Of Meditation. Chap. VII

STRAITE after reading foloweth meditation vppon the point which wee haue read. And this meditatiō is somtimes vppon things, which may be sigured with the Imagination; as at all the passages of the life and passion of our Sauiour Christ; of the last iudgement; of hel; or of Paradise. Som other times it is of things, which doe apperteine rather to the vnderstanding, then to the imagination; as is the consideration of the benifits of almightie God: of his goodnes and mercie, or of anie other his perfections. This kind of meditation is called Intellectual, and the other Imaginarie. And we ar woont to vse both the one. […] the other manner in these exercises, according as the matter of the things doth requi[…]e.

Now when the med tation is Imaginarie, we must then figure, and represent euerie one of these things, in such wise as it is, or in such wise as it might perhaps passe, and make accounte, that in the verie same place where we be, al the same passeth in our presence, that by meanes of such a representation of thefethings, the consideration and feeling of them maie be more liuelie in vs. But to goe and meditate such things, as passed, eache in his oune place, is a thing which doth cōmonlie weaken, and hurt the head.

And for this verie cause likewise, a man must not fixe his imagination ouer much vppon the thing[…], of which he meditateth, that so he wearie not is head.

But for as much as the principall matter of meditation, is the holie passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, it is to be v[…]destoode, that in this misterie maie be considered siue principal points, or cire m[…]tance;, which concurre in the same: to wit, whoe he is that suffereth: what he suffreth; for whome he suffereth; in what manner he suffereth: And for what end he suffereth.

Touching the first point, which was, whoe hee is that suffe[…]et[…]: I aunswere that he which suffereth is; the Creator of heauen and earth; the onlie sonne of God; the highest goodnes, and wisdom that can be imagined; the most innocent and most hol[…]e sonne of the blessed virgin Marie.

Concerning the second point, to wit what he suffereth: I aunswere that he suffereth most grieuous pains, as wel in his soule as in his bodie. For in his soule he suffered so great angwish & affliction, as no hart is able to comprehend it; cōsidering the ingratitude of men, towards this so singular and high a benifit: The compassion of his most innocent and blessed mother: The sinnes of the world that were present, past, and to com, for all which he suffered. And in his bodie he endured cold, heat, hunger, wearines, watchings, iniuries, betraying, he was sould of his disciple, he did sweate drops of bloud, he was spitte vppon, buffeted, so ofrentimes bound, forsaken, euil spoken of, falslie accused, whipped, scorned, appareled as yf he had bene a foole, crowned with thornes, lesse esteemed then Barabbas, vniustlie condemned, he caried his owne crosse vppon his shoulders, he was crucified betwene twoe theeues, he did drink easell & gall, and finallie he died a most opprobrious, & reprocheful death vppon the mount Caluarie, in time of greatest solemnitie.

The third point to be considered, is for whome he suffered: & euident it is, that he suffred for mankind disobedient & vngrateful, created of nothing, who of him self can dooe nothing, knoweth nothing, nor is ame thing worth: for a creature of whome he ne uer had, nor neuer was to haue anie neede. For a creature which had offended, & was to offend and disobey him so manietimes.

The fourth point to be considered, is in what manner he suffered: where we shall see, that he suffred with such great patience and meekenes, that he was neuer offended nor angrie with anie bodie: with so great humilitie, that he made choice of the most contemptible death that was vsed in those daies: with so great readines and alacrit[…]e, that he went foorth to meete his enimies; with so great charitie, that he called his frind him, that betraied and sould him; healed his eare that tooke him; regarded with eyes of mercie him, that had denied him; and praied for those that crucified him.

The fift point to be considered, is wherefore and to what end he suffereth: where it is manifest that he suffered to satisfie the iustice of almightie God, and to appease the wrath of his father; to accomplish the predictions and propheties of the Patriarches and Prophetes: to deliuer vs from the thraldom of hell, and to make vs capable of heauen; to shew vs the waie to heauen with his perfect Obedience: and to confound the diules, whoe by reason of theire pride haue lost that, which men dooe gaine through theire humilitie.