Tewsdaie Morninge

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Meditations Vpon These Poyntes of the Text

VHAT doest thou o my soule? what thinkest thou? It is no time now to sleepe: Come with me I praye thee into the garden of Gethsemanie, ād there shalt thou heare, and see great misteries. There shalt thou see, ioye stroken with sadnes: fortitude waxen afraide: strengthe discomfited: maiestie and omnipotencie confounded: greatenes, and mightines, verie narrowlie streytened: and glorie it self obscured, and darkened.

¹ Consider now first, how after that supper (which was so full of misterie) was ended, our sauiour went with his disciples vnto the mownte Oliuet, to make his praier, before he would enter into the combat of his passion:² to geue vs thereby to vnderstand, that in all troubles, and temptations of this life, we must alwaies haue recourse vnto praier, as it were to an holie ancker, by vertu whereof, the burden of tribulation shall eyther be taken quite awaie from vs: or els we shall haue strength geuen vs to be able to beare it: which is a farre greater grace. For (as S. Gregorie saith) our Lord doth vs a greater benefit,³ when he geueth vs force, and strength, to be able to susteine troubles, and temptations, then when he taketh the same troubles and temptations awaie from vs.

Our sauiour tooke with him (to accompanie him in this waie) three of his best beloued Disciples: to witt: S. Peter: S.Iames, and S. Iohn: which three a little before, had bene witnesses of his glorious transfiguration. And this he did, that the verie same persons might see, what a farre different shape he tooke nowe vpon him, for the loue of men, from that glorious shape, wherein he had shewed him selfe vnto them at his transfiguration. And because they should vnderstand, that the inward troubles, and agonie of his soule, were no lesse then those, that begane to be discouered outwardly, he spake vnto them those sorowfull wordes. My soule is heauie euen vnto death: tarrie me here, and watche with me. That verie God, and trewe man, that man that farre excellethe both our humane nature, and all thinges created, whose de alinge, and conference, was with the verie breste of the highe Deitie it selfe, with whom onelie he communicated his secretes, is now fallen into so great sorrowe, and heauines, that he is contented to geue part of his paines vnto his creatures, and to require of thē theire companie: saying: tarrie me here, and watch with me. O treasure of heauen? o perfet felicitie? who hath browght thee o Lord vnto such a narrowe straight? who hath driuen thee to seeke at other mens gates? who hath caused thee to become a beggar, euen of thine owne creatures? who hath done all this, but onely the verie greate loue, thou hast to make them riche.

Tell me o most sweete and mercifull redeemer? wherefore art thou now so much afraide of death, which before thou diddest so much desire: seinge the fulfilling of the desire, is a cause rather of ioye, then of feare? Verelie the Martirs had neither the fortitude, nor yet the grace, that thou hast. They had onelie a little, portion, which thou (beinge the fountaine of grace) diddest impart vnto them: and yet they with that onelie smale quantitie of grace, entred verie cheerfullie into the combat of there martirdomes, and atcheiued the victorie. And art thou (o Lord) beinge the geuer of strength and grace, sad and fearfull now,⁴ euen before the battell beginne? Assuredlie (o Lord) this thy feare, is not thyne, but myne: as likewise the strength, and fortitude of thy Martirs, was not theires, but thyne. The feare that thou hast, commeth of that, thou hast of vs, and the strength and and fortitude that the martyrs had, came of that, they had receiued of thee. The weakenes of my humane nature is discouered in that God was afraide: and the strengthe of thy godhead is showed in the fortitude of man. So that this feare is myne, and that fortitude is thyne. And therefore thy reproche is myne, and my praise is thyne.

There was taken a ribbe bone out of the side of our forefather Adam,⁵ to forme a woman thereof: and in steede of the bone, that was taken awaie; there was put weake and feeble fleshe. Now what elles is signified hereby, but that the euerlastinge father tooke from thee, beinge our second Adam, the force and strengthe of grace: to place the same in thy spouse the Catholick Church: and tooke from her the feeble fleshe, and weakenes, to place it in thee? by meanes whereof thy spouse remayned stronge, and thou weake: she stronge, by reason of thy strength: and thou weake, by reason of her weakenes. Thou hast herein (o heauenlie Lord) bestowed a dowble benefit vpon vs, in that thou hast vouchsaffed, not onelie to clothe vs with thee, but euen also to clothe thy selfe with vs. For these two so singuler benefittes the angelles praise thee for euermore, for that thou hast bene no niggarde in communicatinge thy benefittes vnto vs, nor yet disdayned to take vpon thee our miseries. Now when I consider these thinges (o Lord) what ells should I do, but seinge my selfe, as it were loden with thy mercies, glorie in thee, and seinge thee to be likewise replenished with my miseries for my sake, take compassion vpon thee? For the one I will reioyce, and be glad, and for the other I will sorrowe, and lament. And so with ioye and lamentation together, I will singe and bewaile the misterie of thy most dolorous passion, and I will studie continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell the contentes whereof ar[…] songes,⁶ and lamentations.

When our sauiour had spoken these wordes he departed from his disciples a stones cast, where lyenge prostrat vpon the grounde, he begane his praier with verie great reuerence: sayinge, O father, if it be possible, ⁷ let this cuppe passe from me, howbeit not as I will, but as thou wilt. ⁸ and after he had made this praier three times, at the third time, he was in such a great agonie, that he beganne to sweat euen droppes of bloud, which ranne downe all a longe his sacred bodie, and trickeled downe to the grownd.⁹

Consider now attentiuelie, in what a dolorous case our sauiour was, and how there were then represented vnto him, all the cruell paynes and tormentes he had to suffer, euen as thowgh they had bene then presentlie in doinge before his eies, all which he apprehended after a most perfet maner in his most excellent imagination, eache one in such sort, as they were prepared for his bodie, which was certeinlie more tender, and delicate, then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde. He set also at that time before his eies, all the synnes of the worlde, or which he should suffer, and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of so manie soules, as (he knewe) would neuer acknowledge this his singuler benefit, nor further aid helpe themselues with this most pretious, aid so costlie remedie. These thinges being profoundelie wayed, and considered by our sauiour at this time, his soule was vexed in such sort, and his senses, and most tender fleshe, were so wounderfullie troubled, that all the forces, and elementes of his bodie were distempered, and his blessed fleshe opened on euerie side, and gaue place to the bloude, that it might passe and distille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance, and streame downe to the grownde. Now if the fleshe suffered suche greuous paynes with the onelie remembrance, and imagination, of that which as then was to come, in what a dolefull case then, trow ye, was his soule, that suffered those paynes euen directlie in it selfe.

In other men we see, when they are disquieted with anie suddaine, and great anguishe, the bloude vseth commonlie to haue recourse vnto the hart, leauinge the other members of the bodie colde and destitute of theire strēgthe, to comfort the most principall member. ¹⁰ But our sweete Sauiour Christ contrariewise, (because he would suffer without anie maner of comfort, thereby to make our redemption more aboundant,) such was his passing loue towardes vs, that he would not admit so much, as that little releefe and comfort of nature.

Beholde our sweete sauiour now in this dolorous agonie, and consider not onelie the paynefull anguishes, and greifes of his soule, but also the forme of his sacred, and reuerent countenance.

The sweare is wont to haue his most cheefe, and principall recourse to the forehead, and to the face. If then the bloud issued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour in such sorte, that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe: in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinke you, that geueth light to the verie light it selfe? And how was that face beraied, which is so reuerenced of the heauens, beinge as it was all in droppes, and couered ouer with a blouddie sweat. If such as be kinde and louinge, are wont when they come to visit theire frendes, being sicke, and in danger of death, to beholde theire countenance aduisedlie, and to marke the colour, and other accidentes, that proceed of the disease, tell me o my soule, that beholdest the face of our sweete sauiour, what thinkest thou, when thou beholdest in the same such wonderfull, strange, and deadlie signes? What painfull fittes and dolorous greifes, are those like to be hereafter, if in the verie beginninge of the disease, he suffer such a great agonie? In what dolorous panges is he like to be, when he shall feele those most greuous paynes, and cruell tormentes themselues, if in the onelie thinkinge of them, he sweateth euen droppes of bloude? If thou be not moued to take compassion of our sweete sauiour, seinge him in this dolefull case for thy sake: If now when he sweateth droppes of bloud throughout all his bodie, thou canst not sheede anie teares from thyne eies, thinke verelie with thy selfe, that thou hast a verie harde and stonie hart: and if thou canst not weepe for want of loue towardes him, yet at the least weepe for the multitude of thy sinnes: forsomuch as they were the verie cause of this his agonie,¹¹ and greife. Now the tormentors doe not whippe him: neither doe the souldiars crowne him with thornes: It is not now the nailes, nor the thornes, that do cause the bloud to gushe out of his bodie at this time: but it is thy verie synnes and offences: those are the tormentors that doe torment him: those are the heauie burden, that cause him to sweat this so strāge and wonderfull blouddye sweat. O my sweete sauiour, and redeemer, how redemption? O my true Adam, that art comme our of paradice for my synnes, and labourest here in earth with thy blouddie sweat,¹² to get the bread that I must feede vpon.

Consider also in this place, on the one side, the great agonie, and watchinge of our Sauiour Christ, and on the other, the sownde and deepe sleepinge of his disciples: and thou shalt see here represented a great misterie. For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamented in the worlde, then to see how careles and negligent men be in there liues, and how little accompt they make of a matter of so great importance, as is theire owne saluation. What thinge is more to be bewayled, then to see men so careles in such waightie afaires? Now if thou wilt vnderstand both the one, and the other, consider in this matter, the doinges of our sauiour, and withall the doinges of his disciples. See how our sauiour, applieng his minde earnestlie to this busines of our redemption, is in such a great care, and agonie therewith, that it maketh him to sweate euen droppes of bloude: and see on the other side, how his disciples do lie a longe on the grownd, and are so heauie a sleepe, that neither theire maisters rebukynge of them, nor theire ill fauoured ād harde lodginge on the bare groū de, nor yet the obscure and darcke dewie night, are able to awake them out of theire heauie and drowsie sleepe. Note also of what importance the saluation of mankinde is, sith it is able, to make him to sweate droppes of bloude, by whose power the heauens are susteined. And consider on the other side, how little accompt men them selues make of theire owne saluation, sith at such time as almightie God him selfe, is so carefull, and watchfull for them; they are in a deepe heauie sleepe, and vtterlie careles thereof. Assuredlie, nothinge could more liuely expresse both the one and the other, than the consideration of these two pointes, being so strange as they are. For if almightie of others, howe happeneth it, that the verie persons them selues, to whom euen the charge and traueille of the affaires apperteineth, (together with the profit, commoditie, losse and damage of the same) do liue with such carelesnes, and negligence therin?

By this same care of our Sauiour, and carelesnes of his disciples, thou maist vnderstand, how trewlie this Lorde is our father, and how he hath indeede towardes vs the verie bowelles, and hart of a true, and louinge father. How often times chaunceth it trowe ye, that the daughter sleepeth verie sowndlie and quietlie, when her father watcheth all the night, carckinge and carynge for her releefe and prouision. And euen so doth this our most louinge and mercifull father for vs, whiles we be soheauie a sleepe, and are vtterlie careles of our owne saluation, as by this example is liuelie set out before our eies, in that he continueth all the night watchinge, and sweatinge, and in great agonie to take order for the redēption, he intended to bestowe vpon vs.

HOW OVR SAVIOVR WAS APPREHENDED. Non est seruus maior domino suo: si me persecuti to sunt

¹³ CONSIDER moreouer, how when our sauiour had finished his praier, Iudas that counterfait, and false friende of his, came thither with that hellishe cōpanie, where renouncinge the office of an Apostle, he became now the verie principall ringeleader and Captayne of Sathans armie, Consider howe without all shame he pressed, and set himselfe euen the verie formost, before all the rest of his malicious rowte: and comminge to his good maister, solde him with a kisse of most treyterous, and deceitfull fryndeshippe. It is certaynelie a great miserie, that a man should be solde for money, but yet it is much more miserable if he be solde of his friendes, and of such, as to whom he hathe bene greatelie beneficiall before. Now our sweete Sauiour Christ is solde of him, whom he had made not onelie his disciple, but also his Apostle: yea, he is solde of him by deceite ád plaine treason, he is solde of him to most cruel merchantes, that couete (you may be sure) nothing els of him, but onelie his bloud and life, to satisfie theire greadie honger. But for what price trow ye, is he sold? the basenes and smalnes of the pryce, increaseth the greatnes and malice of the iniurie. Tell me, O Iudas, thou nowghtie traitor, at what price doest thou set the Lord of all creatures? At thirtie pence. O what a vile and slender pryce is this, for a Lorde of such maiestie. Certeinlie, a verie beast in the shambles is commonlie solde for more. And doest thou o traitor, sell for so smalle a pryce, almightie God him selfe? He settethe not thee at so smalle a pryce, forsomuch as he byeth thee, with his owne most pretious bloude. O what a great price and estimation was that of man, and how base an estimation and pryce was this of God? God is solde for thirtie pence, and man is bought euen with the verie pretiouse bloud of almightie God him selfe.

At the same tyme, our sauiour said vnto them that came to laie handes vpon him:¹⁴ Ye become out, as it were ageinst a theife, with swordes and speeres, and I satte daylie emonge you teachinge in the temple, and ye neuer laid handes vpon me, but this is your howre, and the power of darkenes. This is suerlie a misterie of great admiration. For what thinge is more to be wondered at, then to see the verie sonne of almightie God to take vpon him the Image and shape, not onelie of a sinner, but euen also of a condemned person?¹⁵ This (sayethe he) is yowr howre, and the power of darkenes. The which wordes geue vs to vnderstande, that from that time, that most innocent lambe was geuen vp into the power of the princes of darckenes, which are the diuells, to the intent that by meanes of theire members, and cruell ministers they might execute vpon him, all the furious tormentes and cruelties they could deuise. And like as holie Iob, was by the permission of almightie God geuen vp into the power of Sathan, that he might vse vpon him all the crueltie, he woulde, this onelie excepted, that he should not bereiue him of his life: euen so was there power geuen to the princes of darknes, without anie exception, either of life, or death, that they might fullie extende vpon that sacred humanitie all theire surie and rage to the vttermost they cowld. Hereof rose those despightfull tauntes: those slaunderous and reprochfull wordes, such as the like were neuer harde before that tyme, wherewith the diuell pretended to satisfie his vnsatiable rancre and malice, to reuenge his iniuries, and to cast that blested soule downe into some kinde of impatiencie, if it had bene possible. Almightie God (saith the Prophet Zacharie) shewed Iesus the highe preist vnto me,¹⁶ apparelled with a spotted garmente, and Sathan stoode at his right hande, readie prepared to speake against him. But our Sauiour answered for his parte, sayinge: I did alwaies set God before myne eies, ¹⁷ who standeth at my right hande, that I be not remoued.

Consider then now o my soule, how much that highe and diuine maiestie abased himselfe for thy sake, sithence he vowchesaffed to come to the last extremitie of all miseries, which is to be geuen vp to the power of deuilles. And because this was the paine, that was due to thy synnes, it pleased him to put euen himself to this paine, that thou mightest remaine quite and free from the same.¹⁸ O holie Prophet, why doest thou wonder, to see almightie God, become inferior to his angells? thou hast now farre greater cause to wonder, to see him geuen vp into the power of deuilles. Vndowtedlie both the heauens, and the earthe, trembled, and quaked, at this so passinge great humilitie, and charitie of our Sauiour. So soone as these wordes were spoken, foorthwith all that hellishe rowte, and malitiouse rable of raueninge wolues assaulted this most meeke and innocent lambe, and some verie furiouslye haled him this waie, and some that waie, eache one to the vttermost of his power. O how vngentlie did they handle him? How vncourteouslie spake they vnto him? How manie blowes and buffettes gaue they him? What a vile clamorous cryinge and showtinge made they ouer him, euen as conquerors vse to doe, when they haue obteined there praie. They laye holde vpon those holie handes (which not longe before had wrought so manie wonderfull myracles) and doe bynde them verie harde, and fast, with certaine roughe, and knottie cordes: and that in such sorte, that they gawle the skinne of his armes, and make the verie bloude to springe out. Our sauiour beinge thus bounde, they leade him openlie throwgh the highe common streates, with great despite, and ignominie. O what a strange and wonderfull sight is this? Consider now with thy selfe what thou wouldest thinke, if thou knewest some man of great awthoritie, and worthines, and shouldest see him led opē lie by the officers throwghe the commō streetes, with an haulter tyed about his necke, his handes manicled and fast bounde, in a great hurlye burlye, and concourse of people, with great classhinge and noise of men of armes, and souldiars gardinge him: Imagine (I saie) with thy selfe, what thou wouldest thinke in this case; and then lift vp thine eies, and beholde this Lorde, worthie of so greate reuerence, and honor, that had wrought such wonders in that lande, that had preached such diuine sermons emonge them, whom all the sicke and impotent persons, did honor and reuerence, and besought to haue remedie for all there diseases, and greiffes. Consider now, how they leade him, as one depryued of all awthoritie, and put to open shame: partlie goinge, and partlie haled forwardes, and enforced to hasten his pase: not in such wise, as became a man of his grauitie, and personage, but as it liked the outragious furie of his vnmercifull ennemies, and the desire they had to pleasure the Pharasies, who had so great a lōginge to haue that praie within there grypes. Consider our sauiour well, how he goeth in this dolefull waie, abandoned of his owne disciples; accompanied with his ennemies: his pase hastened and disordered: his breathe in a maner gone: his colour changed: his face chafed, and inflamed, by reason of his so quicke, and hastie passage. And yet in all this euill entreatinge of his person, beholde the modest behahauiour of his countenāce, the comelye grauitie of his eies, and that diuine resemblance which in the middest of all the discourtesies in the worlde coulde neuer be obscured. Ascende also yet a little higher, and consider diligentlie what he is, whom thou seest thus led, and caried awaye, with such great contumelie and dishonor. This is he, that is the worde of the father: the euerlastinge wisedome: the infinite vertu: the cheefe goodnes: the perfet felicitie: the true glorie: and the cleare fountaine of all beawtie. Consider then, how for thy saluation and redemption, vertu is here tyed with bandes: innocēcie apprehēded: wisdome flowted, and lawghed to scorne: honor contemned: glorie tormented: and the cleare welspringe of all bewtie trowbled with weepinge, and sorrowe. If Helie the preist felt such an inward greiffe,¹⁹ when the Arcke of the testament was taken, that beinge astonished therewith, he fell from the seate, wherevpon he sat, and brake his necke, and forthwith gaue vp the Ghost? How owght a Christian soule to be greiued, when he seeth the arcke of all the treasures of the wisedome of almightie God, led, and taken in the possession of such vnmercifull and cruell ennemies?²⁰ The heauens and earthe praise him therefore, and all that is in them, for he hath harde the cries of the poore, and hath not despised the sorowfull bewailinges of his afflicted, that were in captiuitie, but was content to be taken captiue him selfe, to deliuer them out of theire thraldome, and to set them at libertie.

Of Those That Doe Spiritvallie Bynde the Handes of Our Sauiour Christ. § Iii

VHEREFORE (o most gentle, and sweet sauiour) sithence it was thy blessed will, and pleasure, to be bownde, to the intent, thou mightest by thy bandes loose vs, and deliuer vs from our captiuetie: I most hūblie beseach thee, euē by the bowells of thy tēder mercie, that caused thee to abase thy selfe after this sort, that thou wilt not suffer me to cōmit anie such great wickednes, as to bynde thy hādes, as the Iewes did.

For it is not the Iewes onely, that doe binde thy handes, but whosoeuer maketh resistance against thy holie inspirations, and will not goe whither thou wilt gwyde, and conduct him, but refuseth to accept that grace, which thou doest most mercifully offer vnto him.

²¹ That man likewise bindeth thy handes, that geueth anie scandalous offence vnto his neighbour, and by his euill exāple, and nowghtie cownsell, withdraweth him from his godlie purposes, and so hindereth the good worke, that thou diddest beginne to worke in him.

The mistrustfull, and incredulous persons also, doe binde O Lorde the handes of thy liberalitie, and clemencie. For like as confidence openeth the handes of thy grace: euenso doth incredulitie, and mistrustfulnes close thē vp, and binde thē: accordinge to the sayinge of the Euangelist,²² that thou couldest not doe manie vertues, and miracles in thy countrie, by reason of the incredulitie of the inhabitantes therein.

Moreouer, the vngratefull, and negligent persons, do binde thy handes o Lorde, and doe put an impediment to let the workinge of thy grace: the one, because they render not thankes vnto thee, for the grace,²³ they haue receaued: and the other, because they will not vse the grace, that is geuen vnto them, but doe kepe it idell, and vnoccupied, without takinge anie benefite, or commoditie of the same.

Last of all, those that become vainglorious, and prowde, by reason of the graces, thou hast geuen them, doe also most strongelie binde thy handes. For by this offence they make themselues altogether vnworthie of thy grace. wherefore it is not reason, that thou shouldest continewe to be beneficiall vnto such persons, as take occasion thereof, to become more vaine: neither is it semelie, that thou shouldest bestowe the treasures of thy grace vpon such a one, as yeeldeth not to thee againe the tribute of glorie: but doth rather like a traitor, and robber, waxe insolent, and vauntinge, with the same, and vsurpeth to himselfe the right, and prerogatiue of glorie, that apperteineth vnto thee alone.

I might saie also, O Lord, that those talkers, and pratlers, that kepe not secret such consolations, and spiritual fealinges, as thou geuest them, doe likwise binde thy handes: for like as wise, and discrete men, will not communicate theire secretes anie more vnto them, whom they haue fownde vnfaithfull in publishinge them abroade: euen so doest thou also manie times leaue, to make those persons partakers of thy secretes, who without anie cause doe publishe, and reueale thē to others, and take occasion thereby, to make them selues more vaine.

Of Christes prayinge in the Garden. ↩
In all troubles and temptatiōs of this life: we must haue recourse to praier, as to a holie ancker and refuge. ↩
S. Gregorie. ↩
The verie cause both of Christes feare, and of the fortitude of the Martyrs. ↩
Genesis 2. ↩
Ezechiel. 2. ↩
Matth 26. ↩
Lucae. 22. ↩
The causes of our Sauiours gre[…] te agonie and swe[…] tinge droppes of bloud, while he was prayinge in the garden. ↩
Our Sauiour suffred his greauous paynes without anie maner of comforte. ↩
Our synnes were the verie cause of our Sauiours blouddye sweare. ↩
Of our Sauiours agonie and watchinge aboute our saluation, whilest his disciples be in a heauie sleepe. ↩
Of Iudas pressinge before all the rest to apprehende our Sauiour. ↩
Luc. 22. Math. 26. ↩
Our sauiour was giuen vp to the power of the diuelles, from the tyme of his apprehension, vntill his deathe vpon the crosse. Iob 2. ↩
Zach. 3. ↩
Psalm. 15. ↩
Psalm. 8. ↩
1. Reg. 4.
↩
Psalm. 68. ↩
who so giueth anie scādale to his neighbour, bindethe Chrides handes. ↩
Math. 13. ↩
The vngratefull and negligente persones doe bynde Christes handes. ↩

Chapter 9 of 29