Chapter 72

How the second pace towards the bringing us to God, is the giving of thankes which we own him, for his having so delivered us; and of the manner how this is to be done, by means of diverse Misteryes of the Passion, which are to be meditated, in diverse days.

WHEN the soul is thus purged, from the humours of sin, which gave it death; it must employ itself upon giving of thankes, for so great, and so undeserved a favour. Not¹ only in respect that God hath forgiven him, the pains of hell; but because he hath received him for his Son; and hath bestowed his grace upon him, and certain interior guifs, by the merits of the true God, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification; killing our sins, and our old life by his dying; and raising us up, to a new life, by his resurrection. And if job said, That the body of a poor man whom he had clothed, would heap benedictions upon the man, who imparted that benefit; with much more reason ought we to bless Christ Jesus crucified, when our soul doth find itself free from misery, & comforted with favours; believing, that all our good cometh from him; for it is strangely against all reason, to be ungrateful to such love, and for such benefits. And although every time that thou findest thyself well, thou art instantly to praise Christ Jesus, with particular gratitude; yet to the end that this may be done the better, and with more fruit, it will be fit, That as, to think of thy sins, I advised thee to seek some private, or retired place, there to look upon thyself; so now, thou do with much more reason, employ another part of the day, in thinking of the Passion of our Lord; & in giving him thankes for the benefits which are come to thee by it; crying out from thy hart, I will never forget thy iustifications, because in them thou didst give one life.

The course than which thou shalt hold, if no other better do occur, may be this. On² Monday to think on the prayer of our Lord, and the taking of him in the Garden; and that which passed, in the house of Annas, and Caiphas. On Tewesday, the accusations which were presented against him; and the processions, that he made from judge to judge; and of the cruel scourging, which he endured when he was tied to the piliar. On Wednesday, how he was crowned with thorns; and what scorn they put him to by drawing him out in a red coat, and with a Reed in his hand, that all the people might see him; and how they said, Ecce Home. On Thursday, we cannot displace, that most excellent mystery, how the son of God, with profound humility, washed the feet of his disciples, and gave to them afterwards, his body, and blood for food of life. Commanding both them, and all³ priests who were to follow, that they should do the same in memory of him. Do thou make thyself present at that admirable Lavatory, and in that most excellent banquet; and then trust in God, that thou shalt not departed from thence, either defiled, or dead of hunger.

Thou shalt think on Friday, how our Lord was presented before the judge, and sentenced to death; and how he carried his cross upon his shoulders; and was after, crucified upon it; with all that which passed there; till such time as he recommended his spirit into the hands of his Father, and so dved. On Saturday do thou rest in thinkng upon that cruel thrust of the lance into his sacred side; and how they took him off, from the Cross, and laid him in the arms of his blessed Mother; and afterwards in the sepulchre. And go thou accompanying his soul, to that Limbus, of the holy Fathers, and be present at the joy, yea the paradise, which there was grannted to them. Be careful also, upon this day, to think upon the much grief, which the virgin Mother felt; and be a faithful companion in taking part thereof, with her. For beside, that this office is most due to her from thee, it willbe full of profit to thyself. Of Sunday I say nothing, because thou knowest already, that it is deputed to the consideration of the Resurrection, and of the glory, which the inhabitants of heaven possess; and in this, thou art to employ thyself, upon that day. In⁴ particular I recommend to thee, that upon Thursday night, thou take as little sleep as possibly thou canst, to keep company with our Lord; who (after those vexations of his arrest; & the long way that he went, between the house of Annas and Caiaphas; and after many buffets and scorns, and other lewd impieties that were put upon him) did consume the rest of that night, in excessive affliction; & in a prison extremely hard; & with so great abuse, by such as kept him, that neither had he a mind to sleep, nor would any other man forbear to lament, and weep, if he well knew what passed there. Which was so much, as, that S. Hierome saith, will not be known, till⁵ the day of judgement. Demand of him a part of his pains, and take thou for him, every thursday night, some such pain in particular, as himself shall address thee to. For a great shame it is to any Christian, if he put no difference between that, and other nights. And there was a certain person that said, Who is he, that can find in his hart, to sleep upon a Thursday night. And I believe, also, if the truth were known, that the same person, did not sleep much upon Friday night.

Footnotes

1. A greater blessing it is to be made the adopted Son of God, then to be freed from the pains of hell. ↩

2. A distribution of the days, in the Meditation of the Passion of our Lord. ↩

3. It was his Apostles, and in their person to all lawful Priests their successors, whomour Lord commanded to do the like, and not to lay persons, as the Protestant's imagine. ↩

4. This may best be practised, by persons who are of good health; & who live not in communities; not are ordinarily of great penance otherwise ↩

5. Our Lord grant, that we may know it then, to our comforts, & not to our confusion. ↩