s;t among&s;t Thieues: behold thine owne ba&s;enes, &amp; now at
<PB N="76" REF="63"> lea&s;t repent thee of thy fault. <HI>(Iudas)</HI> If thou like&s;t not thy name of a friend, becau&s;e thou wilt not be a friend, yet heare me calling thee in my accu&s;t|omed ma~ner. Secondly reme~|ber thy ancient parents, <HI>Iudas</HI> the Patriarch, and <HI>Iudas Ma|chabeus,</HI> from who&s;e manners thou doe&s;t degenerate. <HI>(The Son of man)</HI> him who is admi|rably the &s;on of man, begotte~ in heauen by his only Father, &amp; borne in earth by his onely mother, who did neuer any e|uill vnto thee, but laboured three &amp; thirty whole yeares for thy &s;ake, &amp; is now ready to dye for thee: what cau&s;e haue I giuen thee, that thou &s;houl|de&s;t betray mee an innocent? <HI>(with a ki&s;&s;e)</HI> thou doe&s;t abu&s;e y^e &s;igne of peace, &amp; turne it to
<PB N="77" REF="63"> a marke of trea&s;on; as <HI>Ioab</HI> in times pa&s;t ki&s;&s;ing <HI>Ama&s;a,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Reg. 20.</NOTE> kil|led him. Thou knowe&s;t, that nothing is more deare to me, then to be ioined in firme loue with thee, &amp; doe&s;t thou con|uert this coniunction of loue to my death? <HI>(do&s;t thou betray)</HI> doe&s;t thou giue me to them, that hate me deadly, which will doe me all ma~ner of hurt, &amp; which will neuer be &s;atisfi|ed with my mi&s;eryes? Admire in al the&s;e things the benigni|ty of Chri&s;t &amp; imitate it: &s;uf|fer with thy Lord, who &s;uffe|red &s;o many indignities by his &s;eruant, on who~ he had be&s;to|wed &s;o many benefits, and ne|uer hurt him in any thing; &amp; co~&s;idering what, &amp; how effe|ctually he &s;pake for the co~uer|&s;ion
<PB N="78" REF="64"> of the wicked traytor, thou may&s;t be a&s;&s;ured he will neuer for&s;ake thee, if thou comme&s;t vnto him with a contrite hart. Pray therefore to Chri&s;t, that he wil remaine thy friend, and giue thee grace to &s;uffer al in|iuryes patiently, and to loue them, that offer any vnto thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The tenth Meditation of the eare of <HI>Malchus</HI> be|ing cut off</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>They which were about him, &s;eeing what would come,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Ioan. 18.</NOTE> &s;aide vnto him: Lord if wee &s;trike in the &s;word? &amp; behold one of tho&s;e &s;tanders by, which were with <HI>Ie|&s;us, Simo~ Peter,</HI> drew his &s;word, and &s;triking the &s;eruant of the chiefe Prie&s;t, cut of his right eare, &amp; the name of the &s;eruant was <HI>Malchus.</HI></HEAD>
<PB N="79" REF="64">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t: the feruor of the Di&s;ciples, who be|ing but a few in number, fear|ed not to oppo&s;e them&s;elues again&s;t two companyes; and to aduenture pre&s;ent danger in defence of their Lord: that thou &s;pare not thy &s;elfe when &s;oeuer Chri&s;t his cau&s;e &s;halbe handling. Secondly: <HI>(And be|hold,)</HI> a new thing that the A|po&s;tle of our Lord &s;hould v&s;e his &s;word: Chri&s;t taught mild|ne&s;&s;e, not fight, which neuer|thele&s;&s;e is to bee vnderta|ken, when Gods glory is in danger. Thirdly <HI>Peter</HI> the chiefe of the Apo&s;tles drew his &s;worde, who&s;e office is to cut off the rotten me~bers fro~ the body of the Church with his &s;pirituall &s;word. Fourthly, he
<PB N="80" REF="65"> cut of the right eare, becau&s;e all which are exco~municated by <HI>Peter,</HI> are excluded fro~ the diuine premi&s;es of heauenly things, &amp; they keep y^e left eare with which after the plea&s;ures of this life, they may heare the maledictio~ of y^e &s;euere Iudge. Fiftly: <HI>(Malchus)</HI> (which name &s;ignifieth King) is the &s;eruant of the wicked Prie&s;t: for they which in this world are delighted with vain tytles of honours, are indeede the bond&s;laues to vices. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly the power of Chri&s;ts word <HI>(&s;uffer the&s;e men to goe a|way:)</HI> For by the power therof all that great co~pany of men did his di&s;ciples no hurt at all. Co~&s;ider &s;eauenthly the good|nes of Chri&s;t, who would not &s;uffer <HI>Peter</HI> to doe any more
<PB N="81" REF="65"> harm, lea&s;t by his pa&s;&s;io~ which ought to profit all men, hee &s;hold &s;eem to haue hurt &s;ome ma~. Pray thou vnto Chri&s;t ne|uer to depriue thee fro~ y^e hea|ring of heaue~ly things, nor to &s;hut thy eares again&s;t good things, but rather to open the eares of thy heart, that thou beng deafe to the babling of wicked men, mai&s;t heare what our Lord &s;hal &s;ay vnto thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And Ie&s;us an&s;wering &s;aid, &s;uf|fer now:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc 22.</NOTE> Then Ie&s;us &s;aid vnto <HI>Peter,</HI> put thy &s;word into thy &s;cabbard:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> For all which take the &s;word &s;hall peri&s;h with the &s;word: <HI>2.</HI> Doe&s;t thou thinke that I can|not aske my Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18</NOTE> and hee will giue me more then twelue legions of Angels? <HI>3.</HI> The cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me, wilt
<PB N="82" REF="66"> thou not that I &s;hall drinke it? Fourthly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> how then &s;hall the Scriptures be fulfilled? becau&s;e &s;o it mu&s;t be done.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider, fir&s;t <HI>(&s;uffer now)</HI> that is, it is enough, pro|ceede no further with thy &s;word and defence. He doth not reprehend the fact of <HI>Pe|ter,</HI> but he &s;aith it is enough, that thou in thy defence and in thy wrath maie&s;t keepe a meane: according to that, <HI>Bee angry, and &s;inne not:</HI> Secondly con&s;ider the&s;e foure rea&s;ons, by which he admoni&s;hed <HI>Pe|ter</HI> not to goe about to hinder his pa&s;&s;ion. Thou mai&s;t learne heereby the willingne&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t to &s;uffer, who v&s;ed &s;o many rea&s;ons that he might be permitted to &s;uffer. But
<PB N="83" REF="66"> thou doe&s;t auoyd all troubles for Chri&s;ts &s;ake, &amp; &s;eeke&s;t out all rea&s;ons that thou mai&s;t &s;uf|fer nothing. Thirdly <HI>(which &s;hal take the &s;word)</HI> that is, they which by their own authority &s;hall v&s;e the &s;word, not recei|uing it from God, de&s;erue by the law to be put to death; and although they e&s;cape y^e &s;word of men in this world, yet they &s;hall peri&s;h with that &s;word which keepeth the entry into Paradi&s;e: Learne to leaue all reuenge vnto God. Fourthly con&s;ider y^e great multitude of Angells, which are alwaies ready to helpe good men, that thou mai&s;t learne to tru&s;t in God, which hath a&s;&s;igned &s;o many Angells to haue care ouer thee: For <HI>Helizeus</HI> had
<PB N="84" REF="67"> experience in him &s;elfe of that which Chri&s;t heere affirmeth of him &s;elfe:<NOTE PLACE="marg">4 Reg. 6.</NOTE> Con&s;ider fiftly <HI>(the Cup which my Father hath giuen vnto me:)</HI> He calleth his pa&s;&s;ion a cup, thereby dimini|&s;hing rather then increa&s;ing the greatnes therof, that thou &s;houlde&s;t not lightly co~plaine of the grieuou&s;nes of thy mi|&s;eries: He acknowledgeth that his father gaue it him; becau&s;e thou &s;halt not a&s;cribe thy af|flictions to men or to deuills, but to God alone, which ble&s;|&s;ed <HI>Iob,</HI> who was vexed both by deuills &amp; men;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 1.</NOTE> <HI>Our Lord hath giuen, our Lord hath taken away</HI> &amp; know that God doth not leaue to be a father, when hee doth afflict, but rather &s;heweth him&s;elfe to be a Fa|ther,
<PB N="85" REF="67"> when he cha&s;ti&s;eth. Sixtly co~&s;ider that the Scriptures are fulfilled by y^e pa&s;&s;io~ of Chri&s;t, &amp; are likewi&s;e fulfilled by thy pa&s;&s;ions: For <HI>through many tri|bulations we mu&s;t enter into the kingdome of God.</HI> Giue thankes to Chri&s;t; who with &s;o ready &amp; &s;o prepared a minde came to his pa&s;&s;io~ for thy &s;ake. Stirre vp his loue in thee, &amp; pray him that he wil &s;tir vp in thee a de|&s;ire to &s;uffer for his name, and that in all things, which &s;hall happen vnto thee, thou mai&s;t finde out y^e rea&s;ons that it was iu&s;t which thou did&s;t &s;uffer.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And when he had touched his eare, he healed it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, with what great benignity Chri&s;t cured the Eare of this
<PB N="86" REF="68"> malepert Soldiour, and cruell enemy, whome he fore&s;awe would be neuer the better for &s;uch a benefit, that thou mai&s;t learne to be readier to mercy, then to &s;euerity; and to doe good for euill, though thy aduer&s;ary de&s;erue it not. Se|condly the force of the touch of our Sauiours hand, that thereby thou mai&s;t know the vertue of the body of Chri&s;t: For if the onely touch of his hand did re&s;tore his enimies eare, will not his whole body receiued in the Euchari&s;t cure both the body &amp; &s;oule of his friend? Thirdly that Chri&s;t be|ing ready to &s;uffer, did heale the eare; for this is one of the chiefe fruites of the pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord, to make our &s;oules
<PB N="87" REF="68"> capeable of the word of God, &amp; to cure them through Faith and Sacraments. Therefore God would admoni&s;h his e|nemies by this his la&s;t miracle before his death to open their eares to heare the word of God, and by hearing to lay a|&s;ide all malice. To be briefe, admire the bounty of God, &amp; pray him that he will &s;hewe thee the like mercy, for thy innumerable &s;innes.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The eleuenth Meditation of the captiuity of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>In that howre Ie&s;us &s;aid vnto the multitude, &amp; to tho&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> which came to him, the chiefe Prie&s;ts, the Magi&s;trates of the people, and the elders; yee went forth
<PB N="88" REF="69"> as to a thiefe with &s;words and &s;taues to apprehe~d me: I was dai|ly with you in the Temple, &amp; I &s;ate teaching, &amp; you did not hold me,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> nor &s;tretch your hands agai|n&s;t me: But this is your houre, &amp; the power of darkenes: And all this was done that the &s;criptures of the Prophets might be fulfilled.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t what accou~t was made of thy Lord, to wit, as of a thiefe, for the &s;up|pre&s;&s;ing of whome there nee|ded &s;o great an army Second|ly how he &s;hewed that he was no thiefe, as he which had hurt no man nor lyen hid like a thiefe, but had done good, and had taught nothing in &s;e|cret, but alwaies publiquely, and called tho&s;e men for wit|ne&s;&s;es thereof whome he &s;aw
<PB N="89" REF="69"> &s;tand ready to be y^e officers for his death, therfore he admoni|&s;heth them to call to remem|bra~ce y^e doctrine which he had taught the~, &amp; to change their mindes; for they &s;hould finde nothing in it but holy, lear|ned, &amp; whole&s;ome coun&s;aile. Con&s;ider thirdly by what words he gaue his aduer&s;aries power to rage again&s;t him, without which they could haue done nothing, and euery word hath his force: <HI>(this is)</HI> as if he &s;aid, you care onely for the pre&s;ent, &amp; re&s;pect not the time to come, which is the property of &s;inners, not of iu&s;t men: <HI>(houre)</HI> all pre&s;ent time is &s;hort, all the plea&s;ure of &s;inners pa&s;&s;eth like an houre, al&s;o al y^e afflictio~ of the iu&s;t pa&s;&s;eth away: <HI>(your)</HI> this
<PB N="90" REF="70"> this &s;hort time is granted vn|to you to doe euery thing ei|ther for your &s;aluatio~ or dam|nation: I &s;ay this precious time which after this life will not remaine, <HI>(and the power of darknes)</HI> that is to &s;ay a darke power, both becau&s;e they de|&s;erue it through the darkne&s;&s;e of their &s;innes, &amp; al&s;o becau&s;e they, which v&s;e it, are carryed to the darknes of Hell, &amp; al&s;o becau&s;e darknes remaineth in the power of the wicked, and, to conclude, becau&s;e power was giuen to the Deuils, the princes of darkne&s;&s;e to doe all mi&s;chiefe vnto Chri&s;t. Con&s;i|der therfore the multitude of the paines of Chri&s;t, and their greatnes when it was permit|ted to wicked Spirits being
<PB N="91" REF="70"> practi&s;ed &amp; mo&s;t ready in do|ing hurte, to per&s;ecute Chri&s;t by the&s;e his mo&s;t willing mi|ni&s;ters. Admire heere al&s;o this mo&s;t willing permi&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, giue him thanks &amp; of|fer thy &s;elfe ready to indure al labours and torments, for his &s;ake, &amp; pray him that thy po|wer may not bee in darkne&s;&s;e, but that all thy actions may be perfected with the light of faith and of his diuine grace.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then came the company and Tribune,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22.</NOTE> &amp; the Mini&s;ters of the Iewes &amp; laid hands vpon <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> and &s;o they held &amp; bound him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the wonder|ful in&s;olency of the&s;e men in taking thy Lord, &amp; thinke of the greatnes of their enuy, whereby they de&s;ired to doe
<PB N="92" REF="71"> all mi&s;chiefe vnto Chri&s;t, and that our lord had giuen them power to &s;atisfie their de&s;ires.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Acts. 22</NOTE> The Apo&s;tle <HI>Paul</HI> was taken with great cruelty, pulled out of the Te~ple by force; pre&s;e~tly beaten with their fi&s;tes, &amp; al|mo&s;t killed with &s;tripes, but it was nothing to this cruelty, which &s;urpa&s;&s;ed all cruelty: Con&s;ider the antient predicti|ons of this his captiuity: <HI>Ma|ny clogs compa&s;&s;ed me about, they tooke me as a Lyon prepared for his prey,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 11</NOTE> <NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 16.</NOTE> <HI>ca&s;ting me downe, they compa&s;&s;ed me now about: they compa&s;&s;ed me like Bees, and they burned like fire in the thornes: being pu&s;hed I was ouerthrowne, that I fell.</HI> Secondly marke the words of the Euangeli&s;ts: <HI>(a co~pany, the tribune &amp; the Mini|&s;ters)</HI>
<PB N="93" REF="71"> not a few, but the whole army laboured for this capti|uity, euery one went about &s;ome thing, <HI>(they came)</HI> they leaped with great violence as ble&s;&s;ed <HI>Gregory Nazianzene</HI> affirmeth. <HI>(Laid hands on him)</HI> not onely apprehending him, but grieuou&s;ly beating him. <HI>(They held him)</HI> as St. <HI>Leo</HI> &s;aith,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In Chri|&s;to patie~|te &s;er. 7. de pas do|mini.</NOTE> they pulled him hither &amp; thi|ther, <HI>(and they bound him)</HI> O how many cords were pulled, not by one, but by many, both becau&s;e he &s;hould not e&s;cape, and al&s;o becau&s;e being &s;eene in &s;uch habit he might be iud|ged worthy of death by all men. The&s;e bands were due vnto thee for thy &s;innes, &amp; ex|cept thou bee&s;t partaker of them thou &s;halt bee bound
<PB N="94" REF="72"> with euerla&s;ting chaynes in hell. Suffer then with thy lord, who was &s;o cruelly bound for thy cau&s;e, and endeauour to be thankefull, and pray him that by this his captiuity hee will deliuer thee free fro~ al the power of the Deuill, and from all bonds of euill de&s;ires, which according to the De|uills will might drawe thee into any &s;inne, &amp; re&s;tore thee to &s;pirituall liberty, <HI>that being deliuered out of the hand of thy enemie thou mai&s;t &s;erue him.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then all his Di&s;ciples leauing him fled: but a certaine young man did followe him, cloathed in linnen vpon the bare: and they layd hold of him, but he leauing his linnen fled away naked from them.</HEAD>
<PB N="95" REF="72">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that heere are two things declared, whereby thou mai&s;t vnder&s;ta~d the great fury &amp; cruelty which was v&s;ed in taking Chri&s;t, and carying him away: One was the flight of his mo&s;t deare Di&s;ciples, who were &s;troken into &s;o great a feare, that al|though they burned in loue with him, yet euery one of them fledd away: The other, that a young man in one of the next hou&s;es being moued with the tumult, ro&s;e out of his bed, couered onely with linnen, came foorth to &s;ee what was done in the &s;treete, whome they thinking to bee one of his Di&s;ciples, would haue apprehended, but he lea|uing his linnen, fled away na|ked,
<PB N="96" REF="73"> whereby thou mai&s;t ga|ther what a clamor they made, as if their prey were now taken; and how much they raged and de&s;ired to hurt all them, which belonged vn|to Chri&s;t: Con&s;ider &s;econdly that Chri&s;t was for&s;aken by all his friends and followers, and cruelly carryed away by the hands of the wicked. Learne heereby not to tru&s;t in men which oftentimes in this life, and euer in death doe for&s;ake all men; and pray thy Lord that he neuer for&s;ake thee; al|though thou bee&s;t for&s;aken of al men, e&s;pecially in the houre of thy death, when thou mu&s;t goe into a &s;trange countrye, without the company of any man with thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="97" REF="73">
<HEAD>The twelfe Meditation of the acts in <HI>Annas</HI> hou&s;e, and his &s;ending to <HI>Caiphas.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they brought Ie&s;us fir&s;t to <HI>Annas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 7.</NOTE> for he was father in law to <HI>Caiphas,</HI> who was the high Prie&s;t of that yeare: And <HI>Caiphas</HI> was he, which gaue coun&s;aile to the <HI>Iewes:</HI> Becau&s;e it is nece&s;&s;ary that one man dye for the people.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that Chri&s;t was brought to <HI>Annas,</HI> either becau&s;e he &s;hou|ld be caried to his father in law <HI>Caiphas,</HI> an old man, which &s;hould &s;ucceede y^e next yeare in the high prie&s;thood, and dwellling in the way to the high Prie&s;ts hou&s;e, or el&s;e for the traytor, to whome (as
<PB N="98" REF="74"> Saint <HI>Cyrill</HI> &s;aith) <HI>Annas</HI> was appointed by the Prie&s;tes to pay the reward of his trea&s;on,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. 11. in Ioan. cap. 37.</NOTE> for the taking of our Lord. Behold thou the affections of euery man; the cruell ioy of this mo&s;t wicked <HI>Annas,</HI> tryumphing that at the la&s;t his enemy was taken, the flattering congratulations of the Soldiours, the couetou&s;|ne&s;&s;e of <HI>Iudas</HI> hauing now receiued his money, the mo|de&s;ty of Chri&s;t and his cheere|full minde to &s;uffer for thee. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that men|tion is here made of the coun|&s;aile which <HI>Caiphas</HI> gaue, for the putting of Chri&s;t to death; that it may be &s;hewed that he pro&s;ecuted his death who fir&s;t gaue the coun&s;ell of his death.
<PB N="99" REF="74"> Secondly that thou mai&s;t learn that al things which our Lord &s;uffered in his pa&s;&s;ion, did not happen vnto him &s;o much by humane coun&s;aile, as by the will of God. For tho&s;e words of the death of our Lord, although <HI>Caiphas</HI> vt|tered them out of a wicked minde, yet he &s;pake them by the in&s;tinct of the holy Gho&s;t, who v&s;eth to apply the words of the wicked for the profit of the iu&s;t, &amp; that he might teach thee, that God the Father in|ioyned, &amp; God the Son tooke vpon him this cruell pa&s;&s;ion, only for the loue of ma~kinde, that thou again might&s;t be ca|ried into y^e loue of God with all thy heart &amp; minde. Third|ly that thou mai&s;t know, that
<PB N="100" REF="75"> God neuer forgetteth &s;innes pa&s;t, though perhappes they are out of thy minde. For all things are kept in memory, and an account &s;hall be de|manded at the houre of death.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Annas</HI> &s;ent him bound to <HI>Caiphas</HI> the high Priest,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18 Mat. 26.</NOTE> where the Scribes and Seniours were a&s;&s;embled.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t &s;uffered many wrongs in the hou&s;e of <HI>Annas,</HI> for this word <HI>(hee &s;ent him)</HI> &s;ignifi|eth that he did not lightly &s;uffer him to goe away, but that he made &s;ome &s;tay: But &s;earch out with thy &s;elfe what tho&s;e things were: For ble&s;|&s;ed <HI>Cyrill</HI> &s;aith, that the blowe was giuen him in the hou&s;e of <HI>Caiphas,</HI> and many affirme
<PB N="101" REF="75"> that this word <HI>(he &s;ent)</HI> &s;hould be taken in y^e Hebrue for this word <HI>(he had &s;ent.)</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly what this word &s;ig|nifieth <HI>(bound:)</HI> to wit, that either he was newly bound, or el&s;e that his former bo~ds were not loo&s;ed, that he might bee accounted &amp; condemned as guilty &amp; worthy of bonds by y^e iudgme~t of this graue ma~: But as the wicked Prie&s;t did take no compa&s;&s;ion vpon him that was bound, &s;o neither doe&s;t thou take any pittie vpon thy poore afflicted Neighbour, nor yet vpon thy owne &s;oule, which is grieuou&s;ly tyed with the bondes of &s;innes. Con|&s;ider thirdly this weari&s;ome iourney, in which thy Lord was cruelly drawne with
<PB N="102" REF="76"> with cordes, and whipped on with &s;tripes, whether &s;oeuer it plea&s;ed the wicked people to earye him. He walked in|deede the hard waies, that he might make the way to Heaue~ ea&s;ie and plaine for thee, and that thou mighte&s;t goe in the way of y^e Co~maundements of God without trouble. Co~&s;ider fourthly, and enter with thy Lord into the coun&s;aile of the wicked. Behold heere many Calues and fatte Bulls com|pa&s;&s;ing y^e mo&s;t innoce~t Lamb:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21.</NOTE> <HI>(the Scribes)</HI> the Doctors of the Lawe: <HI>(the Elders)</HI> the Magi&s;trates of the people: <HI>(the Phari&s;es)</HI> the religious people of the Iewes, being Gluttons, in&s;olent, and cru|ell. Con&s;ent not thou to their
<PB N="103" REF="76"> coun&s;aile, nor their deedes; but take the <HI>poore out of the hand of the mighty;</HI> that God al&s;o may haue mercy vpon thee in the day of thy trouble.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Simon Peter</HI> followed Ie|&s;us a farre off,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> and another di&s;ci|ple: and that di&s;ciple was known to the high Prie&s;t, &amp; entred with Ie&s;us into the high Prie&s;ts court: but <HI>Peter</HI> &s;tood at the gate with|out: Therefore the other di&s;ciple who was known to the high Prie&s;t went forth &amp; &s;pake to the porter, &amp; brought in <HI>Peter</HI> euen into the Court of the high Prie&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> &amp; being come in,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE> the fire burning in the mide&s;t of the Court, and they &s;it|ting round about it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> <HI>Peter</HI> was in the mid&s;t of the~, &amp; &s;ate with the mini&s;ters at the fire, that he might &s;ee the end, and warme him &s;elfe.</HEAD>
<PB N="104" REF="77">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t whether the&s;e flying Apo&s;tles went, being amazed with &s;o great fury of the Sol|diours, &amp; now wauering and doubtfull in their beleefe of the diuinity of Chri&s;t. For who would beleeue, that God &s;hould euer &s;uffer &s;uch things e&s;pecially if according to the receiued opinion of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> he thought that vertue &s;hold be rewarded with temporall goods. Behold <HI>Peter</HI> follow|ing a far off, and louing more then the re&s;t, tooke &s;ome cou|rage vnto him, &s;o as he doub|ted not to thru&s;t him&s;elfe into the co~pany of the Mini&s;ters, but yet fearefully and incon|&s;tantly, hoping that hee &s;hould not be knowne. Con|&s;ider
<PB N="105" REF="77"> &s;econdly the other Di&s;|ciple, either Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> as the common opinion is, the vn|&s;eperable companion of <HI>Peter,</HI> or el&s;e &s;ome &s;ecret Chri&s;tian, a rich Citizen, who by rea&s;on of &s;ome acquaintance with the high Prie&s;t, did enter into the hou&s;e, while&s;t <HI>Peter,</HI> as a poore and vnknowne man &s;tayed without doores. For poore men are not admitted to come into the hou&s;es of great men, and if at any time they are permitted, it is ac|counted a great fauour to bee placed among&s;t their &s;laues. Bee not thou delighted with &s;uch a Court, neither thru&s;t thy &s;elfe into the company of wicked men: If nece&s;&s;ity en|force thee, depart a&s;&s;oone as
<PB N="106" REF="78"> thou can&s;t, lea&s;t thy inno|cency be defiled with the fa|miliarity of wicked me~. Con|&s;ider thirdly. that <HI>Peter</HI> came not in directly, but through the fauour of a friend; and of a woman. Seeke thou therefore no honour by fa|uour or by the loue of wo|men, nor yet by any vicious or fraudulent meanes, lea&s;t, according to the example of <HI>Peter,</HI> thou maye&s;t expect a mo&s;t certain &amp; a&s;&s;ured down|fall. Al&s;o if thou chance&s;t to get honour lawfully, and art entred into the Bi&s;hops Pal|lace the direct way, doe not ioyne thy &s;elfe with the wick|ed, nor followe their exam|ples, but enter into thine owne heart, and &s;et our Lord
<PB N="107" REF="78"> alwaies before thine eyes, who hath called thee to that e&s;tate. De&s;ire the&s;e thinges of Chri&s;t, and pray vnto him to drawe thee after him, and not to for&s;ake thee for euer.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 13. Meditation of the blow in the hou&s;e of Chayphas.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then the high Prie&s;t asked <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> of his Di&s;ciples and of his Doctrine? <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;aid to him:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18</NOTE> I haue &s;poken openly to the world, I alwaies taught in the Synagogue and in the Temple, whether all the <HI>Iewes</HI> a&s;&s;emble, and in &s;ecret I haue &s;poken nothing: Why ask you mee? Aske them which heard me, what I haue &s;aid vnto them, behold the&s;e know, what I haue &s;poken.</HEAD>
<PB N="108" REF="79">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that when hitherto they had ob|&s;ereued nothing in all the life of Chri&s;t worthy of death, nor yet of bonds, the high Prie&s;t began with cer|taine fraudulent interrogati|ons to draw &s;omething out of his an&s;wers, which might bee obiected as a crime vnto him. For the offence of Chri&s;t was not the cau&s;e of the&s;e bondes, but the enuy of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> of which enuy the Scripture in the booke of <HI>Wi&s;dome</HI> num|breth fourteen cau&s;es: <HI>Becau&s;e hee is vnpr fitable for vs, &amp;c.</HI> Secondly hee asked him of his Doctrine, whether it differed nor from <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and of his Di&s;ciples, with what minde hee had cho&s;en them, what
<PB N="109" REF="79"> Doctrine he had taught them, and what mindes they carried to the Lawe. Heere inquire thou the Doctrine of Chri&s;t, that thou may&s;t follow it, and of his Di&s;ciples that thou maye&s;t immitate their man|ners. Thirdly Chri&s;t an&s;wea|red boldly, nothing fearing the high Prie&s;t, nor that a&s;|&s;embly of Noble-men; that thou &s;houlde&s;t not bee afrayd in Gods cau&s;e. But hee held his peace concerning his Di&s;|ciples, both becau&s;e he could not commend them, (and ac|cu&s;e them hee would not) that thou &s;houlde&s;t neuer hurt any manns fame; prai&s;e, if thou can&s;t, but if thou can&s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> not, yet detract not; and al&s;o be|cau&s;e the que&s;tion of his Di&s;|ciples
<PB N="110" REF="80"> was mixed with the que&s;tion of his Doctrine, the an&s;weare whereunto &s;atisfied the high Prie&s;t. Con&s;ider fourthly the purity of the do|ctrine of Chri&s;t, which our Lord propounded to bee exa|mined by his enemies. <HI>(I haue &s;poken openly)</HI> Which is a &s;igne of the purity of his Doctrine: <HI>(To the world)</HI> no man is bar|red from the hearing thereof: <HI>(Nothing in &s;ecr<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t)</HI> nothing impure, which neede to hate or flye the light; For tho&s;e things which I &s;aid in priuate: I would haue publi&s;hed to all men, &amp; preached in all places. Con&s;ider fiftly that it was ac|counted a fault in the high Prie&s;t to be ignorant of tho&s;e thinges, which Chri&s;t had
<PB N="111" REF="80"> taught &s;o openly. In the &s;ame manner many great and lear|ned men will not goe to Ser|mons, either becau&s;e they will not be pricked in con&s;cience, or el&s;e becau&s;e they are &s;o o|uerwhelmed with worldly cares, that they e&s;teeme all things co~cerning their &s;oules vnnece&s;&s;ary. Doe thou medi|tate continually vppon the wordes of our Lord, and pray him that hee will alwaies put thee in minde of his wordes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>When hee had &s;poken this,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> one of the &s;eruants gaue a blowe to <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> &s;aying: doe&s;t thou an|&s;were the high Prie&s;t &s;o?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that this blowe was giuen, both becau&s;e the&s;e very Seruantes
<PB N="112" REF="81"> were &s;ecretly pricked, which being &s;ent to apprehend <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> returned home &s;aying; <HI>Neuer did man &s;peake &s;o:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> And al&s;o of flattery, becau&s;e it &s;eemed not to be reuerently &s;poken to the high Prie&s;t: <HI>(Why doe you aske me)</HI> Proud and high minded men de&s;ire to bee dealt hono|rably withall, and will loo&s;e none of their titles; &amp; yet they violate the name of God with many oathes, periuries, &amp; bla&s;|phemies. Learne thou hereby that there are many ready to reuenge the wronges of rich and mighty men; but no man wil defend the cau&s;e of Chri&s;t and of the poore. Con&s;ider &s;econdly the iniquity of this Iudgment, where euery one had power to hurt freely with
<PB N="113" REF="81"> applau&s;e and allowance of the Iudges. Thirdly, that this blowe was of great cruelty, becau&s;e particuler mention is made thereof aboue all other, being many in number, which our Lord had already recei|ued, and &s;hould afterwards &s;uffer. Learne thou to beare patiently the admonitions of Chri&s;t, and of other men, and pray vnto God, that hee will neuer permit thee to commit any offence without reproo|uing thee, either by others or by thy owne con&s;cience.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered vnto him, if I haue &s;poken euill,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> beare witnes of the euill: but if well, why doe&s;t thou &s;trike mee.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that Chri&s;t, who had taught his Di&s;|ciples
<PB N="114" REF="82"> to turne the other cheeke to him, that had &s;tric|ken them, did heere nothing repugnant to his owne Doct|rine; both becau&s;e he did not onely offer his cheeke, but his whole body to bee whipped and nailed; and al&s;o becau&s;e in this place hee did not com|plaine, hee offered no iniury againe, he made not any re&s;i|&s;tance, but taught him, that &s;trucke him, and mode&s;tly re|ferred him to his owne con&s;|cience. Secondly that our Lord would not altogether hold his peace, lea&s;t he might &s;eem to &s;uffer &s;omething iu&s;t|ly for his owne offence, who &s;uffered all thinges for our faults and nothing for his owne. Admire heere and imi|tate
<PB N="115" REF="82"> the goodnes of our Lord, who would not reuenge &s;o great a wro~g, neither in word nor deed. And pray vnto him for con&s;tancy and meeknes of minde, that thou maye&s;t bee milde and humble of heart.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 14. Meditation of the denying of Peter.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Peter</HI> &s;ate abroade in the Court below,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> whom when the Mayd portre&s;&s;e of the high Prie&s;t &s;aw &s;itting at the light,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE> and warming him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc 22.</NOTE> &amp; had beheld him, &s;hee &s;aid: And this man was with him:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> &amp; the mayd came vnto him, &s;aying: and art not thou of the di&s;ciples of this man? he &s;aid, I am not: and he denyed before them all, &s;aying: Woman
<PB N="116" REF="83"> I know not the man, neither doe I know, nor haue k<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">owne, what thou &s;aye&s;t: And hee went forth before the court, and the Cocke crowed.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that whereas all the Apo&s;tles, (as our Lord had fore&s;aid) had &s;uffe|red &s;candall, yet onely <HI>Peters</HI> deniall is repeated by the E|uangeli&s;ts, and by all of them, both becau&s;e it &s;eemed &s;o &s;trange &amp; incredible, that <HI>Pe|ter</HI> could deny Chri&s;t, that this his &s;inne could not bee comprehended by the Euan|geli&s;ts them&s;elues; and al&s;o becau&s;e many men marke the faults of their &s;uperiours. And la&s;tly con&s;idering that he who was the foundation of the Church did &s;inne, that thou
<PB N="117" REF="83"> &s;houlde&s;t neither doubt, but that the other Di&s;ciples &s;uffe|red &s;candall, nor yet pre&s;ume of thine owne &s;trength. For no man co~mitteth that &s;inne, which another would not do; if the guid be wanting, which created man. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, when <HI>Peter</HI> denyed Chri&s;t? In the night, &amp; when it was colde. If thou wilt not behold the light of truth, and conuert thy &s;elfe wholy vnto Chri&s;t, in thine owne con&s;ci|ence, and if the loue of God and thy neighbour wax colde in thee, doubt not, but thou &s;halt fall into errors of faith, or into more grieuous offen|ces. Con&s;ider thirdly, where he denyed? where Chri&s;t was taken &amp; bound, in the com|pany
<PB N="118" REF="84"> of wicked men, in &s;pea|king with a woman: auoide the&s;e occa&s;ions if thou inten|de&s;t to be holy. And although St. <HI>Cyrill</HI> affirmeth that St. <HI>Pe|ter</HI> denyed not Chri&s;t &s;o much through feare of any hurt, which might happe~ vnto him, as through a kinde of loue, lea&s;t hee &s;hould be thru&s;t out of the hou&s;e, &amp; &s;o depriued of his pre&s;ence. Yet it is mo&s;t certaine, that he committed a mo&s;t grieuous &s;inne. Beware thou, lea&s;t vnder any colour of deuotion or vertue, thou do&s;t tran&s;gre&s;&s;e the law of God &amp; of his Church. For euill is not to bee done that good may come therof. Co~&s;ider fourth|ly that Chri&s;t is not denyed by him onely, who &s;aith that
<PB N="119" REF="84"> <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> is not Chri&s;t, but al&s;o by him, who being chri&s;tened denyeth him&s;elfe to bee a Chri&s;tian, and the Di&s;ciple of Chri&s;t, and this may bee done not onely in wordes, but al&s;o in deedes, by tho&s;e which profe&s;&s;e to know God, but in their deedes doe deny him. For doe&s;t thou thinke (&s;aith Saint <HI>Bernard</HI>) that any man thinketh <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> to bee the Son of God, who neither feareth his threatnings, nor is moued by his promi&s;es, nor obeyeth his co~maundements, nor al|loweth his coun&s;ells? How often then ha&s;t thou denyed Chri&s;t, and yet ha&s;t not done pennance with <HI>Peter.</HI> Fiftly y^e Cocke crowed, but he being otherwi&s;e bu&s;ied, ob&s;erued it
<PB N="120" REF="85"> not, for our Lord did not yet looke vpon him. Bee thou at no time &s;o ouerwhelmed with bu&s;ine&s;&s;e or &s;innes, but that thou alwaies attend the voice of God &s;peaking in thee, and that thou maye&s;t heare thy neighbour admoni&s;hing thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE>But hee going out of the gate, another Mayd &s;aw him, &amp; &s;aid to them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 14.</NOTE> which were there: And this man was with <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> of <HI>Na|zareth,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> and another &s;eeing him &s;aid: and thou art of them. But <HI>Peter</HI> &s;aid, O man, I am not, and hee denyed with an oath, for I do not knowe the man.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t how <HI>Peter</HI> burning in de&s;ire to &s;ee our Lord, who &s;tood bound before the Councell in an in|ward and higher Chamber,
<PB N="121" REF="85"> did not goe out of the hou&s;e, but out of the lower roome, &amp; began to enquire &s;omthing of Chri&s;t: that thou mai&s;t deui&s;e and trie all waies &amp; meanes to inioy thy Lord in thy medita|tions, &amp; to obtain him throgh the workes of vertue. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly, that where the deuill doth once get the victo|rye, he doth at his returne rage more cruelly, and wound more deepely. Fir&s;t there came one maide, and &s;pake vnto <HI>Peter</HI> &s;omewhat mode&s;tly: Then &s;ome other &s;eruants came to that Mayde, and at the la&s;t a great number came together and did as it were oppre&s;&s;e him with their wordes: wher|fore <HI>Peter</HI> at the fir&s;t did onely deny: Secondly he added an
<PB N="122" REF="86"> oath: Thirdly he beganne to cur&s;e and bla&s;pheme. Take thou heede therefore that the Deuill neuer ouercome thee; for he being once &s;ubdued by the death of Chri&s;t, is driuen away by re&s;i&s;tance onely, ac|cording to that &s;aying, <HI>Re&s;i&s;t the Deuill,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Daniel. 7</NOTE> <HI>and he will flye from you.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly the fall of <HI>Peter:</HI> Fir&s;t he pre&s;umed of him&s;elfe: Secondly he &s;lept in the Garden: Thirdly he left his fellowe Di&s;ciples: Fourth|ly he thru&s;t him&s;elfe into com|pany among&s;t wicked men: Fiftly he denyed. Therefore the beginning of his fall was pre&s;umption, and the neglect|ing of the &s;eruice of God.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="123" REF="86">
<HEAD>ANd the &s;pace as it were of an houre being pa&s;t, ano|ther affirmed, &s;aying: Verily and this man was with him; for he al|&s;o is a <HI>Galilaean:</HI> Then they &s;aid vnto him: Whether art thou one of his Di&s;ciples? he denyed and &s;aid. I am not,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18</NOTE> and they came which &s;tood by, and &s;aid: Ve|rily thou al&s;o art one of them, for thou al&s;o art a <HI>Galilaean,</HI> and thy &s;peach doth make thee manife&s;t: Then &s;aid one of the Seruants of the High Prie&s;t to him, his cou&s;in who&s;e Eare <HI>Pe|ter</HI> had cut off: Did not I &s;ee thee in the Garden with him? Then hee began to cur&s;e, to dete&s;t, and &s;weare, for I knowe not this man of whom yee &s;peake: And foorth|with as hee was yet &s;peaking the
<PB N="124" REF="87"> Cocke crowed againe:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> And our Lord turned, and beheld <HI>Peter:</HI> And <HI>Peter</HI> remembred him&s;elfe of the word of our Lord,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> as hee had &s;aid, that before the Cocke crowe twi&s;e, thou &s;halt deny me thri&s;e, and <HI>Peter</HI> going out of doores wept bitterly.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that when <HI>Peter</HI> was come againe to the fire, he beganne to &s;peake more freely with the &s;eruants, to the end that he might take away all &s;u&s;pition from him|&s;elfe: For by his &s;peach hee was iudged to bee a <HI>Galilaean.</HI> Thou therefore who art the &s;eruant of Chri&s;t take heede of familiarity with the wicked. Let thy communication bee of Heauenly things, as thou maie&s;t perceiue the Apo&s;tles
<PB N="125" REF="87"> &s;peaches were in the Acts of the Apo&s;tles, and by their E|pi&s;tles: For he which is de|lighted with the vaine &s;pea|ches of &s;ecular men, will ea&s;ily be drawn to imitate their ma~|ners, and to be warmed with their fire, and intrapped with their delights. Secondly, <HI>Pe|ter</HI> was knowne by his &s;peach to bee the Di&s;ciple of Chri&s;t, and a <HI>Galilaean.</HI> Doe thou like|wi&s;e &s;o gouerne thy &s;elfe, that all men euen by thy outward co~uer&s;atio~ may know thee to be the follower of Chri&s;t, and a <HI>Galilaean,</HI> that is, one flying from the worldly to a &s;pirituall life, and a&s;piring to Heauen. Con&s;ider thirdly the benignity of Chri&s;t towards his &s;eruants. He being oppre&s;&s;ed with &s;o
<PB N="126" REF="88"> many mi&s;eries, did as it were forget him&s;elfe, and take care of his Di&s;ciple: He re&s;trayned him from &s;inning any deeper, and cau&s;ed him after his third deniall to &s;tay, beholding him, not with the eyes of his body (for that he could not doe, being in an vpper chamber, and compa&s;&s;ed round about with officers) but turning to him with the inward beames of his mercy; with which he touched his heart, illumina|ted and mollified it. For the beholding of Chri&s;t doth il|luminate the Con&s;cience, that &s;innes may be knowne, euen as the beames of the Sunne doe lighten a Chamber. Con|&s;ider fourthly the order of his Conuer&s;ion: Fir&s;t the Cocke
<PB N="127" REF="88"> crowed: Secondly our Lord beheld him: Thirdly <HI>Peter</HI> re|membred the word of Ie&s;us: Fourthly he went foorth: Fiftly he wept bitterly: If Chri&s;t looke not vpon thee, the Cocke crowes in vaine. Doe thou therefore giue eare vnto the Preachers and Ad|moni&s;hers, as vnto Cockes; and pray that our Lord will turne vnto thee. Ob&s;erue the wordes which thou heare&s;t: Flye all occa&s;ions of euill, and doe Pennaunce. Heere thou being a mo&s;t grieuous &s;inner maie&s;t haue great hope of pardon, &s;eeing that the mercy of our Lord gaue &s;o free pardon for this grie|uous &s;inne, that Chri&s;t neuer obiected it vnto <HI>Peter.</HI> But
<PB N="128" REF="89"> thou who ha&s;t offended with <HI>Peter,</HI> goe not about to excu&s;e thy &s;elfe with <HI>Adam,</HI> but weep with <HI>Peter,</HI> who (as St. <HI>Clement</HI> witne&s;&s;eth) did all his whole life time after the fir&s;t crowing of the Cock ri&s;e vp to his pray|ers, and &s;lept no more that night.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 15. Meditation of the fal&s;e witne&s;&s;es in the hou&s;e of Caiphas.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>BVt the chiefe Prie&s;ts, and all the coun&s;aile &s;ought fal&s;e witnes again&s;t Ie&s;us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> that they might put him to death, and they did not finde it, wheras many fal&s;e witne&s;&s;es were come in. For many &s;pake fal&s;e witne&s;&s;e, and their te&s;timonies were not conuenient. But at la&s;t came two fal&s;e wit|ne&s;&s;es,
<PB N="129" REF="89"> and ri&s;ing vp they gaue fal&s;e witne&s;&s;e again&s;t him; for we heard him &s;peaking: I will de&s;troy this Temple of God, made with hands, and after three dayes I will build another, not made with hands, and their testimony was not conuenient.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t when the high Prie&s;t could drawe nothing worthy of death from the wordes of Chri&s;t, then he asked the &s;tan|ders by, who had beene of|ten at his Sermons, and euery one &s;pake that, which they thought might helpe to con|demne him, and were very earne&s;t and de&s;irous to finde out &s;ome capitall crime, ac|cording to that &s;aying: <HI>They
<PB N="130" REF="90"> &s;earched for iniquities, &s;earch|ing they fainted in their &s;eaarch,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 69</NOTE> <HI>they inuented coun&s;ailes which they could not e&s;tabli&s;h.</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly the purity of the life of thy Lord, which was &s;o great, that it was hard to frame &s;uch a lye of him, as might carrye any colour of truth, euen by the te&s;timonie of his aduer&s;aries them&s;elues. Learne thou fir&s;t to accu&s;e no man vniu&s;tly; For a Detractor and fal&s;e witne&s;&s;e are bound to re&s;titution of good name Se|condly to auoyd all lyes: For a Lyar cannot plea&s;e euen the wicked. Thirdly according to the example of Chri&s;t to liue in &s;uch order that the very enimies of Faith, may finde nothing in thy life to obiect
<PB N="132" REF="90"> again&s;t thee, but con&s;idering thee by thy good workes may glorifie God our Fa|ther.</P>
<P>Fourthly neuer to &s;eeke out rea&s;ons again&s;t thy con|&s;cience to excu&s;e thy &s;inne:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> For tho&s;e te&s;timonies are fal&s;e, and not conuenient, where|by God is not deceiued, nor thy Con&s;cience pacified, Con&s;ider thirdly the&s;e two fal&s;e witne&s;&s;es &s;tanding vp among&s;t the re&s;t, who&s;e te&s;ti|monies are e&s;pecially rela|ted, either becau&s;e they were of greater moment, that by them thou mighte&s;t knowe the vanities of the others, or el&s;e becau&s;e they con|tayne the my&s;terie of the death of our Lord, which was then
<PB N="132" REF="91"> in handling. But they were not conuenient: Fir&s;t becau&s;e the witne&s;&s;es could not agree together, the one &s;aying <HI>(I will de&s;troy)</HI> and the other <HI>(I can de&s;troy)</HI> Secondly becau&s;e our Lord had &s;poke no word of de&s;troying and building againe;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 12.</NOTE> but he &s;aid <HI>(di&s;&s;olue)</HI> and <HI>(I will rai&s;e)</HI> &s;peaking of his death, and re&s;urrection. Thirdly becau&s;e he had hurt no man, if he had re&s;tored in three dayes, that, which he had de&s;troyed. Fourthly becau&s;e it &s;eemed not to be beyond his power, who had ray&s;ed <HI>Lazarus</HI> from death after he had been dead foure daies. Fift|ly becau&s;e &s;uch kinde of brag|ing words &s;eemed rather wor|thy of laughter and contempt
<PB N="133" REF="91"> then of death. Learn thou fir&s;t not to wre&s;t y^e words of Chri&s;t to a contrary &s;ence: Secondly not to relate any thing other|wi&s;e then it was done: Thirdly neuer to iudge euill of y^e minde or intention of others, when their words or deedes may be well interpreted. Do thou al&s;o &s;uffer together with thy Lord Chri&s;t, for who&s;e death and de|&s;truction &s;o many men tooke &s;o great paines; and pray vnto him, that thou maie&s;t be in|&s;tructed in the true vnder&s;tan|ding of the Scriptures, and that hee will neuer &s;uffer thee to fall into haere&s;ie.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the high Prie&s;t ri&s;ing vp in the midde&s;t of them,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> asked <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;aying: Doe&s;t thou an|&s;were nothing to tho&s;e thinges?
<PB N="134" REF="92"> which the&s;e men obiect again&s;t thee, and whereof they beare witnes, again&s;t thee? but <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> held his peace, and an&s;wered no|thing. Againe the high Prie&s;t &s;aid: I adiure thee by the liuing God that thou do&s;t tell vs, if thou art Chri&s;t the Sonne of our ble&s;|&s;ed God?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, when no|thing was found worthy of accu&s;ation, which might &s;eeme as a fault to bee obiect|ed before <HI>Pilate</HI> the Gentile Pre&s;ident, the high Prie&s;t be|ing angry, inuented certaine que&s;tions, to the end that hee might gather &s;ome thinges from his an&s;wers. His owne con&s;cience informed him, that nothing of any moment was alleaged: Yet he vrged
<PB N="135" REF="92"> tho&s;e things which hee knew to be fal&s;e. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that Chri&s;t helde his peace, both becau&s;e hee knewe, that his con&s;cience did an&s;wer all tho&s;e things, and al&s;o becau&s;e he would not avoyd death by his eloquence. Hee teacheth the fir&s;t to contemne all iniu|ries and lyes, &amp; to &s;uffer them patie~tly, partly becau&s;e, thogh perhaps thou art not guilty of tho&s;e thinges, which are ob|iected again&s;t thee, yet thou ha&s;t offended God in many thinges, whereof no man ac+cu&s;eth thee; and partly be|cau&s;e thou art neuer y^e wor&s;e, becau&s;e other men thinke thee to bee euill, For eue|ry one is &s;uch as hee appea|reth to bee in the &s;ight of
<PB N="136" REF="93"> our Lord. Secondly not to thinke them worthy of an an|&s;wer, which do offer wrong; becau&s;e their owne con&s;ci|ence doth reproue them. Co~|&s;ider thirdly what our Lord did when hee held his peace. For this (&s;aith hee) <HI>That they &s;hould loue mee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 108.</NOTE> <HI>they did detract from mee: but I did pray.</HI> Hee prayed then that the fruite of his Pa&s;&s;ion might pa&s;&s;e vnto thee: Therfore in euery trou|ble of thy minde conuert thy &s;elfe vnto Chri&s;t; For it can|not bee that hee remembring this vniu&s;t accu&s;ation, can be vnmercifull vnto thee in thy troubles, &amp; fal&s;e accu&s;ations. Con&s;ider fourthly, that the high Prie&s;t euill interpreting this &s;ilence of our Lord, did
<PB N="137" REF="93"> v&s;e adiuration in the&s;e words <HI>(I adiure thee)</HI> or as the Greek text is <HI>(I coniure thee)</HI> which worde is v&s;ed in the coniura|tion of Deuils. Marke heere whom thy Lord is accounted to bee, to wit, one ob&s;e&s;&s;ed of a deuill. And the high Prie&s;t by his coniuration demanded two things. Fir&s;t whether he bee Chri&s;t, that is to &s;ay, the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> promi&s;ed in the Law. Secondly, whether hee be the Sonne of God. For therefore was hee put to death becau&s;e he was Chri&s;t: and therefore hee redeemed man-kinde by his death, becau&s;e he was the Sonne of God, that is to &s;ay, of equall Maie&s;ty with God the Father.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Ie&s;us &s;aid vnto him, thou ha&s;t
<PB N="138" REF="94"> &s;aid:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> I am; but I &s;ay vnto you, hereafter yee &s;hall &s;ee the Sonne of man &s;itting at the right hand of the power of God, and co~ming in the cloudes of Heauen.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t being admired by the name of the liuing God, did holde his peace no longer, both becau&s;e hee would not &s;eeme to auoide death by hol|ding his peace, and al&s;o that thou &s;houlde&s;t alwayes reue|rence the name of God. <HI>(Thou ha&s;t &s;aid,)</HI> That is, &s;o it is, as thou ha&s;t &s;poken, and as thy con&s;cience doth witnes vnto thy &s;elfe. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that hee maketh mention of the Iudgment to come in the wordes of <HI>Daniel.</HI> Fir&s;t that hee might take away the iea|lou&s;ie
<PB N="139" REF="94"> of his affecting a King|dome, becau&s;e hee &s;ought not an earthly but a heauenly and eternall Kingdome. Second|ly that they &s;hould ab&s;taine from this euill iudgment, for feare of y^e Iudgment to come. Learne fir&s;t in all thy actions to remember thy la&s;t end. Se|condly in all accu&s;ations to haue patience, becau&s;e power &s;hall be giuen thee to Iudge thy accu&s;ers, and tho&s;e which haue afflicted thee. Thirdly alwayes, but e&s;pecially at the end of thy life, to confe&s;&s;e a truth, euen though it be great lo&s;&s;e both to thy body and goods. And pray thy Lord, that hee will &s;trike thy fle&s;h with whol&s;ome feare, and in|flame thy hart through y^e Me|ditatio~ of his Pa&s;&s;ion.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="140" REF="95">
<HEAD>The 16. Meditation of the fir&s;t condemnatio~ of Chri&s;t and of his mocking.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then the chiefe Prie&s;t rent his garments;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> &s;aying: Hee hath bla&s;phemed, what neede wee wit|ne&s;&s;es any further? beholde yee haue now heard the bla&s;phemy, what thinke yee? they an&s;wering &s;aid, he is guilty of death.</HEAD>
<P>IF in any great matter there happened any grieuous e|uill, as without doubt bla&s;|phemy is, then the <HI>Iewes</HI> did cut or teare their garments, and by that &s;igne did &s;hew the grieuou&s;nes of the matter, which &s;hould cut the heart with griefe, and bee reuenged euen with the lo&s;&s;e of honour and goods. But the high Prie&s;t was forbidden to cut
<PB N="141" REF="95"> his garments by this Lawe, <HI>The high Prie&s;t &s;hall not vnco|uer his head, hee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Leuit. 21</NOTE> <HI>&s;hall not cut his garments.</HI> Neuerthele&s;&s;e this vnlearned Prie&s;t being ignorant of the Lawe, did cut his garment, and by cutting it made an end of the Prie&s;t|hood of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> Learne thou to be moued with the iniuries offered vnto God, though it bee to thine owne lo&s;&s;e &amp; hinderance. Co~&s;ider fir&s;t what opinion the <HI>Iewes</HI> had of thy Lord. He was fir&s;t accounted an Impo&s;ter or In|chanter, wherupon <HI>Iudas</HI> &s;aid, <HI>(Carry him warily lea&s;t in wrap|ping your eyes with his iugling he &s;lippe from you.)</HI> Secondly iniurious vnto men: <HI>doe&s;t thou &s;o, &s;aith hee, an&s;were the high
<PB N="142" REF="96"> Prie&s;t?</HI> Thirdly ob&s;e&s;&s;ed by a Deuill, in the exorci&s;me and coniuration of y^e high Prie&s;t. Fourthly bla&s;phemous again&s;t God. Fiftly a fal&s;e Prophet, in the Officers &s;coffing and mocking him. Behold with what Titles thy Lord was ho|noured in this his pa&s;&s;ion. Con&s;ider &s;econdly with what minde Chri&s;t heard this gene|rall voice of the people, <HI>(He is guilty of death,)</HI> and euen of that people, who&s;e dead hee had rai&s;ed, who&s;e &s;icke he had healed, and who&s;e profite hee had procured. Admire the malice of wicked men, and the gentlenes of Chri&s;t, who being nothing mooued with this &s;entence of death, offered him&s;elf ready to dye for them,
<PB N="143" REF="96"> which killed him. Pray ther|fore that by this &s;entence of his death, thou may&s;t be deli|uered from the &s;entence of e|ternall death.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the men,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14</NOTE> which helde <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> mocked him, beating him, and they &s;pet in his face, &amp; beate him with blowes, &amp; they couered him &amp; &s;truck his face, &amp; asked him, &s;aying: Prophe&s;ie vnto vs, O Chri&s;t, who is hee, that &s;truck thee.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that Chri&s;t in y^e cou~&s;el was not only ty|ed with bondes, but al&s;o held by y^e hands of many, who after y^e &s;entence of death pronou~c|ed did handle him mo&s;t cruel|ly, as a co~demned man, again&s;t whom they could not &s;inne. The deuil increa&s;ed their cru|elty,
<PB N="144" REF="97"> who becau&s;e he had ob&s;er|ued no &s;inne in him in his whole life, de&s;ired by the&s;e torme~ts to moue him to &s;ome impatience. Co~&s;ider &s;econdly that then they raged mo&s;t a|gain&s;t Chri&s;t, when hee con|fe&s;&s;ed him&s;elfe to be the Son of God. For then thou mu&s;t expect mo&s;t temptations both by men and deuils, when by the amendment of their life and manners thou &s;halt &s;hew thy &s;elfe to bee the Sonne of God. Con&s;ider thirdly there were fower kinde of mock|ings. Fir&s;t they beat him with their fi&s;ts and handes about the head, face, and necke. Se|condly they &s;pit their filthy fleame in his face. Thirdly they couered his face, which
<PB N="145" REF="97"> by the &s;weet a&s;pect therof &s;ee|med to hinder, and &s;tay their fury and wickednes. Fourth|ly, they v&s;ed reproachfull words: <HI>(prophe&s;ie)</HI> as if they &s;hould &s;ay, thou art not a true, but a fal&s;e Prophet. Take thou heede of the&s;e kinde of illu&s;i|ons: For fir&s;t thou doe&s;t &s;trike Chri&s;t, when thou hurte&s;t thy neighbour; &amp; thou do&s;t &s;trike his head with blowes, when &s;ecretly thou doe&s;t hurt thy &s;u|periours, &amp; his face, if openly. Secondly thou &s;pitte&s;t vpon him, when thou pollute&s;t thy con&s;cie~ce with euill thoughts. Thirdly thou couere&s;t his face, when oppre&s;&s;ing thy co~&s;cience thou per&s;euere&s;t in &s;in. Fourth|ly thou reuile&s;t him, whe~ thou do&s;t not belieue his promi&s;es,
<PB N="146" REF="98"> nor threatnings. Looke vnto thy &s;elfe, lea&s;t by imitating the &s;innes of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> thou in|curre&s;t the &s;ame puni&s;hment. For they haue a vayle ouer their heart, &s;o as they can|not knowe Chri&s;t: They are in all places derided of all men, and many times they are reuyled and beaten, being hatefull both to God and men. Pray vnto thy Lord, that the&s;e his reproaches may free thee from the eternall reproaches of thy &s;oule,</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE>And bla&s;pheming, they &s;pake many other things again&s;t him.</HEAD>
<P>ENter thou into the high Prie&s;tes Court, and con|&s;ider what the&s;e wicked Of|ficers did all night, and what
<PB N="147" REF="98"> Chri&s;t &s;uffered.<NOTE PLACE="marg">in Luc. 22</NOTE> Saint <HI>Theo|philact</HI> &s;aith, that they being drunke at their &s;upper did ma|ny thinges very want onely, according to that &s;aying: <HI>They did &s;ing again&s;t me which did drinke wine.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 68</NOTE> And becau&s;e the Euangeli&s;t doth conclude the labour of the whole night in the&s;e fewe wordes, looke thou into the writings of the Prophets what they &s;ay of the&s;e illu&s;ions: <HI>I&s;aias:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 50.</NOTE> <HI>I gaue my body to the strikers, and my cheekes to the pinchers: I haue not turned my face from them that rebuked and &s;pit vpon me: I haue put my face as a mo&s;t hard rocke.</HI> Hyeremias:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hierom. 3</NOTE> <HI>He &s;hall giue his cheeke to him that will &s;trike him, he &s;hall be &s;atiated with reproches.</HI> Iob: <HI>They opened their
<PB N="148" REF="99"> mouthes again&s;t me, and vpbray|ding they &s;troke my cheeke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Iob. 16</NOTE> <HI>they are &s;atiated with my paynes.</HI> Hereby is &s;ignified: Fi&s;t that the whole body of Chri&s;t was &s;tricken mo&s;t cruelly, beaten with &s;taues, fi&s;tes, and feete; for the&s;e words &s;eem to &s;igni|fie &s;o much: <HI>I gaue my body to them that would &s;trike.</HI> Second|ly, that his beard was pulled off, and his face bloudy. Third|ly that the vi&s;age of Chri&s;t was beaten with fi&s;tes, and made blewe: Fourthly, that he &s;uf|ferd diuers kinds of mockings and illu&s;ions: and to be briefe, that nothing was omitted that could be deui&s;ed for his paine: <HI>They are &s;atiated</HI> (&s;aith he) with my paines: for thinke, that the officers v&s;ed our Lord this
<PB N="149" REF="99"> night by the con&s;e~t of the high Prie&s;ts in &s;uch manner, that al|though he &s;hould not be cru|cified, yet he could not by na|ture continue long aliue. Ther|fore it is not to meruailed at, though he were dead &s;ooner then <HI>Pilate</HI> expected. Do thou al&s;o behold Chri&s;t, marke his face, (which was expo&s;ed to blowes) &s;o amiable, his eyes breathing forth loue, expre&s;|&s;ing &s;o much more charity in them, by how much our Lord was beaten with &s;tripes. The Prie&s;tes departed now to take their re&s;t, and the officers like|wi&s;e framed the~&s;elues to &s;leep: onely the Spou&s;e of thy &s;oule could take no re&s;t, for he mu&s;t take no other &s;leepe then in the bedde of the Cro&s;&s;e.
<PB N="150" REF="100"> Pray him that his vnquiet re&s;t may bring euerla&s;ting re&s;t to thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 17 Meditation of the &s;econd condemnation of Chri&s;t in the hou&s;e of Cayphas.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar 15 Luc. 22.</NOTE>And pre&s;ently in the morning as &s;oon as it was day all the chiefe Prie&s;ts, and the elders of the peo|ple, and the Scribes a&s;&s;embled to|gether again&s;t <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> that they might put him to death: and they brought him into their coun&s;aile, &s;aying: If thou art Chri&s;t tell vs.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that now the &s;econd time they a&s;&s;em|ble into councell, both becau&s;e more &s;hould con&s;ent to the condemnation of Chri&s;t (For perhaps in the night many wer
<PB N="151" REF="100"> ab&s;ent) &amp; al&s;o that they might confirme in the day time, that which they had iudged in the night. There a&s;&s;embled 3. &s;orts of people, the Prie&s;ts, y^e Elders of the people, who had the ci|uil gouernment &amp; the Scribes, in w^c &s;ort the Phari&s;ees al&s;o are vnder&s;tood, being y^e Religious people of y^e Iewes: that thou mai&s;t vnder&s;tand; 1. That all men gaue cau&s;e of the death of our Lord. 2. That Chri&s;t dyed for all. 3. That all men ought worthily to acknowledge them&s;elues to bee &s;inners, and to &s;eeke helpe by the death of Chri&s;t. Co~&s;ider &s;econdly that this que&s;tion <HI>(If thou bee&s;t Chri&s;t)</HI> w^c was ha~dled al night,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 4.</NOTE> was the que&s;tion of the Deuil tempting Chri&s;t, <HI>If thou art the
<PB N="152" REF="101"> Sonne of God,</HI> and al&s;o of them which mocked our Lord on the Cro&s;&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 13.</NOTE> <HI>If thou bee&s;t Chri&s;t &s;aue thy &s;elfe,</HI> whereby is &s;igni|fied fir&s;t that they which doubt of their faith, are the &s;onnes of the Deuill, and liue in darkene&s;&s;e: Secondly that this is the fault of all &s;inners, not to knowe who Chri&s;t is: Some will haue him rich, noble, &amp;c. they will not haue him &s;pit vp|on, de&s;pi&s;ed, &amp; poore: Others thinke him au&s;tere and &s;owre, and are ignorant how &s;weete our Lord is: Others contrari|wi&s;e will haue him &s;o merci|full, that he will not be offen|ded with any &s;innes, nor pu|ni&s;h any offenders. Doe thou acknowledge in Chri&s;t both mercy and iu&s;tice, and learne,
<PB N="153" REF="101"> that heerein con&s;i&s;teth the highe&s;t wi&s;edome, that thou knowe&s;t the true God, &amp; Ie&s;us Chri&s;t whome he &s;ent.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 17.</NOTE> Then enter into the coun&s;aile of tho&s;e wicked men: Behold thy Spou&s;e foulely and euilly v&s;ed by the <HI>Iewes:</HI> Admire fir&s;t &amp; inquire, art not thou Chri&s;t? Can it bee, that thou, which art the Sonne of God, the Au|thor of all Creatures, the glory of saints, wilt &s;uffer &s;uch things for me, poore and vile worme? By the&s;e que&s;tions &s;tirre vp thy &s;elfe, that whil&s;t Chri&s;t &s;uffereth and is full of confu|&s;ion, thou in the meane time &s;eeke not after gaine &amp; world|ly honour.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And hee &s;ayde vnto them: If I &s;hould tell you, you would
<PB N="154" REF="102"> not beleeue me: And if I &s;hall aske, yee will not an&s;were me, nor let me goe: But hereafter the Sonne of man &s;hall be &s;itting at the right hand of the power of God. And they all &s;aid: art thou then the Sonne of God? who an|&s;wered; you &s;ay, that I am.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that our Lord, before hee pro|fe&s;&s;ed him&s;elfe to bee Chri&s;t, did v&s;e a preface, for whereas hee profe&s;&s;ed the &s;ame mo&s;t plainly in the night and was &s;o farre from profi|ting, that thereby a greater accu&s;ation was framed again&s;t him; heere being asked the &s;econd time, hee &s;eemeth to make &s;ome difficulty in an&s;wearing: That thou may&s;t
<PB N="155" REF="102"> learne that the &s;ugge&s;tions of God, being once reiected, doe hardly returne againe. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, how of|ten they asked, and neuer be|leeued. For there are &s;ome, which alwayes repeate the &s;elfe &s;ame que&s;tion, not be|cau&s;e they are ignorant, but becau&s;e thereby they may finde out &s;omething, which may plea&s;e their owne will, and not bee repugnant to their de&s;ire,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 3.</NOTE> euer learn|ing, and neuer comming to the truth of knowledge. Thou al&s;o how many thinges doe&s;t thou knowe, and how fewe doe&s;t thou performe? Doubt not, <HI>But the Seruant,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 12.</NOTE> <HI>which knoweth the will of his Lord, and doeth it not &s;hall bee
<PB N="156" REF="103"> beaten with many &s;tripes.</HI> Con&s;i|der thirdly <HI>(if I &s;hall aske, yee will not an&s;were me)</HI> the pride of the wicked, who would not vouch&s;afe to an&s;were Chri&s;t their Lord: What will they doe at the latter iudgement, when they &s;hall haue him for their Iudge, whome they iud|ged vnworthy of their an&s;wer. Thinke thou hereof as often as thou &s;halt be admoni&s;hed by God in thy con&s;cience, and thou do&s;t reiect his in&s;piratio~. Co~&s;ider fourthly that our lord being asked, whether he was Chri&s;t, did an&s;were out of <HI>Dauids</HI> P&s;alme of the &s;itting of the right hand of his Fa|ther,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 109.</NOTE> which P&s;alme he allea|ged to them another time, that by that argument (which
<PB N="157" REF="103"> otherwi&s;e they could not &s;olue) they might knowe that the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> was the Sonne of God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22.</NOTE> which they did ea&s;ily vnder&s;tand, for they inferred vpon his an&s;were, <HI>Art thou then the Sonne of God?</HI> Admire the goodnes of God which cea&s;ed not to admoni&s;h, and to withdrawe them from this grieuous &s;inne, wherein they &s;hould &s;inne not again&s;t man onely, but again&s;t him, who was the Sonne of God. Pray thou vnto Chri&s;t, that the re|uerence &amp; re&s;pect of him may moue thee, that when&s;oeuer thou &s;halt &s;inne; thou maye&s;t thinke of that &s;aying: <HI>To thee alone haue I &s;inned,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 50.</NOTE> <HI>and I haue done euill before thee:</HI> For it is God, who is offended, &amp; not man alone.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="158" REF="104">
<HEAD>But they &s;aid, what neede wee te&s;timony any further,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22. Mat. 26. Mar. 14.</NOTE> for wee our &s;elues haue heard from his owne mouth. And all the multi|tude of them ri&s;ing, and binding <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> brought him bound to <HI>Pi|late</HI> the Pre&s;ident.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t from an ex|cellent an&s;weare an euill conclu&s;ion; becau&s;e hee is Chri&s;t, and the Sonne of God, therefore hee mu&s;t be offered to <HI>Pilate</HI> to dye. Thou often|times conclude&s;t in like man|ner: God is mercifull, there|fore let vs &s;inne more freely. Con&s;ider &s;econdly out of St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Hom. 85. in Mat.</NOTE> that the <HI>Iewes</HI> would not put Chri&s;t to death &s;ecretly, but openly: that the glory, which he had gotten by his miracles, might
<PB N="159" REF="104"> be taken away by the pub|lique &s;hame and ignominy of his death, and that he might generally be e&s;teemed a wick|ed man in all places. But God permitted it vpon a far diffe|rent rea&s;on: Fir&s;t that hee, which &s;hould dye for all men, &s;hould be put to death not &s;e|cretly by the <HI>Iewes</HI> onely, but openly by the <HI>Gentiles</HI> al&s;o be|fore all men. Secondly y^t this death, which &s;eemed to bee infamous, and full of ignomi|ny, &s;hould &s;anctifie all Nati|ons, and &s;hould bee glorious for euer throghout the whole world.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Galat. 6.</NOTE> Doe thou with y^e Apo|&s;tle <HI>Paul Glory in nothing el&s;e, but in the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord Ie|&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. 8. de Pa&s;c. Do~.</NOTE> Co~&s;ider thirdly out of St. <HI>Leo,</HI> that after Ie&s;us was
<PB N="160" REF="105"> offered being bou~d with hard knottes, beaten with many boxes &amp; blowes, defiled with &s;pittings, condemned before|hand with clamours: To the end, that among&s;t &s;o many fore-iudgments, wherby eue|ry one de&s;ired to haue him dy; <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;hould not dare to di&s;|charge him. Follow thou thy Lord in this iourney, as neare as thou can&s;t, and offer him vp for thy &s;elfe, not to <HI>Pilate</HI> the Pre&s;ident, but to God the Father, &amp; de&s;ire him, that hee who was once adiudged to dye for thy &s;innes, may by his death deliuer thee from all euils.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="161" REF="105">
<HEAD>The 18. Meditation of the death of <HI>Iudas.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then <HI>Iudas,</HI> who had betray|ed him, &s;eeing that hee was condemned,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> repenting him&s;elfe brought againe the thirty peeces of &s;iluer to the high Prie&s;tes, and to the Elders, &s;aying: I haue &s;inned, betraying iu&s;t bloud: But they &s;aid, what is that to vs? Looke you to it.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that <HI>Iudas</HI> hearing of the condem|nation of Chri&s;t by the high Prie&s;ts, being led by repentance, either good, through the greatnes of his offence, or fal&s;e; through the &s;hame, whereby hee thought he &s;hould neuer be able to in|dure the reproaches, which
<PB N="162" REF="106"> would in&s;ue, brought againe the money. This al&s;o was per|mitted by God, whereby the innocency of Chri&s;t might be manife&s;ted to all men, lea&s;t the <HI>Iewes</HI> by this argument might confirme the death of our Lord to be iu&s;t becau&s;e his inward di&s;ciple; who knew all &s;ecrets had deliuered him vp to them to dye. But <HI>Iudas</HI> betrayed our Lord, not that Chri&s;t &s;hold dye, but becau&s;e hee would haue the money, hoping that as at diuers times before, &s;o at this time al&s;o our Lord might e&s;cape. Learne fir&s;t the innocency of our Lord, which the Traytor him|&s;elfe confe&s;&s;ed openly, with mo&s;t earne&s;t wordes, and by throwing downe of y^e money.
<PB N="163" REF="106"> Secondly the bitter torments of our Lord, which moued the very Traytor to repe~tance. Thirdly the quallityes of the Deuill, who bewitcheth our eyes, before the &s;inne bee co~|mitted, lea&s;t we &s;hould fee the foulne&s;&s;e thereof; but after the &s;inne, hee openeth y^e &s;ame, that wee &s;hould di&s;paire. Co~|&s;ider &s;econdly the an&s;were of the Prie&s;ts <HI>(What is that to vs) Peter</HI> after his &s;inne co~mitted, went out from the co~pany of the wicked, and obtained par|don: <HI>Iudas</HI> contrariwi&s;e came to the wicked, &amp; fell into de&s;|peration. Learn hereby y^t they which offend the Maie&s;ty of God becau&s;e they may haue y^e fauour of other men, are after for&s;aken by them, &amp; y^t alwaies
<PB N="164" REF="107"> after this life, when euery one &s;hall beare his owne burthen, and often times al&s;o euen in this life. Con&s;ider thirdly the grieuous burthen of an euill con&s;cience, w^c feared neither &s;hame nor death. Doe thou lamenting for thy &s;innes, &s;ay with <HI>Iudas,</HI> I haue &s;inned, be|traying iu&s;t bloud: y^t is to &s;ay, I haue through my &s;innes ca&s;t oftentimes from my &s;elfe the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, which was giue~ me for my &s;oules health. But tru&s;ting in the mercy of Chri&s;t, di&s;paire not, but in thy prayer adde this, O Lord re|&s;tore it thou vnto me, that it may profite my &s;oule. Con&s;i|der fourthly, that it is mani|fe&s;t by the an&s;wer of y^e Prie&s;ts, that Chri&s;t dyed not for any
<PB N="165" REF="107"> fault committed by him&s;elfe, but of meere malice &amp; enuy. For this <HI>(What is that to vs)</HI> is as much to &s;ay, it skilleth not, whether hee dye iu&s;tly or vn|iu&s;tly, &s;o hee dye. Con&s;ider fiftly, <HI>(Looke thou to that)</HI> that euill men giue onely matter of di&s;paire: Learne hereby fir&s;t the di&s;po&s;ition of wicked &s;uperiours, who care not how their &s;ubiects liue, &s;o as they may inioy their owne profite, and plea&s;ure. Learne &s;econd|ly, to &s;uffer with the afflicted, and to comfort them, at lea&s;t with good wordes, if other|wi&s;e thou art not able. Learne thirdly in thy afflictions, not to repaire to euery one, but to &s;eeke out tho&s;e, whome God hath appointed to be the gui|ders
<PB N="166" REF="108"> of thy &s;oule, &amp; are com|mended for their life and wi&s;|dome.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And ca&s;ting downe the pee|ces of &s;iluer in the Temple,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Act. 21.</NOTE> hee went a&s;ide, and going away, he hanged him&s;elfe in a halter, &amp; being hanged, hee brake in the mid&s;t, and all his bowels were &s;cattered.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that the fact of <HI>Iudas,</HI> which exceeded all mea&s;ure of reuenge, de&s;er|ued no other Iudge, or execu|tioner, then <HI>Iudas</HI> him&s;elfe. For if hee had bin put to death by another,<NOTE PLACE="marg">De Leo &s;er. 3. de Pa&s;c Do~.</NOTE> he might haue ho|ped for pardon: But hanging him&s;elfe, hee co~mitted a new &s;inne of murther, &amp; de&s;perati|on. Behold how one &s;inne is increa&s;ed by another, if thou
<PB N="167" REF="108"> do&s;t not preue~t them in time. Con&s;ider &s;econdly how wic|kedly y^e Apo&s;tataes from faith and religion doe commonly peri&s;h. Take thou heede lea&s;t thou for&s;ake the Church or thy vocation: <HI>For thou &s;halt fall into the &s;nare of the Deuill, and the Deuill will &s;tand at thy right hand,</HI> (w^c <HI>Dauid</HI> fore-&s;pake of <HI>Iudas) to&s;&s;ing thee heere accor|ding to his will,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 108.</NOTE> <HI>and at la&s;t ca&s;t|ing thee downe into Hell.</HI> Con|&s;ider thirdly, what is the end of &s;inners: Euen this, y^t hang|ing in the ayre they &s;hal touch neither Heauen nor Earth, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e nothing but the rope. For rhey reiect heaue~ly things and are depriued of temporall goods, w^c onely they &s;ought after, and being inchayned
<PB N="168" REF="109"> with the chaine of &s;inne, they are detained and held vp by the Deuill the Prince of this ayre. And certainly at y^e end of their life, the&s;e thinges doe alwayes happen to &s;inners, &amp; oftentimes euen in this life to &s;ome, who being de&s;poyled of their earthly goods, are <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">|uertheles &s;o choaked vp with wicked de&s;ires, that they can hardly lift vp their eyes to Heauen. Con&s;ider fourthly, that hee cracked in the mid&s;t, and his bowels powred out: that hee, which had lo&s;t the bowels of charity, might al&s;o loo&s;e his owne bowels, &amp; that hee which imployed all his care to inioy many thinges, might loo&s;e al&s;o his owne en|trels. Doe thou with <HI>Iudas</HI>
<PB N="169" REF="109"> ca&s;t away money, riches, and all worldly things, but goe to no other tree, then the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord, and pray him that he will tye thee fa&s;t vnto him, and loo&s;ing all the knottes of thy &s;innes, binde thee with the chayne of his loue: For if <HI>Iudas</HI> him&s;elfe (as St. <HI>Leo</HI> af|firmeth) had obtayned remedy from Chri&s;t crucified,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. 11. de Pa&s;c. Do~.</NOTE> if he had not ha&s;tened to the halter, thou maie&s;t haue an a&s;&s;ured hope to obtayne pardon and grace.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>But the chiefe Prie&s;ts taking the monye &s;aid:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> It is not lawfull to put it into the trea&s;ury, be|cau&s;e it is the price of bloud: and taking coun&s;ell they bought ther|with a potters field, for the burial of &s;trangers, and for that cau&s;e
<PB N="170" REF="110"> the field is called <HI>Haceldema,</HI> that is, the field of bloud, euen to this day. Then it was fulfilled which was &s;poken by the Prophet <HI>Hieremy:</HI> And they tooke thirty peeces of &s;iluer being the price of the appriced, whome they priced of the Sonnes of <HI>I&s;raell,</HI> and they gaue them into a potters field, as our Lord hath appoin|ted me.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the goodnes and gentlene&s;&s;e of God, who would haue his &s;eruants &s;o farre from all effu&s;ion of bloud, that in the old lawe he would not permit them to haue the money wherewith the death of any man was procured. Con&s;ider &s;econdly the prepo&s;terous religion of
<PB N="171" REF="110"> the&s;e Prie&s;tes, which feared not to defile their con&s;ciences with innocent bloud, and yet were affrayd to pollute their trea&s;ury with the price of bloud. Thou art like vnto them, &s;o oft as thou make&s;t great account of &s;mall things, and ha&s;t &s;mall regard of grie|uous &s;innes again&s;t God, <HI>&s;tray|ning a Gnat,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 23.</NOTE> <HI>and &s;wallowing a Camell.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly the <HI>Iewes</HI> conuerted not this mo|ney to their own v&s;e, but to y^e behoofe of other men: That by this thou mai&s;t learne, 1. That Chri&s;t was wholy giue~ vnto vs, his very price al&s;o be|ing be&s;towed vpon vs. 2. The liberality of couetous men, who giue Almes, not of their owne, but of other mens
<PB N="172" REF="111"> money. Co~&s;ider fourthly that with this money a field was bought for the burial of &s;tran|gers: that thou maye&s;t learne, fir&s;t that not onely our &s;oules, but our bodies al&s;o receiued great benefite by the death of Chri&s;t: For what&s;oeuer good is be&s;towed vpon man, wee ought to acknowledge all to proceede from the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t. Secondly that through the death of Chri&s;t wee haue true &amp; euerla&s;ting re&s;t. Third|ly according to St. <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> and Saint <HI>Hierome,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. 51. &amp; in Luc. In Mat. 27</NOTE> that this word (which in another place is called a field, which God the workma~ made of nothing) was bought with the price of the bloud of Chri&s;t, not for the buriall of all men,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 23.</NOTE> but only of
<PB N="173" REF="111"> &s;trangers, y^t therein only they &s;hould re&s;t with a quiet co~&s;ci|ence, who making them&s;elues &s;trangers on earth, looke &s;till to the heaue~ly country. There|fore if thou intende&s;t to bee partaker of this price, be a &s;tra~|ger, &s;hut thine eyes to worldly things: de&s;ire no earthly goods, to be briefe, dye vnto the world that thou mai&s;t re&s;t &s;w<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 word"> Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider 5. That this was confirmed vnto vs, either by the prophe&s;ie of <HI>Hieremy,</HI> in tho&s;e bookes w^c came not to vs, or of <HI>Zacha|rie</HI> (as the common opinion is the name of <HI>Hieremy being</HI> put in, not by the Euangeli&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hiere. in Mat. 17. Zach. 11 Aug. lib. 3 de co~&s;en|&s;u Euang. Haere. 38 Gen. 37.</NOTE> but by &s;ome other writer) or of both, as <HI>Epiphanius</HI> affirmeth. Thou mai&s;t learn hereby y^t the
<PB N="174" REF="112"> price of Chri&s;t was not onely prefigured in the price, for which <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> before time had beene &s;ould, but foretold al&s;o by the Prophets, with admi|ration, that for the price of thirty peeces of &s;iluer (where|of euery one is valued at halfe a Doller) the Me&s;&s;ias expected &s;o many ages &s;hould be bou|ght and &s;ould. Doe&s;t not thou &s;ell Chri&s;t, and euerla&s;ting life for a ba&s;er price, when thou refu&s;e&s;t and reiecte&s;t his grace for a little filthy lu&s;t, for mo|ney, or vaine de&s;ire of honor? Returne then vnto thy &s;elfe, con&s;ider the ine&s;timable va|lue of the bloud of Chri&s;t, and &s;uffer any thing rather then he &s;hall be taken from thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="175" REF="112">
<HEAD>The 19. Meditation of the fir&s;t accu&s;ation of our Lord before Pilate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then they brought Ie&s;us from <HI>Caiphas</HI> into the Palace,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> and it was morning, and they entered not into the Palace, becau&s;e they would not be defiled, but that they might eate the Pa&s;ch.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. y^t they made ha&s;t betimes in the mor|ning to procure the death of our Lord, lea&s;t perhaps if it &s;hold be deferred, it might be hindred throgh the fauour of the people: for it is the &s;ubtil|ty of the deuill, to carry men headlong into mi&s;chiefe, lea&s;t by delay they might alter their purpo&s;e. Be <HI>y^u</HI> on y^e co~trary part quick to good (for the grace
<PB N="176" REF="113"> of the holy Gho&s;t admitteth no delay) and &s;lowe vnto e|uill, for the feete of wicked men are &s;wift to do mi&s;chiefe. Take heed therfore that thou omitte&s;t no occa&s;ion to doe good, and in temptation <HI>re&s;i&s;t, expecting,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 1.</NOTE> that the Deuill be|ing driuen away, Chri&s;t may come and helpe. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t thy Lord being the louer of purity, was put into the hou&s;e of a Gen|tile, as an vncleane per&s;on, guilty of many crymes, (which hou&s;e the <HI>Iewes</HI> of Religion refu&s;ed to enter in|to, lea&s;t they &s;hould be defiled with &s;ome &s;potte wherby they might be forbidden to eate the Pa&s;ch) &amp; was thought vnwor|thy to be nu~bred among&s;t the
<PB N="177" REF="113"> children of God, or to bee put to death by the hands of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> If thou bee&s;t ac|counted ba&s;e, or a &s;inner, imi|tate this patience of thy Lord, and let thy chiefe&s;t care bee to be better e&s;teemed of God, then of men. Con&s;ider thirdly, that that thing happened to the <HI>Iewes</HI> which they feared: For they did not eate the my|&s;ticall Pa&s;ch, becau&s;e Chri&s;t the true Pa&s;ch tooke it a|way by his death, and that which they did eate, they ce|lebrated with polluted minds &amp; hatefull vnto God. Be thou therefore carefull not &s;o much for y^e outward beauty &amp; clean|nes, as for y^e inward purity of thy mind, y^t thou mai&s;t receiue the true Pa&s;ch of our Lord in
<PB N="178" REF="114"> the Euchari&s;t; &amp; praying vnto God y^t thou may&s;t be pure in hart, wherby thou mai&s;t often eate worthily this holy Pa&s;ch.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE>Then <HI>Pilate</HI> went foorth vnto them, &amp; &s;aid, what accu&s;ation do you bring again&s;t this man? they a~&s;wered him if he were not a ma|lefactor we would not haue deli|uered him to thee: Then &s;aid <HI>Pi|late</HI> to them, take ye him and ac|cording to your Law iudge him. The <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;aid to him: It is not lawfull for vs to kill any man: that the &s;peach of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> might be fulfilled, &s;ignifying what death he &s;hould dye.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. The humanity of <HI>Pilate,</HI> who might haue interpreted their refu&s;ing to come into his hou&s;e as to an vnclean per&s;on, as a contempt
<PB N="179" REF="114"> of him; yet he yeilded to their religion, being better then thou &amp; many other Chri&s;tians who being contemned, yeild contempt againe, &amp; by no in|treaty will yeild in any poynt or tytle of honour. Con&s;ider 2. The proud an&s;were of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> by which they abu&s;ed the outward face of Religion to the death of an innocent. We (&s;ay they) being Prie&s;ts, making con&s;cience to breake the lea&s;t commandement of the law, would neuer haue de|liuered this man vnto you, except for many cau&s;es he had beene mo&s;t worthy of death. So great was the innocen|cy of our Lord, that without compul&s;ion they would not haue come to accu&s;e him.
<PB N="180" REF="115"> Con&s;ider thirdly <HI>Pilates</HI> an|&s;were, more wi&s;e then the an|&s;wer of the Prie&s;ts: For many times &s;ecular men haue more goodne&s;&s;e then Prie&s;ts. The <HI>Gentile</HI> &s;eemed to be not a lit|tle offended, that hee &s;hould bee required to put him to death without hearing or co~|uicting him, as if hee &s;hould &s;ay, If your Law permit this, yet the Lawe of the <HI>Romanes</HI> doth not. But the <HI>Iewes</HI> had no con&s;ideration of this iu&s;t &s;candall: whome thou doe&s;t immitate, &s;o oft as thou doe&s;t giue cau&s;e of &s;candall, whom thou doe&s;t immitate, &s;o oft as thou giue&s;t cau&s;e of &s;candall or reproach to the weake, or to Heretiques. Remember the word of our Lord: <HI>It is better
<PB N="181" REF="115"> that a mil-&s;tone &s;hould be han|ged about his necke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 18.</NOTE> <HI>and he throwne into the bottome of the Sea, then one of tho&s;e little ones &s;hould be &s;candalized.</HI> Con&s;i|der fourthly the other an&s;were of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> &s;aying: <HI>it is not lawfull for vs to kill any man;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Act. 7.</NOTE> that is to &s;ay, vpon the Cro&s;&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 8.</NOTE> For they &s;toned <HI>Stephen,</HI> and they prepared to &s;tone the A|dultere&s;&s;e. For our Lord mu&s;t be put to death, not with &s;tones, hut vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, and not by the <HI>Iewes,</HI> but by the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> which is &s;hewed by that which followeth, <HI>that the &s;peach of</HI> Ie&s;us <HI>might be ful|filled,</HI> who had foretold them both. Giue thankes therefore vnto thy Lord, that he pa&s;&s;ed from the <HI>Iewes</HI> to the <HI>Gentiles,</HI>
<PB N="182" REF="116"> and pray him that he w^c by the handes of the <HI>Gentiles</HI> would vndergoe the Cro&s;&s;e, &amp; &s;uffer death, will accept for thee the vnbloudy &s;acrifice, which in remembrance of his Pa&s;&s;ion is offered in the Church of the <HI>Gentiles</HI> world without end.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then they beganne to accu&s;e him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> &s;aying: We haue found this man &s;ubuerting our people, and forbidding to giue tribute vnto <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> and &s;aying, that hee is Chri&s;t our King.</HEAD>
<P><HI>THey began</HI> (&s;aith hee,) as the beginning of many accu&s;ations, w^c &s;hould follow. <HI>(We haue found)</HI> wee haue not heard of others, but wee our &s;elues haue &s;eene. Con&s;ider 1. three accu&s;ations, al w^c depen|ded vpo~ one. He doth affirme
<PB N="183" REF="116"> (&s;ay they) y^t hee is the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> &amp; King of y^e <HI>Iewes,</HI> promi&s;ed to our fore-Fathers, and thereby draweth the people vnto him, and he co~maundeth neither to obey <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 6.</NOTE> nor to pay tribute vnto him. Lying plainly; who knew that our Lord did &s;hun a Kingdome, did teach obedi|ence, did pay tribute,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 22.</NOTE> and did an&s;weare, that it &s;hould bee payed. Hereby thou maye&s;t learn, how enuy maketh a ma~ blinde, &s;o as hee cannot per|ceiue y^e ignominy &amp; reproach, that hee doth vnto him&s;elfe. For by the&s;e words they pro|ued the~&s;elues lyars before <HI>Pi|late,</HI> who could not bee igno|rant of Chri&s;t his an&s;wer to y^e <HI>Herodyans. Render vnto</HI> Cae&s;ar <HI>tho&s;e thinges which are</HI> Cae&s;ars.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22</NOTE>
<PB N="184" REF="117"> Auoyd thou therefore all per|turbation of minde, which doth both much hinder the &s;eeing of the truth, &amp; weaken thy reputation. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly wherof Chri&s;t was ac|cu&s;ed. Fir&s;t that hee did &s;ub|uert the people. His office is to mooue the people, to turne them vp and down, to &s;ubdue the fle&s;h, which ruled the &s;pi|rit, vnto the &s;pirit, to place poore and ba&s;e Fi&s;her-men a|boue Kinges, and after his life to throw the proude rich men downe into Hell, and to lift poor <HI>Lazarus</HI> into <HI>Abrahams</HI> bo&s;ome. Secondly that hee forbad to giue tribute vnto <HI>Cae&s;ar.</HI> Our Lord doth forbid to pay tribute vnto the De|uill, who is called Prince of
<PB N="185" REF="117"> this world; and requireth no &s;mall tribute of the actions of men, whome hee would haue to attempt or execute nothing without &s;ome mixture of &s;in. Chri&s;t contrariwi&s;e comman|deth to this tribute vnto God &amp; that thou &s;halt refer all thy actions to his glory. Thirdly that he is a King &amp; the <HI>Me&s;&s;i|as.</HI> Thy Lord is truly a King and the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> who gouern|eth and feedeth all his people, both with his body and holy &s;pirit. Yeilde thou thy &s;elfe vnder the gouernment of this King, fight again&s;t his e|nemies, and follow him thy Captaine in all thinges.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="186" REF="118">
<HEAD>The 20. Meditation of the examination of <HI>Pilate.</HI></HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18</NOTE>Then <HI>Pilate</HI> went againe into the Pallace, and called <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> and <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;toode before the Pre&s;i|dent.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 27.</NOTE> And <HI>Pilate</HI> asked him: art thou King of the <HI>Iewes? Ie|&s;us</HI> an&s;wered: doe&s;t thou &s;peake this of thy &s;elfe, or haue others tolde it thee of me? <HI>Pilate</HI> an|&s;wered: am I a <HI>Iew?</HI> thy people, and thy Prie&s;ts haue deliuered thee to me, what ha&s;t thou done?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t <HI>Pilate</HI> dealt with Chri&s;t, not afore the multitude, but pri|uately in his hou&s;e, of whome (&s;aith St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI>) hee had conceiued a great o|pinion.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hom. 85. in Ioan.</NOTE>
<PB N="187" REF="118"> Thou in like manner, if thou wilt deale with Chri&s;t, auoide company &amp; much bu|&s;ines; enter into the chamber of thy heart, that thou maye&s;t more clearly heare our Lord &s;peaking. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that the Lord of all creatures &s;tandeth as guilty before the <HI>Gentile</HI> Pre&s;ident, to whom he mu&s;t render account of his life. Liue thou &s;o, that thou neede&s;t not blu&s;h to render an account of all the actions before any man. Con&s;ider 3. the que&s;tion of <HI>Pilate. (Art thnu King of the</HI> Iewes?) That is to &s;ay, can it bee, y^t thou be|ing &s;o poore and mi&s;erable and &s;o many wayes afflicted, can&s;t call thy &s;elfe King of the <HI>Iewes?</HI> An&s;were thou
<PB N="188" REF="119"> for thy Lord, yea certainly, he is King of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> whome the true <HI>Iewes</HI> doe acknow|ledge, that is, &s;uch as knowe and confe&s;&s;e their &s;innes. For they will obey this King, that being brought out of &s;inne, and deliuered out of the hand of their enemyes, they may &s;erue him. Admire thou this King, who&s;e beauty con&s;i&s;t|eth not in golde and precious &s;tones, &amp; outward orname~ts; but in contempt, di&s;grace, and externall ignominy. For the&s;e things haue both made Chri&s;t famous through the whole world, and al&s;o haue beautifi|ed thy &s;oule. Con&s;ider fourth|ly, the an&s;were of Chri&s;t, the &s;ence whereof is this, did you euer &s;ee, or heare any thing of
<PB N="189" REF="119"> mee, whereby I might be &s;u&s;|pected to &s;eeke for a King|dome? This que&s;tion &s;ignifi|eth the ab&s;urdity of the accu|&s;ation. Ponder heer with thy &s;elfe, whether thou do&s;t know thy Lord Chri&s;t, that is, whe|ther thou doe&s;t feele Chri&s;t raigning in thy minde; or el&s;e whether thou art a Chri&s;tian without any outward &s;weet|nes. Con&s;ider fiftly the proud an&s;were of <HI>Pilate,</HI> di&s;daining, and taking it in euill part, that a guilty per&s;on dur&s;t aske him a que&s;tion. He excu&s;eth him|&s;elfe with ignorance of the <HI>Iewes</HI> cau&s;es: I knowe not (&s;aith hee) what your Nation dreameth of the co~ming of a <HI>Me&s;&s;ias.</HI> Thou can&s;t not plead ignorance in Gods cau&s;e to
<PB N="190" REF="120"> whom Chri&s;t hath made ma|nife&s;t euen the &s;ecrets of God. And if ignorance did not pro|fite <HI>Pilate,</HI> how can it profite any Chri&s;tian, to whom God hath giuen &s;o great know|ledge? Con&s;ider &s;ixtly <HI>(What ha&s;t thou done)</HI> the great inno|cency of thy Lord, that when accu&s;ations failed, hee him|&s;elfe mu&s;t be asked. An&s;wer thou what he hath done. Hee hath made Heauen &amp; Earth, and all Creatures: hee hath done all good and no euill. But for the good done for thy &s;ake, which thou doe&s;t abu&s;e vnto &s;inne, hee mu&s;t &s;uffer the puni&s;hment, w^c thou did&s;t de|&s;erue. This place is fit to medi|tate what Chri&s;t hath done for thee, and what thou ha&s;t done
<PB N="191" REF="120"> againe for him; that admiring his bounty, thou may&s;t giue him thankes, &amp; dete&s;ting thy owne ingratitude, thou may&s;t bee confounded with &s;hame.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered, my Kingdome is not of this world: If my King|dome were of this world, my Sol|diours would fight for me, that I &s;hould not be deliuered vp to the <HI>Iewes;</HI> but now my Kingdome is not from hence. <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid vnto him; then art thou a King? <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered, thou &s;aye&s;t, that I am a King.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t y^e Chri&s;t an|&s;wered <HI>Pilate</HI> plainly, who dealt &s;incerely with him; but to the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who went about to intrappe him, hee would not an&s;were but adiured. For our <HI>Lord dete&s;teth fiction,
<PB N="192" REF="121"> and with the &s;imple in his &s;peach.</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly that hee applyed him&s;elfe to this <HI>Eth|nicke,</HI> deriuing his argument from the v&s;e and cu&s;tome of men. You may vnder&s;tand (&s;aith hee) by this, that I &s;eeke not a Kingdom of this world, becau&s;e I haue no Soldiours, nor Cha~pions for my defence. But with the <HI>Iewes,</HI> that knew the Lawe, hee v&s;ed the Scrip|tures. Thou mai&s;t learne here|by that God v&s;eth all waies &amp; rea&s;ons to conuert thee and others. If thou would&s;t con|&s;ider tho&s;e meanes, which our Lord v&s;ed to helpe and cure thee, thou woulde&s;t admire Gods prudent loue and chari|ty towards thee. Con&s;ider thirdly <HI>(My Kingdome is not of
<PB N="193" REF="121"> this world.)</HI> He doth not &s;ay in this world: For hee raigneth in his Church, and in thee: <HI>But hee &s;aith, of this world,</HI> that is to &s;ay, It is not like y^e King|domes of this world, neither doth it con&s;i&s;t in the multi|tude of Seruantes and Soldi|ours, nor in &s;olemnity and pompe, nor in ryot and braue|ry of apparrell; But in the or|nament of the &s;oule, in volun|tary obedience and multitude of vertues. And perhaps in this Kingdome of Chri&s;t there are more poore, beggerly, weake, and vnlearned; then rich, noble, mighty, and wi&s;e people. Be thou careful ther|fore that Chri&s;t may rule thee and thy affections, and raigne in thee. For if to &s;erue Chri&s;t
<PB N="194" REF="122"> is to reigne, then Chri&s;t reig|ning in thee will make thee a mighty King, ruling ouer thy &s;elfe, &amp; the whole world.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>I was borne in this, and to this I came into the world,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18</NOTE> that I may giue te&s;timony vnto the truth: And euery one which is of the truth, heareth my voyce: <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aith vnto him, what is the truth?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t for what cau&s;e Chri&s;t came into the world, to wit, fir&s;t that he might free the world from the fal&s;enes of Idolatry, and of diuers errors, and of &s;inne. Secondly that he might de|clare the vanity and folly of tho&s;e things which the world admireth, &amp; &s;et before our eies tho&s;e things as they are in|deede,
<PB N="195" REF="122"> and not as they &s;eeme to be. Thirdly y^t by this truth he might rule the mindes of men. Thou mai&s;t learn hereby, Fir&s;t, what thou oughte&s;t chiefely to &s;eeke for in y^e king|dome of Chri&s;t, to wit, to be deliuered &amp; made free from al vanity, fal&s;hood, and &s;inne. 2. That they are the chiefe &s;er|uants &amp; inlargers of the King|dome of Chri&s;t, w^c labour in teaching the truth. 3. That it appertaineth e&s;pecially to the charge of Chri&s;tian Princes, and &s;uperiours to keepe &amp; in|crea&s;e their &s;ubiects in the faith of Chri&s;t. For they are not &s;uperious like <HI>Gentiles,</HI> to maintain their people only in a ciuile &amp; peaceable gouerne|ment, but they are al&s;o
<PB N="196" REF="123"> Chri&s;tian Princes ouer Chri|&s;tians, that they may enlarge the Kingdome of Chri&s;t. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly: <HI>I was borne in this, and to this I came into the world.</HI> A high &s;entence, which <HI>Pilate</HI> might haue vnder&s;tood, if he had per&s;i&s;ted in &s;implici|ty. I am not borne (&s;aith hee) like other men, for I was now, before I was borne of my mo|ther; I was borne, not tho|rough the nece&s;&s;ity of nature, but of mine owne will, and for certaine cau&s;es which mo|ued me to take humane na|ture vpon me, to wit, that I might teach men the truth. If therefore thou wilt li&s;ten vnto Heauenly Doctrine, and deale &s;incerely with God, Chri&s;t will reueale vnto thee
<PB N="197" REF="123"> the &s;ecretes of Heauen. Con|&s;ider thirdly <HI>(I was borne)</HI> and <HI>(I came)</HI> For by his birth he is our Chri&s;t, and al&s;o hath done all his actions for our profite; that thou again &s;houl|de&s;t referre all thy time, thy &s;tudies, and thy labours, to his glory. Con&s;ider fourthly that Chri&s;t did an&s;were &s;ecret|ly to y^e que&s;tion propounded by <HI>Pilate, What ha&s;t thou done?</HI> for I haue taught the truth, I haue reprooued vice: For this was the onely cau&s;e that mo|ued the <HI>Iewes</HI> to put him to death. Doe thou &s;eeke out the truth, and pray vnto God to lighten thine eyes, y^t thou &s;leepe not in death, &amp; con&s;ider earne&s;tly with thy &s;elfe, whe|ther thou be of y^e truth, that is,
<PB N="198" REF="124"> whether thou bee&s;t mooued with the truth, or with pride, lu&s;t, auarice, and other pa&s;|&s;ions of the minde: <HI>For he which is of truth,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> <HI>he is of God, but he which followeth lyes is of the Deuill his Father, who&s;e will he fulfilleth.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 21. Meditation of the &s;econd accu&s;ation before Pilate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Pilate went forth againe vnto the Iewes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">uc 23. Mar. 27.</NOTE> &s;aying: I finde no cau&s;e in this man: But the high Prie&s;tes accu&s;ed him in many things; and <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered no|thing: Then <HI>Pilate</HI> asked him, &s;aying to him: Do&s;t thou not heare howe great te&s;timonies they &s;peake again&s;t thee? do&s;t thou not an&s;were any thing? behold in how great things they acu&s;e thee?
<PB N="199" REF="124"> But <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered not him to any word,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15</NOTE> &s;o as the Pre&s;ident wondred greatly.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Pilate</HI> expecting no an&s;were to this que&s;tion <HI>(what is the truth)</HI> went foorth, either becau&s;e he thought that que&s;tion apper|tained not to him, or el&s;e y^t it was not conuenient at y^t time. To whom thou maie&s;t knowe thy &s;elfe to be like, &s;o oft as thou pa&s;&s;e&s;t ouer lightly hea|uenly things; or as oft as thou &s;halt thinke, that tho&s;e things which are &s;poken of euerla&s;t|ing life, of perfection, or of chri&s;tia~ life, appertain not vnto thee; or as often as thou do&s;t lightly leaue y^t which before thy God thou had&s;t iu&s;tly
<PB N="200" REF="125"> purpo&s;ed. Thinke no time vnfitt for diuine in&s;tructions. Con&s;ider &s;econdly that <HI>Pilate</HI> found no cau&s;e of death in Chri&s;t; the <HI>Iewes</HI> a fal&s;e cau&s;e; and God the Father a true cau&s;e, to wit, the purging of thy &s;innes for the &s;aluation of thy &s;oule. Ponder earne&s;tly with thy &s;elfe vpon this cau&s;e. For the rea&s;on why thou lo|ue&s;t not Chri&s;t &s;o well as thou oughte&s;t, nor art &s;o thankfull as thou &s;houlde&s;t be; nor art &s;ufficiently moued with this his &s;o great and bitter paine, is, becau&s;e thou doe&s;t not ear|ne&s;tly acknowledge, nor re|uolue in thy minde, that thou wert the cau&s;e of the&s;e his bitter paines. Con&s;ider third|ly the great and manifould
<PB N="201" REF="125"> crimes obiected again&s;t thy Lord in the &s;ight and hearing of all the people, who won|dred exceedingly at &s;uch new and &s;trange things. Doe thou patiently &s;uffer for thy Lords &s;ake all &s;landers, iniuries, and reproches. Con&s;ider fourthly the deepe &s;ilence of our Lord, wherein <HI>Pilate</HI> the <HI>Gentile</HI> ad|mired the wi&s;edom of Chri&s;t, and the <HI>Iewes</HI> were made more audacious to adde more and more grieuous accu&s;ations. Admire thou the patience of God, who beeing hetherto offended with &s;o many and &s;o grieuous &s;innes, both of thee, and of other men, doth not onely &s;till holde his peace, winke at them &amp; par<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">o~ them, but al&s;o doth be&s;towe
<PB N="202" REF="126"> many benefites vpon thee; that thou being moued with his bountifull liberality, mai&s;t at la&s;t remember thy felfe.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>But they were more earne&s;t, &s;aying:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> He moued the people, teaching through all <HI>Iurie,</HI> be|ginning fro~ <HI>Galilee</HI> euen hither:</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the clamors of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who hauing no hope to effect any thing by truth, rai&s;ed vp troubles, tumults, and clamours, like tho&s;e which defe~d an ill cau&s;e wherein they imitate the De|uill, who when he can doe no|thing by his owne &s;ugge&s;ti|ons, the~ he &s;tirreth vp friends, parents, and companions; he moueth the inward concupi&s;|c<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">nce; he hindereth and dark|neth the vnder&s;tanding. Doe
<PB N="203" REF="126"> thou nothing impatiently, i|mitating our Lord, who was not prouoked nor moued by any iniuries, except to loue the more dearly. Con&s;ider 2. that Chri&s;t was heere reputed cap|taine of the &s;edicious: Thou knowe&s;t (&s;ay they) O <HI>Pilate,</HI> the <HI>Galilaeans</HI> to be factious people, who&s;e bloud thou did&s;t lately mingle with their &s;acrifice: behold hee is the head and Ring-leader of all mi&s;chiefe, borne to rai&s;e &s;e|dition among the people. Verily O Lord, thou doe&s;t moue the people, but not to &s;edition, trea&s;on, robberies, and man-&s;laughters, which is the property of Heretiques, which &s;tirre vp &s;uch motions in their Sermons; but to the
<PB N="204" REF="127"> change of their life and man|ners, that for&s;aking their plea|&s;ures and &s;innes, they may all giue them&s;elues to the exer|ci&s;e of vertue. Thou fille&s;t the Mona&s;teries with religious people; the De&s;erts with An|chorites, the Pri&s;ons with Confe&s;&s;ors, and the gallowes with Martyrs. Through thy motion Virgins ca&s;t away their braue artyre, Rich men choo&s;e pouerty, Noble men &s;ubmit them&s;elues to the wills of others, and young men by a vowe of religion offer them|&s;elues as a Holocau&s;t vnto thee. Pray thou al&s;o that our Lord may mooue thee. Con|&s;ider thirdly whome he is &s;aid to teach, to wit, the <HI>Galilae|ans,</HI> that is, Pa&s;&s;engers;
<PB N="205" REF="127"> and <HI>Iewes,</HI> that is, Confe&s;|&s;ors, and prai&s;ers of God. But hee began from <HI>Galilee:</HI> For the beginning of Chri&s;ti|an doctrine is, to pa&s;&s;e from &s;inne; the middle is, to con|fe&s;&s;e our dayly defects, with &s;orrowe of heart, and purpo&s;e of amendment, and to prai&s;e God in true obedience; and the end is, to behold the face of God in Ieru&s;alem in the vi|&s;ion of peace. Pray our Lord to bring thee to the perfecti|on of this wi&s;edome.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Pilate</HI> hearing <HI>Galilee,</HI> asked if the ma~ wer a <HI>Galilaean,</HI> &amp; as &s;oon as he knew that he was vnder the iuri&s;diction of <HI>Herod,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> he &s;ent him to <HI>Herod,</HI> who al&s;o in tho&s;e dayes was in <HI>Hieru&s;alem.</HI></HEAD>
<PB N="207" REF="128">
<P><HI>GAlilaean,</HI> is heere to bee &s;eperated from <HI>the man,</HI> in this &s;ence, whether this ma~ be a <HI>Galilaean.</HI> Con&s;ider fir&s;t, that either <HI>Pilate</HI> did not knowe the name of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> or el&s;e that he di&s;dained to name him. Wicked men knowe not <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> &s;uffering, mocked and bound; they knowe the honours of the world, but not the ignominy of the Cro&s;&s;e: Therefore they &s;hall not bee knowne of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> that is, their Sauiour, and they &s;hall neuer reape the fruite of &s;aluation, which reiect the Pa&s;&s;ion, be|ing the in&s;trument of &s;alua|tion. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that <HI>Herode</HI> the Iewe came to <HI>Hieru&s;alem</HI> again&s;t the fea&s;t of Pa&s;ch. For &s;inners v&s;e to
<PB N="206" REF="128"> celebrate the Fea&s;tes of the Faithfull with outward cere|monies onely, in brauer Ap|parrell, with daintyer Di&s;hes &amp;c. But they doe not receiue the inward fruit of the Fea&s;ts, neither doe they labour &s;o much for the inward orna|ment of their Soule, to the which they ought to bee cari|ed from the outward ceremo|nyes. Con&s;ider thirdly, thy Lord is &s;aide to bee vnder the iuri&s;diction of <HI>Herode,</HI> a wic|ked man, Ince&s;tuous, Adul|terous, and a Murtherer: that thou maye&s;t willingly o|bey thy Superiours, though they bee not very good, ha|uing re&s;pect not to their vi|ces, but to the vertue of o|bedience. Con&s;ider fourthly
<PB N="208" REF="129"> the &s;ower Iudges of Chri&s;t, two Prie&s;ts <HI>Annas</HI> &amp; <HI>Cayphas,</HI> and two &s;ecular men <HI>Herode</HI> the Iewe, and <HI>Pilate</HI> the Gen|tile. For Chri&s;t was adiudged to death by all &s;tates of men; hee was &s;laine for the &s;innes of all men; hee &s;uffered and dyed for the &s;aluation of all men. Therefore doe thou confidently lay all thy &s;innes vpon him, that being free'd from them, thou maye&s;t re|ceiue eternall &s;aluation pre|pared by him.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 22. Meditation of the acts in the hou&s;e of Herode.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Herode,</HI> when he &s;aw <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> reioyced much,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> for hee was de&s;i|rous a long time to &s;ee him, be|cau&s;e
<PB N="209" REF="129"> he had heard many thinges of him, and hee hoped to &s;ee &s;ome &s;igne done by him: And he exa|mined him with many que&s;tions: but hee an&s;wered nothing vnto him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that this <HI>Herode</HI> neuer came vn|to Chri&s;t, neuer heard his wordes, nor neuer &s;aw his miracles; but yet hee knewe many things of him by the re|port of others. Wherefore he was glad, that hee had occa&s;i|on to &s;ee and behold him; but he was not moued with hope or de&s;ire of &s;aluation, but with a de&s;ire to &s;ee &s;ome &s;ign. Thou maye&s;t learne fir&s;t, what this King thought our Lord to bee; an Inchaunter, a Iug|ler, a Foole. Secondly, that
<PB N="210" REF="130"> the cu&s;tome of worldly men, is, more willingly to heare newe thinges, w^c may delight, then good things, w^c may pro|fite. Co~&s;ider 2. that Chri&s;t ad|mireth not y^e outward pompe and royall dignity, but behol|deth the beauty &amp; foulnes of the heart; neither would hee vouch&s;afe to &s;peak vnto him, &s;eeing hee expected no profit therby. Learne thou 1. not to e&s;teeme too much the&s;e out|ward &s;hewes: for in the future examination of the Iudge the humble poor man &s;halbe bet|ter e&s;teemed, then the proude rich man. 2. Not to vtter thy wordes in vaine, but to direct thy &s;peaches alwayes to &s;ome good purpo&s;e, remembring, y^t in the day of Iudgement thou
<PB N="211" REF="130"> &s;halt render an account of e|uery idle worde. 3. To flatter none, to auoyd o&s;tentatio~, not to expo&s;e Religious and Holy things to be laughed at, not to abu&s;e the Scriptures or diuine ceremonyes to Ie&s;ts and pro|phane matters. Con&s;ider 3. what que&s;tions were propou~|ded to Chri&s;t by <HI>Herode,</HI> to wit, vnprofitable &amp; curious: Perhaps, whether hee were <HI>Iohn Bapti&s;t;</HI> whether he could de&s;troy &amp; re&s;tore the Temple; &amp; whether his Father in times pa&s;t killed the Infants for his cau&s;e. Do thou ask profitable things of our Lord, &amp; pray him to an&s;wer to thy que&s;tio~s for y^e profit &amp; &s;aluatio~ of thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the chiefe Prie&s;ts and the Scribes &s;tood con&s;tantly ac|cu&s;ing
<PB N="212" REF="131"> him; but <HI>Herode</HI> de&s;pi|&s;ed him with his Army,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> and mocked him, cloathing him in a white garment, and &s;ent him backe to <HI>Pilate.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t &s;uffered 4. thinges in this Kings Pallace. For 1. hee was grieuou&s;ly &amp; con&s;tantly accu|&s;ed by the Prie&s;ts. Secondly he was de&s;pi&s;ed and mocked by <HI>Herode.</HI> Thirdly hee was euil intreated by the malepert Soldiours, no le&s;&s;e then by the Seruants in the hou&s;e of <HI>Cay|phas.</HI> Fourthly, hee was cloa|thed in a white or <GAP DESC="foreign">, that is, a bright garment, in &s;igne of an affected Kingdom, or of folly, as one that was a|ble to &s;ay nothing before the King in his owne defence.
<PB N="213" REF="131"> Con&s;ider &s;econdly that <HI>He|rode</HI> was offended at the &s;i|lence of Chri&s;t, le&s;&s;e then the Prie&s;ts, who pronounced him guilty of death, but more then <HI>Pilate,</HI> who by his &s;ilence ad|mired the prudent grauity of our Lord. Thou may&s;t learne that by the &s;ame cau&s;es &s;ome fall more grieuou&s;ly then o|thers, &amp; tho&s;e mo&s;t grieuou|&s;ly, which are in highe&s;t e&s;tate and calling. <HI>Pilate</HI> was a lay Gentile; <HI>Herode</HI> a laye man, but a Iewe; <HI>Cayphas,</HI> the high Prie&s;t of the Iewes. Con&s;ider thirdly, that Chri&s;t is a King, but &s;uch a one, as the world knoweth not, but doth accu&s;e laugh at, and di&s;pi&s;e. By the&s;e irri&s;ions our Lord de&s;erued for him&s;elfe to bee exalted
<PB N="214" REF="132"> aboue all Kinges, and for vs, that wee &s;hould bee indued with true wi&s;dome, bee made immortall Kings in the King|dome of Heauen, &amp; bee cloa|thed with the white garments of immortality. Reioyce ther|fore, if thou do&s;t &s;uffer irri&s;ion and per&s;ecution with Chri&s;t for iu&s;tice, becau&s;e thine is the Kingdome of Heauen: And beware, lea&s;t Chri&s;t be mocked by thee, if thou do&s;t contemn the poore, and his Seruants, &amp; neglect his Sacrame~ts, words, &amp; Co~mandements. La&s;tly do thou acco~pany y^e &s;pou&s;e of thy Soule, cloathed in this &s;corn|full garment, in his iourney to <HI>Pilates</HI> hou&s;e: marke what &s;coffings hee heard; ob&s;erue his eyes, &amp; what countenance
<PB N="215" REF="132"> hee &s;hewed; &amp; pray vnto him with thy whole heart, y^t thou mai&s;t be a foole vnto y^e world, &s;o thou bee accounted wi&s;e vnto Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Herode</HI> and <HI>Pilate,</HI> were made friends in that day:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> for they were enemyes before, one to another.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t a double mi|&s;tery. 1. That wicked men agree together again&s;t Chri&s;t and his followers: Heritiques oppugning the Church; and the Deuills vexing the iu&s;t man. The other, that the death of Chri&s;t made peace betweene the <HI>Iewes</HI> and the <HI>Gentiles;</HI> and &s;o y^t the fir&s;t and principall Office of the pa&s;|&s;ion of our Lord was to bring and maintaine Peace.
<PB N="216" REF="133"> Therefore pre&s;ently after his Re&s;urrection, in his fir&s;t &amp; &s;e|cond meeting, hee &s;aid to his Di&s;ciples, <HI>Peace bee vnto you.</HI> Hee would, that wee &s;hould haue peace with God, to who~ hee payed the price of our &s;innes; with our own con&s;ci|ence, which he deliuered from &s;inne, and filled with inward grace; and with our neigh|bours, whome hee commaun|deth vs to loue, hauing infu|&s;ed his diuine loue into our hearts. As often therefore as thou feele&s;t inward war with|in thy &s;elf; as ofte~ as thou &s;ee|e&s;t y^t thou ha&s;t lo&s;t peace with God; as often as thou &s;halt perceiue thy neighbour an|gry at thee, or do&s;t experience his hatred again&s;t thee: Pre|&s;ently
<PB N="217" REF="133"> turne thy &s;elfe to the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, as to him, which is thy onely true Medi|ator, and will re&s;tore thee vn|to peace with all men. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, <HI>(In that day)</HI> that is, the very &s;ame day: That thou maye&s;t learne how ea&s;ie it is for our Lord to make peace, and to pacifie mindes, that are mo&s;t incen&s;ed, and to helpe thee in thy greate&s;t af|flictions, although there bee no humane meanes. Pray therefore vnto God, that hee will bring tranquillitie vnto the Chri&s;tian co~mon wealth, cea&s;e the troubles of warre, and giue a con&s;tant Peace vnto his Church.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="218" REF="134">
<HEAD>The 23. Meditation of the requiring of Barrabas.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>But <HI>Pilate</HI> calling the chiefe Prie&s;ts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> and the Magi&s;trates, and the people, &s;ayd vnto them: yee haue offered vnto me this ma~,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 27.</NOTE> as auerting the people; and be|hold I examining him before you,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15</NOTE> finde no cau&s;e in this man of the&s;e things in which yee accu&s;e him, no nor <HI>Herod</HI> neither, For I haue &s;ent yee vnto him, and behold nothing worthy of death is done vnto him: therefore I will di&s;mi&s;&s;e him, being correct|ed: And on the &s;olemne day, the Pre&s;ident had a cu&s;tome, and mu&s;t of nece&s;&s;ity di&s;mi&s;&s;e one of the pri&s;oners, whom &s;oeuer they &s;hould require. And he had the~ a notable pri&s;oner called <HI>Barrabas,</HI>
<PB N="219" REF="134"> who was take~ with the &s;editious, who in the &s;edition had commit|ted murther: Then <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid: yee haue a cu&s;tome, that I di&s;|mi&s;&s;e one in the Pa&s;ch: whome will yee that I di&s;mi&s;&s;e vnto you? <HI>Barrabas,</HI> or <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> who is called Chri&s;t? for he knew, that the high prie&s;ts had deliuerd him by enuy.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Herod</HI> though he &s;awe nothing worthy of death in Chri&s;t, yet he did not deliuer the inno|cent out of the handes of the <HI>Iewes;</HI> but to grati|fie the Prie&s;ts, and the Pre&s;i|dent, hee referred the know|ledge of the cau&s;e to <HI>Pilate.</HI> In like manner euery one de&s;i|reth to plea&s;e man, but none to plea&s;e Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that &s;o many Iudges
<PB N="220" REF="135"> &s;ought the life of Chri&s;t, and nothing was found wor|thy of death, or of impri&s;on|ment. Doe thou &s;o order thy life like vnto Chri&s;t, that the Deuills at the houre of death may finde nothing of their owne on thee. Purge thy &s;oule with daily examination of thy con&s;cience, and often confe&s;|&s;ion of thy &s;innes; &s;o as no|thing pa&s;&s;e out of this world with thee, but that which is holy. Con&s;ider thirdly <HI>(cor|rected or cha&s;ti&s;ed I will let him goe) Pilate</HI> thought to deli|uer our Lord, but corrected: not becau&s;e he de&s;erued it, but in fauour of the raging peo|ple, that they might be &s;ati&s;|fied with his &s;tripes. Thou &s;ee&s;t fir&s;t, that the people
<PB N="221" REF="135"> could not be &s;atisfied, but with the bloud of Chri&s;t: both becau&s;e euill men are deligh|ted onely in &s;innes, which drawe bloud from our Saui|our; and al&s;o becau&s;e iu&s;t men haue no &s;weetnes but through the bloud of our Lord; nor any reioycing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Galat. 6.</NOTE> but in the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord Ie&s;us Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider fourthly, that <HI>Pilate</HI> intended a good work, when he purpo&s;ed to &s;et Chri&s;t free, but not pure, but mingled with much euill, to wit, with beating and whip|ping Chri&s;t. And thou do|e&s;t imitate him, as oft as thou attempte&s;t any good thing, mixed with &s;inne; when thou giue&s;t almes out of money euill gotten; or goe&s;t
<PB N="222" REF="136"> to the Church, that thou maye&s;t &s;eeme religious, or doe&s;t any other thing not with a true intention. Con|&s;ider fiftly, when <HI>Pilate</HI> thoght of the deliuering of our Lord after this manner, then hee remembred a more milde way. For he &s;awe the peo|ple a&s;&s;embled together, that according to their cu&s;tome one of the pri&s;oners &s;hould be giuen vnto them, whome they &s;hould choo&s;e out of many, which the Pre&s;ident &s;hould propound vnto them, of what crime &s;oeuer they were accu&s;ed, and that in re|membrance of the people of I&s;raell, which about that time of Pa&s;ch were deliue|red
<PB N="223" REF="136"> out of the bondage of Egypt: When he remem|bred this Cu&s;tome, he re&s;ol|ued to name Chri&s;t alone, (whome he knewe to be well liked of many for his noble acts, and hated onely of the Prie&s;tes and <HI>Phari&s;ees</HI>) with a Murderer, a Captayne of the &s;editious, and a hatefull man, making no doubt, but that they would choo&s;e Chri&s;t be|fore that mo&s;t wicked man. Thou &s;ee&s;t fir&s;t, that the Au|thor of life is compared with a turbulent murtherer: &amp; thou art angry if neuer &s;o little be detracted from thy honor and tytles. Thou &s;ee&s;t &s;econdly the holy cu&s;tome of deliuering a pri&s;oner in remembrance
<PB N="224" REF="137"> and fauour of the benefite of their deliuerie out of the bon|dage of Aegipt. Thou being &s;o often deliuered from the &s;nares of the Deuill, and from the bonds of &s;inne; &s;uccour and helpe al&s;o thy neighbours in memorie of this benefite, that by thy labour and help, they may be freed from the bonds of their debtes, &s;innes, mi&s;eries, and of all other euils.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And as he was &s;itting in place of iudgement,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> his wife &s;ent vn|to him, &s;aying: haue thou no|thing to doe with that iu&s;t man: for I haue &s;uffered many things this day in my &s;leepe for him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t when the people were &s;ent away to deliberate whom they would
<PB N="225" REF="137"> choo&s;e, <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;ate in iudge|ment, and receiued this me&s;|&s;age from his wife,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hil. ca~. 33 In Mat. Chr. ho. 8 in Mat. Am. lib. 1 in Luc. Hiero~. in Mat. Augu. &s;er. 121. de. te~. Ori. tract. 35. in Mat Au. Epi&s;t. ad Philip. Cip. &s;e. de Pa&s;c. Do~. Gre. li. 33 Mor. c. 21 Rab. cita|tur in Ca|thena di|ui Thom. Ber. &s;er. 1. de Pa&s;c.</NOTE> admoni|&s;hed either by her good An|gell according to the opinion of <HI>Hilarius, Chri&s;o&s;tome, Am|bro&s;e, Hierome, Augu&s;tine,</HI> and <HI>Origen;</HI> or el&s;e by a wic|ked &s;pirit, who perceiuing his owne power by little and lit|tle to be weakened, and that his iudgement was at hand, and that the holy Fathers in Lymbo did exult for their &s;peedy deliuerance, indeuo|red to hinder the death of Chri&s;t, according to the doc|trine of <HI>Ignatius, Ciprian, Gre|gorie, Rabanus,</HI> and <HI>Bernard.</HI> Thou learne&s;t here the inno|cency of Chri&s;t, witne&s;&s;ed by the very Angels, either good
<PB N="226" REF="138"> or bad. And if this vi&s;ion came by the helpe of the deuill, thou mai&s;t &s;ee the malice of men; whome when the Deuill hath once incited to euil, he cannot call backe from &s;inne: For the malice of concupi&s;cence, and the force of &s;inne is &s;o great, that it cannot be taken away, but by the help of God alone. Therefore the Prie&s;tes which were prouoked by enuy, were not warned; but <HI>Pilate,</HI> whom the di&s;ea&s;e of concupi&s;cence had not yet &s;tirred vp. Labour thou with all thy &s;trength to &s;ubdue the force of thy con|cupi&s;cence. Con&s;ider &s;econd|ly the Epitheto~ of Chri&s;t <HI>(that iu&s;t man)</HI> for he is truely our Iu&s;tice, perfectly iu&s;t in him|&s;elfe, without &s;inne, &amp; alwaies
<PB N="227" REF="138"> doing mo&s;t iu&s;t workes, by which he &s;ati&s;fied his Fathers wrath for vs, and left an ex|ample for vs to imitate. Con|&s;ider thirdly <HI>(haue thou nothing to doe with that iu&s;t man)</HI> that is, meddle not with his bu&s;i|ne&s;&s;e, let there be no dealings betweene thee and that iu&s;t man. Learne, y^t this iu&s;t man doth not appertain to wicked men, and that onely good men are partakers of his iu&s;tice. Doe thou pray this iu&s;t man to vouch&s;afe to admitte thee into his commerce and &s;ocie|ty, that thy wares from his wares, that is, thy good workes from his merites may bring much profite to the &s;aluation of thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="228" REF="139">
<HEAD>But the chiefe prie&s;ts &amp; elders &s;tirred vp the multitude, &amp; per|&s;waded the people that they &s;hold demaund <HI>Barrabas</HI> and de&s;troy Ie&s;us:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> and when the multitude were come vp,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15</NOTE> they began to pray <HI>Pilate,</HI> that hee would doe as he did alwaies vnto them.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> And the Pre&s;ident an&s;wering &s;aid to the~: which of the two will ye haue di&s;|mi&s;&s;ed?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 18.</NOTE> They all cryed out toge|ther, not him, but <HI>Barrabas</HI> take away him and di&s;mi&s;&s;e vnto vs <HI>Barabas:</HI> And <HI>Pilate</HI> an&s;wering againe &s;aid to them: What then &s;hal I do with Ie&s;us, who is called Chri&s;t? but they cryed out againe, let him be crucified, crucifie him crucifie him: but <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid vn|to them the third time: for what euill hath this man done? I finde no cau&s;e of death in him: there|fore
<PB N="229" REF="139"> I will correct him, &amp; di&s;mi&s;&s;e him: but they vrged with many cryes, de&s;iring, that he &s;hould be crucified, and their voyces in|crea&s;ed, and they cryed more, let him be crucified.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that y^e peo|ple inclyning to Chri&s;t, were ledd by the Prie&s;ts to demaund <HI>Barabbas,</HI> and to de&s;troy Chri&s;t: That thou mai&s;t knowe fir&s;t, that one &s;peach of wicked men doth more hurt, then many exhor|tations of Saints can profite. For that which Chri&s;t had builded with great labour in three yeares, is heere ouer|thrown in a moment. Beware therfore of the &s;peach of euill men, e&s;pecially of heretiques, who&s;e words creepe like a
<PB N="230" REF="140"> canker. Thou &s;ee&s;t &s;econdly, that the authority of Superi|ours is of great force, either to good or euill. If therefore thou ha&s;t any of Chri&s;ts &s;heep vnder thy charge, v&s;e thy au|thority to the glory of God. Con&s;ider 2. the ingratitude of y^e people, which e&s;teemed &s;o great a Benefactor le&s;&s;e then a Theefe, and cho&s;e him to the Cro&s;&s;e. Thou learne&s;t fir&s;t to contemne the applau&s;e of the world, which hath &s;o cruell an end. They cryed a little before <HI>Ble&s;&s;ed is hee, which commeth in the name of our Lord:</HI> and now in other words <HI>(Not this man)</HI> but <HI>(Let him be crucified.)</HI> Se|condly thou &s;ee&s;t the blinde iudgment of the world, which contemning the highe&s;t good
<PB N="231" REF="140"> choo&s;eth the wor&s;t things, ha|teth a benefactor, and imbra|ceth an enemy. Take thou heed, lea&s;t for a &s;mall gaine or humane fauour, thou do&s;t be|tray Chri&s;t again&s;t thine own co~&s;cience, lea&s;t the &s;ame hap|pen to thee, which fell vnto the <HI>Iewes,</HI> to whom in &s;tead of the Me&s;&s;ias which they expe|cted &s;o many yeares, &amp; at la&s;t reiected &amp; condemned) came <HI>Barrabas</HI> (which &s;ignifieth the &s;onne of the Father) a Mur|therer, a Ray&s;er of &s;edition, a Deuill, by who&s;e will they are ruled: that they w^c refu&s;ed to heare Chri&s;t comming in the name of his Father, might heare Antechri&s;t &s;peaking in y^e name of his Father the Deuill. Con&s;ider 3. the fearfull &s;peach
<PB N="232" REF="141"> of <HI>Pilate, (What &s;hall I doe with</HI> Ie&s;us): the wicked Iudge &s;ee|keth the allowance of y^e peo|ple. Bende thou thy minde in all thy iudgments and actions not to the will or manners of the people, but to the Com|maundements of God. Con|&s;ider fourthly <HI>(For, what euill hath hee done)</HI> the innocency of Chri&s;t, &s;o often repeated: That thou may&s;t euer remem|ber, that Chri&s;t dyed, not for his owne &s;innes, but for thine; this worde &s;hall condemne all &s;inners at the la&s;t Iudgement. Why (will our Lord &s;ay) haue yee for&s;aken mee, and fled vn|to the Deuill? For, what euill haue I done? What haue you found in my manners &amp; Do|ctrine, that is not pure, and a|greeable
<PB N="233" REF="141"> to rea&s;on? What e|uill haue yee had from me, or what good haue you found in the &s;eruice of the Deuill? Doe thou now meditate vpo~ the&s;e thinges, and per&s;euere in the faith of Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider la&s;t|ly, howe the&s;e clamours did wound the heart of Chri&s;t, and how hee was more grie|ued for this &s;o great and hey|nous a &s;inne of his beloued people, then for the torment of the Cro&s;&s;e. Doe thou com|fort him with thy deuoute prayer, and for&s;aking the De|uill and his pompes, yeild thy &s;elfe wholy a &s;laue and &s;eruant vnto Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="234" REF="142">
<HEAD>The 24. Meditation of the whipping of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then <HI>Pilate</HI> apprehended him and whipped him. Then the Sol|diours of the Pre&s;ident taking <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> carryed him into the Pre|tors court, and they gathered to|gether all the company vnto him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the &s;pou&s;e of thy &s;oule that hee might betroth him|&s;elfe vnto thee, was di|uers waies mocked, &s;pit vpon, pulled, and beaten: but nowe hee is come to woundes and bloud; that hee, which gaue vnto thee his honors, liberty, and other corporall goods, and &s;uffered him&s;elfe to bee &s;poyled of all the&s;e for thy
<PB N="235" REF="142"> &s;ake, might now in like man|ner plentifully &s;hed his bloud, and powre out his bowels, that hee might &s;ee, what libe|rality thou wilt v&s;e towards him againe. Con&s;ider &s;econd|ly two cau&s;es, why <HI>Pilate</HI> v|&s;ed this whipping. The one was, that by the &s;ight of the body of Chri&s;t torne with &s;o many &s;tripes, hee might &s;ome|what pacifie the fury of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and &s;tay them from the de&s;ire of the Cro&s;&s;e. The o|ther was, that if neuerthele&s;&s;e they per&s;i&s;ted in their fury, this whipping &s;hould goe be|fore his crucifying. For by the lawes of the <HI>Romanes,</HI> &s;uch as were to be crucified were fir&s;t whipped. But y^e true cau&s;e of y^e whipping of Chri&s;t according
<PB N="236" REF="143"> to the will of his Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> was fir&s;t that thou, which wert &s;icke in euery part of thy bo|dy, mighte&s;t bee wholy cured by the woundes of his whole body. Secondly that he might receiue thee wholy, who gaue him&s;elfe wholy for thee. Thirdly, that thou &s;houlde&s;t open the bowels of thy loue towards him, who by the&s;e &s;tripes opened his body to thee. Con&s;ider thirdly, that <HI>Pilate</HI> deliuered Chri&s;t to the <HI>Pretorian</HI> Soldiours, who a&s;|&s;embled their whole band, which was the tenth part of a Legion, to wit; Sixe hundred &s;ixty &s;ixe Soldiours) by whom hee was carried into the court of the Pretor, that is, into a more &s;pacious roome, &amp; for|&s;aken
<PB N="237" REF="143"> of all friends was expo|&s;ed vnto y^e prey, like a Lambe in the mid&s;t of Wolues. En|ter thou into this Court; mark attentiuely the cruell wanton|nes of the Soldiours, and the mode&s;ty of Chri&s;t in all the&s;e mi&s;eryes, his cleare and amia|ble countenance, and his in|credible patience. Fir&s;t they de&s;poyled him of all his cloa|thes, &amp; &s;et him naked amo~g&s;t them. Con&s;ider the &s;hame|fa&s;tnes of thy mo&s;t cha&s;t Lord &s;et naked before &s;o great a company of men, and keepe the clothes, which hee put off, to couer thy nakednes. Then they tyed his holy body to a piller, with his armes &s;tretch|ed vp, that his whole body might bee &s;ubiect to &s;tripes.
<PB N="238" REF="144"> Then euery one made a whip, either with roddes brought thither of purpo&s;e, or el&s;e of cordes, (for this word <GAP DESC="foreign">, which wee call a whip, as <HI>Euthemius</HI> noteth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Cap. 67. in Mat.</NOTE> is a &s;courge wouen with little cordes or leather thongs) and euery one fell to worke. Pray thou thy Lord, that this his nakedne&s;&s;e may couer thy &s;oule with his heauenly grace and vertues; and the&s;e his bonds free thee from &s;innes; and this his being alone among&s;t his cruell ene|myes, may deliuer thee from the handes of thy enemyes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Secondly, of the whipping it &s;elfe.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t how cruell it was. By the auncient Law the <HI>Iewes</HI> were forbidden
<PB N="239" REF="144"> to giue any man aboue forty &s;tripes, this being added for the cau&s;e of the Commaunde|ment, <HI>Lea&s;t thy brother &s;hould depart before thine eyes fowly torne with &s;o many &s;tripes.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 25.</NOTE> But the <HI>Gentiles</HI> who were neither tyed by the <HI>Iewes</HI> Law, nor moued with any commi&s;era|tion, exceeded this number &s;o farre,<NOTE PLACE="marg">St. Gert. lib. 4 diui|nam in&s;u|mationu~, Cap. 35.</NOTE> as it was reuealed vn|to &s;ome Saints, that hee recei|ued to the number of 5. thou|&s;and 4. hundred &s;tripes: w^c will not &s;eem improbable, if the&s;e few things be diligently co~&s;i|dered 1. The Law of beating, by which it was decreed that the guilty per&s;on, &s;hould bee &s;tricken by euery one of the Soldiours, a Free-man with &s;taues, and a Bond-man
<PB N="240" REF="145"> with whippes. By which Law thou do&s;t learn, that thy Lord Chri&s;t was beaten with whips like a Bond-&s;laue, that hee might re&s;tore thee to liberty, and that hee was beaten by Sixe hundred and three&s;core Soldiours, according to the will of euery one. Secondly, the cau&s;e of the Lawe of this whipping of the~, which were co~demned to the puni&s;hment of the Cro&s;&s;e, to wit; that the body of him, that was to bee crucified, &s;hould bee &s;o disfi|gured, y^t the nakednes &s;hould not moue the beholders to a|ny di&s;hone&s;t thoughtes, when they &s;hould &s;ee nothing plea|&s;ing or beautiful, but al things torne and full of commi&s;era|tion. Thirdly the purpo&s;e, of
<PB N="241" REF="145"> <HI>Pilate,</HI> who hoped to &s;pare his life by this &s;o great cruelty v|&s;ed again&s;t him. Hee would therefore, that this correction &s;hould bee mo&s;t &s;harpe, by which hee might pacifie the de&s;ire of reuenge in his mo&s;t cruell and inhumane enemies. Fourthly, the hatred of the Prie&s;tes, whome to plea&s;e, the Soldiours v&s;ed all extre|mityes again&s;t Chri&s;t. Fiftly, the great care and ha&s;t, which the Prie&s;ts v&s;ed in the carrying of the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, lea&s;t Chri&s;t &s;hould dye before hee was crucified: Which doth plainly &s;hew, that he was bea|ten with &s;o many &s;tripes, that hee could not long continue. Con&s;ider &s;econdly the ma~ner ob&s;erued in this whipping.
<PB N="242" REF="146"> For fir&s;t his brea&s;t was fa&s;t ty|ed to a piller, and they cruelly rent his backe, according to that: <HI>Vpon my backe haue &s;in|ners builded:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 128</NOTE> or according to the Hebrues: <HI>Haue Plough|men ploughed:</HI> that is to &s;ay, haue mo&s;t cruelly torne it. And when that part was cut with &s;tripes, then our Lord was vntyed, that the fore-part of his body, his brea&s;t, his bel|ly, his thighes, might bee as cruelly v&s;ed, according to the Prophet: <HI>From the &s;ole of his foote, to the crowne of his head there was no wholenes in him.</HI> And y^t this was &s;o, thou may&s;t knowe by this, when <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;hortly after bringing foorth Chri&s;t vnto the people &s;aide: <HI>Behold the man.</HI> Hee did not
<PB N="243" REF="146"> &s;hew his backe couered with Purple, but his brea&s;t and his fore-part for them to behold. Doe thou with the eies of thy &s;oule beholde the cruelty of the Soldiours, and the amia|ble patience of Chri&s;t. Li&s;ten with thy eares to the wordes, laughters, and &s;coffings of the&s;e deryding Soldiours, w^c they vttered bla&s;phemou&s;ly, while&s;t they were whipping, tormenting, and binding the body of Chri&s;t. Admire the deepe &s;ilence of Chri&s;t in all the&s;e &s;tripes, who complai|ned of no paines, neither in crye, nor &s;ighe. To bee briefe, doe thou inwardly feele the paynes of the&s;e &s;tripes, which peirced euen to the very bones and bowels.
<PB N="244" REF="147"> Gather vp the bloud, which dropped downe vpon the ground; apply it to thy &s;innes and wounds; &amp; pray thy Lord, that he will not &s;uffer it to be &s;hedd &s;o plentifully for thee in vaine.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Thirdly after his whipping.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the tor|mentors were wearyed; the whippes and rodds fayled; and Chri&s;t, being &s;pent with paines and lo&s;&s;e of bloud, was &s;ca~t able to &s;tand vpo~ his feet. Spare not thou thy &s;elfe, but &s;pend thy youthfull yeares and &s;trength in the &s;eruice of thy Lord. Con&s;ider &s;econdly how thy Lord crept vp and downe to gather vp his &s;cat|tered cloathes, and put them on, not without great paine,
<PB N="245" REF="147"> which cleaued to his wounds, and were &s;potted with bloud, and hurt his &s;oares. Doe thou gather together the Church being the ve&s;tment of Chri&s;t: and &s;pare no labour to gayne &s;oules which are wa&s;hed with that bloud. Wa&s;h the woun|ded body of Chri&s;t with thy teares, and anoynt it with the oyle of Charity and Deuoti|on, and omitt nothing which thou thinke&s;t may helpe to|wards the cure of this body, and of the members thereof. Con&s;ider thirdly, that Chri&s;t our Lord did drinke his bloud thus plentifully vnto thee in this his whipping, &amp; in his co|ronation following in y^e third houre, in which &s;ame houre after his a&s;cen&s;io~ into Heauen,
<PB N="246" REF="148"> he &s;ent downe the holy Gho&s;t into the hearts of his Apo&s;tles &amp; of his whole Church. That thou maye&s;t learne, fir&s;t that the bloud of Chri&s;t was plen|tifully &s;hed, that the grace of the holy Gho&s;t might plenti|fully bee communicated vnto thee. Secondly that at the &s;ame time, when the effu&s;ion of this bloud is remembred, &amp; renewed in the Church by the Sacrifice of the Ma&s;&s;e, thou being pre&s;ent &s;houlde&s;t with open heart plentifully receiue the fruit of this bloud, y^e grace of the holy Gho&s;t, and diuers other guiftes. The Meditation hereof &s;tirreth vp admiration, increa&s;eth confidence, in kind|leth loue, mooueth compa&s;|&s;ion, bringeth &s;orrowe for
<PB N="247" REF="148"> &s;innes, exhorteth to labour, and melteth the &s;oule in gi|uing thankes.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 25. Meditation of the Crowning of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then they vncloathing him, put a &s;carlet Garment about him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27 Mar. 15 Ioan. 19</NOTE> and weauing a Crowne of thornes, they put it vpon his head and a Reede in his right hand.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that tho&s;e Torturers deui&s;ed a new kinde of torment, which might both afflicte, and al&s;o make him to be mocked: That hee, which called him|&s;elfe King of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> might bee cloathed in royall orna|ments. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, in this place foure kindes of
<PB N="248" REF="149"> mockings. Fir&s;t, they pull oft al his clothes, w^c a little before he had put on, renewing the griefe of his wounds, to w^c the cloath cleaued, and &s;tripping his holy and virginall body naked, not without &s;hame and confu&s;ion. Secondly, they put on a &s;carlet garment, that his purple bloud &s;hed all ouer his body, and the purple gar|ment put vpon him might &s;hewe foorth a royall orna|ment. Thirdly, in &s;tead of a Dyademe they &s;et vpon his head a Crowne, wouen of ma|ny bu&s;hie thorns, which (&s;aith <HI>Tertullian</HI>) did teare &amp; deface the Temples of our Lord.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Li. de co|rona mili|tis.</NOTE> Fourthly, they gaue him a Reede in his hand, in &s;tead of a Scepter. O thou Chri&s;tian,
<PB N="249" REF="149"> behold thy King, behold the tryumph of his coronation. Con&s;ider thirdly, that y^e great benefites which our Lord pre|pared for vs, are &s;ignified by the&s;e illu&s;ions. For fir&s;t the ta|king off of his garments, whereby our Lords body de|formed with &s;o many wou~ds, &s;potted with bloud, &s;pittle, &amp; dirt, &amp; loath&s;ome to behold, was vncouered; &s;ignifieth the foulene&s;&s;e of thy &s;oule, defiled with the &s;pottes of &s;o many &s;innes; which foule &s;pottes Chri&s;t by his pa&s;&s;ion remoued from thee vpon him&s;elfe, that he might clean&s;e thee from all filth. Secondly, by the &s;car|let Garment is &s;ignified our nature, which is bloudy and guilty of death, which Chri&s;t
<PB N="250" REF="150"> a&s;&s;uming to the vnity of his per&s;on, did Sanctifie; and al&s;o thy &s;innes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 1.</NOTE> being as redde as a Worme, which Chri&s;t tooke away by his Pa&s;&s;ion; and al&s;o the members of the Church the body of Chri&s;t, which be|ing in this world diuer&s;ly af|flicted, are couered with this garment of Chri&s;t, that they &s;hall not faint, but increa&s;e in merites. For nothing doth fo much comfort the afflictions of a Chri&s;tian man, nothing doth &s;o much aduance piety, as the earne&s;t meditation of Chri&s;t. Thirdly his Crowne of thornes is thy barren and &s;harpe pricking &s;innes, &s;prung through concupi&s;cence out of the cur&s;ed earth of thy body. Fourthly <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">our Lord holdeth a
<PB N="251" REF="150"> Reede in his hand, whereby is &s;ignified, that by thinges ac|counted ba&s;e in the world, as his Cro&s;&s;e, Pa&s;&s;ion, and Hu|mility, hee winneth the King|dome of the whole world, and vpholdeth all fraile, vaine, and &s;crupulous men by his Pa&s;&s;ion, and right hand. Doe thou pray our Lord to make thee partaker of all the&s;e thinges, and remember that it is vndecent for dainty and de|licate members to lye vnder a head full of thornes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they came vnto him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. M<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">r 15. Ioan. 19</NOTE> and bending their knee, they adored, and mocked him, and they began to &s;alute him, &s;aying: Haile King of the <HI>Iewes.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t foure o|ther kinde of irri&s;ions:
<PB N="252" REF="151"> Fir&s;t <HI>(They came vnto him)</HI> as &s;eruants v&s;e to come vnto their King, asking him in moc|kage, if he wanted anything. Whome thou doe&s;t imitate, being a Chri&s;tian onely in name, and indeede a bond|&s;laue vnto the Deuill, con|fe&s;&s;ing Chri&s;t in wordes, but in thy deedes denying him. Secondly they adored <HI>(ben|ding their knee)</HI> or as Saint <HI>Marke</HI> &s;aith <HI>(their knees)</HI> none of them bending both their knees, but euery man one. His adoration is frau|dulent that kneeleth on the ground with one knee, and holds the other vpright, vpon which his body may re&s;t. Who~ th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">u do&s;t imitate, when in thy outward ge&s;ture thou adore&s;t
<PB N="235" REF="151"> God, &amp; in thy minde thou fol|lowe&s;t pride, lu&s;t, and other vi|ces. 3. <HI>(They mocked him)</HI> di|uers waies, as their wanton wickednes did prouoke them. He is mocked vpon earth, who&s;e Maie&s;tie the Angells in heauen adore. But yet, becau&s;e God cannot be mocked, doe thou &s;hew thy &s;elfe before him with all &s;ubmi&s;&s;ion &amp; pu|rity of heart. 4. <HI>(They &s;aluted him, &s;aying, haile King of the Iewes)</HI> an excellent &s;peach, wherewith thou al&s;o mai&s;t &s;a|lute the King of tho&s;e <HI>Iewes,</HI> w^c acknowledg their &s;ins, &amp; &s;ing prai&s;es vnto God. Ble&s;&s;ed art thou if thou ha&s;t a King, by whome thou mai&s;t be &s;weetly gouernd in this world, &amp; after this life be made partaker of
<PB N="254" REF="152"> his Kingdome. Co~&s;ider 2. that Chri&s;t by &s;eeing and hearing tho&s;e ignominies, did cure all po&s;terity fro~ the Serpents hi&s;|&s;ing into the eares of <HI>Eue,</HI> and from the vanity of her eyes, through the curio&s;ity wherof &s;hee infected our eyes. Pray our Lord to conuert all the&s;e to the profite of thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they &s;pit vpon him, and they tooke a reede,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19.</NOTE> and &s;trooke his head with the reede, and they gaue him blowes.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, 4. other kinds of mockings. 1. <HI>(They &s;pit vpon him)</HI> defiling in &s;o vn|worthy &amp; &s;currile manner, not only his face, but his brea&s;t al|&s;o, &amp; his whole body: Yea the body of him, <HI>Who is the bright|nes of glory, and the &s;ub&s;tance of
<PB N="255" REF="152"> the Father,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 1. 1 Pet. 1</NOTE> <HI>whome the Angels de&s;ire to behold.</HI> 2. <HI>(They take a reede)</HI> faining to doe him &s;eruice, as though they would ea&s;e him, being weary of the burthe~ of his Scepter. 3. <HI>(They &s;trike his head with the reede)</HI> that the Thornes might bee deeper fa&s;tened into his head. Marke how by the&s;e blowes the thornes pierced to y^e very Scull of his head, &amp; fa&s;tned in the ioining of y^e bones, &amp; were there broke~. 4 <HI>(They gaue him blowes)</HI> not with their bare hand, but being armed again&s;t the pricking of y^e thorns. Heer do thou admire together with his other vertues, our Lords Charity, Patience, Meeknes, Benignity, &amp; aboue al, his hu~|ble obedie~ce, by w^c he yeilded
<PB N="256" REF="153"> him&s;elfe to the will of his tor|mentors, and being comman|ded to &s;it downe, to lift vp his head to the Thornes, to holde the Reede in his hand, to expo&s;e his Face to blowes, hee obeyed without delay. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that the&s;e <HI>Ethnicks,</HI> though they offered many iniuryes to our Lord; yet they neuer couered his face; that Chri&s;t with the eies of his mercy might behold vs louingly, and for&s;aking the <HI>Iewes</HI> might of <HI>Gentiles</HI> make vs Chri&s;tians. Thou learne&s;t fir&s;t, not to couer the truth with new opinions, nor to de|cline to Haere&s;ie; but openly to profe&s;&s;e the true Faith, how great a &s;inner &s;oeuer thou be|e&s;t. Thou learne&s;t &s;econdly,
<PB N="257" REF="153"> not to neglect thy co~&s;cience, when it pricketh and warneth thee of thy &s;innes: For the beginning of thy conuer&s;ion is, when thy con&s;cience re|prooueth thee. Pray vnto thy Lord, that he neuer turne his face from thee, that hee pre|&s;erue thee in the true Faith, and adorne thee with true vertues, e&s;pecially with hum|ble and willing obedience, that thou maye&s;t faithfully o|bey thy betters, not onely in light and ea&s;ie thinges, but al&s;o in great, &s;harpe, and difficult matters.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="258" REF="154">
<HEAD>The 26. Meditation of <HI>Pi|late</HI> his bringing foorth of our Lord to the People.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Pilate</HI> went foorth againe, and &s;aid vnto them:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> Behold I bring him forth vnto you, that yee may know, that I find no cau&s;e in him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that when <HI>Pilate</HI> thoght our Lord had beene &s;o cruelly v|&s;ed, that it would haue moued a &s;tony heart to compa&s;&s;ion, then hee brought him foorth, yet going him&s;elfe a little be|fore, to prepare the hearts of the <HI>Iewes</HI> to pitty. The wic|ked Iudge doth herein con|demne him&s;elfe, when hee co~|fe&s;&s;eth him to bee innocent, whome hee had handled &s;o cruelly, to plea&s;e other men.
<PB N="259" REF="154"> Con&s;ider &s;econdly <HI>(Behold I bring)</HI> for it is a wonderfull thing, that God, who hath be|&s;towed vpon men &s;o many &amp; &s;o great benefits, &s;hould &s;uf|fer &s;o many wronges and wounds by me~. Admire thine owne ingratitude. God hath brought thee into this world, adorned with all goodnes: &amp; thou bringe&s;t him foorth, and ca&s;te&s;t him out of thy heart, &s;hamefully mi&s;u&s;ed with thy grieuous &s;innes, &amp; doe&s;t not &s;uffer him to re&s;t in thy hou&s;e, which thou ha&s;t filled with theft and other &s;innes. Doe thou rather bring him foorth to bee pray&s;ed and adored by the people. Fir&s;t by preaching him, &amp; his will to the people, and then by thy good works,
<PB N="260" REF="155"> expre&s;&s;ing his holy life: That thou maye&s;t &s;ay with the A|po&s;tles <HI>(A<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d now I doe not liue,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Galat. 6.</NOTE> <HI>but Chri&s;t liueth in mee.)</HI> And bringing him foorth let all men vnder&s;tand, that there is no cau&s;e to bee found in him, why he &s;hould not be admit|ted by all men, when as thou can&s;t &s;ee nothing in him, but &s;ignes of loue, bloud &s;hed for thee, &s;tripes, and wounds, &s;o as it may be truly &s;aid of him:
<Q><P><HI>Cernitur in toto corpore &s;culp|tus amor.</HI></P>
<P>In all his members Loue ingrauen is.</P></Q></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> went foorth, car|rying his thorny Crowne,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> &amp; pur|ple garment.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, howe thy Lord came forth amo~g&s;t the people. Beholde a high
<PB N="261" REF="155"> place, to which they a&s;cended by twenty three marble &s;teps, (which are kept till this day at <HI>Rome</HI> with great reuerence,) and before that a mo&s;t &s;paci|ous Court, filled with many thou&s;ands of people, who had a&s;&s;embled them&s;elues out of all <HI>Iudaea</HI> again&s;t the fea&s;t of Pa&s;ch. All the&s;e &s;o &s;oone as they e&s;pied our Lord co~ming forth with Pilate, came prea|&s;ing nearer, that they might better beholde this &s;adde and horrible &s;pectacle. <HI>Goe forth al&s;o, yee Daughters of</HI> Ieru&s;a|lem,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 3.</NOTE> <HI>and behold King</HI> Salomon <HI>in the diademe, wherewith his Mother the Synagogue of the</HI> Iewes <HI>hath crowned him.</HI> Goe the~ al&s;o forth, O my Soule, &amp; behold the Diademe, and the
<PB N="262" REF="156"> royall otnaments, which thy &s;innes haue &s;et vpon thy God. Marke attentiuely the whole body of thy peaceable King, cruelly torn with his enemyes handes: that he might gaine a mo&s;t a&s;&s;ured peace with God for thee, &amp; for thy con&s;cience. Behold his Crowne wouen of boughes, decked with thorns, and droppes of bloud in liew of precious &s;tones: His hands and armes carry cords in &s;tead of bracelets: His necke and all his body, is tyed with a rope, in &s;tead of a belt, &amp; Chaine of gold: The works of his appar|rell is &s;cars &amp; wounds: His di|uine Cou~tenance with fleame, &s;pittings, bloud, &amp; filth, is as it were painted, or masked, and di&s;gui&s;ed. Let the&s;e thinges
<PB N="263" REF="156"> moue horror in others, &amp; co~|pa&s;&s;ion in thee. Mark y^e words of <HI>I&s;aias. Hee hath no beauty nor comelines; wee &s;aw him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 33</NOTE> <HI>and he had no countenance:</HI> That is, hee looked not like a man, <HI>and his countenance was as it were hidden, &amp; looking downe; &amp; wee e&s;teemed him, as a Leaper.</HI> Doe thou reuerence this attire of thy Lord with the inward af|fection of thy heart, in w^c hee fought again&s;t thy enemies, &amp; got victory &amp; glory for thee. For euen as thou e&s;teeme&s;t tho&s;e thinges, &amp; keepe&s;t them carefully, by which thy friend hath gotten riches, &amp; honour for thee; &s;o thou oughte&s;t re|ligiou&s;ly to meditate, wor|&s;hip, and imbrace tho&s;e &s;pit|tings, whips &amp; reproaches, w^c
<PB N="264" REF="157"> haue brought aboundance of &s;o great goods vnto thee. For our Lord knoweth his owne attyre, and he will more ea&s;ily receiue thee comming in &s;uch garments, then in worldly pompe and brauery: And hee had rather haue thee to pray, and wor&s;hip him in this poor array, then in all thy braue at|tyre. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that this &s;ack of the body of Chri&s;t which came down from Hea|uen,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 1</NOTE> full of grace and truth, is now opened, and torne in all partes, breathing out of his holy bowels a wonderfull &s;a|uour, &s;o &s;harpe, that it driueth away Deuils;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24.</NOTE> &s;o peircing, that it entreth into &s;tony hearts, and &s;o &s;weete, that it draweth the Eagles from all partes of
<PB N="265" REF="157"> the world. For <HI>where the body &s;hall bee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24.</NOTE> <HI>thither al&s;o will the Eagles be gathered.</HI> Purge thou the no&s;trils of thy heart, purge thou the filth of thy vices; that being &s;tirred vp with y^e &s;weet|nes of the &s;auour of God, <HI>Thou may&s;t runne into the &s;weet &s;auour of the&s;e oyntments.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1</NOTE> And pray vnto our Lord to drawe thee after him with his &s;weet|nes, &amp; to in&s;till into thy heart the loue of his Pa&s;&s;ion, that thou maye&s;t contemne the world in re&s;pect therof. <HI>(And he &s;aid, behold the man)</HI> by this worde, <HI>Pilate</HI> endeauoured to mooue &s;ome commi&s;eration, &s;hewing fir&s;t the bitternes of his punni&s;hment, as if hee had &s;aid, knowe that hee is a man and not a bea&s;t; if hee haue
<PB N="266" REF="158"> committed any fault, he hath paid wel for it: therfore &ocirc; me~, take pitty vpon a man, it is the part of bea&s;ts not to &s;pare the conquered. And again, behold he is a man, &amp; a mo&s;t mi&s;era|ble man, whom ye haue accu|&s;ed as King of the <HI>Iewes;</HI> there is no cau&s;e, why yee &s;hould be afraid of this King, whome through the great deformity of his body, &amp; cruell torme~ts, yee can &s;carce knowe to be a man. Doe thou apply the&s;e words profitably vnto thy &s;elfe in this ma~ner. 1. <HI>(Behold the man)</HI> he is &s;et before thee to imitate, in this habite, in the&s;e ge&s;tures, and in this &s;hape of body, and minde. <HI>Abraham</HI> was propo&s;ed to our Aunce&s;tours for an ex|ample
<PB N="267" REF="158"> of life.<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 51</NOTE> <HI>Marke the Rock (&s;aith</HI> I&s;aias) <HI>out of which yee were cut,</HI> Heere a man is propo&s;ed vnto thee, of whom our Heauenly Father &s;aith: <HI>Heare him:</HI> and the Sonne of God: <HI>Learne yee of mee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> <HI>for I am meeke and humble of heart.</HI> Looke therefore not vpon other mens manners, but vpon this mans, vpon this face of Chri&s;t: who although hee be God, who&s;e vertues and deedes thou can&s;t not attayne vnto, yet he is true man, indued with the &s;ame frayle and humane nature like thee and other men. Thy fir&s;t Father <HI>Adam</HI> made thee of a man like to fooli&s;h Bea|&s;tes:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 84.</NOTE> If thou wilt returne to the auncient dignity of
<PB N="268" REF="159"> humane nature, ioyne thy|&s;elfe with this man. Secondly <HI>(beholde the man)</HI> to whome thou mai&s;t flye in all thy ne|ce&s;&s;ities: the&s;e &s;pittings are &s;uffered for thee; this bloud is &s;hedd for thee; and all the&s;e euills are indured for thy &s;ake: both that thou &s;houlde&s;t take away thy &s;innes, and cure thy wounds by the&s;e medicines, and al&s;o that thou &s;houlde&s;t pay them to the eternall Fa|ther for thy infinite depts. Thirdly <HI>(behold the man)</HI> marke what thy &s;innes haue brought vnto this man: thy pride hath cau&s;ed the&s;e irri|&s;ions and this contempt; thy couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e, this nakednes; thy drunkenne&s;&s;e, this effu&s;i|on of bloud; thy lu&s;t, the&s;e
<PB N="269" REF="159"> thornes; and thy &s;loath, the&s;e bonds. O man, behold this man: but who art thou, and what is he? thou a man like a worme, he a man and God. Oh how great glory is due vn|to him, and how much &s;hame vnto thee? yet what is he be|come for thy &s;ake? and what &s;uffere&s;t, or doe&s;t thou for him?<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21</NOTE> <HI>he is made a worme and no man, a &s;corne of men, and an ab|iect of the people.</HI> And this, be|cau&s;e he would carry thee vp to God. But thou being care|full of nothing le&s;&s;e, then of exalting his glory, apply|e&s;t thy &s;elfe about thine own honor, wealth, and commoditie.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="270" REF="160">
<HEAD>The 27. Meditation of the third accu&s;ation of our Lord before Pilate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 16</NOTE>Then whe~ the high Prie&s;ts and the Mini&s;ters &s;awe him, they cryed, &s;aying, crucifie him, cru|cifie him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the people holding their peace, and inclyning to co~mi&s;era|tion, the Prie&s;tes and their mini&s;ters, and flatterers were not pacified. That thou mai&s;t knowe fir&s;t, y^t no man is moued more hardly to repent his &s;innes, then he, which &s;in|neth of &s;et purpo&s;e and ma|lice. For they, which fall tho|rough weakene&s;&s;e and igno|rance, are &s;ooner recalled, and de&s;erue pardon; but they,
<PB N="271" REF="160"> which wittingly and willingly are euill, are rather hardned &amp; indurate, the~ any way ame~ded by admonitions. 2. That the enimies of Chri&s;t and of his Church, are neuer y^e better for being v&s;ed ge~tly &amp; curteou&s;ly. For the&s;e kind of me~ are to be &s;ubdued by thretnings, terrors &amp; con&s;tancy, &amp; not by &s;uffer|ance. Con&s;ider 2. That euen as the&s;e wicked men did vpon the &s;ight of the bloud of Chri&s;t thir&s;t after his death, like dogges vpon the &s;ight of the bloud of a wilde Bea&s;t: So thou oughte&s;t to be in|flamed with the loue of the pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord by the contemplation of his paines,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 38.</NOTE> that the fire of Deuotion may be inkindled in thy
<PB N="272" REF="161"> meditations. Con&s;ider thirdly how the words of the&s;e wick|ed people did pierce the bow|ells of thy Lord <HI>(crucifie him, crucifie him)</HI> of which he fore|told in the Prophet: <HI>I haue left my hou&s;e: I haue put away my inheritance:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Hiere 12</NOTE> <HI>I haue giuen my beloued &s;oule into the hands of her enemies: my inheritance is made vnto me like a Lyon in the wo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">d.</HI> S<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ffer with thy Lord, and lament thy &s;innes, which con|tinually &s;end foorth the &s;ame cryes, and are bloud-&s;uckers, in&s;tantly crying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 30</NOTE> <HI>Bring, Bring.</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid vnto them, take yee him and crucifie him:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> for I finde no cau&s;e in him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that <HI>Pilate</HI> being moued with di&s;|daine, an&s;wered &s;omewhat
<PB N="273" REF="161"> &s;harply vnto the <HI>Iewes.</HI> Ad|mire thou thy own coldne&s;&s;e, who art a Chri&s;tian, &amp; know|e&s;t the dignity of Chri&s;t, and the greatne&s;&s;e of his paines, and doe&s;t confe&s;&s;e, that thou wert the cau&s;e thereof, and yet art not moued, neither with commi&s;eration towards Chri&s;t, nor with di&s;daine a|gain&s;t thy &s;elfe. Learne iu&s;tly to be angry at them, which goe about to incite thee, and others vnto &s;inne: that is to &s;ay, at the Deuill, and his mi|ni&s;ters. Say vnto him, if thou wilt offend the goodne&s;&s;e of God, I finde no cau&s;e in him, but of loue, reuerence, and thanke&s;giuing. Con&s;ider 2. Though <HI>Pilate</HI> was loath to pronounce y^e &s;ente~ce of death
<PB N="274" REF="162"> agan&s;t our Lord; yet he did not hinder his death, but wold put it ouer to other me~. Who~ thou doe&s;t imitate, as often as thou leaue&s;t to the will of others that mi&s;chife, w^c thou thy &s;elfe dare&s;t not co~mit. Con&s;ider 3. That this wicked Pre&s;ide~t, af|ter all this grieuous puni&s;h|ment, found no cau&s;e in him, either of death, or &s;tripes. Doe thou inquire the cau&s;e in the opened bowells of Chri&s;t, to wit, his burning loue, w^c cutt &amp; brake a&s;under this &s;acke of his body, &amp; poured foorth his bloud &s;o ple~tifully. What will the holy Angels do w^c were a|&s;toni&s;hed in y^e natiuity of this Lord, at the wonderfull loue which cau&s;ed almighty God to take vpon him a frayle and
<PB N="275" REF="162"> infants body. How will they be amazed both at this loue of God, w^c for man was co~tent to be e&s;teemed a worm, rather then a man, &amp; to be the &s;corn of men, and the outca&s;t of the people, &amp; the &s;cum and laugh|ing &s;tocke of all men; &amp; al&s;o at the raging malice of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who would neuer bee &s;atisfied with the paines and puni&s;hment of their <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> which &s;o many ages before was expected, &amp; promi&s;ed vn|to them; and likewi&s;e at the hardnes of thine owne heart, which is not &s;oftened and melted with this burning cha|rity of thy Creator. Admire thou the&s;e thinges, and pray thy Lord to inflame thy heart with the loue of him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="276" REF="163">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE>The <HI>Iewes</HI> an&s;wered him: we haue a Lawe, and according to the lawe he ought to dye, becau&s;e hee made him&s;elfe the Sonne of God.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the proud an&s;were of the Iewes <HI>(we haue a Lawe.)</HI> They belieued in the lawe, which they had in writing; and did not fulfill it in worke. Tho&s;e men doe imitate them fir&s;t, which boa&s;t of the word of God, and con|tinually obiect the &s;ame, and are wholy in the commendati|on of faith: when in the mean time they do nothing worthy neither of faith, nor of the ho|ly Scriptures, nor yet of a Chri&s;tian man. Secondly, they which place all piety in out|ward ceremonies onely, and
<PB N="277" REF="163"> not in y^e wor&s;hip of God, &amp; in brotherly charity. Con&s;ider 2. That according to the Lawe Chri&s;t ought to dye. For the whole lawe of <HI>Mo&s;es,</HI> and of the Prophets, fore&s;hewed the death of Chri&s;t; for all the &s;a|crifices of the old Law, were &s;hadowes of the &s;acrifice of the Cro&s;&s;e: and all the Pro|phets referred their prophe&s;ies to the death of the Me&s;&s;ias. Therefore the <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;aid true, but not according to their owne intention, who&s;e mea|ning was, that the &s;inne and bla&s;phemy of Chri&s;t de&s;erued death by the Lawe, that thou maie&s;t learne, that God turneth to thy good tho&s;e things, which are badly &s;po|ken or done by the wicked:
<PB N="278" REF="164"> and al&s;o that thou &s;houlde&s;t drawe goodnes euen out of wicked men. Con&s;ider third-the cau&s;e of his death <HI>(Becau&s;e hee made him&s;elfe the Sonne of God.)</HI> A mo&s;t true cau&s;e of death: Fir&s;t if thou doe&s;t con|&s;ider, God the Father; for the Son of God being made man, made man the Sonne of God, a&s;&s;uming humane nature into one per&s;on of the Sonne of God. For wee &s;hould neuer haue come into grace with the eternall Father, but by the death of that man, who was the true and very Sonne of God Secondly, if thou con|&s;ider the <HI>Iewes;</HI> becau&s;e hee liued the life of the Sonne of God. For therefore their enuy was exa&s;perated to the
<PB N="279" REF="164"> death of Chri&s;t, becau&s;e his mo&s;t Holy life reprehen|ded their wicked behauiours. Take thou heede, that neuer any other fault bee noted in thee, but onely that thou art the &s;onne of God. For if thou doe&s;t &s;uffer for that cau&s;e, thou art happy, and the faith|full Di&s;ciple of Chri&s;t. And becau&s;e the Sonne of God did vndergoe this death to make thee the Sonne of God, pray him that hee will ligh|ten thy &s;oule with his Grace, and exalt thee to bee the Sonne of God, and after this life by communicating his Diuinity vnto thee, he will number thee among&s;t the Sonnes of God, and graunt thee thy portion among his
<PB N="280" REF="165"> Saints, which &s;hall bee called the &s;onnes of God.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 28. Meditation of the &s;econd examination of Chri&s;t made by Pilate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>When <HI>Pilate</HI> heard that &s;peach hee feared more,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> and entred a|gaine into the Pallace, and &s;aid vnto him, whence art thou? but <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> gaue him no an&s;were.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Pilate</HI> being an Ethnicke, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ed with the error of the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> feared lea&s;t Chri&s;t was y^e Son of &s;ome God, as perhaps of <HI>Iupiter,</HI> or <HI>Ma<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s.</HI> For &s;o the Poets faine of <HI>Romulus,</HI> and <HI>Remus,</HI> and of diuers others: and Chri&s;t his mode&s;ty in an&s;wering, and his
<PB N="281" REF="165"> grauity of manners confirmed this opinion. Hee feared ther|fore the indignation of the God his Father, who&s;e Sonne hee had &s;o vniu&s;tly whipped. The <HI>Gentile</HI> feared the vaine wrath of the <HI>Gentile</HI> God, and feared not the grieuou&s;nes of his &s;in: neither did the <HI>Iewes</HI> feare the mo&s;t iu&s;t wrath of the true God. Thou likewi&s;e doe&s;t feare &s;ometimes &s;ha|dowes, dreames, and childi&s;h fancies; and art not affraid of the Deuill, who is alwayes at thine elbowe, when thou &s;inne&s;t; nor the di&s;trict iudg|ment of Chri&s;t, whome thou doe&s;t offend; nor Hell mouth gaping for thee. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly <HI>(Whence art thou.)</HI> E|uill men neither knowe God
<PB N="282" REF="166"> the giuer of all good thinges, nor from whence any good commeth to them. <HI>The Oxe knoweth his Keeper, and the A&s;&s;e, the manger of his Lord.</HI> Hennes, Cattes, and Hogges when meat is ca&s;t vnto them, lift vp their heades, and looke vpon them, that ca&s;t the &s;ame: And man, who hath receiued &s;o many benefites fro~ God, doth neither thanke, nor knowe God. Con&s;ider thirdly, that Chri&s;t made no an&s;were. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e it was not nece&s;&s;ary &s;eeing hee had manife&s;ted his innocency be|fore; and al&s;o &s;atisfied this que&s;tion, &s;aying: <HI>My King|dome is not of this world: I was borne for this, and for this I came into the World, &amp;c.</HI>
<PB N="283" REF="166"> For our Lord &s;pake but &s;el|dome, and nece&s;&s;ary thinges, and (as St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome</HI> &s;aith) lea&s;t hee might &s;eeme proude by his continuall &s;ilence.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hom. 87. in Mat.</NOTE> Se|condly, lea&s;t by his an&s;weares hee might bee thought de&s;i|rous to e&s;cape, and to auoyde death, which he might ea&s;ily haue done, if either hee him|&s;elfe, or any other for him had &s;eriou&s;ly defended his cau&s;e. Thirdly lea&s;t hee &s;hould giue holy thinges vnto Dogs. For at this time <HI>Pilate</HI> by his great &s;inne of whipping him, had made him&s;elfe vnworthy of an an&s;were at Gods handes. Fourthly, becau&s;e an Heathen man could not vnder&s;tand the an&s;were of that, which the Angells cannot conceiue.
<PB N="284" REF="167"> For from whence is that Per|&s;on, which with his Maie&s;ty filleth both Heauen &amp; Earth; which alwayes &s;pringing in the bo&s;ome of the Father,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a 53</NOTE> is alwayes borne and perfect; who&s;e generation noe man can declare. Thou therefore pondering in thy minde the Maie&s;ty of thy Lord, and &s;ee|ing him before this wicked Pre&s;ident thus fowly torn, de|formed, with &s;o many &s;tripes, and couered with &s;o many &s;pittings, filth, and torments, admire and aske him, whence art thou? Art thou hee, who&s;e Father is God, who&s;e Seruants are the Angels, and who&s;e Kingdome is Heauen? For if wee may Iudge of a man ac|cording to his habite, thou
<PB N="285" REF="167"> &s;eeme&s;t to bee a Worme, ra|ther the~ a Man, brought forth of the durte, rather then com|ming from Heauen.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid vnto him: Doe&s;t thou not &s;peake vnto mee?<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> doe&s;t thou not knowe, that I haue power to crucifie thee, and power to di&s;mi&s;&s;e thee?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the pride of <HI>Pilate.</HI> Fir&s;t becau&s;e hee thought he was contemned by this &s;ilence of Chri&s;t, hee threatneth him with his pow|er and authority. For a proud man is &s;oone angry, and will not &s;uffer indignity at ano|thers hand, and yet careth not what iniury hee offereth to them him&s;elfe. Secondly, that hee attributeth to him&s;elfe the power, which hee hath recei|ued
<PB N="286" REF="168"> from another: that thou maye&s;t learne, fir&s;t to referre all thy good things vnto God from whome thou ha&s;t recei|ued them, lea&s;t hee take them from thee for thy ingratitude. Secondly to acknowledge tho&s;e guiftes, and to v&s;e them to the honour of thy Lord, lea&s;t by abu&s;ing the~ thou be|e&s;t grieuou&s;ly puni&s;hed. Con|&s;ider therefore earne&s;tly with thy &s;elfe thine owne wealth, authority, learning, &s;trength of body, and thy other guifts; and howe much good thou maye&s;t doe thereby, either for the increa&s;ing of Gods glory, or the &s;aluation of thy neigh|bours; and how much good thou ha&s;t done: and labour in&s;tantly to doe as much
<PB N="287" REF="168"> as thou art able; for neither worke, nor rea&s;on, nor wi&s;|dome, nor knowledge &s;hall bee in Hell, to which place thou make&s;t ha&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle. 9.</NOTE> Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that <HI>Pilate</HI> acknow|ledgeth free power in him|&s;elfe to crucifie our Lord, and to di&s;mi&s;&s;e him: That thou maye&s;t learne, fir&s;t, that thou doe&s;t not want free will to doe well, or ill; and that thou maye&s;t v&s;e it to the exerci&s;e of vertue, and not to com|mit &s;innes. Secondly, that it is an euill freedome, whereby wee may doe euill;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Au. Epi&s;t 45.</NOTE> and an excellent nece&s;&s;itie, which bringeth vs to better thinges. Doe thou then ioyne thy &s;elfe &s;o vnto Chri&s;t, that it &s;hall not bee in thy power to doe ill,
<PB N="288" REF="169"> but that thou maye&s;t will and doe onely good and vertuous thinges. For that is true Chri|&s;tian liberty, &s;o to bee able to worke through vertue, and to effect tho&s;e things, which rea|&s;on &amp; faith doth dictate; that wee would not &s;inne, though it were lawfull, the will being &s;o confirmed in good, that it cannot bee diuerted by any impediments, either of concu|pi&s;cence, or any other thing.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><HI>Ie&s;us</HI> an&s;wered, thou coulde&s;t haue no power again&s;t mee,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> ex|cept it were giuen thee from a|boue. Wherefore hee, which hath deliuered mee to thee, hath the greater &s;inne.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that by the&s;e wordes Chri&s;t abated the pride of <HI>Pilate,</HI> teaching him,
<PB N="289" REF="169"> that hee had of him&s;elfe no power, but that, which was either giuen him from aboue by <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> who&s;e Vicegerent hee was (as St. <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> in|terpreteth this place,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tract. in Ioan 116.</NOTE>) or gran|ted him from God in Heauen, without who&s;e &s;peciall per|mi&s;&s;ion no man could doe a|ny thing again&s;t Chri&s;t the Sonne of God. <HI>Pilate</HI> recei|ued this power with the ene|myes of our Lord, when hee gaue them lycence in the gar|den to rage again&s;t him, by the&s;e wordes: <HI>This is your hower, and the power of darknes.</HI> And although it was nece&s;&s;a|ry to haue a more peculiar permi&s;&s;ion to rage again&s;t Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 22.</NOTE> then again&s;t any other Chri&s;tian. Yet thou maye&s;t
<PB N="290" REF="170"> learne truely with Saint <HI>Cypri|an,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Beat. Leo. &s;er. de pa&s;. Dom.</NOTE> that the Deuill can doe nothing again&s;t man, except God permitt him. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, <HI>(he which deliuered me to thee, hath the greater &s;in)</HI> to wit, then if he had offered any other man to be put to death by thee: or greater &s;inn then thou; partly becau&s;e thou mai&s;t be much moued there|vnto by rea&s;on of thy autho|rity, and by the people, and the chiefe men, whereas hee did it of him&s;elfe by priuate hate, and &s;etled malice; part|ly becau&s;e thou knowe&s;t not the dignity of my per&s;on, and office, w^c the <HI>Iewes</HI> mu&s;t needs knowe by the prophe&s;ies of y^e Prophets, hauing &s;eene &s;o ma|ny myracles, w^c could not hap|pen,
<PB N="291" REF="170"> but by the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> &s;o as they had no excu&s;e of their &s;in Thou &s;ee&s;t fir&s;t that al &s;ins are not alike (as &s;ome men fayne) but that tho&s;e &s;innes are more grieuous,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 15</NOTE> which come of deli|berate malice, then tho&s;e w^c are co~mitted through weake|nes or ignorance: and they &s;in more which mocke and per&s;e|cute the godly, then they which deride wicked men: and they offend more which in|duce men to &s;inne, then they which are induced; for the &s;inne of &s;uch redoundeth al|&s;o to the inducers. Se|condly, thou learne&s;t to ab|&s;taine from all &s;innes, but e|&s;pecially fro~ tho&s;e w^c are com|mitted again&s;t God; as Here|&s;ie, bla&s;phemy periury, irri&s;ion
<PB N="292" REF="171"> and prophanation of holy and diuine things. For althogh in the blinde iudgement of men (which thinke nothing to bee a fault, but that, which tend|eth to the hurt of our neigh|bour&punc;) tho&s;e thinges &s;eeme &s;mall: yet God will reuenge more &s;harply the wrong done vnto him &s;elfe, then to any other creature. Admire thou the bounty of Chri&s;t, who &s;o louingly taught the wic|ked Iudge: &amp; pray him, that he will neuer giue thee libertie to &s;inne.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="293" REF="171">
<HEAD>The 29. Meditation of the fourth accu&s;ation of Chri&s;t before Pilate.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>From thence foorth <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;ought to di&s;mi&s;&s;e him: but the <HI>Iewes</HI> cryed, &s;aying: if thou do&s;t di&s;mi&s;&s;e him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> thou art not friend to <HI>Cae&s;ar:</HI> for euery one that ma|keth him&s;elfe King, contradicteth <HI>Cae&s;ar:</HI> but when <HI>Pilate</HI> heard the&s;e &s;peaches, he brought <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> foorth, and &s;ate in the iudgement &s;eate, in the place called <HI>Litho|&s;trotos,</HI> but in hebrewe <HI>Gabba|ta;</HI> and it was the <HI>para&s;eene,</HI> about the &s;ixt houre.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Pi|late,</HI> when he heard mentio~ of &s;inne thoght earne&s;tly of the di&s;mi&s;&s;ing of Chri&s;t, for feare of co~miting a
<PB N="294" REF="172"> greater offence: that thou mai&s;t learne hereafter to ab|&s;teyne from &s;inne for the loue of Chri&s;t; for thou ha&s;t offen|ded God long enough, and defiled thy con&s;cience with the filth of &s;inne: but be thou more con&s;tant then <HI>Pilate,</HI> v|pon whom God hath be&s;tow|ed more grace. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, the burning hate of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who wanting mat|ter of accu&s;ation, terrifyed the Iudge with threatnings, and as it were inforced him to do wickedly: as if they &s;hould &s;ay: Wee will complaine of thee to <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> who&s;e enemie and competitor of the king|dome thou ha&s;t fauoured. Wicked men v&s;e to threaten, when they cannot preuaile by
<PB N="295" REF="172"> truth. If thou feare&s;t none but God, thou &s;halt ouercome all thy enemies. Con&s;ider thirdly, that <HI>Pilate</HI> hitherto played the man, &s;o long as it concerned not him&s;elfe: but when he thought his owne honour and reputation was called in que&s;tion, he yeelded to their threatnings, and was quite di&s;couraged: like to tho&s;e, who defend the truth, as long as they &s;hall &s;uffer no inconuenience thereby: but if they perceiue any &s;torme, they pre&s;ently turne &s;ayle, and yeeld vnto the tempe&s;t, and will not &s;uf|fer any kinde of trouble. Doe thou flie the world, lea&s;t it carry thee away from the affaires of Chri&s;t
<PB N="296" REF="173"> to &s;ome vniu&s;t action. For he which maketh him&s;elfe a king and ruleth ouer him&s;elfe, and ouer his de&s;ires, is not a friend to <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> the deuill (I meane) y^e prince of this world, who&s;e friend&s;hip if thou &s;eeke&s;t, and do&s;t feare his wrath, thou &s;halt get that, which happened to <HI>Pilate,</HI> who by the complaint of the <HI>Iewes</HI> in another cau&s;e, lo&s;t <HI>Cae&s;ars</HI> friend&s;hip, &amp; dyed mi&s;erably in exile. The Deuill followeth tho&s;e that feare him; and flyeth and for&s;aketh them, that hate him. Con&s;i|der fourthly, that the place, day, and houre of the con|demning of Chri&s;t is di&s;tinct|ly noted: fir&s;t, to declare the greatne&s;&s;e of the &s;inne, when the onely begotten Sonne
<PB N="297" REF="173"> of the true God was condem|ned to dye on the Cro&s;&s;e. Secondly, to &s;ignifie the my|&s;terye which is contayned in the &s;ame. <HI>It was the day of the</HI> Para&s;eene, that is, the &s;ixt day, in which man was crea|ted, in which man was to bee redeemed, in which the true Lamb was to be immolated, and in which the typicall Lamb was &s;laine. <HI>(About the &s;ixt houre)</HI> that is, a little be|fore noone, in which houre the typicall Lambe was pre|pared to be &s;acrificed, and men doe commonly pamper and cheri&s;h their bodies. The place <GAP DESC="foreign">, y^t is, &s;trowed with &s;tones: and <GAP DESC="foreign">, that is, high, becau&s;e Chri&s;t was conde~ned by men more hard,
<PB N="298" REF="174"> and more proud then the ve|ry &s;tones; and did receiue this &s;entence of death for thy pride, and for the hardnes and blindenes of thy heart. Pray vnto thy Lord to lighten thy blindenes, to mollifie thy hardnes, and to &s;uppre&s;&s;e thy pride.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid to them, behold your king:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> and they cryed, away with him, away with him, crucifie him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Pilate</HI> preuailing nothing by o|ther rea&s;ons, began to pro|uoke them to mercy by laughter, as if he &s;hould lay: behold your great King, who~ yee accu&s;e of a&s;piring: for he which &s;carce looketh like a man, how can he hope to be a
<PB N="299" REF="174"> King? or el&s;e that he &s;pake the&s;e words, to make them de|ny their <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> and to &s;ub|mit them&s;elues to the bo~dage of the <HI>Romanes,</HI> which was hatefull vnto them. For yet there remained a little &s;parke of pietye in his minde: that thou may&s;t learne how hardly our Lord for&s;aketh vs. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly, the three names giuen to Chri&s;t in this time of his pa&s;&s;ion by <HI>Pilate</HI> and the <HI>Iewes, A man, a king, the &s;onne of God:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2.</NOTE> which three names the Sages acknowledged by their offerings. For &s;aluati|on could not be giuen vn|to vs, except God and man &s;hould &s;uffer, who by his Pa&s;&s;ion tooke away the kingdome of the world from
<PB N="300" REF="175"> the deuill. Con&s;ider thirdly, the word full of comfort, <HI>(be|hold your king)</HI> by which word the conditions of our King are &s;hewed vnto vs, who is not a &s;owre, hard, and impor|tunate exactor, oppre&s;&s;ing vs with labours, and leading vs with great burthens, and im|po&s;ing a grieuous yoake vpon vs; but louing and gentle, be&s;towing on vs through his aboundant charity, his owne labours, dolours, bloud, and life, and that bloud by which alone all the filth of our &s;innes is wa&s;hed away: who caryeth al&s;o our &s;innes &amp; beareth our burthens: briefely, who re|fre&s;heth vs with his body and bloud, and lifteth vp his &s;weet yoake vpon our &s;houlders.<NOTE PLACE="marg">O&s;ea. 11</NOTE> To
<PB N="301" REF="175"> this King thou ha&s;t giuen thy name in bapti&s;me: thou ha&s;t begun to fight vnder his ban|ner; behold therefore dilige~t|ly his armour, and ob&s;erue the manner of his fighting with his enemy. For thou mu&s;t v&s;e y^e &s;ame weapons, &amp; fight in the &s;ame ma~ner: and if thou do&s;t de&s;ire to be rewarded with the like Honours, thou mu&s;t &s;triue for the victory, by hu|mility, contempt, Charity, and other vertues. Co~&s;ider fourth|ly, the vnbridled rage of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who reiected the King of glory, together with his Kingdome. <HI>(Away with him,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 19.</NOTE> <HI>away with him)</HI> (&s;ay they) we will not haue him reigne ouer vs. But do thou take this king of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> reiected by the
<PB N="302" REF="176"> <HI>Iewes,</HI> and giuen to the <HI>Gen|tiles;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 3</NOTE> and bring him into the hou&s;e of thy Mother, and into the chamber of her, that bare thee. Make him thy King, and not the World, nor the Deuill, nor thy Belly, nor Mammon. And &s;ay not now, <HI>Behold your King,</HI> but beholde, our King, yea, my King, who hath loued me, and giuen him&s;elfe for me. And beware, that thou doe&s;t not againe by any &s;inne cru|cifie this King, whome thou ha&s;t once admitted, lea&s;t hee complain of thee, &s;aying: <HI>Yee, all yee people,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mala. 3 Galat. 2. P&s;al. 118.</NOTE> <HI>doe nayle me:</HI> But rather being fa&s;tened thy &s;elfe vnto the Cro&s;&s;e with Chri&s;t, pray him, that hee will fa&s;ten thy fle&s;h with his feare.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="303" REF="176">
<HEAD><HI>Pilate</HI> &s;aid vnto them, &s;hall I crucifie your King? The Prie&s;ts an&s;wered, wee haue no King, but <HI>Cae&s;ar.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, in this que|&s;tion of <HI>Pilate,</HI> howe vn|worthy a thing it was, that the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> who was promi|&s;ed to Man-kinde from the beginning of the world, and expected &s;o many ages, and at la&s;t, thorough the mercy of the eternall Father, &s;ent for the &s;aluation of the <HI>Iewes;</HI> &s;hould come to &s;uch and &s;o mi&s;erable a death, and as an vnworthy &amp; accur&s;ed per&s;on &s;hould bee demaunded to the horrible puni&s;hment of the Cro&s;&s;e. Do thou look vpo~ thy &s;elfe, &amp; mark whether perhaps thou art not in the &s;ame error.
<PB N="304" REF="177"> Thou knowe&s;t that thou wert borne into this world to this end, y^t at the la&s;t thou &s;houl|de&s;t enioy God in euerla&s;ting and heauenly felicitie. Thou knowe&s;t that all the whole world was made and framed by God for thy &s;ake, and that for the &s;ame cau&s;e the very Son of God di&s;cended down from Heauen, was borne of the Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> and con&s;e|crated all his labours, yea his Pa&s;&s;ion and Death vnto thee. But thou hauing no con&s;ide|ration of all this, doe&s;t by thy &s;innes driue away God from thee, when thou oughte&s;t to imbrace him; thou &s;hutte&s;t vp heauen, &amp; neglecte&s;t who|ly thy &s;aluation. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly the franticke choi&s;e of
<PB N="305" REF="177"> the Prie&s;ts. They refu&s;e the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> &s;ent by God, as if it were in them to choo&s;e a <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> according to their owne will and plea&s;ure, &amp; not rather to receiue the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> whome God gaue vnto them. O intollerable madnes of me~! who will make to them&s;elues a God according to their owne will; or deui&s;e a newe Religion; or frame the man|ner of &s;eruing God out of the holy Scriptures, wre&s;ted and interpreted according to their owne fanta&s;ies. Wherefore they are truely called Haere|tiques, that is, choo&s;ers. It is Gods office to appoint Reli|gion, and the manner how to &s;erue him; and not ours, to choo&s;e. Con&s;ider thirdly the
<PB N="306" REF="178"> nature of enuy, which &s;eeketh the hurt of another, though it bee to his owne lo&s;&s;e. The <HI>Romane</HI> gouernment was ve|ry grieuous and hatefull vnto them, and yet the Prie&s;ts, both for them&s;elues, and for the whole people, preferred it be|fore y^e &s;weete yoake of Chri&s;t. Learne fir&s;t to lay a&s;ide all e|uill affections of thy minde, lea&s;t thou fall into more grie|uous &s;innes. Secondly, not to e&s;teeme &s;o much of out|ward Nobility, or power, that thou &s;halt therefore breake the lea&s;t Commaundement of God, or &s;warue one iote from truth and iu&s;tice. For Nobi|lity, power, and authority, are of no e&s;timation, except the &s;ame be vnder Chri&s;t, and for
<PB N="307" REF="178"> Chri&s;t, from whom all power proceedeth, both in Heauen and Earth, and vnto whom all Honour and power is due. Con&s;ider fourthly, that this fooli&s;h election of the <HI>Iewes</HI> is co~firmed by God:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22 Mat. 24. P&s;al. 78</NOTE> for they haue beene both deptiued of their <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> nowe &s;o many yeares; and al&s;o giuen into bondage to &s;trange Kinges, who burned their Citty, and ouerthrew their Temple, lea|uing not one &s;tone vpon ano|ther, <HI>Did eate</HI> Iacob, <HI>&amp; made his place de&s;olate, di&s;perced them among&s;t the</HI> Gentiles, <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed them with grieuous &s;eruitude, that they &s;hould bee a reproach to their neighbours, a mocking &s;tocke, &amp; illu&s;ion to them which were round about them.</HI> Doe
<PB N="308" REF="179"> thou de&s;ire nothing of God, but to bee guided by him, and to take from thee the grie|uous yoake of that tyrant the Deuill.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 30. Meditation of the condemnation of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">7.</NOTE>And <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;eeing, that he profited nothing, but that the tu|mult was made greater, taking water, wa&s;hed his handes before the people, &s;aying: I am inno|cent of the bloud of this iu&s;t man; Looke yee to it.</HEAD>
<P><HI>PIlate</HI> who was a Heathe~, being mooued with the touch of con&s;cience and rea&s;on, and de&s;irous to di&s;mi&s;&s;e Chri&s;t vnco~demned;
<PB N="309" REF="179"> the <HI>Iewes</HI> beginne to mutiny. Con&s;ider therefore, fir&s;t, how much that afflicted the minde of Chri&s;t, that a Heathen, be|ing a &s;tranger fro~ the know|ledge of God, and from the Sacraments, &s;hould bee care|full for his deliuery; and they, vpon whome God had be&s;to|wed the knowledge of him|&s;elfe, and honored them with many Sacraments, &s;hould &s;o tumultuou&s;ly labour to haue the &s;entence of death pronou~|ced again&s;t him. Learne, not to maruaile, if &s;ome thinges happen vnto thee, contrary to equity and rea&s;on. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that the wicked doe mutiny. For euen as Hell is repleni&s;hed with tumult and horror: &s;o all thinges, which
<PB N="310" REF="180"> are &s;ugge&s;ted by the Deuill, are referred to tumulte and perturbation, either outward|ly among&s;t the Citizens, or el&s;e inwardly in mens minds. Con&s;ider thirdly the ceremo|ny of <HI>Pilate,</HI> who wa&s;hed his hands with water, but did not wa&s;h away the guilt of con|&s;cience, for &s;innes are not pur|ged with outward water, but with teares. Doe thou apply this water of teares to thy &s;innes already pa&s;t; but doe not v&s;e them, to the end thou maye&s;t &s;inne more freely. For as all &s;innes committed may bee clean&s;ed by teares and pennaunce: &s;o there is nothing, which can giue li|bertie to &s;inne. Con&s;ider fourthly the wordes of <HI>Pilate:
<PB N="311" REF="180"> (I am innocent.)</HI> Hee thin|keth him&s;elfe innocent, be|cau&s;e hee condemned him a|gain&s;t his will. But he cannot bee innocent,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib 3. ad Auari. ca. 80</NOTE> which &s;endeth <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> to the Cro&s;&s;e, with the &s;ame lippes, by which hee had pronounced him innocent before. Thou learne&s;t al&s;o, that they are like vnto tho&s;e <HI>Iewes,</HI> which will neuer take any warnings, nor bee moo|ued with any rea&s;ons. And they immitate the &s;inne of <HI>Pilate:</HI> fir&s;t, which &s;inne a|gain&s;t their owne con&s;cience at the reque&s;t of others. Se|condly, which vnder any pretence excu&s;e them&s;elues, and lay the blame vpo~ others. Thirdly, which couer the wic|kednes of their minde with
<PB N="312" REF="181"> any colour of good. But &s;ee that thou doe&s;t v&s;e this word of <HI>Pilate</HI> more warily to thine owne benefite: <HI>O Lord, let me bee innocent by the bloud of this iu&s;t man.</HI> For &s;eeing hee only is iu&s;t, and our true Iu&s;tice, nothing can bring mee inno|cency of my &s;oule, but by the bloud of this iu&s;t man, &s;hed for iu&s;tice, for the remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the whole people an|&s;wered,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27</NOTE> &s;aying: His bloud bee vpon vs, and vpon our Chil|dren.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the blinde fury of enuy: They doe not deny him to bee iu&s;t, but what&s;oeuer hee bee, they de|maund him to be crucified: and y^t they may giue courage
<PB N="313" REF="181"> to the fearefull Pre&s;ident, and ha&s;ten the death of this iu&s;t man, they binde them&s;elues &amp; their po&s;terity to mo&s;t grei|uous mi&s;eries. This worde wounded the heart of Chri&s;t our Lord, by which the peo|ple of God, who &s;hould haue been deliuered by this bloud, de&s;ired the reuenge thereof to light vpon them&s;elues. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, how great fol|ly it is, to wi&s;h for that euill, wherof thou knowe&s;t not the greatnes. For if euery &s;inne de&s;erueth a great &amp; grieuous puni&s;hment, for the e&s;chew|ing whereof this bloud was &s;hed; oh what a Hell is due for that &s;inne, by which this bloud was &s;hed? They are like vnto the&s;e bloudy <HI>Iewes,</HI>
<PB N="314" REF="182"> fir&s;t, who nothing e&s;teeming the future paines of hell (the greatnes whereof they knowe not) co~tinue in offending God with their &s;ins. 2. Which vn|dertake difficult matters with|out con&s;ideration. 3. Which load the~&s;elues with other me~s &s;ins, not weighing what will follow. Con&s;ider 3. The bou~|ty &amp; goodnes of God, who as according to y^e de&s;ire and re|que&s;t of <HI>Pilate</HI> he &s;pared the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> &s;o he dealt le&s;&s;e &s;euea|rely with y^e <HI>Iewes,</HI> the~ they re|quired: for he receiued euen many of them into fauour and grace, &amp; brought many thou|&s;a~ds of ther po&s;terity into faith &amp; &s;aluatio~. Do thou take heed, lea&s;t thou through thy &s;innes be guilty of the body &amp; bloud
<PB N="315" REF="182"> of out Lord: but pray, that his bloud may be vpon thee and thy children, for thy &s;alua|tion, and the remi&s;&s;ion of thy &s;innes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then <HI>Pilate</HI> willing to &s;ati&s;|fie the people, adiudged,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15 Luc. 23 Mar. 27. Ioan. 19</NOTE> that their petition &s;hould be done: and he di&s;mi&s;&s;ed vnto them him, which was &s;ent to pri&s;on for murther and &s;edition, <HI>Barrabas,</HI> whome they demaunded: but <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> being whipped he deliuered to their will, that hee &s;hould bee crucified.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the Prie&s;tes &s;inned in the death of Chri&s;t of enuy; the people, through the per&s;wa|&s;ion of the Elders; <HI>Pilate,</HI> to &s;atisfie the people. None was free from &s;inne: for the
<PB N="316" REF="183"> fir&s;t &s;inned of malice, the &s;e|cond of ignorance, the third of fraylty. For Chri&s;t vnder|went the puni&s;hment of the Cro&s;&s;e for all &s;ortes of &s;inners what&s;oeuer. Con&s;ider &s;econd|ly the manner of his co~dem|nation, neuer v&s;ed before: for Fir&s;t, omitting all crimes, for which he ought to be co~dem|ned, he was pronounced, iu&s;t, by the iudge him&s;elfe: <HI>I am innocent</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>from the bloud of this iu&s;t man:</HI> as if hee &s;hould &s;ay, who is not co~dem|ned for his faultes, but for his iu&s;tice. Secondly, a guilty per&s;on, loaden with mo&s;t grieuous crimes, is let goe, that the iu&s;t man may be con|demned: for our Lord dyed to this end, that he might by his
<PB N="317" REF="183"> death deliuer all &s;inners from eternall death. Thirdly, hee was not onely adiudged after the accu&s;tomed manner to the Cro&s;&s;e, but al&s;o to be tortured vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, according to the will of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> For the&s;e are the words: <HI>he deliuered him to their will, that he &s;hould bee crucified.</HI> For he would be de|liuered wholly to the will of the wicked, that thou &s;hould&s;t yeild thy &s;elfe entyrely to his will. Pray therefore vnto thy Lord, not to deliuer thee to the will of thy enemies, but that through this mo&s;t vn|iu&s;t &s;e~tence of his death he will deliuer thee fro~ the iu&s;t iudgement of euerla&s;ting death.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="318" REF="184">
<HEAD>The 31. Meditation of the carrying of the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the Soldiours tooke Ie|&s;us,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19 Mat. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE> &amp; pulling off his &s;carlet gar|me~t, they cloathed him in his own ve&s;tments, &amp; brought him foorth that they might crucifie him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, y^t thy Lord, whome <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;eemed hi|therto a little to fauour, is now de&s;titute of al humane ayde, &amp; deliuered vp to the executio|ners; lea&s;t thou &s;houlde&s;t bee for&s;aken of God, &amp; deliuered vp to the Deuill. Behold his tender body, wounded in eue|ry part, &amp; rubbed with their cruell hands. Thou can&s;t not indure to be touched vpo~ any light hurt: what paine then doe&s;t thou thinke our Lord
<PB N="319" REF="184"> indured by the rude &amp; barba|rous pullings of the &s;oldiers? Con&s;ider &s;econdly, how the &s;oldiours pulled off his gar|ment, making his mo&s;t cha&s;t heart a&s;hamed to be &s;eene na|ked afore all y^e people. Behold how his purple garment clea|uing to the congealed bloud, being violently pulled off, did renue the wounds, make them bleed afre&s;h, &amp; plucke away the torne skin together with the fle&s;h. But Chri&s;t put off this garment, y^t he might with more alacrity take vp y^e wood of the Cro&s;&s;e. For euen as worke men, when they goe about any great labour, put off their cloathes, that they may worke the more nimbly; &s;o it is written of Chri&s;t,
<PB N="320" REF="185"> that in this his pa&s;&s;ion he did foure times put off his clothes when he was to effect any great worke. That thou &s;houl|de&s;t not be ignorant with how great de&s;ire he wrought thy &s;aluation, Fir&s;t, when by his whipping he was to &s;hedd his bloud for thee ouer his whole body. Secondly, when he was to receiue a crowne of thorns vpon his head, to prepare an a&s;&s;ured Kingdome for thee in Heauen. Thirdly, when he was to lay this wood of the Cro&s;&s;e vpon his &s;houlders, as the Scepter, or Soueraignty of the Kingdome, or as the Key of <HI>Dauid,</HI> with which he &s;hould open heauen for thee. Fourth|ly when he was to a&s;cend that tree of the Cro&s;&s;e, as the thron
<PB N="321" REF="185"> of <HI>Salomon.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly, that his owne cloathes were giuen him againe, that his face being all polluted, and as it were di&s;gui&s;ed with &s;pittings, bloud, and filth, yet he might be knowne by his accu&s;tomed apparrell. But our Lord put on tho&s;e ve&s;tments, that hee might both con&s;ecrate vnto God his ve&s;tment, y^e Church, and euery member thereof, with his Cro&s;&s;e, and his fre&s;h bleeding Wounds; and al&s;o that he might teach vs to in|dure the Cro&s;&s;e and all afflicti|ons. It is not read, that the Crowne of Thornes was ta|ken from his head; that ac|cording to the olde Prophe|&s;ie of <HI>Dauid,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Colloq. cu~ Triphone P&s;al 98.</NOTE> (which Saint <HI>Iu&s;tine</HI> co~plaineth was razed
<PB N="322" REF="186"> out by the <HI>Iewes) our Lord might raigne fro~ the wood.</HI> Con|&s;ider 4. That our Lord was brought foorth out of the cit|tie, y^t as one vnworthy to dye in the holy Citty, hee might be put to death among&s;t the wicked. But our Lord went foorth, 1. To teach, that hee offered this &s;acrifice for the whole world, and not for the <HI>Iewes</HI> onely, for whom the &s;a|crifice was offred in the Tem|ple; yea rather that this &s;acri|fice &s;hould not be profitable to the <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;o long as they tru&s;ted in their auncient rytes &amp; ceremonies; according to that &s;aying: <HI>we haue an altar, of which they haue no power to eat, who &s;erue the Tabernacle.</HI> Ther|fore he went foorth carrying
<PB N="323" REF="186"> his Cro&s;&s;e; y^t hee might as it were with his &s;heep-hook in|force thee, a &s;tray &s;heepe, to come home vnto his fold. 2. That thou &s;hould&s;t not thinke that Chri&s;t is found among&s;t the cares of the world, the troubles of the Cittye, and multitude of bu&s;ine&s;&s;e. Hee is abroad in quiet of con&s;ci|ence, in contempt and naked|ne&s;&s;e, and want of all things. <HI>Let vs then goe foorth vnto him</HI> (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) <HI>without the Tents, carrying his reproach.</HI> Flye the world, that thou mai&s;t finde Chri&s;t.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And carrying his Cro&s;&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19. Luc. 23.</NOTE> hee went foorth into that place which is called <HI>Caluaria,</HI> and in the <HI>Hebrue, Golgotha:</HI> There were al&s;o carryed two
<PB N="324" REF="187"> wicked m<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n with him, that they &s;hould be put to death.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that in the whole Citty there was no man found to carry y^e Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord to the place of pu|ni&s;hme~t, The &s;oldiers would not, &amp; the <HI>Iewes</HI> e&s;teemed the very touching of it an execra|ble thing, becau&s;e the Scrip|ture &s;aith, y^t <HI>accur&s;ed was euery one,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 21.</NOTE> <HI>which &s;hould hang on the wood:</HI> therfore our Lord mu&s;t needes take the wood of his puni&s;hment vpon his owne &s;houlders. Con&s;ider &amp; weigh with thy &s;elfe, whether thou doe&s;t not imitate them, when it is grieuous vnto thee to haue one thought of the pa&s;&s;i|on of our Lord, and a mo&s;t hard thing, to &s;uffer any little
<PB N="325" REF="187"> affliction for the loue of thy &s;pou&s;e. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, with what in&s;olency they layd that wood vpon his tender &s;houlders, beeing wounded with many &s;tripes. The world giueth this grieuous and trou|ble&s;ome Cro&s;&s;e, which thou mu&s;t beare alone, without the helpe of any other but Chri&s;t: <HI>who impo&s;eth a &s;weete yoake and a light burthen,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 11. O&s;ea. 11.</NOTE> <HI>and he him&s;elfe lifteth it vp with his grace, and exalteth it ouer the iawe bones.</HI> Pray our Lord to lay thy &s;ins vpon this Cro&s;&s;e, carrying them from thee to his owne body, and wa&s;hing them a|way with his bloud &amp; death: For <HI>he is the Lambe of God, which taketh away the &s;innes of the world.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan 3.</NOTE>
<PB N="326" REF="188"> whither our Lord went: to wit to a hil neer y^e citty,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hom. 84. in Ioan. In ca. 5 ad Ephe. in Epi&s;. ad Paula~ ad Marcel. Orig. tra. 35. in Mat. Cip in &s;er de re&s;ur. domini. Atha~. de pa&s;. dom Epip. haer. 40. Amb. epi&s;. 19. Aug. &s;er. 7 de Temp. Theop. &amp; E<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">thy. in Ioan. 19 I&s;a. 3.</NOTE> called <HI>Gol|gotha,</HI> y^t is, <HI>Caluaria,</HI> either by rea&s;on of the &s;epulture of our fir&s;t parent <HI>Ada~,</HI> &amp; of his &s;cull there found, (of w^c opinion St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome,</HI> and St. <HI>Hierome</HI> report &s;ome to haue been) or el&s;e of the &s;culls of dead per|&s;ons, which had &s;uffered death in this hill, being the place of execution. The place was fil|thy and infamous; but Chri&s;t &s;anctified it by his death, and with his bloud wa&s;hed away the &s;inne of <HI>Adam.</HI> Con&s;ider fourthly, that 2. Theeues were carryed to execution with Chri&s;t: that according to the prophe&s;ie of <HI>I&s;aias, Hee might be reputed with the wicked,</HI> and a rumour be &s;pred abroad, y^t 3.
<PB N="327" REF="188"> Theeues the &s;ame day were iudged to dye. For it is likely, that about the mo&s;t famous Fea&s;ts, whe~ the whole people v&s;e to a&s;&s;emble them&s;elues to|gether, their cu&s;tome was, to condemne and execute &s;ome guilty malefactors, for exa~ple to the re&s;t: and now at the re|que&s;t of the <HI>Iewes</HI> (who&s;e will <HI>Pilate</HI> inte~ded to &s;atisfie) there were certaine of the mo&s;t no|torious malefactors cho&s;en, of who~ thy Lord &s;hould bee ac|cou~ted y^e captain &amp; leader. So great was the de&s;ire of y^e <HI>Iewes</HI> to ob&s;cure the name of Chri&s;t. But our Lord cho&s;e to be cru|cified with tho&s;e theeues and malefactors to another pur|po&s;e and intent. Fir&s;t, that thou &s;houlde&s;t know that hee
<PB N="328" REF="189"> dyed for &s;inners, &amp; that there is no offence &s;o great, but it may bee purged by the death of Chri&s;t. Secondly, that by this his di&s;grace and ignomi|ny hee might obtaine eternall glory for thee, make thee of a theefe to bee a Iudge in the world to come. Pray then thy Lord to drawe thee to the hill with him, and to co~municate vnto thee the merites of his Cro&s;&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And going forth they found a certaine man of <HI>Cyrene,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 13.</NOTE> called <HI>Simon,</HI> comming from the coun|trey, the Father of <HI>Alexander</HI> and <HI>Rufus:</HI> him they compelled to take vp his Cro&s;&s;e, and they inforced him to carry the Cro&s;&s;e after <HI>Ie&s;us.</HI></HEAD>
<PB N="329" REF="189">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, y^t the <HI>Iewes</HI> perceiuing the weaknes of Chri&s;t, being &s;pent with la|bours &amp; paines, and with the lo&s;&s;e of &s;o much bloud; and fearing, lea&s;t he might dye be|fore he &s;uffered the mo&s;t grie|uous torments of the Cro&s;&s;e; being moued, not with pitty, but with cruelty, cau&s;ed this Gentile to carry the Cro&s;&s;e after <HI>Ie&s;us.</HI> But God directed this acte of theirs to another end. For he &s;ignified hereby; Fir&s;t, that the Cro&s;&s;e, being con&s;ecrated with the bloud of our Lord, was giuen to Chri|&s;tians, conuerted from Genti|li&s;me, who followed Chri&s;t going before them loaden with his Cro&s;&s;e, being them|&s;elues al&s;o loaden with their
<PB N="330" REF="190"> cro&s;&s;es in &s;undry manners, as &s;ome by Martyrdome, &s;ome by fa&s;tinges, &s;ome by watch|inges, and by other voluntary afflictions, &s;ome by conque|ring them&s;elues, and &s;ubduing the wicked motions of the minde. Secondly that it is not enough that Chri&s;t carry his owne Cro&s;&s;e, and that wee onely beholde it by faith and contemplation. But it behoo|ueth vs to &s;et our hand to it, and in holy workes to follow Chri&s;t, which &s;aith: <HI>Hee which will come after mee, let him deny him&s;elfe, and take vp his cro&s;&s;e daily, and follow mee.</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly, who hee is, which doth profitably carry the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t. Fir&s;t, <HI>Symon,</HI> that is to &s;ay, obedient to the
<PB N="331" REF="190"> Commaundements and &s;ug|ge&s;tions of God. Secondly, <HI>Comming from the Countrey:</HI> who putting off the rudenes of &s;innes, for&s;aketh his vnci|uill manners. Thirdly, of <HI>Cy|rene of Pentapolis,</HI> that thou &s;houlde&s;t carry the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t in thy fiue &s;ences. Con|&s;ider 3. that this <HI>Symon,</HI> was con&s;trained euen again&s;t his wil, to lay this cro&s;&s;e vpon his &s;houlders: to teach thee, Fir&s;t to offer violence to nature, which abhorreth &s;uch a cro&s;&s;e and the change of manners, and mortifying of thy &s;ences. Secondly, not to thru&s;t thy &s;elfe ra&s;hly into perils, but pa|tiently to &s;uffer the euills, w^c others doe vnto thee. The Soldiours lay the Cro&s;&s;e vpon
<PB N="332" REF="191"> him; for wicked men by their vexations and torments giue occa&s;ion to the iu&s;t to &s;uffer with Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider fourth|ly the profite, which this <HI>Sy|mon</HI> had, as a reward of his la|bour, though hee carryed the Cro&s;&s;e euen again&s;t his will. Fir&s;t his name, by the diuul|ging of the Go&s;pell through the world, is con&s;ecrated to eternall memory. Secondly his Citty &amp; Country is made knowne to all Chri&s;tians. Thirdly his children were not onely Chri&s;tians, but al&s;o fa|mous among&s;t Chri&s;tians. Do not thou therefore feare the Cro&s;&s;e, &amp; troubles for Chri&s;t his name,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Chri&s; ho~. 1. ad Pop. Antio.</NOTE> for the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t maketh men glorious, and bringeth many commo|dities
<PB N="333" REF="191"> with it. But thou mu&s;t follow after, not runne before <HI>Ie&s;us;</HI> nor choo&s;e what cro&s;&s;e thou like&s;t, but accept of that, which hee &s;endeth: And pray him to lighten thy burthen with his grace, &amp; to &s;trength|en thy &s;houlders.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 32. Meditation of the Women follow|ing Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And there followed a great troope of people, and of women, which mourned,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> and lamented him: and <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> turning vnto them &s;aid: O Daughters of <HI>Hieru&s;alem,</HI> weepe not ouer mee, but weepe ouer your &s;elues, and ouer your Children.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that an in|numerable multitude of
<PB N="334" REF="192"> people flocked together to this &s;orrowfull &s;pectacle, to who~ perhaps (as the cu&s;tome is in &s;ome places at this day) there was &s;ome &s;igne giuen of the future execution. And be|cau&s;e the wome~ only are &s;aid to lament &amp; weepe, it is an ar|gument, y^t there were many mockers, &amp; curious &s;pectators according to y^t &s;aying: <HI>They &s;pake again&s;t mee, which &s;ate in the gate.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 68</NOTE> But with what affe|ction wilt thou follow thy Lord? With what minde wilt thou &s;uffer with him? With what eyes wilt thou beholde him? Doe&s;t thou want occa&s;i|on of &s;orrow &amp; teares in this &s;pectacle, &s;ince our Lord go|eth thus loaden and deformed for thy &s;ake, and not for him|&s;elfe?
<PB N="335" REF="192"> Thou did&s;t play abroad in the &s;treete,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Beat. Ber. &s;er. 3. in nat. Dom.</NOTE> and in the Kings priuy chamber, &s;entence of death was giuen again&s;t thee. The onely begotten Sonne of God heard it, and hee went forth, putting off his Diadem, cloathed in &s;ackcloath, wea|ring a Crowne of thornes vp|on his head, barefooted, blee|ding, weeping, &amp; crying out that his poore &s;eruant was condemned. Thou &s;ee&s;t him come foorth, thou aske&s;t the cau&s;e, &amp; heare&s;t it. What wilt thou doe? wilt thou &s;till play, and contemne his teares? or rather wilt thou not follow him, and weepe with him, and e&s;teeme the greatnes of thy danger by the co~&s;ideration of the remedy? Co~&s;ider &s;econdly
<PB N="336" REF="193"> that the teares of the&s;e wo|men were gratefull vnto our Lord, who in &s;igne of loue turned him&s;elfe towards them in the mid&s;t of his torments. Yet hee reprooued them, be|cau&s;e out of a wrong co~ceipt of humane pitty they lamen|ted his death, as the greate&s;t euill, and extreame&s;t mi&s;ery, without any benefite at all. Do thou mourne, lament, and weepe, Fir&s;t, becau&s;e thou wert the cau&s;e of all the&s;e &s;o great paines. Secondly be|cau&s;e thou ha&s;t hitherto born an vnthankefull minde. Third|ly, becau&s;e perhaps this death of thy Lord will not bee the cau&s;e of thy &s;aluation &amp; glo|ry, but of thy greater damna|tion. Con&s;ider thirdly, the
<PB N="337" REF="193"> difficultie of this thy Lords iourney, which cau&s;ed the women to follow him with teares. Remember thou the &s;eauen hard wayes, which thy Lord walked for thee in this his Pa&s;&s;ion, that hee might &s;top vp the &s;eaue~ wayes of the &s;eauen deadly &s;innes, which lead thee vnto Hell, &amp; might open the way to euerla&s;ting life, by the &s;eauen guifts of the holy Gho&s;t. For hee went, Fir&s;t, from the hou&s;e where he &s;upped, to the Garden. Se|condly from thence to <HI>Annas.</HI> Thirdly to <HI>Cayphas</HI> his hou&s;e. Fourthly to <HI>Pilate.</HI> Fiftly to <HI>Herod.</HI> Sixtly again to <HI>Pilate,</HI> &amp; &s;eaue~thly to the Cro&s;&s;e. Do thou in all thy trauailes me|ditate vpon the&s;e wayes, and
<PB N="338" REF="194"> and for the loue of thy Lord runne in the way of his Com|maundements.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>For behold the daies &s;hall come, in which they &s;hall &s;ay, ble&s;&s;ed are the barren,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23</NOTE> &amp; the wombes, which haue not brought foorth, &amp; the brea&s;ts, which haue not giuen &s;ucke: then they &s;hall begin to &s;ay to the Mountaines, fall vpon vs, and to the Hills, couer vs.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. the goodne&s;&s;e of thy Lord, who in the midde&s;t of his paines, &s;eeketh by his admonitio~ our &s;aluatio~, and by the terror of future mi&s;eries endeauoreth to moue vs to pennance. He &s;peaketh al&s;o to women, not to men; 1. lea&s;t becau&s;e he was puni|&s;hed by men, he &s;hould &s;eeme to threaten reuenge. Secondly
<PB N="339" REF="194"> that by the&s;e euills, foretold vnto women, who had offen|ded le&s;&s;e, men might vnder|&s;tand, that the like at the lea&s;t &s;hould happen vnto them. 3. By this prediction to comfort tho&s;e women, which lamen|ted &s;o much the death &amp; pa&s;&s;i|ons of our Lord; &s;ignifying thereby, both that he did vn|iu&s;tly &s;uffer this death, which in a fewe yeares &s;hould bee &s;o deepely reuenged; and al&s;o that they might e&s;cape this reuenge, which would leaue to bee the children of this earthly Hieru&s;alem, &amp; conuert them&s;elues to the faith of Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, whereas in former times the barren were accur&s;ed, now the barren in Chri&s;t are
<PB N="340" REF="195"> ble&s;&s;ed. For there is giuen to Eunuches: that is, to them, which liue cha&s;te and &s;ingle in the Church,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 56.</NOTE> a name better then from &s;onnes and daughters. Con&s;ider thirdly, that in all troubles of this life wee mu&s;t &s;ay vnto the mountaines, fall vppon vs, and to the hills, co|uer vs: that is to &s;ay, we mu&s;t haue recour&s;e to the helpe of Saints, who in the Scriptures are called by the names of mountaines and hilles; as in <HI>I&s;aias:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 2.</NOTE> <HI>the hou&s;e of our Lord &s;hall be a prepared mountaine:</HI> that is to &s;ay, Chri&s;t the head of the Church, <HI>in the toppe of the mountaines, and he &s;hall be eleuated aboue the hills,</HI> excee|ding in dignitie and worthy|nes, all Saints, great and le&s;&s;e.
<PB N="341" REF="195"> Con&s;ider fourthly, although the&s;e predictions of our Lord pertaine cheifly to the ouer|throwing of Hieru&s;alem: yet they may and ought to be referred al&s;o to all &s;inners, who by their &s;innes were cau&s;e of the death of our Lord, and yet are not made partakers of his merits, nor returned into Gods fauour by his death. For they which now liue &s;ecurely, and whome no danger will make to refraine from &s;innes, &s;hall then <HI>runne into the dennes and Caues of the earth,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a 2. O&s;ea. 11. Apoc. 6.</NOTE> (as the Prophets haue fore|&s;poken) <HI>From the face of God, &s;itting on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe.</HI> For there &s;hall come
<PB N="342" REF="196"> a great day of wrath on them: and who &s;hall be able to &s;tand? The countenance of the Iudge &s;hall be terrible to the wicked, and his &s;entence intollerable. Then <HI>the bar|ren &s;hall bee called ble&s;&s;ed,</HI> that is, they whome the world ac|counted vnprofitable; and <HI>the wombes which haue not brought foorth,</HI> that is, which haue not followed the concu|pi&s;cence of the fle&s;h, but haue &s;ubdued the vices of their belly and throat; &amp; <HI>the pappes which haue not giuen &s;ucke,</HI> that is, the humble, and &s;uch as are not high minded. Pray thou thy Lord, that thou maie&s;t not feare the face of his fury in the day of wrath, and la&s;t reuenge, &amp; whil&s;t time &s;erueth
<PB N="343" REF="196"> bee reconcyled vnto Chri&s;t: <HI>For if they doe the&s;e thinges in greene wood,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23</NOTE> <HI>what &s;hall bee done in the drye?</HI> Con&s;ider fir&s;t, Chri&s;t is the wood, euer greene and flouri&s;hing, delectable to behold, mo|derating the great heate with the &s;hadowe of his thicke leaues, bringing foorth fruit, plea&s;ant both to the ta&s;te and &s;mell, delighting the earth with the &s;inging of birds. For by his diuine na|ture, and by the inward grace of the Holy Gho&s;t, hee doth not onely exceede all beauty, but al&s;o pre&s;erue, cheari&s;h, and comfort all creatures. Thou al&s;o art wood, but dead without the &s;appe of Grace, barren without
<PB N="344" REF="197"> the fruite of charitie; naked and vnprofitable, without the leaues of good workes. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, who they are which doe the&s;e things in the greene Wood: that is, which gaue the&s;e torments and death vnto Chri&s;t thy Lord. Fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8</NOTE> God the Father, who &s;pared not his owne &s;onne, but deliuered him vp for vs al. Secondly, the Deuill, who prouoked his &s;ernants to put Chri&s;t to death. Thirdly, the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and other mini&s;ters of his death But all the&s;e did not concord in the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t to one end. For God the Father puni&s;hed his Sonne for the loue of thy &s;aluation,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 22</NOTE> and like <HI>Abraham,</HI> carrying the &s;word of iu&s;tice
<PB N="345" REF="197"> in his hand again&s;t his &s;onne, and the fire of Charitie to|wardes thee, hee layed the wood vpon his &s;onnes &s;houl|ders, to be carryed by him, for the burning of the holo|cau&s;te. The Deuill greiuing at the conuer&s;ion of many, indeauored to hinder the cour&s;e of his preaching, to in|tangle the <HI>Iewes</HI> in the mo&s;t grieuous &s;inne of innocent death, and to ouercome the patience of Chri&s;t by his tor|ments. And the <HI>Iewes</HI> being moued by enuie, could not indure to be admoni&s;hed to amend their liues by the wordes and example of Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider thirdly, the argument of our Lord: <HI>If they doe the&s;e things in greene
<PB N="346" REF="198"> wood, what &s;hall be done in the drye?</HI> Fir&s;t, if I &s;uffer this for o|ther mens &s;ins, what &s;halt thou &s;uffer for thine owne? Seco~d|ly, if the Father doe &s;o grie|uou&s;ly afflict his innocent and obedient Son, what will he do again&s;t his wicked and di&s;o|bedient &s;eru~at? Thirdly, if the deuills could by their officers doe the&s;e things in another kingdom again&s;t the &s;onne of God, what will they bee able to doe in hell in their owne kingdome again&s;t their owne bond-&s;laues? Fourthly, if by the permi&s;&s;io~ of God wicked men raged thus again&s;t the onely begotten Sonne of God for the &s;innes of men, why &s;hall any man meruaile that God will permit men to
<PB N="347" REF="198"> vexe and mole&s;t men, when their &s;innes de&s;erue it? Pray thou thy Lord to ingraft thee into him&s;elfe being the green wood, and that neuer more puni&s;hment bee exacted of thee, then that which he him|&s;elfe &s;uffered for thee.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 33. Meditation of the crucifying of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they came into the place, which is called <HI>Golgotha,</HI> which is a place of <HI>Caluaria:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23. Mar. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE> and they gaue him wine to drinke mixt mith gall: and when he had ta&s;ted, hee would not drinke: and it was the third houre.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the a&s;cen|ding of this hill, howe painfull it was vnto thy Lord, how hee inforced his tender
<PB N="348" REF="199"> and con&s;umed body, that it &s;hould not faile to procure thy &s;aluation, but that in the mountaine nearer vnto hea|uen he might &s;tande before God the Father, and offer Ho|locau&s;t as a &s;auor of &s;weetnes for thy &s;innes. Follow thou the Lord a&s;cending his hill as neare as thou can&s;t, and &s;tand by him in this hill euen vntill death. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, how the executioners made ready the Cro&s;&s;e: how they bored the holes for the nailes, and prepared nayles, ham|mers, and ropes; thy Lord behoulding them with his eyes. Doe thou al&s;o behold them, and lament, and be|ware; becau&s;e thou doe&s;t pre|pare a Cro&s;&s;e for thy Lord,
<PB N="349" REF="199"> as often as by thy &s;innes thou de&s;erue&s;t a place in hel for thy &s;oule, which is created to his owne likenes. Con&s;ider third|ly, that according to the cu|&s;tome of &s;uch as were put to death, they offered a cup to Chri&s;t, but much differing from that was v&s;ed to be gi|uen to others. The drinke was mixed with wine, Myrre, gall, and vineger (for <HI>St. Ma|thew</HI> v&s;eth in &s;tead of wine this word <GAP DESC="foreign">: Vineger) that none of his &s;ences &s;hould want his paine and puni&s;h|ment. His cruell enemies com|pa&s;&s;e him round about, trou|bled his &s;ight; their cruell wordes, vpbraydings, and bla&s;phemies tormented his hearing; the &s;tench of the
<PB N="350" REF="200"> of the place, and of the filth, which couered his face, offen|ded his &s;melling; his touch|ing &s;uffered mo&s;t grieuous paines all ouer his body; and becau&s;e no &s;ence &s;hould bee without his torme~t, this mo&s;t bitter drinke was giuen him to afflict his ta&s;t. Is it not rea|&s;on then (thinke&s;t thou,) that thou &s;houlde&s;t &s;uffer &s;ome af|fliction or trouble for thy Lord, which for thy &s;ake had no part of his body free from paine? But Chri&s;t ta&s;ted this &s;owre potion for thee, to drawe from thy &s;oule to his owne body all the &s;harpnes and bitternes of thy &s;innes; and left for thee &s;weete wine, mixt with no &s;owernes, that is to &s;ay, the grace of God,
<PB N="351" REF="200"> and a pure and quiet con&s;ci|ence. Con&s;ider fourthly, <HI>When he had ta&s;ted, hee would not drinke:</HI> for Chri&s;t tooke vp|on him thy &s;innes in his body as in his mouth, but hee pol|luted not his &s;oule with the filth of &s;inne: that thou al&s;o &s;houlde&s;t as it were ta&s;te the malice of &s;inne with the &s;owernes of pennaunce, but by no meanes &s;uffer it to enter into thy &s;oule. Con|&s;ider fiftly, that the houre of his execution is noted, to wit, the third houre, which in the Equinoctiall is from Nine of the clocke in the morning till twelue at noone: whereby thou maye&s;t note the great ha&s;t, which they made, partly lea&s;t <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;hold
<PB N="352" REF="201"> change his minde, and partly lea&s;t Chri&s;t &s;hould dye before he was crucified. Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> writeth, that the &s;entence was pronounced almo&s;t at the &s;ixt houre, that is, a little before noone: And <HI>Marke</HI> affirmeth that Chri&s;t was crucified the third houre, that is, before the clocke had &s;trucke 12. Con|&s;ider the~ what ha&s;t was made, how cruelly thy Lord was pulled, drawn with ropes, and whipped forward. Take heed, lea&s;t thy feete run vnto &s;inne, but runne chearfully this way of our Lord, and ca&s;ting away all impediments, flye vnto the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, and pray him to remoue all &s;owernes &amp; dif|ficulties from the exerci&s;e of vertues.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="353" REF="201">
<HEAD>And there they crucified him.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23. Ioan. 19</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the A|po&s;tles did not expre&s;&s;e, &s;o great an action in many wordes, which thou may&s;t ea|&s;ily vnder&s;tand, both by the accu&s;tomed puni&s;hme~t of the Cro&s;&s;e, and by the hatred of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and by the auncient oracles of the Prophets. For fir&s;t they pulled off his gar|ment with great in&s;olency, &amp; renued the woundes, &s;ticking vnto it, making his &s;acred bo|dy bleede, and appeare all na|ked. Secondly, they outragi|ou&s;ly threw him downe vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, which lay on the ground, thinking it &s;ufficient if hee were nayled aliue on the Cro&s;&s;e. Thirdly, they pulled
<PB N="354" REF="202"> one hand to the hole, which they had boared, and draue a naile through it with a ham|mer; and the bloud i&s;&s;ued foorth aboundantly, accor|ding to the olde figure: <HI>They &s;troke the Rocke,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 77</NOTE> <HI>and the waters flowed out, and the Riuers &s;wel|led vp.</HI> Fourthly, when one hand was fa&s;tned, they tooke the other, and &s;tretched it to the other hole, which being farre di&s;tant, they pulled it, either with their handes, or with cordes, with all their force; and that being al&s;o fa&s;t nailed, they came to the holes for his feete, and with great viole~ce they brought his holy feete vnto it,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. de Pa&s;c. Do~. P&s;al. 21.</NOTE> and (as St. <HI>Cypri|an</HI> &s;aith) fa&s;tened them with nailes. <HI>Dauid</HI> did plainly fore|&s;hew
<PB N="355" REF="202"> this &s;tretching foorth of our Lord in the&s;e words; <HI>I am &s;pred abroad like water:</HI> I am wa&s;ted and decayed with the extremity of paines, and de&s;ti|tute of all &s;trength, like water powred out, hauing no power to &s;tay in any place. <HI>All my bones are di&s;per&s;ed,</HI> that is, are loo&s;ened, &amp; pulled out of their places, the colde, drynes, and exten&s;io~ vpon the Cro&s;&s;e di&s;&s;oluing all the ioynts of my members. <HI>They haue digged my handes and my feete, they haue numbred all my bones:</HI> &s;o cruel was this exten&s;ion of his me~|bers, y^t euery bone, being pul|led from another, might ea&s;ily be &s;een. Thirdly, they lift vp on high the tree of y^e Cro&s;&s;e, cloa|thed with this &s;olemne hoa&s;t;
<PB N="356" REF="203"> and let it fall down with great violence into the hole,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 21. Exod. 29.</NOTE> which they had digged for it: For &s;o was the bra&s;en Serpent lift vp in the wildernes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Leuit. 23</NOTE> &amp; the hoa&s;ts of the Sacrifices were wont to be offred vnto God by lifting them vp on high. In all the&s;e thinges doe thou ponder and thinke vpon the mo&s;t bitter torments of thy Lord; be|hold the banner of the Cro&s;&s;e lift vp; look vpon the &s;treams of bloud running down from his hands &amp; feete; goe quick|ly and draw whil&s;t the &s;prings are flowing, and before their veynes be dried vp. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, why thy Lord cho&s;e this death of the Cro&s;&s;e for thy &s;aluation, and no other death. There are many cau&s;es
<PB N="357" REF="203"> thereof. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e there was no death more long, more grieuous, more ignomi|nious, nor more proper and fit for the procuring of thy &s;alua|tion. For hee would not haue his body deuided; that the Church his my&s;ticall body might bee pre&s;erued whole: He would not be burnt, with any other fire, then the fire of charity: Hee would not bee &s;trangled with a halter, drow|ned with water, or &s;mothered with earth, lea&s;t hee might &s;eeme to haue retained &s;ome|thing to him&s;elfe, and not to haue &s;hed all his bloud mo&s;t liberally for thy &s;ake. Second|ly, that being lift vp on high, like an hoa&s;t, hee might place him&s;elfe, as a Mediator, be|tweene
<PB N="358" REF="204"> God the Father and mankinde, <HI>Being the only Me|diator of God and men,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 2</NOTE> <HI>reconci|ling the lowe&s;t thinges to the highe&s;t.</HI> Thirdly, to throw downe the Deuils, the Princes of the ayre, quite out of the ayre into Hell; or at the lea&s;t to &s;ubdue their forces. Fourth|ly, that he might &s;ee thee with his eyes a farre off, drawe thee vnto him with the chaines of his bloud, receiue thee at thy co~ming with his armes &s;pred, &s;hewe thee his inward partes, and hide thee in his woundes, binde thee vnto him with the linkes of charity, haue thee, ingrauen in his handes, al|wayes before his eyes, keepe thee imprinted in his heart, and with his feete fa&s;tened to
<PB N="359" REF="204"> &s;eeke nothing but thy &s;alua|tion. Fiftly, that thou &s;houl|de&s;t no more fa&s;ten thine eyes vpon the ground, but lift them vp on high, beholde him a farre off, runne vnto him, re|quire of him thy &s;aluation, and all good thinges, thinke vpon him alwayes in all thy bu&s;ines, followe his life, and fulfill his Commaundements. Heere doe thou &s;peake, what|&s;oeuer thy &s;pirit &s;hall put into thy mouth.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they crucified with him two Theeues,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19 I&s;a. 53.</NOTE> one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> in the midde&s;t: And the Scripture was fulfilled, which &s;aith: and hee was reputed with the wicked.</HEAD>
<PB N="360" REF="205">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the malice of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who by this ignominy endea|uoured to deface the name of Chri&s;t &amp; in &s;tead of the <HI>Me&s;|&s;ias,</HI> to make him reputed a notorious theefe. But Chri&s;t v&s;ed this their &s;inne to &s;hewe forth his owne glory, to pre|pare our &s;aluation, and to giue hope to all &s;inners. For fir&s;t, wheras there were three nay|led on the Cro&s;&s;e, &amp; hee pla|ced in the mid&s;t, as the chiefe offender: yet hee alone with his Cro&s;&s;e is glorious vnto the whole world. Secondly, dying betweene two &s;inners, hee payed the ran&s;ome for all &s;innes. Thirdly, hee gaue hope of pardon to all &s;inners, and did fore-&s;hewe that hereafter
<PB N="361" REF="205"> hee would be conuer&s;ant a|mong&s;t &s;inners, &amp; be alwayes ready to a&s;&s;i&s;t them, whe~ they call for helpe, and neuer for|&s;ake them as long as they liue. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that hee cho&s;e to dy among&s;t theeues, rather the~ among&s;t other &s;in|ners. Fir&s;t, that whereas theft is a mo&s;t grieuous &s;in, which both offendeth God, who&s;e image it taketh away, and al&s;o hurteth our neighbour, whom it depriueth both of goods and life, he might &s;ignifie that there is no offence &s;o great, which is not clean&s;ed by this his death, nor any man &s;o wic|ked, which may not obtaine remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes. Secondly becau&s;e euery &s;inner is a thiefe and a robber, which by his
<PB N="362" REF="206"> &s;inne killeth his owne &s;oule, taketh away honour fro~ God, defileth his creatures, and de|priueth the Church of a liuely member, that is, of him&s;elfe, whome hee hath bereaued of &s;piritual life. Con&s;ider 3. that y^e good theefe, as well as y^e bad, &s;uffered the puni&s;hment and death of y^e cro&s;&s;e with Chri&s;t: but the one turned his puni&s;h|ment to the benefit of his own &s;aluation, and the other, to the hurt and lo&s;&s;e of his &s;oule. That thou &s;houlde&s;t vnder|&s;tand, that Chri&s;t is alwayes pre&s;ent, both to good &amp; bad in their afflictions, and doth &s;end them troubles and mi&s;e|ries, to this end, y^t they &s;hould remember them&s;elues, and lift vp their eyes and hearts vnto
<PB N="363" REF="206"> him. Doe thou then pray vn|to God, that in all thy tribula|tions thou maye&s;t haue re|cour&s;e only to his diuine help, and not bee ouer carefull to v&s;e other meanes.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 34. Meditation of the Title of the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Pilate</HI> wrote the title of his cau&s;e vpon his Cro&s;&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19</NOTE> and the &s;uper&s;cription was ouer his head, and it was written in <HI>He|brue, Greeke,</HI> &amp; <HI>Latine.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Pilate</HI> &s;et vp the Title of the cau&s;e of his death, and v&s;ed the words follow|ing. Fir&s;t, that thy Lord might bee thought worthy of this death, as a traytor, arrogating
<PB N="364" REF="207"> the name of a King vnto him|&s;elfe; and that <HI>Pilate</HI> might be cleared before <HI>Cae&s;ar</HI> of the cryme of not condemning his competitor of the kingdome. Secondly to bee reuenged of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> who had threatned to complaine of him: for hee mocked them, y^t hee had cru|cified their king, and that king al&s;o, whome their aunce&s;tors had fore-tolde, &s;o many ages before, and had expected with &s;o great affection and de&s;ire. The&s;e were the cau&s;es, that mooued <HI>Pilate</HI> to make that tytle. And Chri&s;t al&s;o our Lord ordained this tytle for him&s;elfe; but for farre other rea&s;on, drawne from the my&s;t|erie of our &s;aluation. Fir&s;t, that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe,
<PB N="365" REF="207"> that hee &s;uffered this death of the Cro&s;&s;e, not as a guilty per|&s;on, but as a Sauiour, adorned with all vertues, that he might rule thy &s;oule, and that thou &s;houlde&s;t &s;ubmit thy &s;elfe to be wholy gouerned by him, who being nayled both hand and foote, cannot hurt his be|loued people, but offereth the~ all &s;aluation from his open woundes. Secondly, to let thee vnder&s;tand, what mer|chandize are offered to thee to be &s;olde out of this &s;hop of his Cro&s;&s;e. For all hou&s;es and &s;hops haue commonly their &s;ignes. Heere then thou may&s;t finde all &s;aluation in <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> all flowers of vertue in <HI>Naza|reth,</HI> and all &s;ecurity in the King. Runne thou hither in all
<PB N="366" REF="208"> thy nece&s;&s;ityes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 55.</NOTE> and buy, and take what thou li&s;t, without money, or any other excha~ge, for this marchant requireth nothing of thee, but thy com|pany, and thy loue. Thirdly, that thou maye&s;t know by the Table &s;et before the hou&s;e, what doctrine and Artes are read &amp; taught in this &s;choole. For Schoole mai&s;ters v&s;e to write before their gates, what things are taught within their hou&s;es. Heere thou maye&s;t learne to bee &s;aued, to follow all vertues, to rule thy &s;elfe, to conquer thy enemyes, to gouerne wi&s;ely others, that be vnder thy charge. Our Mr. Chri&s;t doth now teach from the chayre of his Cro&s;&s;e, euen as hee taught being an Infant
<PB N="367" REF="208"> in the manger of the Stable. But thou perhaps de&s;ire&s;t an ea&s;ier chaire. But &s;uch doct|rine is not taught, hut out of &s;uch a chaire: for there is no way to &s;aluation, but by the cro&s;&s;e and by many tribulati|ons; and the habits of vertues are obtained by painfull acti|ons. If thou wilt rule thy &s;elfe perfectly and &s;ubdue thy ene|mies, the world, the fle&s;h, and the Deuill; thou &s;halt not &s;eeke after the ea&s;e of thy bo|dy; but thou &s;halt bee &s;euere again&s;t thy body, and pull it out of the power of the Deuill by fa&s;ting, watching, workes of humility, contempt, &amp; tri|bulations, according to the example of this Mai&s;ter, Nei|ther &s;halt thou bee able to
<PB N="368" REF="209"> gouern others rightly, if thou relye&s;t onely vpon thy power and authority; except accor|ding to this le&s;&s;on of Chri&s;t thy teacher, thou doe&s;t out of the very bowels of thy chari|tie, apply thy &s;elfe wholy and all thinges in thee to the pro|fite and good of thy &s;ubiects. Fourthly, that by this tytle thou maye&s;t feele, of what force the &s;ign of the Cro&s;&s;e is, which thou make&s;t with thy handes. For it is not a iugling tricke, or a flye flappe, as the bla&s;pheming enemies of the cro&s;&s;e doe tearme it: But it is the vertue &amp; power of Chri&s;t, for the &s;afety of all beleeuers; that thou being &s;igned there|with, may&s;t be knowne by thy badge to bee the &s;eruant of
<PB N="369" REF="209"> the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> thy King; and be a terror to the Deuil; and haue entraunce into the hou&s;e of Chri&s;t, and that all thy actions may tend to the glory of God and to thy owne &s;aluation. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that this Tytle was written in diuers languages. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e it concernes all men to knowe this King; and therefore it was &s;et in a high place, that thou maye&s;t beholde it a farre off, &s;tand &s;till, read, vnder&s;tand and follow this King, for&s;a|king all other mai&s;ters, whom thou ha&s;t hitherto &s;erued. Se|condly, becau&s;e the crucified <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> is to bee knowne and prai&s;ed in all Languages. Co~|&s;ider thirdly, the ma~ner of the writing. A part of this Tytle
<PB N="370" REF="210"> being pre&s;erued with great deuotio~ of Chri&s;tians at <HI>Rome</HI> in the Church of the Holy Cro&s;&s;e in <HI>Hieru&s;alem</HI> doth de|clare vnto vs: Fir&s;t, that the Title was of wood; Secondly not written with a pen, but grauen with iron; Thirdly, y^t the <HI>Hebrue</HI> was fir&s;t, then the <HI>Greeke,</HI> and la&s;tly the <HI>Latine;</HI> Fourthly, that the Greeke and Latine was written like the Hebrue from the right hand to the left.</P>
<P>.SVNERAZANEI</P>
<P>ALL which thinges are not without their my|&s;teries. For fir&s;t the&s;e three languages onely were &s;et vpon y^e Cro&s;&s;e, which
<PB N="371" REF="210"> were mo&s;t v&s;uall at that time, and &s;o continue vntill this day: the <HI>Hebrue</HI> for the <HI>Iewes,</HI> the <HI>Greek</HI> for the <HI>Ea&s;t</HI> Church, and the <HI>Latine</HI> for the <HI>We&s;t.</HI> For &s;eeing that all Learning is written in the&s;e tongues, the Scriptures in <HI>Hebrue,</HI> Philo|&s;ophie, &amp; Rethoricke in <HI>Greek</HI> and <HI>Latine;</HI> Chri&s;t taught vs hereby, y^t there is neither any diuine knowledge, nor hu|mane learning and eloquence of any force, except it bee &s;an|ctified by the bloud of Chri&s;t, and referred to the glory of him crucified. And therefore the holy Church v&s;eth the&s;e languages onely in her diuine &s;eruice, as the mo&s;t common, and tho&s;e that are con&s;ecrated with the bloud of our Lord.
<PB N="372" REF="211"> Secondly, the tytle was ingra|uen, becau&s;e it &s;hould la&s;t for euer; and in wood, becau&s;e by the wood he &s;hall alwayes raigne ouer them, whome the wood had ouerthrown. Third|ly, the Hebrue was fir&s;t in or|der, which the re&s;t doe imi|tate: For our &s;aluation is from the <HI>Iewes,</HI> to who&s;e diuine Scriptures all humane wi&s;dome is to bee directed. Fourthly, they are written from the left hand to y^e right, to &s;ignifie, that if thou de&s;ire&s;t to be exalted by wi&s;dom with Chri&s;t, thou mu&s;t humble thy &s;elfe, and not be proud in thy owne conceipt. <HI>For knowledge puffeth vp,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Corr. Iac. 3.8.</NOTE> &amp; wi&s;edome with|out Chri&s;t is earthly, carnall, and diabolicall. Fiftly, the
<PB N="373" REF="211"> Greeke is before the Latine: for fir&s;t the Grecians, and then the Latines were conuerted to the faith, and leauing the manners and cu&s;toms of their fore-fathers, followed that doctrine, which God gaue to the <HI>Iewes</HI> in the <HI>Hebrewe</HI> lan|guage,: that thou &s;houlde&s;t not rely vpon thine owne wi&s;|dome, but follow them with thy whole heart, whome thou knowe&s;t to be the &s;eruants of God. Pray our Lord to in|graue this tytle in thy heart.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Ie&s;us of Nazareth King of the Iewes.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, and marke euery word of this tytle. <HI>(Ie&s;us)</HI> a Sauiour: which name our Lord receiued, when hee fir&s;t &s;hedd his bloud for thee.
<PB N="374" REF="212"> For then &s;eeking thy &s;aluati|on, he gaue part of his bloud as a pledge, that he would aftewrards giue it all for thee. He then receiued at thy hands circumci&s;ion, which was the &s;igne of a &s;inner, (euen as it is the &s;igne of a theefe to bee boared through the eares:) that the eternall Father omit|ting thee a &s;inner might &s;ati&s;|fie his wrath vpon his &s;onne. This name vntill that day was ob&s;cure, and of &s;mall reputa|tion; but being fa&s;tened to the Cro&s;&s;e it became &s;o glorious, that <HI>In the name of</HI> Ie&s;us <HI>euery knee is bowed.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2.</NOTE> <HI>(Of Nazareth)</HI> not of <HI>Bethlehem,</HI> although he were borne in <HI>Bethlehem.</HI> Fir&s;t, becau&s;e there was a greater myracle and benefite wrought
<PB N="375" REF="212"> in <HI>Nazareth</HI> by the incarnati|on and conception of our Lord, then by his Natiuity in <HI>Bethlehem.</HI> Secondly, becau&s;e <HI>Nazareth</HI> &s;ignifieth flouri&s;h|ing and Chri&s;t is an oderife|rous flower hanging on the Cro&s;&s;e, which rendreth vnto vs the whole&s;ome fruite of grace and glory. <HI>(King)</HI> who being crowned with a Dia|dem cloathed with bloud like a purple roabe, raigneth vp|right, and fa&s;t tyed by the feete, ready to help thee; with his hands boared through be|cau&s;e he would not keepe his guiftes, but be&s;towe them plentifully vppon thee; and with his armes &s;pread, that he may imbrace thee, when thou comme&s;t. He did not write
<PB N="376" REF="213"> Bi&s;hop, or Prie&s;t, although he did the office of a Prie&s;t, but, King: both becau&s;e hee once by him&s;elfe immolated the bloudy &s;acrifice;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 10 Ezo 19 1 Pet. 2</NOTE> <HI>by which he did con&s;ummate the &s;anctifi|ed,</HI> and raigneth for euer and euer; and al&s;o becau&s;e it is a prie&s;tly kingdome, &amp; a king|ly prie&s;thood, where Chri&s;t being God is king, doing all things in power; and Chri&s;t being man is Prie&s;t, obtaining all things by &s;acrifice. <HI>(Of the Iewes)</HI> &s;ent fir&s;t to the <HI>Iewes,</HI> not to the gentiles. <HI>For I am not &s;ent</HI> (&s;aith our Lord) but <HI>to the &s;heepe which peri&s;hed of the hou&s;e of</HI> I&s;rael;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 15 Rom. 15.</NOTE> <HI>and the gen|tiles doe honour God for his mer|cie:</HI> that thou mai&s;t thanke God, that the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias</HI> was ta|ken
<PB N="377" REF="213"> from the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and offe|red vnto thee; and &s;howe thy &s;elfe in pray&s;ing God a true <HI>Iewe,</HI> not by carnall birth, but by &s;pirituall circumci&s;ion of thy vices, and true confe&s;&s;ion of thy &s;innes. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, the true cau&s;e of the Cro&s;&s;e was to &s;aue thee, to a|dorne thee with vertues, and to gouerne thee &s;weetly. Pray thy Lord to &s;uffer none to rule in thee, but only him&s;elfe.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Therefore many of the <HI>Iewes</HI> reade this title, for the place where <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> was crucified was neare the Cittie. Therefore the Prie&s;ts &s;aid to <HI>Pilate:</HI> doe not write, King of the <HI>Iewes</HI> but that he &s;aid, I am King of the <HI>Iewes: Pilate</HI> an&s;wered: what I haue written, I haue written.</HEAD>
<PB N="378" REF="214">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that many <HI>Iewes</HI> did &s;ee and reade the&s;e holy words: but they vnder&s;tood them not, and therefore &s;corned them: that thou mai&s;t learne, that none &s;coffe at diuine things, the ho|ly Ceremonies of the Church, the Doctrine &amp; life of Saints, but only they which vnder|&s;tand them not. Therefore becau&s;e it is written; <HI>He &s;hall mocke the mockers;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 1.</NOTE> and, <HI>I will laugh in your di&s;truction:</HI> do thou take heede, and refrayne from the&s;e bla&s;phemous &s;cof|fings. Secondly, becau&s;e the name of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> was to be high|ly honoured, and this tytle to be celebrated ouer the whole world, and the Cro&s;&s;e it &s;elfe to be imprinted in kings fore|heads;
<PB N="379" REF="214"> therefore it was con|uenient to haue it fir&s;t laugh|ed at and &s;corned. For euen as a bra&s;en ve&s;&s;ell doth &s;hine brighte&s;t, after it hath beene fowled, and rubbed with dyrt and clay; &s;o he &s;hall be mo&s;t glorious, which hath &s;uffered mo&s;t &s;hame, and vexation for Chri&s;t. Yeelde not then to thy afflictions, nor be di&s;may|ed, &s;ince there is &s;o great glo|ry prouided for thee: Con&s;i|der &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t was crucified not farre from the Cittie: for though hee bee throwne out by the inhabi|tants of the Cittie, and of this world; yet becau&s;e it is proper alwaies to him to &s;pare and to be mercifull, he goeth not farre, but &s;tayeth hard by,
<PB N="380" REF="215"> knocking continually at the gates of our heart, to trye, if he may be let in. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the wicked can|not indure the very name of the kingdome of Chri&s;t: be|cau&s;e the Cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t is di&s;ta&s;tefull to &s;inners, who choo&s;e rather to haue a deli|cate king, then one nayled to the Cro&s;&s;e. This was the cau&s;e (as St. <HI>Dama&s;cene</HI> te&s;tifieth) why the <HI>Iewes</HI> crucified Chri&s;t with his face turned from the Cittie,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. 4. Act. 11. Cap. 13</NOTE> and looking towards the gentiles; becau&s;e neither they nor their children &s;hould euer receiue him for their <HI>Me&s;&s;ias.</HI> Giue thou thankes vnto Chri&s;t, that he would be|hold the gentiles from his Cro&s;&s;e, thinke vppon thee, and
<PB N="381" REF="215"> bring thee to the knowledge of him. Pray him neuer to turne his eyes from thee. Con|&s;ider fourthly, <HI>Pilates</HI> an&s;were. Hee indeede &s;et on this tytle, but moued thereunto by the in&s;tinct of God. Therefore that ought not to be vndone, which by God had beene done: for the glorie of the Cro&s;&s;e, and the kingdome of Chri&s;t, which is his Church, wil &s;tand &amp; continue, though thou &s;houlde&s;t for&s;ake it. For if thou wilt refu&s;e this King and his kingdome, another &s;hall be called and receiue the Crowne. Remember the ho|ly Oyntment and con&s;ecrated Oyle in thy bapti&s;me, and conformation; by which was imprinted in thee the tytle and
<PB N="382" REF="216"> &s;igne of the Cro&s;&s;e, that the marke and badge of Chri&s;t might remaine in thee (as oyle doth penetract, is not ea&s;ily wa&s;hed off) and that the wri|ting made vppon thee by the finger of God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 3.</NOTE> might alwaies be imprinted in thy &s;oule. Pray then our Lord to in|graue in thee his new name, and the name of his holy Cit|ty, and write thee al&s;o in the booke of euerla&s;ting life.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 35. Meditation of the fir&s;t word of Chri&s;t</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>But Ie&s;us &s;aid,</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, what thy Lord in the&s;e great paines of the Cro&s;&s;e did doe, &s;ay or thinke, when as among&s;t all
<PB N="383" REF="216"> tho&s;e torments he found no comfort, neither outwardly by men, nor inwardly in his owne &s;oule. Yf he moued his body, the woundes of the nayles tormented him; if his head, the thorns ranne in dee|per and pricked him; if he &s;tir|red not at all, his torment was intollerable ouer his whole wearied body. Thinke thou yppon the&s;e things in all thy labours and afflictions which thou &s;uffere&s;t for thy Lord. Hee reproued no man, al|though he were &s;laundered diuers wayes. But becau&s;e the mouth &s;peaketh from the a|boundance of the hart, his wordes euen vppon the Cro&s;&s;e were directed to thy profite and &s;aluation, and doe declare
<PB N="384" REF="217"> mo&s;t manyfe&s;tly, that he pray|ed to his Father ince&s;&s;antly for thee, when by rea&s;on of his torments he was not able to vtter one word. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, his &s;wan-like &s;ong, and note the la&s;t words of thy Lord, which he &s;pake to thee at the poynt of death. For e|uen as the voyce of the Ser|pent, hy&s;&s;ing out of the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill, in&s;tilled the poy&s;on of &s;inne; &s;o the la&s;t wordes of Chri&s;t from the Tree of the Cro&s;&s;e were very effectuall for our &s;aluation, and full of bur|ning feruour, as proceeding from the depth of infinite cha|ritie. Hee &s;pake with a loud voyce, and weeping teares; with great affectio~, and deepe
<PB N="385" REF="217"> &s;ighes; in fewe words, but with many teares, mixed with bloud &s;treaming downe from his head. His teares watered his prayers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5</NOTE> and his bloud a|dorned them; his eyes pier|ced his Fathers eares, his &s;ighes moued his heart. Doe thou li&s;ten to the&s;e wordes, marke them diligently, and gather the fruite thereof. For by the&s;e &s;eauen wordes the wordes and formes of the &s;ea|uen Sacraments are &s;anctified, the &s;eauen guiftes of the holy Gho&s;t are obtained, and the &s;eauen deadly &s;innes are dri|uen away. Con&s;ider thirdly, <HI>(but Ie&s;us &s;aid)</HI> Fir&s;t whil&s;t the <HI>Iewes</HI> were bu&s;ie in cru|cifying, tormenting, &amp; mock|ing him, Ie&s;us as if he had not
<PB N="386" REF="218"> marked the&s;e thinges, yea ra|ther that he migh render good for euill, &s;aid. Secondly, hee, who hetherto in his owne cau&s;e, to the admiration of all men held his peace, and could not be brought to &s;peake, but being adiudged; and had al&s;o ab&s;tayned from the mo&s;t iu&s;t defence of him&s;elfe: now in the midde&s;t of his torments is not &s;ilent in thy mo&s;t vniu&s;t cau&s;e, but being not intreated, in|treateth, yea and intreateth with mo&s;t effectuall wordes. Ie&s;us &s;aid: who? the Sonne of God. To whome? to God the Father. Where? vpon the Cro&s;&s;e. When? being ready to dye, and his vitall &s;pirits be|ing &s;pent. How? not &s;itting, nor lying ea&s;ily; but vpright
<PB N="387" REF="218"> vpon his feete, with his hands lift vp and &s;pread abroad, like <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> in former times,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ezo. 17.</NOTE> and all bleeding. For whome? for &s;inners, who were carele&s;&s;e of their owne &s;aluation: for Chri&s;t and his frtends pray for &s;inners,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5.</NOTE> before &s;inners pray for them&s;elues. What? he craueth mercy, offring his prayers and &s;upplications, appealing from this cruell &s;entence of the <HI>Iewes (his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children)</HI> to a better &s;entence and full of mercy, and de&s;iring, that this cruell &s;entence might be made fru&s;t|rate. Before whome? openly, in the hearing of his enemies, to teach them mercy &amp; &s;weet|ne&s;&s;e; and in the pre&s;ence of his Mother, and of his friends,
<PB N="388" REF="219"> both becau&s;e they &s;hould bee witne&s;&s;es of his pardoning them, &amp; al&s;o that they &s;hould neuer pray for the reuenge of this &s;inne. O excellent &s;peach of highe&s;t merite, and worthy to be imitated by all men, full of labour, charity, mercy, and piety! Haue confidence then in Chri&s;t, and pray him, who by &s;peaking fir&s;t for &s;inners, before he &s;pake for his Mo|ther, left to vs a te&s;timonye how much he e&s;teemeth the &s;aluation of &s;inners, that hee will vouch&s;afe to haue conti|nuall care of thee now in Hea|uen.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23</NOTE>Father forgiue them.</HEAD>
<P>PAu&s;e vpon euery word. <HI>(Father)</HI> he doth not &s;ay, Lord, which is a name of
<PB N="389" REF="219"> &s;euerity and iu&s;tice, but, Fa|ther, which is a name of mer|cy, and of the newe Te&s;tame~t, giuen vnto vs in this place by the bloud &amp; merites of Chri&s;t: that euen as he would be our Brother, &s;o we &s;hould haue all one father in Heauen. He &s;aith therefore O Father, knowe me thy Sonne; the Father will de|nye nothing to his &s;onne: I came into the world to this end, that thou &s;houlde&s;t re|ceiue thine enemies for thy children. Heare me then pray|ing for them. For euen as the prayers of the Prie&s;tes in the Church &s;hall hereafter be ve|ry effectuall, which &s;hall con|clude in my name in the&s;e wordes, through Chri&s;t our Lord: &s;o I doe now pray vnto
<PB N="390" REF="220"> thee my Father, thorough me thy onely begotten Sonne. Therefore as thou loue&s;t mee thy Son, &s;o receiue the&s;e my prayers. For I a&s;cended this cro&s;&s;e, &amp; haue &s;uffred all the&s;e &s;tripes that I might obtaine mercy and pardon for them. If therefore thou doe&s;t reiect the prayers of thy &s;onne, and not hear thy &s;onne, thou &s;halt impo&s;e a greater torment on mee, then the Cro&s;&s;e it &s;elfe; which I &s;uffer, that I might take away a greater euill, that is, that I might turne away thy wrath from them. Spare ther|fore the great dolors of thy Son, lea&s;t he &s;eeme to haue in|dured them in vaine. Thou gi|ue&s;t reward to others labours; I de&s;ire onely this reward for
<PB N="391" REF="220"> my paines, that thou wilt for|giue the&s;e men. <HI>(Forgiue)</HI> heer our Lord doth the office of a Prie&s;t: for he prayeth for the &s;innes of the people, and he cryeth,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5.</NOTE> not only as a Prie&s;t but as a &s;acrifice, de&s;iring not a free pardon, but offering a full &s;atisfaction. His wounds crye, his bloud cryeth, his &s;pit|tings, his paines, and all his members crye <HI>(Forgiue;)</HI> ac|cept of the&s;e torments for their &s;innes; I haue paied their debtes; I giue my bloud for the pryce, my paines for the ran&s;om, my life in &s;atisfaction, my body &amp; &s;oule for a &s;acri|fice. Be thou therfore merciful: for this is a copious redemp|tion. A hard thing is requi|red, to wit, y^t the Father &s;hould
<PB N="392" REF="221"> forget the death of his onely begotten Sonne, and of &s;uch, and &s;o gteat a Sonne: but the Sonne beggeth, and hee beg|geth with his bloud. Second|ly hee asketh it not conditio|nally, as he praied for him&s;elfe in the Garden, If it bee po&s;&s;i|ble, if thou wilt, if it may bee done; but ab&s;olutely, <HI>(For|giue:)</HI> Both that thou maye&s;t learne to pray to God for par|don of thy &s;innes, and for his diuine grace, without any co~|dition, becau&s;e that hath al|wayes relation to Gods ho|nour: And al&s;o that thou &s;houlde&s;t freely forgiue thy neighbours faultes without a|ny condition. Thirdly, hee prayeth to haue them forgiue~ pre&s;ently, and not to bee de|ferred
<PB N="393" REF="221"> till after his death. For hee would not leaue this life, till peace was made with God. Parents, when they are dying, doe often leaue vnto their children &s;mall &s;tore of goods, and tho&s;e intangled with ma|ny difficulties, charges, debts, and contentions: But Chri&s;t before his death payed all debts with his owne bloud; took away all difficulties, and charges, and made a peace and reconciliation with his Fa|ther. Hee &s;ayeth therefore, <HI>O Father forgiue,</HI> and that by and by: <HI>For the time of hauing mercy on him commeth,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">al. 101.</NOTE> <HI>for the time commeth;</HI> to wit, the houre of &s;acrifice, the day of &s;atisfaction, the time of for|giuenes, the la&s;t in&s;tant of my
<PB N="394" REF="222"> life, in which being pre&s;ently to yeeld vp my breath, I now propound my la&s;t petitio~, and intreat onely this; O Father forgiue them. Fourthly, hee &s;aith not forgiue the &s;innes al|ready committed; but onely <HI>(forgiue,)</HI> euen tho&s;e euills, which they &s;hall hereafter co~|mit again&s;t mee, their irri&s;ions their bla&s;phemies, the bitter|nes of the vineger, my death, and the wound in my &s;ide: that thou al&s;o &s;hould&s;t quick|ly forgiue thy enemies, and remit all thinges, keeping no rancor at all in thy heart. Fiftly, hee &s;ayth not, I forgiue; both becau&s;e the offence a|gain&s;t his Father grieued him more th<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters"> his own torments; and al&s;o becau&s;e being inten|tiue
<PB N="395" REF="222"> vpon the happines, which &s;hould redound to all the world by this his Pa&s;&s;ion, hee &s;eemed to e&s;teem all the euils, which the <HI>Iewes</HI> did vnto him, rather as a benefite, then any hurt. Like as a man, hauing a grieuous vlcer in his &s;ide, if his enemy, thinking to kill him, &s;hould wound him in that place, whereby y^e vlcer &s;hould be opened, and the corrupti|on let out, would bee glad of that wound, which was the cau&s;e of his cure: So de&s;irous was our Lord of thy &s;aluati|on, that hee reioyced at tho&s;e his paines, which were the cau&s;e of &s;o great good vnto thee. <HI>(Them)</HI> Note fir&s;t that hee &s;ayeth not, the&s;e wicked Crucifiers, the&s;e Hangmen,
<PB N="396" REF="223"> the&s;e aduer&s;aries and enemies, both becau&s;e thou &s;houlde&s;t refraine from all euill wordes and reproaches; and al&s;o be|cau&s;e thy Lord reputeth no man his enemy, who payed the price of his death for all men, and offereth &s;aluation to euery one, louing dearly euen the&s;e very <HI>Iewes</HI> his executio|ners,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 11.</NOTE> not for their owne euill workes, but for their Fathers &s;akes, who were holy and iu&s;t men: and therefore &s;peaking of his &s;tripes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zach. 13.</NOTE> <HI>(I was whipped</HI> (&s;aith hee) <HI>in the hou&s;e of them that loued mee:)</HI> Not by them that loued me, but the Sonnes of them, that loued mee, that good might be done vnto the Children for their holy Fa|thers &s;akes. Secondly, <HI>(them)</HI>
<PB N="397" REF="223"> in the plurall number; not onely tho&s;e, which con&s;pire now again&s;t my death, but al|&s;o to all tho&s;e, who at any time by their &s;innes haue gi|uen cau&s;e of this my Pa&s;&s;ion. For thou &s;halt not bee exclu|ded from this prayer, who&s;e &s;innes haue been cau&s;e of our Lords death; and thou may&s;t haue hope of pardon, if thou wilt ioyne thy prayer with the prayer of Chri&s;t. For if the prayer of Chri&s;t did profite them, which neuer required it doubtle&s;&s;e it will profite thee, requiring it of him, and pray|ing together with him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>For they knowe not what they doe.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t, to whome all iudgement
<PB N="398" REF="224"> is giuen, and whome his ene|myes had offended, did not take vpon him the office of a Iudge, or an accu&s;er, but ra|ther of a defender &amp; patrone. The <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;ought how to ac|cu&s;e him, and found nothing worthy of accu&s;ation in him. Our innocent Lord, that was offended, &s;eeketh how to ex|cu&s;e the offence; and the ma|lice of the offence was &s;uch, that nothing could be allead|ged for the extenuating ther|of, but onely ignorance. And yet this ignorance, being vo|luntary, could no more excu&s;e the <HI>Iewes,</HI> then him, who wit|tingly and willingly hideth his eyes, becau&s;e he will not &s;ee him, whom he &s;triketh, or killeth. If Chri&s;t then in the
<PB N="399" REF="224"> mid&s;t of his torments mitti|gateth the &s;innes of his tortu|rers, will hee not now before his Father excu&s;e their &s;innes, who call vpon his name with faith, deuotion, and &s;orrow for their &s;innes? Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that the Father an&s;we|red not his Sonne by worde; and yet Chri&s;t was heard for his reuerence.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5</NOTE> For God when he denyed his Sonnes reque&s;t, an&s;wered in the garden by an Angell: but, when hee graun|ted it, hee an&s;wered not in worde, but in deede.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> For fir&s;t hee re&s;trained all creatures fro~ ri&s;ing again&s;t his enemies in reuenge of his death, all which would haue fought for their creator, if this prayer of Chri&s;t had not &s;tayed them.
<PB N="400" REF="225"> Secondly, hee reduced one of the Theeues vnto pennance. Thirdly, at the death of his Sonne he changed the minde of the Centurion, and others. Fourthly, vpon the &s;olemnity of Pentico&s;t hee conuerted &s;ometimes three, &amp; &s;omtimes fiue thou&s;and of y^e &s;ame <HI>Iewes</HI> vnto his faith. Therefore God the Father not by outward words, but by inward con&s;ent an&s;wered his Sonne in this manner: O my Sonne, I grant that, which thou require&s;t, &amp; laying a&s;ide all wrath, I open the fountaines of mercy, and I offer grace, and pardon of &s;innes, Iu&s;tice, and adoption of children, as wel vnto the&s;e, who haue afflicted thee, as al|&s;o vnto all the Nations of the
<PB N="401" REF="225"> world for euer and euer, &s;o as they will admit mercy offer'd vnto them. For I will compell none again&s;t their will, but I giue power to all to returne into grace and fauour with mee, if they will, and to be made the Sonnes of God, and to come into my inheritance in Heauen, &s;o as they will be partakers of the merit of this my Pa&s;&s;ion through faith and the Sacraments. Doe thou cry out now with great affli|ction: great are thy mercyes; therfore we giue thankes to thee our Lord God. And pray him to be&s;tow the guift of wi&s;dome vpon thee, that thou may&s;t know and admire his bounty and goodnes; and driuing away all enuy, to giue
<PB N="402" REF="226"> vnto thee the vertue of chari|ty, y^t thou may&s;t bee inflamed with the loue of thy neigh|bour.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 36. Meditation of the diui&s;ion of his Garments.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE>Then the Soldiours, when they had crucified him, tooke his garments, (and made foure partes, to euery Soldiour a part) and his coate. And the coat was without &s;eame wouen all ouer.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the pouerty of Chri&s;t thy Lord: hee had not change or many &s;uites of apparrell, nor the &s;ame of &s;ilke and other co&s;tly matter&punc; but his garments were fewe and poore, to defend him on|ly from the cold, and to couer his nakednes. And by tradi|tion
<PB N="403" REF="226"> it is deliuered (as <HI>Euche|mius</HI> witne&s;&s;eth) that his coate without &s;eame was the worke of the mother of God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In Mat. 27</NOTE> which &s;he did weaue with her owne hands for her &s;onne, when he was a little infant: which grew miraculou&s;ly as our Lord grewe, and was not worne nor torne out in all that long time: the like whereof is re|hear&s;ed in holy Scripture to haue happened to the children of <HI>I&s;raell:</HI> that thou maye&s;t learne by the example of thy Lord to for&s;ake all curio&s;itie and &s;uperfluity, as well in ap|parrell as in other things. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, the libera|lity of thy &s;pou&s;e: he had al|ready giuen his body, &s;hedde his bloud, and &s;pent his youth|full
<PB N="404" REF="227"> yeares for thee: and now he giueth a fewe poore gar|ments, leauing nothing for him&s;elfe, but nayles, thornes, &s;pittings, and bloud, clodded on his body. Behold the ri|ches of thy &s;pou&s;e, who hath no place to re&s;t his head, but on the thorny pillowes of his crowne. Doe thou aske him, <HI>where he feedeth, where he will re&s;t at noone,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1.</NOTE> <HI>in this heate of his charity?</HI> and e&s;teeming this ignominious pouerty of the Cro&s;&s;e, to bee the greate&s;t ri|ches, runne naked to him, that is naked. Con&s;ider &s;econdly the &s;coffing of the Soldiours in this diui&s;ion of his garme~ts, and ca&s;ting of lotts, when e|uery one catched a peece for him&s;elfe, as of the attyre of
<PB N="405" REF="227"> the King of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> Doe thou al&s;o runne and gather vp at lea&s;t the hemme of his gar|ment, that is to &s;ay, e&s;teeme highly of all tho&s;e things, which any way appertayne to the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, as, his Sacraments, his wordes, his Church, and his iu&s;tifications. Con&s;ider fourthly, that the foure executioners of Chri&s;t cut his ve&s;tment into foure partes; that the foure Euan|geli&s;ts &s;hould &s;owe vp our Lords coate in the foure cor|ners of the world: to whome be thou al&s;o an ayde and hel|per, and by thy holy life and doctrine ioyne together the Church of Chri&s;t, which is cut and diuided by many Hae|re&s;ies. Couer the poore of
<PB N="406" REF="228"> Chri&s;t with thy garments, and pray our Lord,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 10.</NOTE> <HI>that hee beeing now cloathed with light, as with a garment,</HI> will by the light of his grace cloath thy nakednes, and with mercy adorne thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then they &s;aid among&s;t them|&s;elues,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19 Mat. 24. P&s;al. 21. Luc. 23 Mat. 16.</NOTE> let vs not cut, but let vs ca&s;t lotts for it, who&s;e it &s;hall be; that the Scriptures might be ful|filled, &s;aying: they parted my garments among them, and for my coat they did ca&s;t lotts. Ther|fore diuiding his garments, they ca&s;t lotts vpon them, which part euery one &s;hould take.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the con&s;ul|tation of the Soldiours about the diuiding &amp; ca&s;ting of lotts for his garments. The coun&s;aile was good <HI>(let vs
<PB N="407" REF="228"> not cut it)</HI> but the aduice was wicked <HI>(let vs ca&s;t lotts who&s;e it &s;hall be)</HI> Thou learne&s;t fir&s;t, that God is pre&s;ent at y^e cou~|&s;aile of the wicked, that hee may re&s;trayne their malice, as he infatuated the coun&s;aile of <HI>Achitophell.</HI> Secondly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Reg. 17</NOTE> that the effect of our Lords prayer did heere appeare, when the gar|ment without &s;eame remained whole: whereby is &s;ignified, that the Church &s;hall neuer be diuided by any malice of man, but that it &s;hall continue to the end of the world whole, and entyre vnder one vi&s;ible head,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16.</NOTE> neither &s;hall the gates of hell preuaile again&s;t it. For although the outward gar|ments of our Lord may be di|uided, that is to &s;ay, diuers
<PB N="408" REF="229"> companies and &s;ocieties of men may be di&s;tingui&s;hed by diuers lawes, fa&s;hions, and cu|&s;tomes; yet the coat without &s;eame being next to the body of our Lord, to wit, the Ca|tholique Church, wouen all all ouer throughout, &s;pread ouer the vniuer&s;all world, and orderly di&s;tingui&s;hed with &s;e|uerall offices in &s;euerall mem|bers, agreeing in the Commu|nion of Saints, wouen as it were with diuers threedes, &s;hall neuer loo&s;e his whole|ne&s;&s;e and integritie. There &s;hall fall from it certaine &s;mall boughes or branches, like wi|thered leaues from trees; but the Coate of our Lord &s;hall be purged, and not violated thereby. Take thou heede,
<PB N="409" REF="229"> lea&s;t thou fall from this vn&s;ea|med Coate of Chri&s;t, but re|maine in it as an excellent peece of workeman&s;hip; and becau&s;e this Coate was begun to be wouen in the wombe of the Virgin Mother, (for there the Sonne of God ioyned hu|mane nature to him&s;elfe, and e&s;pou&s;ed the Church,) doe thou commend it to the &s;ame mother, by who&s;e prayers and helpe it may remaine vntou|ched and vncorrupt. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly their twi&s;e ca&s;t|ing of lotts for his garments, to wit, Fir&s;t, for the partes of his garments, and afterwards, for his Coate without &s;eame. Whereby is declared, Fir&s;t, y^t Chri&s;t him&s;elfe, and all things belonging vnto him, were
<PB N="410" REF="230"> &s;ubiect to the will &amp; &s;coffings of wicked men. Secondly, that wicked men doe obtaine the coate of Chri&s;t, that is to &s;ay, the cure of &s;oules, and al|&s;o part of his garments, that is, the externall goods of the Church, not worthily, but by chance and fortune, and po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;e them by other meanes, then by the will of our Lord the true owner of them: for they thinking of nothing le&s;&s;e then of him crucified, deuide &amp; take away his goods, him|&s;elfe looking vpon them, and holding his peace. Thirdly, that according to St. <HI>Ambro&s;e</HI> the partes of the garments of our Lord,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. 10 in Luc. ca. 23</NOTE> that is to &s;ay, his di|uine guifts and graces, are di|&s;tributed and giuen to euery
<PB N="411" REF="230"> one by lott, that is to &s;ay, by the &s;ecret councell of God, and not by our owne electi|on; but the Coate, that is, Faith, is giuen whole to euery man. If perhaps thou bee&s;t a Cleargie man, called into the &s;eruice of our Lord, gather vnder the cro&s;&s;e of our Lord that part of his inheritance, which is giue~ vnto thee. Take heede of &s;eeking many partes and benefices, &amp; v&s;e that part before him crucified, which thou ha&s;t receiued: for he be|holdeth thee, and ob&s;erueth howe thou doe&s;t admini&s;ter his goods. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the Prophets long before did prophe&s;ie of this ca&s;ting of lots for his garments: that thou maye&s;t learne, Fir&s;t, that
<PB N="412" REF="231"> this ca&s;ting of lottes for his garmentes was a matter of great moment, which &s;o ma|ny ages before, Holy men, &amp; Kinges fore-&s;aw &amp; lamented. Secondly, of what thinges the auncient Prophets and Holy men did frame their meditati|ons euen before the comming of the <HI>Me&s;&s;ias,</HI> to wit, of the pouerty, nakednes, &amp; reproa|ches of our Lord, that thou being exerci&s;ed in the &s;ame thoughtes and cogitations, mighte&s;t bee incyted to com|pa&s;&s;ion and imitation. Con&s;i|der fourthly, that the&s;e Ve&s;t|ments and holy Reliques of our Lord were permitted to remain in the cu&s;tody of wic|ked men, y^t thou may&s;t know, fir&s;t that all men, which are
<PB N="413" REF="231"> called to holy offices, are not Holy men and acceptable to God; &s;econdly, that holynes is offered to all men in this life. Pray thou vnto God, to impart &s;ome of his Sanctitie vnto thee, and &s;uffer it neuer to be taken from thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the Soldiours did the&s;e thinges: and &s;itting kept him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19 Mat. 27. Luc. 23.</NOTE> and the people &s;tood beholding.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. <HI>(And truly the Soldiours did the&s;e things)</HI> as if hee &s;hould &s;ay, Chri&s;t praying in the torments of the Cro&s;&s;e, his Mother &s;uffering y^e &s;word of &s;orrow, his friends weeping a farre off, the Soldi|ours did the&s;e thinges. Whil&s;t the Church &s;uffereth per&s;ecu|tions, whil&s;t the poore peri&s;h with hunger, whil&s;t the iu&s;t
<PB N="414" REF="232"> man is puni&s;hed; the wicked play and are merry, they ca&s;t lots and dice, they are idle, and &s;pend their time in vani|ties, neither is there any man, which &s;uffereth vpon the con|trition of <HI>Io&s;eph.</HI> And what doe&s;t thou thy &s;elfe,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Amos. 6.</NOTE> while&s;t Chri&s;t, and his Church is affli|cted? Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t is kept more carefully, then the Theeues, lea&s;t his di&s;ciples or any others &s;hould free him fro~ his puni&s;hment. But as it was then, &s;o now al|&s;o the feruour of Catholiques is too colde, to aduenture any danger for y^e name of Chri&s;t. Doe thou with all care keepe Chri&s;t in thy heart, and con|&s;erue his grace. Con&s;ider 3. the people &s;tood beholding,
<PB N="415" REF="232"> (for &s;o it is to bee read, for, expecting) &s;ome of them &s;cof|fing, &s;ome marking euery thing. Doe thou draw neare, and &s;tanding on thy feete, rea|dy to fulfill the will and com|maundement of thy Lord, be|holde, and con&s;tantly looke vppon him fa&s;tened to the Cro&s;&s;e. Do not &s;leightly pa&s;&s;e ouer all his members, all his paines, all his reproaches: but beholde him with a con&s;tant view, and doe not re&s;t in the outward forme onely, but ra|ther meditate on tho&s;e things, which lye hidden within. For vnder the&s;e wounds, &s;pittings and thornes, lurketh the hid|den Manna, which no man knoweth, but hee which re|ceiueth it. Stand then before
<PB N="416" REF="233"> this table of the Cro&s;&s;e, like a little dog before his mai&s;ters table, expecting and ob&s;er|uing the ge&s;ture of him, that &s;itteth, and catching euery thing that is ca&s;t from the ta|ble. Doe not imitate the people, curiou&s;ly beholding Chri&s;t, &amp; going to the church for vanity onely, and hearing diuine &s;eruice carele&s;ly: But rather imitate the Virgin Mo|ther,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 2</NOTE> <HI>Who let no worde pa&s;&s;e, which &s;hee did not keepe,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 2</NOTE> <HI>ob&s;er|uing it in her heart.</HI> And pray thy Lord to ca&s;t large guifts vnto thee from his Cro&s;&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="417" REF="233">
<HEAD>The 37. Meditation of his mocking vpon the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they that pa&s;&s;ed by, bla&s;|phemed him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE> &s;haking their heads and &s;aying: Vah, thou that de|&s;troye&s;t the Temple of God, and in three dayes doe&s;t build it a|gaine, &s;aue thy &s;elfe. If thou be|e&s;t the Sonne of God, come downe from the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t our Lord was mocked vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, by 4. &s;ortes of people, by tho&s;e which pa&s;&s;ed by, by the Prie&s;ts &amp; Seniors, by the Sol|diours, and by the Theeues, that is, by all &s;ortes of men; Iewes, and Gentiles; Prie&s;ts and lay per&s;ons; Senate and the people, the executioners
<PB N="418" REF="234"> of Iu&s;tice, and tho&s;e that were condemned by iu&s;tice. For wee deride and mocke Chri&s;t by all kindes of &s;innes, con|temning his promi&s;es, di&s;pi|&s;ing his threatnings, reiecting his benefits, breaking his Co~|mandements, and neglecting his councells. Con&s;ider &s;e|co~dly, the difference between the wordes of Chri&s;t, and the wordes of y^e <HI>Iewes;</HI> the words of our Sauiour, and the words of the world. Hee being carefull prayeth with teares, they being carele&s;&s;e mocke him while&s;t hee is praying. For the cu&s;tom of the wicked is to &s;coffe at all things: and therfore in the Scripture they are called (irri&s;ores) mockers; <NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 1.</NOTE>to whome God doth threaten
<PB N="419" REF="234"> mocking againe, when that &s;hall happen to them, which they feared. Haue compa&s;&s;i|on heere vppon the &s;pou&s;e of thy &s;oule, who in the la&s;t houre of death receiued no comfort, but mockings: from which they ought then e&s;pe|cially to haue ab&s;tained when he was ready to die, in the midde&s;t of his torments. Con|&s;ider thirdly, they bla&s;phemed, <HI>Who pa&s;&s;ed by</HI> <GAP DESC="foreign">, which may bee interpreted, <HI>Walking,</HI> that he may be &s;aid to haue beene mocked either by trauellers, or el&s;e by &s;uch as walked vp and downe by the Cro&s;&s;e. Heereby are no|ted light and vncon&s;tant men, who carele&s;ly &s;ay their diuine and holy office, who &s;leight|ly
<PB N="420" REF="235"> runne ouer their prayers, who in the Church at the time of Ma&s;&s;e and of Sermons haue wandering thoughtes, who&s;e mindes doe not re&s;t onely on God, but are carryed wandering vp and downe af|ter &s;undry delights and plea|&s;ures of the world. Con&s;ider fourthly, what the&s;e men did. Fir&s;t they pa&s;&s;ed by irreue|rently. Secondly, they &s;haked their heads. Thirdly by the&s;e very ge&s;tures they did bla&s;|pheme: for they &s;ignified hereby, that he was worthy of all reproach that he might, to be taken from among&s;t them, and that his doctrine and life was to be contemned and de|&s;pi&s;ed. Fourthly, <HI>I&s;aias,</HI> ac|cording to the expo&s;ition of
<PB N="421" REF="235"> St. <HI>Hierome,</HI> fore-&s;hewed two other kindes of mockinges. <HI>Ouer whome did yee play? ouer whome did ye gape,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 57.</NOTE> <HI>and put forth your tongue.</HI> Therefore they vpbrayded him with open mouth and &s;tretched out tongue. And euen as Stage|players in the Theaters v&s;e to make many &s;portes before the Princes, which are placed in high roomes to behold them: &s;o the&s;e mocking actors v&s;ed many kindes of &s;cornefull be|hauiours before this king of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> Con&s;ider fiftly, what wordes they &s;pake. Fir&s;t they fal&s;ifie his wordes, &s;coffe at his preaching, and prophe&s;ies, and wre&s;t his holy wordes to an euill &s;ence. Secondly, they <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;t at his myracles: if
<PB N="422" REF="236"> thou ha&s;t wrought true myra|cles, &s;hewe now thy power, and &s;aue thy &s;elfe. Thirdly, they offer wrong again&s;t his per&s;on, whome they denie to be the &s;onne of God. Doe thou beleeue the wordes of God, admire his myracles, pre&s;erue thy minde free from all error in faith, receiue Chri&s;t the &s;onne of God, and neuer for&s;ake or pa&s;&s;e by him. For they which in this life pa&s;&s;ing by Chri&s;t, doe bla&s;pheme him, &s;hall in the next world pa&s;&s;e by heauen and fall into hell.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>In like manner with them did the chiefe Prie&s;tes, and the Scribes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 13.</NOTE> and Seniors deride him; and mocking they &s;aid one to a|nother: hee &s;aued others, him|&s;elfe he cannot &s;aue: if he be the
<PB N="423" REF="236"> king of <HI>I&s;rael,</HI> let him now de|&s;cend from the Cro&s;&s;e, that wee may &s;ee, and beleeue him: hee tru&s;ted in God; let him deliuer him now, if he will: for he &s;aid, that I am the &s;onne of God.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the Prie&s;tes religious men, and Magi&s;trates did, contrary to the dignitie of their order, in&s;ult ouer a crucified man, and that they were the leaders or captaines of the people in the&s;e irri&s;ions, For St. <HI>Luke</HI> &s;aith thus: <HI>the Princes derided him with them.</HI> So great a de|&s;ire they had to ob&s;cure the glory of our Lord, and that there &s;hould neuer after be a|ny mention made of him; that all &s;ortes of people thought him vnworthy of commi&s;era|tion
<PB N="424" REF="237"> euen in the midde&s;t of his torments being ready to yeelde vpp his gho&s;t, and had contemptuou&s;ly reiected him as accur&s;ed, and as the &s;hame and &s;corne of the people, to be mocked both by the noble and vulgar people. But there is no councell again&s;t God, who chaunged this great ig|nominy of the people into greater glory. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that Chri&s;t was bla&s;|phemed more grieuou&s;ly by no kinde of people, then by the Prie&s;ts. For they prouo|ked one another mutually to &s;corne him, and al&s;o abu&s;ed the wordes of the Scriptures, which were fore-&s;poken of the&s;e bla&s;phemies by the Pro|phet,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21.</NOTE> which they recyted by
<PB N="425" REF="237"> turnes like the ver&s;es of a p&s;alme.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sap. 6</NOTE> Thou &s;ee&s;t there|fore, that the faults of &s;uperi|ors are mo&s;t grieuous, who al&s;o &s;hall &s;uffer mighty tor|ments for their &s;innes. Con|&s;ider thirdly, and marke their wordes: Fir&s;t they vpbraide him with his good deedes done to the people, and &s;coffe at his myracles. Secondly, they laugh at his royall digni|ty. Thirdly, they obiect a|gain&s;t him his tru&s;t in God. Fourthly, they contemne the the maie&s;tie of the Sonne of God, and maliciou&s;ly mocke at the things, which &s;hould bring honour vnto Chri&s;t. The Magi did adore him in the &s;table with guifts, as God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 2.</NOTE> King, and man: and the&s;e
<PB N="426" REF="238"> men, after &s;o many myracles &s;hewed vnto them, to mocke and deride the &s;onne of God, the king of kings, and man tru&s;ting in God. Con&s;ider 4. their euill collections: Fir&s;t, if hee haue &s;aued others he ought to &s;aue him&s;elfe al&s;o. 2. If hee be the king of <HI>I&s;raell</HI> he ought to de&s;cend down from the Cro&s;&s;e. Thirdly, if he tru&s;t in God as the Sonne of God, God will deliuer him. But fir&s;t he did not therefore &s;aue him&s;elfe; becau&s;e he would &s;aue others by his death. Se|condly, he did not therefore de&s;cend downe from the Wood, becau&s;e the King of <HI>I&s;raell</HI> &s;hould raigne from the Wood. Thirdly, God did not therefore deliuer his Son,
<PB N="427" REF="238"> becau&s;e he tru&s;ted, not to be deliuered by him from the Cro&s;&s;e, but by the Cro&s;&s;e to be exalted aboue al creatures, and to place thee in glory with him. Con&s;ider fiftly, that euill men giue councell to de&s;cend, the deuill being the author, who &s;aid, <HI>If thou art the Sonne of God, throwe thy &s;elfe downe.</HI> Whereby thou maye&s;t learne, that all tho&s;e de&s;cend from the height of perfection, which ca&s;t away the Cro&s;&s;e from them. Doe thou pray deuoutly vnto Chri&s;t to rule and guide thee from his Cro&s;&s;e, that is from his throne of mercy, and al|&s;o to take thee vpp with him vnto the Cro&s;&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>The Soldiers al&s;o mocked him,
<PB N="428" REF="239"> comming, and offering Vinegar, &s;aying,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> if thou art King of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> &s;aue thy &s;elfe.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the great contempt, wherewith our Lord was mocked by the&s;e ba&s;e tormentors both in words and deedes. Fir&s;t (they <HI>mocked him</HI>) v&s;ing wanton and &s;currile ge&s;tures towards him. Secondly, they came nearer to him being naked, and loo|ked more curiou&s;ly vpon him, according to that of the P&s;al|mi&s;t:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21</NOTE> <HI>But they con&s;idered, and looked on mee.</HI> Thirdly, they offered him vineger, like Cup|bearers, offering a cup to their King. Fourthly, in their wordes they allude to the ty|tle of the Cro&s;&s;e. <HI>King of the Iewes:</HI> they &s;ay he is a redicu|lous
<PB N="429" REF="239"> King, which cannot &s;aue him&s;elfe, vppon whome de|pendeth all the &s;afety of his &s;ubiects. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that wicked men do acknow|ledge no other commoditie or &s;affetie, but only in this life: but good men de&s;ire and &s;eeke after the &s;aluation of their &s;oules, as a thing which is common to them with the Angels; re&s;pecting le&s;&s;e the &s;afetie of their bodies, which the bea&s;ts doe inioy, as well as they. Con&s;ider thirdly, the infinite loue of Chri&s;t thy Lord, and &s;pou&s;e of thy &s;oule towards thee; who hauing once a&s;cended the Cro&s;&s;e for thy &s;ake, could neuer be mo|ued to come downe from thence, neither by torments,
<PB N="430" REF="240"> nor by mockings, nor by the &s;orowe of his mother &s;tan|ding by him, nor by the teares of <HI>Iohn</HI> his kin&s;man, nor by the tears of <HI>Marie Magdalen,</HI> nor by any &s;orrowe of his friends, although he knewe, that thereby he might ea&s;ily end all their troubles. Doe not thou therfore, when thou ha&s;t vndertaken any thing for the loue of thy &s;pou&s;e, and for his honor, leaue it off for any cau&s;e, although the world frowne thereat; although thy fle&s;h be repugnant; although thy mother &s;hewe thee her brea&s;ts, wherewith &s;hee gaue thee &s;ucke; and although thy olde Father lye in the gate: pa&s;&s;e thou on, and tread vp|pon thy Father; for it is piety,
<PB N="431" REF="240"> to bee cruell in this cau&s;e. Pray vnto God, to giue thee this con&s;tancy of minde, and &s;etting before thine eyes him that was crucified, take cou|rage before him, and in his pre&s;ence determine of all thy bu&s;ines.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 38. Meditation of the &s;econd worde of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the &s;ame thing did the Theeues,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mat. 13.</NOTE> which were crucified with him, vpbraide vnto him: and one of the theeues, which were hanged, bla&s;phemed him, &s;aying: If thou art Chri&s;t, &s;aue thy &s;elfe, and vs: but the other an&s;wering, blamed him, &s;aying: Neither doe&s;t thou feare God, which art in the &s;ame condem|nation?
<PB N="432" REF="241"> Wee indeede &s;uffer iu&s;t|ly, for wee receiue worthy pu|ni&s;hment for our facts, but this man hath done no euill.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the igno|miny offered to our Lord in this place, ei|ther by one theefe, according to St. <HI>Epiphanius,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Haere. 66 8. lib. 3. de con<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. Eua~. c. 16. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="2 letters">o~. 7. ad Phil.</NOTE> and St. <HI>Au|gu&s;tine;</HI> or el&s;e in the begin|ning by both, acording to St. <HI>Chry&s;o&s;tome,</HI> but the one repe~|ting, &amp; the other per&s;euering. For they were mo&s;t wicked and infamous men, and did worthily &s;uffer, the accur|&s;ed death of the Cro&s;&s;e. But it did much more afflict our Sauiours heart, that hee, for whome, and with whom hee did &s;hed his bloud, &s;hould pre&s;ently bee carryed head|long
<PB N="433" REF="241"> into Hell. Learne hereby, that commonly hee, which liueth ill, dyeth ill, as he liued ill, except he be changed by Gods &s;peciall grace. For a &s;inner is &s;tricken with his iudgement,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aug. &s;er. 3 de num.</NOTE> that dying he for|getteth him&s;elfe, who liuing was forgetfull of God. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly the wordes of the euill Theefe <HI>(If thou art Chri&s;t &s;aue thy &s;elfe and vs:)</HI> Fir&s;t he wanted faith, who de|&s;ired a miracle that hee might beleeue. Secondly, he de&s;ired temporall life and &s;afety, after the manner of all &s;inners, who haue no care of their euerla&s;t|ing life to come. Thirdly, he &s;pake this perhaps to plea&s;e the <HI>Iewes,</HI> which &s;tood by: but it profited him nothing, to get
<PB N="434" REF="242"> their fauour; becau&s;e y^e world euer giueth a fal&s;e reward to her followers. Fourthly hee once vttered this rayling &s;peach, but being rebuked he held his peace; being better then thy &s;elfe, who art neither amended by good admoniti|on, nor well plea&s;ed with him that adui&s;eth thee. Con&s;ider thirdly, the mercy of Chri&s;t in the good. Theefe, who&s;e heart hee did not onely in&s;truct by outward &s;ignes, but al&s;o did mollifie it by inward grace, &s;o as he profited more in three houres by hearing him teach from the chayre of the Cro&s;&s;e, then the Apo&s;tles did in three yeares by following our Lord continually, and &s;eeing his miracles. For &s;o great is the
<PB N="435" REF="242"> force of the cro&s;&s;e of our Lord that it doth nor onely mooue the &s;ence, but al&s;o giueth vn|der&s;tanding to the hearing, and addeth affection to the vnder&s;tanding. Therfore this good theefe being depriued of all outward thinges, and hauing his body &s;tretched vp|on the Cro&s;&s;e, gaue openly all that was left vnto him, to wit, hee con&s;ecrated his heart and tongue vnto Chri&s;t. For <HI>hee beleeued with his heart to iu&s;tice,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 10</NOTE> <HI>and with his mouth hee confe&s;&s;ed to &s;aluation,</HI> being made a tea|cher from the chayre of the Cro&s;&s;e, openly confe&s;&s;ing Chri&s;t, and freely reproouing the vices of the &s;tanders by. Con&s;ider fourthly the wordes of the good Theefe, Fir&s;t with
<PB N="436" REF="243"> great charity hee rebuked his companion, when he &s;inned, before hee craued any thing for him&s;elfe of our Lord; and hee putteth him in minde of his iminent death, for &s;inners ought to be repre&s;&s;ed with the feare of Hell, when they will not be moued with Gods be|nefites. <HI>(Neither doe&s;t thou feare God?)</HI> a bolde worde, but worthy of a Martyr. None of the&s;e (&s;aith hee) feare God; and dare&s;t thou imitate them, being now pre&s;ently to goe before God thy Iudge? Se|condly, he confe&s;&s;eth his &s;inne and receiueth the puni&s;hment of the Cro&s;&s;e in &s;atisfaction. For it is a &s;igne of a good man to co~fe&s;&s;e his own faults, &amp; to extenuate the &s;innes of other
<PB N="437" REF="243"> men, if hee can. Thirdly hee declareth the innocency of Chri&s;t: <HI>But this man hath done no euill,</HI> which &s;aying is true only in Chri&s;t, and in his mo&s;t holy Mother; for hee hath done no &s;inne, neither is their any fraude in his mouth. But becau&s;e he did no &s;inne, ther|fore hee ought to beare the &s;innes of all men, and &s;uffer the puni&s;hment thereof in his body. The good Theefe tea|cheth vs heere, that we &s;hould not complaine in aduer&s;ities, but confe&s;&s;e our &s;innes, and giue glory to God openly, and conuert our &s;oules earne&s;tly vnto God. Doe thou imitate this theefe: for death is at thy gates, or at lea&s;t lyeth in waite for thee. And pray our
<PB N="438" REF="244"> Lord to &s;trike his &s;auing feare into thy heart.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And hee &s;aid to <HI>Ie&s;us:</HI> O Lord remember mee, when thou &s;halt come into thy Kingdome.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that this good Theefe fulfilled the partes of iu&s;tice: Fir&s;t hee de|clyned from the euill, which he reprehended in his compa|nion; and then hee did good turning vnto Chri&s;t. Second|ly, according to the doctrine of <HI>Micheas,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Michea. 6.</NOTE> <HI>Hee exerci&s;ed Iudgment,</HI> greuou&s;ly accu&s;ing his &s;inne; <HI>hee loued mercy,</HI> ad|moni&s;hing his companion to conuertion; <HI>and hee walked carefully with God,</HI> of whome deuoutly and humbly he cra|ued pardon. Co~&s;ider &s;econd|ly, the &s;euerall fruites of the
<PB REF="244"> cro&s;&s;e and affliction, accor|ding to the &s;euerall di&s;po&s;iti|ons of men. The wicked are not amended, but rather bla&s;|pheme: the good confe&s;&s;e their fault, and come nearer vnto God. Doe not maruaile then, if our Lord grant pro&s;|perity in this world to the wicked, and affliction to the good; which hee doth merci|fully for the&s;e cau&s;es; both becau&s;e the wicked &s;hould not offend more deepely by their impatience, &amp; the good be ioyned more firmely vnto God; &amp; al&s;o y^t the wicked may haue &s;ome reward in this life, &s;eeing they are to bee depri|ued of euerla&s;ting life, &amp; that eternall reward may be re&s;er|ued for the good. Con&s;ider
<PB N="440" REF="245"> thirdly, euery worde of the theefe: <HI>(O Lord)</HI> a worde of reuerence, feare, &amp; &s;ubiection: I &s;ubmit and promi&s;e my &s;elfe to bee thy &s;eruant and bond|&s;laue: hee doth not &s;ay, O my Lord, For hee &s;peaketh to the Lord, creator, and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;or of all creatures. <HI>Remember mee,</HI> a mode&s;t &amp; humble petition; I aske not a Kingdom, nor any honous; but only y^t thou wilt remember mee, knowing that thou can&s;t not reme~ber me, &amp; not help me. I dare de&s;ire this remembrance, though I am a &s;inner. 1. Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t admitted other &s;inners pray|ing vnto thee. 2. Becau&s;e thou ha&s;t done &s;o many &amp; &s;o great thinges in fauour of &s;inners. 3. Becau&s;e I a &s;inner, hauing
<PB N="441" REF="245"> giuen ouer my will of &s;in|ning, doe now beleeue in thee with my whole heart, doe in|tirely loue thee, and with my mouth doe openly confe&s;&s;e thee. 4. Becau&s;e I ask nothing but remembrance, and pray for nothing but mercy. 5. Be|cau&s;e it is rea&s;on, that hee bee partaker of thy re&s;t and glory, whome thou ha&s;t vouch&s;afed to be a companion with thee in thy labours, torments, and death. <HI>When thou &s;halt come in|to thy kingdome.</HI> I acknowledg thee to bee a King, but thy kingdom is not of this world: I knowe, that the Angells ex|pect thee at thy death, and a whole Army of Seruants, who &s;hall not carry thee, as they did <HI>Lazarus,</HI> but &s;hall attend
<PB N="442" REF="246"> and followe the comming of thy owne will and power. Admire thou the &s;aith of this Theefe, who alone, when all others bla&s;phemed, did be|leeue, and dete&s;t thine owne infidelity, who when y^e whole world belieueth, doe&s;t &s;carce|ly beleeue; and pray Chri&s;t to increa&s;e thy faith, and bring thee into his kingdome with this theefe.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;aide to him: Amen I &s;ay to thee,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> this day thou &s;halt bee with mee in Pa|radi&s;e.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t an&s;wered nothing to the theefe bla&s;peming; that thou mighte&s;t learne to pacifie thy anger with the vertue of mild|nes: and that hee approued
<PB N="443" REF="246"> the coun&s;el of the other, who thought it requi&s;ite in nece&s;|&s;itie to haue recour&s;e vnto Chri&s;t; that thou maye&s;t ob|taine the guift of councell. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t as a Prie&s;t of the newe Te&s;ta|ment did forgiue &s;innes, and as a Iudge doth a&s;&s;igne merite and rewardes. For to the iu&s;t Theefe hee promi&s;eth glory; and to the vniu&s;t, to whom he appointeth no crowne of Iu|&s;tice, hee declareth by his &s;i|lence that the fire of Hell was prepared. For Chri&s;t giueth glory; but the paines of hell are not giuen by Chri&s;t, but rather proceed fro~ our &s;innes, according as the Apo&s;tle faith: <HI>Who &s;hall render to euery one according to his workes:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 2.</NOTE> <HI>to tho&s;e
<PB N="444" REF="247"> truely, who according to patience in good worke &s;eeke glory and ho|nour, &amp; incorruption, life euer|la&s;ting: But to tho&s;e which are of contention, and which doe not yeeld vnto the truth, but beleeue iniquity, wrath &amp; indignation:</HI> That is, it &s;hall be rendred, not &s;o much by the will of Chri&s;t, as through the malice &amp; me|rite of &s;inne. Con&s;ider thirdly the benignity of this King of the <HI>Iewes.</HI> 1. Hee doth not re|iect a man infamous for theft; who beholdeth not the out|ward opinion of men, but the inward di&s;po&s;ition of y^e heart. 2. Hee pre&s;ently heareth him confe&s;&s;ing, and forgiueth his &s;innes. 3. He giueth more the~ was asked. Reme~brance only was craued, glory is promi&s;ed,
<PB N="445" REF="247"> and the &s;ame to be rendred by &amp; by, euen the very &s;ame day. Con&s;ider 4. the words of our Lord <HI>(Amen)</HI> this is a worde of confirmation: for, that thou may&s;t giue credit to my words, I affirme it by y^t worde w^c I neuer v&s;e, but in affirming great and &s;erious thinges, and I promi&s;e it to thee openly before all the&s;e witne&s;&s;es. <HI>(I &s;ay)</HI> I the truth, who cannot lye, who&s;e promi&s;e is effectu|all, I the Lord of the King|dome di&s;po&s;e of mine owne, and of no bodyes el&s;e. <HI>(To thee)</HI> not to all, lea&s;t they might take occa&s;ion to de|ferre their pe~nance to the end of their life, but to thee alone, lamenting earne&s;tly, co~fe&s;&s;ing thy &s;ins, &amp; making &s;atisfactio~
<PB N="446" REF="248"> for them by this thy puni&s;h|ment: that if perhaps any &s;in|ner at the la&s;t in&s;tant of his death will conuert him&s;elfe, hee may by thy example con|ceiue hope of pardon. For be|fore we &s;inne, wee ought to &s;et before our eyes the innu|merable &s;inners &s;tanding be|fore the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord, and yet obtaining no pardon, lea&s;t our Lord perhaps leaue vs, and wee peri&s;h among&s;t them: for hee, who hath pro|mi&s;ed pardon to the penitent, hath not promi&s;ed repentance to the &s;inner. But after our &s;inne wee mu&s;t remember the Theefe, lea&s;t wee di&s;paire. <HI>(This day,)</HI> pre&s;ently after thy death, that thou maye&s;t ac|knowledge the vertue of the
<PB N="447" REF="248"> Cro&s;&s;e. For euen as a Con|querour carryeth his noble &s;poyles in tryumph to &s;hewe the greatnes of his victory, &s;o Chri&s;t, hauing gotten the vi|ctory ouer the Deuill, tooke this notable prey from him, and carryed away the &s;poyle, and lead this Theefe with him into triumph, who had before been a mo&s;t faithfull &s;laue to the Deuill. <HI>(With mee,)</HI> that thou, which ha&s;t beene part|ner with mee in my paines, maye&s;t not be depriued of my Crowne: and that thou may&s;t not &s;eeme to haue &s;uffred as a theefe, but to haue triumphed as a Martyr with mee. Thus Chri&s;t conuerted the puni&s;h|ment of the Theefe into Mar|tyrdome; &s;o as he which was
<PB N="448" REF="249"> brought as a Theefe vnto the Cro&s;&s;e, did by this his notable and publike confe&s;&s;ion, re|ceiue the Crowne of his te&s;ti|mony,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Aug. lib. 4 deami. &amp; eius origi|nie cap. 9.</NOTE> as a Martyr with Chri&s;t the Prince of Martyrs. <HI>(Thou &s;halt bee,)</HI> to remaine for euer. <HI>(In,)</HI> the ioyes &s;hall bee &s;o great, that thou &s;halt not co~|prehend them, but they &s;hall receiue thee entring into the~: they &s;hall fill thee within, and co~pa&s;&s;e thee without, accor|ding to that &s;aying: <HI>Enter in|to the ioyes of thy Lord.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 25.</NOTE> <HI>(Para|di&s;e,)</HI> hee &s;aith not, an earthly Paradi&s;e, wherwith the &s;oules and &s;pirits of the ble&s;&s;ed are not delighted; but the con|templation of the diuine na|ture, in which is a full &s;atiety and delight of the minde. He
<PB N="449" REF="249"> calleth it not a Kingdome, as the theefe had reque&s;ted, but Paradi&s;e, (which name he had neuer v&s;ed before;) Fir&s;t be|cau&s;e by this key of <HI>Dauid,</HI> to wit, the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord, the gate of Paradi&s;e is opened vnto vs, with the wood of the knowledge of good and euill, being violated by &s;inne, had locked vp. Secondly becau&s;e after forty dayes he was to a&s;|cend into his heauenly man&s;i|on, &amp; the place of the ble&s;&s;ed. Behold heer the liberall guift of Chri&s;t thy Lord, &amp; bee of good courage: for hee which promi&s;ed a kingdome to the penitent theefe on the Cro&s;&s;e, will render no le&s;&s;e reward to thee for thy labours &s;pent all thy life time in his &s;eruice.
<PB N="450" REF="250"> But becau&s;e Paradi&s;e is not promi&s;ed by the crucified, but onely to him that was crucifi|ed, doe thou (if thou wilt bee a partner in this Paradi&s;e) crucifie thy fle&s;h with the vi|ces and concupi&s;cences there|of; and pray the &s;pou&s;e of thy &s;oule to call thee to Heauen, with the&s;e words at the houre of thy death.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 39. Meditation of the third worde on the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And there &s;tood by the Cro&s;&s;e of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> his Mother, and his mothers &s;i&s;ter <HI>Mary</HI> of <HI>Cleo|phas,</HI> and <HI>Mary Magdalene.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that when the Apo&s;tles fledde, the women followed our Lord
<PB N="451" REF="250"> euen vnto the Cro&s;&s;e. And his Mother is fir&s;t named, both becau&s;e &s;he was more feruent, then the others, and remained more co~&s;tant; &amp; al&s;o becau&s;e it was &s;trange, that a mother could indure &s;o great tor|ments, e&s;pecially of &s;uch a Sonne; and la&s;tly that thou maye&s;t learne hereby, that it is not comely for womens mo|de&s;tie to bee pre&s;ent at the death of guilty per&s;ons, and yet that it is very glorious for them to &s;tay with the Mother of our Lord before the cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t, and to &s;et that al|wayes before the eyes of their &s;oule. Co~&s;ider &s;econdly, why the Mother of our Lord would bee pre&s;ent at his execution: &s;urely not of curio&s;ity or
<PB N="452" REF="251"> lightnes; but Fir&s;t, that &s;hee, who loued &s;uch a Son &s;o dear|ly, and had followed him in all places, might not for&s;ake him at his death. Secondly, to be ready to doe him any &s;eruice, or to giue him any comfort, w^c lay in her power. Thirdly, that &s;hee might beholde, not onely the death of her &s;onne, but al&s;o the manner of the re|demption of man; by the co~|templation wherof &s;he might inflame her zeale of the loue of God. Con&s;ider thirdly why Chri&s;t would haue his Mo|ther pre&s;ent at this &s;pectacle. Fir&s;t, that &s;he &s;hould be a wit|ne&s;&s;e, that hee had payed the price for the &s;innes of all man|kinde. Secondly, that &s;hee might &s;ee the feruor of his
<PB N="453" REF="251"> loue towards vs, &amp; thereupon vndertake to be our Patrone. Thirdly, that the Queen of all Saints &s;hould not be depriued of the crowne due vnto Mar|tyrs, but y^t &s;hee &s;hould &s;uffer y^e mo&s;t noble martyrdome of all others. For other Martyrs &s;uf|fered their own torments, in|flicted vpon the~ by the hands of y^e executioners: But y^e Mo|ther of our Lord &s;uffred y^e tor|ments of her &s;on being deri|ued vnto her from the body of her &s;on, as <HI>Simeon</HI> prophe&s;ied of her:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 2.</NOTE> <HI>And thine owne &s;oule &s;hall a &s;word pierce.</HI> Fourthly y^t the pre&s;ence of his mother might increa&s;e y^e matter of his paine. For the Euangeli&s;t did not without cau&s;e &s;ay <HI>(His Mother)</HI> &s;ignifying therby the
<PB N="454" REF="252"> mutuall affections of them both. Admire thou here two great lights ob&s;cured: Chri&s;t the greater light, the &s;onne of Iu&s;tice, <HI>Which illuminateth e|uery man comming into this world;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 1.</NOTE> and the le&s;&s;er light, <HI>Mary, faire as the Moone. The Sunne is made black</HI> (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) <HI>as a &s;acke of haire|cloath;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 6.</NOTE> <HI>and the Moone is made all like bloud,</HI> the mother blee|ding with the bloud of her &s;onne. Con&s;ider fourthly, that &s;hee &s;ate not idly; nor lay downe, as halfe dead; nor ran vp and downe amazedly: but &s;he &s;tood. Fir&s;t for reuerence vnto her Sonne, whome &s;hee &s;aw hanging &s;traight vppon the Cro&s;&s;e for thy &s;ake. Se|condly, as one ready to obey,
<PB N="455" REF="252"> and doe any &s;eruice. Thirdly, con&s;tant, and of a good cou|rage, with an a&s;&s;ured faith of the redemption of man, and of the re&s;urrection of her Sonne. Fourthly, as prepared her&s;elfe ro goe vp to the cro&s;&s;e, and, if need were, to &s;uffer death for &s;inners. Con&s;ider fiftly, that a fewe others &s;tood by the cro&s;&s;e with the Mother of our Lord, a Virgin, a Widdow, and a Sinner, being &s;orrowful and de&s;titute of all comfort: that thou maye&s;t learne, Fir&s;t, that our Lord crucified on the Cro&s;&s;e was giuen vs by God the Father, to bee a comforte to the afflicted, a Patrone to Widdowes, &amp; Orphanes, and a pre&s;eruer and protector of Virgins. Secondly, that Chri&s;t
<PB N="456" REF="253"> did communicate the feeling of the griefe of his Pa&s;&s;ion e&s;pecially to tho&s;e, whom he loued mo&s;t dearely. Marke therefore whether thou bee&s;t mooued with this pa&s;&s;ion or not, for thereby thou maye&s;t vnder&s;tand how much hee lo|ueth thee. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly. <HI>There &s;tood by the Cro&s;&s;e of Ie|&s;us.</HI> Fewe doe &s;tand by the cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t. Some onely walke by it, and lightly pa&s;&s;e ouer the my&s;teryes of Chri&s;t: others &s;tand a farre off, loo|king &s;o vpon it, as if the my|&s;teries of the Cro&s;&s;e did not appertaine vnto them: others &s;tand by the Cro&s;&s;e of the Theeues, who &s;uffer the trou|bles of their pride, their ryot, their couetou&s;nes, &amp; of their
<PB N="457" REF="253"> other vices. Neare the cro&s;&s;e of Chri&s;t no &s;inners are tolle|rated, no light behauiour is committed, nor no plea&s;ures are &s;ought after. Heere is, what&s;oeuer the world abhor|reth, pouerty, &s;ubduing of the fle&s;h, contempt, and reproach: and all thinges are wanting, which the world de&s;ireth and e&s;teemeth. Come thou to the Mother of Chri&s;t, as neare the Cro&s;&s;e as thou can&s;t; becau&s;e this way onely leadeth tho&s;e that weepe and mourne vnto Heauen; whil&s;t others, laugh|ing, ie&s;ting, and bla&s;pheming, fall downe into Hell: And pray the virgin Mother to a&s;|&s;i&s;t thee at the houre of thy death, and to comfort thee in thy troubles, who with &s;uch
<PB N="458" REF="254"> con&s;tancy did &s;uffer the &s;or|rowes of her Sonne.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Therefore when <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> &s;awe his Mother, and the Di&s;ciple whome hee loued,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> &s;tanding, hee &s;aid to his Mother: woman, be|hold thy Sonne.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the good order in our Lords wor|des, fir&s;t, hee prayed his Fa|ther for the &s;aluation of &s;in|ners; next hee gaue &s;piritu|all goodes to the Thiefe, and a&s;&s;igned him Paradi&s;e; &amp; la&s;t|ly, hee giueth temporal co~fort to his dearly beloued Mother. That thou &s;houlde&s;t learne: fir&s;t, why Chri&s;t came into the world, and dyed vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, to wit, to &s;aue &s;in|ners, of which number thou art one.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 1.</NOTE> Secondly, that thou
<PB N="459" REF="254"> &s;houlde&s;t be carefull of the &s;aluation &amp; perfection of thy neighbours, before thou ap|plye&s;t thy minde to worldly things. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that he, who from his child|hood had followed Chri&s;t, and had dedicated his youth|full yeares vnto our Lord, &s;tood by his Cro&s;&s;e, when all the re&s;t hid them&s;elues, and did receiue for his reward the co~mendatio~ of con&s;tancy, and the keeping of y^e Virgine Mo|ther, that thou from thy infan|cy &s;hould&s;t honor Chri&s;t, and his mother, and &s;hould&s;t &s;uffer the yoake of our Lord euen fro~ thy youth. Con&s;ider 3. with what eyes y^e mo&s;t louing Son beheld his mo&s;t deare mother, &amp; with what countenance &s;he
<PB N="460" REF="255"> beheld him againe. Loue and pitty lifted vpp the Mothers eyes to her Son; and pre&s;ently griefe &amp; plenty of teares ca&s;t them downe againe. Thinke thou with thy &s;elfe, what the heart of the Son &s;pake to the heart of the Mother; &amp; what the heart of the Mother an|&s;wered to the Sonne. Haue compa&s;&s;ion on them both, &amp; to their &s;peaches ioyne thy petitions. Con&s;ider fourthly, that <HI>Iohn</HI> called not him&s;elfe by his owne name, but the Di&s;ciple whom <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> loued; that thou &s;houlde&s;t alwayes &s;et before thine eyes the be|nefites, wherewith our Lord hath preuented thee, and de|clared his &s;inguler loue to|wards thee. Con&s;ider fiftly,
<PB N="461" REF="255"> that our Lord both by his countenance &amp; wordes, made his la&s;t will and te&s;tament for his Mother and his friends. For beholding his Mother &amp; his Di&s;ciple, hee gaue vnto them him&s;elfe, and all that be|longed vnto him; his crowne of thornes, his nayles, his &s;pit|tings, his bloud, his contempt of the world, his mockings and &s;hames; that wee &s;hould not abhorre the&s;e en&s;ignes of Chri&s;t, but thinke there are great trea&s;ures hidden in them and &s;eeke them by all dili|gence &amp; labour; and that his Mother might bee moued by them to take compa&s;&s;ion vp|pon vs; and that wee (being &s;ignified in <HI>Iohn</HI>) &s;hould v&s;e them in our prayers to God,
<PB N="462" REF="256"> and to the virgin his Mother, and &s;hould be&s;eech them by the&s;e &s;pittings, by the&s;e nayles and by this bloud. Al&s;o by his wordes hee bequeathed his Di&s;ciple to his Mother, and his Mother to his Di&s;ciple, and to all vs. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly euery word of this te&s;tament: <HI>Woman:</HI> he &s;ayth not Mother, but Woman: fir&s;t becau&s;e hee would not giue occa&s;ion to his enemies to mocke her. Secondly becau&s;e he would not afflict his Mothers heart with a name of loue. Thirdly, that he might &s;hewe that this was &s;he of whome God &s;pake long before: <HI>I will put enmity betweene thee and the woman,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 3.</NOTE> <HI>&s;he &s;hall bruize thy head:</HI> for now the body of Chri&s;t taken
<PB N="463" REF="256"> of the Virgine, and giuen by the Virgine to &s;ubdue the power of the Deuill, did bruize the head of the Ser|pent. Fourthly, that we might knowe the con&s;tancy of his Mother, to whome the pro|phe&s;ie of <HI>Salomon</HI> agreed: <HI>who &s;hall finde a valiant wo|man? Behold:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 31.</NOTE> it is not (&s;aith he) an equall change to take the Sonne of man for the Son of God; or the Son of a Fi&s;her-man for the Sonne of &s;o great a King: but the guifte ought to be free, both becau&s;e it was of ne|ce&s;&s;ity, and becau&s;e it came from the Sonne; and al&s;o becau&s;e in him all man-kinde was commended. <HI>Son:</HI> I haue hitherto loued this <HI>Iohn,</HI> and
<PB N="464" REF="257"> in him all Chri&s;tians; I haue counted them my children; I haue prouided for them as for children; and I haue fed them with my fle&s;h &amp; bloud. Ther|fore, &ocirc; my Mother, doe thou account them as thy children for my &s;ake. <HI>Thy:</HI> &s;o loue them, as if thou had&s;t borne them in thy wombe. This re|commending of the Son was of great force with the Mo|ther. Be thou therefore con|fident in the benignity of this Virgin, and flye vnto her, as vnto thy mother in all thy nece&s;&s;ityes.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE>Then hee &s;aid to his Di&s;ciple, beholde thy Mother, and from that houre the Di&s;ciple tooke her as his owne.</HEAD>
<PB N="465" REF="257">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that <HI>Iohn,</HI> who for y^e loue of Chri&s;t had for&s;aken both Father and Mother, had heere a far more worthy mother giuen vnto him: for &s;o our Lord had &s;aid <HI>Hee &s;hall receiue an hundred folde.</HI> Con&s;ider &s;econdly,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 19.</NOTE> that virginity and all cha&s;tity is co~mended by our Lord, and that the wantonnes of the fle&s;h is repre&s;&s;ed through the pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t, and the help of the Mother of God. Con&s;i|der thirdly, the piety of Chri&s;t towards his Mother; that through the grace of Chri&s;t thou maye&s;t obtaine the guift of piety towards God and thy Parents. Con&s;ider fourthly, the wordes of our Lord. <HI>Be|holde:</HI> a great benefite, that
<PB N="466" REF="258"> God and man &s;hould both haue one parent. <HI>Mother:</HI> whom thou may&s;t reuerence, loue, and defend; to whome thou maye&s;t flye; in whome thou maye&s;t haue hope; who &s;hall be a Mediator betweene me, and you my Children, by whome I will accept your prayers. <HI>Thy:</HI> &s;he is not onely patrone of all man-kinde, but of thee al&s;o, as &s;he that loueth thee, and gaue her onely be|gotten Sonne to dye for thee, &s;uffering him to be crucified, whipped, mocked and &s;laine for thee. Con&s;ider filtly, that <HI>Iohn</HI> beeing poore, who had for&s;aken all, and vowed po|uerty with the re&s;t of the A|po&s;tles, and had left him&s;elfe nothing, receiued this newe
<PB N="467" REF="258"> Mother, not into his hou&s;es, lands, or po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ions, but into his dutifull care, &s;eruice, and protection. Therfore he tooke care for her, that &s;he &s;hould want nothing,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Au lib. 18 de ciuit. dei cap. 4.</NOTE> prouiding &s;uf|ficiently for her out of the almes of Chri&s;tians. Pray thou our Lord to commaund his Mother, to bee al&s;o thy Mo|ther, that thou maye&s;t defend her honour, increa&s;e her glo|ry, and &s;tanding with her by the Cro&s;&s;e, maye&s;t receiue the guiftes and benefites of the Cro&s;&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 40. Meditation of the fourth word on the Cro&s;&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE></HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And from the &s;ixt houre dark|ne&s;&s;e was made ouer the whole
<PB N="468" REF="259"> earth vntill the ninth houre, and the Sunne was darkned.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that in the Pa&s;&s;ion of thy Lord the Sunne was darkened, and the vniuer&s;al world was compa&s;&s;ed with darknes, whereof (as St. <HI>Cyprian</HI> wit|ne&s;&s;eth) <HI>Amos</HI> had prophe&s;ied <HI>The Sunne &s;hall &s;et at noone day,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. 2. ad Quirin&uacute;. Cap 23. Amos. 8. Hiere. 15.</NOTE> <HI>and the day of light &s;hall bee darkened:</HI> and <HI>Hieremias: The Sunne did &s;ett before him, when it was midday.</HI> Fir&s;t, that euen as when the mai&s;ter of a fami|ly dyeth, all the hou&s;e is han|ged with blacke to moue &s;or|row &amp; lamentation; &s;o thou when the lightes of Heauen mourne, and darknes ouer|whelmeth the earth, &s;houlde&s;t al&s;o morne and lament for the
<PB N="469" REF="259"> pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord. Second|ly, to declare, that Chri&s;t the true Sunne dyeth, of who&s;e brightnes the light of this our Sun no le&s;&s;e dependeth, then the light of the other &s;tarres depend vpon the brightnes of the Sunne. Thirdly, that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe the greatnes of this &s;inne, from which the Sunne abhorring, did as it were turne away his face and withdraw his light, and &s;hew|ed him&s;elfe ready to reuenge, and offered to his Lord and creator to peri&s;h for his death. Thou learne&s;t hereby, that e|uery mortall &s;inne is &s;o grie|uous, that it were better the Sunne and &s;tarres &s;hould pe|ri&s;h, then that the maie&s;ty of God &s;hould bee offended by
<PB N="470" REF="260"> one &s;inne. For by euery mor|tall &s;inne God is put to death, who&s;e death cannot bee reco~|penced with the peri&s;hing of all creatures. Fourthly, that thou may&s;t know, that Chri&s;t &s;uffred this death for the great and thicke darknes of &s;inners, and of the <HI>Iewes;</HI> y^t this dark|nes being driuen away throgh the death of our Lord, there might a nowe light of faith &amp; diuine wi&s;edome be re&s;tored vnto the world; as at the 9. houre the light appeared a|gaine. Fiftly, that thou may&s;t vnder&s;tand, that the fruite of our Lords death, con&s;i&s;teth in the co~tempt of the &s;plendor &amp; fauour of the world: for they, w^c are crucified with Chri&s;t, reioyce not in Honors &amp; No|bility,
<PB N="471" REF="260"> but in ob&s;curity, neg|lect&punc; &amp; contempt. Con&s;ider 2. the manner of this Eclip&s;e, w^t St. <HI>Dioni&s;ius Areopagita,</HI> being an eye witnes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Epi&s;t. 7. ad. policarpu~. &amp; 11. ad Apolloph.</NOTE> hath de&s;cri|bed. 1. The Moone being at the full and oppo&s;ite to the Sun, returned from midnight to noone. 2. It returned, not by his ordinary motion, from the We&s;t; but by a contrary motion to him&s;elfe, from the Ea&s;t. Thirdly, the Sunne it &s;elfe lo&s;t his light in it &s;elfe. Fourthly, not in one only part of the earth (as in other E|clip&s;es,) but ouer the whole world this darkne&s;&s;e of the Sunne was &s;eene, in like man|ner as of the Moone eclip&s;ed, and depriued of her light by the &s;hadowe of the earth
<PB N="472" REF="261"> falling vppon her. Fiftly, this eclip&s;e continued three whole houres, which v&s;ually la&s;teth but a &s;mall time. All the&s;e thinges are not voide of their rea&s;ons and con&s;iderations. Chri&s;t is the Sonne of Iu&s;tice, the Moone is the world, and fooli&s;h &s;inners:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Eccle&s;. 27</NOTE> <HI>For a foole is changed like the Moone.</HI> Ther|fore our Lord dyed, when the world being oppo&s;ite to God did &s;hine in glory, riches, and wi&s;dome. The world al&s;o came to this eclip&s;e, that is, to the death of our Lord, to w^c, not onely by other &s;innes, but al&s;o by this &s;eeking of the death of Chri&s;t, it had gi|uen cau&s;e. But becau&s;e the maie&s;ty of Chri&s;t is not &s;ub|iect to humane power, hee
<PB N="473" REF="261"> could neuer haue beene ob|&s;cured, &amp; put to death by the power of man, except hee had bin deliuered to death by the diuine will of God. Therfore the Sunne is truly ob&s;cured, and Chri&s;t is truly &s;laine, both by the malice of the world, &amp; by his Fathers wrath. For our Lord was like vnto him, w^c &s;tandeth between two men a fighting, and receiueth both their &s;wordes into his owne body. The world fighteth with God; and our Lord re|ceiueth in his body, both the wrath of God, and the fury of men. <HI>Thy wrath</HI> (&s;aith hee) <HI>hath pa&s;&s;ed through me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 87.</NOTE> <HI>and thy terrors haue troubled me.</HI> Ther|fore when the Sun of Iu&s;tice was eclip&s;ed, the Earth was
<PB N="474" REF="262"> couered with darknes; both becau&s;e by this grieuous &s;inne there was newe matter giuen of lamentation and reuenge; and al&s;o becau&s;e by the death of our Lord all power ouer men was taken away from the Prince of the world, and in &s;tead thereof he was bound in chaynes of fire, and condem|ned to y^e darke pri&s;on of Hell. But whereas the Moone by a contrary motion came from the Ea&s;t to the Sunne in the South, thereby is &s;ignified that the <HI>Iewes</HI> without all con&s;ide|ration of equity and iu&s;tice, ha&s;tened the death of Chri&s;t, contrary to Law, contrary to the right of nature, and con|trary to their owne con&s;ci|ence, and did violently &s;up|pre&s;&s;e
<PB N="475" REF="262"> all good motions in them&s;elues. To bee briefe, the Sunne was eclip&s;ed three houres, becau&s;e our Lord lay hid three whole dayes, partly in torments and in the handes of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> and partly in the Sepulcher. Pray thou vnto Chri&s;t to pre&s;erue the true light of faith and grace in thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>About the nynth houre <HI>Ie|&s;us</HI> cryed out with a loude voyce &s;aying: Eli; Eli,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE> lamma&s;a bact|ani: which is interpreted: My God, my God, why ha&s;t thou for|&s;aken mee?</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, why thy Lord at the end of his life made this crye: Certainly not to e&s;cape the paines; like vnto vs,
<PB N="476" REF="263"> who crye out, a&s;&s;oone as wee feele any paine; for now the end of his paine approached: nor to bee reuenged on the <HI>Iewes</HI> for this his death; for the bloud of Chri&s;t &s;peaketh better then the bloud of <HI>Abell.</HI> But fir&s;t, that hee, who by the &s;pace of three houres, being couered with darknes, had gi|uen no &s;igne of life neither by worde nor groane, might be knowne to bee &s;till aliue. Doe thou con&s;ider with thy &s;elfe what hee did all the time of his &s;ilence in the mid&s;t of his torments: &s;urely hee pray|ed without cea&s;ing vnto God for thee in that admirable ly|turgie and &s;acrifice; and hee rehear&s;ed the holy wordes of the P&s;almes for thy &s;aluation,
<PB N="477" REF="263"> &s;peaking &s;ome with a loude voyce, that he might be heard of the &s;tanders by. Secondly, lea&s;t by the continuall &s;ilence of Chri&s;t, and his admirable patience, and con&s;tancy of minde, hee might erroneou&s;ly be thought to be but a vi&s;ion and no man, and not to haue felt any paine at all. For hee did truly &s;uffer &amp; feele paines; but the loue of thee re&s;trai|ned him from complaining. Thirdly, to teach thee in all thy mi&s;eries, to crye only, and with all affection to almighty God. Fourthly, y^t thou &s;houl|de&s;t learne by this loud voyce to obtaine of God the Father through Chri&s;t the fruite of his Pa&s;&s;ion. Fiftly, that thou &s;hould&s;t earne&s;tly po~der with
<PB N="478" REF="264"> thy &s;elfe, what thinges, &amp; how great; for whome, and by whome our Lord &s;uffered. For our Lord (&s;aith St. <HI>Epi|phanius</HI>) &s;pake the&s;e thinges in the <HI>Syriack</HI> tongue,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Haere. 69</NOTE> that all the &s;tanders by might vnder&s;tand him. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, and marke the wordes. <HI>(O God,)</HI> hee &s;ayeth not, Father; Fir&s;t, becau&s;e hee was a&s;hamed, re|pre&s;enting the per&s;on of all &s;inners, to call him Father; that thou, &s;etting a&s;ide all pride, &s;houlde&s;t learne humi|lity. Secondly lea&s;t he &s;hould &s;eem as a Sonne to complaine of his Father; but rather as a naturall man of his affliction. <HI>(My)</HI> that is, though thou art the God of all creatures, yet thou art peculiarly my God,
<PB N="479" REF="264"> for many re&s;pectes; both be|cau&s;e thou woulde&s;t haue hu|mane nature a&s;&s;umed into the per&s;on of the Son, and mee to be exalted aboue al creatures; and becau&s;e thou with thy owne handes did&s;t frame this body in the Virgins wombe; and al&s;o becau&s;e I haue euer loued and ob&s;erued thee &s;in|cerely without any vice. The repetition <HI>(My God, my God,)</HI> &s;heweth the great affection of this &s;peach: <HI>(Why)</HI> hee asketh not the cau&s;e, lea&s;t the perfect|ion of his obedience &s;hold be dimini&s;hed; but hee complai|neth out of a naturall affectio~. Fir&s;t, y^t he is for&s;aken through no demerite of his owne: <HI>Are</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>the words of my offen|ces far from my &s;aluation?</HI> y^t is,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21.</NOTE>
<PB N="480" REF="265"> doe my &s;innes hinder my &s;al|uation, and thy helpe? but I haue committed no &s;inne. Se|condly, of the vnworthines of the cau&s;e: that thou migh|te&s;t (&s;aith hee) redeeme a poor &s;eruant, thou ha&s;t deliuered thy Sonne to his enemies. <HI>(Ha&s;t thou for&s;aken)</HI> hee &s;hew|eth that hee receiued no helpe nor comfort from the vnion of his Diuinity, and that all the time of his Pa&s;&s;ion, hee was left as man to his owne power. Hee &s;ayeth not, doe&s;t thou for&s;ake, but, ha&s;t thou for&s;aken; not onely in this pa&s;&s;ion, but in all my life thou ha&s;t not a&s;&s;i&s;ted mee in my la|bours. Among&s;t the Prophets many thinges were &s;poken hereof.<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 87</NOTE> <HI>I am poore, &amp; in labors
<PB N="481" REF="265"> from my youth.</HI> An vnworthy thing: I haue a rich Father, but hee giueth his riches plen|tifully among&s;t wicked men. <HI>For of thy hidden thinges,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 16.</NOTE> that is, of riches, which v&s;e to bee hidden, <HI>Their belly is filled:</HI> but I thy Sonne am left in the meane time poore and beg|gerly, &amp; from my child-hood am inforced to great labours. <HI>Thou ha&s;t remoued farre from mee my friend and my neighbour</HI> who might comfort mee in my troubles. <HI>Thy fury is &s;etled ouer me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 87</NOTE> <HI>and thou ha&s;t brought all thy floods vpon mee:</HI> thou ha&s;t oppre&s;&s;ed and drowned mee in calamities. <HI>(Mee)</HI> thy Sonne, whome thou ha&s;t be|gotten fro~ all eternity, whom aboue all creatures thou
<PB N="482" REF="266"> oughte&s;t to holde mo&s;t deare. In the&s;e thinges beholde the iu&s;t cau&s;e of complaint in Chri&s;t, together with the mo&s;t ardent loue of his Father to|wards thee; who becau&s;e hee would heare thy complaint, refu&s;ed to heare the co~plaints of his Son; whom hee would haue, not onely to knowe, but al&s;o really to feele affliction and mi&s;ery; both y^t hee might take compa&s;&s;ion vpon thy in|firmityes; and al&s;o be&s;tow on thee the guift of knowledge, how to v&s;e all things to thine owne &s;aluation.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15</NOTE>But &s;ome &s;tanding there, and hearing, &s;aid: Beholde this man calleth <HI>Helias.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the Ro|mane Soldiours (accor|ding
<PB N="483" REF="266"> to St. <HI>Hierome</HI>) being ignorant of y^e <HI>Hebrue</HI> tongue (for <HI>Eli</HI> is Hebrue, and <HI>Lam|ma&s;abactani,</HI> Syriack) and ha|uing heard many times a|mong the <HI>Iewes,</HI> with whome they co~uer&s;ed, mention made of <HI>Helias,</HI> were deceiued by the meer &s;ound of the words, and thought that our Lord had called vpon <HI>Elias.</HI> Learne thou, not to v&s;e nor interpret ra&s;hly the wordes of God, w^c thou vnder&s;tande&s;t not. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, that, all tho&s;e three houres of the eclip&s;e, euery man &s;tood amazed, without motion, and without &s;peach; but a&s;&s;oone as the light returned, the wicked al|&s;o returned to their irri&s;ions: that thou maye&s;t learne, Fir&s;t,
<PB N="484" REF="267"> that the impiety of wicked men may bee re&s;trained for a time, but cannot be quite ta|ken away, without the &s;peciall fauour of God. Secondly, to ob&s;erue diligently and feare the miracles and thratenings of God. For euen as God by this darknes did fore&s;hew vn|to the <HI>Iewes</HI> the iminent dark|nes, wherin for euer they &s;hall remaine, except they repent; &s;o by his threatning &s;ignes, by comets, thunder, earthquakes pe&s;tilence, famine, and other &s;trange thinges and euents, he fore&s;heweth the calamity and mi&s;chiefe to come. Con&s;ider thirdly, whereas heretofore y^e <HI>Iewes</HI> required a &s;igne to bee giuen them from Heauen; heere they hauing a &s;igne, are
<PB N="485" REF="267"> made neuer the better: That thou maye&s;t knowe, that they would not haue beleeued, as they promi&s;ed, if hee &s;hould di&s;cend from the Cro&s;&s;e; be|cau&s;e the de&s;ires of the wick|ed are not directed to their &s;aluation, but to vanity and mocking. Con&s;ider fourthly, what comfort is brought fro~ the world; to wit, mocking, and contempt; for how can they comfort others, which want true comfort of minde them&s;elues? Con&s;ider fiftly, that the&s;e wordes were &s;po|ken by them, which &s;tood by, and heard: that thou maye&s;t learne, Fir&s;t, y^e idle men, which are not occupied in their own affaires, doe nothing but carp and &s;coffe at the wordes and
<PB N="486" REF="268"> deedes of others. Secondly that &s;uch wre&s;t Gods wordes, to an euill &s;ence, which onely heare them, and doe not im|ploy their time to the &s;tudy of vertue. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly, that the wicked knowe no diffe|rence betweene <HI>Helias,</HI> &amp; <HI>Eli,</HI> and the honour, which is due vnto God, and which is due vnto creatures. Therefore &s;ome leauing God, &s;eeke help of his creatures, to which they v&s;e to flye in all their nece&s;&s;i|ties; others giue more honor to men, then to God him&s;elfe; others thinke tho&s;e thinges to bee done to creatures, which by them are referred vnto God, as the reuerence &amp; wor|&s;hip done to Images &amp; Saints, obedie~ce to their Pa&s;tors &amp;c.
<PB N="487" REF="268"> But doe thou better interpret the wordes of Chri&s;t, &amp; pray him to informe thy &s;oule with his diuine guift of knowledg.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 41. Meditation of the fift worde of Chri&s;t on the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Afterwards <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> knowing, that all thinges were now con|&s;ummate,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> that the Scripture might bee fulfilled, hee &s;aide I thir&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that our Lord in all the&s;e tor|ments of the Cro&s;&s;e, did neuerthele&s;&s;e in his minde reuolue the Scriptures, and di|ligently view them all, lea&s;t perhaps there might bee &s;om|thing in them vnfulfilled for thy &s;aluation: that thou like|wi&s;e,
<PB N="488" REF="269"> being alwayes attentiue to the will of God, and to the co~mandements of thy Superi|ours, may&s;t neuer ouer-flip a|ny thing belonging to thy of|fice &amp; duty. Con&s;ider &s;econd|ly, that Chri&s;t neuer &s;pake, nor did any thing ra&s;hly, but referred all thinges to this end that the Scripture might bee fulfilled. Ble&s;&s;ed art thou, if thou doe&s;t nothing, but of o|bedience, w^c giueth a great or|nament to the dooer, and de|&s;erueth an admirable recom|pence for the worke. Con&s;ider thirdly, that this thir&s;t was mo&s;t grieuous; which y^e king|ly prophet <HI>Dauid</HI> fore&s;awe &s;o many ages before; which grewe both from the labours and torments of the Cro&s;&s;e,
<PB N="489" REF="269"> and fro~ the continuall &s;treams of bloud, and from his fa&s;ting all the day and night before. Mark the wordes of the P&s;al|mi&s;t:<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 21.</NOTE> <HI>My &s;trength is dryed like an earthen pott, and my tongue hath cleaued vnto my iawes, and thou ha&s;t brought mee into the du&s;t of death;</HI> that is, thou ha&s;t made mee like to dry a&s;hes. Con&s;ider fourthly, why the Scriptures, that &s;pake of this thir&s;t, were fulfilled la&s;t, after all the re&s;t: to wit, Fir&s;t, that the fir&s;t &s;inne co~mitted in the wood by intempera~ce, which infected all mankinde, might as the greate&s;t prouoker of all the re&s;t, be la&s;t of all wa&s;hed away and aboli&s;hed vpon the wood of the Cro&s;&s;e. Secondly becau&s;e this thir&s;t proceeced
<PB N="490" REF="270"> from the decaying of his &s;trength, and from the lo&s;&s;e of all naturall moi&s;ture; that our Lord might declare vnto vs, that hee had with a liberall hand be&s;towed all his benefits vpon vs. Con&s;ider fiftly, why being inwrapped &amp; compa&s;|&s;ed with &s;o many torments &amp; paines on euery &s;ide, he com|plained onely of thir&s;t. Fir&s;t, to &s;how, that he did truly and &s;harply feele the torments of the Cro&s;&s;e: for Chri&s;t v&s;eth not to complaine lightly, but onely in matter of great mo|ment. Secondly, to commend temperance by his example a|boue all other vertues, which doth both lift vp the minde to God, and bringeth a mo&s;t cer|taine remedy for &s;innes. 3.
<PB N="491" REF="270"> That hee, which had &s;hed all his bloud for vs, and had gi|uen vs all his goods, and had prayed for the &s;innes of all men to his Father, might vn|der&s;tand, what &s;ign of a thank|full minde men would &s;hew vnto him, when he was ready to depart out of the world. I de&s;ire yee not (&s;aith hee) to take me from the Cro&s;&s;e, nor to giue me my cloathes to co|uer my nakednes, nor to heale my woundes; but onely to giue me one drop of water to quench my thir&s;t, which is de|nyed onely to the damned in Hell: I de&s;ire yee onely to refre&s;h my drynes: I require this fauour only of you for all my labours. Fourthly, that he might be vnder&s;tood to &s;peak
<PB N="492" REF="271"> not of his bodily onely, but &s;pecially of his &s;pirituall thir&s;t. Hee thir&s;ted indeede for our amendment, our perfection, and our &s;aluation; w^c thir&s;t he had euer from the beginning of his life mo&s;t burning and to quench the &s;ame he left no|thing vnattempted, but did all things mo&s;t liberally, and &s;uf|fered all thinges mo&s;t con|&s;tantly, and both &s;hewed it alwayes by his deeds, and de|clared it often by his wordes. Therefore hee &s;aid to the <HI>Sa|maritan</HI> woman:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 4.</NOTE> Giue me to drinke: And hee &s;aid to his Apo&s;tles: <HI>I haue to be bapti|&s;ed with a bapti&s;me,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 12.</NOTE> <HI>and how am I &s;traitned till it bee di&s;patched?</HI> Al&s;o hee admoni&s;hed <HI>Iudas, that which thou doe&s;t, do quickly.</HI>
<PB N="493" REF="271"> And here al&s;o at the houre of his death hee &s;hewed his thir&s;t more clearly; both be|cau&s;e his loue did then &s;hine more bright vpon vs, like vn|to a candle, which oftentimes giueth more light immediate|ly before it goeth out, and to a Swan, which before his death &s;ingeth more &s;weetly; &amp; al&s;o to &s;hew that hee was ready, to &s;uffer more for our &s;aluatio~ if neede were. I thir&s;t (&s;aith hee) that is, re&s;teth there any thing for mee to doe to my vineyard, which I haue not done?<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 5.</NOTE> Beholde while&s;t I haue time, I offer my &s;elfe to &s;uffer more &amp; greater thinges; nei|ther can my thir&s;t be &s;atisfied by rea&s;on of the heate of my loue, except I drinke aboun|dantly
<PB N="494" REF="272"> of the cup of my Pa&s;&s;i|on, and transferre the fruite thereof to my members (that is) to my Di&s;ciples. And hee &s;peaketh to his Father, who knewe the inward de&s;ires of his Sonne. Admire heere the loue of Chri&s;t, which in this his Pa&s;&s;ion &s;ent forth a &s;weete &s;auour vnto vs, like vnto pre|cious &s;pices, which doe then yeilde forth the &s;weete&s;t &s;ent, when they are mo&s;t bruzed &amp; broken into powder. Fiftly to leaue this thir&s;t vnto vs by his la&s;t will and te&s;tament. The world thir&s;teth after ri|ches, honours, plea&s;ures, and other vaine delightes, which put them to a great deale of trauaile, and yet neuer &s;ati&s;fie their thir&s;t and de&s;ire, but like
<PB N="495" REF="272"> &s;trong poy&s;on kill them pre|&s;ently as &s;oone as they haue drunke thereof, as it happen|ed to the Captaine <HI>Sy&s;ara,</HI> beeing killed by a woman af|ter he had drunke milke.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Iudi. 4.</NOTE> Chri&s;t would haue thee to thir&s;t after God, the fountaine of the water of life, and not to digge broken Ce&s;ternes, which cannot hold water. I would thou didde&s;t thir&s;t af|ter thine owne &s;aluation, as Chri&s;t thir&s;ted after it, or as the Deuill thir&s;teth after thy perdition. Be thou the heire of the thir&s;t of Chri&s;t, &amp; pray him to &s;atisfie thee with the brea&s;ts of his grace.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Then a ve&s;&s;ell of vineger was &s;et,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Ioan. 19</NOTE> and pre&s;ently one of them running, filled a &s;ponge, which
<PB N="496" REF="273"> he had with vineger, and &s;et it vpon a reede, and Hy&s;ope, and gaue him to drinke.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t the prone|nes of men to mi&s;chiefe, who vpon the lea&s;t occa&s;ion offered, make ha&s;t to &s;inne; and al&s;o the helpe of the De|uill, who pre&s;ently affoordeth them meanes to &s;inne. Heere were all thinges prepared, a ve&s;&s;ell, vineger, a &s;ponge, and a reede. Marke what &s;inners brought into Mount <HI>Caluary,</HI> and into the Church, to wit, in&s;truments for the death of our Lord. Contrariwi&s;e holy men with <HI>Nichodemus</HI> and <HI>Io|&s;eph</HI> of <HI>Aramathia</HI> bring thi|ther in&s;trume~ts to take downe the body of our Lord from the Cro&s;&s;e. Thinke thou with
<PB N="497" REF="273"> thy &s;elfe what in&s;truments thou do&s;t v&s;e in holy Church, whether to kill, or to &s;aue &s;oules. Con&s;ider &s;eco~dly, that Chri&s;t at y^e houre of his death had no comfort, neither in word nor deed, but was deny|ed euen a droppe of water. Perhappes according to the cu&s;tome there wanted not wine, which the executioners them&s;elues had &s;pent through their cruelty and wantonnes, according to the prophe&s;ie of <HI>Amos: They &s;ate vpon the pleadged garments hard by the Altar</HI> (of the Cro&s;&s;e) <HI>and they dranke the wine of the condem|ned in the hou&s;e of their God;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Amos. 2.</NOTE> which was the Mount <HI>Calua|ry.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly, y^e &s;ponge was filled with vineger, and
<PB N="498" REF="274"> fa&s;tned to a branch of Hi&s;ope, according to the cu&s;tome in their auncient &s;acrifices,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Leuit. 4.</NOTE> and &s;et vpon a reede, and &s;o put to the mouth of our Sauiour to &s;ucke thereof; which beeing done with a Soldiour-like rudene&s;&s;e, many droppes fell into the wounds of him that was crucified, and with the &s;harpenes thereof afflicted his fle&s;h. Was this the reward of that mouth, which opened &s;o often for our &s;aluation, and of that tongue, which gaue vs &s;o many good le&s;&s;ons, cured &s;o many di&s;ea&s;ed, &amp; wrought &s;o many myracles? But Chri&s;t who had already &s;atisfied God the Father for thy other &s;innes with his other paines, curing thy pride with his great &s;hame
<PB N="499" REF="274"> thy couetou&s;ne&s;&s;e with his ex|ceeding pouerty, thy lu&s;t with his mo&s;t bitter torments, thy wrath with his incredible pa|tience, thy &s;loath with his di|ligent alacrity; would now al&s;o apply a medicine for thy gluttony and intemperance, and by this bitterne&s;&s;e, as by a contrary medicine, purge and wa&s;h thy mouth, which was infected by eating the apple in Paradi&s;e. Behold what drinke thou v&s;e&s;t to drinke vnto thy Lord, to wit, vine|ger, and the bottome, &amp; dregs of wine. To the world thou giue&s;t &s;weete wine; for her &s;ake thou laboure&s;t earne&s;tly; thou &s;eeke&s;t to winne her fa|uour by all diligence, and &s;pa|re&s;t neither indu&s;try, &s;trength,
<PB N="500" REF="275"> wealth, nor any thing, which thou ha&s;t: but to Chri&s;t, thy God, thou mingle&s;t all thy wor&s;t things, thy &s;loath, thy theft, thy hatred, and thy o|ther &s;ins, for which our Lord complaineth: <HI>I expected that he &s;hould make Grapes,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 5.</NOTE> <HI>and hee made the wilde Vine.</HI> And the world againe for thy &s;weete wine reacheth vnto thee vi|neger vpon a reede, that is, cold and bitter delightes in a broken and vaine &s;oule: for the world hath not, nor can|not giue any true comfort or &s;weetnes. Therefore doe thou rather drinke &s;weete wine vn|to Chri&s;t, and earne&s;tly from thy heart con&s;ecrate thy &s;elfe, &amp; all that thou ha&s;t vnto him: and euen as thou wilt not offer
<PB N="501" REF="275"> to thy louing Father a withe|red, but a fre&s;h &amp; &s;weet &s;mel|ling flower; &s;o doe thou offer vnto Chri&s;t the flower of thy age, &amp; thy &s;weete&s;t labours; and he will exhibite him&s;elfe againe to thee, as a &s;ponge, fa&s;tened to the reede of the Cro&s;&s;e, full of grace and truth, out of which thou mai&s;t &s;ucke &s;weete water; &amp; he will com|municate vnto thee the guift of vnder&s;tanding, whereby thou mai&s;t vnder&s;tand, and be partaker of the delihgts of thy &s;pou&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And he &s;aid, let be,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15 Mat. 27.</NOTE> let vs &s;ee whether <HI>Helias</HI> come to take him downe: and the others &s;aid, let be, let vs &s;ee, whether <HI>Helias</HI> come to deliuer him.</HEAD>
<PB N="502" REF="276">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the words of the executioners. One of them reaching him vine|ger, which being dronke by the crucified per&s;on, ha&s;tneth his death, &s;aith: <HI>let be, let vs &s;ee whether</HI> Helias <HI>come:</HI> that is, <HI>Helias</HI> &s;hall not come, for I will preuent him by this deadly cup, and rid this man out of the way. Others by the &s;ame words per&s;waded him to &s;tay the cuppe, that they might &s;ee by experience, whe|ther <HI>Helias</HI> would come, and &s;o reproue him as a fal&s;e Pro|phet, of vanity, in calling vp|on &s;hadowes, &amp; tho&s;e which were dead. Learn thou heere, fir&s;t, what tho&s;e executioners thought of our Lord, beeing euen then ready to dye; that
<PB N="503" REF="276"> thou maye&s;t e&s;teeme better of him in thy &s;oule. Secondly, that he departed out of this world with great thir&s;t, and carryed that thir&s;t of thy &s;al|uation into heauen with him, where with an ardent, though not trouble&s;ome de&s;ire, hee worketh the meanes of thy &s;aluation. Thirdly, that this cold and piercing cuppe of vineger brought death vnto our Lord: for through &s;inne death entring into the world, killed all, and &s;pared not the very Sonne of God, for whom it was nece&s;&s;ary to ta&s;te of death, that he might ouer|throwe death. Re&s;olue thou therefore to flye &s;inne, lea&s;t hauing gotten power to kill thy body, it creepe farther,
<PB N="504" REF="277"> and kill thy &s;oule al&s;o. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly, two kindes of men: for &s;ome without faith doe by their &s;innes deride the patience of God:<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3</NOTE> <HI>Where</HI> (&s;ay they) <HI>is his promi&s;e, or his com|ming?</HI> Others haue faith, but preuent the &s;ting of con&s;ci|ence with ha&s;t of &s;inning, <HI>Who&s;e feete runne to euill.</HI> Take thou heede of both; and pray vnto God not to for&s;ake thee in the houre of death, to bee mocked by the Deuill.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 42. Meditation of the &s;ixt word of our Lord on the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE>When <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> had taken the vi|neger, he &s;aid.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. that this word aboue all the re&s;t brought
<PB N="505" REF="277"> admirable comfort to all &s;in|ners. For hitherto all that hee &s;aid, pertayned for the mo&s;t part to the executioners, to the Thiefe, to his Mother, &amp;c: but this he &s;peaketh to vs all, declaring, that now our debts are payed, and all things per|fected, which &s;eeme nece&s;&s;ary to our &s;aluation. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, who he is, which &s;aith, it is co~&s;ummate: to wit, Chri&s;t God and man; for as man he offereth this payment, and as God he receiueth it. For euen as he that draweth wine, and hee for whome it is drawne, &s;aith there is good mea&s;ure, we ought to credit them: &s;o we ought to beleeue Chri&s;t our Lord, &s;aying: all thinges are con&s;ummate. Con&s;ider
<PB N="506" REF="278"> thirdly, where he &s;pake it: as fir&s;t, vpon the Altar of the Cro&s;&s;e, in which the price was payed vnto God. Secondly, in a high and eminent place, y^t like vnto a cryer, he might publi&s;h the&s;e newe tydings vnto the world. Li&s;ten thou vnto it, and be a&s;&s;ured that the price is paid. Con&s;ider fourth|ly, when he &s;pake it: which was when he had drunke the vineger, and was now ready to dye: that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe, that he being nothing moued with our ingratitude, did confirme his la&s;t will and te&s;tament vnto vs, w^c &s;hall neuer bee infringed by any wickedne&s;&s;e of man, but who|&s;oeuer will be partaker of this bloud, it &s;hall remaine whole
<PB N="507" REF="278"> and holy vnto him. Con&s;ider fiftly, why he &s;pake it: name|ly, for our comfort, who knowe the offence of &s;inne to bee &s;o great, that no crea|ture was able to redeeme the &s;ame. Our Lord therefore af|firmeth, that the enorinity of our offences is not &s;o great, nor the number of our &s;innes &s;o many, nor our debts &s;o in|finite, but that he hath fully &s;atisfied for all. Pray thou vn|to him, to comfort thee at thy death with this word, lea&s;t thou bee&s;t affrayd to appeare before God thy creditor tho|rough the greatne&s;&s;e of thy debts.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>It is con&s;ummate.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, he &s;aid not, this or y^t is con&s;ummate;
<PB N="508" REF="279"> but ab&s;olutely, it is con&s;um|mate: that thou mai&s;t knowe, that by this pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t all things are con&s;ummate, and made perfect in Heauen and in earth; as well tho&s;e things, which portain to God, as tho&s;e, which belong to man. For euen as &s;inne viola|ted all things; &s;o the bloud of Chri&s;t re&s;tored all thinges againe: that thou mai&s;t learn to &s;eeke all things in the pa&s;&s;i|on of Chri&s;t, and with the A|po&s;tle <HI>to glory in nothing, but in the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord Ie&s;us Chri&s;t.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Gal. 6.</NOTE> Con&s;ider &s;econdly, how tho&s;e things, which be|long to God, are con&s;ummate by Chri&s;t. For fir&s;t, he perfect|ly ob&s;erued all the commaun-of God the Father, and neuer
<PB N="509" REF="279"> tran&s;gre&s;&s;ed any of them, no, not in thought. Secondly, he carefully fulfilled all thinges committed to him in charge by the holy Scriptures; nei|ther did one lot or tytle pa&s;&s;e, which was not fulfilled.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 5.</NOTE> For he had receiued fro~ his Father a double charge; one deliue|red in Heauen to him&s;elfe, an|other committed to writing and communicated to vs. Thirdly, he ended all figures, ceremonies, and &s;hadowes of the old Te&s;tament, and com|maunded all things to cea&s;e, which &s;ignified the death of the Me&s;&s;ias, and the future my&s;teries of the Church. Fourthly, what&s;oeuer was im|perfect in the old &s;acrifices, hee perfected and fulfilled in
<PB N="510" REF="280"> one &s;acrifice of the Cro&s;&s;e. Fiftly, by this his death he re|payred the ruines of Heauen, which were opened by the &s;innes of <HI>Lucifer,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">oan. 1.</NOTE> <HI>and gaue power to men to bee made the &s;onnes of God, to tho&s;e, which belieue in his name,</HI> and after this life &s;pent in the &s;eruice of God, to repleni&s;h againe the &s;eates of tho&s;e Angels, whom their wickedne&s;&s;e and &s;inne had throwne downe into hell. Behold how thy Lord, ready to goe to his Father, doth glory, that he hath left no|thing in this world vncon|&s;ummate, but that he hath ex|ecuted all things to the full, which hee was commaunded. I would thou al&s;o at y^e houre of thy death, according to the
<PB N="511" REF="280"> example of thy Lord, could|e&s;t glory, that thou ha&s;t left nothing imperfect in thy &s;elfe. Saint <HI>Paul</HI> &s;aid: <HI>I haue fought a good fight, I haue con&s;um|mate my cour&s;e,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 4</NOTE> <HI>I haue kept the faith:</HI> And Saint <HI>Peter</HI> in the name of the Apo&s;tles: <HI>Behold, we haue left all things and haue followed thee:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 19.</NOTE> <HI>what therefore &s;hall we haue?</HI> What wilt thou &s;ay when thou art ready to dye, who ha&s;t violated Gods commandements, and ha&s;t re|ceiued thy good in this life? What can&s;t thou offer vnto God for the reward of eternal glory? Thinke earne&s;tly of the&s;e thinges, that thou may&s;t diligently execute the Com|maundements of our Lord. Co~&s;ider thirdly, that by Chri&s;t
<PB N="512" REF="281"> his Pa&s;&s;ion, all thinges like|wi&s;e are con&s;ummate, w^c be|long to vs. 1. Sinne receiued his end; as <HI>Daniel</HI> fore&s;hewed: <HI>All debts are payed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Dan. 9.</NOTE> <HI>the price of all the &s;innes of the whole world is fully numbred to God the Fa|ther.</HI> 2. <HI>To the faithfull all their goods are gotten, that nothing is wanting to vs in any grace.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2.</NOTE> 3. He hath perfected his Church a new Common wealth, and a cho&s;en vineyard: for whereas indeede it was begun to bee planted from the beginning of the world, but for want of good manuring did not pro&s;|per; Chri&s;t by his Pa&s;&s;ion pre|pared al things nece&s;&s;ary for it he in&s;tituted a Sacrifice, &amp; Sa|craments, he ordained Pa&s;tors he made new lawes he diuided
<PB N="513" REF="281"> offices to euery one, hee &s;ent the holy Gho&s;t into y^e harts of y^e faithfull; to be &s;hort, he per|fected it in &s;uch manner, as he had &s;poken before:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Hiere. 31</NOTE> <HI>I will con|&s;u~mate my new Te&s;tament vpon the hou&s;e of</HI> I&s;raell, <HI>&amp; vpon the hou&s;e of</HI> Iuda. Hee began to write this Te&s;tament many a|ges pa&s;t, which now with this worde, as with the &s;ub&s;criptio~ of his hand, &amp; with his bloud and pa&s;&s;ion, as with his &s;eale, is &s;igned by him. 4. He fulfilled the de&s;ire of the Saints, &amp; hea|ped abou~dantly his guifts vpo~ all y^e faithfull, whom he would haue con&s;ummated into one, ioyned together in perfect charity, &amp; repleni&s;hed with y^e 7. guifts of the holy Gho&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 17</NOTE> Do thou therfore, who ha&s;t recei|ued
<PB N="514" REF="282"> &s;o many benefites fro~ thy &s;pou&s;e, neuer leaue to doe his will, becau&s;e <HI>his will is thy &s;anctification:</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 The&s;. 1.</NOTE> and bee thou carefull to keepe whole &amp; vn|uiolate the white garment, and grace of the holy Gho&s;t, which thou dide&s;t receiue in the Sacraments. Con&s;ider 4. that many things are con&s;um|mate by this pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t euen in wicked men. Fir&s;t, the hate of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> w^c could not further bee extended. 2. The malice of y^e Deuils, who could doe no more again&s;t Chri&s;t. 3. The Kingdome of the Deuil, the Prince of this world was ended, his forces broken, his &s;poyles taken away, &amp; he him|&s;elfe bound in hel with a chain neuer to be feared more, but
<PB N="515" REF="282"> to be laughed at, euen by little children.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 11.</NOTE> Feare not then y^e a&s;|&s;aults of the deuill, who can only coun&s;el &amp; threaten; but cannot compell nor hurt. Co~|&s;ider 5. that Chri&s;t him&s;elfe is al&s;o con&s;ummate for vs, as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith: <HI>Beeing con&s;um|mate,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 5.</NOTE> <HI>he was made to all that o|bey him cau&s;e of eternall &s;alua|tion.</HI> 1. His bloud is con&s;um|mate, all w^c he powred out of his veines for thy &s;ake; his &s;trength is con&s;u~mate, which hee exhau&s;ted for thee; all his goods are con&s;ummate, both within &amp; without, w^c he offred for thee. 2. His paines are con|&s;u~mate; an end is come of all his euils; &amp; glory only remai|neth. Therefore in this &s;ence, <HI>It is con&s;ummate,</HI> is a worde
<PB N="516" REF="283"> of reioycing, that his labours are ouercome. Now (&s;aith he) all thinges are perfect; <HI>Winter is done,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1.</NOTE> <HI>the &s;hower is pa&s;t, and gone;</HI> there is an end of all e|uils, &amp; the begining of good: For his very Sepulcher <HI>&s;hall pre&s;ently after his death bee glo|rious.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 35.</NOTE> Be thou carefull whil&s;t thou liue&s;t, that thy death may end all euills, &amp; open the way to good. Thirdly this mortall life is con&s;ummate: O Father (&s;aith hee) I now leaue the world, and come vnto thee. This word one day &s;hal al&s;o be &s;poken vnto thee: <HI>It is co~&s;um|mate: thy life</HI> mu&s;t be ended, &amp; thou mu&s;t leaue all thinges, w^c thou ha&s;t, thy riches, thy ho|nours, thy parents, thy wife, thy children, and thy friends.
<PB N="517" REF="283"> For <HI>I haue &s;eene an end of all con&s;ummation: and wee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 118</NOTE> <HI>who brought nothing into this world,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Tim. 6.</NOTE> <HI>without doubt cannot carry a|way any thing.</HI> Therefore if with Chri&s;t thou ha&s;t nothing but troubles and cro&s;&s;es, if all thinges in the world be bitter and &s;ower vnto thee, the voice of Chri&s;t calling thee will not be vnwelcome: <HI>It is con&s;um|mate:</HI> becau&s;e the houre of thy redemptio~ draweth nigh.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 24. Eccle. 4.</NOTE> <HI>But O how bitter is the remem|brance of death to a man hauing peace in his &s;ub&s;tance!</HI></P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>It is Con&s;ummate.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t had &s;poken &s;omthing be|fore of his con&s;u~mation, as in <HI>Luke: Behold we goe vp to</HI> Hie|ru&s;alem,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 18.</NOTE> <HI>and all thinges &s;hall bee
<PB N="518" REF="284"> con&s;ummate, which are written by the Prophets of the Sonne of man.</HI> Hee gaue al&s;o &s;ome be|ginning to this co~&s;ummation, when hee &s;aide in his la&s;t &s;up|per:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 15</NOTE> <HI>I haue con&s;ummate the worke, which thou gaue&s;t mee, that I &s;hould doe.</HI> But in the al|tar of the Cro&s;&s;e all thinges are con&s;u~mate; neither could any thing bee con&s;u~mate be|fore his pa&s;&s;ion on the Cro&s;&s;e, becau&s;e without &s;hedding of bloud there is no remi&s;&s;ion of &s;innes,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb. 9.</NOTE> and a te&s;tament is not confirmed, but by the death of the te&s;tator. Con&s;ider &s;econd|ly, the manner of his con&s;um|mation; to wit, the notable con&s;tancy of thy Lord, and his inuincible courage. Fir&s;t, hee perfected all thinges alone: <HI>I
<PB N="516" REF="284"> haue trodden</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>the pre&s;&s;e alone,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 6.</NOTE> <HI>and amongst the people there was not a man with mee:</HI> that thou &s;hould&s;t neuer giue ouer the &s;tudy of piety &amp; de|uotion, though thou wert for|&s;aken of all men. For God &s;eeth and helpeth thy endea|uours; who becau&s;e he would not be wanting to thee in thy labours, denyed his helpe and a&s;&s;i&s;tance to his Sonne. Se|condly, hee &s;ubmitted all his members, &amp; filled them with torments; that thou &s;hould&s;t &s;pare no labor for the &s;eruice of thy &s;pou&s;e. Thirdly, hee per&s;euered euen to the end of his worke. Thou oftentimes conceiue&s;t a good worke, but thou doe&s;t &s;eldome begin it, and more &s;eldome proceed in
<PB N="520" REF="285"> it, and &s;carce euer bring it to an end. Pray our Lord, to graunt thee the guift of forti|tude, that thou neuer faint in the &s;tudy of vertues. Con&s;ider thirdly, with what liberality hee inuiteth thee to tho&s;e thinges, which hee hath con|&s;ummated by the&s;e his labors. <HI>My Bulles</HI> (&s;aith hee) <HI>and my Fowles are killed,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 22.</NOTE> <HI>come to the marriage.</HI> For in this pa&s;&s;ion, Fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sap. 17.</NOTE> <HI>All &s;pirituall daintyes are found for euery man his ta&s;t, and nece&s;&s;ity;</HI> as the Scripture reci|teth concerning <HI>Manna.</HI> Se|condly, it is the medicine of all di&s;ea&s;es. Thirdly, it is the payment of all debts. Do thou therefore inioy this liberality of Chri&s;t, and being wholy melted into his loue, de&s;ire to
<PB N="521" REF="285"> know nothing el&s;e, but <HI>Ie&s;us Chri&s;t, and him crucified.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> Cor. 2.</NOTE> Con|&s;ider fourthly, y^t by this word <HI>It is con&s;ummate:</HI> God y^e Fa|ther is asked by Chri&s;t, whe|ther any thing bee wanting to our perfect &s;aluation; and that al&s;o all creatures&punc; yea euen our enemies, are as it were iudici|ally cyted, to con&s;ider what is wanting, and to &s;peake it be|fore the death of Chri&s;t. For our Lord profe&s;&s;eth, that hee will pay to the full, if there be any puni&s;hment yet remai|ning. Behold the liberall mind of thy Lord. Pray him then, that, laying a&s;ide all couetou&s;|nes, thou maye&s;t bee indued with this bountiful liberality. Co~&s;ider fiftly, that the&s;e great riches of Chri&s;t are &s;o proui|ded
<PB N="522" REF="286"> for thee, that thou ough|te&s;t to make application of them to thy &s;elfe. Thy dinner indeed is ready, but thou mu&s;t goe to the table, and put the meate in thy mouth: thy me|dicine is made, but it is kept in the &s;hop of the Church in|clo&s;ed in &s;eauen boxes, to wit in the &s;eauen Sacraments: the price is payed for thee, but not yet applyed vnto thee. Doe not thou thinke, that onely Faith (as &s;ome Heretiques would haue thee belieue) is &s;ufficient for thee; thou mu&s;t goe with thy feete to dinner; thou mu&s;t take thy meate, and medicine with thy handes; thou mu&s;t put them into thy mouth, and receiue them into thy &s;tomache: that is, thou
<PB N="523" REF="286" MS="y"> mu&s;t frequent the Sacraments and be diligent in the exerci&s;e of vertues, that that, w^c was effected &amp; giuen for all man|kinde, may bee accepted for thee, applied to thee, and pro|fite thee. Pray thou our Lord that hee, who &s;pent and con|&s;ummated all his dayes with infinite merits of good works will neuer &s;uffer thee to &s;pend and pa&s;&s;e away thy dayes idly and in vaine.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 4<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">. Meditation of the &s;eauenth worde of our Lord on the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And crying againe,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15. Luc. 23.</NOTE> he &s;aide with a loude voyce.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that as of|ten as Chri&s;t &s;pake for him&s;elfe vnto his Fa|ther,
<PB N="524" REF="287"> hee cryed with a loude voyce; but when he &s;pake to others, or for others, hee v&s;ed a lower voyce, to teach thee, Fir&s;t, that thou mu&s;t alwayes deale with God with great af|fection. To others thou ope|ne&s;t thy griefes with teares, but when thou &s;peake&s;t with God, thou art &s;o drye, that thou ha&s;t &s;carce any feeling of deuotio~. Secondly, what grie|uous paines the Son of God &s;uffered, who with the vio|lence thereof was forced to crye out. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t for diuers cau&s;es cryed out in his prayers, when hee was ready to dye.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 11.</NOTE> Fir&s;t, to &s;hew that he was Lord of life and death; hauing power to yeeld vp his &s;oule, and to take
<PB N="525" REF="287"> it againe, at his owne will and plea&s;ure. Therfore hee called for death (as <HI>Nazianzen</HI> &s;aith) which dur&s;t not come,<NOTE PLACE="marg">In Chri&s;to patiente.</NOTE> except it had been called. Secondly, to mooue God the Father to mercy: For &s;eeing all man|kinde, being oppre&s;&s;ed with grieuous &s;innes, was farre off from God, hee, who carryed the per&s;on of all men, ought to cal vpon God with a loude voyce, being &s;o farre ab&s;ent. Doe thou therefore knock at our Lords eares, not &s;o much with loudnes of voice, as with affection of hart. Thirdly, that this voice, being &s;ent through the whole world, might moue mens hearts, and that hearing of the death of God for their &s;innes, they might be penitent
<PB N="529" REF="288"> for their offences. For at this voyce the Earth was &s;haken, the Rockes were cleft in &s;un|der, and the Monuments were opened; that thy &s;tony heart might al&s;o be broken by the force of this worde of God. Not without cau&s;e did <HI>Marke</HI> &s;ay, <HI>(his voyce being &s;ent forth)</HI> that thou &s;hould&s;t vnder&s;tand that being &s;ent into the world it worketh &s;till in the heartes of men. Fourthly, that Hell &s;hould tremble at this voyce: and euen as at the crye of our Lord, calling <HI>Lazarus,</HI> y^e &s;oule of <HI>Lazarus</HI> returned without delay into his body; &s;o now euery one there &s;hould pre|pare him&s;elfe to receiue their Lord, being ready in&s;tantly to come vnto them. The holy
<PB N="527" REF="288"> Fathers therefore in <HI>Limbo</HI> re|ioyced at this voyce: and the Deuils in Hell trembled. Fift|ly, to teach thee how to me|ditate on death, not remi&s;ly, or negligently, as of a thing little pertaining to thee; nor &s;lowly and dully, as of a thing a farre off; but often and ear|ne&s;tly, &amp; of a thing mo&s;t cer|taine, and at hand, &amp; &s;o much the more feruently, becau&s;e it is the onely gate to &s;aluation. Con&s;ider thirdly, that in the ninth houre our Lord brake forth into this clamor: in the houre (I &s;ay) of prayer, and of the euening Sacrifice. For then the true hoa&s;t was &s;acri|ficed vpon the Cro&s;&s;e, and be|ing cutt into two partes, that is, into body and &s;oule, was
<PB N="528" REF="289"> immolated to God the Father by the high Prie&s;t with a loud voyce and great labour. Ioyne thou thy prayers with Chri&s;t his prayer, that with his voice they may pierce the Fathers eares.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE>O Father, into thy handes I commend my &s;pirit.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t prayed not vnto his Fa|ther vppon the Cro&s;&s;e, but in the wordes of the Scripture. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e hee knewe, that the&s;e wordes were mo&s;t ac|ceptable to his Father, beeing written by the holy Gho&s;t, to teach vs to pray. Secondly, to teach thee to wor&s;hip God not according to thy owne fa&s;hion &amp; vnder&s;tanding, but in &s;uch manner, as the Church
<PB N="529" REF="289"> indued with the holy Gho&s;t hath appointed thee. Con&s;i|der &s;econdly, that Chri&s;t v&s;ed this word, <HI>Father,</HI> onely twi&s;e vpo~ the Cro&s;&s;e, in his fir&s;t, &amp; in his la&s;t prayer, but in his mid|dle, that is, in his fourth pray|er, hee called him not Father, but, God. Fir&s;t, y^t thou &s;houl|de&s;t like a Son, willingly ac|cept that puni&s;hment, which thy Father &s;endeth, and in thy puni&s;hment confe&s;&s;e thy own ba&s;enes, who art not worthy to bee called the &s;on of God, and like a poore creature call vpon God thy Creator (for tribulation and aduer&s;ity doe teach good men their owne fraile e&s;tate, and vnworthines, and thereby per&s;wade, or ra|ther inforce them to mend
<PB N="530" REF="290"> their liues,) &amp; that in the end, hauing ouercome all aduer&s;i|ties, thou &s;houlde&s;t take cou|rage &amp; reioyce as a Son: <HI>For probation worketh hope,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 5.</NOTE> <HI>which confoundeth not.</HI> Secondly, be|cau&s;e the beginnings of Gods word doe mo&s;t &s;weetly affect the minde; the progre&s;&s;e is hard to &s;en&s;uality; but the fruites which are gathered, are mo&s;t plea&s;aunt. The booke was in y^e mouth of <HI>Iohn</HI> &s;weete as hony,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Apoc. 10.</NOTE> but being deuoured it made his belly bitter. Third|ly, becau&s;e in his fir&s;t prayer, when hee prayed for &s;inners, hee was to gaine authority to his prayer through the loue of a Sonne, for none but a &s;onne could bee heard for &s;o great wickednes: In the middle, he
<PB N="531" REF="290"> complained as a man: And in this la&s;t, hauing fulfilled his emba&s;&s;age, he de&s;ires as a Son to bee called home to his Fa|ther. Con&s;ider thirdly, that Chri&s;t 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, who&s;e 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 &s;poyles of Hell. But fir&s;t, to teach thee, neuer to remit or &s;lacke thy inuincible &s;pirit from prayer. Secondly, that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe, with what confidence he went vn|to his Father. For hee &s;ayeth
<PB N="532" REF="291"> not anxiou&s;ly after the ma~ner of a &s;uppliant, I pray thee, Fa|ther, but as it were of mine owne right and authority, I commend my &s;pirit. Con&s;ider fourthly, &amp; marke euery word of this la&s;t prayer, which be|fore had bin made by the holy Gho&s;t to this purpo&s;e,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 32.</NOTE> and is now recited by the Son to the Father, with addition onely of this word, Father. <HI>Father:</HI> Fir&s;t, I haue remained thy Son in all the&s;e &s;o great torments, I haue remitted nothing of my deuotion, &amp; loue to thee. Secondly, I thy Sonne am re|turned to thee from this hard emba&s;&s;age, from this bloudy battell I carry away the victo|ry, and I bring the &s;poyles. What reward wilt thou giue
<PB N="533" REF="291"> me, what glory wilt thou pre|pare for mee, what triumph wilt thou a&s;&s;igne mee? The Roman Emperors triumphed with the victorious Army. Poore <HI>Lazarus,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 16.</NOTE> w^c was deny|ed cru~mes from the rich mans table, was carryed in a trium|phant Chariot, that is, in An|gels hands into <HI>Abrahams</HI> bo|&s;ome. What glory then wilt thou giue to me thy Sonne? I am more honorable, becau&s;e I am thy Son: I haue labored more then the re&s;t, for I haue &s;pent my bloud; I haue vnder|gone more danger, for I haue fought alone with the enemy; I haue indured more want, for a drop of water hath been de|nyed mee; I haue ouercome more &s;trange enemyes, for I
<PB N="534" REF="292"> haue &s;ubdued the Prince of this world, broken his forces, and thru&s;t him out of po&s;&s;e&s;&s;i|on; and to bee briefe, I haue taken more noble &s;poyles, ha|uing deliuered &s;o many thou|&s;and &s;oules from the bondage of the Deuill, and &s;ubdued all the whole world vnto thy gouerment. What then wilt thou prepare for &s;o great a conqueror? <HI>Into thy handes:</HI> Fir&s;t, as &s;acrifices are offered into the handes of God, &s;o I, as high Prie&s;t, doe offer my &s;oule, as a mo&s;t fatt &s;acrifice into thy handes. Secondly, hitherto the &s;oules, which de|parted out of this world, went not into the handes of God, but into <HI>Abrahams</HI> bo&s;ome in the places belowe: but now I
<PB N="535" REF="292"> de&s;ire fir&s;t to be receiued into thy handes, and my Di&s;ciples hereafter to bee receiued al&s;o. Thirdly, this my &s;pirit, which is now de&s;cending into Hell, to deliuer the Fathers, &s;hall not want the diuinity; but e|uen as the diuine nature took the humane nature into the &s;ame per&s;on, &s;o it &s;hall remain both with the body in y^e &s;epul|cher, &amp; with the &s;pirit in Hell. Fourthly, I commend it to thy hands; that thou &s;houlde&s;t en|dowe it with glory, &amp; adorne it with rewardes. <HI>I commend,</HI> or as the Greeke text &s;aieth, <HI>I will commend,</HI> that is, euen now I will &s;end it to thee. Fir&s;t, hitherto neither this body, nor my &s;oule hath &s;eemed to bee greatly commended vnto
<PB N="536" REF="293"> thee, becau&s;e both the body hath remained in the hands of enemies, and my &s;oule being &s;orrowfull euen vnto death, was alwaies in my own hands &s;ubiect to many mi&s;eries,<NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 118.</NOTE> and death it &s;elfe. Hitherto thou ha&s;t &s;eemed to haue care only of thy bond&s;laues, and to neg|lect thy Sonne: for thou ha&s;t deliuered vp thy Sonne, to re|deeme thy &s;eruant: doe thou now at la&s;t receiue my &s;pirit co~mended vnto thee. Second|ly, 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 a|gain&s;t my will; but I willing|ly yeild it, and deliuer it to thy cu&s;tody. <HI>My &s;pirit,</HI> hee &s;aith
<PB N="537" REF="293"> not my &s;oule, which bea&s;tes po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e a&s;well as men, but, my &s;pirit, becau&s;e the &s;en&s;ual man (<GAP DESC="foreign">) perceiueth not tho&s;e thinges, which are of the &s;pi|rit of God, In Chri&s;t, the &s;pirit,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 2.</NOTE> that is, the higher part, had as it were conuerted the &s;oule into it &s;elfe, &s;o as the inferiour man de&s;ired, nor coueted no|thing, but according to the rule of rea&s;on. Pray thou vn|to God the Father, that hee will receiue thy &s;oule, alwayes commended, with the &s;pirit of his Sonne.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>Into thy handes I commend my &s;pirit.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that though the &s;pirit of Chri&s;t nee|ded not to be commended to y^e Father, yet it was co~mended
<PB N="538" REF="294"> to him; that all faithfull and holy men &s;hould knowe, that they are co~mended vnto God by this prayer of Chri&s;t. For God calleth tho&s;e by y^e name of Spirit, which are indued with his &s;pirit. <HI>That</HI> (&s;aieth hee) <HI>which is borne of the &s;pirit,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 3.</NOTE> <HI>is &s;pirit:</HI> euen as they which are ruled by the &s;pirit of the Deuill, are called the &s;pirits of Deuils. Doe thou looke into thy &s;elfe, what &s;pirit raigneth in thee,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 4</NOTE> whether of Chri&s;t, or of the Deuils: And againe, whether thy &s;oule hath chan|ged the &s;pirit into it &s;elfe, &s;o as thou &s;eeme&s;t little different from a brute bea&s;t, or whether the &s;pirit of our Lord hath thy &s;oule wholy &s;ubiect and obe|dient vnto it.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Heb 4.</NOTE> <HI>For the worde of
<PB N="539" REF="294"> God being liuely and powerfull, reacheth euen to the diui&s;ion of the &s;oule and of the &s;pirit:</HI> And therefore in y^e houre of death diligent inquiry &s;hal be made what the &s;pirit hath done, and what the &s;oule; and they one|ly &s;hall bee commended vnto God,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 8.</NOTE> which haue wrought by the &s;pirit of God. Con&s;ider 2. if Chri&s;t commended vs to God the Father, then wee ought to bee carefull to com|mend our &s;oules vnto him in good workes. Therefore let vs prouide, Fir&s;t, y^t what the grace of the holy Gho&s;t hath wrought in our &s;oules,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Pet. 4</NOTE> may be pre&s;erued, framed, &amp; perfited, as it were by his diuine hands. Secondly, that our &s;pirite bee often conuer&s;ant in Heauen,
<PB N="540" REF="295"> and adhere not too much to any worldly things. For (&s;aith St. <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI>) if our mindes be there wee &s;hall haue re&s;t heere.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. 175. de temp.</NOTE> Thirdly, that God will holde vs in his handes, accor|ding to that:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Sap. 3. Ioan. <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">0</NOTE> <HI>The &s;oules of the iu&s;t are in the handes of God:</HI> neither can any man take the~ out of his handes. Fourthly, that our &s;pirits, when they goe out of this world, may bee de|liuered to the handes of God to be crowned; and be com|mended to his keeping till the future re&s;urrection of our bo|dyes. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the Church of God, which is directed and guided by the &s;pirit of Chri&s;t, is &s;o commen|ded to God the Father by this prayer of her &s;pou&s;e, <HI>That the
<PB N="541" REF="295"> gates of Hell cannot preuaile a|gain&s;t her.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 16.</NOTE> Therefore doe thou neuer &s;eperate thy &s;elfe from her, except thou woulde&s;t fall into thy enemies handes; but defend the life and &s;afety of thy &s;oule by the &s;pirit, faith, grace, and Sacraments of the &s;ame. Con&s;ider fourthly, that there is co~mended vnto thee by his prayer: Fir&s;t, the guift of the feare of God; and next diligent deuotion again&s;t the vice of &s;louth. For if Chri&s;t the Son of God did with &s;uch earne&s;t prayer commend his &s;pirit to his Father: it behoo|ueth thee not onely to pray, but al&s;o to worke thine owne &s;aluation with feare and trem|bling.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Phil. 2.</NOTE> Pray then vnto our Lord, to take care of thy &s;oule
<PB N="542" REF="296"> and to be&s;tow rather heauen|ly guifts vpon thy &s;pirit, then earthly benefites vppon thy body.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 44. Meditation of the death of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23. Ioan. 19.</NOTE>And &s;aying this, bowing his head, gaue vp the gho&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, in what manner the Spou&s;e of thy &s;oule ended his life. The &s;tanders by v&s;e to ob&s;erue the countenaunce, ge&s;ture, and words of tho&s;e, which are to dye: &amp; mothers al&s;o v&s;e to marke the eyes, and countenaunce of their chil|dren, when they goe farre from them, and to remember often in their minds the man|ner of their departure. Doe
<PB N="543" REF="296"> thou likewi&s;e, for who&s;e &s;ake the Son of God &s;uffred death, come neare vnto the Cro&s;&s;e; behold all thinges diligently with the eyes of thy &s;oule, and let thy &s;peach bee often times thereof: Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that crying he bowed his &s;a|cred head: fir&s;t, becau&s;e hee would call thee, both by his voyce and becke, to learne the profite of the Cro&s;&s;e, and to receaue the merites and bene|fites of the &s;ame. Secondly, to &s;peake in thy eare, to com|municate his &s;ecretes vnto thee, &amp; to teach thee his com|mandements and coun&s;ailes. Thirdly, to &s;ignifie his con|&s;ent to all thy petitions and prayers, which depend vpon this his holy pa&s;&s;ion. Fourthly
<PB N="544" REF="297"> that thou mighte&s;t the bet|ter viewe his head, and marke euery thing diligently, his thornes, his &s;pittinges, his bloud, his eyes now &s;hutt to thy &s;innes, his mouth &s;ilent from reuenge, &amp; his face pale with death. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the Euangeli&s;ts wrote this death of our Lord in di|uers words. <HI>Iohn</HI> &s;aith, <HI>he deli|uered vp his &s;pirite:</HI> Mathewe, <HI>he &s;ent foorth his &s;pirit:</HI> Marke and Luke, <HI>hee breathed out:</HI> that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe, that Chri<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">t died, not like vnto other men, but in a &s;ingular, and peculiar manner; neither did he again&s;t his will, or by compul&s;ion, but of his owne free accord render vp his &s;pi|rite. This word, <HI>hee deliuered,</HI>
<PB N="545" REF="297"> &s;ignifieth: fir&s;t, that he gaue his &s;pirite into his Fathers hands to be kept three dayes, and that from thence all me|rites, all vertues, all iu&s;tice, and grace &s;hould bee gathe|red for man-kinde. Second|ly, that as he had already gi|uen his body to the executio|ners, &s;o now al&s;o hee would deliuer his &s;oule for vs, be|cau&s;e nothing &s;hould be wan|ting to our felicity and happi|ne&s;&s;e. He had giuen his gar|ments, he had giuen his ho|nour, he had giuen his body, hee had giuen his bloud: and now there remained nothing, but to giue his &s;oule, that ac|cording to the prophe&s;ie of <HI>I&s;aias,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 9.</NOTE> <HI>the whole Sonne might be giuen.</HI> 3. That he deliuered vp
<PB N="546" REF="298"> the full price of our redemp|tion. For hitherto &s;omething was wanting, and he had pay|ed as it were but in part: but now he made an ab&s;olute and full payment: that thou mai&s;t knowe, that now thou art not thine owne man, but Chri&s;ts, who hath bought and redee|med thy members with his, thy powers with his, thy ho|nours and riches with his, thy body with his, and thy &s;oule with his. If thou doe&s;t con&s;i|der the&s;e things rightly, thou &s;halt learne, fir&s;t, not to abu&s;e thy &s;elfe, &amp; thy goods to thy owne plea&s;ures; nor to &s;pend them according to the will of the Deuill; no nor yet to v&s;e them as thine owne, but to referre all to the honour of
<PB N="547" REF="298"> Chri&s;t, to whome all thinges belong and appertayne. Se|condly, &s;eeing thou ha&s;t got|ten Chri&s;tian 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 Chri&s;t hath &s;o dearely redeemed with his bloud. Do thou giue thankes vnto thy Lord, and offer vp thy &s;elfe, and all that thou ha&s;t, freely vnto him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>He breathed foorth.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15. Luc. 23</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that by this word is &s;ignified, that Chri&s;t breathed foorth his la&s;t &s;pirite: by which &s;pirite and holy breathing, fir&s;t hee pur|ged the ayre, being infected with deuils; by vertue wher|of the Deuills al&s;o are driuen
<PB N="548" REF="299"> away in exorci&s;mes and ex|&s;afflations. Therefore as the earth is &s;anctified by the holy body of our Lord, and the element of water, and all ly|quors, by the holy bloud and water y&s;&s;uing from his &s;ide: &s;o by the diuine &s;pirite of Chri&s;t the ayre is &s;anctified, y^t it may the more profitably carry and in&s;pire into our &s;en|ces the word of God, and his holy my&s;teries. Secondly, hee co~municated vnto this world his inward guifts and graces, not onely through the holy wounds of his body, but al&s;o by his mouth. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that Chri&s;t for many cau&s;es would &s;uffer, not onely paine and torments, but al&s;o death. Fir&s;t, to offer vp him|&s;elfe
<PB N="549" REF="299"> by his death as a &s;acrifice and Holocau&s;t 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 Te&s;tament. Fourth|ly, that by this his death as by the death of the high Prie&s;t, according to the old figure,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Num. 15.</NOTE> he might recall thee into thy heauenly countrey. Fiftly, to let thee knowe, y^t thou ough|te&s;t to bee his, who dyed for thee, and not to &s;ubmitt thy &s;elfe to the Deuill, who &s;uffer|ed neither death, nor wound for thy &s;aluation. Sixtly, that thou &s;houlde&s;t account thy &s;elfe dead to the world with Chri&s;t, and mortifie: thy vices
<PB N="550" REF="300"> and affections: <HI>For if</HI> (&s;aith the Apo&s;tle) <HI>one dyed for all,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">2 Cor. 5.</NOTE> <HI>therefore all are dead.</HI> Con&s;ider thirdly, that Chri&s;t dyed in his flouri&s;hing age, being three and thirty yeares old, when his &s;ences were fre&s;he&s;t, his heat greate&s;t, and his &s;trength be&s;t to indure labour. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e he was willing to be|&s;towe all his mo&s;t flouri&s;hing things vpon thee, to pre&s;erue the heate of his loue in thee, and with great forces to pre|pare many benefites for thee. Secondly, that thou &s;houlde&s;t not prolong the change of thy life, till thy withered and de|cayed old age, but con&s;ecrate thy youthfull yeares &amp; &s;tren|gth vnto Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider fourthly, that our Lord was
<PB N="551" REF="300"> nayled to the Cro&s;&s;e in the &s;ixt houre; and in the nynth houre, when the day began to growe to an end, hee dyed. Fir&s;t, becau&s;e he, which in the precedent ages had beene im|molated in the figures of the &s;acrifices, did in this fourth age of the world dye truly for vs. Secondly, that thou, who hitherto perhapps ha&s;t &s;pent the re&s;t of thy life vnprofitably and wickedly, maye&s;t at the lea&s;t in the end of thy life flye to the death of our Lord. A great comfort is heere giuen vnto &s;inners, who langui&s;h|ing, either with age, with &s;ick|nes, or in minde, are not able, by exacting grieuous puni&s;h|ment of them&s;elues, to &s;atisfie for their &s;innes, may haue the
<PB N="552" REF="301"> paines, bloud, and death of Chri&s;t to offer for their offen|ces. Giue thankes vnto God, and di&s;pi&s;e not &s;o great a trea|&s;ure.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE>Hee &s;ent forth his &s;pirit.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider, that heere al&s;o mention is made of the liberty &amp; freedome of Chri&s;t to dye. For euen as in former times <HI>Noe</HI> &s;ent the Doue out of the Arke,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 8</NOTE> which after a few dayes returned, bringing in her mouth a boughe, with greene leaues: So Chri&s;t &s;ent foorth his &s;pirit, to returne a|gaine after three dayes, with an army of flouri&s;hing Saints. <HI>Emi&s;it</HI> (&s;aieth hee,) hee &s;ent forth; and not, <HI>Ami&s;it,</HI> he lo&s;t: that thou &s;houlde&s;t not loo&s;e thy &s;pirit amo~g&s;t the wicked.
<PB N="553" REF="301"> Con&s;ider &s;econdly, how the Deuills expected this &s;pirite, being ready to come foorth, that by the co~mon law of all it might bee ioyned to other &s;oules in Hell. For the Euan|geli&s;t &s;eemeth to &s;ignifie &s;o much, when hee &s;aid, the De|uill went from him for a time, as though at this time of his death, hee would returne a|gaine. But becau&s;e the Prince of this world had nothing in Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 4.</NOTE> hee was bou~d by Chri&s;t the Conquerour with mo&s;t &s;traite chaynes, &amp; carryed in|to Hell, to bee condemned to eternall pri&s;on. Con&s;ider 3. the glorious company of An|gels, which did not &s;o much carry, as followe the &s;oule of Chri&s;t de&s;cending vnto Hell.
<PB N="554" REF="302"> Con&s;ider 4. that by Chri&s;t his comming to Hell, tho&s;e fear|full darke places were indued with a new light, that the ho|ly Fathers came flying to meet him, and to giue him thankes for them&s;elues, and for their vngratefull children; that the~ they were all clothed in a new garment, and admitted to be|holde the diuine nature; and that Hell was filled with ble&s;|&s;ed &s;oules, before Heauen, the &s;eate of the ble&s;&s;ed. Con&s;ider fiftly, what thy Lord did heere the&s;e three dayes. Hee be|ganne to exerci&s;e the power (which hee receiued from his Father both in Heauen and Earth,) in the lowe&s;t part of the world. Fir&s;t, hee inflicted worthy puni&s;hment vpon the
<PB N="555" REF="302"> Deuill, with the re&s;t of his e|nemies, whome hee had ouer|come with great wi&s;dome &amp; power. Secondly, hee made new lawes to Hell, and proui|ded, that none of the Saints &s;hould euer bee carryed thi|ther againe. Thirdly, hee &s;top|ped the mouth of that &s;tin|king place, and &s;hut it &s;o clo&s;e that none of that deadly &s;a|uour &s;hould breath vnto mor|tall men. Fourthly, he brought &s;aluation, promi&s;ed &s;o many yeares before to the holy Fa|thers,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Pet. 3</NOTE> <HI>and preached to tho&s;e Spi|rites, which were in pri&s;on,</HI> That is, brought tydings of peace, euen vnto the~, who being pu|ni&s;hed by the deluge, &amp; other mi&s;eryes, for their incredulitie &amp; &s;in, were &s;eriou&s;ly co~uerted
<PB N="556" REF="303"> before their death. Pray thou our Lord, that at the time of thy death hee will &s;ubdue the Deuill, and bring to thee true peace and comfort.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 45. Meditation of the &s;ignes in the death of Chri&s;t.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And behold the vaile of the Temple was &s;lut in two peeces,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mat. 15. Luc. 23.</NOTE> e|uen from the top to the bottome.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that when Chri&s;t &s;ent foorth his &s;pirit with a loude cry, all creatures, reioycing with their Creator for his noble vi|ctory ouer his enemy, made great noy&s;es &amp; &s;houtings for ioy; in like manner as we v&s;e to &s;hewe publike ioy by di&s;|charging great gunns and or|dinance
<PB N="557" REF="303"> of warre. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that by this noy&s;e all thinges were opened; the Ta|bernacle, the Earth, and the &s;tones were re&s;olued,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Lib. de in carnatio|ne verbi.</NOTE> and (as St. <HI>Athana&s;ius</HI> &s;aith) the very Mountaines were cleft in &s;un|der. 1. Becau&s;e the &s;acke of grace, being opened by &s;o ma|ny woundes, did by our Lords death poore out his guiftes mo&s;t aboundantly and inuited all men to open the ve&s;&s;els of their hearts. Looke thou ther|fore to thy &s;elfe, &amp; withdrawe not thy &s;elfe out of this holy &s;hower. 2. Becau&s;e all crea|tures, &s;hewed them&s;elues rea|dy to bee reuenged vpon the wicked, and offered euen their bowels vnto God. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the vaile of the
<PB N="558" REF="304"> Temple was rent. 1. Becau&s;e by this death of our Lord all the my&s;teries of the olde Te|&s;tament, &s;hadowed and coue|red &s;o diuer&s;ly vntill this time, did now at la&s;t (the vaile be|ing taken away) &s;hine mo&s;t cleerly, and were manife&s;ted and fulfilled by the 7. wounds of Chri&s;t, of his handes, feete, &s;ide, head, and whippings of his whole body; and that the Temple it &s;elfe, and all the le|gall Sacrifices, remained pro|phane, and de&s;titute of all ho|lynes and &s;anctity. 2. Becau&s;e now was opened the way in|to <HI>Sancta &s;anctorum,</HI> that is, the kingdome of Heauen. 3. To &s;ignifie, y^t the Temple it &s;elfe, for the Synagogue, lamented the death of Chri&s;t, &amp; dete&s;ted
<PB N="559" REF="304"> the great bla&s;phemy of the <HI>Iewes;</HI> and, to &s;hew her griefe and anger, cutt her vaile or garments. 4. That thou, re|membring the death of thy &s;pou&s;e, &s;houlde&s;t remooue the vaile of all excu&s;es from thy heart, and open thy inward thoughtes to our Lord, with|out any vaile or colour, hi|ding nothing from the Prie&s;t in confe&s;&s;ion, nor couering thy &s;innes with the pretence of piety. For mo&s;t certainly the vaile of thy body &s;hall &s;hortly be broken by approa|ching death, and thy wicked|ne&s;&s;e &s;hall bee reuealed to the whole world.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the Earth was moued, and the Rock<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">s were cleft a &s;un|der.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE></HEAD>
<PB N="560" REF="305">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that at the death of our Lord y^e earth was mooued and trembled. 1. For the horror of &s;o great a &s;inne. 2. Becau&s;e the Prince of the world, who was wont to &s;hake the earth with &s;editi|ons and wickednes, was with great violence throwne head|long into Hell. 3. Becau&s;e God of infinite Maie&s;ty entred into the bowels of the earth, at who&s;e comming into the Mount <HI>Syna, the mountaine it &s;elfe</HI> (as it were honoring him) <HI>trembled and &s;mo<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ked.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ex 19.20</NOTE> 4. Be|cau&s;e by the death of our Lord all the earthly heartes of men were to be moued, and carried out of their places vnto Chri&s;t. 5. Becau&s;e the new Law of the Go&s;pell was to bee brought
<PB N="561" REF="305"> into the world. If thou there|fore, when the whole Earth &s;haketh, art nothing mooued by the death of Chri&s;t, thou art more drye and colde, then the earth it &s;elfe Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, the Rocks were cleft.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ephe. 2. 1 Cor. 10.</NOTE> 1. Becau&s;e Chri&s;t the corner &s;tone, who was al&s;o &s;ignified in the old rocke, was now cut a &s;under, his &s;oule being pul|led from his body, and his bo|dy beeing torne with diuers woundes. 2. Becau&s;e mens heartes, being more hard then the very &s;tones, were to bee molified in y^e bloud of Chri&s;t, the true Goate, prefigured in the typicall Goate; euen as the hardnes of an Adamant is &s;aid to bee molified and made &s;oft by the bloud of a Goate.
<PB N="562" REF="306"> Con&s;ider 2. that y^e &s;tate of &s;in|ners is fitly declared by &s;tones. For euen as the earth is colde, filthy, &amp; ba&s;e, and without the labour &amp; indu&s;try of men, be|co~meth barren &amp; beareth no|thing but weeds; &amp; as a &s;tone is likewi&s;e hard, heauy &amp; trou|ble&s;ome: &s;o &s;inners polluted with diuers crimes are grie|uous and trouble&s;ome to all men, yea euen to them&s;elues. Pray thou our Lord, to open thy heart to bring forth foun|taines of teares, &amp; to di&s;&s;olue it into very du&s;t, that it may bee framed according to the will of God and drinke in the liquour of his diuine grace.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE>And the Monuments were o|pened, &amp; many bodyes of Saints which had &s;lept, ro&s;e: and going
<PB N="563" REF="306"> out of the monuments after his re&s;urrection, entred into the holy Citty, and appeared to many.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that by this &s;igne, being the greate&s;t of all other, is &s;ignified: Fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t thy Lord, opening by his death the gates of Hel, did &s;et at liberty the holy Fa|thers there impri&s;oned, and brake hell-gates, &s;o as neuer any Saint hereafter &s;hould bee detained there. Secondly, that by the &s;ame death the &s;tinking clo&s;ets of our heartes are to bee opened, that all the &s;tinche of &s;inne and death may vapour out, and bee di&s;per&s;ed. Thirdly, that the bodyes of the iu&s;t &s;hould ri&s;e againe, &amp; liue for euer. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, that though
<PB N="564" REF="307"> the Sepulchers were opened, yet the Saints did not ri&s;e be|fore Chri&s;t, who is the fir&s;t be|gotten of the dead: for, as the Apo&s;tle &s;aith, <HI>Our Lord was deliuered vp or &s;laine,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Col. 1. Rom. 4.</NOTE> <HI>for our finnes; and ro&s;e againe for our iu&s;tification:</HI> That is, by his death hee hath payed the price of our &s;innes; but ri&s;ing again hee hath applyed this price vnto vs, by the preaching of the Apo&s;tles, by our faith of his death &amp; re&s;urrection, and by the Sacraments and other meanes left vnto vs after his re&s;urrection. Con&s;ider third|ly, that the&s;e Saints, whether being to dye againe, as the an|cient Doctors thought, or to liue for euer with Chri&s;t, as many late writers doe thinke,
<PB N="565" REF="307"> a&s;&s;umed their bodyes againe, and appeared to many, that they might bee true witne&s;&s;es of the re&s;urrectio~ of our Lord who was able as ea&s;ily to re|&s;tore his &s;oule to his body being lately dead; as to rai&s;e vp the bodyes of the Fathers being con&s;umed to a&s;hes &s;o many ages before: that thou in all thy difficulties &s;hould&s;t haue confidence in God, to whome nothing can bee im|po&s;&s;ible. Con&s;ider fourthly, y^t they appeared not to all, but to many: for all are not wor|thy of y^e fellow&s;hip of Saints. Con&s;ider fiftly, that they came into y^e holy Citty (for the dead were buryed abroad) that is, <HI>Hieru&s;alem,</HI> &s;anctified by the religion of the Temple, and
<PB N="566" REF="308"> of &s;acred thinges: for nowe through Chri&s;t the way vnto the heauenly <HI>Hieru&s;alem</HI> was opened vnto them. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly, that in the&s;e fiue &s;ignes are contained the fiue effects and fruites of our Lords pa&s;&s;i|on, which the worde of God worketh in the &s;oule of a &s;in|ner. For fir&s;t, the vaile being broken, and the darknes of ig|norance being driuen away, y^e truth appeareth more plainly, the &s;euerity of the iudgement to come is &s;et before our eyes and the mo&s;t cruell and euer|la&s;ting torments of Hell are &s;eriou&s;ly &amp; frequently thoght vpon. Secondly, the earth is &s;haken, when the minde of man is terrified, and &s;trucken with feare through the re|membraunce
<PB N="567" REF="308"> and meditation of the&s;e thinges. Thirdly, the &s;tony heart is made &s;oft vnto pennance. Fourthly, by con|fe&s;&s;ion of &s;innes all the euill &s;auour doth euaporate and vani&s;h away out of the ope|ned Sepulcher. Fiftly, the minde is re&s;tored to a &s;piritu|all life, which is outwardly &s;eene by the goodnes of his actions, to the comfort, of all good men, who with the Angels of Heauen reioyce at the conuer&s;ion of &s;inners. Pray thou our Lord, that thou maye&s;t ri&s;e with him, and that hee will not &s;uf|fer thee to dye in &s;inne.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="568" REF="309">
<HEAD>The 46. Meditation of the conuer&s;ion of the Centurion.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the <HI>Centurion,</HI> which &s;toode ouer again&s;t him, and they which were with him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27. Mar. 15 Luc. 23.</NOTE> keeping <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> &s;eeing that thus crying he dyed, and hauing &s;een the earth|quake, and tho&s;e thinges which were done, they feared greatly.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider 1. how quick|ly the bloud of Chri&s;t &s;hewed forth his forces, e&s;pecially being offered with &s;o effectuall prayer to God the Father, in which hee prayed for his crucifiers. For &s;uch thinges as were &s;ignified by the earthquake and by o|ther &s;ignes, were heer fulfilled in the mindes of men. Thou may&s;t therfore be well a&s;&s;ured
<PB N="569" REF="309"> that hee will neuer for&s;ake thee, which recalled euen his executioners to repentance. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, who were the fir&s;t, which were conuer|ted to the faith by our Lords death. 1. <HI>The Gentiles, wor|&s;hippers of Idolls:</HI> for euen then our Lord began to loue the Church of the <HI>Gentiles,</HI> to the which, for&s;aking the <HI>Iewes,</HI> he re&s;olued to transferre his my|&s;teries. 2. <HI>Executioners, Soldi|ours, infamous men,</HI> to &s;hewe vnto thee, that no man com|mitteth &s;o great a &s;inne, which our Lord is not ready pre&s;ent|ly to forgiue; and al&s;o to let thee know his great mildnes; who as he &s;hewed no &s;igne of anger again&s;t his enemies, &s;o with gteat loue and affection
<PB N="570" REF="310"> hee drewe them fir&s;t of all vn|to him. Thirdly, the <HI>Romanes;</HI> for becau&s;e the Romane faith and religion was hereafter to rule and gouerne the vniuer|&s;all Chuch, it was conuenient that it &s;hould bee con&s;ecra|ted vnder the Cro&s;&s;e of our Lord by the bloud and death of Chri&s;t. Fourthly, <HI>The</HI> Cen|turion <HI>&s;tanding ouer again&s;t him, with the people, which kept</HI> Ie&s;us; for the Romane Prin|ces and Emperours, as in the beginning they indeauored by mo&s;t grieuous per&s;ecuti|ons to &s;uppre&s;&s;e the Faith of Chri&s;t; &s;o after they had once receiued it, they enlarged it by their Authority, and defended it by their Armes. Con&s;ider thirdly, the cau&s;es and man|ner
<PB N="571" REF="310"> of their conuer&s;ion. Fir&s;t, &s;tanding ouer again&s;t him, they kept <HI>Ie&s;us.</HI> Secondly, they heard his crye, when hee yeilded vp the ghoa&s;t. Third|ly, they &s;aw the Earthquake, and other te&s;timonyes of Gods power. Therefore if thou wilt bee conuerted, Fir&s;t, marke diligently the ma~ners, ge&s;ture, life, and wordes of Chri&s;t: For <HI>all thinges, which are written,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 15</NOTE> <HI>are written for our learning.</HI> Secondly, admire his mo&s;t feruent loue, who tooke all this paine and la|bour for thee, and for thy &s;aluation, in hope onely, that thou woulde&s;t followe him to beatitude, calling thee &s;o earne&s;tly. Thirdly, con&s;ider his omnipotencie,
<PB N="572" REF="311"> and maie&s;ty, to whome all creatures obey, that thou maye&s;t be moued to pe~nance at lea&s;t through feare. Con&s;i|der fourthly, that the <HI>Centu|rion</HI> was conuerted with his people, that thou maye&s;t vn|der&s;tand of how great mo|ment the example of a Supe|rior is, to the conuer&s;ion of tho&s;e y^t are vnder his charge. Co~&s;ider fiftly, that all of them were afraide: For <HI>the feare of our Lord is the beginning of wi&s;dome,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Pro. 1.</NOTE> and the beginning of our conuer&s;ion proceedeth mo&s;t commonly from feare. Pray thou our Lord to reduce thee by their example to a better cour&s;e.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23. Mat. 27.</NOTE>And they glorified God, &s;ay|ing: Verily this man was iu&s;t:
<PB N="573" REF="311"> verily this man was the Sonne of God.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15.</NOTE></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the fir&s;t fruit of our Lords cro&s;&s;e was, that God was glorified in perfect faith, euen by his executioners. Great was the vertue and goodnes of God, which &s;o &s;uddainly changed the cruelty of his tormentors into mildnes, and would haue his prai&s;es, being the office of Angels, to bee celebrated by his executioners. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that tho&s;e Romanes did beleeue in their heart to iu&s;tice,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Rom. 10.</NOTE> when through true faith, they were much afraide; and with their mouth they confe&s;&s;ed to &s;aluation, that Chri&s;t was true man, without &s;pot of &s;inne &amp; true God, the
<PB N="574" REF="312"> Sonne of the true God: be|cau&s;e afterwards it was to bee the office of y^e Roman church, to keep &amp; pre&s;erue the whole and entyre faith, and to &s;pread it ouer all the world. Con&s;i|der thirdly, the great myracle, that in this infamous and mo&s;t cruel death the <HI>Gentiles</HI> &s;hold acknowledge him to be God, who for his deformity &s;carce &s;eemed to bee a man. For the bloud of Chri&s;t induceth vs to beleiue tho&s;e things which exceede all humane capacity. Pray thou our Lord to confirm and increa&s;e thy faith through the merite of his bloud.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And all the troupe of them, which were pre&s;ent at this &s;pect|acle,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> and &s;awe what thinges were
<PB N="575" REF="312"> done, returned, knocking their brea&s;tes. But all his acquain|tance &s;tood a farre off, and ma|ny women looking on him a farre off,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> which followed <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> from <HI>Galile,</HI> mini&s;tring vnto him:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15.</NOTE> among whome was <HI>Mary Mag|dalene,</HI> and <HI>Mary</HI> Mother of <HI>Iames</HI> the le&s;&s;e, and of <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> and <HI>Salome,</HI> Mother of the &s;onnes of <HI>Zebedee,</HI> and many other, which came together to <HI>Hieru&s;alem.</HI></HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the good|ne&s;&s;e of God, who con|uerteth the euill intentions of men to their owne pro|fite. They came to behold, to mocke, and to bla&s;pheme; but changing &s;odainly their mindes, they returned &s;orrow|full, and &s;triking their brea&s;ts.
<PB N="576" REF="313"> Haue thou confidence, that thy good workes through his goodnes &s;hall turne to thy &s;aluation, &s;ince their euill acts through his mercy were pro|fitable vnto them. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that while&s;t the Ro|mane &s;oldiours prai&s;ed Chri&s;t the <HI>Iewes</HI> were &s;ilent; becau&s;e hereafter the <HI>Gentiles</HI> &s;hould gouern the Church of Chri&s;t, and the <HI>Iewes</HI> &s;hould holde their peace. Con&s;ider thirdly that they &s;troke their brea&s;ts; becau&s;e hee, that will drawe the fruite of the Pa&s;&s;ion vnto him&s;elfe, mu&s;t vndergoe &s;ome pennance. For euen as a&s;hes, beeing moi&s;tened with &s;ome liquor, doe make a greater quantity, then if beeing drye they were powred into the
<PB N="577" REF="313"> water: &s;o hee, who like vnto Chri&s;t, &s;uffereth &s;ome labour and pennance, &s;hall reape the greater profite by his Pa&s;&s;ion. Con&s;ider fourthly, that the&s;e <HI>Iewes</HI> did know the dignity of Chri&s;t, &amp; the greatnes of their owne &s;in; but yet they would not confe&s;&s;e it in their words. For there are many, which feele indeed the prick of con|&s;cience; but beeing hindered either by pride or malice they refu&s;e to confe&s;&s;e their &s;innes. Co~&s;ider fiftly, that his friends and acquaintance &s;tood a farr off, and tho&s;e women, which had &s;erued our Lord in <HI>Galilee.</HI> That thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe: Fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t rewardeth almes with this benefite, that they &s;hall per&s;euere euen vnto
<PB N="578" REF="314"> the Cro&s;&s;e.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tob. 4.</NOTE> <HI>For Almes addeth confidence, and &s;uffereth not the &s;oule to goe into darknes.</HI> Se|co~dly, by what meanes Chri&s;t rewardeth his friendes in this world: to wit, that through many tribulations they &s;hould enter into the Kingdome of God. But <HI>they &s;tand farre off:</HI> for that which they &s;uffer is very &s;mall,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Actor. 14.</NOTE> if it bee compared to the Pa&s;&s;ion of Chri&s;t. Pray thou vnto Chri&s;t, to &s;ign thee with his Cro&s;&s;e, and to ioyne thee to y^e nu~ber of his friends.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 47. Meditation of the opening of Chri&s;ts &s;ide.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE>Then the <HI>Iewes</HI> (becau&s;e it was the <HI>Para&s;eeue</HI>) that the bo|dyes might not remaine vpon the
<PB N="579" REF="314"> Cro&s;&s;e on the Sabaoth (for that was a great Saboth day) intrea|ted <HI>Pilate,</HI> that their leggs might bee broken, and they might bee taken away. The Soldiers ther|fore came, and indeed they brake the legges of the fir&s;t, and of the other, which was crucified with him.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that by the commandement of the Law, &s;uch as were han|ged on y^e tree,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Deut. 21</NOTE> were wo~t to bee buryed at night, when as &s;uch, as were put to death by any other meanes, were (as vnworthy of buriall) either couered with &s;tones, or left to bee deuoured by bea&s;ts. Fir&s;t becau&s;e God, the &s;oueraigne Law-maker, knewe, that his Sonne &s;hould dye that death.
<PB N="580" REF="315"> Secondly becau&s;e God in his mercy would not, that guilty per&s;ons &s;hould bee puni&s;hed twice for one and the &s;ame fault: For, becau&s;e <HI>euery one was accur&s;ed which hanged on the Tree,</HI> hee ordained that at lea&s;t after their death they &s;hould haue the honor of bu|riall. Thirdly, that all &s;uch as &s;uffer the Cro&s;&s;e (that is the puni&s;hment of Chri&s;t) in this life, may be a&s;&s;ured, that there is great glory re&s;erued for the~ with Chri&s;t in the next life. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that the <HI>Iewes</HI> were not moued by this Lawe, but by the &s;olemnity of the next day: for wicked men doe often times many thinges well, not becau&s;e they de&s;ire to obey God, and to &s;erue his
<PB N="581" REF="315"> honour; but to pre&s;erue their owne fame and e&s;timation. Co~&s;ider thirdly, that the dead bodyes ought not to bee left on the Cro&s;&s;e on the Sabaoth day; that thou &s;hould&s;t neuer carry a dead &s;oule about thee, but at the lea&s;t on the Holy dayes thou &s;houlde&s;t purge it from all &s;inne and wickednes. But thou notwith&s;ta~ding do&s;t not onely carry a dead &s;oule, but al&s;o doe&s;t defile it more vpon Holy dayes, con&s;ecrated to the &s;eruice of God, then vpon any other dayes. Con&s;i|der fourthly, that the <HI>Iewes,</HI> vnder pretence of &s;eruing God, de&s;ired another matter; to wit, that they might take a|way the life of Chri&s;t, (whom they knewe not to bee yet
<PB N="582" REF="316"> dead) with more grieuous tor|ments: that thou mai&s;t learn, Fir&s;t, that the impiety of wic|ked men (who maliciou&s;ly are &s;eperated from God) is daily increa&s;ed according to the Apo&s;tle: <HI>But euill men, and &s;educers &s;hall pro&s;per to the wor&s;e.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Tim. 3</NOTE> Secondly, how cruell the enemy of man-kinde will bee in his owne kingdome a|gain&s;t wicked men, which ra|geth &s;o much in anothers kingdome by his Mini&s;ters. Doe thou therefore take heed of his tira~ny, wherein there is neither mea&s;ure, nor end. Co~|&s;ider fiftly, that the good and the euill Theefe did not both &s;uffer one puni&s;hment: For the one wiped away his &s;innes by his paines, and obtained
<PB N="583" REF="316"> glory to him&s;elfe; the other changed his temporall pu|ni&s;hment with the euerla&s;ting torment of Hell. Learn hereby what reward the world, and the Deuill doe giue to their &s;eruantes, to witt, grieuous paines, and euerla&s;ting tor|ments in Hell. For this Theefe who to plea&s;e the <HI>Iewes</HI> bla&s;|phemed again&s;t Chri&s;t, was as much tormented by them, as if hee had prai&s;ed him. See that thou adhere vnto Chri&s;t, and according to the example of the good Theefe receiue all thy torments in full &s;atisfacti|on for thy &s;innes: and pray vnto God, to afflict thee here, and not to puni&s;h thee euer|la&s;tingly.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>But when they came to <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI>
<PB N="584" REF="317"> and &s;awe him already dead, they did not breake his legges; but one of the Soldiers with a &s;peare opened his &s;ide, and pre&s;ently i&s;|&s;ued forth bloud and water.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the Sol|diours, a&s;&s;oon as they had receiued co~mandement from the Pre&s;ident, made ha&s;t to the Cro&s;&s;e, and diligently ob&s;er|ued, whether there was as yet any &s;igne of life in Chri&s;t: for if they had perceiued any, they would haue inflicted the &s;ame torment vpon him. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, what manner of wound this was. For the Scripture &s;aith not, hee &s;troke his &s;ide, or hee wounded his &s;ide;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Tract. 120 <GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">n loan.</NOTE> but hee opened his &s;ide, (as St. <HI>Augu&s;tine</HI> noteth) that
<PB N="585" REF="317"> the cruelty of y^e wound might bee &s;ignified thereby,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 20</NOTE> which opened his &s;ide &s;o much, that St. <HI>Thomas</HI> was bidden by our Lord to put his hand into it. Co~&s;ider thirdly, why our Lord would receiue this wound, being now dead for vs. Fir&s;t, that hee might &s;hew that by his death hee abated nothing of his loue towards vs, and of|fered him&s;elfe ready to &s;uffer againe and againe for vs, if it were thought nece&s;&s;ary for our &s;aluation. Secondly, that according to St. <HI>Ciprian,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Ser. de du|plici mar|tirio.</NOTE> hee might power out all the moi|&s;ture remaining in his body and all the bloud re&s;iding in his heart, and re&s;erue nothing to him&s;elfe. Thirdly, that hee might ingraue the &s;igne of
<PB N="586" REF="318"> thy loue in his heart, &amp; neuer blot thee out againe. Fourth|ly, that as out of the &s;ide of <HI>Adam</HI> &s;leeping, <HI>Eua</HI> was ta|ken; &s;o out of the &s;ide of our Lord &s;leeping, the Church &s;hould bee deduced. For out of his &s;ide i&s;&s;ued bloud &amp; wa|ter, by which both Bapti&s;me is &s;ignified, whereby the faithful are regenerate, wa&s;hing their body with water, and purging their &s;oule with bloud; &amp; al&s;o the Sacrament of y^e Euchari&s;t, by which the faithfull, being regenerate in Chri&s;t, are as it were &s;trengthened with meat, &amp; pre&s;erued aliue. Fiftly, that thou mighte&s;t enter into the inmo&s;t parte of his heart as it were by a gate in the &s;ide of a Tower. For by this wound
<PB N="587" REF="318"> onely is the way opened into the Church,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Gen. 6</NOTE> and into the wine Cellar, that is, into the &s;ecret my&s;teries of Chri&s;t. Sixtly, y^t hereafter we &s;hould make no more doubt of the humanity of Chri&s;t, &s;eeing we finde heer the 4. Elements, and the 4. vi|tall Humours, plainly &s;hewed by the bloud and water. <HI>For there are three,</HI> (&s;aith the Apo|&s;tle) <HI>which giue te&s;timony in the earth,</HI> of y^e humanity of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioan. 5.</NOTE> <HI>the Spirit, the Water, and Bloud.</HI> Seauenthly, that his Re&s;urre|ction might bee the more ad|mirable, whe~ he &s;hould come to liue againe, who&s;e brea&s;t and heart the Soldiour had pierced with his launce; and that thou &s;houlde&s;t not doubt of the re&s;urrection of thy own
<PB N="588" REF="319"> body. Come thou hither, and, according to y^e councel of the Prophet, drawe the flowing &s;pringes of water from this my&s;ticall &amp; true Rocke; and &s;ucke good nouri&s;hment, as fro~ thy Mothers brea&s;tes: and pray our Lord to wa&s;h thee with the water of his &s;ide, and to &s;trengthen and maintaine thee with his bloud.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And hee which &s;awe it hath giuen te&s;timony,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> &amp; his te&s;timony is true; and hee knoweth, that he &s;aith true; that yee al&s;o may be|leeue: for the&s;e things were done that the Scripture might be ful|filled:<NOTE PLACE="marg">Exo. 12.</NOTE> Yee &s;hall not break a bone of him: and againe another Scripture &s;aith: They &s;hall looke on him,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Zach. 12</NOTE> whome they pierced.</HEAD>
<PB N="589" REF="319">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that the&s;e three thinges &s;poken of before, to wit, that the legges of our Lord were not broken; that his &s;ide was opened; and that there i&s;&s;ued foorth bloud and water, are proued by a three-fold te&s;timony of <HI>Mo|&s;es,</HI> of the Prophet, and of the Apo&s;tle, who declareth by many words, that he was an eye witnes hereof; that thou &s;houlde&s;t knowe, that this was a matter of great weight, from the meditation whereof thou &s;houlde&s;t not ea&s;ily de|part, Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that the Commandement giuen in <HI>Exodus</HI> touching the pa&s;chall Lambe, is fitly applyed in this place vnto Chri&s;t. For he is the true Lambe; who beeing &s;o
<PB N="590" REF="320"> cruelly &s;acrificed, tooke away the &s;innes of the world, with who&s;e fle&s;h thou oughte&s;t to &s;atisfie thy &s;elfe with all &s;peed and de&s;ire. Therefore tho&s;e thinges, which are comman|ded about the eating of the Lamb in the figure, ought al&s;o to bee ob&s;erued diligently in the holy Communion. And fir&s;t we mu&s;t take heed, that we breake not a bone; that is, that wee &s;earch not into his diuine power, nor breake our brotherly charity. For euen as the diuine nature and Ma|ie&s;tie (which is &s;ignified in a bone) &s;uffred no euil vpon the Cro&s;&s;e: &s;o in the Communion of this mo&s;t holy Sacrament, nothing, concerning the Di|uine power ought to be curi|ou&s;ly
<PB N="591" REF="320"> &s;earched into, or doub|ted of. And as by the pa&s;&s;ion of our Lord the power of the Church was not broken, or taken away, but augmented and increa&s;ed: &s;o by receiuing of the Euchari&s;t, the forces of the Church ought to bee vni|ted and &s;trengthened, and her charity not to bee abated and weakened. Con&s;ider thirdly, that <HI>Zacharias</HI> the Prophet, heere cyted by the Euangeli&s;t, &s;pake of the future comming of Chri&s;t to iudgement. For then &s;hall all the wicked &s;ee the Iudge comming marked with his holy wounds, &s;hew|ing to the good his bowels of charity powred out for them; and vpbrayding to the wicked the manifold &s;innes, where|with
<PB N="592" REF="321"> they had wounded him, together with the number of benefites, which hee had be|&s;towed vpon them. Pray thou our Lord to open, and &s;hewe vnto thee his wounds, to the comfort and &s;aluation of thy &s;oule.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<HEAD>The 48. Meditation of his taking downe from the Cro&s;&s;e.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>When the euening was come, becau&s;e it was the Para&s;cheue,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> which is before the <HI>Sabaoth,</HI> be|hold there came a certaine rich man from <HI>Aramathia,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15.</NOTE> a Cittie in <HI>Iurie,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> called <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> who was a Senatour,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19</NOTE> a good man and a iu&s;t, who him&s;elfe al&s;o was a Di&s;ciple of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> but &s;ecret, for feare of the <HI>Iewes.</HI></HEAD>
<PB N="593" REF="321">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t our Lord, who about the nynth houre of the day, that is, about three in the after noon, had yeilded vp y^e gho&s;t, did hang at the lea&s;t 2. houres dead vpon the Cro&s;&s;e: that thou with the eyes of thy &s;oule &s;houlde&s;t continually meditate vpon him both aliue and dead; and &s;houlde&s;t ne|uer forget this &s;o great a be|nefite of his death. Con&s;ider &s;eco~dly, by whom, &amp; by what manner of man he would be taken down from the Cro&s;&s;e: to wit, by him, who&s;e riches, nobility, and authority, gaue courage to demand the body of Chri&s;t, (for hee was rich, noble, and a Decurion, that is, a Senatour of <HI>Hieru&s;alem</HI>)
<PB N="594" REF="322"> and who&s;e integrity of life commended him vnto God. Con&s;ider thirdly, the power of the bloud of Chri&s;t, which gaue courage to a noble man, and one that was timerous, to confe&s;&s;e Chri&s;t openly, and to take him downe from the Cro&s;&s;e with his owne hands. Pray thou our Lord to con|firme thy &s;trength, to perform tho&s;e thinges couragiou&s;ly, which &s;eeme hard and diffi|cult to nature. Co~&s;ider fourth|ly, what manner of man Chri&s;t would haue thee to bee, that he might commend his body vnto thee, &amp; that thou migh|te&s;t pre&s;erue it profitably in the &s;epulcher of thy heart. Fir&s;t, <HI>Rich,</HI> not to the world, lea&s;t thou fall into the &s;nare
<PB N="595" REF="322"> of the Deuill, but hauing thy trea&s;ure layed vp in Heauen. Secondly, <HI>Noble,</HI> a worthy Sonne of God. Thirdly, <HI>a De|curion,</HI> which word in this place &s;ignifieth not a man of warre, but a Coun&s;ailor, or Senatour, that thou &s;houlde&s;t order thy life according to the whol&s;ome coun&s;ailes of God. Fourthly, <HI>of Aramathia, a Citty of</HI> Iurie, which was the countrey of the Prophete <HI>Sa|muell. Aramathia</HI> &s;ignifieth high; &amp; <HI>Iudaea,</HI> or <HI>Iurie</HI> con|fe&s;&s;ion and prai&s;e: that thou &s;houlde&s;t alwaies be conuer|&s;ant with thy mind in the high Heauens, that is, in the coun|trey of the Saints, &amp; confe&s;&s;e thy &s;innes vnto God, &amp; &s;ing his prai&s;es vnto him with his
<PB N="596" REF="323"> holy angels. Fiftly, <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> which was the name of that Patriarch, who long before prepared with great pomp the funerall of his Father <HI>Iacob;</HI> and the name al&s;o of the Vir|gins &s;pou&s;e, who was the fir&s;t man, that tooke the infant <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> in his armes, and cheri|&s;hed and brought him vpp. This name &s;ignifieth increa&s;e: for God would haue thee to increa&s;e in vertues, to proceed in deuotion, and with great charity alwaies to helpe thy neighbours. Sixtly, <HI>a good ma~,</HI> that in thy &s;elfe thou &s;hould|e&s;t be indued with grace, and leade an vn&s;potted life. Sea|uenthly, <HI>iu&s;t,</HI> and vpright to|wards thy neighbour. Eight|ly, <HI>the Di&s;ciple of Chri&s;t,</HI> to
<PB N="597" REF="323"> who&s;e doctrine &amp; rule thou mu&s;t co~forme thy life. Ninth|ly, <HI>&s;ecrete,</HI> that for feare of the Deuills, who alwaies lye in waite again&s;t good workes, thou doe&s;t neuer vaunt of thy good deedes, nor &s;eeke vaine glory by them. Pray thou our Lord, to indue thee with the&s;e ornaments, y^t thou mai&s;t wor|thily receiue his holy body.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>He had not con&s;ented to their coun&s;aile and acts,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23. Mar. 15. Mat. 27. Ioan. 19.</NOTE> for he al&s;o ex|pected the kingdome of God. He boldly went into <HI>Pilate,</HI> and de|maunded the body of <HI>Ie&s;us:</HI> but <HI>Pilate</HI> wondred, if he were alrea|dy dead: and hauing &s;ent for the <HI>Centurio~,</HI> he asked him if he wer already dead: &amp; when he knewe of the <HI>Centurio~,</HI> he was content, and co~manded the body of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> to be giuen him.</HEAD>
<PB N="598" REF="324">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, foure other quallities of <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> w^c it is nece&s;&s;ary for thee to imitate, if thou wilt haue the body of Chri&s;t profitably committed vnto thee. 1. Not to con&s;ent to the councell &amp; actes of the wicked. 2. To expect y^e king|dome of God, and to thinke long for the Heauenly coun|trey. 3. To performe tho&s;e thinges con&s;tantly, which ad|uance the glory of God. 4. To require the body of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> that is, neuer to be &s;eperated from the Church, the my&s;ticall bo|dy of Chri&s;t, &amp; to come with great deuotion to the holy Euchari&s;t. Con&s;ider &s;econdly how much it doth profite a man to auoide the &s;ociety and company of wicked men; for
<PB N="599" REF="324"> hee, which flyeth euill, &s;hall ea&s;ily be brought to do good. Con&s;ider thirdly, that hee, w^c expecteth the kingdome of Heauen, ought mo&s;t of all to flye wicked company. There|fore if thou &s;eeke&s;t this King|dome, for&s;ake quickly the world, and all that is in the world. For the ble&s;&s;ed Apo|&s;tle teacheth, that <HI>Nothing is found in it,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Ioan. 2</NOTE> <HI>but concupi&s;cence of the fle&s;h, and of the eyes, &amp; pride of life.</HI> Con&s;ider fourthly, that <HI>Pilate</HI> maruailed; whereby thou maye&s;t vnder&s;tand that our Lord &s;uffered much more grieuous torments, the~ either the Euangeli&s;ts did expre&s;&s;e, or our vnder&s;tanding can con|ceiue. For whereas the cruci|fied per&s;ons liued three whole
<PB N="600" REF="325"> dayes, and Chri&s;t liued little aboue three houres vpon the Cro&s;&s;e; it appeareth plainly, that more torments were in|flicted vpon him, then com|monly was vpon other cruci|fied per&s;ons. Giue thou thanks to thy Spou&s;e for his great bounty, and offer vp thy &s;elfe likewi&s;e freely to his loue and &s;eruice. Con&s;ider fiftly, that the holy body of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> was re|quired of <HI>Pilate</HI> beeing a Hea|then; that thou maye&s;t not meruaile, if in the Church the &s;ame &s;acred body, and other holy my&s;teries be committed &s;ometimes to the di&s;tribution of wicked men. Pray thou our Lord, &s;o to deliuer his body vnto thee, y^t through any fault of thine it may neuer be taken from thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="601" REF="325">
<HEAD>But <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> hauing bought a cleane piece of linnen,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 13 Mat. 27. Luc. 23. Ioan. 19</NOTE> tooke down the body of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> and laying it downe, wrapped it in the cleane linnen.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, with what reuerence this holy Se|nator came to the Cro&s;&s;e, and pulled out the nayles with his owne handes, tooke downe the holy body from y^e Cro&s;&s;e, Saint <HI>Iohn</HI> perhappes and the women, but &s;pecially our Lords Mother, running to helpe him: who comming all neare, and beholding his &s;a|cred countenance, vpo~ which the Angells de&s;ire to looke, what wordes doe they vtter? what &s;ighes doe they &s;end foorth? what teares doe they powre out? Behold then his
<PB N="602" REF="326"> Mother, lifting vp her handes, &amp; earne&s;tly begging her &s;ons body of <HI>Io&s;eph,</HI> and receiuing it reuerently: Come thou to the virgine and comfort her, who lamented euery wound. For although, contrary to the cu&s;tome of Parents, &s;hee re|frayned from vn&s;eemely cry|ing, and womani&s;h ge&s;tures; yet &s;hee felt the inward griefe of minde, and a mo&s;t &s;harpe &s;word piercing her hart. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, that <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> bought a cleane piece of lin|nen, wherein the body of Ie|&s;us &s;hould bee wrapped: in &s;tead whereof thou oughte&s;t to haue a cleane con&s;cience, bought with the price of pen|nance, and made &s;it to receiue the body of Chri&s;t. Con&s;ider
<PB N="603" REF="326"> thirdly, that heere is no men|tion made of the &s;eruants, be|cau&s;e holy men doe tho&s;e things them&s;elues, which per|tayne to the &s;eruice of God, and by their &s;eruauntes they di&s;patch their worldly bu&s;i|ne&s;&s;e: whereas contrariwi&s;e wicked men doe Gods &s;eruice by their deputies, applying them&s;elues wholly to tempo|rall affaires. But let &s;uch men take heede, lea&s;t by their de|puties they obtaine eternall glory, and by them&s;elues bee throwne into euerla&s;ting fire. Pray thou our Lord to make thy con&s;ci|ence a worthy &s;hroud to re|ceiue his &s;acred body.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="604" REF="327">
<HEAD>The 49. Meditation of the buriall of our Lord.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Nichodemus</HI> al&s;o came, who had come fir&s;t to <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> in the night,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19.</NOTE> bringing a mixture of Myrrhe, and Aloes, about a hundreth poundes. And they took the body of <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> and bound it in linned, with &s;pices, as the custom of the <HI>Iewes</HI> is to bury.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, how much <HI>Nichodemus</HI> profited by this bloud of Chri&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 3.</NOTE> which was &s;hed. Hee came before to <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> in the night; now open|ly: then he brought nothing but que&s;tions and words; now he bringeth precious &s;pices, and helpeth to bury him: that thou maye&s;t learne to increa&s;e in vertues, and to &s;hake off all
<PB N="605" REF="327"> ba&s;e and &s;eruile feare. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, that neither of them came without their guiftes. For <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> bought a linnen &s;heete, and a noble &s;e|pulcher. And <HI>Nichodemus</HI> brought Myrrhe and Aloes in great plenty for the v&s;e of the dead body. Fir&s;t,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 26.</NOTE> that thou &s;houlde&s;t not &s;ay with <HI>Iudas,</HI> why is all this lo&s;&s;e? when thou &s;ee&s;t much &s;pent about the honour &amp; &s;eruice of God. Secondly, that thou by their example &s;houlde&s;t bring thy guiftes to Chri&s;t, who dyed for thee, and offer vp all thy labours to his honour. Con&s;i|der thirdly, what manner of duty they did to the holy bo|dy of our Lord. Fir&s;t, when it was taken downe, all of them
<PB N="606" REF="328"> together, with the Mother of our Lord, &s;tood reuerently beholding, and contempla|ting the &s;ame body with their eyes, and mindes. And heere againe ponder with thy el&s;e what teares they &s;hedd, what wordes they &s;pake, and what thoughts they had; &amp; ca&s;ting away al vaine feare, come neer and ioyne thy words &amp; pray|ers vnto theirs. Beholde this chincke of the Wall (the wound, I meane, of his &s;ide) behold the holes of the Rock (the foure wounds of his ha~ds and feete) behold the crowne of Thornes, remayning yet vpon his holy head, wouen with many boughes (as it may be &s;eene in <HI>Paris</HI> in the Kings chappell, where it is kept with
<PB N="607" REF="328"> great reuerence) behold like|wi&s;e his whole body, blewe with &s;tripes, and torne with wounds. Pray our Lord, fir&s;t, to hide thee in the&s;e holes of the Rocke, and in this chinck of the Wall, that thou neuer thinke&s;t, nor de&s;ire&s;t any thing, which tendeth not to the glory of him crucified. Secondly, that he neuer looke vpon thee, but through the&s;e wounds, or windowes of his hands, feete, and &s;ide, nor haue any other pro&s;pect, but through the&s;e crannies, that is, the&s;e wounds of his whole body &amp; head, through which hee cannot &s;ee but with the eyes of mercy. Secondly, they tooke off his crown of thorns from his head, and perhappes
<PB N="608" REF="329"> being tangled in his haire and &s;ticking in the fle&s;h &amp; ioynts of the bones, they hardly pluc|ked out the thornes entyre: and taking a ba&s;on, they reue|rently wa&s;hed off the &s;pit|tings, bloud, and filth, which &s;tucke vnto the &s;ame. Third|ly, with great honour they wa&s;hed, according to the cu&s;tome of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> the holy body of our Lord, and gathered together all the foulene&s;&s;e, as mo&s;t holy and &s;acred reliques, &amp; kept them with great care; which in continuance of time waxing hard, and being reduced into a bloudy &s;ub&s;tance, mingled heere and there with a watery colour, was &s;ent by <HI>Baldwin</HI> King of <HI>Hieru&s;alem</HI> from <HI>Pa|le&s;tina,</HI>
<PB N="609" REF="329"> to <HI>Bruges</HI> in <HI>Flaunders</HI> by the Abbot of St. <HI>Bertins,</HI> where it is kept, and reueren|ced mo&s;t deuoutly by the <HI>Brugeans,</HI> and hath been pre|&s;erued by Gods help, and their &s;ingular care from the fury of the <HI>Gen&s;eoms.</HI> Fourthly, they wrapped the body in the &s;heete, and after the manner of the <HI>Iewes</HI> couered it ouer with &s;pices. Marke thou eue|ry thing, and conuert it to thy owne benefite. Thy Lord is bound, who loo&s;eth thee bounden: his hands are bou~d, lea&s;t they puni&s;h thee: his feete are bound, lea&s;t they runne to reuenge: his face is couered, lea&s;t he &s;ee the foule|nes of thy &s;innes. Pray vnto him, to &s;ea&s;on thee with the
<PB N="610" REF="330"> &s;pices of vertues, and to burie thee together with him.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And there was in the place, where hee was crucified, a Gar|den,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 19. Luc. 23. Mat. 27. Mar. 15.</NOTE> and in the garden, a Mo|nument, which <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> had cut out in a Rocke, in which neuer a|ny was yet laide. Therefore, for the Para&s;ceue of the <HI>Iewes,</HI> they laid <HI>Ie&s;us,</HI> becau&s;e the Mo|nument was hard by. And <HI>Io|&s;eph</HI> rowled a great &s;tone to the mouth of the Monument, and went his way.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, that Chri&s;t our Lord was not left without Sepulture, but was buryed like vnto others: Fir&s;t that hee might &s;eeme to haue omitted nothing, pertaining vnto men. Secondly, y^t thou being buried with him, &s;houl|de&s;t
<PB N="611" REF="330"> neither regard nor know tho&s;e thinges, which are done in the world. Co~&s;ider &s;econd|ly, that the Prophet foretolde,<NOTE PLACE="marg">I&s;a. 11.</NOTE> that the Sepulcher of our Lord &s;hould be glorious. This Se|pulcher may bee taken three wayes. Fir&s;t, for this whereof wee now &s;peake, which being cut out in the Rocke was re|&s;erued for an honorable man. Which was made more glo|rious, becau&s;e two Senators being Noble men, and one of them, a Mai&s;ter in <HI>I&s;raell,</HI> and a Doctor of the Lawe,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Ioan. 3</NOTE> executed the office of buriall with their owne handes; and becau&s;e none but iu&s;t &amp; holy men touched the &s;acred body of Chri&s;t, which with great co&s;t they annoynted, and &s;ea|&s;oned.
<PB N="612" REF="331"> Secondly, for his Se|pulcher in the Church, where the true body of Chri&s;t, being thought indeede liuing, yet like vnto his dead body is re|&s;erued vnder the forme of dry and immoueable bread, the &s;iluer and golden ve&s;&s;els be|ing as it were a Sepulcher, wherein it is kept. And this Sepulcher is glorious, becau&s;e it is rea&s;on, that wee exhibite to this body; that once dyed for vs, as much honour and glory, as lyeth in the power of man to giue. Thirdly, for the Sepulcher of our heartes and bodyes, wherein commu|nicating wee receiue the holy hoa&s;t.<NOTE PLACE="marg">1 Cor. 12</NOTE> For as often as we re|ceiue this Heauenly bread, by this very action, we &s;hew and
<PB N="613" REF="331"> declare the death and buryall of our Lord. Let therefore this Sepulcher bee al&s;o glori|ous, to wit, illuminated with the grace of God, &amp; adorned with all vertues: for <HI>All the glory of the Kinges Daughter is from within;</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">P&s;al. 44.</NOTE> and our Lord by his comming addeth a greater brightne&s;&s;e vnto our &s;oule. Con&s;ider thirdly, with what funerall &s;olemnity our Lord was carryed to his Sepul|cher, when the holy men did beare him, and his Mother and the Holy women, and his Di&s;ciple <HI>Iohn</HI> followed him. Therefore as often as thou &s;halt &s;ee the holy Hoa&s;t carri|ed in proce&s;&s;ion, imagine that thou doe&s;t follow this body of Chri&s;t to buryall; and re|me~bring
<PB N="614" REF="332"> his pa&s;&s;ion &amp; death, co~mend thy &s;elfe and the ne|ce&s;&s;ities of the whole co~mon wealth vnto him by the &s;ame. Pray al&s;o thy Lord, to giue vnto thy heart the &s;trength and con&s;tancy of a &s;tone or rocke, and to prepare a &s;epul|cher therin for him&s;elfe <HI>Where hee may lye in the midday,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Cant. 1.</NOTE> and graciou&s;ly &s;uppre&s;&s;e the heate of thy temptations.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And <HI>Mary Magdalene,</HI> &amp; <HI>Mary</HI> of <HI>Io&s;eph</HI> were &s;itting there again&s;t the Sepulcher,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> and the women which came with him from <HI>Galilee,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">Mar. 15.</NOTE> and followed him, beheld where the body of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> was laide;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Luc. 23.</NOTE> and returning, they prepared &s;pices and oyntments: and on the Sabaoth they re&s;ted for the Commandement.</HEAD>
<PB N="615" REF="332">
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the &s;orrowe both of the other women and al&s;o of the Mother of Chri&s;t, when they mu&s;t bee drawen from the &s;ight of &s;o &s;weet a Lord. There &s;eemeth to be no mention made of the Virgin <HI>Mary,</HI> not becau&s;e &s;he was ab&s;ent, but becau&s;e &s;hee w^c &s;tood by him at his death, could not bee ab&s;ent her&s;elfe from this office &amp; duty. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, the&s;e women &s;ate ouer again&s;t the Sepul|cher, and diligently marked, what was done. Fir&s;t that thou in all thy needs &s;houlde&s;t flye vnto the holy Euchari&s;t of Chri&s;t, and &s;itting as it were by the Sepulcher of our Lord, meditating &amp; pondering vp|on his death &amp; pa&s;&s;ion, &s;houl|de&s;t
<PB N="616" REF="333"> &s;hew forth all thy griefes and receiue remedy and com|fort for thy afflictions. Se|condly, that thou with the&s;e women &s;hould&s;t mark, where the body of <HI>Ie&s;us</HI> was laide. Fir&s;t, in a Garden, both be|cau&s;e by the death of our Lord the way is open to the garden of delightes, from whence we were excluded by the &s;inne of <HI>Adam;</HI> and al&s;o that thou &s;houlde&s;t not lay vp thy Lord in any other place then in the flowers of vertues. Secondly <HI>In a new monument,</HI> both be|cau&s;e hee de&s;ireth all thinges to be new in thee.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 9.</NOTE> For <HI>New wine is not powred into olde ve&s;|&s;els;</HI> and al&s;o becau&s;e he came to make all thinges newe. Thirdly, <HI>In which neuer any was
<PB N="617" REF="333"> laide,</HI> lea&s;t perhaps not Chri&s;t, but &s;ome other might be &s;aid to haue ri&s;en from death; and that thou &s;houlde&s;t &s;uffer no other to re&s;t in the &s;<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">pulcher of thy heart. For he teacheth, that our Lord alone will po&s;|&s;e&s;&s;e thee wholy, and that hee will &s;uffer no companion of his Kingdome in thy &s;oule. Fourthly, <HI>In a Stone,</HI> both to take away all &s;u&s;pition of the &s;tealing away of his body; and al&s;o becau&s;e from thence-foorth hee had determined to pierce the &s;tony hearts of <HI>Gen|tiles</HI> and &s;inners. Fiftly, <HI>In a|nothers Monument,</HI> that by his death hee might commend that pouerty, which he had &s;o often prai&s;ed in his life: for hee, who&s;e Mother had no
<PB N="618" REF="334"> place wherein to lay her Son, when hee was borne; and he who had not where to re&s;t his head, when he liued; was bu|ryed in another mans Sepul|cher, when hee dyed. Be&s;ides, it was conuenient, that hee, which dyed not for his owne fault, but for others, &s;hould be buryed not in his owne, but in another mans Sepulcher. Sixt|ly, <HI>In a place hard by,</HI> both be|cau&s;e no man &s;hould &s;ay, hee was &s;tollen away, if the place had beene farre off; and al&s;o becau&s;e both aliue and dead our Lord would not bee far from his &s;eruants, but alwaies remaine among&s;t his people. Seauenthly, <HI>In the Sepulcher of a iu&s;t man,</HI> both becau&s;e hee dyed, that hee might indue vs
<PB N="619" REF="334"> with Iu&s;tice; and al&s;o becau&s;e no man ought to receiue him in the holy Communion but a iu&s;t man. Con&s;ider thirdly, that the wome~ re&s;ted the next day, and cea&s;ed from their worke and duty by rea&s;on of the Commandement: where|by the vertue of obedience is commended vnto vs, which teacheth vs, that for God e|uen the &s;eruice of God &s;om|times is to bee omitted; that is, that many workes of deuo|tion, and Heauenly comforts are to bee pretermitted, when the Superiour &s;o co~maundeth. Pray thou our Lord, that hee, who exerci&s;ed obedience e|uen till his death, will graunt thee the perfection of that vertue.</P>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<DIV2 TYPE="part">
<PB N="620" REF="335">
<HEAD>The 50. Meditation of the keeping of the Sepulcher.</HEAD>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And the next day, which is after the Para&s;ceue, the chiefe Prie&s;ts &amp; the Phari&s;es came to|gether to <HI>Pilate,</HI> &s;aying: Mai|&s;ter wee remember, that this &s;e|ducer &s;aide, while&s;t he liued: af|ter three dayes I will ri&s;e againe: Commaund therefore that the Sepulcher may bee kept till the third day;<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> lea&s;t perhaps his Di&s;|ciples come and &s;teale him away, and &s;ay to the people hee is ri&s;en from death: and the la&s;t error will bee wor&s;e then the fir&s;t.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, what the care of the&s;e men was vpon the Sabaoth, and vpon this Sabaoth al&s;o, being the &s;olemnitie of their
<PB N="621" REF="335"> Pa&s;ch: to wit, to ob&s;cure the glory of Chri&s;t: and that day, wherein they &s;hould &s;peake with God, they &s;pend in bu&s;i|nes with a prophane man: whome thou doe&s;t often imi|tate, &s;pending thy time in worldly bu&s;ines, when either the Sacraments ought to bee handled, or &s;ome other thing to bee done with God. Con|&s;ider &s;econdly, that the Sa|baoth is not named the next day after the Para&s;ceue: Fir&s;t, becau&s;e the true &s;olem|nity of the Saboath and of the Pa&s;ch was to bee transferred to the next day by the new re|&s;urrection of Chri&s;t. Second|ly, becau&s;e holy dayes, being prophaned by &s;inne, are not fea&s;tiuall &amp; profitable to &s;in|ners,
<PB N="622" REF="336"> but rather hurtful &amp; pro|phane.<NOTE PLACE="marg">Theoph. in Mat. 27.</NOTE> Con&s;ider 3. <HI>Mai&s;ter,</HI> they, which refu&s;ed the <HI>Me&s;&s;i|as</HI> for their Lord and Mai&s;ter, are worthily compelled to accept a vile Idolater for their Mai&s;ter. For the Deuill and the world &s;hall rule ouer him, ouer whom Chri&s;t ruleth not. Con&s;ider fourthly, that Chri&s;t was called by the wicked a &s;e|ducer: For the Deuill euen at this day indeauoreth by his &s;eruants to per&s;wade, y^t Chri&s;t is a Seducer, and that they are &s;educed to errors and wicked|nes, whom Chri&s;t doth either conuert to the true faith, or exhort to a better kinde of life; whereas Chri&s;t doth &s;e|duce no man, but leadeth them from the wide way of
<PB N="623" REF="336"> Hell to the &s;traite and nar|rowe pathe of eternall life. Con&s;ider fiftly, that the wic|ked feared Chri&s;t being dead; how much more then ought he to be feared being liuing, and comming with Maie&s;tie to iudge the quicke and the dead? Heere thou fee&s;t two kindes of the feare of God; one in the <HI>Centurion,</HI> and the re&s;t which went away, &s;triking their brea&s;ts, and for feare of future euils thinking of the a|mendment of their liues; the other of wicked men, who la|bor to infringe the councells of God, and this feare is pro|per to the deuill, and to all the enemies of God. Con&s;ider &s;ixtly, that the great care and diligence of the&s;e wicked
<PB N="642" REF="337"> men did much increa&s;e the glory of Chri&s;t. For by this diligent carefulnes of them, the rumor of the fore&s;aid re|&s;urrection of Chri&s;t was the more publi&s;hed, and cau&s;ed ve<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">y many to hope and expect the &s;ame, and al&s;o tooke away all &s;u&s;pition of &s;tealing him away, &s;eeing there was with &s;uch diligence a company of &s;ouldiers appointed to watch him. Con&s;ider &s;eauenthly, that they feared, lea&s;t the Di&s;|ciples of Chri&s;t &s;hould &s;teale away his bodie. Doe thou re|ceiue it openly, for it is giuen to thee, borne for thee, and crucified for thee: and pray our Lord neither to depart from thee him&s;elfe, nor to &s;uffer any creature els to take him from thee.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<PB N="625" REF="337">
<HEAD>Pilate &s;aid to them, ye haue a guard, goe, and keepe him, as ye knowe.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t that <HI>Pilate,</HI> who had once con&s;en|ted with the <HI>Iewes</HI> to the death of Chri&s;t, did now a&s;&s;igne them a guard, to wit, the Garri&s;on &s;oldiours, ap|pointed for the watching of the Cittie. For who&s;oeuer doth once yeild to the will of the wicked, &s;hall hardly with|draw him&s;elfe after from their will and importunity; wherof they haue experience, who in|tangle them&s;elues with the vnlawfull loue of women: and the Deuill al&s;o, hauing once got the vpper hand; bringeth men into mi&s;erable bondage. Con&s;ider &s;econdly, that <HI>Pilate</HI>
<PB N="626" REF="338"> who before had diligently de|fended the cau&s;e of Chri&s;t, doth now con&s;pire with the <HI>Iewes</HI> again&s;t the glorie of Chri&s;t. <HI>Goe</HI> (&s;aith he) <HI>keepe him, as ye knowe;</HI> that is, be di|ligent in watching him: for a man doth &s;o ea&s;ily fall out of one &s;inne into another, that he al&s;o becommeth an author and prouoker of &s;in in others. Con&s;ider thirdly, that <HI>Pilate,</HI> when he heard mention made of his re&s;urrection, waxed a|fraid, both of the incon&s;tant people, and al&s;o of <HI>Cae&s;ar,</HI> without who&s;e commaunde|ment he had condemned an innocent man to death. For this is the fruite of &s;inne, that it bringeth feare, care, and di&s;quiet of minde. Therefore
<PB N="627" REF="338"> doe thou auoide &s;inne, and with a &s;ecure and quiet Con|&s;cience be thankfull vnto God.</P>
</DIV3>
<DIV3 TYPE="section">
<HEAD>And they going away garded the Sepulcher,<NOTE PLACE="marg">Mat. 27.</NOTE> marking the &s;tone with Watchman.</HEAD>
<P>COn&s;ider fir&s;t, the diligent watching of the Sepul|cher. For Fir&s;t, they marked the &s;tone with a &s;eale, lea&s;t the Souldiers &s;hould v&s;e any &s;ub|tiltie or deceipt. Secondly, they appointed a Garde, that is, a &s;ufficient number of Soldiours, both becau&s;e the fauourers of Chri&s;t &s;hould be able to offer no violence, and al&s;o lea&s;t a fewe might fall a|&s;leepe, and in the meane time, be &s;tolen away. Con&s;ider &s;e|condly, that Chri&s;t permitted
<PB N="628" REF="339"> them to v&s;e all this diligence and indu&s;trie, that his re&s;ur|rection might be more pub|li&s;hed and knowne, being proued euen by the te&s;timony of his enemies. Thou &s;ee&s;t fir&s;t, that there is an admira|ble trea&s;ure of goods hidden, in Chri&s;ts Sepulchre, which by all meanes thou ough|te&s;t to endeauour to keepe. Secondly, that thy heart, in which our Lord doth re&s;t, ought to bee kept mo&s;t care|fully. Thirdly, that thou nee|de&s;t not to feare the wicked, who by their per&s;ecutions do nothing el&s;e, but keepe and watch the hidden trea&s;ure of thy &s;oule; lea&s;t by any vanity or pride it &s;hould bee &s;tollen from thee. Con&s;ider thirdly,
<PB N="629" REF="339"> that the markes of the wicked are nothing but impure &s;pots, whereby they labour to infect and pollute the cleane crea|tures of God. Doe thou mark thy heart with Chri&s;t his &s;eale and pray him to guard and pre&s;erue thee with his Angels in his true faith and &s;er|uice: which Almighty God grant vnto mee al&s;o through thy interce&s;&s;ions and Prayers.</P>
<CLOSER>Laus Chri&s;to, Virgini&abque; Matri. Ad maiorem Dei gloriam.</CLOSER>
</DIV3>
</DIV2>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="340">
<PB REF="340">
<PB REF="341">
<PB REF="341">
</DIV1>
</BODY>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
