Wensdaie in the Morninge

THIS Daie, (when thou hast made the signe of the Crosse and prepared thy selfe hereunto,) thou hast to meditate vpon the presentation of our sauiour before the busshopes, and Iudges. First, before Annas. Secondly, before Caiphas. Thirdlie, before Herode. Fourthlie, before Pilate. And afterwardes, how he was most crewellie whipped and scourged at the piller.

Omnis qui piè vosunt […]re in Christo Jesu, persecutionem patientur. 2. Timoth. 3.1.2.

Meditations Vpon These Poyntes of the Text

MANIE thinges hast thou (O my sowle) this daie to contemplate, and consider. This daie must thou accompanie our Sauiour to manie stations, vnlesse thou intend to runne awaie with his disciples: or ells feelest thy feete ouer heauie to treade those pathes, which our Sauiour vowchsafed to treade for thy sake. This daie is he browght fyue times before diuers Iudges, and for thy sake is euill entreated in each of their howses, and paieth that, which thou hast deserued. In one howse he is buffetted: in an other spitted vpon: in an other mocked, and scorned: in an other whipped, and crowned with thornes, and condemned by an vniust sentence to a most cruell death. Consider whether these stations be not of force to breake and ryue thy hart, and to make thee to goe barefoote with him, with the bloude runninge about thy feete.

Let vs goe then to the first station, which was in Annas howse,¹ and marcke there, how whilest our Sauiour answered verie courteouslie vnto the demaunde, that the Bisshoppe made vnto him concerninge his disciples, and doctrine, one of those wicked caytifes that stoode there by, gaue him a great blowe vpon the face, sayeinge:² Answerest thou thus the Bisshoppe. Vnto whom our sauiour verie gentlie answered: If I haue spoken euill, shewe me wherein, and if I haue spoken well, why strykest thou me?

Consider here now (ô my sowle) not onelye the myldnes of this gentle answere, but also that diuine face, which beareth the print, and is chaunged verie red in colour with the force and violence of the blowe. Consider also that most constant and modest looke of his clear eies, which were nothinge at all distempered in that so feirce and shamefull assault. Consider withall that most holie sowle, that was inwardlie so humble and readie to haue turned the other cheeke, if the nawghtie wretched caitiffe had required it. O cursed and vnfortunate hande, that durst thus stryke and beraye that diuine face, before whose reuerent aspect the verie heauens doe stowpe, and bowe! At whose maiestie euen the Seraphines and all thinges created do tremble. and quake! What sawest thou in him, that thou shouldest thus be prouoked to disfigure him, who is the liuelie Image of the glorie of the father? What moued thee to vse this dispitefull kinde of most villeynous reproche vnto him,³ who is the most bewtifull emonge all the sonnes of men.

⁴ But this was not the last iniurie our Sauiour suffered that night: For from the howse of Annas, they leade him to the howse of the Bisshoppe Caiphas, whither reason woulde that thou shouldest goe with him to kepe him companie: and there shalt thou see the sonne of iustice darkened with an Eclipse, and that diuine countenance defiled most vnreuerentlie with spittell,⁵ which the Angells desire to beholde. For when our Sauiour was coniured in the name of the father to tell them what he was, he answered treulie vnto their demaunde, as it was meete he shoulde: but those wicked men that were so vtterlie vnworthie to heare such a highe and excellēt answere, beinge blinded with the brightnes of so great light, assaulted him like mad dogges, and disgorged vpon him all their malice, and furie. There each one to the vttermost of his power geuethe him buffettes, and strokes: There they spitte vpon that diuine face with theire diuelishe mowthes: There they hoodwinke his eies, and strike him on the face, scoffinge and Iestinge at him, sayeinge: Areede, ⁶ who hath smitten thee? O meruailous humilitie and patience of the sonne of almightie God? O beawtie of the angells! Was that a face to spit vpon? Men vse commōlie when they are prouoked to spit, to tourne awaie theire face towardes the fowlest corner of the howse: and is there not to be fownde in all that pallace a fowler place to spit in, than thy face O sweete Lorde? O earthe, and asshes, why doest thou not humble thy selfe at this so wounderfull example? How is it that there shoulde yet remayne in the worlde anie token of pryde, after this so great and meruailous example of humilitie? Almightie God holdeth his peace whilest he is spitted vpon, and buffetted; the angelles and all creatures holde theire handes, and reuenge not the iniuries done vnto theire creator, beholdinge him thus contemned and reuyled with most dispitefull reproche, and villanie: and yet thou beinge a poore seelie miserable worme, turmoilest the worlde vp side downe, with malicious chydinge, brawlinge, and fightinge, in case thou be but touched in anie smalle poynte apperteyninge tō thy estimatiō? Why wonderest thou (ô man) to see Almightie God thus beaten, and euill entreated in the worlde: sith the verie cause of his comminge was to cure the pryde of the worlde? If the sharpenes of the medecine doe cause thee to wonder: consider the greatnes of the wounde, and thou shalt see, that such a wounde required so sharpe a medecine as this was: espetiallie consideringe that all this notwithstandinge, the wounde is not yet whole. Thou wonderest to see how almightie God hath humbled himselfe: And I wonder to see thee (for all this example) so prowde and insolent in all thy talke, dealinges, and behauiour, seinge almightie God hath so humbled himselfe, to teache thee to be hūble. Thou wonderest to see almightie God thus to abase himselfe vnder the dust of the earthe, and I wonder to see, that dust and earthe for all this aduaunceth it selfe aboue the heauens, and woulde be honoured aboue almightie God himselfe.

How is it then, that this so wonderfull example sufficeth not to subdue the pryde of the worlde? The humilitie of Christ was sufficient to ouercome the harte of God, to procure his fauour, and to make him become gentle and mylde towardes vs. And shall it not suffice to ouercome thy harte, and to make it humble and meike? The angell saied to the Patriarcke Iacob:⁷ Thou shalt no more be called Iacob, but Israell shalbe thy name. For seinge thou hast bene mightie against God, how much more shalt thou be mightie against men? If then the humilitie and meikenes of our Sauiour Christ preuailed against the furie, and wrathe of almightie God: why doth it not preuaile against our pride? If it were able to pacifie and appease so mightie a hart, as the hart of almightie God, beinge then angrie with vs, why doth it not alter and mollifie our stubborne hartes? Suerly I am at my wittes ende, and verie much astonished, yea it passeth my reason to consider how this so great patience ouercommeth not thy anger, how this passinge great abasinge aswageth not thy pride, how these violent buffettes beate not downe thy presumption, and how this deepe sylence emonge so manie iniuries is not of force to make thee leaue of thy quarrelinges, and troublesome sewtes in lawe, wherewith thou vexest and turmoylest thy neighboures about the vile mucke and transitorie pelfe of this worlde. It is a meruailous great wonder to see how almightie God would by meanes of these so terrible iniuries ouerthrowe the kingdome of our pride: and it is also greatlie to be meruailed at, that notwithstandinge all this, there remaineth yet a freshe liuelie memorie of Amelec vnder the heauens,⁸ and that to this daie the relikes of this wicked generation doe for all that remayne, and continewe.

Now therefore ô sweete Iesus I beseech thee to cure in me with the example of thy great humilitie, the follie of my vaine arrogancie, and pryde. And forsomuch as the greatnes of thy woundes doe geue me playnlie to vnderstand, that I haue great neede of a helper, let it euidently appeare by the operation of thy grace and remedie in me, that I doe now presentlie enioye the benefit of the same.

OF THE VEXATIONS AND TROVBLES OVR SAVIOVR SVFfered the night before his Passion: and of the denyall…

CONSIDER after this, what troubles our sauiour suffered in that dolefull night, when the souldiars that had him in custodie, mocked and lawghed him to scorne (as S. Luke saieth,⁹) and vsed as a mean to passe awaie the sleepines of the night to scoffe and ieste at the Lorde of maiestie. Consider now (ô my sowle) how thy sweete spowse is set here as a marcke, to receiue all the strokes and buffettes they could geue him. O cruell night! O vnquiet night, in which thou (O good Iesus) tookest no rest at all, neither did the souldiars repose them selues, but accompted it euen a pastyme and recreation to vexe, and torment thee! The night was ordeined for this ende, that all creatures shoulde therein take theire rest, and that the senses and members that are wearied with the toyles and labours of the daie, might be refresshed, and relieued: but these wicked men vse it now as a fit tyme to tormente all thy members, and senses, strykinge thy bodie, afflictinge thy sowle, bindinge thy handes, buffettinge thy cheekes, spittinge in thy face, and lugginge thee by the eares, that at such time as all members are wonte to take theire rest, all thy members might be in great paine, and trouble. O how farre do these mattins differre from those, which the orders of angells sounge at the same time in heauen vnto thee! There they synge, Holie, Holie: but here these caitifes crie out: put him to death: put him to death: crucifie him: crucifie him. O ye angelles of Paradise, that heard both these voices, what thowghte ye, when ye sawe him so despitefullie contemned in earthe, whom ye honoure with so greate reuerence in heauen? What thowght ye, whē ye sawe almightie God himselfe suffer such despites euen for theire sakes, who did all this villanie vnto him? Who hath euer heard of such a kinde of charitie, that one woulde suffer death to deliuer the verie same persons from death, that were the procurers of his death? Assuredlie, the malice of man coulde not anie further extende it selfe in committinge a more wicked deede, than thus to presume to laie handes vpon almightie God him selfe: neither coulde the goodnes and mercie of almightie God appeare more plainlie in anie thinge, than in this, that he was content to suffer such a cruell death for that verie creature that conspired his deathe.

The painfull greifes and turmoyles of this troublesome night were increased farre the more by the denyall of S. Peter. For he,¹⁰ who was so familiare a frende of our Sauiour: he, whom our Sauiour chose to see the glorie of his transfiguration: and he, who aboue all the rest of his Apostles was honoured ād chosen by our Sauiour,¹¹ to haue the pincipalitie and cheife rule of the whole Christian Churche: this verie cheife Apostle (I saie,) first before all others, not once, but three seuerall tymes together, euen in the verie presence of his Lorde and master, sweareth and forsweareth that he knoweth him not, and that he wist not who he is.

O Peter, is he that standeth there by thee so wicked a man, that thou accomptest it so great a shame onelie to haue knowen him? Consider, that this is a condemnation of him by thee, before he be condemned by the high preistes: sithence by this deniall thou geuest the worlde to vnderstande, that he is such a maner of man, that euen thou thy selfe doest accompt it as a greate reproche and dishonour vnto thee euer to haue knowen him. Now what greater iniurie coulde be done than this?

Our Sauiour then hearinge this deniall turned backe, and behelde Peter, and cast his eies vpon that shepe, which there was lost from him. O looke of wounderfull vertue! O silent looke, but yet full of misterie, and signification! Peter vnderstode right well the langwage and voice of that looke, and althowgh the crowinge of the Cocke was not able to awake his spirites, yet was this able, as indeede it did. For the eies of our Sauiour Christe doe not onelie speake, but also worke, as it plainlie appeared by the teares of Peter, which albeit they gushed from the eies of Peter, yet did they much more proceide from the looke and eies of Christe.

Wherefore when thou shalt at anie time awake againe out of thy sinfull lyfe, and with greife and sorowe call thy sinnes to minde wherein thou hast offended almightie God, thou must vnderstande, that this benefit proceideth from the mercifull eies of our Lorde, which doe then looke vpon thee. The Cockes had alreadie crowed, but Peter remembred not himselfe, because our sauiour had not as yet looked vpon him. But when our Sauiour Christ looked vpon him, then he remembred him selfe, and repented and bewailed his offence. For the eies of Christ doe open our eies, and those are the eies that doe awake such as are a-sleepe.

The holie Euangelistes S. Mathew and S. Luke saye, that Peter went out forthwith,¹² and wept bitterlie: to geue thee to vnderstande, that it is not enowghe for thee to be sorie, and bewaile thyne offence, but that it is requisite also to auoyde and eschewe the verie place and occasions of sinne. For otherwise to lamente and be sorie alwaies for thy sinnes, and alwaies to reiterate and commit the same sinnes againe, is to prouoke alwaies the wrathe and anger of almightie God against thee.

And note well and diligentlie this poynt espetiallie,¹³ that the principall sinne that Peter had committed, was for that he shronke backe, and feared to be accompted one of Christe his disciples: and in this his doinge he is saied to haue denied Christe. Now if this be to denie Christe, how manie Christians (trowe ye) maye ye now finde in the worlde, that doe after this sorte denie Christ? Alas! how manie be there at this daye that refuse to confesse their synnes, to communicate, to praye, to talke of God, and of spirituall matters, to vse conuersation with suche as be good, and vertuous, and to suffer iniuries, and trowbles, because the worlde shoulde not the lesse estieme them, or haue them in contempte for the same? And what is this els, but euen to be ashamed to appeare to the worlde to be a disciple of Christe, and a keper of his commaundementes? And what is this els, but to denye Christe, as S. Peter denied him, when he was ashamed to be accompted his disciple? What other thinge maie those that behaue them selues after this sorte hope and looke for at the dreadfull daie of Iudgment, but that punnishement and sentence threatened by our sauiour Christe himselfe: sayeinge: He that is ashamed to be accompted my disciple before men, ¹⁴ the sonne of the virgin wilbe ashamed to acknowledge him as one of his, when he shall come in his maiestie, and in the maiestie of the father, and his holie Angelles.

HOW OVR SAVIOVR WAS BROWGHT BEFORE KINGE Herode, and mocked and accompted for a foole by him, and…

VHEN this painfull and troublesome night was ended, they led our Sauiour forthewith to the howse of Pilate the president. And Pilate (vnderstandinge that he was borne in Galilee,) sent him vnto Herode, that was kinge of that countrie, who tooke him for a foole, and as such a one caused him to be appareiled in a white garmente, and so returned him backe to Pilate againe.

Whereby it appeareth, that our Sauiour was taken in this worlde not onelie for a malefactor, but also for a verie foole. O misterie worthie of great reuerence! The principall vertue of a Christian man is not to make anie accompte of the iudgementes and reputations of the worlde.¹⁵ Wherefore thou hast here (good Christian brother) an occasion geuen thee, whereby to learne this heauenlie philosophie, and by this example to comforte thy selfe, whensoeuer thou shalt see thy selfe to be vniustlie despised, mocked, and persecuted of the worlde. For the worlde cannot doe thee anie iniurie, nor beare false witnes against thee, but it hath done the like vnto our Sauiour Christe before. He was accompted as a malefactor, and stirrer of sedition, and for such a one they accused him before the iudges,¹⁶ and accordinglie demaunded sentence of deathe vpon him: He was taken to be a nigromancer, and as one possessed with a deuill,¹⁷ and so they saied, That in the power of Bel-Zeb[…]b he cast out diuelles: ¹⁸ He was taken for a glutton, and great eater, and so they reported him, sayeinge: Beholde this man is a glutton, ¹⁹ and a drincker of wyne. He was taken for a man of euill behauiour,²⁰ and as one that kepte euill companie, sayeinge: That he kept companie with publicans, and sinners, and that he did eate with them. He was taken as one, that was come of a wicked generation, and of a nawghtie race: and so they tearmed him; sayeinge: Thou art a Samaritane, and art possessed with a deuill: He was taken for an hereticke, and blasphemer: and so they said, that he made him selfe God, and forgaue synnes as God. There wanted nothinge els, but after all this, to accompt our Sauiour as a foole, and so is he now taken: And that not of euerie common person, but euen of the rufflinge nobilitie, and gentilmen, ye and of the chieffest counsellors, magistrates, and officers, in kinge Herodes cowert. And so they apparell our Sauiour like a foole, that he might be also taken of all men for such a one. O wounderfull humilitie of our sweete sauiour Christe? O example of all vertu?²¹ O comfort of all troubled, and persecuted Catholickes? Wherefore o thou Christian, that art persecuted by Turckes, Moores, or heretickes, for thy publicke zealous profession of the Catholike religion, be of good comfort, as a trewe Christian ought to be, in bearinge patientlie, and willinglie, thy crosse in this worlde, as a faithfull disciple of our Sauiour Christe. And to the intent thou maist make the lesse accompte of the iudgmentes, and estimations of the worlde, and verie euidentlie perceiue, how foolishe, and franticke the worlde is, in his sayeinges, doinges, opinions, and iugmentes, fixe thyne eyes vpon this liuelie purtraiture of all vertues: looke vpon this generall comforte of all miseries: and beholde here, how the wisedome of almightie God is holden for follie: vertu for vice: truthe for blasphemie: temperance for glottonie: the peace maker of the worlde, for a seditious disturber of the worlde: the reformer of the lawe, for a breaker of the lawe: and the Iustifier of sinners, for a sinner, and a follower of sinners.

In all these goinges, and comminges, and in all these demaundes, and answeres made before the Iudges, consider diligentlie, and note the constancie, and modestie of our sauiour: the grauitie of his countenance: and the integritie of his minde: which was neuer ouercome, nor once dismaied, for all these great conflictes. And when he sawe him selfe in the presence of so many officers, and Iudges, sittinge in theire Iudgmente seates: when he sawe him selfe in the middest of so manie iniurious villanies, and furious blowes, and in such a confusion of outcries, and clamowrs, thundered out vehementlie by the accusers, and conspirers of his death: when he sawe him selfe in such a thronge of outragious and cruell ennemies, his death and Crosse standinge (as it were) presente before his face: when our sauiour (I saie) sawe himselfe thus tossed, and turmoyled, vp, and downe, with so manye tempesteous waues, and blusteringe stormes of all aduersitie, and persecution, it was wonderfull to beholde his constancie, his patience, and his temperance, insomoche as what so euer he did, or spake, made a plaine demōstration of a noble harte, and couragious minde in him. There came no one bitter, or sharpe worde, out of his mowthe: He neuer yeelded, or submitted himselfe so much as to frame anie maner of supplication, or intreatie to his ennemies for his life: neither shed he anie one teare, or made anie lamentation vnto them, in that behalfe. But in all pointes, and respectes, he obserued such a comelie grauitie, and maiestie, as was seemelie for the dignitie of so highe, and worthie a personage. What sylence kept he emonge so manie, and those so false accusations? How circumspecte was he in his wordes, when so euer he spake? How wiselie behaued he him selfe in all his answeres? To conclude, such was the forme and showe of his countenance, and minde, in these his trowbles, that euen that alone, with out anie further testimonie might haue suffised to iustefie his cause, if the grossenes of theire wicked, and malitious vnderstandinges, had bene able to conceaue the highnes, and excellencie, of such a proofe.

OF THE CREWELL SCOVRGINGE, AND WHIPPINGE OF oùr Sauiour at the pillar. Communicantes Chris

AFTER all these iniuries, consider what scourginges and whippinges our sauiour suffered at the pillar. For when the Iudge perceaued that he was not able to pacifie the furious rage of those his most cruell ennemies, he determined to punnishe our sauiour with such a seuere kinde of punnishement, as might suffice to satisfie the malicious outrage of such cruell hartes, that they beinge contented therewith shoulde cease, and seeke no more after his deathe.

This is one of the greatest, and most wonderfull sightes, that euer was seene in the worlde. Who woulde euer haue thowght, that whippes, and lasshes, shoulde haue bene laide vpon the shoulders of almightie God. The Prophet Dauid sayeth:²² that the place of thy habitation o Lorde is most highe, and that there shall none euell approche neere vnto thee: he saieth that there shall no whippe be felt in thy tabernaele. Now what thinge is farther from the highe maiestie and glorie of almightie God, than to be villaynously whipped, and scourged? This is suerlie a ponnishement rather for bondslaues, and thieues: yea it was accompted generallie so vyle, and infamous, that in case the offendor were a Citezin of Rome, though his offence were neuer so haynous, he was thereby quitte, and exempted, from that most slauishe, and villeynous kinde of ponnishement. All which notwithstanding, beholde here, howe the Lorde of the heauens, the creator of the worlde, the glorie of the angells, the wisedome, power, and glorie of the liuinge God, vowchesafeth for our sakes to be ponnished with whippes, and scourges? Certainlie I doe beleue, that all the orders of angells were wholie amased, and astonished, when they behelde this so strange, and wonderfull sight: and that they adored and acknowledged the vnspekeable goodnes of almightie God, which was verie manifestlie discouered vnto them in this acte.²³ Wherefore, if they filled the aier with highe lawdes, and praises, vpon the daie of his natiuitie, when as yet they had seene nothinge els, but onelie the swadlinge clowtes, and the manger, where he was layde. What did they now (trow ye) when they behelde him so villainouslie ād most cruellie whipped, and scourged at the pillar. Consider thou therefore (o my sowle,) vnto whom this busines apperteyneth much more, than to the angelles: Consider I saye, how much more oughtest thou to be inwardly moued in thy verie hart, with this so wonderfull, and most pietifull dolefull sight of thy sweite sauiour, and to acknowledge vnto him much more humble thanckes, and prayses, for his so passinge great loue shewed hereby vnto thee.

Goe now therefore, and enter with thy spirite into Pilates concistorie, and carrie with thee great store of teares in a readines, which in that place shalbe verie nedefull, to bewaile such thinges, as there thou shalt both heare, and see. Consider on the one side, with what rudenes those cruell, and blouddie tormentors, doe strippe our Sauiour of his garmentes: and see on th'other syde, with what humilitie he suffereth himselfe to be stripped by them, neuer so much as once openinge his mowthe, or answeringe one worde to so manie despitefull scoffes, and blasphemous speaches, as they vttered there against him. Consider also what hast they make to bynde that holie bodie to a pillar, that beinge fast bounde, they might fetche theire full strookes more at pleasure, and stryke him where, and how they list? Consider, how the Lorde of angelles, standeth there post alone, emonge so manie cruell tormentors, hauinge on his parte neither frynde, nor acquaintance to entreate, or defende him from iniurie, no not so muche as eies to take compassion vpon him. Marcke now with what furious crueltie they beginne to discharge theire whippes and scourges vpon his most tender fleshe, and how they laie on lasshes vpon lasshes, strookes vpon strookes, and woundes vpon woundes.

There mightest thou see that sacred bodie, swollen with wheales, all blacke, and blewe, the skinne rented and torne, the blowde gusshinge out, and streaminge downe on euerie side, throwghout all partes of his bodie.

But aboue all this, what a pittiefull sight was it to beholde that so greate, and deepe open wounde, that was geuen him vpon the shoulders, where chieflie all theire lashes and strookes did light? Verelie I am perswaded, that that wounde was so large, and deepe, that if they had laid on a little longer, they had discouered the white bones, betwene the blouddie fleshe, and made an ende of his holie life at the pillar, before he had come to the Crosse. To be short, they so strooke, and rente, that most amyable, and bewtifull bodie: they so boude him, and laid on such loode of strypes, and lasshes, vpon him: they so tormented and filled his blessed bodie, with most cruell strookes and woundes, that he had now cleane lost the forme, ād shape, he had before: yea (and to saie further) they so fowlie disfigured him, that he scarselye seemed to haue the shape of a man. Consider now o my soule, in what a dolefull plight that goodlie and bashefull yonge man stoode there, beinge as he was in that pittiefull case, so euill intreated, so reprochefullie vsed, and set out so nakedlie to the vtter shame of the worlde. Beholde, how that most tender, and bewtifull fleshe, yea euen the flower of all fleshe, is there most cruellie rente, and torne in all partes of it.

The lawe of Moyses cōmaunded, that malefactors shoulde be beaten with whippes,²⁴ and that accordinge to the qualitie of theire offences, so shoulde the nomber of the lasshes be: Howbeit with this condition, that they shoulde neuer passe fowertie lasshes, to the ende (saieth the lawe) that thy brother fall not downe before thee fowlie torne and mangled: seeminge to the lawe maker, that to exceede this nōber, was a kinde of punishement so cruell, that it coulde not stande with the lawes of brotherlie loue. But against thee (o good Iesus,) that diddest neuer breake the lawe of iustice, were broken all the lawes of mercie: yea, and that in such sorte, that in steede of fowertie lasshes, they gaue thee fiue thowsande, and aboue, as manie holie fathers do testifie. If then a bodie woulde seeme so fowlie beraied, beinge scourged not passinge with fowertie strypes: in what plight was thy bodie my sweete Lorde, and sauiour, beinge scourged with aboue fiue thowsande strypes? O ioye of the angelles, and glorie of the sainctes, who hath thus disfigured thee? Who hath thus defiled thee with so manie spottes, beinge the verie glasse of innocencie?²⁵ Certaine it is o Lorde, that they were not thy sinnes, but myne, not thy robberies, but myne, that haue thus euill intreated thee. It was euen loue, and mercie, that compassed thee abowte, and caused thee to take vpon thee this so heauie a burden. Loue was the cause, why thou diddest bestowe vpon me all thy benefittes: and mercie moued thee, to take vpon thee all my miseries. Wherefore, if loue, and mercie, haue caused thee to enter into these so cruell, and terrible conflictes? Who can now stande in dowte of thy loue? If the greatest testimonie of loue, be to suffer paines for the beloued, what els are each one of thy paines, but a seuerall testimonie of thy loue? What' els are all these woundes of thyne, but as it were certeine heauenlie voyces,²⁶ that doe all preache, and proclaime vnto me thy loue, all require me, to loue thee againe. And if the testimonies be so manie, as the strypes, and blowes were, that thou sufferedst for my sake, who can then put anie dowte in the proofe, beinge as it is so playnelie auowched, ād proued, by so manie witnesses? What meaneth then this incredulitie of myne, that is not yet conuinced with so manifolde and so great argumentes. S. Iohn the Euangelist wondered at the incredulitie of the Iewes,²⁷ for that our Lorde wrowght so manye miracles emonge them, for confirmation of his doctrine, and they neuerthelesse woulde not beleue in him. O holie Euangeliste, wonder no more at the incredulitie of the Iewes, but rather at myne. Forsomuch as to suffer paines is no lesse argument to cause me to beleue the loue of Christe, than is the worckinge of miracles to cause me to beleue in Christe. If then it be a greate wonder, that after so manie miracles wrowghte by our sauiour Christe, his wordes are not yet beleued: how muche more wonderfull is it, that hauinge suffered for our sakes aboue fiue thowsande strypes, we beleue not yet that he loueth vs.

But what shall we saie, if to all these strookes, and woundes, which he receaued for vs at the pillar, we adde moreouer all the other paines, and trauaylles of his whole life, all which proceeded of loue? What browght thee downe o Lorde from heauen vnto the earthe, but onelie loue? What thinge pulled thee out of thy fathers bosome, and lay de thee in thy mothers wombe? What thinge caused thee to take the garmente of our fraile nature vpon thee, and to become partaker of our miseries, but onelie loue? What thinge placed thee in an oxe staulle, and swaddeled thee in a manger, and chased thee into strange coū treis, but onelie loue? What thinge made thee to carrie the yooke of our mortalitie for the space of so manie yeares, but onely loue? What thinge made thee to sweate, to traueill, to watche, to continewe wakinge all the longe nighte, and to passe ouer bothe sea, and lande, seakinge after lost soules, but onely loue? What thinge bounde Sampson hande and foote, shaued his heare,²⁸ spoyled him of all his force, and caused him to be mocked, and scorned, of his ennemies, but onelie the loue of his spouse Dalida? And what thinge hath bounde thee our true Sampson, and shaued thee, and spoyled thee of thy force, and strengthe, and geuen thee into thyne ennemies handes, to be so reprochefullie lawghed, spitted, and scoffed at, but onelie the loue, that thou bearest vnto thy spouse the Catholicke Churche, and vnto each one of our sowles? Finallie, what thinge hath brought thee to be crucified vpon the tree of the crosse, there to stande so cruellie tormented from toppe, to toe, thy handes nailed, thy syde opened, thy members racked one from an other, thy bodie all of a goore bloude, thy vaines exhausted, and voide of bloude, thy lippes pale, and wanne, thy tonge bitter: to be shorte, all thy bodie wholie rente, and torne? What thinge coulde haue wrought such a most cruell fowle mangelinge, and boucherie of thee, as this was, but onely loue? O passinge great loue? o gratious loue? o loue, seemelie for the great vnspekeable mercie, and infinite goodnes of him, who is infinitlie good, and louinge, yea wholie loue.

Hauinge therefore so great, and so manie testimonies of thy loue (o my sweete Lorde, and sauiour) as these be, how can I but beleue, that thou louest me? Sith it is most certeine, that thou hast not changed that most charitable louinge harte, beinge now in heauen, which thou haddest when thou diddest walke here vpon the earthe? Thou art not like that cuppe bearer of kinge Pharao,²⁹ who when he sawe him selfe in prosperitie, forgat his poore friendes, that he had left in prison: but rather the prosperitie, and glorie, that thou doest now enioye in heauen, moueth thee to haue greater pittie, and compassion, vpon thy children, whom thou hast lefte here in earthe. Now then, sith it is certaine, that thou louest me so much, as I see verie euidentlie thou doest, why doe not I loue thee againe? why doe not I put my whole trust, and affyance, in thee? why doe not I esteime my selfe verie happie, and riche, hauinge euen almightie God him selfe, so constante, and louinge a frynde vnto me? It is vndowtedlie a great wonder, that anie thinge in this life dothe make me carefull, and heauie, hauinge on my syde so riche, and so mightie a louer, throwghe whose handes all thinges doe passe.

Footnotes

1. How our Sauiour was led to the howse of the Bishoppe Annas. ↩

2. Ioan. 18. ↩

3. Psal. 44.3. ↩

4. How our Sauiour was led to the howse of bishoppe Caiphas. ↩

5. 1. Pet. 1.12.
   ↩

6. A woūderfull example of humilitie, and patience in our Sauiour. ↩

7. Gen. 32.28. ↩

8. 4 Reg. 15. ↩

9. Luc. 22.63. ↩

10. Of the deniall of S. Peter. ↩

11. Christ promised S. Peter in Math. 16. vers. 18. that he woulde buylde his Church vpon him. And in Luke. 22. vers. 32. he was bid (after he shoulde repent his denyall) to confirme his brethren. And in Iohn. 21. vers. 17. Christ after his resurrection made S. Peter pastor of all his sheepe. ↩

12. Math. 26.75 Luc. 23.62. Peter after his deniall of Christe wente forthewith out of the place, and wepte bitterlie. ↩

13. A disciple of Christ must not be ashamed, nor afearde, openlic to confesse Christ, and his Catholike religion. ↩

14. Luc. 9. & 12. Math. 10. Marc. 8.2. Tim. 2. ↩

15. Our sauiour Christe is a good exāple vnto vs, not to make anie accō pte of the iudgementes and estimations of the worlde. ↩

16. Luc. 23.2. ↩

17. Luc. 11.15. ↩

18. Math. 9.34. ↩

19. Math. 9.34. ↩

20. Math. 11.19. Ioan. 8.48. Marc. 2.7. ↩

21. A singuler cōfort for al troubled and persecuted Catholickes. ↩

22. Psalm. 90. ↩

23. Luc. 2. ↩

24. Deut. 25, ↩

25. The loue and mercie of our Sauiour towardes vs, moued him to suffer suche cruell paynes. ↩

26. Eche one of our sauiours paynes be a seuerall testimonie of his loue towardes vs. ↩

27. Ioan. 12. ↩

28. Iudic. 16. ↩

29. Genesis 40. ↩