Of the fruite of suche de­uout meditation, and of the maner and order of this litle Treatise.

AMongst all ex­ercises of deuo­tiō that a Chri­stian man can haue, one of the most fruitefull and most acceptable to God is, to be often and deuoutely occu­pied, in calling to remembrance and well to consider in minde (which otherwise we terme to meditate) the passion of Christ our redéemer. The which all the Doctours that write thereof af­firme, [Page] and also reason and expe­rience do playnely declare the same. For by such holy medita­tion the soule is inflamed in the loue of Christ, considering howe tenderly he loued it, how muche he suffered to saue and beautifie it: and moreouer it feareth and is ashamed of his sinfulnesse, knowing & séeing how grieuou­sly it was punished in the sonne of God, who as the Prophet E­say saith, was stroken of the fa­ther for the sinnes of his people. Yea the soule thereby receiueth in hir selfe and increaseth newe and freshe desires to amende the life: séeing the liuely and mar­ueilous [Page] examples which parti­cularly do shine in the holy pas­sion of Christ. And likewise it is thereby styrred and pricked for­warde to geue thankes & prayse for his infinite goodnesse and mercy, that it hath pleased him with so tender loue to be made a sacrifice, and to suffer so bitter death, that he might geue vs miserable and wretched wret­ches, life and saluation. And thus finally the soule may séeme in some parte to pay the great debt it is bounde in, féeling in it selfe the great benefite it hath receiued, when it calleth to re­membraunce and bethinketh [Page] particularly the manyfolde sor­rowes, iniuries, and tormentes which the sauiour of the worlde suffred in his death and passion: and doth know that this seruice is most acceptable to him, and also is sory for them who do not the like, but forget the great kindnes of their Redéemer.

So then, for this and many o­ther fruits gathered of this bles­sed meditation, certayne Doc­tours affirme that those gayne more, which euery day do medi­tate with deuotion, some little part of y^e passion of Christ, than if they should exercise manye prayers, fastings, disciplins and [Page] chastenings of the body other­wise. And therefore albeit ma­ny haue copiously at large writ­ten hereof, yet notwithstanding for the better commoditie and helpe of them that haue not such bookes, & specially for suche our Christian brothers and sisters sakes, that haue a desire to exer­cise them selues in the meditati­on of the passion of our Lorde, we are moued to finde out some meanes howe they maye with more facilitie and taste godlily occupie them selues therein. Whiche I doubt not, my good brother, but thou shalte well proue, if thou be willing with [Page] attention diligently to marke what shall in this little Trea­tise be layde before thée, where­in thou shalt finde great swéete­nesse in applying thy selfe to so heauenly an exercise, both ne­cessary and highly commended. For here thou shalte sée in fi­gures set foorth the Images of those mysteries thou hast to call to thy remembrance and mind: in beholding wherof thou maist be holpen to be more setled and stayed in memorie and minde of that imagination which is so imprinted within thée. Herein also are declared the poyntes to discourse on, and so to procéede [Page] with more deuotion in thy me­ditation. Or if thou knowe not howe of thy selfe to make these or the like talkes or spéeches with God, then I say, this may teache thée the order and maner howe, because herein is shewed thée howe to geue thanks to thy Redéemer for that which thou shalt meditate or call to minde he hath suffred for thée: and al­so what thou oughtest to praye for, conformable to that poynt and parte of the passion thou [...]ast to meditate vpon. Which [...]oing (by Gods grace) with as great deuotion as thou canst, [...]hou mayst then well hope thou [Page] shalt not at any time be occupi­ed therein without fruite: the which shal be so much the more, as thou shalt more earnestlye perseuer in so godly an exercise.

¶ Diuers profitable wayes how to meditate vpon the blessed passion of Christ our Redeemer.

IT is declared in the booke o [...] the Prophet Daniell, that there was shewed in a vision to Nabuchodonosor, a trée plante [...] in the middle of the earth, whic [...] trée was very hye, garnishe [...] with goodly leaues and abundance [Page] of fruite. By this trée is figured Christ crucified in the middest of the earth, vnder the shadow of which trée whosoeuer is willing to rest him selfe, and recorde within his minde the most holy passion, he shall finde fruite both swéete and copious, and that so muche the more, as his vnderstanding shall serue him in more diuers sort to me­ditate on the same. And therfore ye must note that ther be diuers wayes to meditate vpon the ho­ly passion, & out of eche of them there may be gathered new va­rieties of fruites: for that you shall finde one fruite and taste [Page] when you do in your meditatiō take sorow & compassion with­in your selfe for the great tor­ments & iniuries which Christ suffered: and an other kinde of fruite when thou shalt meditate thereon in minde to followe the great vertue that is taught thée therein, and so in diuers other sortes, as your meditation may runne for diuers other endes and purposes. And although the deuotion of euery man may de­uise different wayes of exercise in this meditation▪ yet neuer­thelesse I thought good in this litle treatise to set foorth cer­tayne sortes, which I hope shall [Page] not a little further and helpe such as be willing to serue their turne therewith.

The first maner or sort which is generall, and here set foorth before the rest we intende to speake of, may be called histo­ricall or literall: whiche consi­steth in knowing wel the letter and historie of that mysterie which thou purposest to haue in minde and contemplation: the which thou must as freshly re­member and consider of, as it were presently set before thine eyes.

The second maner of this me­ditation is, by way of compas­sion: [Page] that is to say, for that in­tent that thou wouldest haue compassion, and as it were la­ment and be sory for the grie­uous tormentes, reproches and sorowes which thou conceyuest in thy minde that Christe hath suffred for thée: considering wel the quantitie and qualitie ther­of, with other circumstances which do encrease the sorowes and passion, and therefore the more styrre thy heart to pitie and compassion.

The third maner is, to medi­tate by way of compunction or contrition, which is to that end that thou mayst be pricked with [Page] remorse of cōscience and sorow for thy sinnes, which are with such rigour and crueltie puni­shed in thy redéemer, for that he was offered vp as a raunsome and price for them, so to make satisfaction before the iustice of his eternall Father. And this shall cause thée to hate them the more, and to kéepe thy selfe the more warely hereafter frō com­mitting the like offences a­gayne, when thou shalt consider how muche they offended God, that he would punishe the same with so great seueritie.

The fourth maner and sort of meditation is, by way of imita­tion [Page] or following, that is, to the ende to followe the marueilous vertue and rare examples that Christe our redéemer showeth and setteth foorth in his passion, as well in the wordes which he spake, as in the workes which he did, and in the maner of his suffering. All which to consider is a certayne liuely example and paterne of perfection, for thée to vse as a glasse to beholde what vertue wanteth in thée, and so to vse thy selfe that thou mayest obtayne it.

The fifth maner and sorte of meditation is by way of thanks giuing, that is, in rendring of [Page] thankes and prayses to God for his bountifull goodnesse, calling to remembraunce the innume­rable giftes and great benefites which are giuen thée by meanes of this holy passion: the whiche are so great that no vnderstan­ding of man is able to comprise them. Yet notwithstanding, those whiche by this discourse thou art able to vnderstande, may suffice to stirre thée to giue thankes and prayse to thy Lord God, which hath done so muche for thée.

The sixt maner is by way of admiration: for hauing well considered in thy minde the vn­speakeable [Page] charitie and loue of Christe, in that he hath offered him selfe to suffer so bitter and shamefull death: and likewise the infinite wisedome and iu­stice of God, declared in the bit­ter passion of his deare sonne: thou shalt become as a man ra­uished out of him selfe, béeing amased of so high and wonder­full things.

The seuenth maner is, by way of ioye and hope: For if thou consider that all which Christe hath suffered, and that death which he hath sustayned, was onely for thy remedie and be­houe, and that by such meanes [Page] he would make satisfaction for thy sinnes, and leaue to thée the treasures of his redemption and mercies, if thou be willing to helpe thy selfe therwith: Calling I say, these and the like thinges to thy remembraunce, they may cause thée to reioyce and be glad in hope that by this helpe thou mayst agayne recouer that infi­nite treasure which thou had­dest lost, and he by this meanes hath purchased for thée.

The eight and last maner of meditation vpō this blessed pas­sion, is, by way of loue. For be­cause the principal fruite which thou mayst séeme to gather of [Page] that thou hast meditate vpon, is a certayne excéeding tender loue of our Lorde him selfe, which so vouchsafed to suffer and dye for thée.

And nowe that thou mayst in all these maners and wayes of meditation knowe the better how to procéede, these instructi­ons and declarations following may serue thy turne.

Declarations of the sayde sortes and maners of meditations vp­pon the blessed passion, and first concerning the first kind, called histori­call or litterall.

[Page]THE first manner howe to be occupied in meditation vpon the most blessed passion of our redéemer, we haue sayde it may be termed historicall or literall, because in it we presuppose chiefly that the history of things whiche happened and came to passe, are therein contayned. Vpon the which foundation all the other sortes of meditation are grounded, which we haue before specified. And therefore it is necessarie that this kinde and sort go before the other: be­sides that, this remembraunce what things Christ suffered, is of it selfe laudable inough, and [Page] commended in the holy Scrip­ture: as it appeareth in that which the Prophet Ieremie in person of our Lorde sayde: Re­member thou my pouertie, my wormwood and gall. And in an other place our Lorde him selfe doth likewise lament vs that we haue likewise forgottē him, and that which he hath done and suffered for vs. That we maye therefore the better exercise our selfe in this kind of meditation, it behoueth often to reade the historie of the passion as the foure Euangelistes do set foorth the same, and is to be founde in certayne godly bookes, or els to [Page] be learned at sermons, or by o­ther spiritual talke, so that thou must trauell to haue the same well fixed and rooted in thy me­morie, imagining and thinking alwayes vpon it, chewing it in thy minde, vntill thou finde thy selfe so ready and prompt in it, that if thou were apposed in any part of the historie of the passiō, thou mightest be able to answer to it, & declare it perfectly. And to this it shal helpe thée often to exercise thy selfe in meditation of Christes passion. Also to this maner it doth apperteine to cal to thy remembraunce according to that which thou hast read or [Page] learned by bookes or preaching, that whatsoeuer thou seest in thy contemplation thy sauiour to haue suffred, they were be­fore figured and foreshowen by many holy Prophetes. And so thou shalt knowe and well per­ceiue that the truth of that thou goest about to meditate, doth answere to the olde figures and auncient prophecies: the which shall minister gret cause of con­solation, and more confirme thée in faith, and also chase and driue away all other fancies whiche distract the minde, and make the same more attentiue and ben [...] to the matter in meditation. [Page] And so this shall be as a begin­ning to passe further to the o­ther considerations.

¶ A declaration of the seconde manner of meditation, which is by way of compassion.

The seconde maner of medi­tation vpon the blessed passion, which is by way of compassion, is more acceptable to our Lord, and that is to endeuour to tra­uell in sorrow and griefe with him. And it is also no lesse pro­fitable for vs, for that, as Saint Paule sayth, if we will suffer with Christ, we shal also reigne [Page] together with Christ. In this kinde the matter of meditation is so plentiful and copious, that it shuld be long to write or me­ditate the same at large: and therfore it shall suffice to consi­der therein two poyntes, to the which the other may be reduced that are vsed for that purpose to be considered of. The first is, to consider the person that suffereth. The seconde, to conside [...] the thing which he suffereth: th [...] which two poyntes well consi­dered of, may suffice to moue any hard hart to compassion. Fo [...] what hart will not mollifie o [...] melt to consider, first the qualities [Page] which do concurre in the person that would suffer béeing very God & man? And touching his diuine nature, no man is able to declare or comprehende neither his generation, nor his dignitie, nor his maiestie, nor his highnesse, nor his eternitie, nor yet the fulnes of his perfec­tions. And touching his huma­nitie, he is most noble of blood royal, the sonne of y^e most cleare Virgin mother, formed by the operation of the holy Ghost, the most beautifull body that euer was séene amongst men, y^e most gracious, swete, humble, meeke, [...]ouing, with all other excellen­cies [Page] more then can be thought. And touching the soule, in him is the fulnesse of grace, of chari­tie, of holynes, of all other noble vertues and heauenly giftes, in more high degrée then euer was communicate to any creature. And this such and so mightie a Lord did suffer, béeing most in­nocent without any faulte or sinne, more grieuous payns and terrible tormentes then mans tongue or Angels can expresse.

Nowe let this be the seconde poynt, that is to say, the things which he hath suffred: and ther­of thou hast to remember in thy meditation, howe he suffered in [Page] his body from the crowne of his head to the sole of his foote, from top to toe, yea, and in al his sen­ces and féelings, and so running in through discourse of them, thou shalt finde that there re­mayned in him no one part nor sence, or féeling, in the which he did not suffer so many sortes of tormentes as can not be thou­ght, yea and that in fleshe moste tender, delicate, and quicke to féele for the perfection of his complexion. Consider here with­all that he dyed in the flowre of his age, when to liue was most swéete, and death the cause of more sorrowe.

[Page]Remember also y^e blasphemies they gaue him, the iniuries, the reproches, the scornings & moc­kings they deuised against him, sometimes clothing him in one fashion of garment, & somtimes in an other, with so many kinds of mockinges: and finallye in spoyling and stripping him bare and crucifying him naked be­fore suche a multitude of people that it can not be declared, and it passeth mans wit to expresse howe great the spite and shame was they wrought against him. O infinite heape of sorrowes and reproches so great, that there can not be found the wit [Page] or vnderstanding to thinke, nor yet tong finde words to expresse and vtter them: yea or howe much soeuer they were able to thinke or vtter, yet should it be the least part of all that he suffe­red. O my Redéemer how well worthy maye those wordes be spoken of thée by the Prophet Ieremie: O all ye that passe by the way consider and sée, if there were euer any sorow like vnto mine. And so truly it is, O our Lorde, that like as there was neuer loue to be compared to thine: so also verily there was neuer sorrowe like nor equall vnto thine, neither in quantitie [Page] nor in qualitie, nor yet in all o­ther circumstances that can be imagined. How then, good bro­ther, can thy hart holde out and not with pitie relent and melt, and with compassion be moued, when thou shalt consider these and many other things whiche thou mayest call to thy remem­brance, and which do aggrauate and make more lamentable the bitternesse, the sorrowes, the tormentes and great iniu­ries done to thy Sauiour? And this is that he suffered in his body and to our sight outward­ly, which in déede was the least part, because muche more grie­uous [Page] and percing were the in­warde sorowes, paynes and af­flictions of his moste blessed soule. As that his sorrowe vnto death did witnesse which he said he felte, and also that agonie which he suffered in his prayer, hauing diuers and infinite ob­iectes of paynes before his glo­rious sight: whiche so troubled and tormented him, that it cau­sed him to sweate that bloody sweate, trickling downe from his face and body to the ground. The causes of that so greate heauinesse and affliction of his blessed soule, may in our medi­tation be gathered to be these: [Page] First the cōsideration he had of the sinnes of all people from the beginning of the world in time past, time present, and time to come: the number, the malice, and wickednes, the abhomina­tion he both saw, and euidently knewe, and playnly vnderstood, how great iniurie and dishonor they committed thereby against his eternall father, whom he a­boue all other things loued, and desired to honour, the which did gréeue and torment him more then all those outward tormēts. Secondly he sorrowed for the vnkindnes and vnthankfulnes of men, and chiefly Christians, [Page] for whom he gaue his life and offred him selfe to so great and bitter payne, and yet he sawe they would not endeuour nor begin to know, nor estéeme or care to helpe them selfe with so great and inestimable benefite: and so through their owne fault he should not gayne by his grie­uous passion & death that fruite for the whiche he traueled so sore, and which he might haue had, if they them selues would haue disposed their good willes thereto, which did more grieue him then death it selfe. And that he playnly showeth where he la­menteth by the mouth of the [Page] Prophet Esay, saying, in vayne haue I traueled, and without cause and fruite haue I consu­med my strength.

Thirdly he sorowed much the damnation of Iudas, and of so great a multitude of people o­therwise, whome he knewe shoulde be damned for despi­sing of that moste holsome me­dicine he should leaue for them in his precious blood: and that by howe muche the more with infinite charitie he desired their health and saluation, so muche the more it grieued him to sée their perdition, and also consi­dering the inestimable ryches [Page] they loste, and the horrible tor­mentes wherein they should for euer be punished. This was a cause of more bitter sorrowe to him, then the cup of his passion.

Fourthly the representation of that sword of sorowes which he knewe should passe through the virgin hart of his most dere mother, was likewise a cause of great griefe and sadnes. For he knew she would accompanie him in the middle of his tor­mentes, and the sight of her did encrease the same through the tender compassion he had of her. And likewise he did sorowe and pitie the solitarines, cares, and [Page] trauels his disciples should be left in, and all his friends both present, and all other his elect that should come vnto the ende of the world, of whose persecu­tions, torments & tribulations he did no lesse grieue at & féele, then the head doth féele payne & griefe when any of his mem­bers doth suffer. Sée then how diuers sorts of sorowes, besides many other, a man may call to remembraunce and meditate, that perced and ranne through his most sacred soule, and those he felt, euery payne by it selfe, the one not letting the griefe of the other, and that without all [Page] consolation or comfort, without ease or rest, and béeing forsaken of all parts, as he declared vpon the crosse, when he sayd: O God my god why hast thou forsaken me? And as it is sayd of him in an other place, That he was made as a man without helpe. For so it pleased his entier loue the more to suffer for vs, and so to make the greater satisfaction to the iustice of God. O loue without measure, O infinite clemencie and pitie most eui­dently declared, in that thou wouldest showe thy selfe cruell to thy self, to be pitiful towards vs: And that thou more estée­medst [Page] our health, then thy owne comfort and life. Séeing that béeing depriued of all comforte and helpe, thou wast drowned in a bottomlesse pit of so great griefes and sorowes, and wast content to be swallowed vp as an other Ionas in the belly of the whale of death. What man then can finde in his heart to be so voyde of all pitie, that thin­king vpon these thinges, will not be mollified and moued to compassion? Séeing he woulde be sorie (I trowe) for the grea­test enemie he had, if he should sée him in like torment of body and soule without all ease and [Page] comfort?

Lo then, my dere brother, how in these poyntes hitherto is de­clared what was y^e person that suffered, and what he suffred as well in body as in soule: wherin thou shalt finde sufficient mat­ter to styrre thée to compassion, which is the ende we purposed in this part. For if thou medi­tate and consider in thy minde after this sorte this holy myste­rie, it can not be but if thou re­member well the aforesayde things with good attention and [...]euotion, it shall moue & breake [...]hy hart were it neuer so hard, [...]eing that the very stones in the [Page] stréete brake and shiuered in pe­ces, in the death of y^e very same thy Sauiour.

A declaration of the third man­ner of meditation, by way of contrition and com­punction.

The third maner we purpo­sed to teache thée howe to medi­tate on the blessed passion, is by the way of contrition and com­punction: the ende wherof is, to haue an inward sorowe and re­pentance of thy sinnes commit­ted against the maiestie of God: and to find out the fruit of this, which is not a litle, it behoueth [Page] a man to ground him selfe vpon this veritie, that all which christ our redéemer hath suffred, was for the sinnes of the world. In so much that if man had not sin­ned, Christ had not suffred nor dyed, for so the diuine scripture affirmeth, that for the sinnes of the people he was stroken of his [...]ternal father, and that he layde [...]pon his shoulders the sinnes of [...]s al, and that he was scourged [...]nd wounded for our iniquitie, [...]nd beaten and buffeted for our [...]eseruing. And this veritie is [...]onfirmed by many other au­ [...]horities, aswell of the olde as [...]he new Testament. Now then [Page] this so béeing, when thou shalt be disposed to make discourse and occupie thy minde in medi­tation of the death and passion of thy Redéemer, thou haste to think verily, that thou wast the cause of all those sorrowes, tor­mentes, and iniuries, whiche thou seest him to haue suffered. For notwithstanding he suffe­red and dyed for all, yet neuer­thelesse he dyed as well for thée alone, as he dyed for all. So that thou mayest truely saye with Saint Paule, that he was of­fred for thée, that he was scour­ged for thée, that he was nay­led on the Crosse for thée, and [Page] dyed for thée. And likewise that thy sinnes killed him, thy pride crowned him with thorne, thy dishonesties & filthy life scour­ged him, thy drunkennesse and gluttony gaue him the eysel and gall, thy disorderlye doinges and sinnes were the causes of his grieuous sorowes, and that thy sins were those many dogs and great bulles, of whom he said he was enuironed or com­passed round about: and so when thou shalt beholde him in the pi­ [...]full image where Pilate she­ [...]eth him to the Iewes when he [...]ayde, Beholde the man: then [...]so remember that our Lorde [Page] sayth the very same wordes vn­to thée: Behold, O man, the re­warde I haue receiued for thée, Behold howe I am handled for thée, Beholde howe I suffer the scourge of thy deseruings, Be­hold what thy vnthankfulnesse hath caused me to haue, Behold the deformed picture and image which thy sinnes haue giuē me, in recompence of my good wil to make thée partaker of my beautie. Of this cōsideration we sha [...] soone conceiue in our mind [...] what an horrible thing sinne is which in such sort hath handle [...] the sonne of God, and how abhominable the filth thereof is [Page] which hath outwardly so beray­ed, darkned, stayned and soyled him, which is the very myrror and glasse without spotte, the brightnes of eternall life. This wel considered and called to thy remembraunce, shall strike into thy hart gret hatred and repen­tance of thy sinnes, which were the cause of so sore paynes and punishmentes of thy Redéemer which neuer committed sinne, neither anye guyle was euer [...]oūd in his mouth. And so much [...]he more thou oughtest to sor­ [...]ow and lament thy sinnes, by [...]ow much the oftener thou hast [...]allen into thē. For euery time [Page] thou hast sinned as the Apostle saith, so often thou hast gone a­bout to crucifie and despise the sonne of God. And if they for their parte should repent them selues and be grieuously sorye, which once onely offended him mortally and crucified him: how much more oughtest thou to re­pent and be sory, whiche haste crucified him so many times. This cōsideration and remem­braunce maye strike into thée sometimes suche sorowe and feare of thy selfe, that it shall prouoke thée to say these or the like wordes: Ah my God and gracious Lorde, where was my [Page] iudgement & wit, when I was so bolde to commit suche sinnes against thy diuine maiestie? where was my vnderstanding that could not remember howe that eury time I sinned I went about to crucifie thée againe? how is it possible that I should imploy my hands to offend thée, thou hauing thy hands nayled on the crosse to saue me? howe could I open my mouth to blas­pheme thée, thou hauing opened thy mouth so often to pray for me? howe is my harte become so harde and stubborne to loue thée and obay thée, séeing thine hart with a spere euen through [Page] perced, to shewe the great loue thou barest me? Thou shalt not onely learne by this considera­tion, how to hate and be sory for thy sinnes passed, but also it shal moue thée with more earnest purpose euer after to flye suche sinnes, fearing agayne to runne vnto the horrible abhomination to go about to crucifie Christ a­gayne, and likewise cause thée to be afrayed of the great pu­nishment which thou shouldest deserue, if with newe sins thou go about to defile thy self again. If the sonne of a Prince would be afrayed when for the fault that he him selfe committeth, he [Page] doth sée his page or slaue beatē: how much more ought the slaue to feare, when he séeth the sonne of the Prince beaten for y^e fault which he the slaue him self com­mitteth? Feare thou then and tremble, miserable wretch, sée­ing for thy fault the sonne of God thy king and Lorde is bea­ten and so cruelly handled, and call to thy remembraunce the words he spake to the women that wept when they sawe him [...]eare the crosse: If they do this [...]n the gréene trée, what shall be [...]one in the dry wood? That is [...]o say, If in Christ which is the [...]réene trée, full of the leaues of [Page] most holy words and fruites of most excellent works, so seuere punishment is vsed, for that he hath taken vpō him our sinnes: what shal be done to thée which art a dry withered trée yéelding no good fruites, neither of pa­tience nor of charitie, nor of any vertue, nor yet is there to be séene in thée so much as y^e leaues of words profitable to thy selfe or any other, and much lesse any one flowre of liuely desire to a­mende thyne owne life? If thou then shalte be a trée not onely barren and fruitlesse, but also vitious and laden with most e­uill and wicked fruites: wha [...] [Page] shall become of thée, but that which is vsed to be done of the like trée, that is, to be cut down and cast into the fyre? And that shalt thou haue worse then any other trée, for that the fyre of o­ther wood is soone consumed, but thy fyre shall be euerlasting. Sée therfore how this meditation of Christes holy passion shal cause thée to sorrow for thy sinne pas­sed, & to feare the sins to come, because thou wouldest not wil­lingly fall into the iustice of god the which thou séest so rigorou­ [...]ly and sharply executed vpon thy sauiour, in that he was offe­red to pay thy raunsome.

The fourth maner of meditati­on, which is by way of imita­tion or following.

The fourth maner howe to meditate and consider vpon the blessed passion, we sayde it was by the way of imitation, which is of muche fruite, and highly commended by holy men. For as the chiefe of the Apostles S. Peter saith, one cause why that Christ suffered for vs, was, to leaue vs an example to followe his steps. And Christ him selfe sayth, that he hath giuen vs an example to do as he hath done. Which so being, whē thou shalt occupie thy selfe in meditating [Page] vpon his passion, marke wel the manyfold and marueilous ver­tues which he teacheth therein, as well in that he suffered, as in the maner of his suffering: the which thou must desire to fol­low by his grace as much as is possible in thée, staying thy selfe chiefly vpon the consideration of that vertue which thou kno­west principally to be lacking in thée. And because it may seme impossible to cōsider all the ver­tues whiche shine in his moste glorious passion, who was the most perfect paterne of all ver­tue and perfection, I will onely [...]et here before thy eyes those [Page] which thou oughtest most often to remember, and whiche be moste necessarie for thy turne. And first to beginne with those two vertues whiche our Lorde specially commendeth vnto vs by his owne example, and to be learned of him, saying, Learne ye of me, because I am méeke and humble of heart: Consider (I say) howe perfectly he tea­cheth them in his blessed passiō. Humilitie which is the founda­tion of all vertues, he declareth playnely in humbling him selfe to so shamefull a death, as that of the crosse, disdaining not that the very thief Barrabas found [Page] more friendship and fauour to be deliuered before him, and be­ing content to be crucified be­twéene two théeues.

In many other things thou mayst by discourse call to mind & consider that louely humilitie which he setteth forth in the rest of his life, aswel as in his passi­on, as that in washing the féete of Iudas & of his other disciples not long before, & in being born in an oxe stall or stable, with many other examples of y^e same vertue, whereof both the rest of [...]s life & death are full. For in [...]s birth, in his liuing, & in his [...]ing, he neuer ceassed to leaue [Page] vs all examples that might be of so necessarie a vertue for vs. He shewed also a marueilous example of méekenes in his holy passion, when he was led vnto death (as the Prophet Esa [...] spake of him) euen as shepe, an [...] stoode as gentle as a lambe before them who so cruelly han [...] led him, not once opening hi [...] mouth to speake an euill word against them which railed vpo [...] him, nor yet to threaten the [...] which tormented him. In lyk [...] maner he declared his modest [...] and sobernesse in that clere an [...] lightsome countenance of hi [...] standing before the Iudges an [...] [Page] his accusers, and in the maner of his answering to their que­stions, and in that peaceable calmnesse of minde whcih he al­wayes expressed, not once being troubled in his countenance or chaunging moode, although he [...]ere neuer so muche iniuried, and wrongfully slaundered. He [...]eclared also his perfect obedi­ence, not onely béeing obedient [...]o his eternall Father, in the [...]ommandement of death which [...]e gaue him, but also declared [...]he same in euery thing, euen [...]owardes his wicked enemies whiche crucified him, in dooing whatsoeuer they willed: as in [Page] suffering him selfe to be spoy­led of his clothes, and agayne to be clothed, and that as often as pleased them to commaunde him: Nowe going to one iudge, and now vnto an other, as they woulde haue him: and finally when he was appoynted there­to, he bare the Crosse whereon he should be crucified. What shal we then say of the softnesse, and of the silence he obserued and kept in all that pitifull pa­geant of his passion? He was not desirous to multiply words nor to answere so many iniu­ries and blasphemies they spake agaynst him, neither to defende [Page] him selfe agaynst the false wit­nesse they brought foorth, ne to excuse him selfe of that they vn­iustly accused him and layde to his charge: But he suffered pa­tiently all things, without aun­swering of any thing, euen as though he had bene domme. So that he therin well fulfilled that whiche was written of him: I as a deafe man did not heare, and as a domme creature which openeth not his mouth, I made no aunswere. And the Euange­list affirmeth, that euen the ve­ry iudge Pilate him selfe dyd much maruel at his gret silence. But much more his inuincible [Page] patience may cause vs to mar­uell, with the which he suffered and bare, not only the innume­rable scornes, skoffes, and moc­kings, with other outrages de­uised agaynst him, but also the gréeuous sorowes and paynes, the most bitter tormentes they coulde inuent to punishe him withall, whiche were so many and so cruell, that they might suffice to breake any hard stone. Verifying in this that whiche Ezechiel prophesied of him, whē he likened his face to the Dia­mond and hard flint, because of the hardnes wherewith he bare so many blowes and buffettes, [Page] with their fists and hard gaunt­lets: and all with suche an in­uincible patience, without ma­king resistance at all, ne yet so muche as any show of murmu­ring or grudging. And likewise consider howe that his most fer­uent and burning charitie was not able to be quenched or di­minished with all the waters of those his afflictions and sorows which entred into him, and per­ced euen through the very mid­dest of his most blessed soule: but rather the more they doubled his torments, the more increa­sed y^e flame of loue, by the which in his most excessiue sorows he [Page] prayed for them that crucified him, and excused them before his father who accused and con­demned him. Furthermore re­member that intier deare mer­cy of his, that where he saw our great miseries and calamities, he had compassion vpon vs, and wéeped for our sakes, he prayed for vs, and shedde his most pre­cious blood, thereby to heale and cure our gréeuous diseases and daungerous woundes. Call al­so to minde and consider that fortitude and magnanimitie of his, who knowing (as noteth the Euangelist Saint Iohn) all things that should be done vnto [Page] him, that is to saye, the great battayle which was prepared a­gaynst him, and in the whiche he shoulde dye with so many gréeuous tormentes and deadly woundes: yet feared he nothing at all to marche forwarde to méete his enemies in the face, and offer him selfe into their hands, to execute what crueltie they would vpon him.

Consider also his constante perseuerance, which is a vertue that crowneth and rewardeth all our good workes: Because who so euer shall perseuer and continue in well dooing to the ende, he shall be saued. Which [Page] vertue is in none better séene then in Christ, who in such sorte perseuered, continued, & [...]tly went forward with that wor [...]e of our redemption he had bego [...] that neither the feare of paine [...], nor strokes, nor iniuries, nor scornes, nor threatnings, foule wordes nor fayre promises, nor men, nor diuels, could be able to make him come down from the Crosse, or leaue vndone any one iote of that was to be done, for finishing of the worke of our re­demption which his Father had commaunded him.

Nor yet leaue thou here vn­remembred both for thy conso­lation [Page] and example to folow his blessed stepps, that contempt of the world, and that his extreme pouertie, whereof he giueth vs notable examples both in his blessed passion & death, and also in his life and conuersation, which was full of pouertie and contempt of honour and world­ly fauour. But specially it is to be séene in his passion and ende of his life, because he dyed in that straite bedde of the Crosse, hauing nothing at all to leane his head vpon, standing spoyled and naked with so great shame and ignominie in that multi­tude of people beholding and [Page] gasing vppon him. And in the thirst and drinesse which he suf­fred, they gaue him not so much as a cup of water, but only bit­ter gal and vineger. There was not one that mighte helpe or comfort him with any ease or reliefe: but rather those his e­nemies studied by all deuises and inuentions they could, new kindes of paynes and wayes, how to vexe and disgrace him.

O my God, what is that man, but if he will remember this, and marke it well, may be asha­med to murmure, grudge, and lament him selfe of any griefe or aduersity that he doth suffer▪ [Page] What pouerty or barennesse in the worlde may be compared to thine? what abstinence, what austeritie of life, or straitnesse of penance was euer so harde and sharpe, which may be com­pared to that thou diddest suffer on the Crosse? what man was euer in the world so despised, so mocked, and so persecuted, as thou waste in thy passion and death? Truely, O Lorde, he that can well remember and consider thée, maye shutte his mouth & shame to lament him self at al, either of pouerty, hun­ger, thirst, nakednesse, vnkind­nesse, or of any other lacke or [Page] griefe that he suffereth. He may be ashamed to sée howe fayntly and coldly he traueleth to folow thée, O Lord, being set before vs as an example and rule of our life. Thou seest now good bro­ther, what order thou muste ob­serue, béeing after this sort oc­cupied in thy meditation vpon the passion. Beholde the pure and cleare glasse in the whiche thou mayst looke and learne to knowe and sée in thy selfe thy faults, deformities and defects, and then compare them toge­ther with his vertues and per­fections: because thou shalte so vnderstand how great thy pride [Page] is, if thou beholde and haue re­spect to his lowlynesse, méeke­nesse, and humilitie: how great is thy coldnesse, in comparison to his tender and burning cha­ritie: and the like of other ver­tues aforesaid, and many more that may be cōsidered of, which shal discouer and open vnto thée thy lackes and imperfections, thy foulenesse and deformities. And so shalt thou be encouraged with more diligence to bestirre thée, to worke according to this examplar and paterne showed vnto thée in this mount of most [...]igh perfection, as it was sayde vnto Moyses: Because in this [Page] imitation & conforming of thy life after the example of Christ, consisteth the greatest merite thou canst haue in this life, and the greatest rewarde prepared for thée in the life to come.

A declaration of the fyfth man­ner of meditation, which is in thankesgeuing.

The fifth manner of medita­tion vpon the holy passion, is by way of thankesgiuing, whiche we are bounde often to do. For if we ought of very duetie, be­cause we woulde not fall into the vice of ingratitude, whiche so muche displeaseth God, and [Page] no lesse hurteth vs, to call of­ [...]en times to our remembrance suche other benefites as we [...]aue receyued at Gods hande, [...]nd to thanke his infinite good­nesse and liberalitie for the [...]ame: How muche more ought [...]e so to do for the benefite of [...]ur redemption, the whiche so much more passeth all other be­ [...]efites, as it hath by our redée­ [...]er with more deare coste and [...]rice, and for our greater pro­ [...]ite, bene purchased?

A great matter it was that [...]e gaue vs a soule and body, with all our members and sen­ [...]es, and muche it is to be estée­med, [Page] that for our conseruation and benefite he hath created the heauens and the earth, with so many and diuers creatures as we sée in it. But what should it haue profited vs to be borne in­to the world, if we had not bene redéemed? Of what estimation or valour might our creation haue bene thought, if our re­demption had lacked? For by the first we receiued but our be­ing, by this seconde we haue re­ceiued our wel béeing. The first thing cost our creator but litle, for that he created vs and al the world with his onely word, and in a short time: but as for the [Page] seconde, who is able to declare how dearly and with how great expence our redéemer purchased and bought it? Séeing that with the trauels and sweat of thrée and thirtie yeres, & finally with tormentes and death vpon the Crosse he gaue vs life, and re­paired the worlde which in sixe dayes he had made.

Nowe if it séeme to thée that thou art litle bound to him for that whiche cost him litle, yet thou canst not denie but that thou art muche in his debt, and very greatly bounde vnto him, for that thing he payed so dearly for. Thou shalt do then right, as [Page] the wise man giueth thée coun­sell, not to forget the grace and benefites thou haste receiued of such a benefactour, that hath gi­uen his life for thée. Consider if thou haddest receyued of anye man the like benefite, how gret­ly shouldest thou haue remained bounde: howe highly wouldest thou haue praysed him? howe wouldest thou haue endeuoured thy selfe to haue serued him? And therefore thou mayst per­swade with thy selfe how great­ly thou art bounde to God thy Creator and Redéemer: for if thou mightest possibly be bound to any other man whiche had [Page] deliuered thée from a corporall death: howe muche more ough­test thou to be bounde to him that hath deliuered thée from the spirituall death of the soule? And if thou wouldest acknow­ledge thy selfe muche beholden to a man that had suffered a little for thée: then remem­ber howe muche more thou owest to him that is both God and man, who hath suffered suche paynes and tormentes for thée, and not onely tormen­tes, but also moste bitter and shamefull death, through which thy sinnes were cancelled and rased oute of remembraunce, [Page] the might of the diuell was bro­ken to péeces, peace and recon­ciliation was made with God, the gates of heauen opened, be­sides other innumerable giftes giuen thée. And séeing thou canst not better recompence this so great debte, then to knowe, to loue, and to be thankfull to thy benefactour: why then remem­ber to offer to him the often sa­crifice of prayse and thankesgi­uing, as the holy king & prophet Dauid exhorteth and encoura­geth thée to do, styrring vp thy soule with those words where­with he lifted vp his owne hart and soule vnto God, saying: O [Page] my soule blesse the Lord, and all the powers within me prayse ye his holy name. O my soule blesse thy Lorde, and forget not how great benefites he hath be­stowed vpon thée. But yet chie­fly remember the greatest of all the rest, which is, to haue deli­uered thy life frō eternal death, and to crowne thée with mercy in his glory, if the fault be not in thy selfe. As verily it shal not be, whensoeuer thou shalt de­clare thy selfe thankfull for his giftes receiued: And that shalte thou do in exercising thy selfe to giue prayse and thankes to the giuer therof. And think it ther­fore [Page] thy duetie, as often as in this maner thou art disposed to meditate vpon the blessed pas­sion, to remember and ende­uour by all meanes, earnestly to giue thanks and prayse for that entier louing charitie of thy Sauiour, that woulde re­déeme thée with his owne blood, and for that incomparable pa­tience of his, by the which he suffered all those sorrowes, in­iuries, mockes, and scornes, as thou shalt call to thy minde, béeing after this sorte occupied in thy meditation. And albeit that the giuing of thanks which in this litle treatise is set in the [Page] ende of euery prayer, may helpe and serue thée to that effect: yet neuerthelesse it shal further thée muche, that in thy discourse of meditation thou deuise of thy selfe newe prayses and thankes giuing, sayinge sometimes: Thanks be to thée, O my God, for thy excéeding charitie. Bles­sed mayest thou be in thy pati­ence, that wouldest suffer suche tormentes for me. O most in­nocent Lamb, praysed and bles­sed be thy méekenesse. Let thy Angels in my behalf blesse thée, that wouldest so muche humble thy selfe. And at an other time saye: When shall I be able, [Page] O my Lord, to recompēce these and other so great paynes and sorowes, shames and reproches which thou hast suffred for me? Let euery spirite and creature confesse thy mercies, and be thankfull therefore.

And so vsing suche other lyke words of prayses, according as thy deuotion shall moue thée.

A declaration of the sixt man­ner of meditation, which is by way of admiration.

The sixt maner is, according to our former diuision in order, of admiration: which thy soule shall féele to be very great, if [Page] thou knowe once howe to exer­cise thy selfe well in that sort of consideration. And séeing that the Prophet Dauid vsed, as he affirmeth of him selfe, to consi­der and meditate in his minde the maruellous works of God, so is it good reason that thou do exercise thy selfe in the medita­tion of his most holy passion and death, which is the moste mar­ueilous worke amongst all that he hath wrought. And who will not maruell when he conside­reth that suche a one did suffer, who is the only refuge and pro­tection of al those that do suffer? And that he is sadde and heauy [Page] for sorowe, who is the mirth and comforte of Angels: And that he is despised and scorned, who is that Lorde before whose sighte the powers of heauen feare and tremble? Who can but wonder when he remem­breth that he dyed, who is the lyfe of all thinges liuing? O howe aptly to this did the Pro­phete Abacuc, vnderstanding in the spirite of prophesie, say: Lorde I considered thy works, and I was afrayde. And true­ly the causes of wonder be so greate to make a man muse thereat, that it is more maruell to sée one not maruel and muse, [Page] then one that dothe muse and maruell at it. For howe can it be, deare brother, but thou must maruell and wonder, if thou consider the greatnes, the migh­tinesse, the highnesse, and the eternall maiestie of him that suffered so many kindes of pay­nes, of iniuries, of tormentes, and of so shamefull a death? And contrariwise, the basenes, the vilenesse, and the vnthank­fulnes of men, for whom he suf­fered. And if any of these things being by itselfe considered, haue cause sufficient to make thée maruell: what shal it be if thou ioyne all together that his high [Page] maiestie hath suffred suche and so great tormentes for so base and vile creatures? That is to say, that the iudge of the liuing and the dead was crucified be­twéene two théeues: that the king of glory which is adored of Angels, was blasphemed of most vile men: who woulde not maruell? who would not be a­frayd? who would not be aston­nied to thinke vpon it?

This is one thing that shall giue thée copious matter to wō ­der and maruell: to consider the infinite loue, bountie, and mer­cy of God, in this worke of thy redemption declared. And thou [Page] shalt no lesse maruell, if thou consider the great wisedome he sheweth in the same his passion and crosse: in that he found out so conuenient and apt meane to vanquish and ouercome our ad­uersarie, euen as it were with the same weapon wherwith he ouercame vs. And this is it that the Catholike Churche singeth: That he ordeined the trée of the crosse to be the instrument and meane of our saluation: because the diuell, like as he wanne the victorie ouer vs by one trée: so likewise he might be vanqui­shed and troden vnder foote by an other trée. Also his crosse and [Page] passion was a most present re­medie for all our infirmities. For he humbling himselfe euen to the death of the crosse, did pay sufficiently the price of our dis­obedience and pride: Geuing vs the greatest example that might be of his humilitie, which is so necessarie a vertue for vs, besides diuerse examples els, as of despising the worlde, and of many other vertues spoken of before. By meanes whereof we maye knowe our owne vices and amende them, and chie­fly renounce and forsake our selfe-loue, which is the roote of all vice.

[Page]Also the remembraunce of his Crosse and passion may encou­rage vs to suffer and patiently beare the manyfolde trauels, miseries, and griefes, where­of our life is full: For what greater comforte can there be had then to beholde Christ nay­led on the Crosse? whose woun­des are sufficient to heale our woundes: whose paynes and griefe if we well consider them, may cause vs not so impatient­ly to take our troubles what­soeuer they be. And likewise to inflame and kindle our loue towardes him, there can not be founde a better meane [Page] then to lay before our eyes how gretly and entierly he loued vs, in suffering so much for vs, and that he hath left vs so great ry­ches of his mercies, of Sacra­ments, of examples, of cōforts, of satisfactions, of fayth, of hope, of deuotion, of consolation. Be­holde Christ with diligent eyes vpon the Crosse, and thou shalt finde hid therein so great and so wonderfull treasures, that they will cause thée to crye out & say with Saint Paule: O the dep [...] ­nesse of the ryches, of the wise­dome, and knowledge of God. Thou shalt finde also good cause to maruell, if thou consider his [Page] great power and might whiche he shewed in his passion: for so muche as thereby he ouercame the diuell, and being exalted on the Crosse, he drew all things to him, as he saide before, & dying he destroyed death, triumphing ouer the world and hell.

Thou shalt likewise finde good cause to wonder, if thou marke well the iustice he obserued in his passion and death, in that he would not our sinnes and offen­ces should remayne without re­compence and satisfaction, and by it giue remission and pardon of them, and that more fréely and fully, then of our part was [Page] due or deserued. And by howe much more thou art willing to consider & search out the secrets of the Crosse, so muche the more high mysteries shall be reuealed vnto thée, and cause thée not on­ly to maruell, but also to be greatly amased. And then shalte thou knowe that Saint Paule the Apostle spake not without great cause, when he sayde: He would preache none other, nor would learne to knowe any o­ther thing, but Iesus Christ and him crucified.

By this then hitherto said, thou mayst gather and perceiue how copious matter thou haste to [Page] maruell and wonder at, when thou art in this maner disposed to meditate vpon the death and passion of thy Redéemer. All whiche the better to retayne in memorye, thou mayest re­duce and bring them to these poyntes.

The first is, to consider the infi­nite highnesse and maiestie of thy Lorde that suffered for thée. The seconde is, the seruile and base estate of them for whom he suffered. Thirdly, the wonder­full tormentes and iniuries which he suffered. Fourthly, the wisedome, power, and iu­stice which he declared in his [Page] blessed passion and death. These things in maner before specified and others that may happen to come into thy remembraunce whiles thou art in thy medita­tion, if thou consider them as thou oughtest attentiuely, shall minister occasion vnto thée, greatly to maruell and wonder at this diuine mysterie.

A declaration of the seuenth manner of meditation, which is by way of hope and reioysing.

The seuenth manner of me­ditation we sayde was by waye of reioysing and hope: Whiche [Page] kinde of meditation is very ne­cessarie also sometime to vse. For when a man shal with him selfe consider, howe great the wickednesse and euill of sinne is, howe odious it is, and howe muche it displeaseth God, séeing for the due punishment thereof, and for to repaye and repayre the great losses it had caused in the worlde, our Lorde him self came downe from heauen, and after so great trauels and paynefull life, at the laste he would suffer so bitter passion and death: And when he shall likewise call to minde, that he hath runne and fallen into his [Page] haynous euill and sinfulnesse, not only once, but many times and in diuerse sortes: he shall then rest so sad and dismayed, that he shall néede of some spe­ciall helpe for to comfort him, that he dispayre not in him selfe when he remembreth that he shall appeare before the iudge­ment seate of the fearfull iudge, to yéelde the account of all his life. To remember this, it hath made not onely many sinners to feare and tremble, but also iuste men and persons of holy life, as is to be séene by those wordes whiche that iuste m [...]n Iob spake: That euen as the [Page] maryner feareth when he seeth the swelling waues of the seas, so he feared God. And this feare doth oftē grow to a man, when he remembreth the latter day: because he knoweth that to be true whiche is spoken by the Prophet Dauid, that no man liuing shall be iustified before God. Nowe if the iuste shall scarsly be saued, as Saint Pe­ter sayth, howe shall the sinner do, whiche remembreth howe greatly and howe many wayes he hath offended God, for the whiche he hath deserued to be condemned, not once, but ma­ny times.

[Page]Therfore, good brother, when thou shalt find thy selfe to stand in like feare and dispayre, one of the best remedies that thou canst haue to comfort thy selfe and pull vp thy hart againe, is, to remember and bethinke thy selfe what thy moste mercyfull Sauiour hath done and suffred for thée. The very same remedie the prophet Dauid signified that he founde, when he sayde: My soule is troubled within me self, and therfore will I remem­ber me of thée in the lande of Iordan, and Hermon, and in the litle hill. In which wordes he teacheth vs that the remedie [Page] a man may haue, féeling himself sorowfull, sad, and troubled in spirit, for the remembraunce of his sins, or for any other thing: is to remember him self agayne what Christe did for vs in his life, which is signified by y^e land of Iordan and Hermon where he was baptised, preached, and was conuersant. And likewise to call to minde that whiche he suffered, which is noted by the litle hill, that is to say, at Cal­uarie, where he was crucified. When therefore thou shalte sée thy selfe troubled in minde, sor­rowfull, sad, and afflicted, consi­dering the bottomlesse pitte of [Page] thy sinnes, of thy blindnesse pas­sed, and of the myserie present wherein thou findest thy selfe: turne then thy consideration to thinke vpon the déepnesse of the mercy of thy moste gracious Lorde, who for thée and thy sal­uation came downe from hea­uen and was made man, and for thy sake was crucified and died. Consider therfore the plen­tyfull redemption he hath lefte for thée, and that if thou haue offended muche, he hath muche satisfied for thée, if thou be wil­ling & diligent to know how by his satisfaction to helpe thy self. If the multitude of the sinnes [Page] thou hast committed do feare thée, bicause thou hast thereby iustly deserued to be cōdemned, comforte thy selfe in thinking howe he hath fully satisfied the iustice of God, because thou shuldest participate of his mer­cies. If thou faynt, dispaire, or els miscrust thy owne pouertie, and the small good seruice thou hast done towards god: remem­ber thy selfe of the great riches and merites he hath lefte thée by meanes of his passion, in the which thou mayest chiefly be­holde and put all thy trust. But yet so that thou fayle not to en­deuour thy selfe to the vtter­most [Page] of thy power to serue and please him. And remember also howe that Lorde which in time to come shall be thy iudge, is at this present thy aduocate to god the Father eternall, to whom he showeth those his fiue blessed wounds, with the markes and signes wherewith it was his pleasure to be séene after his re­surrection: because his heauenly father should thereby be incli­ned to haue mercy vpon vs, and to vs they should be a testimony of the loue he bare vs. Whiche both the one and the other shall giue thée great occasion & holde­fast of hope and comfort.

[Page]Moreouer consider the num­ber of Sacraments he hath left thée in this Churche, as strong effectuous medicins and salues, for all the wounds, sores, & in­firmities which thou canst haue.

Remember also that, euen as the Apostle sayth, better and lowder crieth the blood whiche Christ shed, then the blood of A­bel. Because the blood of Abel asked vengeance agaynst his brother that shed it: but the pre­cious blood of Christe asketh mercy and pardon for them that shed it, and also for al them that trust in it. Sée therefore howe great hope and ioy thou mayest [Page] receiue in vsing of this kinde of meditation vpon the holy pas­sion. And the order thou ough­test to obserue herein, is, that when thou art disposed to me­ditate vpon that which thy Re­déemer hath suffered, then assu­redly accounte and thinke all was done for thy sake, and that the plentifull fruite & benefite which by meanes of his passion and death he hath purchased, was for thée and to thy behoue, and he would that thou shuldest be partaker thereof, if the fault be not in thy selfe. So that thou mayest assuredly beléeue, that his tormentes be thine, that his [Page] teares and sorowes are thine, the infinite price of his blood­shedding to be thine, and finally that all his death and passion is thine. For as we haue said, for thée he suffred, and he gratiously would thou shouldest be parta­ker of the fruite thereof, so to vnderstand what precious trea­sure thou hast layde vp in him. Whiche consideration shall so ease thée of thy payne and feare, and giue thée so great hope and gladnesse, that it shall cause thée to saye with Saint Paule: God forbidde that I shoulde re­ioyce or glory in any thing els, but in the Crosse of my Lorde [Page] Iesu Christ. And worthily, for in it thou hast an infinite trea­sure, by meanes whereof thou hast obtayned saluation and re­conciliation betwéene God and thée, and thy sinnes be forgiuen thée, thou art receiued for the sonne of god, the gate of heauen is opened vnto thée, and with it and by it all goodnesse in one heape is cast vnto thée. Sée then what cause thou hast to reioyce and leape for gladnesse conside­ring this. But here I must not forget to aduise thée, that when after this sort thou hast medi­tate vpon this holy mysterie, thou must remember that this [Page] hope and ioye which thou shalt féele in finding thy selfe so enri­ched and full of spirituall trea­sures: they cause thée not to wax colde, negligent, and slouthful in good workes, but rather that therby thou be stirred & pricked forward in feruent and earnest loue of God, and to serue him: Aswell to shew thy selfe, as good reason is, thankfull to thy bene­factor, as also lest he take away agayne from thée the same his giftes and riches, as it hath hap­pened to others for their vn­thankfulnesse and negligence.

And thus much touching this maner of meditation.

A declaration of the eight ma­ner of meditation, by the way of loue.

The eight kinde and sorte of meditation vpon the passion, is by way of loue, whiche we haue placed here lastly, because according to the mind of Saint Paule: Like as the ende of the commaundementes is charitie or loue procéeding from a pure heart: So also the principall purpose and ende of meditation vpon this holy mysterie and o­thers, is, that the soule may re­mayne inflamed in the loue of God. According to that which the holy prophet Dauid vnder­stoode [Page] when he sayd: In my me­ditation the fyre shall be kind­led, that is to say, my soule shall be inflamed with the fyre of the loue of God and true charitie. And among all meditations in the which this heauenly fyre is kindled, the chiefest is this of the passion and death of our Re­déemer. Bicause if there be any thing that hath force to drawe the loue of one man to loue an other, it is to knowe that he is loued of the other: and so there can not be a thing in the worlde more apte to drawe the heart of a Christian to loue God, then to consider how God [Page] first loued him, the whiche he may very well vnderstande by that whiche he did and suffered for him. And if it be the greatest signe that a friend can showe of that loue he beareth towardes an other, to giue his owne life for him, as he our Lord him self sayth, this signe then haue we most manifestly of the loue he bare vs, for that his will was to giue his most precious lyfe for vs, or rather as Saint Paul concludeth, a greater signe can we not haue of his innumera­ble loue, then to knowe his will was to offer him selfe vnto death, euen the death of y^e crosse, [Page] and that not only for his frien­des, but also for his enemies. If then thou were negligent, slouthfull, and cold to loue God before thou knewest how much he loued thée: nowe thou doest knowe it by suche and so many signes and argumentes, ende­uour to him which hath so loued thée. Call to minde in this my­sterie how streatly thou art be­loued of al the whole Trinitie, séeing the father so muche loued thée, that he gaue his onely be­gottē sonne vnto death for thée. Remember wel those words of the Euangelist S. Iohn, which saith in this maner: So God lo­ued [Page] the worlde that for it he gaue his onely begotten sonne. In which wordes thou mayest knowe the greatnes of the per­son of whom thou art so belo­ued, and that is the Father al­mightie maker of heauen and of earth: and also the greatnes of his loue wherewith he loued thée is manyfest, by the great­nes of the gifte whiche he gaue thée, and that is his only begot­ten sonne, who hath the same like infinite power, bounty and maiestie with the father. And this suche a sonne he hath gra­ciously giuen thée, that taking thy humanitie or manhood, he [Page] might dye in the same for thée and redéeme thée, in suche sorte as the Apostle sayth, God spa­red not his owne sonne, to par­don vs his miserable seruants. O inestimable loue, and grea­ter then any vnderstanding can comprehende. And likewise the loue of the Sonne was nothing lesse then this of the Father, in that he came downe from hea­uen and was incarnate for thée, spente hys lyfe and dyed for thée, that by suche meanes he might in diuers sortes be giuen to thée: In byrth as thy com­panion, in life as thy comfort, in his last Supper as thy foode, [Page] in death as price for thée, in heauen as a rewarde for thée. And as the loue of the Father and the Sonne was towardes thée, so was the loue of the holy Ghost, who willed & wrought together with the father and the sonne, thy saluation & redemp­tion. Now the most blessed and glorious Trinitie hath so loued thée, how canst thou be so slacke in rēdring to him loue for loue, séeing that loue can not be re­payed but with loue.

And if thou vnderstande not this excéeding loue of God by other benefites whiche he hath done for thée, as in thy creation [Page] and conseruation: consider yet what thou hast receiued of him in thy reparation and redemp­tion, & then shalt thou perceiue how true those words be which he spake by the prophet Iere­mie: With perpetual loue haue I loued thée, and therefore haue I drawen thée to me in hauing mercy vpon thée. These be the sharpe arrowes which the king­ly prophet Dauid speaketh of, sufficient to pearce anye hard hart. These be the new warres which the scripture speaketh of, that a king is from heauen ele­cted to subdue and conquer men of the earth: Differing from the [Page] first, which he made with thret­nings and feare. These be the ropes of Adam, and the cordes of charitie with which the pro­phet O say sayth he would draw men vnto him. Because if they will worke according to the vse of reason, which they haue in respect they be reasonable men, they ought not to be more vn­reasonable then brute beastes, who suffer them selues to be drawen with ropes and halters in finding them selues forced and constrayned to loue such as loueth them.

When thou therefore shalte meditate vppon the death and [Page] passion of thy Redéemer, let the principall ende of thy trauell be to be rauished in the loue of such a Lorde that hath so loued thée, and by so many profes hath wel declared his loue towards thée: and assure thy selfe that al those stripes and bloodye woundes which thou beholdest in him, be voyces crying and testifying his deare and true loue to­wardes thée. Beholde him vp­pon the Crosse thrust through with a speare, and thou shalte perceiue how he prouoketh and forceth thée to loue him. His féete so nayled do showe that he will tarie for thée, if thou wilte [Page] returne & come agayne to him. His armes so stretched do signi­fie that he desireth to embrace thée. His head so bowed downe, doth signifie that he will giue thée the kisse of grace. That side of his opened with a spere, doth manifestly shew that he is wil­ling to giue thée a place in his hart, where thou mayst rest thy selfe quietly & surely. And what other thing might he do for thée, which he hath not done? And what other thing doth he more require of thée, but in that ac­knowledging this his loue, thou answere him agayne with thy loue? O moste swéete Iesu the [Page] true louer of men, what is he, if he well consider this and know it, that can denie the thing thou requirest of him, and for so ma­ny causes is due vnto thée? And howe can any man excuse him­selfe to loue thée, béeing pricked forwarde and prouoked with so many motions and swéete cal­lings of thy diuine loue?

Be not therefore, my good bro­ther, vnthankfull, nor so dull to vnderstande this his so great loue, for the which it should be­houe thy hart to melt euen as the wax, whensoeuer thou re­membrest that he loued thée first, and that he washed thée [Page] with his precious blood. Denie him not the tribute of loue thou owest him, for although he haue forgiuen thée other thy debtes, yet this he will not discharge or acquite thée of, but rather affirmeth that he came to put fyre on the earth, and woulde that it should burne continual­ly. And in figure of this he com­maunded in the olde lawe, that the fyre shoulde stande alwayes kindled vppon his altar. The whiche is not so muche ment of the materiall fyre, as of the spirituall, which is our loue to­wards him, and that he would should alwayes burne vpon the [Page] altar of our heart, because that sacrifice is alwayes accepta­ble to him whiche is offered with suche fyre. And because this maye be nourished and maynteined, it behoueth that euen as the Priestes in the olde Lawe did bring of all sortes of materiall wood for to mayn­teyne and kéepe in that mate­riall fyre: So thou muste be carefull to laye on that spiri­tuall woode, and that is of the Crosse, of the whippes and roddes, of the speare and other instrumentes of that holy pas­sion, whervpon if thou deuout­ly meditate, it shall stande thée [Page] in stead of wood most fit to kin­dle thy deuotion and loue to­wards God.

Let the conclusion therefore be of that which we haue hi­therto saide: that in meditating after this maner vpon this holy mysterie, and knowing by it how much thou art bounde (as is declared) for that whiche he hath suffred for thée, and muche more for the loue in whiche he suffred, & that was muche more then his excessiue tormentes: thou must render and yéelde vn­to him the best recompence thou canst, whiche is but loue for loue. And this thou shalt do, if [Page] thou be minde [...]ull alwayes to haue thy heart inflamed in loue towardes him, & melting with the meditation and remem­braunce of his tender loue to­wards thée.

Thus then as thou seest we haue declared vnto thée all the foresayde orders of meditation vpon the passon: but yet for thy better exercise thou mayst helpe thy selfe with these aduises fol­lowing.

¶ Certayne aduises which may be obserued in the sayd me­ditations, or in any other.

NOwe thou hast séene all the aforesaide kinds and sorts of meditation, it doth remayne for a conclusion and accomplish­ment of these instructions, to giue thée briefly certayne adui­ses whereby thou mayest with more fruite and swéetenesse ex­ercise thy selfe in the same. The whiche maye not onely helpe thée to meditate vpon the my­sterie of Christes passion, but also in anye other meditation else vppon his life, or prayers, [Page] whiche thou doest intende to mark. And in these aduises thou shalt learne thrée things. The first, what order thou must ob­serue before thou entrest into thy meditation. Secondarily, the maner of procéeding in thy meditation. And the third, what thou shouldest doe when thou haste finished thy meditation.

The first aduise to be had be­fore thy meditation, is to be learned of the wise man, who counselleth thée that before thou pray, thou prepare thy minde or heart. Which preparation consisteth in endeuouring to go about this holy exercise with [Page] the greatest clennesse and pure­nesse of heart and mind thou canst. For euen as we should sée alwayes that the vessell be well washed & cleane, in whiche we purpose to put any kinde of precious liquor: Agreable to that which our Sauiour sayth: That men vse not to put newe wine into olde bottels. So also to receiue the newe wine or must of that heauenly loue, and precious liquor of grace, deuo­tion and other giftes that the mercy of God is willing to be­stowe vpon vs: it is necessarie that the vessell which should re­ceiue it, that is the soule, be [Page] pure and made freshe. And the more washed and cleane it shall be, so muche the feruenter and better disposition it shall haue, to receiue more aboundantly this moste precious liquor. It shall be therefore good, before thou beginne to meditate, that thou examine thy cōscience, and make clene and swéepe the dust and filthe whiche thou findest therein, the whiche commonly are wont to be veniall sinnes, that is to say, vayne thoughtes, idle wordes, negligences, and other like things which do easi­ly cleaue and sticke fast in vs, or rather let and take away [Page] that perfect holynes and puritie with which a man ought to en­deuour earnestly to appeare be­fore the sight of God. This thou mayest do in asking God hum­bly pardon for thy particuler faults, which thou shalt remem­ber to haue cōmitted: for which and for other generall defectes that thou canst not remember, thou mayest saye at the begin­ning of thy meditation, the ge­nerall cōfession, with the hymne of the holy Ghost, or one Pater noster, and an Aue Maria, or some other prayer, as shal séeme beste for thy purpose, desiring God of his grace to spende that [Page] time in meditation, with suche attention, reuerence, and deuo­tion as thou art bound to, and shall be most acceptable to his diuine maiestie.

The second aduise is, that thou endeuour so to set thy things in order before thou pray, that thy thought and care of that which thou hast after to do, molest and trouble thée not, or let thée in thy prayer. The whiche thou mayest do, if thou first dispatche all thinges thou haste to doe, if thou mayest commodiously: or else in making accounte with thy selfe, not to haue any other care or businesse in the worlde, [Page] but that whiche thou goest a­bout, and that is the gretest and chiefest thou canst do, if that vpon thine obedience there be none other thing appoynted thée in charge. Finally thou muste endeuour to be frée and ridde cleane from all other cares and thoughtes, when thou giuest thy selfe to this exercise: re­membring that when the Pa­triarch Abraham went with his sonne Isahac to offer him in sa­crifice, when they came to the foote of the hill where he should sacrifice him, he sayd to his ser­uaunts that wayted vpon him, Tarie there beneath a while, [Page] till I come agayne vnto you af­ter we haue prayed to God: Euen so likewise shall it be re­quisite that thou commaunde thy thoughtes and cares to tary without, when thou goest to the place where thou muste offer to God the sacrifice of thy prayer. As we reade a certen holy man did alwayes at the Churche doore euery time he went in to pray, and then he made his pra­yer with more fruite of deuo­tion & comfort, when the soule so rested in solitary maner to it selfe, ridde and discharged from all other impertinent cares and thoughts, so that he might truly [Page] say as the spouse in the Canti­cles: I to my welbeloued, and my welbeloued to me. In suche sort that for the time present she harken to none other voyce or companie.

The thirde counsell is, that thou giue thy selfe to this holye exercise with a right and perfect intent: for that there be diuers respectes and endes with which many go to prayer and medita­tion: some to the ende they may receiue: some to taste of spiritu­all comforte, whiche at other times they haue proued: Some to desire of God some particu­lar grace, gifte, or vertue, which [Page] many desire, knowing that to be the principall meane to ob­tayne it: Some to represent before God as their moste mer­cifull father, their trauels, trou­bles, and temptations, their spirituall and corporall necessi­ties, desiring to be deliuered from them. Finallye, other some goe to praye, to fulfill a good vse and custome they haue euery daye so to exercise them selfe, or because they be vppon their obedience so commaun­ded to doo. And albeit these and suche other like causes may be both good and laudable: yet the principall purpose and ende [Page] of this thy exercise: must be for pure loue and only for the glory of God. So that thy owne parti­culer necessitie or néede, or thine owne comfort, gaine, and profit ought not so much to moue thée, as the ende & desire thou shoul­dest haue in all thinges to séeke for the glory of God & to please him, euen as the Apostle coun­selleth thée, that al things which we doo, be for the glory of God. This than being thy principall scope and intent, it shall cause thée with chéerefull hart & wil­ling minde to meditate or pray, consideryng that God woulde that those giftes which his ser­uauntes [Page] doo offer vnto him, and the seruice that thy doo, be offe­red and done chéerefully & wil­lingly. And this wise thou shalt alwayes finde fruit and conten­tation of minde in thy prayer and meditation, if perchaunce thou finde thy selfe dry without spirituall taste in it.

These thrée aduises which we haue hitherto declared of the cleannesse of conscience & quiet­nes of minde from all other bu­sines, therby to come with more attentiue pure mind to the glo­rie of God, may helpe this be­fore thou begin to pray. And the other thrée no lesse necessarie ad­uises, [Page] are to bée vsed duryng the tyme of thy prayer: of the which the first is, that the mi­steries which thou doest medi­tate vpon, be not curiously sear­ched into of thée, either with too much speculation, in going a­boute subtillye to séeke out di­uers points, argumēts, compa­risons & imaginations, the bet­ter to vnderstande them, where as in déede it doth rather distract the vnderstanding & hynder de­uotion, according to that which the wyse man sayeth: That he which is inquisitiue of his ma­iestie, shall be oppressed of hys glory. And the heauenly spouse [Page] sayeth to the soule his spouse: Turne away thy eyes from me bicause they make me fly away: which is to be vnderstande by curious eyes, with which shée woulde beholde him in prayer. Wherfore endeuour to stand in it, with a simple & humble sight of the mistery which thou shalt thinke vpō, beholding it inwardly, or outwardly, as though thou sawest it present before thée. To the whiche it maye helpe thée to haue before thy eye the image of y^e misterie which thou shalt meditate vppon, and with the onely syght and regarde of it outwardlye content thy selfe, [Page] withoute busie discoursings of the minde, or imaginations vp­on other thinges impertinent. Nor yet must thou doe any vio­lence to thy wil, that is, to wrest out as it were by force some teares or sensible deuotion: be­cause all this hurteth, healeth, and helpeth, little to that thou goest about. Therefore studie to meditate quietly and closely the pointes which are sette before thée, abyding with silence and hope, as the scripture saieth, the grace that God shall vouchsafe to giue thée.

The seconde aduise is, that if in meditation thou shalt fynde [Page] thy selfe ouer drie and without tast of deuotion, or else to much distract with diuers cogitations and wauering of the minde: thou must not therfore be trou­bled, nor yet ceasse to goe for­warde in thy exercise, but in such case thou mayest helpe thy self with some colloquies & talk with thy Lorde God, to whom thou shalte open thy distraction and wearinesse, desiring him to helpe thée to dryue away those busie flyes of thoughtes and i­maginations which drawe vn­to thée, to wast the swéete oynt­ment of thy deuotion.

If thou wilt this doe, with [Page] that faythe, humilitie, and pa­tience as is requisite thereto: God which regardeth and hea­reth the prayers of the humble, will haue compassiō of the trou­ble thou doest suffer, and will visite and comfort thée present­ly, or after when it shalbe expe­dient for thée.

For so we reade in the booke of Genesis, that Abraham offring on a tyme sacrifice to God of certayne beastes which he had killed, there came byrds to eate the fleshe of those beastes, and to lette the sacrifice: so that he was troubled and occupyed a good part of the day in driuing [Page] away those byrdes, that they should not come néere the sacri­fice, wherby he deserued of God to bée visited and comforted with a quiet and pleasaunt visi­on, which he sent him, wherein he receaued a great reuelation. The which is a figure of the re­warde that our Lorde God is wont to gyue afterwardes to them who busily driue away the little byrdes of temptation and lothsomenesse, which commonly happen to them that offer the sacrifice of prayer. And there­fore the wyse man sayeth that the end of prayer is better than the beginning.

[Page]Because that albeit a man in the beginning féeleth him selfe colde & distract, yet afterwardes in the discourse of his meditati­on, he gathereth himselfe to ge­ther, & calling his wits to him, begynneth to be feruent, & fyn­deth consolation. And if so be he fayleth of this at one tyme, yet it is supplyed at an other.

The thirde aduise is, that if contrariwyse it happen thée to finde deuotion and swéete­nesse at the first or second point of that thou haste to meditate vppon, than staye thy selfe in consideration of that as longe as thy deuotion shal endure and [Page] the inwarde féelyng thereof, without hauyng any doubte or scruple at all for not passing a­ny further to meditate vpon the other poyntes remayning. Be­cause it auayleth more to me­ditate a fewe thinges well with deuotion and fruyte, then ma­ny without taste and swéete­nesse. And chiefely that those poyntes which for this cause are lefte vnmeditated vppon at one tyme, maye bée taken in hand another tyme, and recom­penced in thy meditations fol­lowing. And of this that maye be well vnderstand which saint Paul affirmeth: that it is bet­ter [Page] to speake fiue wordes with a spirituall féeling or edifying, then ten thousande without at­tention and spirit.

With these thrée aduises thou mayst serue thy selfe, and which I trust shall be profitable vnto thée, for the tyme thou arte in thy meditation: and after thou hast done, thou mayest vse the other thrée which we shall here declare vnto thée.

Let therfore y^e first aduise be, that when in prayer God shall vouchsafe of his goodnesse to en­due thée with some inspiration and deuotion, or other particu­lar gift or grace: that thou then [Page] endeuour to kéepe it diligently, and not suffer thy selfe to bée colde strayghtwayes after thy meditation wyth vnprofitable thoughtes, imaginations or o­ther distractions or contrary oc­cupations: but rather endeuour to walke all day as closely with thy wyttes gathered to thy selfe as thou canst, remembring to thy selfe often that which in thy prayer was commicate vnto thée, and of thy good purpose and desire which thou foundest in it: Because it maye so rest more fixed in thy mynde, and to the entent that deuotion and feruencie which thou receiuedst [Page] whiles thou diddest pray be not lost. And after this sorte thou shalt fulfill that which the wise man counselleth thée, saying: With all diligence kéepe thy hart, because of it procedeth life. And also it shall auayle thée to go all day with suche care and diligence, because thou shalt not so easily fall into sinne as at o­ther times thou wert vsed to do. And bicause God maye giue thée sometime in the daye that deuotion and consolation, the which was not giuen thée at the time of thy prayer, as it hath often happened to many: This diligence and care doth likewise [Page] profite thée, in that thou mayest be the readier and better dispo­sed to make thy prayers and meditations afterwards. For euen as water which is already hoat may be so kept in the same heate with a litle fire, the which if ye suffer it once to be loste, it becommeth colde, and is not without more paynes agayne made hoat: So likewise chaun­ceth it to the soule, in preser­uing or suffering it to loose the heate whiche it once receyued. And to this end the blessed men in times paste did vse often­times in the daye those kinde of prayers whiche in Latin they [Page] termed Iaculatoriae, which were no more but certayne short ele­uations or lyfting vppe of the minde and swéete sighes, which they spéedily shotte vp to God, that by them as it were wyth certayne styckes layed to the fyre, they mayntayned and con­tinued that heate still which they had before receaued. And this a man maye doe easily al­though he be occupyed about di­uers other busines & exercises.

The seconde aduise is, that sometime in the wéeke or when thou best maye, thou fynde a tyme to examine thy selfe, and to sée whether thou haue gone [Page] forwarde, or gotten any profite of thy praying. And when thou shalt sée that thou hast profited nothing at all, nor founde in thy selfe any difference of one tyme better than an other: then exa­myne and trye out from what cause it procéeded, & thou shalte alwayes finde, that it happened of some fault or lack in thy self, eyther for not mortifying thy selfe, which is necessary in this exercise, or for not doing it with due care & diligence, or for not folowing the aduises which are giuen thée, or for some other negligence of thyne owne.

And for what cause soeuer thou [Page] shalt vnderstand that this small encrease of deuotion and profi­ting hath procéeded, procure yet to remedie the same, and make amendes for the time to come of the faulte passed. And that thou mayest vnderstande the better whether thou hast gotten any fruite or no of thy prayer, thou must note that which no­uices or yong beginners in pra­yer or other their exercises haue chiefly to regarde, which is, the mortification of their passions, their sensuall appetites and af­fections, and to purge and clense well their soules. And those which haue further entred and [Page] procéeded, oughte chieflye to la­bour and care to attayne the vertue which they lacke, and to increase and augment the same, specially their charitie. And those which be more auncient as it were, and more forward­ly entred into perfection, haue to trauell for the perfect vnion and conformitie with God in making one spirite with him as muche as shall be possible for them, although sometime the exercise of the one of these may attende to the ende and effect of the other. According to this ad­uise then you may vnderstande when you haue profited more, [Page] or lesse, or nothing at all, and so studie to remedie that shall bée conuenient.

The thyrde and laste aduise is, that although perchaunce it séeme in long tyme thou hast lyttle profited, or that thou art nothing giuen to this exercyse of meditation, nor féelest in thy selfe that deuotion, nor such tast therein as thou wouldest: Yet oughtest thou not therefore to dispayre or slacke to procéede forwarde. Because that euen as in other good workes, perse­ueraunce is it that maketh all perfect, & crowneth euery ver­tue with rewarde: So also it [Page] happeneth in this so holye & ne­cessary a worke of prayer, that by howe muche the more thou shalt perseuer and continue thy good exercise therein, so muche thou shalt the more merite, and God shal giue thée in processe of tyme so muche the more com­forte and rewarde, as thou hast felte thy selfe drye and faynt in the beginning.

For oftentimes God permit­teth that some are founde drye and bare of all deuotion, with­out all taste and sauourinesse in theyr meditation: to the intent that howe much the more they labour and trauell to perseuer [Page] and continue in the same, so muche the more comforte and fruite they receiue afterwards in rewarde of their perseue­rance. For euen as God did in the creation of the worlde first frame the earth to be hard and dry, and then couered it with waters, that so it might fructifie and produce plantes of diuers gréene and fruitfull trées: so also the same our Lord God permit­teth some soules to be founde in their prayers drye and barren, without tast or sauour of deuo­tion at al, that by their patience in perseueraunce of this trauell of minde and lothsomnesse, they [Page] come afterwards to bring forth faire fruite and plentifull of muche vertue and grace which shall be bestowed on them. And that God doth signifie vnto vs in saying by the Prophet Iere­mie: I remembred her because she did follow me in the desertes and wildernes, and in that land that is not sowen. Which is to vnderstande of the soule that perseuered and continued in sée­king after God, although shée felte her selfe drye and desert, without féeling or taste of deuo­tion or consolation. And the same affirmeth Christ our re­déemer in the Gospell, saying: [Page] In your patience ye shall pos­sesse your soules. Take more courage then, good Christian brother, and let not thy drinesse or vnsauerie lothsomenesse, or payne which thou féelest in me­ditation or prayer, cause thée to turne backe and leaue of thy godly purpose: Least it happen to thée as to the children of Is­rael, who deserued not to enter into the desired land of promise, because they had not patience in their famine & hunger, with other payne and trauell whiche they suffered in the wildernesse. Endeuour rather to followe that perseueraunce of the wo­man [Page] of Cananie, who although she sawe her selfe not regarded, and shaken off from Christ, she did not for all that mistrust, nor ceassed her sute or petition: and so deserued to obtayne muche more of him then that whiche she asked or desired. And the like thou mayest well hope shal hap­pen vnto thée, if thou wilt haue the lyke patience and trust in God, which sayth, he that conti­nueth vnto the end shalbe saued.

To conclude, helpe thy selfe therefore with these thrée ter­naries of aduises and counsells, which I woulde thou shouldest alwayes haue freshe in thy re­membraunce, [Page] and to practise e­uerye one of them in their due place as shall bée néedefull, as well before prayer, in prayer, as after: and thereby (and that principallye by Gods grace, which he shall vouchsafe to geue thée) thou shalte bée able with great fruite and comfort to ex­ercise thy selfe in these medi­tations of the blessed passion folowing, as the holy Euange­listes declare the same.

Certayne godly Medita­tions and prayers vpon the Passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe.

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