¶Of the first perticle that is an exortation / mouyng men vnto the meditation of the passion of Christe.

¶Of the meane and maner of the remembraunce of the passion of Christe. The second particle.

HOwe I shall shewe vnto yowe howe we shulde vse and exercise our self in the passion of Christe. In the whiche vii. tymes in the day at the leeste: euery christiane shuld exercise hym selfe accordyngly to the sentence or mynde of saynt Barnard sayng: The cōtinual or dayly lesson of a christi ane / shulde be the remembraunce of the passion of Christe. For there is nothynge that so moche kyndeleth the hert of man / as the manheed of Christ / and the ofte and deuout remembraunce of his passion. Howe this may be / we shall perceyue it in this maner, That is this / who so euer wyll ꝓfite in the meditation of Christꝭ passion / let hym ordre hym selfe / as if Christe were put to all the paynes of his deth and passion in his presence / and so let hym considre depely / diligētly and with deliberation al the poyntes of his passion / therunto fixe his hole mynde perseuerantly leuynge and settynge a parte all other cures and busines / with drawinge hym selfe with as great diligēce as he can from all superfluouse meatꝭ and drynkes / and from all dilycates / from al fyne garmentes and softe beddes / from all vayne sportes & lyghtnes / from vayne ioy / and from all vayne and ydle speche. For all these and suche other lyke ben clene contrarie to the frutefull remēbraunce of Christes passion / as we shall she we more clerly herafter. And therfore it is necessarie that if a man wyll profyt herein / that he thynke hym selfe as yf he were presente at the passyon of Christe / and so ordre and behaue hym self in his speche / in his sight / in his sorowyng / and in al his other outwarde actes / as if he sawe before his face / [Page] Christe hyngynge on the crosse. If a man thus order hym selfe Christe crucifyed shalbe spiritually with hym and in his presence as he thynketh in his owne mynde / and so shall gladly behold his dedes and thoughtes / and also gratiously accepte his vowes and promysses. But take hede that this remembraunce be nat soone lost and shortly put away / specially whan deuotion and tyme wyl serue with conuenient oportunitye / and se that this remēbraunce be with a faythful and herty maner and with a mournyng cōpas­sion. For suerly yf this most swete and pleasaunt tree of the crosse be nat affectuously & louyngly chewed with the teethe of feruent deuotion: the sauour therof (though in it selfe it be very delici­ous) shal neuer moue the. And if thou can nat wepe with Chryst that wepte for the / and sorowe with hym / that sorowed for the / at the leest thou ought to ioy in hym and to render thankes to hym with a deuout herte for his manifold benefytes gyuen to the without any thyng deseruynge. And if thou felest thy selfe noder mo­ued vnto compassion / nor yet to gyue thankes with a feruent de­syre vnto god for his benefites / but rather depressed with an hard herte in the sayd remēbraunce / neuer the lesse with that same hard herte ronne vnto the holsome remembraunce of Christes passion and gyue suche thankes to god as thou may for that tyme. And that which thou can nat haue nor felyst nat in thy selfe / committe in to the handes of his most mercifull goodnes. And if yet thou continue in thy stubbernes and harde herte / for perauenture thy herte is tourned in to the hardnes of a Dyamant / whiche can ne­uer be broken but with the hote blode of a gote / as Plinius sayth in his naturall historie:Lib. xxxvii. Cap. iiii. here I offer & shewe vnto the the greate copie and plentie of blode of the gote and also of a lambe incontaminate / vnspotted or vndefyled Iesu Christe / which is very hote and burnynge with an incomparable feruent loue and charitye / whiche thorough the strength of his heet / hath broken and dissol­ued that harde and Dyamant wall of enmitie / which the synne of our fyrst parentes and also our actuall synnes hath made and put bytwyxte god and man. Wasshe or drowne thy selfe in the copi­ouse blode of this gote and lambe / O thou Adamant herte / and lye in it that thou may be made warme / & thou so heated or made warme / may be molifyed or made softe / and so molified: may shed plentiously ryuers of teares.Num̄. xx. B Moyses smote twyse on the stone and brought suche plentye of water / so smyte thy harde stony hert twyse that is with the inwarde hertye remembraunce of Christe passyon / and withe the outwarde laboure of thy bodye / as ex­exercysynge [Page v] thy selfe in lyftynge vp thy handes or thy syght / vnto the crucifixe in ofte knockynge on thy breste / in deuoute ge­nuflexions / knelynges / or peyne takynges / or in exercysyng thy self in takyng disciplines or scurgyngꝭ / or in other lyke outwarde exercise / and so cōtinue vnto thou haue goten the grace of teares. Wherby thy reasonable soule shal drynke the waters of deuotion. And thy sensual or bestly bodye by thexperiēce therof shalbe hum­bled and subdued vnto the reasonable soule.

¶The thirde particle, howe we shulde fele in our selfe the passion of Christ / and this ꝑticle is deuided in to .v. chapitres / firste is howe we shulde fele the passion of Christe in our vnderstandynge and reason.

SAynt Poule sayth:Phili. 2. A. Hoc sentite invobis quod et in Christo Iesu. Fele and perceiue in your selfe that Christ Iesu [...]elt / that ye myght sucke & drawe watres frome the fountayns of our sauiour. For who so euer exercise them selfe fayth­fully in this passion / they shal sucke & drawe from thens al maner of graces / as we said afore.In the fyrst particle. For suerly this exercise hath his di­uers degrees / wherby we may come to the perfeccion of all sanc­titye or holynes. Wherfore we ought (accordyngly to thadmoni­cion of saint Poule) fele in our selfe y^e passion of Christ. And that v. maner of wise. First in our vnderstandyng / secōdly in our wyl / loue and affection / thirdly in our actes and operation / fourtly in our pouerty and necessityes / fyftly in our reprouynges or dis­pisinges. First I say we shuld fele the passion of Christe in our vnderstandyng or reason / so that we dilygenly and with attenci­on fourme our thoughtes accordyngly vnto the paynes & passion of Christe. Hereunto we be moued by the wordes of the prophet sayng in the person of Christe crucified:Tren̄. 1. D. O vos omnes qui transi­tis per viam attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus. O all ye that passe thorough the way of this worlde: take hede (that is: thynke with a diligēt & attent mynde) and depely cōsider if there be any sorowe lyke vnto my sorowe. And this is done truely and faythfully / when the passion of Christ is remēbred rather with an attent mynde & cogitation / than with deuotion. For cogitation hath his signification & name of abidyng / tarieng / or ellꝭ cōstray­nynge after some doctours. For asmoche as in such cogitatyons whan reason & vnderstādyng hath nat that gyft & grace of know­lege that it wolde haue / it is cōstrayned to abyde / tary & reuolue it in his cogitation / vnto the tyme y^t he hath gotē some perceyuyng therof. And of this cōstraynyng speketh saynt Barnarde saynge: [Page] let the outwarde senses be gathered to gether in one / and cōstrayned or subdewed vnder the discipline and rule of the good wyll. And so kepte vnder with the burden of good werkes / and made obedient to the seruice of the spirite / that in no meanes they be suffered to come at large at theyr sensuall pleasure. Of this dili­gent kepynge of our thoughtes / speketh also our lord in his lawe saynge:Deuter. vi. C. Caue ne vn (quam) obliuiscaris domini dei tui qui eduxit te de terra Egipti. Beware that thou neuer forget thy lorde god / whiche hath delyuered the from the thraldome that thou had in the lande of Egipte (that is from the thraldome of the deule) by the meri­tes of his glorious passion. We may alwayes thynke of this be­nefite / though we can nat at al tymes deuoutly remembre it. And therfore to remembre or thynke euer of god / we be constrayned by his cōmaundement. But to remembre hym with deuotion we be nat bounde / for deuotion is onely of the speciall grace of god which is nat in our power. And therfore we be exhorted & taught to continue the remembraūce of god and of his cōmaundmentes saynge:Deutet. 6. B. Meditaberis ea sedens in domo tua, et ambulans in itinere, dormiens, at (que) consurgens, er ligabis ea quasi signum in manu tua, et mouebunt ante oculos tuos, scribes (que) ea in limine et in ostijs do­mus tue. Thou shalt (sayth Moyses in the name of our lorde) re­membre them (that is the cōmaundmentes and benefytes of god) sittynge in thy house and walkynge in thy iourney / slepynge and rysyng / or at thy downe lyenge and vp risynge / and thou shal tye and fasten them vnto the as a signe or a marke in thy hand / and they shalbe euer before thyn eyne or syght / and thou shalt wrytte them in the postes & doores of thy house. And though these wor­des in the litterall sense ben spoken of the .x. cōmaundmentes of god / yet we may so moche the more conueniently applye them to the remēbraunce of the passion of our lord / for asmoche as it was more to our profite and comforth that our lord god wolde suffre deth and passion for our redēpcion / than y^t he gaue to vs his commaūdmētes. And also that is the law & ordre of y^e benefites of god that more that they be ꝓfitable to vs: the more we shulde remēbre them. Therfore al the articles or particular paines of the passion of our lord shuld be diligētly gadred to geder & cōmend to memo­ry / accordyng to the wordes of our sauiour sayng:Iohīs. 6. B Colligite frag­menta ne pereant. Gather vp to gether the fragmētes) that is the ꝑticular paynes of his passion) and put thē to gider as it were in a litel fagot / & so cōmēde them to memory lesse they perisshe from your herttꝭ by forgetfulnes / ī this maner dyd y^e spouse as we rede [Page vi] in the canticles / where as she sayd.Cāti [...]. 1. D. Fasciculus mi [...]re dilectus meus michi inter vbera mea commorabitur. My dere beloued spouse is to me as a lytell fagot of myrre / he shall abyde in my herte & me­mory.Super cantica sermo­ne. 43. Saynt Barnarde declarynge this same text sayth in this maner / Brethern this hath ben myne accustomable maner fro my firste conuersion. I haue ben diligent to gather a lytell fagot of myrre / the which I put in to my bosome as a tresure to recōpence for the great hepe of merites that I shulde haue had / but my vn­kyndnes to god is suche that I want suche merites / and therfore I say I was dilygent to gather to me a lytell fagot of mirre of al the paynes and affliccions of my lord and sauiour Iesu / fyrste of his great pouertye / necessitye and affliccion or paynes that he suffred in his yong and tender age: after that of his great labours that he had in preachynge his fatigation and werynes in goyng about frome cyte to cyte / frome towne to towne / frome cuntrye to cuntrye / his continuall watche in prayer / his temptacions in his fastyng his wepynges and teares in compassion of the miserable people / the disceites and craftes of the scribes and phariseys that lye in a wayt of hym to take hym in a trype with some defaute in his cōmunicacyon or speche / and laste of the parylles and daun­gers that he was in amonges his awne nacion & frendes / of his rebukes / mockes / scornes / dispises / spittynges / buffetynges / be­tinges / scurgyngꝭ / with al other that he suffred for our saluacion. Of al the whiche is there / plentuously made mencion in the foure euangelystes / these thinges to remēbre sayth saint Barnarde) I recounted for wisdome,Vbi supra. In these thynges I set the perfeccion of my iustyce / in these stode all my cunnynge & knowlege / in these I put the ryches of my helth and thaboundaunce of my merites / of these somtyme I dranke a draught of holsome bytternes or pey­naunce / in these agayne I receyued the swete vnction of consola­cyon. These thynges done strength me & also erecte me in aduer­sityes / they represse me and kepe me meke in prosperityes / & they gyde me and lede me by a sure way in this lyfe / where as is nowe sorowe / nowe ioye / nowe pleasure / nowe payne / so that Ider nat go out of the ryght way aslonge as I folowe them.

¶The .iiii. particle.

¶The .v. particle is diuided in to .xix. Chaptres.

¶The .vi. particle. Of the settynge of our lorde vpon the asse, and vpon hyr foole or colte

MAny misteries & prophecies were spoken & writen by the holy prophetes which were fulfylled by our sauiour Ie­su Christe. One of them we shall shewe vnto you in this chapitre / & how it was fulfylled in Christ. Whan y^e tyme drew nigh that our sauiour Iesus had determyned to redeme the worlde with his precyouse bloode: that was the feast of Pasche / at whiche feaste the Paschall lambe shulde be offered accordynge to thordinaūce of god: our sauiour Iesu as the very true lambe, signified by the other lābe, wold also voluntarily approche & cum nigh vnto y^e place of his passion, where as he wolde be offred for the redemption of man. In that dede shewynge that he was moost redy to obey vnto the wyll of his father, and to meke hym [Page] to the most shamefull & moost painefull dethe for our saluacion. And what tyme it pleased his goodnes to take this iourney: we may mekely byleue, that our lady moued of hyr motherly affecti­on: wold haue withdrawen hym & reteyned hym from that iour­ney. And in lyke maner his disciples (as we may suppose) persua­ded hym to the same / but he had other wyse disposed for all our sal­uacion.Mat. 21. A. Wherfore in goyng towardꝭ Hierusalem, he went by the mount of Oliuet / to signifie y^t onely of pitie & mercy, & nat of ne­cessitie,Suꝑ Mat. 26. he cam to his passiō. This mount (as saint Hierom say­eth) is called the moūt of Oliuet: for asmoche as there dyd grow many Oliues / of the which is made bothe creme & oile / & by y^t oile y^e light of y^e lampe is norisshed. And so it may be called y^e mount of oile, creme, & of light / & that to signifie the .iii. effectes of Christes passiō / y^e is. In y^e oile, is signified mercy & forgyuenes. In creme is signified y^e vnction of grace. And by the light, is noted y^e lyght of eternall glory. And these effectes we haue by y^e merites of Chri­stes passion. Frō this mount he sent .ii. of his apostles, signifieng the .ii. generall cōmaūdementes of loue, wherby all mankynde is absolued from syn / y^t is, thou shalt loue thy lorde god with all thy herte. &c. The seconde is, y^u shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. By these .ii. preceptes, yf they bē truely kept: all syn is expelled / & all iustice is performed. And he sayd vnto his .ii. apostles, go vn­to y^t castell that is against you / that is before your face at y^e fote of y^e mount of Sion. He sayd y^t that castell was against them or contrary to thē / & that was true / for there they suffred moche cōtradiction & many rebukes & also betynges / as it is wryten in thactes of thapostles.Act. 5. D. G. And there ye shall fynde an asse tyed, & hyr foole or colt with hyr / the which colt was neuer ryden / lawse thē, & bryng thē to me. Spiritually, this castell signifieth y^e world. The disciples signifieth the preachers. For the worlde is euer contrary to y^e pre­chers. The worlde loueth & foloweth ryches, honours, & vayne pleasures. Cōtrary, the prechers do preche pouerty, abiection, & penaūce. The asse for hir folisshnes, signifieth y^e people of y^e Iues. And y^e colte y^t was wilde & wanton, signifieth y^e gentiles for theyr ꝓnitie to syn & custom of y^e same. The asse is a beest vnclene, rude, folyssh, & weike in hyr former partꝭ / though she be strong behynd. These bestes were boūde. So was all mankynde before y^e cum­mynge of Christ, bounde in the euyll custom of syn / whiche bonde is mooste stronge of all other. For where as other bondes whan they be olde: they putrifie and so cum to noughte / but this bonde of synne / the longer it continueth: the stronger it is.

[Page l] There was neuer man that sat vppon this colte / for the gentyles were neuer subdued to any reasonable law gyuen by god. Lawse them by your godlye and heuenly doctrine, from theyr errours & synnes: and brynge them to me / enformed in true faythe & vertu­ouse maners / that they, lawsed from the bondes of theyr synnes: myght folow me in godly lyuynge. And whan our lorde shuld haue rydden vpon this asse or hyr colte: his disciples cast or put theyr garmentes vpon these beestes / signifienge that our sauiour Iesu wolde nat reste or sytte vppon the naked soule: excepte it fyrste be clad and coueryd with the doctryne and vertuouse ma­ners of thexaposles. Morally by this asse may be signified our body / whiche is dull or rude, folysshe, vnclene, weake before / y^t is to spirituall and heuenly thynges / and stronge behynde / that is, to temporall and vayne thynges. And by the colte, may be signified our carnall affection and vayn desyre. And these bestes ben tyed with inordinate pleasures. But we must lawse them by the feare of god / and prepare them with morall vertues and wor­thy fruites of penaunce:Psalm. 72. that our lorde may rest & syt vpon them / so that eche one of vs myght say with the Prophete: Vt iumentū factus sum apud te. I am made as a beest vnto the, redy to bere y^e / therefore lay vppon vs what bourden it shall please the: and we shall bere it. And contrary wyse, let vs here what saynte Paule sayth to vs:1. Cor. 6. D. Empti estis precio magno, portate Christum in corpo­re vestro. Ye be bought with a great and dere pryce / therefore bere Christe in [...] bodies, paciently sufferynge his visitacion in au­thynges. By those that brought this asse & hyr colt vnto Christ: may be signified those penitentes whiche do offre & brynge theyr bodies to god by due mortificacion / and theyr soules by true con­tricion. As the bodye is signified by the asse: so may the synfull soule be signified by the colte. Our lorde and sauiour Iesu, for to declare and shew his myldenes and mekenes, wolde nat ryde vpon a proude and highe horse: but as he was mylde and meke: so wolde he ryde vpon a mylde and homely beest, vppon an asse / to signifie also that he wyll nat rest in proude and wrathefull sou­les:Mat. 21. A. but in the meke and quyete soules. All this was done (as the Euangelyst sayeth) to fulfyll the Prophecy of Zacharie / that is to say / by this acte of our lorde, nat onely he shewed his meke­nes:Zacha. 9. B but also the prophecy of Zachary was fulfilled / which sayd: Dicite filie sion, exulta satis filia sion. &c. Say ye to the doughter of Syon / that is, to men dwellynge in Hierusalem / which is the doughter of Syon: Be nat afrayd: but rather be glad & ioyfull. [Page] Here he excludeth all feare of man, and seruyle feare / and gyueth to them a surety of ioye. Beholde (sayeth the Prophet Zacha­ry) thy kyng (Christe) cummeth to the, mylde and gentyll, syt­tynge vpon an asse & vpon the colte of the asse. He cummeth nat with great pompe and pryde in chariottes or high horses, nor yet with his armed men or yomen of his garde aboute hym: but in moost mekenes and lowlynes that myght be, to gyue vnto vs all an example / that yf we desyre to folow Christe: we must auoyde all pryde, & shew mekenes also in our outwards actes. Our lorde and sauiour Iesu wolde be honoured before his passion / nat one­ly to shew how that he was that selfe person of whome the Pro­phetes dyd speke: but also to declare hym selfe to be very god, whiche myght chaunge and turne the hertes of men, his creatu­res, at his wyll and pleasure. For though the Iues had a mynde to slee hym, as they dyd shortly after: yet at this tyme he moued theyr hertes to laude and prayse hym. The Iues shewed them selfe moche contrary in this act & in his passion. On Palme son­daye they cryed and sange:Mat. 21. A. Blessed be he that is cum to vs in the name of god.Ioh. 19. C. On good frydaye they cryed: Tolle tolle crucifige [...]um. Away with hym / hence with hym / crucifie hym. On Palme sonday, they called hym the kyng of Israhell: But on good fry­day they sayd, We haue no kyng, but the Emperour. On Palme sonday, they cast grene leuys, floures, and theyr garmentes in the way before hym for great honoure: But on good fryday they prepared to hym a great and heuy crosse / and made hym bere it / and afterwarde nayled hym theron. For the floures: they crow­ned hym with thornes. And at last they toke all his araymēt and clothes from hym. Here was a meruelouse contrarietie in the Iues.

¶The .vii particle. Of theiection and castynge out of the byers and sellers in the Temple.

AFter that our lorde Iesus was thus gloryously re­ceiued of the Iues: furthwith he went into the tem­ple / teachynge vnto vs a forme and maner of good religion, that we all shulde folow / that is, to what so euer towne or place we go: fyrste, whan we be cum thyder: let vs go vnto the chyrch or other place of prayer, if there be any there / and so commendynge our selfe by deuoute prayers vnto our lordes mercy: go and do such busynes as we cam to do. Our lorde entred into the temple, and cast out from thens the by­ers and sellers / signifienge thereby that the preestes of the Iues, as vnworthy ministers of god: shulde be eiecte and cast out of y^e temple.O [...]elia. 54. super Ioh. And note here as Crisostome sayeth: A man to be paci­ent in his owne iniuries or wronges done agaynste hym selfe, is moche laudable. But it is a great synne and moche reprouable, to dissemble or leue vncorrecte the offences & iniuries done agaynst god. And therefore Christe suffred paciently his owne iniuries / but the iniuries of his father, he wold in no meanes dyssemble or leue vnpunysshed. Morally for our instruction, The feest of Pasce of the Iues (that is, of them that confesse the name of god, or els mekely confesse theyr synnes) drawynge nygh: oure lorde Iesus ascended vnto Hierusalem / that is, vnto the holy and de­uoute soule of man, eleuate or lyfte vp by grace. Hierusalem was builded vpon a mount / and therfore it is wryten that Christ dyd ascende vnto Hierusalem.Mat. 20. B The temple in Hierusalem was builded in the hyghest part of the citie / and it signifieth the moost excellente and hyghest parte of the soule / that is,Luce. 19. C the superior or hygher part of reason / whose office is to onely consydre god and eternall thynges. Vnto this temple our lorde doeth ascende by the effecte of his sacramentes / so visitynge it with his spirituall presence. And take good hede that there be foure thynges speci­ally / whiche our lorde Iesus wyll nat suffre to be in this his tem­ple / signified by foure thinges that he foūde in the materiall tem­ple / that is, the money of the chaungers / oxen / shepe, & dow [...]es / the whiche he wolde nat suff [...]e to be in the temple. And also by [Page] these same foure, be signified foure vyces that comonly be foūde nowe in these dayes amonges many religiouse persones. The fyrst is, ouermoche solicitude or busy study in gettynge & kepyng of temporall goodes / and this is noted by the mony that our lord cast abroode in the temple. The onely study or busynes of tempo­rall goodes is nat forbydden: but ouer moche study, & that it be nat in the temple / that is in the superior part of our reason / which onely ought to intende to god and eternall thynges. Wherefore whan so euer any temporall busynes is exercysed in that temple: it is a greate synne & dysorder. For the creature is put in the place of god / and temporall thynges, in the place of eternall thynges.

The seconde is, the inordinate vse of temporall goodes, & thin-circumspecte consideracion, or the wante of a due warenes to a­uoyde peryls and daūgers. And this is noted by the oxen / for the oxe doeth very gredely fede of the herbys or grasse of the groūde / and therfore sumtyme for his gredynes or hastynes, he deuoureth and swaloweth vp that thynge that is noysum and hurtefull vnto hym / whiche lyrketh and is hyd amonge the herbes. So oftymes it happeneth that whan men wyll vse these temporall goodes in­ordinately, and vnwysely or gredyly / though he wolde take that is necessary: yet sumtyme he taketh that is noysum to hym. For superfluitie and also corporall pleasure, is oftymes lyrkyng and hyd vnder necessitie. The thyrde vyce or defaute is a dulnes and slouthefulnes to do good and vertuouse werkes / and this is sig­nified by the dowue / whiche before she taketh hyr flyght: she hath great deliberacion and taryeng / turnyng hyr hed on euery syde & lokyng rou [...]de about to cōsydre whether she shal flye / but oftymes in y^e meane tyme she is smytten with a byrdbolt / or els taken with the hawke. So it fortunyth oftymes vnto ydle & slouthful or dull persones. The fourthe is, a folysshe and inordinate feare / that is signified by the shepe / which is more folyssh than other bestes. In so moche that yf in the tyme of thunderynge she be lefte alone from the flocke, and be greate with lambe: for folysshe feare she wyll caste vp hyr lambe. So folysshe fearefull men, for feare of hurtyng of the body, or for feare of displeasure of sum persons: wyl caste vppe the fruyte of spyrytuall profyte / that is, leue vn­done vertuouse and merytoryouse werkes. Where as Christe entreth into the temple: all suche vyces ben expelled / and that on this maner. He maketh a scourge or a whyppe of thre cordes. The fyrste, is corporall syckenes. The seconde, is trouble of mynde. And the thyrde, is spyrytuall admonicion, by the in­styncte [Page lii] and mocyon of the hooly gooste. With this whyppe oure lorde doeth caste out all theyse foure vyces from oure sou­les. And more ouer he tourneth ouer theyre chayres or stooles, and also all theyr bordes or tables wheron they dyd rest / for that they shoulde nat lyghtely or easely cum there in agayne. So our lorde caste oute of the soule all the helpe and mouers vnto synne.Esay. 56. [...]. And oure lorde sayde vnto theym whom he droue oute of the Temple. It is wrytten by the Prophete Esaye: Domus mea, domus orationis vocabitur. &c. My house / that is dedy­cate vnto my honour and name: shall be called the house of pray­er / and nat the house of rape or thefte / nor of marchaundyse / vayne speache, or vayne beholdynge. Hereof is gyuen vnto vs a greate confydence or trust that oure prayers shall be herde. Wherefore elles wolde he moue vs to pray in his temple: excopte he wolde there here oure prayers?Hier. 7. B. It foloweth: Vos [...]ecist [...]s illam spelumcam latronum. Mat. 21. B But ye haue made my Temple a denne of theuys. The theuys haue none other sorow or care: but onely to gette temporall goodes / and howe so euer they may haue or gette theym: they regarde ne care nat / so that they may haue theym. And therefore they hyde theym selfes in pryuye ca­ues or dennys, bycause that they wolde nat be taken or percey­uyd.Mat. 21. B It foloweth: Et accesserunt ad eum ceci et claudi in templum, et sanauit eos. After this acte or dede done: there came vnto oure sauyoure Iesus Christe into the Temple many blynde men and la [...]e men / and incontinently he cured and healed theym. And so they were as wytnesses of the voyce and pray­synge of the chylderen that with loude voyce cryed in the Tem­ple, and sayde vnto oure sauyoure Christe Iesu: Hoshiah [...]. That is as moche to saye: Saue vs, or make vs safe nowe.

And oure sauyoure Iesus aunswered vnto theym / nat by wor­des: but by his deedes / in curynge and gyuynge helthe vnto the blynde and the lame men. As yf he shulde say, ye call me a sauy­our / and desyre helthe of me. Loo, I as a very sauyoure, gyue vnto you helthe. The prynces of the preestes and the scrybes that is, the lerned men in the lawe of god / seynge these great myracles and meruayles / and hearyng the chylderen tryenge / in the Tem­ple / & praysyng hym as god: they had great indignacion therat / and so were greatly moued against hym with enuy, [...], and malice. For comonly euyll and enuyouse men can nat pacyently here the prayse of good men. And where as they durst nat lay vy­olent handes vppon hym for feare of the people that than fauou­red [Page] hym, nor yet impugne his manifest and open myracles: yet they rebuked hym for y^t he suffred the people so to reioice in hym / and the chylderen also to praise and laude hym as god so openly in the tēple.Ibidem. And so they sayd vnto hym: Audis quid isti dicuntur? Doest thou here & perceyue what these people do say? As yf they sayd, thou shulde nat suffre suche laude and prayse to be gyuen to the, whiche is onely due to god / therfore yf thou were an holy, iust, and good man: thou woldest refuse or declyne frome suche glory and prayse. And Iesus aunswered, sayenge: Vti (que). I here theyr praysynges, and ought to here them / for this praysyng was preordinate of god longe before this tyme to be gyuen vnto me / for so it is wrytten by the Prophete Dauid:Psalmo. 8. Ex ore infantium et lactentium perfecisti laudem. That is, Thou good lorde hast per­fourmed the praysyng (that thou ordred for thy son) to be fulfyl­led by the mouth or voice of infantes & yonge suckynge chyldren.

¶The .viii. particle. Of the dolorouse or sorowfull de­partyng of our sauiour Iesu from his mother Mary.

ALthough theuangelystes wryte lytle or no thynge of the heuy departynge of our sauioure Iesus from his mother: yet dyuers holy doctours, moued of the ho­ly goost, haue shewed the same. And in especiall these sayntes. Austyn, Bernarde, Anselme, and Iohānes de Capistrano. And that in this maner. The wednysdaye, after that Iudas had made promyse to the Iues that he wolde betraye Christe, and delyuer hym into theyr handes: he cam into Betha­ny, where as Iesus was with his disciples. Christe knew very well that Iudas had solde hym / and that nat withstandynge, he [Page liii] toke Iudas in his armes & kyssed hym, whan he cam to Betha­ny / thereby secretely mouynge hym to forsake and leue his mali­ciouse mynde. Also our lady the vyrgyn Mary, louyngely and frendely bad hym welcom / and asked of hym, what he herde of hyr sonne. And Iudas sayd, euery man speketh good by hym. Ma­ry moche louyd Iudas, bycause she knewe that he was knowen and in fauour with the prynces of the prestes. But yf she had kno­wen what he had done: I suppose hyr virginall hert wolde haue broken for sorow. But bycause she knew it nat: they wēt quietly to supper. At the whiche supper Iudas set hym bytwyxte Iesus and his mother Mary, for a token or sygne that shortely by his treason: he wold diuide them a sunder. And at this supper, Christ declared ordinately the misteries of his passion. And in his prea­chynge, whan he beholdynge Iudas remembred his falsnes and dampnacion:2. 2. questi. 136. quest. 1. Christe waxed very pale. For as saynte Thomas sayeth: Amonges all the passions of the soule: heuynes doeth moost noy and hurte the body, and altre the body. And whan sup­per was done: the vyrgyn Mary sayd to hyr sonne Iesus: My swete sonne, I wolde speke with the secretely. And than she sayd, O my confort and my lyght / say to me the trouth, why wast thou so pale at supper / & what ment thy wepyng and depe syghynges? My herte was almoost broken thereby. And than Iesus sayd to his mother, O my blessed mother / thou remēbrest for what cause I was incarnate and made man in thy wombe / therfore sith thou woldest knowe the cause of my heuynes: this is it. The tyme is cum and the houre is at hande, that I shall be departed from the by my moost bytter passion that I shall suffre for the redemption of man. Therfore whan I actually remēbre this: it causeth suche heuynes in me. Than whan the vyrgyn Mary herd for a certein­ty that the deathe of hyr sonne was so nyghe at hande: Ah good lorde, how moche dyd she sorow? What wepynges, sobbynges, and syghynges had she? Euery motherly hert may imagyn. And than after hyr wepynges, she wyllyng to moue hyr sonne to sum other maner & way of redemption for the saluacion of man: said. My dere sonne, I knowe that thy heuenly father hathe decreed with his mercy to redeme mankynde / but all thynges be possible to thy father and to the. Wherfore yf it wolde please thy father & the: thou myght redeme mankynde by an other way, than by thy passion. Sithe therfore thou maist so do: I beseche the it may so be. Hereunto Iesus aunswered, O my moost swete mother, I knowe thy loue and charitie towardes me / but (good mother) [Page] I must nedes more obey to god my father, of whome I haue my godhed: than to the, of whome onely I haue my manhoode.

This same wednysday Mary Magdalene sent a messanger vn­to Hierusalem, to here and knowe what was there spoken of Ie­su. And this messanger sayde that it was decreed by the councell of the Phariseis, that Iesus shulde dye / and how that they wold crucifie hym. And than the virgyn Mary, with Mary Mag­dalene and Martha, cam vnto Iesu and sayd, O moost pitiouse confortour, go nat into Hierusalem: for they haue concluded a­gaynste the / they wyll slee the. Abyde here / we shall prepare the Paschall lambe for the. Hereunto Iesus sayde, O my deare mother, O Magdalene, O Martha, The tyme determyned by my father, is cum, that I shulde redeme mankynde. It is neces­sary that my fathers wyll be fulfyllyd. Than the virgyn Mary sayd to hym, O my moost dere belouyd sonne, O my lyfe & light of myne iyen / yf thou wylte nedes go into Hierusalem, and dye: suffre me to dye with the, or els before the. Iesus aunswered & sayd, O my moost kynde mother, all my disciples shall forsake me, and the faythe shall perysshe and cease in them for the tyme of my passion / therfore it is necessarye that thou abyde with theym / bothe to confyrme them in faythe, and also to conforte them. O my swete mother, I thanke the with all my herte for all thy bene­fytes and kyndenes that thou haste done to me. Here frendes, loke vppon hyr motherly herte, and consydre what heuynes and sorow she had, herynge these wordes of hyr dere sonne Iesus.

Erly on the thursday in the mornyng, they bothe kneled downe / and kyssynge to gyther: toke theyr leue with many teares & we­pynges. And as saynt Austen sayeth, Libro de verbis domini: Whan they went to gyther: the virgyn mary sayd: O my moost swete sonne, I shall no more here the. O ioy, full of the pleasure of paradyse. I shal no more touche the. O thou consolacion of the worlde. I wyll neuer leue the. Yf thou go: I wyll go. Yf thou stande: I wyll stande. And than Iesus aunswered with a we­pynge and mournynge voice. O my dere mother, why doest thou trouble me with thy wepynge: sithe the heuynes that I haue for my passion is sufficient for me? So ofte doeth the swerde of so­row perce my herte: as ofte as I se the wepe, or any teare fall frō thyne iyen. Wherefore I beseche the moost naturall and louynge mother to go with my welbelouyd Magdalene into hyr house / to whō I commende the / and so with great sorow departed. And at this moost heuy departynge, she sayd vnto Iudas, O Iudas, I [Page xlix] commende my moost dere beloued son vnto the. Yf thou here any thynge contrary to hym: shew hym of it, that he may be the more ware. And herof sayeth saynt Bernarde, O blyssed vyrgyn Ma­ry, thou dyd nat know that thou commended thy moost innocent sonne to a foxe moost false and subtile. Thy moost mekest lambe, to a wolfe. Thy sonne, very truthe: to a crafty lyer. And so the sorowfull mother departed from hyr sonne / seynge that it wolde be non otherwyse. O, what (suppose you) sayd than Magda­lene, Martha, and other women there presente, vnto our lady? Let euery man thynke as his deuocion seruyth hym. I thynke they myght say,Cāti. 5. D. as it is wryten in the Canticles, O moost good­ly of all women / whyther is thy moost dere beloued gone? Where hathe he hyd hym selfe? We wyll go serche hym with the. And the sorowfull vyrgyn myghte aunswere, My conforte, my lyfe, my sonne doeth go in a strayt and harde way / byset rounde about with his enemies. &c.

¶The .ix. particle. Of the supper or maundie of our lorde.

WHan the tyme of the miseracions and mercies of our lorde was cum, in the whiche he had disposed to saue his people: & to redeme theym / nat with corruptyble golde or syluer: but with his owne preciouse blood, before he shoulde departe frome his disciples by his corporall dethe: he wolde make vnto them a supper, for a signe & memoriall of thynges past, and also to fulfyll the misteries that were to be fulfylled. Therefore our lorde Iesus, required of his disciples, where and in what place he wolde haue the Paschall lambe prepared for hym and them: [...]uce. 2 [...]. A. He sente Peter and Iohn̄ to one of his louers in the mounte of Syon, where as was a good­ly and a great chambre strewed and made redy for hym / and there they prepared the Paschall lambe for hym. By Peter is signifi­ed good operacion or actyue lyfe. And by Iohn̄ is noted deuoute contemplacion. These .ii. prepare the Pascall lambe / that is, they dispose a man duely and reuerētly to receyue the holy body of our lorde, signified by the Paschall lambe. They prepare this spi­rituall lambe in a greate lofte or chamber / that is, in the soule of man, eleuate and lyfte vp by feruent deuocion / and great by lon­ganimitie / broode, by the brede of charitie / and strawed by the di­uersitie of vertues. And whan all thynges were prepared in this chambre: Iesus dyd entre with his disciples / to whom the Pas­call [Page] lambe rosted, was brought furthe. And grace sayde, or blys­syng made by our lorde: they eat it with the iuse of wylde letu [...]e. And note that in this solēpnitie of Pasce, there were toure thyn­ges / that is, the Pascall lambe, pure wheat brede without leuyn / wyne, and the iuse of wylde letuse / to signifie that no man might cum worthely to eat of the true lambe, the body of Christe: with­out bytternes and compunction of herte for theyr synnes. This refection also doeth signifie theternall refection of glory that shal be in the ende of the worlde. Than Iesus rysynge from supper / his disciples syttynge and eatynge: he sayd, I haue with a great desyre desyred to eat this Pascall lambe with you before my pas­sion. This worde desyre, twyse spoken: doeth signifie a mynde of two desyres. One was, y^t the olde testament shuld be finished: and the new shuld be begun. And this was moost his desyre. For all the dayes of his lyfe he ranne after vs with a moost feruent de­syre of our helthe. And we▪ yf we can nat at sumtyme haue good myndes and desires: at the leest let vs haue a wyl to haue y^t good desyre,Psal. 118. D accordynge to the sayenge of Dauid: Concupiuit anima mea deside rare iustificationes tuas. My soule hath couetyd or de­syred to desyre thy iustificacions. After this, Christe toke bread and wyne / and gyuynge thankes to god: blyssed them / and so conuerted the bread into his owne body / & the wyne into his bloode / and gaue it vnto them / sayenge, take and eat / this is my bodye / & drynke of my bloode. And here he shewed his great desyre y^t was to cum / that is, to shede his bloode for our redemption / that after the immolacion & offeryng of the figuratiue and Pascall lambe: shulde folow the oblacion of the very true lambe Iesus Christe. And so the olde figures ceassed / and all thynges were made new: whan that Christ conuertyd and turned bread and wyne into his precyouse body and bloode.Exod. 12. B And here note that in the boke cal­led Exodus, there were determined many thynges that were re­quyred to the eatynge of the figuratiue & Pascall lambe / whiche also spiritually be requyred to theatynge of the verye true lambe 1 our sauiour Iesus. Fyrst it shulde be eaten onely of them that be circumcidyd: so shulde we be circumcidyd by the cuttynge away 2 of our olde synfull conuersacion and lyfe. Secondely, it shulde be eaten with the iuse of wylde letuse / signifienge that we shulde 3 haue bytter contricion for our synnes. Thyrdly, with pure whete breade without leuyn, betokenynge the puritie of our conscience 4 without leuyn of fynne. Fourthly, theyr clothes shulde be gyr­ded 5 vp: signifienge oure chastitie of body & soule. Fyftely, they [Page lv] shulde haue shoes vppon theyr fete / betokenynge that our affecti­ons shulde be separate from all erthely thynges. In a signe also or token herof, our lord fyrst wasshed the fete of his disciples, be­fore that he gaue to them his body and blood. Sixtely, they shuld 6 haue staues in theyr handes / notynge therby that we shulde dili­gently kepe our selfe. These syxe foresayd condicions ben re­quyred in vs, as concernynge the auoidaunce of vyce and synne. And in lyke maner, syxe thynges ben requyred in vs yf we wyll worthely receyue the sacrament of the aulter, as concernynge the operacion of good werkes and gettynge of vertues. Fyrst, that 1 it be eaten in one house / that is, in the vnitie of the chyrche / that we be nat diuided from the chyrche by any scisme or heresye.

Secondly, that we take or eat it with our neighbours, as many 2 as shall be sufficient to eate it / signifienge the loue and concorde with our neighbours. Thyrdely, that it be nat eaten raw / that 3 is, withoute the fyre of loue / ne yet sodden with water of car­nall pleasures; but rosted with the fyre of feruent deuocion.

Fourthly, it shulde be eaten hastely: betokenyng our feruent de­syre 4 and delectacion folowynge. Fyftely, it shulde be eaten all 5 hole / bothe hed, fete, and the inwarde partes / signifieng that we shulde be incorporate vnto Christe with a hole and true fayth / be­leuynge the diuinitie of Christe: whiche is the hed / also his hu­manitie, body, & flesshe / whiche is as the fote / and also his soule, whiche is as the inwarde parte. Syxtely, they shulde breke no 6 bone of the Paschall lambe / signifienge the symple veneracion & worshyppynge of this sacrament / nat dyuydyng the godhed from the manhode / nor the flesshe from the blood / for vnder euery parte of the hooste consecrate, there is hole Christe, bothe god & man / soule, body, and blood. Wherfore who so euer receiueth the sacra­mēt of the aulter vnder the forme of bread only: he receyueth hole Christe god and man / soule, flesshe, and blood.

¶The .x. and last particle of this fyrst parte. Of the wasshynge of his disciples fete.

WHan this supper was done, and the Paschall lambe eaten, and whan the deuyll had put into the herte & wyll of Iudas to betraye Christe, nat dyrec [...]y mo­uynge his wyll, as the soule moueth the bodye: but onely indyrectly by suggestion mouynge and per­swadynge hym to betray Christe / and he consented thereunto. And here note that the deuyll can nat put euyll thoughtes into y^e hert of man: but onely offre them vnto man / which yf the man receyue theym / and that appere to the deuyll by sum outewarde sygne or token: than the deuyll bloweth at this coole to kyn [...]e and make the fyre burne / that is, he ceasseth nat to perswade and moue that man to consent vnto that synne. And so it apperech that the deuyll can nat cast a man downe and ouercum hym: ex­cept the man cast hym selfe fyrste downe, and rendre his armour vnto his enemy / that is, excepte he consent to the suggestyon and mocion of the deuyll.Ioh. 13. A. This supper (I saye) done, and the Paschall lambe eaten / whan the deuyll had moued Iudas to be­traye Christe, and he consented to the same: than Iesus know­ynge as god, that his father had gyuen and taken into his han­des and power all thynges / also his enemy and traytour Iudas, and the Iues his persuers: yet to shew and declare his great py­tie / & to leue to vs an example of his perfyte mekenes: he wolde nat fulfyll or take vppon hym the power or myghte of god, or offyce of a lorde, but rather the offyce and roume of a seruaunte. He dyd meke hym selfe to be a seruaunt / for he cam to do seruice: and nat to receyue the seruyce of other. And therefore he arose frome his supper of the Paschall lambe, wyllynge than to wasshe the fete of his dyscyples there beynge / and so causyng water to be brought vnto hym: he put of his outwarde garmentes / & gyrdyd [Page lvi] hym selfe with a lynen clothe. Than he put the water into a basen with his owne handes / and so charitably, so honestly, and so ser­uiceably prepared: he cam to wasshe his disciples fete that were defoiled with the claye and durte of the erthe / for they wente bare fo [...]ed. And so he wasshed theyr fete, & wyped them with the clothe wherwith he was gyrte: and thus he fulfylled the office of meke­nes. And whan he came to Petre / he wolde nat suffre hym to wasshe his fete, but sayd / thou [...]hal [...]e neuer wasshe my fete. And Iesus sayde, Yf I wasshe nat thy fete: thou shalte haue no parte of my blysse with me. Than Petre, fearynge this sentence: sayd▪ Wasshe (good lorde) nat onely my fete: but also my handes and my hed. And Iesus sayd: He that is wasshed, he nedeth no more to wasshe but his fete / for than he is all clene. What this signi­fieth: ye shall know afterwarde.Ioh. 13. B. It foloweth in the gospell of Iohn: Ye be now clene, for I haue wasshed you / but ye all be nat clene. This he spake for Iudas, that shuld betray hym that same nyghte / and therefore he was nat clene. There be two thynges specially, whereby a man is made clene from synne / that is, al­mose dede, and charitie. Iudas had nat the fyrst: for he was a thefe, and toke vnto his owne vse suche thynges as shulde haue be gyuen to the pore. Also he betrayed his innocent maister, con­trarye vnto charitie / and so Iudas was nat clene. O thou chrystyan / consyder here dylygentely euery poynte of this was­shynge: for they be full of mekenes and loue. Beholde what is done: for it is very deuoute. Here the hyghe maiestie of god, and mekenes of the maister, dyd enclyne & bow hym selfe downe to the fete of pore fysshers. He knelyd on his knees, and bowed his hede before his disciples syttynge / and so wasshed theyr fete with his owne handes / dyd also drye them and kysse them all.

Beholde here the exemplar of all myldenes and mekenes, the cre­atoure and maker of all creatures, the fearefull iudge of bothe quycke and deade: knelynge here before the fete, nat onely of his louynge disciples: but also before the fete of the false traytoure Iudas. O thou man / lerne here of thy lorde / for he is bothe meke in herte, and gentyll in his conuersacion. Be thou confounded of thy hyghe mynde. Arte thou nat asshamed of thy pryde and impacience? He that is syttynge aboue the high order of aūgels, called Cherubyn, wassheth the fete of his enemy & traytour: and thou erthe & dust, asshes & cley, exaltest thy selfe, & thynkest great thynges of thy selfe. Consider diligently how our lorde inciteth & moueth vs by his examples & also by his wordes vnto mekenes. [Page] Therfore, after that he wasshed his disciples fete, shewyng there [...] to vs an example of great mekenes:Ioh. 13. B. he sayd to vs: Exemp [...]um de­di vobis vt quemadmodum ego feci vobis: ita et vos faciatis. I haue gyuen to you an example, that as I haue done to you: so ye shulde do.Mat. 11. D. And also he sayde in an other place: Discite a me, quia mitis sum et humilis corde. Lerne of me / for I am mylde in conuersacion and meke in herte. And in this, he kept a conue­nient maner of teachynge. For as saynt Luke sayeth: Cepit le­sus facere et docere. Iesus began fyrste to lyue and do well / and after that,Act. 1. A. he dyd teache other to do the same. Spiritually, by this outwarde wasshynge of the fete, oure lorde dyd note the in­warde clennes of our spirituall fete, which be our loue and a [...]ec­tions. For these spirituall fete do bere vs where so euer we go frō our selfe / or without vs. And as our bodyly fete hath ofte tymes nede of wasshynge: so oure spirituall fete. For thoughe we be hoolly & clene wasshed by the sacrament of Baptym, in so moche that yf we kepe that innocency and clennes that we by that sacra­ment receyue, vnto our dethe: we be sure to go to heuyn without any other wasshyng: Yet, for asmoche as there is very few or non that kepe that puritie of theyr baptysme after that they cum to the yeres of discrecion, but y^t oftymes they fall in one thyng or other & that thrughe the fraile condicion of our mortall nature, so that they defoile theyr fete with worldly, vayne, or carnall affectiōs: therfore it is necessary y^t they oft wassh theyr fete with cōfession & teres of cōtricion. For who so euer after his baptym do fall to syn, & be nat wasshed with y^e water of penaūce: he shall haue no parte with Iesu in his glory. By this wasshyng of y^e fete, our lord al­so doeth note the clennes of our spirituall fete / whiche specially is required in the receiuing of the blessed body of our lord. And ther­fore he dyd wasshe the fete of his disciples before he gaue to them his gloriouse body & blood: to signifie y^t spirituall clennes is re­quyred in the due receyuynge of the sacrament of the aulter.

¶The fyrst artycle. Of the feare and heuynes of Christe.

THe fyrste artycle of our lordes passion, is the voluntary takynge of feare and heuynes. For as the euangelyst sayeth: Hymno dicto: exie­runt in montem Oliueti. Mat. 26. C. For shortly after that the supper was ended, and the deuout sermon the whiche he spake, was done: than he sayd grace / and so they wente vnto the mounte of Oliuete. This sermon is wrytten by the Euangelyst Iohn̄. And immediately after that sermon: it folo­weth in the begynnynge of the .xviii. Chapytre. Hec cum dixisset Iesus: Egressus est cum discipulis suis trans torrentem Cedron.

Whan Iesus had spoken that longe and deuout sermon:Capitul. 13. D. 14. 15. 16. et. 17. he went from that house where as he made his supper / nat taryenge or a­bydynge there for Iudas, whiche was gone to get a great com­pany of the Iues, for to take his maister Christe. Our lorde (I say) wolde nat abyde the cummyng of Iudas in his hoste house / lesse paraduenture his hoste, or sum of his familie or seruauntes shulde haue ben euyll entreated by the cruell Iues or theyr mini­sters and seruauntes / and therefore he wente thence ouer the ry­uer of Cedron. To signifie also to vs, that no man may attayne and cum to the pleasures and ioye of heuenly paradise: except he, fyrste passe ouer the ryuer and water of penaunce. And so, he passyng ouer that ryuer of Cedron: cam vnto a lytle vyllage that was at the fore of the moūt of Oliuet, called Gethsemany / where as was a garden or orcharde / into the whiche he entred with his disciples. Gethsemani is as moche to say by interpretacion as Villa pinguedinis. The towne of fatnes / signifienge thereby that by the mekenes of his passion, he wold replenyssh vs with the fat­nes of grace and vnction of the holy goost. And that he went into the gardeyn: doeth signifie that he wolde by his passyon induce vs and brynge vs into the orcharde of vertues and spirituall ry­chesse. And also that the maner of our curacion and redempti­on shulde corresponde and reaunswere vnto the maner of oure fyrste transgression and perdition, whiche toke begynnynge of the synne of oure fyrste father Adam in the orcharde of Para­dyse: so in lyke maner our reparacion that shulde be made by the passion of Christe, shulde haue his begynnynge also in the or­charde. [Page lviii] And whan they were in this orcharde or garden: our lorde sayd to his disciples:Mat. 26. [...]. Sedete hic donec vadam illuc et orem, orate (que) ne intretis in temptationem. Luce. 2 [...]. [...] Sy [...] here vnto the tyme I go and praye / and praye you that ye be nat ouercum by temptaci­on. It foloweth: [...] Et assumpsit secum Petrum, Iacobum, et Iohan­nem. And he toke with hym Peter,Libro. [...]. Iames, and Iohn̄.

And here noteth Simon de Cassia / that a persone, put in greate agonyes or troubles, hathe neede to haue a certeyne trynytye of vertues / withoute the whiche trynytye, he fyghteth in vayne / his prayer is frustrate / and his contemplacion of lytle profyte. Fyrste, he must haue a knowlege of those thynges that he ought to do / that is, the lyghte of true faythe / whereby he knoweth all thynges necessarye for his saluacion. The seconde, is a debellacyon and trewe supplantynge or subduynge of vyces. The thyrde, is the assystante grace of the hooly gooste▪ This trynytie of vertues is noted by these thre appostles, Pe­tre, Iames, and Iohn̄. And that appereth by the interpretaci­on of theyr names. For Petre is as moche to saye (by interpre­tacion) as knowynge / and so signifieth the stable knowledge of the faythe. Iames is interpreted a supplantoure or a subduer. And by Iohn̄ is sygnyfyed the grace of god. And withoute this trinitie of vertues, all oure laboure is in a maner but loste.Mat. 26. D It foloweth in the gospell: Cepit Iesus contristar [...] et mest [...] esse. Iesus began to be heuye and sadde. Marke sayeth:Marc. 14. D. Cepit pauere et tedere. He began to feare and to be yrke­som or heuye. And here is the fyrste poynte or artycle of the passion of our lorde / that is, feare and heuynes / whiche he volun­taryly toke for vs / and that in the mooste intense and hyghest de­gree / and this is to be vnderstonde in lyke maner of all other ar­tycles. And note here the wordes of the Euangelystes / whiche sayeth: Cepit Iesus contrista [...], &c. Iesus began to be heuye. They say [...] nat that he was heuye / for than that passion of feare or heuynesse, shulde haue had dominion in his soule. Whiche was nat trewe / for he tooke that feare or heuynesse of his owne voluntarye wyll / and that for many causes. As for the ruyne or fall of his dyscyples. For the blyndenes, enuye, and perdy­cyon of the Iues. For the desperacyon and dampnacion of Iu­das. For the distruction of the citie and temple of Ierusalem. And also for the bytternes of his greuouse paines / and of the most shamefull dethe / that by the vertue of his godhed, he knewe be­fore, that he shulde suffre it afterwarde. And therefore he sayde: [Page] Tristis est anima mea vs (que) ad mortem. Mat. 26. D My soule is heuye vnto the dethe / that is. My heuynes is so intense and so greate, that yf it were any more: dethe shuld folow. Or els, My heuines is such, that it shall nat cea [...]se or leue me vnto the dethe. And note how he sayeth, vnto the dethe / and nat thus, My soule is heuye for my dethe. For he toke this sorowe and heuynes wylfully for thobedi­ence of his father,Libro. 13. and saluacion of mankynde. And here Si­mon de Cassia noteth a good lesson / that it is moche profitable to preuent heuynes by heuynes / that is, eternall payn and heuines, by temporall heuynes. This heuynes in Christe dyd excede all the sorowes and heuynesses of all the men of this worlde / for he suffred for all the synnes of all mankynde.Psalm. 21. And therfore he sayeth by the prophete: My god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me? This is the cause. The wordes of my synnes hathe put me tarre from my helthe and conforte.De Geues [...] ad litterā .li. 4. ca. 9. Heuynes is than (for a truthe) a laudable & commendable passion (as saynt Austyn sayeth) whan it procedeth of a ryght loue or good cause. As whan a man is he­uy for his owne synnes, or for the synnes of other persones.

Also heuynes is taken profitably,2. Cor. 7. C whan it is taken for the satis­faction of our synnes. And therefore saynt Paule sayeth: Que se­cundum deum est tristitia: penitētiam in salutem stabilem operatur. That heuynes whiche is accordynge to the wyll of god: doeth worke penaunce into our stable and sure helthe. And therefore Christe, to do satisfaction for the synnes of all men: toke vppon hym the moost heuynes that might be / and yet it excedyd nat the order and rule of ryght reason. Also he suffered payne in his bo­dy for the synnes of all mankynde. Whiche payne and sorow exce­dyd the sorowes of euery person contrite. And no maruell that his sorow was so greate / for it procedyd of a more depe or inwarde knowledge and wysdom / and also of a more perfyte charitie and loue, than the sorowe of any otherman. And these be the causes whereby the sorow of contricion is encreased. Also he suffered & sorowed for all our synnes / as the prophete sayeth: Vere dolores nostros ipse portauit. Esay. 53. B Truely he bare oure sorowes, and suffered for vs. Also Christe toke all the causes of our heuines / and ther­fore his heuynes and sorow was the moost. It foloweth in the texte:Mat. 26. D Vigilate et orate ne intretis in temptationem. He sayd vnto his thre disciples whom he founde slepynge, watche and praye: that ye be nat ouercum by temptacion. He watcheth, that doeth good werkes, and that kepeth hym selfe diligently that he fall nat into any heresy or derke and erroniouse opinion. Spirius quidē [Page lix] promptus est, caro autem infirma. The spyryte is prompte and re­dy to do well and to promise great thynges / but the flesshe is in­fyrme & fraile to do good, or to suffre payne. And Christe spake this for the proude folysshe persons whiche thynke that they may do what so euer they wyll.Suꝑ Ma [...]. 26. And hereunto saynte Hierom sayeth: As moche as we trust of the feruour and redynes of our mynde & spyryte: so moche we shulde feare of the infirmitie and frailtie of our flesshe.Luce. 22. [...] It foloweth: Et positis genibus orabat dicens: Pater si vis: transfer calicem istum a me. Iesus knelynge, prayed to his father / sayenge: Father, yf thou wylte: thou may take this payn and passion from me. Our lorde here prayed after his sensuall wyll, to that that the reason of Christ dyd here expresse the affect and desyre of his sensualitie as the aduocate of sensualitie for this tyme. And therefore whan he added in his prayer: Verumtamen non mea voluntas, sed tua fiat. This nat withstandyng, thy wyll be fulfylled / and nat myne: He dyd expresse that this affection in hym was subdued to ryght reason / that is, to his reasonable and godly wyll / by the whiche he wolde the same thynge that god his father wolde / from whom by this wyll, he was nat diuided.

It foloweth:Luce. 22. [...] Et cum surrexisset ab oratione et venisset ad discipu­los suos: inuenit eos dormientes. And whan he rose from his pray­er and cam to his disciples: he founde them slepynge. This cor­porall slepe was a fygure & sygne of the slepe of infidelitie / wher­with they shulde be shortely greued and oppressed. Peraduen­ture sum person may maruell how that they myght slepe, heryng of the dethe of theyr maister Christe? We may answere thus.

They were very heuy for his dethe / and heuines wyll induce and moue a man to slepe. Also it was than well forwarde in y^e night. And thoughe they all dyd slepe: yet he blamed Petre rather than the other. Fyrst, for bycause he boosted and sayde, Though all other forsake the: I wyl neuer forsake the. Therfore he was worthy more to be rebuked. Also bycause he was the capitayne and chefe of thapostles / and therfore Christ rebuked hym for them all / saynge to Peter thus:Mat. 26. D Sic? non potuisti vna hora vigilare mecum? What Petre? mayst thou nat watche one houre with me? As yf he had sayd, How wylt thou dye with me, that canst nat watche one houre with me? And in that that he sayeth, one hour: he sig­nifieth to vs, that the burden and tyme of temptacion, is very shorte in the respecte of the remuneracion or rewarde in glory.

And note, how that Christe dyd pray thre tymes one and the same prayer / and after euery tyme he cam to his disciples, and founde [Page] them slepynge. He dyd thryse pray the same prayer: to signifie to vs (as saynt Bernarde sayeth) that we shulde dyrect all our pray­ers to the father, to the sonne, & to the holy goost, that we might haue spirituall strength of the father, wysdom of the sonne, and a good wyll, of the holy goost. Or therefore he prayed thryse, that we shuld excercise the thre powers of our soule in prayer / that is, that our reasonable power shulde be diligent in meditacion / our affection and concupiscible power, shulde be feruent in desy­rynge / and our wrathfull power shulde be stronge in auoydynge all euyll. Christe also, after euery tyme of his prayer, cam to his disciples, and founde them slepynge. At the fyrst tyme, he rebu­ked them, as we sayd before. At the seconde tyme, he suffred thē. And at the thyrde tyme, he commaunded them to slepe / sayenge: Dormite iam, et requiescite. Slepe now, & rest. And this was to signifie thre maner of slepys. And that the fyrste, whiche is the slepe of synne, correspondynge to the fyrst slepe of the disciples: is to be reproued. The seconde, that is naturall slepe: is tol­lerable, and to be suffered. And the thyrde, whiche is the slepe of contemplacion and glory: is to be desyred of all people.

¶Of the blody swet of Christe. The seconde article.

THe seconde artycle is the flowynge of the bloode of Christe into the erthe by the maner of swet, or of the blody swet of Christe, flowynge from his bodye into the erthe. For the seconde tyme that Christ prayed: for anguysshe he swet blood / and the aungell, descendynge from he­uyn: a [...]ered to hym and conforted hym. It foloweth therfore in th [...] gospell:Luc [...]. 22. [...] Factus in agonia prolixius orabat et factus est sudor eius sicut gutte sanguinis decurrentis in terram. Christe was in a great agony / and therfore he prolonged his prayer. And in this prayer for his great agony: his swet was as droppes of bloode runnynge downe from his body into the erthe. Here do our doc­tours [Page] say, that whan our lorde Iesus Christe dyd so prolong his prayer: his most holy hert was greatly enflamed / & so cōsequent­ly all his hole body most holy & most innocent. In so moche, that thrughe that greate feruour of prayer, and his excessyue loue and moost feruent desyre that he had to suffre and to dye for our helth. And of the other parte, thrugh the vehement angwyssh and ago­ny that he had in his manhode in the remembraunce of his moost greuouse paynes and shamefull dethe that he shulde suffre / and thrugh the stronge reluctacion and stryuynge of sensualitie, na­turally abhorrynge that dethe, and therfore myghtely fyghtynge agaynst it: for these causes (I say) the poorys of his body were open, and so flowed out the blood for his swet. That vehement angwysshe and excessyue loue constreyned the bloode to cum out of the vaynes agaynst nature (as Bede sayeth) in so moche that many droppes of blood ranne downe by his clothes and fell vpon the erthe.Suꝑ Lucā li. 6. ca. 89. The loue of god in the herte of Christe, dyd ouercum in that agony his natural feare and the feare of his manhode / and so the bloode of Christe so quyckened and conforted by this loue: was styrred and moued, as yf it wolde haue cum all furthe of the body at that tyme, thrugh that excessyue loue / as yf he wolde nat or might nat haue abyden the tyme of his dethe appointed whan all that blood shulde be vtterly sheddyd. And so (I say) thrughe this vehement loue: the droppes of blood dyd issue and fall from the vaynes of his body. And as the inwarde cause of swet (after naturall phisiciens) is the naturall hete, dissoluynge that is hote and moyst in the bodye: so the supernaturall cause of this bloody swet myght be the feruent hete and burnynge of his excessyue loue redowndyng from the herte of Christe into al his hole body there dissoluynge the vaporouse moisture. Phisiciens also say, that it is possible that a man may swet naturally thrugh the vehemēce of loue. In lyke maner, as our doctours say, Christe swet blood aboue nature thrugh his vehement feruour of charitie / for thā the more he approched to his dethe: the more he burned in loue for the feruente desyre of our helthe. O, how bytter and paynefull was this dethe of Christe in it selfe: sythe the onely imaginacion therof dyd so greatly chaunge thorder of nature: for it drew from all the partes of his bodye, droppes of bloode: as yf he had swet / whiche blody swet shulde signifie and note to vs the helthe of his misticall body / that is, the catholicall chyrch. Hereto sayth saint Bernarde: By the erthe moisted with the bloody swet of Christ: is signified that erthely men shulde be redemyd by the bloode of [Page lxi] Christe. By the whiche blood also he shulde reduce vnto lyfe, all the worlde ded in synne. Woo be to that wretchyd hert, that wyll nat be moisted and made softe with this blood or swet. Beholde thou wretche the great tribulacion of this most mylde, gentyll, & louynge herte, in what angwyssh it was: whan all his bodye on euery parte swet blood. O thou my stony herte, quake and trem­ble, and breke in pecys, and moyst thyne iyen with blody teres / for as thou mayst se, thy creatour and maker is all wet in bloode for the / and that with suche plenty: that it ranne downe vpon the erthe. And surely, his body outwardly wolde neuer haue bene so wet with bloode: yf his herte inwardly had nat ben broken with sorowe and heuynesse. Therefore the prophete sayeth in the persone of Christe:Psal. 37. It Hier. 23. B. Contritum est cor meum in meipso. My herte is broken within me. The herte of our mooste louynge Iesus thus inwardly broken or cut: the outwarde skynne also was bro­ken / so that his blood myght abundantly flow out vpon the erthe. And this bloody swette was very naturall and true bloode of the moost purest body of Christe. But as we sayd before, it was nat shed naturally / for it is agaynst nature, to swet blood. (⸪) (⸫)

¶Of the vendition or sellynge of our lorde. The thyrde article. ❧

THe thyrde article is the sellynge of our lorde. Whiche sellynge, though it began and was promysed before the other two articles that we haue spoken of: as whā Iudas went to the prynces of the preestes / sayenge to them: What wyll ye giue to me, and I shal gyue hym in to your handes? Whiche was done vpon the wednysday as we sayd before in the fyrst part of this boke.Particle. 8. At whiche tyme this con­tracte was than begun & promysed.Luce. 22. A. As saynt Luke sayeth: Pacti sunt ei pecuniam dare, et ipse Iudas spopondit. The Iues dyd couenaunde and promise to gyue hym money / and Iudas promi­sed to fulfyll his sayenge. Though (I say) this sellynge was be­gun vppon the wednysdaye: yet it was nat perfourmed vnto the tyme that Iudas went from our lorde and his apostles after sup­per vppon the thurseday in the night, vnto the prynces of the Iu­es, and there receyued his money / that is, thyrty pennys of syl­uer / [Page lxii] and so was that sellynge perfourmed / and this article appe­red in effecte. And it is conuenient that this sellynge be num­bred amonges the poyntes of Christes passion: for therby he suf­fered great dispisynge. What is nat a great rebuke & dispisynge to Christe, that he whiche is moost noble and good, and of infi­nite goodnes, in whom be all treasures of wysdom & knowledge hyd / whiche is also lorde of all lordes, and kynge aboue all kyn­ges: to be estemed and solde for so vyle a pryce? Also the sorow of Christe was moche encreased, in that that he was solde so vile­ly of his owne disciple / of one of those twelue whom he dyd chose singulerly amonges all the world to be his apostels and messan­gers. And of this the prophet greatly complaineth in the person of Christe,Psalm. 54. sayenge: Si inimicus meus maledixisset mihi: sustinu­issem vti (que). Yf myne enemye had dyspysed me: I shulde quietely haue suffered and borne it.Psalm. 40. And in an other psalme: Etenim ho­mo pacis mee in quo speraui qui edebat panes meos magnificauit su­per me supplantationem. O, or truely the man of my peace (that pretendyd loue and peace to me) in whom I trusted / (for he kept all the mony that we had for the necessities of me & myn apostles / and also for to releue the pore people) whiche eat my bread & meat (sat at the meat with me) This man (and pretense frende I say) hathe magnyfyed agaynste me his supplantacion / his pryuye and mooste craftye treason. He craftely and deceytefully hathe trayterously betrayed me and solde me. O vnwyse and moost wretchyd and vnhappy marchaunt / who hath lerned or taughte the suche marchaundyse: that thou shouldest put the pryce of thy marchaundyse to the wyll of the byers / that the byer shulde make the pryce thereof. Whan a thynge is folde (yf it be thoughte precyouse, or of any greate valoure: the marchaunte that sellyth it, wyll nat put the pryce of the same in the arbytremente or wyll of the byer, that he shulde make the pryce at his pleasure. But yf the seller or marchaunt set lytle or nought by the thyng that he selleth: than he regardeth nat yf the byer make the pryce. And so dyd Iudas, whan he solde our sauioure Iesu Christe. For he sayd to the Iues: Quid vultis mihi dare, et ego eum vobis tradam? What wyll ye gyue to me, and I shall betray hym and gyue hym into your handes and power. As yf he sayd: Make what pryce ye wyll: and I shall fulfyll your wyll. O moost wycked cruel­tie. O moost craftye wyckednes. The creature sellyth his crea­toure and maker. The dyscyple, his mayster / the seruaunte, his lorde / the famylyar, his moost dere frende. There be many [Page] now a dayes lyke vnto Iudas / which wyl sell & forsake iustice for temporall lucre / & so they sell god, that is very iustice. So do all they that commyt symony / which sell the grace of god, or y^e sacra­mentes of the chyrche / or els spirituall thynges: for temporall thinges. As thoo prelates & iudges that sell the true & iust sentēce / that is, whiche wyll nat gyue the iust & true sentence without re­wardes. Also thoo religiouse persons & prestes y^t wyll nat pray, say masse, or ministre the sacramentes without money. All these with suche other, be lyke vnto Iudas / & say with hym (though nat in wordes, yet in dedes) what wyl ye gyue to me: & I shal betray Christ & gyue hym to you?Micheas 3. D. Of these maner of persons, it is wry­ten by the Prophete Micheas: Principes eius in muneribus iudi­cabant, et sacerdotes eius in mercede docebant. The prynces and iudges dyd iudge for gyftes / & the prestes taught for rewardes.

And note that the syn of simony is nat onely in the seller: but also in the byer or receyuer. And so nat onely Iudas dyd synne in the sellyng of Christe: but also the Iues in byeng of hym. That per­son doeth bye Christe of me, which gyuyng to me any temporall thyng: taketh Christ frō me. As yf a flaterer wold falsly cōmende & praise me, where as I am nat worthy / by the whiche laude and prayse, my hert is exalted in pryde: he taketh Christ fro me / & I, consentynge to y^t praise: do sell & betray Christe for a lytle vayne glory or prayse. In lyke maner, a man gyuynge to me money or any other thynge so mouyng me to mortall synne: he wolde take Christe from me. And I consentynge to the same: do betray & sell Christe. And yet neither he by his byenge may reteyne and kepe Christe / neither I with my sellynge, may kepe Christe with my selfe, nor with the byer. And so neither Iudas nor the Iues had Christe to theyr saluacion / but by that bargayne he was purcha­sed and gotten to vs christians that truely serue Christe. Many people in the remembraūce of this sellyng, that was made on the wednisday: do fast or absteyn frō flesshe for the loue of Christe.

¶Of the betrayenge of our lorde. The .iiii. article.

THe .iiii. article is, of the treason of Iudas / how trayterously he betrayed our lorde. Whan the vendition or sellyng was consumate and put in effect. In the mean tyme our lorde beynge in his prayers, and than thryse cummynge to his dis­ciples:Mat. 26. E at the last tyme he said to them: Surgite, eamus, ecce appropinquauit qui me tradet. Arise, go we / he that shall betray me, is nigh at hande. In these fewe wordes, our lord doeth fyrst enfourme vs to spede vs to spirituall battell or temptacion, in this worde aryse. Secondly he moueth vs to profyte in good werkes, in this worde, go we. Thyrdely, in the other wordes folowynge: he moueth vs to awayte at all tymes and houres for temptacion / for our enemies be euer redye to tempte vs.Mat. 26. E It foloweth in the gospell: Et adhuc eo loquente. [Page] Ecce Iudas vnus de duodecim cum accepisset cohortem venit. &c. Ioh. 18. A. Our sauyour Christe, yet spekynge to his disciples: Loo, Iu­das, one of the .xii. apostles of Christ, after that he had taken his money and a great cumpany of souldiers (to the numbre of fyue hundreth, as Papias sayeth) he cam, & with hym a great numbre of people with lanternes and burnynge brondes / with armour, swerdes, battes, and clubbes, sent from the prynces of the prestes and pharisies from the scrybes and the seignours of the people.

Wherof saint Austin sayeth:Marc. 14. E. What shulde suche a great people do to seche one person? What shulde tho armed men do, to seche one man without armour or weapon? What shulde they seche hym in the nyghte, that was dayly teachynge, and that openly in theyr temple?Cap. 24. A. This acte was fygured in the fyrst boke of the kynges / where as Saule toke thre thousande armed men to seche for Da­uyd.Suꝑ. Ioh. 18. And note here (as maister Lira sayeth) that Iudas dyd arme and defende hym selfe fyrst with a great cumpany / stronge, and of auctoritie / and that was agaynste the multitude of the co­mon people, that they shulde nat let hym in his purpose. Se­condly, he cam with great lyghtes / that Christe shulde nat escape from hym in the darkenes of the nyght. And thyrdly, he defen­dyd hym selfe with armour / that yf any body wolde resyst theym: they wolde defende them selfe, & also put the other people a backe. And Iudas that promysed to betraye Christe: gaue to his cum­pany a pryuy token or sygne / sayenge: Quemcum (que) osculatus fue­ro, Marc. 14. E. ipse est: tenete eum et ducite caute. Whom so euer I kisse: that same is Christe. (This he spake, that they shuld nat take Iames the lesse for Christe / for he was very lyke in face vnto Christe). And furthermore Iudas sayd / whom I kysse: holde hym, and lede hym warely. For sum of theym thoughte that he wroughte by nygromancie or wytchecrafte.Luce. 11. C. For they sayd an other tyme of hym / that he caste oute deuylles in the power of Beelzebub, the prynce of the deuylles.Ioh. 18. A. It foloweth in the gospell of saynte Iohn̄: Sciens Iesus omnia que ventura erant super eum processit. Iesus knowynge all thynges and aduentures that shulde cum vnto hym: wente towardes theym and met with theym, that all men myght know that he was taken voluntarilie with his owne wyll. And anon Iudas approchynge towardes hym, sayde: Aue rabi. Mat. 26. E Hayle mayster. Et appropinquauit vt oscularetur eum. Iudas drewe nygh,Luce. 22. E to the intente that he myght kysse Christe / and so he dyd. In this poynt there be thre thynges expressed: [Page lxiiii] that made this betrayenge moche paynefull or sorowfull vnto Christe. One is, that it was done by one of his owne disci­ples. The seconde is, that he so falsely and trayterousely be­trayed Christe with the sygne or token of peace,Suꝑ Lucā li. 10▪ ca. 95. and kysse of loue or frendeshyppe. Of the whiche saynt Ambrose sayeth: O Iu­das, thou woundest thy mayster & lorde with the token or pledge of loue / and thou bryngest hym to dethe with the kysse of familia­ritie and frendeshyppe. The thyrde, was nat lesse paynefull, that the false traytoure with his stynkynge mouthe durst touche or kysse that mooste louely and mellifluouse mouthe of Christe, the eterne sonne of god. If it be paynefull to a man to kysse the mouthe of hym that hathe a stynkynge brethe: how moche more was it than paynefull to oure fauyour Christe, to take a kysse of that mooste synfull and stynkynge mouthe of Iudas / whose herte was replenysshed with the deuyll and all wyckednes. And than Iesus sayde vnto hym:Luc. 22. E. Iuda, osculo filium hominis tradis▪ Iudas, wylte thou betraye the sonne of a vyrgyn, thy mayster vnto the dethe with a kysse or token of peace? All traytours vn­to truthe, feynynge the truthe: do vse this same token of frende­shyppe, a kysse.Mat. 26. E Also Christe sayde vnto Iudas: Amice, ad quid venisti? Frende, for what intente cummest thou? He called Iudas frende, onely to rebuke hym for his false dissimu­lacion. I do nat remembre that this worde Amice in the voca­tyfe case: that is, O frende: is spoken to any one good persone / but to euyll persones, it is dyuerse and many tymes spoken.

As is sayde in the gospell of saynte Mathew:Mat. 22. B Amice, quomodo huc intrasti?. &c. O frende, how dyddest thou entre vnto this feaste, nat hauynge a conuenient garment? And also in an other place is sayde thus:Mat. 20. B Amice, non facso tibi iniuriam. O frende, I do vnto the non iniurie or wronge. And here now at this tyme. O frende, wherefore cummest thou? As he myghte say: Thou kyssest me, to the ende to betraye me vnto the dethe. To gyue a kysse: it is a sygne or token of a frende / but thou cum­mest nat therefore, ne to that intente. And nat withstandynge that thou haste done cruelly and trayterously agaynste me: yet retourne to me, and I shall gladly receyue the, as a frende to the. And so wolde Christe haue don (after all doctours) yf he had re­tourned and bene sorye for his synne and wretchydnes. But he was so indurate and so obstinate of herte, that none of all these thynges coulde call or reuoke hym agayne, or make hym to leue his false and trayterouse purpose / and so he kyssed hym.

[Page] A fygure herof we haue in y^e seconde boke of kynges.Cap. 20. C. Where as y^e the false traytoure Ioab toke his cosyn Anasa by the chynne / kys­synge hym, and sayenge Salue mi frater. Haile my brother / and so slew hym with that worde. Our lorde called Iudas by his pro­pre name, to the intent to prouoke hym to grace, and nat to mys­chief / but he wolde nat receyue grace. O thou innocent lambe Iesu, what doest thou in cumpany with that wolfe Iudas, that wyll deuoure the. Morally, Iudas betokeneth the worlde / whiche doeth smyle or laugh vpon vs: whan he gyueth to vs ry­ches at our pleasure. Than he kisseth vs: whan he gyueth to vs solace and worldly pleasure. But than doeth he halse vs: whan he gyueth to vs honours and dignities. And in all these he deceiueth vs, and betrayeth vs into eternall dethe. As witnesseth Iob, say­enge: Ducunt in bonis dies suos: Iob. 21. B. et in pūcto ad inferna descēdunt. These worldly people lede theyr lyfe here in pleasure: and in an instant they descende downe to hell.

¶Of the takynge of Christe. The .v. article.

THe .v. article, is the takyng of Christe. Which was done in this maner. What tyme the wycked Iudas had kyssed our lorde / Iesus knowynge what shuld cum vppon hym self: went vnto the cumpanye of the souldiers & of the Iues that cam with Iudas, & sayd vnto them:Ioh. 18. A. Quem queritis?. &c. Whom seche [Page lxv] you? And they sayd, Iesus of Nazareth. And Iesus sayd to thē, I am. At whiche worde, they went backewarde, and so fell vnto the grounde backewarde. And here note that they that fall backe­warde: do nat se where they fall. Signifienge thereby, that they fall from grace,Suꝑ. Ioh. tra [...]. 112. B. into synne / from god, vnto the deuyll / from he­uym, into hell. And here also saynte Austyn sayeth: Yf he that cam to be iudged, caste his aduersaries downe with one worde: what shall he do whan he shall cum to iudge all the worlde? Yf he dyd thus whan he came to dye: what shall he doo to his enemies whan he shall cum with great power & maiestie to reigne in glo­ry for euer? Surely he shall than cast his enemies backeward in­to euerlastynge paynes with this terryble worde:Mat. 25. D Go ye cursed in to euerlastynge fyre. And whan his aduersaries the Iues were rysen agayne, Iesus sayd / agayne vnto them: whom seche you? whom wolde ye haue? And they aunswered, Iesus of Na­zareth. Here was a meruelouse thynge / they knewe hym nat / nor yet his owne disciple Iudas whiche cam to betray hym. And this is as great a signe or token that may be: that he was nat taken, but at his owne wyll / and therefore he gaue theym licence to take hym,Ioh. 18. B. whā he sayd: Si ergo me queritis: sinite hos abire. Yf ye seche me, or wolde haue me: suffre these that be with me, to departe without hurte or trouble. Our lord was diligent to helpe his dis­ciples, that they shulde nat be taken / that his wordes whiche he sayd the same nyght after supper:Ioh. 17. B. shuld be true / that is: Quos de­disti mihi: Ioh. 18. B. non perdidi ex eis quem (quam). Father, I haue nat lost any of them, whom thou haste gyuen to me. And so his disciples esca­ped thrugh the goodnes and power of Christe / that afterwarde by them myght be shewed the worde of helth, the gospell of Christe, thrughout the hole worlde. The disciples of Christe, seynge and perceyuyng what was lyke to cum to theyr maister Christe, sayd vnto Christe:Luce. 22. E Domine si percutimus gladio. Maister, shall we smyte with the swerde?Ioh. 18. B. Petre beynge hasty, and nat abydynge the aunswere of our lorde: drew out his swerde, and smote at one of the bysshop seruauntes called Malchus / and cut of his ryghte eare.Suꝑ Mat. To signifie (as Origene sayeth) that thoughe it be sene or thought that they here the law of god:Omel. 35. that is onely with the lefte eare / for they onely here the shadow and the lettre of the law: and nat the truthe and misterie therof. Also Petre that cut of this right eare: may signifie to vs the faithfull people of the gentiles / the whiche in that that they beleuyd in Christe: were the cause by occasion, that the ryght herynge of the Iues was cut away. But [Page] yet that same ryght eare was restored agayne by the goodnes of god,Luce. 22. F. vnto those Iues that beleuyd in Christe / and therefore he touched the eare of that seruant: and cured hym / shewynge there in dede,Mat. 5. G. that whiche he taught before / sayenge: Bene facite his qui oderunt vos. Do good to them that hate you. And this he dyd as well for the conuersion of the people that were there presente, or that shulde here thereof: as for our instruction. He cured hym, that shortely after shulde buffet hym and smyte hym / for oure ex­ample / that we shulde do good agaynst euyll.Suꝑ Lucā. And hereof say­eth Bede:Capitu. 89. Our mercifull lorde wyll neuer forget his pitie / which also wolde nat suffre his enemies to be wounded. And therefore he sayd to Petre and his disciples:Luce. 22. F. Sinite vs (que) adhuc. Suffre yet. As yf he had sayd: Suffre the Iues to cum and take me. Who so euer taketh the swerde and smyteth without auctoritie: they shal peryssh with the swerde. In these wordes also he thretened & mo­nisshed the people / whiche had no auctoritie to slee hym. He sayd furthermore to Petre:Mat. 26. E An putas quia non possum rogare patrē me­um, &c. Thynkest thou that I may nat desyre my father for helpe yf I wold / & he wolde sende to my helpe aboue .xii. legions of aū ­gelles.Ioh. 18. B. Euery legion conteineth .vi.M.vi.C.lx.vi. Wyl nat thou that I shuld be obedient to my father, & drynke of the cuppe / that is, to suffre payne & dethe / the which my father wyll that I shuld drynke or suffre / Yf nat, how shall the scriptures be fulfylled, that sayeth, that these thynges must be done? Therefore now set all vengeaunce a parte / and let vs be pacient. And than our lorde sayd to the people that cam to take hym:Mat. 26. F Tan (quam) ad latronem existis cum gladiis et fustibus comprehendere me. Ye cum with swordes & clubbes, to take me as yf I were a thefe. As yf he sayde: Why do ye nat cum to take me quyetly and without suche violence / for I was dayly in your temple amonges you teachynge. Yf ye wolde haue had me: ye myght than haue taken me quietly at your plea­sure. But this is your hour and tyme graunted vnto you to take me. This is the power of the prynce of darkenes, that hath styr­red you to do thus. O what myldenes was in our sauioure Ie­su Christe / that so gentylly spake vnto his aduersaries / and so lo­uyngely rebuked theym, to swage theyr malyce and iniquitie / and also to moue vs to folowe his benignitie and gentylnes.

This nat withstandynge, the souldyers and the mynysters of the Iues layd vyolent handes vppon our lorde Iesu, and so toke hym. And though he was taken of his owne free wyll: yet that captiuitie and takynge was moche paynefull to hym.

[Page lxvi] For sythe it is paynfull to euery man that is put in captiuitie / for as moche as thereby his libertie is taken from hym, and he put in to thraldome / his libertie (I say) is taken from hym / as well the libertie of condicion, as of operacion and werkynge. The li­bertie of condicion is taken from hym. For after the Ciuile law: he is in bondage and thraldome. Also his libertie of operacion is taken from hym. For he that is so taken, can nat werke & do what he wyll: but as it shall please hym that hath hym in captiuitie.

For these causes (as ye may perceyue) it is moche paynefull for a man to be put in captiuitie: moche more than it was paynefull to our lord Iesu (whiche is the lorde and maker of heuyn and erth / and whom heuyn or erth can nat comprehende nor take) to be ta­ken and holden in captiuitie with the violent handes of so cruell persones. And in this acte was verified the sayenge of Dauyd / whiche said of Christe many yeres before:Psalm. 58. Ecce ceperunt animam meam, irruerunt in me fortes. Beholde (sayeth Christe by the pro­phete) stronge and cruell persons hath fallen vpon me, and they haue taken me.Psalm. 93. And in an other psalme: Captabunt in animam iusti, et sanguinem innocentem condemnabunt, They shall take in­to captiuitie the rightuouse person / and they shall condempne the innocent blood.Tren̄. 3. F. Also the prophet Hieremie sayeth: Venatione ce­perunt me quasi auem inimici me [...]. Myne enemies hath taken me with theyr huntynge, as a byrde in a snare or with an hawke.

Thus our true Ioseph (Iesus Christe) was taken of his bre­theren and led into Egipte / that is, into angwyssh and tribulaci­on. And so I say they toke hym and bounde hym / as we shall de­clare in the next article.

¶Of the byndynge of our lorde. The .vi. article.

THe syxt article, is the byndynge of our lorde. For the Iues, after that they had taken Christe: they bounde hym so harde and strayte: that (after saynt Anselme) the bloode sprange out of euery fynger ende vnder the nayles. They boūde his blessyd handes behynd hym / they cast hym downe vppon the erthe, as he before had cast them downe by his godly power. Moreouer they dyd trede vpon his brest / and spued or spytted in his face. Also they so harde boūde hym by the necke and throte: that he was nygh strangled, yf god had nat preserued hym for a tyme, that he shulde suffre more and greater paynes after this tyme. They bounde hym for thre cau­ses. Fyrste, that he shulde nat escape theyr handes. For Iudas bad them holde hym fast, and lede hym warely. Secondely, for they intendyd to sley hym. For it was a custome amonges the Iues, that whom they iudged worthy dethe: he shulde be boūde and so presented to the president and iudge. Thyrdly, he wold be bounde for a misterie, for bycause he cam to lawse and delyuer them that were bounde with the bondes of synne, and also those that were bounde as prysoners in Limbo patrum: therefore he wolde be wylfully bounde as a thefe, thoughe he were all inno­cent and without spot of synne. Our fyrst father Adam dyd com­myt theft, what tyme he ate of thapple that was forbydden hym / for whose syn all mankynde was taken and holden by the deuyll as theuys. For whose satisfaction Iesus Christ wolde be taken as a thefe / though in hym selfe he be incomprehensible. Also he wolde be bounde: whiche cam to lawse them that were bounde.

And they bounde hym with thre ropes or bondes. One about his handes. The seconde, about his necke. And sum do say that that was a chayne of yron. And the thyrde, about his myddell. And these bē represented in the ornamentes of the preest at his masse.

The fyrste, by the maniple vpon his arme. The seconde, by the stole in his necke. And the thyrde by the gyrdell. O my moost dere beloued Iesu, the very true vyne. Who is he that doeth nat se and consyder the bondes wherewith this oure vyne tree was bounde? He was bounde with seuen bondes. The fyrste (sayeth saynt Bernarde) I trow, was his obedience, whereby he was [Page lxvii] obedient to his father, vnto the death of the crosse. He dyd also o­bey to his mother Marie, and to his father putatiue Ioseph. As saynt Luke sayth:Luce. 2. G. Venit Nazareth: et erat subditus illis. Iesus came to Nazareth with mary and Ioseph, and was obedient to them. He was also obedient vnto the emperour, paynge tribute vnto hym.Mat. 17. D & 22. C. The second bonde was the wombe of the virgyn Ma­rie. Hereunto the churche syngeth of our lady in a certen respond, whom the heuens coulde nat take: thou virgyn hath conteyned hym in thy wombe.Luc. 2. The thyrde bonde was his cradell bondes or the cryb, wherin he was layde / as saynt Luke sayth. The .iiii. bonde was this bonde, wherwith he was bounde whan he was taken. O howe rughe and harde were these bondes of these moste cruell Iues, wherwith they bonde that most mylde lambe Iesus Christe. O good Iesu, I considre and se with the eyen of my soule, the swete lorde bounde with moost harde ropes and drawen as a thefe, to the house of the prynce of preestes. I se this good lorde, and I abhorre it, and also moche meruayle thereat, and so meruaylynge / I shulde faynte and also dye for sorowe, but that manifestly I knowe that thou was fyrste bounde in thy herte with the bondes of loue and charitie, whiche louyngly dyd drawe the to suffer gladely these outwarde bondes. The fyrste bonde was that wherwith he was fastyned to the pyllar whan he was scourged, of the whiche we shall speake hereafter. The syxte bonde, was the crowne of thornes wherewith his heed was faste bounde, as we shall declare hereafter. The seuenthe bonde were the nayles that nayled his handes and feete faste vnto the crosse.Li. 1. ca. 10. G. & Li. 4. cap [...]. 70. B. Or elles we may saye after saynte Birgitte in her reue­lations, that this seuenthe bonde, was that corde and rope wherwith they drewe his arme and his feete, so that all the ioyntes of his body were dissolued,Ancelmꝰ in dialogo passionis. M. for fyrste they nayled his ryghte hande and then they drewe the left hand with a rope vnto the hoole that was made before for that hande. And in lyke maner they drewe his feete, so that al his veynes and synewes brast, and all his ioyn­tes loosed, so that a man myght nombre all his bones, as the pro­phet Dauid sayth.Psal. 21. And this payne was so great & greuous that the lyfe myght nat continue with it in any other man, but Christe preserued his lyfe vnto suche tyme it pleased hym to yelde vp his spirit into y^e handes of his father,Iohā. 10 D. & therfore he said: Potestatē ha­beo ponēdi āam meā & nemo tollit eā a me. I haue power to gyue vp my soule at my pleasure. Also no man may take my life frō me, but I shall forsake it at my wyll, and at my wyll take it agayne. [Page] Our sauyour Iesu thus taken and bounden, al his disciples for­sakynge hym for feare fledde from hym, as we shall declare in the nexte article.

¶Of the fleynge or departynge away of the disciples of Christe. The .vii. article.

THe .vii. article is of the departyng awaye or fleyng of the disciples of Christe. Of the whiche it is wryten in the gospel thus:Mat. 26. F Tunc omnes relicto eo fugerunt. Whan Iesus was taken, then all his disciples lefte hym and fled from hym. This fleynge and departyng was no lytell payne to Christe. And therfore this article is nombred with the other articles of his passion, for specyally he was sory for this maner of departynge. And of this departynge speaketh Iob in the person of Christ sayenge.Iob. 19. B. Fratres mei elongauerunt a me et no ti mei quasi aliem recesserunt a me. My bretherne haue gone farre from me and myne aquayntance or knowen disciples as straun­gers hath forsaken me. And in a token or remembraunce of this forsakyng: the aulters on shire thursday be bared, for all theyr or­namentes be taken awaye, and the aulter lefte naked and bare. Christ is this aulter. and the apostles be the ornamentes, whiche fled from Christ, and left hym alone in the hādes of his enemies. Our lorde was heuy and sory of this departyng of his discyples, nat for hym selfe: but for them, that they were so sclaundered in hym. Of this sorowe saynt Ierome saythe: It is nat to be bele­ued that this departynge was without greate anguysshe and he­uynes of the herte of Christe, and also it was nat without greate mornynge and wepynge of the apostles. For I can nat thynke that after they se that cruell compeigney take and bynde our saui­our Iesu theyr most louynge maister: but that they wept and said with greate sorowe. O moost benygne maystre / more swete or pleasaunte than all hoony. It is moche sorowfull to vs to se the so cruelly entreated of the malycyous Iues. Alas, we wretches, what shall we do, leauynge so gracyouse a father, we forsake all our goodes and folowe the, and nowe we perceyue for a suerty that we shalbe pryued of thy presence / and wante thy confortable wordes and dedes, for we be assured nowe that the Pharyseys wyll sley the. O howe ofte (suppose you) dyd they looke backe towardes theyr moost mercyfull mayster, seynge and beholdyng with bytter sorowe theyr lorde so cruelly ledde of the malicyouse Iues, as we shall declare in the next article.

¶Of the leadynge of Christe. The .viii. article.

THe .viii. article, is of his leadynge. For after that they had taken and bounde hym, and after that his disciples fledde: the Iues led Christ towardes the house of Annas.Capi. 18. E. As it is in the gospell of Iohn̄. And this ledynge was moche laborouse and payne­full to Christe. Also it was rebukefull and violent. It was violent: for he was led with a great cumpanye of armed men and theyr captayne with them. It was also rebukefull to Christe, for he was led with his handes bounde as a thefe or an euyll persone.Ioh. 18. C. And so the Iues sayde to Pilate: Yf this persone (that is Christe) were nat a malifactour or an euyll doer & a mys­lyuer: we wolde nat haue delyuered hym to thy handes and po­wer. This ledynge was also laborouse, paynfull, and sorow­full to hym. And that bothe to the herte inwardely, and also to the bodye outwardely. Fyrste, it was sorowfull inwardely. For where euer herde you of any man, that wolde nat be heuy in hert, and inwardly sory, to be lad with the handes of his enemies, so cruelly, with so great a cumpany of armed men, with suche and so many rebukes and reprouynges, bothe in worde and in dede, as those mooste cruell Iues dyd vnto Christe at that tyme & le­dynge. That ledyng was also paynfull to his body. For though he wente wylfully with them: yet they drewe hym with a rope, they thrust hym & droue hym forwarde / and oft tymes they thrust hym downe and ranne ouer hym / and so drewe hym thorughe the vale of Iosaphat, from the flood or ryuer of Cedron, vp towar­des Hierusalem / ledynge hym with great haste and violence, he goynge bare foted / and therefore they greuously hurted & woun­ded his moost holy fete in that stony and moost harde waye. In so moche, that the steppys of his moost hooly fete were dyed and wet with blood. For cruelly those Iues (whose fete were swyfte & redy to shed the innocent blood) those Iues (I say) moost cru­elly thrusted hym from the one parte of the waye, vnto the other parte or syde. But wherfore dyd Christe suffre all these paynes [Page lxx] and rebukes, but onely to cure the woundes of our fete, whiche haue gone to do many a synfull dede / and specially the woundes of our spirituall fete and inordinate affections.Cātic. 3. A. 5. C Christe ranne thrugh thornes and breres, sechynge for his shepe that was lost. He sought hym by the brood stretys and narow lanes / and so the watchemen of the citie founde hym / they smote hym, they woun­ded hym and toke from hym his pall and garmentes. So that it may be well verified of Christ, that is wryten in the fyrst boke of Paralipomenon:Cap. 21. B. Ex omni parte angustie me premunt. Anguyssh, troubles, & paynes oppresse me on euery part. Sum doctours don say, that what tyme the Iues led Christe towardes Hieru­salem: thy came by the ryuer & water of Cedron, the ministres and the people went ouer the brydge / but they drew Christe boū ­den thrugh the water, so that the watre entred into his mouthe & body. At whiche tyme, what for the coldnes of the water, and al­so for his longe prayenge in the garden or orcharde: all his body was so colde, that all his tethe dyd quyuer and shake in his hed for colde.Psalm. 68. Herein were fulfylled the sayenges of Dauid: Sal­uum me fac deus quoniam intrauerunt aque vs (que) ad animam meam. Saue me my lorde god / for the waters haue entred into me.

And in an other Psalme:Psal. 109. De torrente in via bibet propterea exal­tabit caput. He shall drynke of the ryuer in the way, and therfore he shall exalte his hed. And whan they cam to Hierusalem, they dyd nat brynge hym in by the same gate that he wente furthe at, whan he went to Bethany: but by an other gate, called the gol­den gate. And it was so called: bycause all the golde that was gyuen to Salomon, was brought in by that gate and all other thynges y^t were of great valour. By this gate also was brought in all suche sacrifices as were offered in the temple. And for as moche as Christ, whan he entred into this worlde, he cam in by the golden gate / that is by the virgyns wombe: it was conueni­ent that whan he shulde departe from this worlde vnto his father by his dethe and passion: that he shulde goo to his dethe by this golden gate. And the Iues brought hym in by this gate: bicause there sat at that tyme many Scribes and Phariseis, for the more suretie that the comon people shulde nat take Christe from them. And one doctoure sayeth,Britsch. in 40. lib. Al­phabet. 44. B. that in that golden gate were grauen & painted the ymages of Patriarches & Prophetes in stone werke. And at the entryng of Christe by this gate: all thoo ymages dyd reuerently inclyne to Christe, as to theyr creatour and maker.

Also this same doctoure sayeth, that the multitude of the prestes [Page] and scribes went with a great compaigney vnto the forsayd gate cryenge and sayenge: Beholde the these is taken, the deulisshe person, the deceyuer of the people, the breaker of the lawe, and so they cast durte and clay agaynst hym. Also it is sayd / that from the place where as they toke and bounde hym, vnto the house or palace of Annas, ware .iii. M. passys saue .xv. And here note, that Christ this day in the processe of his passyon, was .ix. tymes led from place to place, as we may playnly se in the gospelles. Fyrste as soone as he was taken and bounde,Ioh. 18. C. he was led vnto the house of Annas.Ibid. D. Secondly from Annas, vnto Caiphas, Third­ly from Caiphas,Ibid. C. vnto Pylate. Fourthly from pilate, vnto He­rode. Fyftly from Herode,Lu. 23. A. b. vnto pylate agayne. Sextly the soudiours led him in to the courte of the comen haulle,Mar. 15. B motehaule or iudgement house, where as they mocked hym and put a crowne of thornes vpon his heed.Ioh. 19. A. Seuenthly Pilate led hym from that place out vnto the Iues, cladde in an olde purpure garment, and the crowne of thornes vpon his heed.Ioh. 19. C. Eyghtly / Pilate led hym from the motehaule vnto a place called Lichostratos, where as he iudged hym to be crucified.Iohā. 19 D. Neyntly / they led hym from thense vnto the mownte of Caluarie where as they dyd crucifie Christe.

How Christ was presented vnto Annas. The .ix. article.

THe .ix. article is of the presentynge of Christe vnto An­nas. For after they had brought Christ vnto the golden gate of Hierusalem, nat without his great payne, for one drewe hym by his garmēt / another by the necke and the thirde by the heire of his heed / they brought him fyrste vnto Annas bycause his house was in the way, and they thought that they shulde haue ben rebuked: if they had ouerpassed hym, for as moche as he was father in lawe vnto Caiphas, whiche was the high bisshop for that yere. And therfore they first presented Christ vnto Annas / willyng therby to honore Annas, and also to reioyse of that great acte whiche they had done in takyng of Christe,Prouer. 2. C. for as the wise man saith, Letantur impij cum malefecerint. &c. Wic­ked men be glad whan they do euyl, and they reioyse in their most mischeuous dedes. Also they first presēted Christ vnto Annas, by­cause that lesse defaut shulde be founde and put in Caiphas for the condempnation of Christ seinge that Christ was also condēpned of suche a wise / sage and also high bisshop as Annas was. In this house of Annas, our lorde suffred .iii. thynges moche payn­full to hym. The fyrste was the horrible denyenge of Petre. The seconde was the indiscrete question of the bisshop. And the thirde was the myghty stroke that the seruaunte gaue to hym vpon hys face. First he suffred the denyenge of Petre, whiche was horrible and also paynful to Christ for .vi. causes, that is for the multitude of people that were present at that denyenge, second was bycause Petre was so slacke to folowe his maister. &c. these causes and the other .iiii. shalbe declared in the next article.

¶Of the denyenge of Petre. The .x. article.

THe .x. article is of y^e denyeng of Petre, what tyme Iesus was led to the house of Annas, Petre folowed a farre of to se the ende what they wolde do with Christ. There folowed also Iohan whiche was well aquaynted with the bysshopes seruauntes, and knowen to the bysshop, and ther­fore he entred in with the other Iues into the bysshopes palace, [Page lxxii] but Petre abode without. And then Iohn̄ spake to the maide that kept the doore, to let Petre come in. And whan she se Petre: she sayd to hym:Ioh. 18. C. Nū quid et tu ex discipulis es hominibꝰ istius? Art thou nat of the disciples of this man? that is of Christe. And Petre sayd: I am nat. The wordes of this mayden myght seme more to be spoken for compassyon of Christe, and to admonysshe Petre to bewarre of suche compeigney as was then within in the courte, rather then to betraye Petre, for she se hym verye fearfull, he was so afrayed that he denyed Christ to be his maister. The ministres and seruauntes stode at the coolys or fyre and warmed themself, and Peter stode amonges them. And then a nother mayden said: This felawe was with Iesu, and the compeigney that was there sayd / truely he is one of them,Mat. 26. G for he is a Galilee, that is a man of the contreth of Galilee. Then Petre denyed it with an othe, and sayd:Luce. 22. F. I knowe nat that man. After that by the space of one houre the compeigney sayd to Petre agayne: veryly / thou arte one of them,Ioh. 19. E. and specyally one persone cosen to Malchus / whose eare Petre smote of: sayd to Petre: Dyd nat I se the in the garthen or orcharde with Iesu? And than Peter began to sweare / to curse and banne and sayd: I neuer knewe this man of whom ye speake and furthwith the cocke dyd synge or crawe.Luc. 22. G. And then our lorde turned hym and behelde Petre. And Petre remembrynge the say­enges of Christe before, how that he shulde thryse denye hym be­fore the cocke craw, he went furth of the bisshopes palace or court and wepte full bytterly.Suꝑ Mat 26. And here sayth saynt Hierome: Petre myght no longer abyde in derknes, for the lyght of the mercyes of god dyd shyne vpon hym, and therfore he wepte. And Petre after this had euer in vse & custome to stande in prayer and wepe from the fyrst cocke crawe: vnto the sonne rysynge, in the remem­braunce of his thryse denyenge of Christe. Also he bare alwaye with hym a sudarie, to wype awaye the teares that continually fell from his eyen for his synne. And for the same synne he wepte so moche, that his face seamed to be aduste and burned with the teares. And therfore he deserued to haue forgyuenes both of his synne & of the payne due for his synne. This threfolde negation of Petre, was no lytel payne vnto our sauiour Iesu, for it greued hym very moche to heare & se howe his owne chefe apostle, whom he had ordred to be called a stone, wherupon he wolde founde and buylde his churche, to se hym (I say) so openly and so shamefully thryse to denye his own mayster Christ, & that at the voyce of one mayden or woman. And note here that as a woman was the first [Page] mouer of man vnto synne, so a woman compelled the first prynce and prelate of Christes churche to denye Christe openly, so that by this exemple the infirmite of Petre myght more clerely appere to hym selfe. And this is it that we sayde in the .ix. article, that Christ suffred in the house of Annas, the denyeng of Petre which was shamefull to Petre and moche paynfull to Christe, and that for .vi. causes. Fyrste for the multitude of people that were then present, for he denyed Christe in the bysshopes palace, where as was at that tyme, moche people gathered, and therfore this synne was moche more greuous, than if it had ben done in a pryuate and secrete place. Secondly, it was the more shamefull to Petre / for his slaknes in folowynge Christe, for he folowed a farre of / thoughe before he had spoken and made his boste that he wolde rather dye then denye hym. The thyrde cause was the vylenes of the persone that moued the question vnto Petre, for it was a wo­man, nat a noble woman, but a seruaunt, and other vyle seruantꝭ, which was so moche the more to y^e rebuke of Petre, that he wolde denye his lorde god, at theyr questions. Fourthly for Petre short­ly and lyghtly denyed Christ at one worde of a pore and vyle ser­uaunt. The .v. cause is the periurie and cursynge of Petre, for this made his synne moche greuous.Libro. 13. And therfore sayth Symon de Cassia: Petre in his wordꝭ & his threfold negation, dyd great­ly rebuke Christe, whiche had chosen so inconstant and vnkyn [...]e a person to his disciple and to his chefe apostle. &c. And sextly the greuousnes of Petre synne dyd appere by his great and cōtinuall wepyng, for a great synne requireth great cōtrition and penaūce There be .iii. thynges in this gospel that moued & induced Petre vnto penaunce.Luc. 22. G. The fyrste is syngynge or crawynge of the cocke.Luc. 22. G. The seconde was y^e respecte and beholdynge of Christe. And the thyrde was y^e remembraunce of the wordes that our lorde sayde to Petre at the supper the same nyght, that was that Petre shulde denye Christ thryse that nyght before the cocke crawe. Our lorde suffred Petre to fall for our example, that no man shuld presume of hym selfe, seynge that the prynce of thapostles dyd fall. And also that no man shuld dispeyre, syth that Petre after so greuous a syn, was made y^e porter of heuyn. And thyrdly that Petre shuld lerne to haue cōpassion of his subiectꝭ. For shortly after he was to be made the chefe prelate of the churche. But where dyd Petre de­ny his mayster Christe? Not in y^e mount, nor in the temple, nor yet in his owne house, but in the bysshopes palace standyng and warmyng hym selfe by the fyre with the ministres and seruauntꝭ [Page lxxiii] of the bysshoppes. What signifyeth this palace or court of the bis­shoppe but worldly couuersacyon and maners. These ministers signify deuylysshe persons. The feare signifyeth carnall concu­piscence and desyre / who so euer abyde with these companyes: he can not wepe and do penaunce for his synnes. And therfore it is very daungerous and perilouse to be conuersant in the courtꝭ of prynces, for Peter dyd but ones entre in to the palace of [...] bisshop / and anone he lost the vertu and strength of his soule / and also denyed Christe. What suppose you wolde he haue done if he had longe continued there? I feare that he wolde haue then ben as our preestes be nowe in great mennes houses, that is worse in al poyntes than lay men. But Peter went thens to do penaūs for there he could do none. In lyke maner the sterre that appered to the .iii. kynges in the Est, whan they entred in to Hierusalem in to thepalace and court of Herode: the sterre vaynysshed from theyr syghte / and whan they were departed from thens: it appered to them agayne.

¶Howe our lorde was smyten vpon the cheke. The .xi. article.

THe .xi. article of the smytynge of our lorde, for in meane tyme that Peter outward in the courte denyed our lord iii. tymes our sauyour Iesu was in the house: present before the bysshop Annas, where as Annas moued vn­to Christ an vnwyse and folisshe question before and in the audi­ence of all the people that were there present that was of his discyples and of his doctrine,Ioh. 18. C. and Iesus answered not one worde of his discyples, for as at that tyme he could speake no good of thē for they all had forsaken hym that nyght / teachynge vs therby, that whan we can nat truely speake ony good of our neyghbours then we shuld kepe silence and speake none euyll of them, though we knowe it. But to the other question of his doctrine Iesus answered shewynge that it was not euyll nor suspecte: but good and holye, and that he proueth by the place and the compeyney where and amonge whome he spake it saynge:Ioh. 18. D. Ego palam locutꝰ sum mundo. &c. I spake openly to the people, I euer taught in the sinagoges and in the temple where as the Iues ben gathered togyther / and I spaketh nothynge in priuye corners / therfore in­quere of them that harde me / for they can tell what I haue sayde and taught, and here our lorde dyd so moderate his answere that nother he wolde hyde the treuthe nor yet be sene to defende hym self / gyuynge to vs a fourme and a maner howe to answere mo­derately vnto our aduersaries, so that we nother hyde the treuth nor yet prouoke or moue them agaynst vs with our wordꝭ. Then one of the mynysters smote Chryste vpon the cheke sayenge. [Page lxxiiii] Sic respondes pontifici? Ibidem. Is this a good answere vnto the bishop This stroke was so myghtye and greate / that the sownde therof was herde ouer all the palace / and it was so strongly gyuen that the prynte of his fyngurs remayned in Christes cheke, whiche prynte we may well se and perceyue in the image of his face that he gaue to the blessed woman called Veronica. This image was lately in Rome, and it shulde seame that he myghte not gyue [...]o sore a stroke with his bare hande, and therfore it is moche lykly that he smote Christ with his gawntlette sayng: Is this a good answere vnto a bisshop? this he spake with great arrogance and prowdly without ony reuerence vnto Christ, and this he dyd to please and flatter the bysshop. Of this stroke saint Ambrose saith That it was so paynfull that it had ben sufficyent for mannes redemption. It was so vehement / that therby all his teeth in his hed were moued or lowsed, and also his nose and his mouth gusshed out of blode. Our lorde wolde abūdantly and plentuously satisfye for our synnes. And therfore he most hygh in noblenes / was smyten of a vyle wretche, god was smyten of a synner, the lord of his seruant, the creature of his creature, the gouerner of the hole worlde of a vyle porcyon of the same worlde, the moste mercyful redemer was smyten of hym whom he came to redeme, if he wolde receyue it. This cōtumely with many other that fo­loweth our lord suffred for vs with al paciēce & mildnes, so that with great myldnes he answered to hym that smote hym:Ibidem. Si ma­le locutus sum testimonium perhibe de malo. &c. If I haue spoken euell beare witnes agaynst me of that euyll. But if I haue an­swered well / truly and conueniently / wherfore dost thou smyte me?Suꝑ Iohn̄ trac [...]. Cxiii This answere of Christ as saint Austen sayth / was not spo­ken of any impacyence / but gentely and swetely he dyd reproue that seruaunt / and called vnto his mynde his vnkyndnes. And herunto saynt Barnarde sayth. O merueylous greate vnkynd­nes / this same Malchus whom our lorde but a lytyl byfore dyd cure and heale his ryght heare the whiche Peter dyd smyte of. He nowe was bolde to smyte so cruelly his lorde god and curer. O good Iesu in what compaigney arte thou nowe, howe moch was thy pacyence. Howe great was theyr crueltye and inpa­cyence. But wyll they / nyll they / thy pacyence ouercometh theyr malyce / thy loue theyr enuy / and thy pitye / theyr crueltye. And thus ye may se that this smytyng is cōueniently nōbred amongꝭ the articles of Christes passyon, also therin was fulfylled the sa­yng of y^e ꝓphet:Tren̄. 3. D. Dabit ꝑcutiēti se maxillā: he shall offer his cheke [Page] to the smyter.Mich. 5. A. And an other prophet saith: Percutient maxillam iudicis Israel: they shall smyte the cheke of the iudge of Israell. This stroke was fygured in Michea / whiche was smyten vpon the cheke:Cap. vlt. D bycause he sayde the treuthe vnto Achab the kynge of Israell / as it is writen in the thyrde boke of the kynges.

¶Howe Iesus was presented vnto Cayphas. The .xii. article.

THe .xii. article of the presentacyon of Christe vnto Cay­phas / whan our lorde had taken that great stroke in the house of Annas, shortly after / Annas sent Christ bound as gyltye and worthy death and therunto condempned by hym, he sent hym (I say) vnto Caiphas / gyuyng thankes vnto the ministres that it wolde so please them to brynge Christe first vnto hym.Ioh. 18. D. Annas (I say) sent Christe to Cayphas, for he was the chiefe bishop for that yere, and so to him it apperteyneth principally to entreat of the condemnacyon and death of Christ, and for the same cause there were gathered a great companye of preestes and scribes in the forsayde house of Cayphas to counsell herin. In this house of Caiphas Christe dyd abyde vnto the moornynge, at the whiche tyme he was ledde vnto Pylate. [Page lxxv] And in this house he suffred .iii. thynges that were moche payn­full to hym / that is: the false witneshyng / the crafty adiuracyon and the most dispitefull confutacyon / as it shall appere in the articles folowyng. And here note that this presentacyon was more greuous vnto Christ, than the first that was to Annas, for this Cayphas was the cheyfe bysshop for that yere. And also he was more crafty and more malicyous than Annas / and that well ap­pereth by the interpretacyon of his name. Cayphas is as moche to say by interpretacyon as a crafty or wyly searcher, for he more craftely dyd searche for false witneshes agaynst Christe, & whan he coulde fynde no conuenient testimonye agaynst hym: then he malicyously and craftely by hym self toke occasyon in our lordes wordes of his dampnacyon as we shall declare hereafter in the xiiii. article. O how payneful is it to a good man to be presen­ted before suche a iudge / so craftie / so captious / so malicyous / and replete with all enuy. It is sayd that from the house of An­nas vnto Cayphas house were an hundreth neynty & .iiii. passes by the whiche space about .xxx. tymes they condemned hym / and spued or spyt vpon hym / bisydes many other tormētes & paynes.

¶Of the bryngynge furth of false testimonie agaynst Christe. The .xiii. article.

THe .xiii. article is of the saynges of .ii. fals witnesses. For whan Christe stode before Caiphas the hyghe prince of prestes, and all the counsaile there gathered dyd serche to haue false testimony against Iesus that by some colour they myght put hym to death, and yet they coulde fynde none conuenient wytnes, thoughe many false witneshes were brought forth,Libro. xiii. then at laste there came two false witneshes / of the whiche Symon de cassia sayth: The counsell of the Iues saughte for testimonie agaynst Chryst that vnder the colour of iustyce they myght put hym to deth, whome they persu­ed of pure enuy / but they laboured to cloke the crueltye and enuy of theyr myndes with y^e cloke of iustyce / and therfore they saught for false witnes. And here note that it is to the hyghe laude and prayse of Christ that they could not fynd the leste thynge that he was culpable in / or to be reproued / and note wele that it is wry­ten: Falsum testimonium. They saughte for false testimonie for they myght neuer fynde true wytnesse agaynst hym.Marci. 14. F. But at last two false wytnes came furth and sayd: we herd hym say, I may distroy this temple of god that is here made & in .iii. dayes buyld an other temple. By this testimonie they intended to proue that Christ wolde vsurpe vnto hym the power of god as if he were god / but these two were false witneshes for they chaunged the wordes of Christe and also his sense and vnderstandynge. The wordes of Christe were these:Iohn̄. 2. D. Soluite templum hoc: et in tribus diebus excitabo illud / That is / dissolue this temple (that is kyll or sley this bodye of myne) and in thre dayes I shall rayse it vp agayne. He ment of the temple of his body and they spake of the material temple in Hierusalem / and therfore they added in theyr testimony: Templum hoc manufactum: This temple made by the hand of man / whiche wordes Christ spake not / and therfore they bare false witneshe agaynst hym / and that dyd not a lytell hurte or greue Christ.Psal. Cxv. What man is he that wyl not be sory to be falsly accused / though he (as euery man is) be mutable and many thynges do offende? Howe moche more then shulde Christe be sorye to be falsly accused / syth he in nothynge can offende, for he is the essencyal treuth of god and the selfe god in substance. Here saint Anselme in his boke called Cur deus homo / merueylynge of the mischeuouse mynde that the Iues had, so to procure the death of [Page lxxvi] Christ: answereh to hym selfe instructe by the spirite of god / and sayth: I thynke that there is none other cause of theyr malyce to­wardes Christe, but that he continually and stably keapt truthe and iustyce both in his dayly speache / in his teachynge and also in his lyuynge. And contrary wyse / the Iues were euell / false / vniuste and craftye or disceytefull, for the whiche Christe sharplye rebuked them, and therfore they procured his deth for they wold haue none to lyue that shulde be better than they: lesse that they shulde then be reputed as synfull men / and so suffer great shame and rebuke. This counsel was spoken of by the holy patriarche Iacob sainge:Genes. 49. A. Simeon et Leui fratres: vasa iniquitatis bellantia. &c. Symeon and Leny brretherne / armed or feyghtynge vesselles of iniquitie, I wolde that my soule or lyfe came not in to theyr handes / power or counsell. And of this text the ordinerye glose sayth / that the bysshoppes & preestes were of the tribue or stocke of Leni, and the scribes for the more partie were of the stocke of Symeon.

¶Of the blasphemy imputed to Christe. The .xiiii. article.

[Page] THe .xiiii. article is the false imposicyon of blasphemy vnto Christe. Cayphas the cheyfe prynce of the preestꝭ and the highe bysshop for that yere, seyng that Christ wold not speake or answere to theyr false accusacyons And that suche testimonies as was spoken agaynste hym / were not sufficyent for his condempnacyon: He was gretly troubled bycause I say he coulde fynde no cause wherin he myghte accuse hym & iustly condempne hym, and then he so kyndled with wroth in a great furye of mynd he arose vp with great inpacyence from his seate of dignitie and sayd vnto Iesus:Math. 26. F. Nihil respondes ad eaque isti aduersum te testificātur? Wyl thou not answere vnto such causes as these persons lay agaynst the? By the inordinate mo­uynge of his bodye he made knowen the furye of his mynde / as Bede sayth where as temperance and grauitye beseameth a pre­late and a iudge both in his wordes / dedes and gesture.Suꝑ Mat. 15. And as Symon de Cassia saythe:Libro. 13. Cayphas rose vp for vnquyetenes of mynde and so by his cruell mynde he was made higher then hym selfe / for a man standynge is hygher than whan he is syttyng, he prouoked Christ to answere / nor for the intent that he wolde be­leaue his answere or take his excuse: but hearynge his answere he myght peruert it and take therof occasyon to accuse hym, but Iesus wold not answere / he held his speach meakly / for he knewe that Cayphas wolde take summe occasion of his answere / wher­by he wold accuse hym, therfore Iesus wold not speake, & that was not of any displeasure or feare: but for a misterie, as kno­wynge that he whiche moued hym to speake: dyd it of a crafte and fraude, and not to knowe the truthe. Also he kepte silence to gyue vs example to contempne the false craftes and disceytes of our aduersaries / and therfore he wolde rather strongly keape his silence than to defende his cause without ony profyte. And of this silence was spoken longe before that tyme, by the prophet Esay:Esaie. 53. C Quasi agnus coram tondente se obmutescet. &c. He shalbe as dumbe as a lambe whan he is shorne / and he shal not open his mouth to gyue answere.Psal. 37. And the prophet Dauid saith in the person of Christ: I as a deafe man hard not: & I was as a dumbe man not openynge his mouth. And the more that our sauyoure Iesus kepte silence to them that were not worthy his answere: the more Cayphas the bisshop beynge in greate furye / prouoked Christe to answere.Math. 26. F. And therfore with great indignacyon and inpacyence he said to Christ Adiuro te per deum viuum vt dicas no bis si tu es Christus filius dei: I adiure the by the lyuynge god / [Page lxxvii] or charge and commaunde the by the vertue of the lyuynge god / that thou say vnto vs if thou be Christ the sonne of god lyuynge. This adiuracyon Cayphas spake of a false craftie and disceytful mynde and not for to knowe the truthe.Suꝑ Mat. 26. And therfore saynt Hie­rom sayth: Cayphas dyd adiure Christ by the lyuynge god, that for the reuerence of the name of god: he shulde answere and speke vnto them not intendyng therby to knowe the truth, but to take occasion of his wordes to falsly accuse Christe. O what madnes and wickednes was this, fyrst they sent to take hym and so they bounde hym as a thefe worthy deth. And now they examyn hym not to knowe the truth / but rather to fynd some occasion in hym wherby they myghte accuse hym vnto Pylate as worthy death. And this adiuracyon was a greuous synne in Caiphas, for it perteyneth not to the inferiour so to coniure the superiour without a reasonable cause / to say the treuthe. This notwithstandynge Christe for the reuerence of the name of god wherwith he was adiured: he answered and spake the truth fyrste that they shulde not excuse theym selfe but that they herde hym saye the treuth, and also that he wolde not be noted to contēpne the name of god, for these causes Iesus answered & sayde:Math. 26. F. Tu dixisti, ego sum. &c. Thou hast sayd the truthe, I am the sonne of god notwithstan­dynge,Marci. 14. G. I say vnto you that from hensforth or herafter ye shall se the sonne of man, that is, ye shall se me, whome you nowe con­tempne and shamefully entreate, syt on the ryght hand of the ver­tue of god, that is in maiestie and power equall / and one with god the father and ye shall se me cume at the day of iudgement in my manhode with great power and maiestie in the clowdes of heuen.Suꝑ Mar. Than Cayphas whiche before rose vp in a greate furye hearynge this answere was more mad,Libro. iiii. and so cut or rent his garmentes,Libro. 13. for as Bede sayth whome that furie made ryse from his seate: this madnes prouoked hym to cut and rent his vestiment. and as Symon de Cassia sayth, this cuttynge of his garment doth shewe a folysshe diuisyon in his maners / and also the want of the bond of Charitie. And in this acte Cayphas dyd also pro­phicye / shewynge and signifyenge by the cuttynge of his gar­ment, that the Iues shuld shortly lese theyr dignitye of preesthod which began in Aaron, for when he cut his garment or clothyng he made that openly to be sene, which before was secreat, and so consequently he cut and put from hym the couerynge of the lawe, though he knewe it not: nor yet intended y^t, for he onely cut his clothynge: that he mygh: make his accusacyon agaynst Christe, [Page] more greuous, and to shewe that thynge by his doynge: which he spake in his wordes, for he sayde that Christe dyd blaspheme god. It was a custome and a maner amonges the Iues y^t whan they herde any blasphemye spoken agaynst god: they wolde cut and rent theyr clothynge or garmentes in token of sorowe and detestacyon of so great a cryme. This greuous synne of blasphemy the prynce of preestes Cayphas dyd impute to Christe saynge: Blasphemauit: He hathe blasphemed god attributynge and gy­uynge that thynge to hym selfe: whiche is onely propre to god. What nede we of ony other witnes as he myght say we labour in vayne to searche for wytnesse agaynste hym, for he hath spoken openly and before al your presence, ye haue hard hym speake blasphemye. O wreche and prynce full of wyckednesse, he spake no blasphemye but the treuth thou dost blaspheme the sonne of god, for thou wyll not gyfe that thynge to god that apperteynethe to god, thou reputest the essencyall sonne of god to be a pure crea­ture, and therfore thy blasphemye shalbe with the euermore to thy eternall perdicyon and dampnacyon.

¶Of the Condempnacyon of Christe. The .xv. article.

THe .xv. article is the condempnacyon of Christe vnto the death. Whan Cayphas the prynce of preestes had sayde to his compaigney that were there gathered in counsel, ye all haue nowe herd hym speake blasphemy, he asked of them what they thought, and then they al answering [Page lxxviii] sayd:Math. 10. G. Reus est mortis: He is worthy death / he hath deserued deth. This they sayd that theyr malice shuld be openly knowen, and though they dyd not so intende: yet it was so done by the permis­syon and suffrance of god, as many other thynges here spoken and done in these articles.Libro. [...]. And beholde here (sayth Symon de Cassia) howe iustyce is oppressed / vertu put vnder foote / and reason vtterly subdued to theyr malice, in so moche that all the princes / wyse men and seniours dyd agre in one sentence to con­demne to deth the rightuous person. And there was not one that wolde speake for the innocent / that wolde defende hym / excuse hym / or requyre respyt of that he myght answere or defend hym selfe / but all they condempned hym as worthy deth / where as Christe spake onely the treuth.Marci. 14. G. And note here the merueylouse folysshenes or rather madnes of this bisshop / howe he syttynge in the place of a iudge / dyd peruerte the ordre of iustyce and of the lawe. Fyrst he gaue sentence of blasphemy agaynst Christe / and after that he asked counsell of suche as satte in examinacyon with hym sayeng what thynke you in this cause, and they sayd: Reus est mortis: He is worthy death. Suche a iudge hath suche coun­sellers, they were the accusers of Christe, they discussed and examined his cause and they also gaue sentence and all contrarie to the order of the lawe. They sayd he is gyltye and worthy death. It Christ had blasphemed as they said that he dyd:Leui [...]. 24. C. they had then sayd treuthe, for who so euer dyd blaspheme the name of god, by the lawe he shulde suffer death, for he shulde be stoned to death. But for asmoche as Christe dyd not so in dede as they sayd: therfore theyr sentence was false and wycked. And therfore this con­dempnacion of Christ vnto the death: is conueniently nombred amonges the articles of Christes passyon, for what man is there that wyll not be heuy and sory to be falsly condēpned vnto deth, how moche then shulde Christe be sory beynge moste innocent, and the lyfe of all lyuynge creatures, to be condempned vnto so shameful a death of the crosse / and that by those persons: whome he came to saue and helpe.

¶Of the buffetynge or smytyng in the necke of Christ. The .xvi. article.

THe .xvi. article is the beatynge or smytynge of christ in the necke with theyr fystes / for whan Iesus hadde confessed hym selfe to be the sonne of god / whiche the Iues toke for the most blasphemy that might be: then all the compeyney that were present fel vpon hym lyke mad men rebukynge and mockynge hym / some dyd spytte in his face and some dyd smyte hym in the necke with theyr fystes as saynt Ma­thewe sayth:Math. 26. G. Comonly suche persones as be taken for foolys or vyle persons and dispysed be so smyten in the necke. Therfore in that / that the Iues bet Christ with theyr fystes in the necke there is not so moche intended in this article / the payne that then he suffred, as the cōtumely and dispisynge, for that, they that tyme reputed hym as a foole and a vyle person, for therby he was mocked / scorned and blasphemed / and therfore they also pinched / nipped him and pulled hym by the chekes & by the heyre of his berde, whiche all he suffred pacyently / and so was fulfylled the sayenge of the prophyt whiche sayd in the person of Christ:Esaie. l. C. Corpus meum dedi percutientibus: et genas meas vellentibus: I offer my body pacyently to them that smote it / and my chekes to them that pynched them. And these laste wordes some men expounde them / of the rentynge and tearynge of Christes chekes with the sharpe nayles of the most cruell Iues,Lira super. and some doctours declare them of the pullynge of Christes heyre out from his berde,Esa. l. capi. & whether [Page lxxix] of these be true or that both be true (whiche I rather suppose) I may well se and ꝑceyue that the cursed handes of the most cruell Iues were not saciate with smytyng / beatyng & spyttyng in that most swete face of our sauiour Iesu, but also they rent his beau­tious face with theyr nayles & pluckyng out the heyre frome hys berde,Libro. xiii. and as Symon de Cassia saith: This smytyng in y^e neck may signifye vnder a misterie the obstinate malice of the Iues, wherby they cōtinually curse our fayth / whiche ioyneth vs vnto god, and also it signifieth the crueltie of the paganes which cōtinually labored by theyr tyrannie to distroy & cut away our fayth. For the pagans before y^t they were cōuerted to the faith: they put to deth as many faythfull people as they might get. Colaphus is properly called a beetyng in the necke with y^e fyst. Nowe spūally our faith is called the necke of the church for asmoch as it ioyneth the hed & the body togyther that is: christians be ioyned to christ by fayth / and this faith shulde be strong as the necke / and therfore in the canticles it is compared to the towre of Dauid which was very stronge.Cant. 4. G. Our sauiour Iesus was smyten in the necke .xl. tymes in the house of Cayphas, and there were gathered in this counsell of the Iues agaynste Christe. lxxvii. Iues.

¶Of the spittyng in Christes face. The .xvii. article.

THe .xvii. article is of y^e spittyng in Christꝭ face, whan al the Iues had accused Christ as worthy to dye / then they dyd spytte in his face / as in a persone most vyle / abiecte and to be dispysed / a person cursed and repro­ued of god,Mat. 15. G and therfore as the gospell sayth: Ceperunt quidam conspuere eum: Some be ganne to spytte vpon hym / and that in his most amiable face as Mathewe sayth:Mat. 26. G. This spyttynge was done and suffred of Christe for many causes. Fyrst to note theyr great vnkyndnes:Libro. xiii. as Symon de Cassia saythe: Our lorde dyd spytte on the erth and made clay / and therwith anoynted the eyen of hym that was borne blynde & so gaue to hym hys syght / which he had not by nature.Ioh. 9. A. And nowe the Iues to shewe theyr vnkyndnesse / dyd defoyle the face of our lorde with theyr soule spyttyn­ges. Secondely they spyte in his face to his great shame and despection, for it was the propertie of the Iues to spytte in the face of hym whom they dispysed and reputed as a vyle and abiect persone. O abhominable maner of the Iues whiche abhorred not to defoyle that most amiable and louly face / the whiche angelles haue great desyre to beholde whichens ful of grace & fauour and desired of all good people for it is y^e lyfe conforth & helth of al y^t be holdeth it / & not only they dyd spyt in his face / but also they coght and retched & so cast y^e foule stynkyng flegme into his fayre face. Therfore Mathew saith: Expuerūt, that is / they retching & cou­ghyng / dyd spyt it into his face. And Marchus saith Conspuerūt: that is not only one ꝑson but many togither dyd spue in his face, in somoch that y^t most blessed & amiable face was made so abhominable to behold as if it had ben full of lepre / and y^t was thorough theyr spittyngꝭ / scratchyngꝭ & betayngꝭ▪ as we shall declare in the next article. And so was fulfylled in christ y^e ꝓphecie of Esay sa­yng of christ:Esa. liii. A. Non erat ei species. &c. There was nother beautye nor fauour in his face, we se him & we might not se his face it was so couered w^t blode & spyttyngꝭ, we reputed hym as a lepre and smyten of god as y^e most wretched / but he was woūded for our iniquites & oppressed for our sinnes & not for his owne. And herunto saint Barnard saith.In se [...]mōe de passione domini. O good Iesu these moste wretched & cruell Iues haue w^t theyr stynkyng spuyngꝭ defoyled thy face so beau­tious & amiable y^t angelles desire to behold it which fulfylleth all heuyns w^t ioye & gladnes / which both rich & pore in y^e worlde do worship / & yet good lord thy wretched creatours dyd smyte y^e and dispise y^e as a vyle seruant / thou beyng the lorde of all creatours.

¶Of the smytynge of Christe in the face. The .xviii. article.

THe .xviii. article is the smytynge of Christe in the face. Of the whiche saynte Mathewe sayth thus: Et palmes ei in faciem dederūt, Math. 26. G. And they smote hym in the face with the palme of theyr handes, as the hande whan it is closed it is called the fyste / so whan it is open and spredde abrode it is called the palme.Isydorus. As papias and Isydore saythe.Libro. xi. So nowe they smote Christe with theyr open handes vppon the face.Ethicorum cap. 14. And this smytynge maketh a specyall article of the passyone of Chryste / for asmoche as a manne dothe suffer more payne by suche smytynge in the face:Papias su­per hāc dic­tionem palma. [Page] then by smytynge in the necke, for in the face of man ar all y^e sen­ces or wittes, and also the face is moche ten [...]er and soone hurte. And therfore it is very lyke that by suche swytynge in the face the blode ranne out from his noose and also from his mouth though it be not writen by the euangelistes.Libro. xiii. For as Symon de Cassya sayth: That the euangelistes dyd omitte many thynges decla­rynge the bytternes of Christes passyon, whiche yet we meakly beleue, and that was bycause the euangelistes wrote onely for the truthe of the historie to be had / and not pryncypally to excite and moue the effecte of compassyon in vs. O what enorme and greuous synne of the most wicked Iues was this, y^t they wolde so cruelly smyte so pleasaunt a face?Snꝑ marc. 14. in fine. But as saynt Hierom saith: He wolde pacyently suffer so to be smyten with theyr palmes: that we with our handes and lyppes, that is with our workes and wordes myght laude and prayse hym. Also we may say that he is smytten in the face: whiche is rebuked and reuyled to his owne face. And in this maner also was Christ smyten in the face for he suffred many rebukes / contumelies and dispysynges openly to his owne face spoken.Esaie. l. C. And of the prophet Esay in the person of Christe / Faciem meam non auerti▪ ab increpantibus et conspuen­tibus in me. I haue not turned my face frome theym that reuyled and rebuked me and spytted vpon me, for the Iues dyd not on­lye smyte Christ vpon the face: but also they reuyled hym to hys face with many opprobrious and blasphemous wordes, which all the euangelistes do not expresse. But yet Lucas touchethe them in a generaltie sayenge:Luc. 22. G. Et multa alia blasphemantes: dice­bant in eum: The Iues blasphemyng Christ: spake many other opprobrious wordes to hym.

¶Of the couerynge and blyndfyldynge of Christes face. The .xix. article,

THe .xix.Marc. 14. G. article is the couerynge of Christes face / for as the Gospel saith: Velauerunt faciem eius: They couered his face, who so euer couereth the face of an other person: he hydeth that face from hym, and so the Iues hydd the face of god from them. And this couerynge yet continueth vnto this daye vpon the hertes of the Iues / for they wyll not se and knowe god as they shulde do. O mad blyndnes and blynde madnes of these vnhappy Iues, that most pleasaunt face whiche the holye patriarches and prophetys and theyr formar fathers greatly desyred to come and with contynuall and longe syghenges desyred to se it, but these wycked Iues / when they had it present and myght haue sene it / they wolde not, but couered it and hyde it from them. Moyses desyred to se this face whan he sayd:Exod. 33. C. Ostende mihi faciem tuam: Lorde shewe to me thy face, Also Dauid sayd: shewe to vs thy face and we / shalbe safe.Cant. 2. D. Psal. lxxix. Also in the canticles it is writen / shewe to me thy face for it is very fayre.Psal. lxxix. All the fathers also in Limbo patrum dyd crye and say: Come and shewe to vs thy face lorde that syttest aboue Cherubyn. And at laste: He that was thus desyred of all good men: came and shewed his face to the Iues, and they as most wretched couered his face,Suꝑ. Mar. 14. not for that he shuld not se theyr synnes but to hyde hys face from them selfe as Bede sayethe:Exo. 34. D. for theyr soore and blynde ey ene myghte not beholde the face of Moyses: Excepte that it were fyrste couered, but this person Chryste is moche more of dignity then Moyses. [Page] And therfore his face is moche more glorious and shinynge then Moyses face was, though Christes glory were al inwardly and outwardly couered with a clowde of a mortall bodye / yet there was a lytyll sparke of glorye shynynge in his face, that dyd so glymer and beat in the eyes of the Iues: that they could or wold not pacyently beholde his face / but couered it and hyd [...]d it from them selfe, signifyenge therby (though they so dyd not intende) that no infidele and synfull person turned from god: myghte se and beholde the face of Christe, for it is hyd from them, A figure of this couerynge and blyndfyldyng we may take in Sampson which for the loue he had vnto the synful woman Dalida:Iudi [...]. 16. E. F. he lost his strength / he was taken of his enemyes / his eyen were putte out / and also he was fatigate and weryed with manifolde illusy­ons and scornes. So our stronge Sampson Christ Iesus was serued in lyke maner as it appereth in the articles of his passyon, and al that was for y^e loue of our synfull soule, to whom he spake by the prophet,Hie [...]. 3. A. Thou hast done fornicacyon with many straūge louers, yet returne & come agayne to me and I shal receyue the.

¶Of the mockynge of Christ when they bad hym prophicye, who is this that smy­teth the. The .xx. article.

THe .xx. article is the scornful questyon of the Iues vnto Christ, For when they had couered his face: they smote hym on the heed saynge: Arede or prophicye vnto vs Christe, who is he that smyteth the nowe. But in what parte they then dyd smyte hym: the euangelistes spake diuersly. For Marcus sayth that then they smote hym with theyr fystes in the necke.Math. 20. G. But Mathew and Luke say that they smote hym vp­pon the face wyth the palmes of theyr handes.Luce. 22. G Therfore we may say cōueniently, that after they had couered his face: euery man smote hym as he wold, and so some smote hym in the necke / some in the face and some on the chekes: and so smytynge they sayde. Arede or prophicye to vs thou Christ / who smote the nowe?Math. 26. G. And this they spake to mocke and scorne hym as the glose sayth,Glosa ordinaria Ibid by­cause he wolde be taken as a prophet amonge his apostles and comen people, and whom the people also toke for a great prophet But the Iues nowe bycause he wolde not saye who smote hym: they toke hym for a false prophet. Our sauyour Iesus wolde not answere to theyr folisshe and mad questyon / bycause he knewe that they mocked hym, and so surely it had ben but a folysshenes to answere vnto theyr madnes. Saynt Hierom sayth: that they ware without mercy and full of crueltie / and therfore they dyd all the euyll and derysyon that they coulde do to hym. Some smote hym of an euyll frowarde wyl, and some to please y^e great prynces, whiche were moste cruell and full of malice. And as saynt Hierome saith: this payne and passyon that he suffred that nyght: shall neuer be manyfestly & hollye knowen vnto y^e day of iudgemēt, for frō the beginnyng of the nyght vnto the mornyng, he was left in the handes & custody of the vyle seruantes whiche dyd then exercyse and proue in hym all maner of tormentes and paynes that they coulde ymagyne: Nowe drawynge hym by the heyre of the heed nowe smytyng hym on the face, nowe spyttyng in his face and mouthe, nowe pynchynge his chekes and so of o­ther paynes as we sayd before and shall say more hereafter: they vexed and greued our sauyour Christe both in soule and in body.

¶Howe Christe was presented before Pylate. The xxi. article.

THe .xxi. article is the presentacyon of Christe before Pylate. For what tyme it was clere day / that is the fyrste houre of the day / at .vi. of the clocke at the sonne rysyng. A greate multitude of Iues came to Cayphas house / and from thens they ledde Iesus bounde vnto the mote halle or iudgement house as a mylde lambe that is borne to his deth. O my soule beholde here howe thy sauyour Iesus entreth vnto his iudgement bounde thurst and many other wayes vexed / and all men behelde hym and mockyng hym sayd: O Iesu thou art here nowe, if thou had ben a prophet: thou wolde haue preuyded for this before, with many other lyke wordes that those cursed Iues spake then to hym. And thus they brought hym bounde and delyuered hym to ponce Pylate the president and hygh iudge of Iu­ry vnder the emperoure of Rome.Mat. 17. A This presentynge vnto Py­late was most greuous of all other vnto Christe, fyrste bycause he was presented before that iudge, whiche had ful power vnder the emperour to condempne hym vnto the deth. Secondly by­cause the Iues that presented hym to Pylate dyd presente hym / not as to be examyned by Pylate: but they delyuered hym vnto Pylate as conuicte and founde gylty by theyr examinacyon / and so to be put to y^e deth without ony other examinacion or taryeng. [Page lxxxiiii] For they sayd to Pylate:Ioh. 1 [...]. C. If this man were not a mislyuer and so worthy deth / we wolde not haue delyuered hym to the. Of this we shall speake more in the next article. Thyrdly this presentyng to Pylate was moste greuous to Christe bycause he had ben faty gate and weryed the nyght before, many wayes by the crueltye of the Iues, and therfore it was moche more payne to hym now to be brought to the iudgement of a pagane and infidele, for they brought hym bound to Pylate to be slayne and deuoured by hym whiche was reputed as a dogge amonge the Iues bycause he was a gentyle and not circumcysed as they were.

¶Howe the Iues falsely accused Christe before Pylate. The .xxii. article.

THe .xxii. article is the false accusacyon that the Iues made of Christe, for whan Christe was brought in to the mote hal and there stode bound before Pylate the iudge: the Iues wolde not come in to the mote hall bycause they wolde not be defoyled and made vnclene, for that day was theyr Pasch day, wherin all the Iues that were clene shulde eate the pure breade that is made of pure where without leuyn, and the Iues had this opinyon, that yf they came in the house of any gentyle or straunger whiche was not circumcided as they were: by that entrance they were made vnclene and so myght not eate of those pure breades: vnto suche tyme they were fyrst purifyed.Suꝑ Iohn̄ trac. Cxiiii And here sayth saynt Austen. O wycked blyndnes, the Iues feared to entre the house of a straun­ger, bycause they wolde not be contaminate / but they feared not to sley theyr innocent brother and also lorde. O thou christiane [Page lxxxv] note here howe the Iues kepte them selfe frome all vnclennes that they myghte eate the pure breade of wheate whiche gaue to theym no grace of god for the selfe eatynge, moche more then shuldest thou keape thy selfe clenne, whiche receyuest the blessed bodye of Chryste / the heuenlye breade whiche gy­ueth to the / the eternall lyfe. The Iues wolde not entre in to y^e iudgmēt house: and thou wylt not auoyd euyl compaigny and tauernes / where as oftentymes bene spoken temerary vn­godlye iudgementes,Libro. xiii. and also moche blode shedde by false de [...]xaccyons and other wayes. Symon de Cassia also sayth here: That the Iues of an olde tradycyon and ordynaunce / auoyded and shunned the houses of straungers in suche hyghe solempnytyes. And so they euer intendynge to suche lyghte and vayne ceremonyes and lytyll regardynge greatter thynges: fell in to the deape pytte of greate synnes,Ioh. 18. E. and Pylate seyng that they wolde not enter in to hym: he went forth to them and sayd: what accusacyon brynge you agaynst this man. And here sayth Symon de Cassya:Libro. xiii. It apperteyneth to the wisdome and iustyce of euery iudge and president not to iudge after the mynde of the accusers / excepte theyr accusacyon be probable and true. Ther­fore Pylate wysely dyd inquyre, and ordinarylye dyd procede in this cause / whan he sayde: what accusacyon shewe yow agaynste this man. For also by the lawes of the Romaynes / no man shulde be condempned to deathe, Excepte he be fyrste accused and that proued, Also Pylate merueylynge and also moued with displeasure agaynste the Iues, that they of theyr owne auctoritye wolde bynde Christe / nor yet conuicte before the iudge: thoughte that they hadde some greate cause agaynst Christe, and therfore he asked of them / what cause they layde agynste hym.Ioh. 18. E. And then they answered: Si non esset hic male­factor: non tibi tradidissemus eum: If this persone were not a mysordred lyuer: we wolde not haue delyuered hym to the, As if they hadde sayde / after Symon de Cassya we be not mo­ued of enuye / nor yet styrrede of haytred,Libro. xiii. Nor yet we haue bene hastye in this dede, before that we delyuered hym to the: we dyscussed hys cause, we se his euyll dedes, we knowe his myscheuous tongue / there is nothynge that compellethe vs to delyuer hym vnto the / to be iudged & cōdempned by the: but his euyl dedes. Also addyng this we haue examined him in our wise [Page] and lerned counsell / and there we haue founde hym worthy to dye / wherfore it is not nedeful to haue any further examinacyon. Thus these malicyous Iues dyd iustify them self before the iuge that they myght the more spedely cōdempne the innocent. Pilate sōwhat moued or despleased with theyr answere bicause he knew that they accused Christ for enuy onely that they had to Christe, and therfore thynkyng that they wold not shewe what cause they had against hym: for bycause he had offended against theyr law, therfore I (sayd Pilate) wold not punish him but remitted hym to theyr punisshmēt, which was onely to be beaten & not to inner deth.Ioh. 18. F. And so Pylate sayd to them: Accipite eum vos: et secūdum legem vestram iudicate eum, Take you christ and iudge him after your lawe, as if he shuld say, If your examinacyon be sufficient then iudge you hym and condempne hym for I wyll condempne no man without a cause proued before me. And this also he spake mockynge them,Ibidem. for he knewe well that they myght condempne no man to deth. then the Iues sayd to hym: Nobis non licet in­terficere quem (quam): we may sley no man / for that auctoritie was taken from them by the emperour of Rome. And here sayth saynte Austen:Suꝑ Iohn̄ trac. Cxiiii. If he be so a mischeuous person as ye say: why may ye not sley hym, if ye may not sley hym for your solempne feeste of pasche: why do ye crye and saye: crucifye hym / crucifye hym / Pylate perceyuing by theyr wordes that they wold not be cōtent with any small punisshement of Chryste / but that they wolde haue hym slayne: he wolde nedes heare the cause why he shulde dye. And then they perceyued that Pylate was angrye: began to accuse Chryste falsely in many thynges, of the whiche onelye thre we rede in Luke.Luc. 23. A. And so the Iues sayde, Hunc inueni­mus subuertentem gentem nostram. &c. we founde thys persone subuertynge our people from our lawe. Also forbyddyng the pe­ple to pay tribute to the emperoure. And saynge hym selfe to be Chryste and our kynge. But these accusacyons were al false. And therfore they sayde: Inuenimus: we haue founde hym, for that was onely in theyr owne malicyous hartes, for it was not truthe in dede: but onelye theyr owne ymagynacyon and inuencyon. For he whiche came to fulfyll the lawe and not to breke it: dyd not subuert the people from y^e lawe. Nor he dyd not subuert them: but rather cōuerted them to goodnes whom he taught y^e truth, nor he dyd forbyd y^e people to pay tribute to y^e emperour / for he said openly:Mat. 22. C pay or rēder tho thyngꝭ to y^e emperour [Page lxxxx] whiche be his,Mat. 17. D and gyue to god that apperteyneth to hym▪ And also he payd tribute for hym selfe and also for Peter, and where he sayd hym selfe to be Christe the kynge: he sayd truthe, but yet he wolde not take vpon hym his kyngdome in this worlde, and so he was falsely accused and that not withstandynge: he wolde not answere one worde for his excuse.Mat. 27. D And therfore Pylate sayd to hym: Non audis quanta aduersum te dicunt testimonia? Doyst not thou heare what and howe many accusacyons they brynge agaynst the? And Iesus answered [...] not one word in the presence of the Iues, in so moche that Pylate moche merueyled therat: And specyally seynge that the Iues vnresonably and with great turmoyle and with importunitye / requyred his death but Christ for all that wolde not answer, remembrynge the sayenge of the wyseman.Eccl. 32. A. Vbi non est auditus: non effundes sermonem: Speake not where as is no conuenient audience. Then Pylate entred in to the motehall, bycause he myght more quietely examyn hym frome the turmoyle and noyse of the people, and there lityll regardynge the firste accusacyon whiche was concernyng theyr lawe, nor yet the seconde accusacyon, for he reputed that to be false, for parauenture he had hard before howe Christ said / gyue to the emperour that is his, therfore he onely examined hym in the thyrde cause saynge:Ioh. 18. F. Tu es [...]ex iudeorum? Arte thou the kyng of Iues? as if he shulde say / is it true that the Iues saye of the / that thou woldest vsurpe and take vpon the the name of a kynge contrarie to the decree and statute of the emperour of Rome / for the emperour had taken frō the Iues y^e name of a kyngdome that they shulde haue no kyng / and that was to breke theyr pryde and to take from them all occasyon of rebellyon. Then Iesus said to Pylate A temetipso hoc dicis: Ibidem. an alii tibi dixerūt de me? Spekes thou this of thyne own mynd: or other persons haue spoken this to the of me, shewyng by these wordes y^t Pylate dyd not folowe the order of y^e lawe, as if he shuld say / if thou knowe y^t I haue ta­ken vpon me the name of a kyng shew openly y^e signes or actes of my rebellyon / if onely thou herest this of oder ꝑsons / make ordy­nary inquisition & cause thē to bryng in witnes. Then pylate an­swered, I am no Iue / and therfore I speke it not of my self / thy people & thy bisshoppꝭ haue delyuered y^e vnto me / whiche shulde defēce the, but it semeth that y^u hast greatly offēded thē: that they so obstinatly do accuse the,Ibidem. what hast y^u done? Iesus answered: Regnū meū nō est de hoc mūdo: Apoc. 1 [...]. C my kyngdom is not of this world & so he denyes not to be a kyng for he is y^e kyng of kingꝭ and lorde [Page] of lordes, if my kyngdome were of this worlde: my ministres and seruantes wolde feyght for me & defend me then Pylate said: Ergo thou arte a kynge.Ioh. 18. G. And Iesus answered: Tu dicis: Thou sayst so / as if he sayd it is as thou sayst, for I am a kynge, and that thou shuldest knowe the condicyon of my kyngdome, for that cause I was borne temporally into this worlde / and for that cause I came into this worlde: that I might bere testimony and witnes to the truthe, and who so euer is the chylde or louer of truth: he hereth my voyce, Of these wordes we maye take that there be .ii. thynges requyred to the kyngdom of Christ, the first is truth y^t it be hard, and the second is obedience: that is y^t the truth herd be fulfylled.Ioh. 18. G. Then Pylate sayd: Quid est veritas: what is truth? Pilate dyd not here inquire the diffinition of truth / but what is that vertue of truth: thorough whose perticipation and vertue men be taken and made of the kyngdom of god. The solution of this question Pylate wold not abyde to here, for seynge that he was not of the kyngdom of christ / nor wold intricate hym self with spūall thynges: therfore he had no cure or desire to here it; and also he cared not for it / bycause he shuld shortly cōdempne the truth. And also bycause he herd a great murmur & trouble of the people without forth feryng some busynes or insureccyon by­cause he differred y^e deth of Christ so longe,Ibidem. and for these causes: he hasted hym to the Iues and sayd to them: Ego nullam causam inuenio in homine isto: Suꝑ Iohn̄ omel. 83. I fynde no cause of deth in this man. Here as Chrisostom saith: Pylate dyd substancyally alledge for christ that he nother knewe or coulde fynd any cause of malice in hym. And then the Iues for asmoche as they fayled in theyr proue for wante of resonable causes: wolde haue preuayled by theyr mul­titude & cryeng,Luc. 23. A. and at laste they brought agaynst hym this accusacyon, He hath troubled al the people from Galilee vnto this cytye, wyllynge so to aggrauate theyr accusacyon / bycause it appared contrarie to the peace of the emperour vnder whome Pylate was the hyghe iudge in Hierusalem, that therby Pylate shulde be the more moued agaynst Christe. But you wycked Iues / howe dyd he moue the people to sedicyon and warre: that euer preached and taughte peace / and came to make peace bytwixte god and man? But spyrytually we maye saye that he moued the people and troubled them frome theyr synfull lyfe / by hys holsome monicyon teachynge them the way of vertue and truth. Of the whiche mocyon and also trouble: the prophete Dauid sayethe:Psal. lix. Commouisti terram: et conturbasti eam: Thou hast [Page lxxxvii] thou hast moued the erth that is erthly persons / and thou hast trobled it, that is / put them from theyr erthly and synfull lyfe / cure / and heale (good lorde) his woundes / for he is moued to good­nesse and vertue. And Pylate then herynge them speke of Gali­lee and knowynge that Iesus was of Galilee he sent hym to He­rode, as ye shall se in the next article.

¶Howe Christ was sent to Herode. The .xxiii. article.

[Page] THe .xxiii. article is the sendynge of Christe to Herode. For whan Pylate herde that Iesus was a man of the countrye of Galilee and so vnder the power of Herode whiche was the captayne and the reuler of Galilee vnder the emperour hauynge this occasyon to delyuer his handꝭ of Christe: sent hym to herode / whiche was the ruler of Galilee and at that tyme he was also in Hierusalem, Pylate wyllynge herby to do honour vnto Herode that he beynge the capteyne of Galilee: shulde delyuer or condempne Christe beynge a man of his countrye / so wyllyng that euery man shulde be examined and iudged of his owne iudge / accordyng to the lawes of the Roma­nes, and whan Iesus was thus sent / there was a greate cōcurse of people folowynge hym. O blessed lady Marie howe wente thou in suche a multitude? who helped the in that great thronge of people? Surely thou was then the example of sorowe and he­uynes to all that loueth the or Christe thy sonne,Luc. 23. B. and whan He­rode dyd se Iesus he had greate ioye therof, not that he thought to wynne ony thynge therby: but for that he was curious to se a straunge man and suche a man / whom he had longe desired to se / that is from the decollacyon or behedyng of saint Iohn̄ the Bap­tiste, for that tyme Christe beganne to preache openly and to do many miracles, whiche al Herode herynge: was moch desirous to se hym / and to se hym shewe some wonderous signe or miracle, not for any deuocyon: but for curiositie and to proue hym what he coulde do: for he thought that Christe had ben a iugler or any gromancyer, and for this cause he desired to se no miracle of our sauiour Iesus. This sendynge is conueniently accompted a­monges the articles of Christes passyon, for it is a great displeasure for any man to be sent from one iudge to an other, how moch more then was it paynfull to this most swete and innocent lambe our sauyour Iesu? Herode asked of Christe many questyons / as we shal se in the next article. Also there were .CC. passes from Pylates house vnto Herodes house / by the whiche space / bothe goynge and comynge he suffred many despytes and rebukes.

¶Howe Herode derided and mocked Christ. The .xxiiii. article.

THe .xxiiii. article is the derisyon or mockynge that He­rode dyd to Christe,Luc. 23. B. for after that he was presented to hym: he moued to Christe many questyons and proued hym in them, as parauenture he asked hym whether he was that chyld / at whose birth a new starre dyd appere to the .iii. kynges? and whether he dyd gyue syght to that man which was borne blynde, And if he dyd reyse Lazar that was .iiii. dayes dead? and suche other questyons. Some persons do moue que­styons onely for curiositie to here newe thynges, some to know the truth / and some onely to tempte and proue howe the other persone can answere, and some to take the answere in a trippe or de­faute. And Herode here asked Christe many questions / not as a studious person to lerne or knowe the truth: but rather to rebuke Christe, not as a louer of the truthe: but to tempte hym, not to wynne or get any truth or vertue therby: but for curiositie to here newes. And for these causes Christ wolde shewe no token or my­racle, nor yet answere vnto hym. Also Herode in his questions behaued hym selfe scornfully vnto Christ, and as mockyng hym sayd: If thou wyll do any miracle in my presence / I shall quyte the and delyuer the, and if thou wylt not honour me with some thynge I shall condempne the at the wyl and desyre of thy aduersaries these malicyous Iues. But for all this our sauyour Ie­sus whiche doth all thynges ordinately.Psal. C. xi. And as dauid sayth: Disposeth his wordes and sentēces in ryght reason and iudgement: He (I say) wolde not answere to any one questyon, for he iud­ged it most godlye to kepe silence at that tyme, for one word spoken without prophet: may be somtyme the cause of the condempnacyon [Page] of the speaker. And at that tyme all the prynces of the Iues stode styfly accusynge Christe, as we shall declare in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christe was accused before Herode. The .xxv, article.

THe .xxv. article is the accusacyon of Christe before Herode.Luc. 23. B. For as Luke sayth: Stabant principes facer dotum et scribe constanter accusantes eum. The princes of the preestes and the scribes stode styfely accu­synge Christe before Herode.Libro. xiii. And here Symon de Cassia saith: I wolde that the euangeliste or the interpreter that translated the euangelie of Luke out of Greke in to Latyne had vsed this terme or worde pertinaciter: rather than this worde constanter, for constantia is a name of vertue: and suche a ver­tue as it is not conuenient and agreynge to enuyous or hatefull persons and all gyuen to mischeyfe. But this worde pertinatia, that is frowardnes: is conuenient to suche euyll persons, for it is the name of a vyce / and that suche a vice which wyll not gyue ouer or cease vnto the tyme his malicyous mynde be broughte to purpose. These malicyous Iues stode obstinatlye and styfelye [Page lxxxix] accusynge Christe that he myght be shortly put to deth, and they as the chylderne of deth: wold not suffer the lyfe to lyue vpon the erth, they accused Christe before Herode specyallye saynge that Christe had troubled and moued al the people begynnyng in Galilee / whiche was vnder the rule of Herode y^t therby they myght the more rather moue hym agaynst Christ, bycause he had trou­bled & moued the people in his dominion. And notwithstādyng the accusacyons of Christ before Herode were the same that were spoken before Pylate: yet for asmoche as that they were spoken before an other iudge, and so a newe payne and sorowe was therby vnto Christe: therfore this article is put here as diuerse or an other from the .xxii. article. And as Christe in no thynge wolde answere vnto Herode: so he in no thynge answered to his accu­sers.Suꝑ Lucā. Cap. 98. But as saynt Ambrose sayth: He kept silence bycause theyr vnfaythfulnes deserued not to here the truth of god, and our lord also declyned then or wolde auoyde iactance and vayne prayse, for he wolde do no miracle before Herode as he then wolde glad­ly haue sene. Also he wolde not then shewe any miracle bycause he wolde not let his passion.Suꝑ. 23. Luce. And as Albert sayth: The pride and curiositie of Herode dyd not deserue it. And her to our lorde commaūded in his gospell sayng Nolite sanctum dare canibus: Mat. 7. A. Gyue no holy thynge to dogges, do no miracles before suche as wyll not prophet by them. Also ye knowe that a worde can not be spo­ken or formed without a voyce, so bycause our sauyour Iesus is the eternall worde of god, and saynt Iohan the Baptist is called the voyce of that same worde, & Herode slewe that voyce Iohan Baptiste the Eester laste passed the yere before, therfore he was not worthy to here y^t eternal worde of god that is Christ / speke. And furthermore he was not worthy to heare Christe speake / for his manyfolde scornynge wordes, and also to gyue vs example / that we may better ouercome vayne and mockynge wordes / by silence then by speakynge.

¶Howe Christe was despised of Herode. The .xxvi. article.

THe .xxvi. article is of the despeccyon that Herode and his seruauntes dyd to Christ / for Herode seyng Christ wolde not shewe any signe or miracle before hym, nor speake one word to all his questions, nor yet answere to the accusacyons of the Iues for his owne defence: He repu­ted hym to be a fole and to haue no witte or reason,Luc. 23. B. And therfore he despysed hym and so dyd all his compeigney and seruauntes. Fyrst bycause Christe kepte so stably his silence in no thynge mo­ued to speake though the Iues dyd so falsly accuse hym. Secondly Herode dispised Christ, bycause he reputed hym a fole or fere­full of the death that the Iues labored to bryng hym vnto, or els for that he thought Christe to be presumptuous in his lyuynge and maners / and nowe kepte silence: bycause he could not defend his owne cause for want of good reason and iustice in his cause. And thyrdly he wolde be despysed of Herode for a greate miste­rie, it is a profounde misterie and gyueth to vs a matter of hygh contemplacyon, to consider howe the eterne wysdome of god: wolde be reputed folisshnes, and the infinite power of god wold be taken for infirmitie as of lytyll or of no power, so that Christ the sonne of god very god and man wolde be made the obprobry or rebuke of men, the abiection and out cast of the people / and the mockynge stocke of kynges and great men. And in lyke ma­ner nowe a dayes the folowers of Christ be dispysed of euyl men and reputed as foles, and that specyally when such euyl persons haue a wicked reuler or heed, for comonly suche persons shortlye consent vnto suche a captayn or reuler. A comen prouerbe / Such a kynge hath suche counsellers & lyke seruantes, and therfore it was so moch y^e more to the obprobry & rebuke of Christ / that not onely Herode despysed Christe: but also al his compaigney and seruantes. And in these dayes there be many that dispyse Iesus as Herode dyd: lokynge to se signes and miracles nowe / whan it is not tyme to shewe signes / but rather to do good werkes / our lorde sayd of the Iues:Luc. 16. G. Habent moisen et prophetas: They haue moysen that is the lawe of moyses and the prophetes, lette them here them and folowe them. And we haue morouer the gospelles [Page xc] and the apostles with the actes and apocalipse / and yet we wolde se signes, we do not fulfyll the gospell and in lyuynge therafter: but rather we desppyse it. This despysynge of Christe is con­ueniētly taken for an article of Christes passyon, for syth it wold greue any man to se hym self despysed of other men and specyally of great men though he were but symple and an ideote: moche more it shulde greue our sauyour Christe whiche was all good / omnipotent and most wise, to be mocked & taken as omnipotent bycause he wolde do no miracle before Herode / to be reputed an ideote without knowlege: bycause he wolde not answere to hys questions, to be accompted as a fole / bycause he wold not defende hym selfe agaynst his accusers, and not onely they despysed hym in wordes: but also in dede, puttynge a folys cote vpon Christ / as ye shall se in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christe was cladde with a whyte garment to his despysyng. The .xxvii. article.

THe .xxvii. article is the mockynge of Christe with a whyte garment / whiche was put vpon hym to his great confusyon and shame.Libro. xiii. And here saith Symon de Cassia that this worde albedo / that is to saye / whitnes, is not taken at all tymes in scripture for vertue / or to the best parte, for somtyme it signifyeth the want of vertues, and so this whyt vestment wherwith Herode dyd mocke Christ doth shewe what was Herode and his seruantes or folowers, for he and all they were [Page] voyde of all the multiplicacitye or varietie and diuersitie of ver­tues, and so theyr mockynge of Christe / turned to theyr owne preiudice / and to theyr euerlastynge despeccyon and rebuke. It is euer knowen to be a greate illusion and mockynge of Chryst: when his vertues are forsaken for worldlye pompe, whan his teachynges be despysed and all his dedes that he dyd and paynes that he suffred for our loue: be no thynge regarded. And so dyd Herode here / for not onely he despysed hym: but also as Luke sayth:Cap. [...]. B. Illusit indutum veste alba, He cladde hym in a whyte cote (whiche was taken for a folys cote) and so mocked hym in dede / to the greate derisyon of Christ, for Herode wold haue hym knowen of all people for a fole. For it is lyke that that tyme to haue or weare a whyte garment: was a signe or token of a fole / and it is also very lyke that that whyte garment was lengar than the stature of Christe, and so therby thorowe the thurstyng & throng of the cruel Iues: he was oftymes thrawen downe to the groūd. But thoughe Herode dyd thus aray Christe to his rebuke: yet this whyte garment was not without greate misterie: as were all the other actes and dedes aboute the passyon of Christ. Therfore as saynt Ambrose sayth:Suꝑ Lucā. Cap. 98. This whyte garment doth signify the immaculate and innocent passion of Christe, for he without spotte of synne: dyd beare and suffer payne for all synnes of the worlde, whiche whyte garment is signifyed by the albe of the preeste wherin he sayth masse, for the vestmentes that the bisshop or preest vseth at masse: doth represēt the hole passion of Christ. For our hygh bysshop Christe was cladde in his passyon with all the ornamentes of a bysshop. Fyrste he toke his amysse when the Iues couered his face / he toke his albe: whan Herode cladde hym in this whyte garment / he toke his manyple whan the Iu­es or saugiours bonde his handes, but what tyme they lowsed his handes and put a rede in his ryght hande: then the corde or bonde dyd remayne vpon his lefte hande, and in token herof / the preest vseth the maniple vpon the lefte hande or arme / he toke his gyrdle: when he was bounde aboute the myddle to the pyller, he toke his stole: when he was bounde by the necke to the pyller, he toke his chesyble: when the saugiours of Pylate put an olde purpur garment vpon hym, he had a crowne of thornes for hys mytour, he had a rede in his hand for his crosse, he had his glo­uys for his handes & his sandalles for his feete: when they were made all redde with blode. The sandalles haue a reed hole aboue wrought with red sylke, and the glouys haue an vche or a redde [Page xci] precyous stone, or otherwyse wrought with red: to signifye the woundes of Christ in his handes and feete. These be the orna­mentes of a bisshop whan he doth consecrate any thyng. Also many of these the preest doth vse at his masse, to signify that he shuld haue in his vnderstandynge the meditacyon of Christes passion / in his memorie the remembraunce therof. The compassion ther of in his affection and wyll, so that as he is lyke to Christ in his vestmentes: so he may be lyke in his herte and mynde and also lyuynge, for who so euer hath these outwarde tokens of Christes passion / nothyng fealyng inwardly by meditacyon and compas­syon: doth not serue or loue Christ: but rather mocke hym with Herode, which in that white garmēt sent hym to Pilate agayne, As it shall appere in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christ was sent agayne to Pylate. The .xxviii.

[Page] THe .xxviii. article is the sendyng agayn of Christ from Herode vnto Pilate, for Herode when he fond no cause of deth in christ: he dispysed & mocked hym & sent hym agayn to Pilate in a white cote, and in this it apereth that he dyd cōsent vnto y^e deth of Christ / for sith Christe was sent to Herode as one of his iurisdiction & vnder his power, when he se no cause worthy deth ꝓued of Christ: he shulde haue absolued hym & deliuered hym from y^e handes of the Iues, and not to haue sent agayn vnto a straūge iuge y^e which had no power ouer hym. And so Herode offēded in that y^t he sent Christ agayne vnto Py­late,Luc. 23. B. which sēdyng agayne is cōueniently taken for a speciall ar­ticle, for therby Christ had a newe payne & labour. Also for that he returned agayne to Pylate clad in a white cote: to his greate shame & rebuke. Thyrdly by cause also he brought w^t hym, He­rodes consent of his owne deth, whiche appered both in signe or token and also in dede, In signe: bycause he was sent in a folys cote,Ibidem. In dede: that is in the cōfederation of theyr frendshyp / for that same day Herode & Pylate by this sendynge of Christe were made frendes where as before they were enemyes, which frend­shyp of Herode & Pylate was a figure & sygne that the Iues and gentyles shulde agre to gether in the persecucyon of christians, Or els we may take this frendshyp for a good signe: saynge that the Iues & gentiles which before y^e deth of Christ were enemies, by his deth were made frendes & agreynge in one faythe of Iesu Christe. For he is the peace or corner stone that ioyneth the two diuerse peoples in one. And whan Pylate se that Herode sente Christe agayne vnto hym: he was very sorye therof. And so cast in his mynde howe he myghte delyuer Christe frome deth. And therfore he called togyther the prynces of the preestes / the greate men of the Iues / and the comen people, and goynge forth to them: sayde / ye haue broughte and presented to me this man. &c. As in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christ was forsaken of the Iues / and Barrabas by them was delyuered. The .xxix. article.

THe .xxix. article is the reprouing or forsakyng of Christ for whan Christ was brought agayn to Pilate he called together the princes of the preestꝭ / the great men of the Iues & the comen people / and goyng forth vnto theym sayd:Luce. 23. BC. Obtulisti mihi hūc hoiem quasi auertētem populum. &c. Ye haue [...]sented this man vnto me as a subuerter of the people, and behold said Pylate / I examynyng hym afore you / can not fynde hym gylty in any such cause as ye accuse hym of / nor yet Herode, for I sent you vnto hym / and loo nothynge worthy deth is done vnto hym. Pylate went forth of y^e motehall to y^e Iues that stode without / and that he dyd to excuse christ / and to shewe y^e blyndnes or maliciousnes of the accusers.Libro. xiii. And here saith Symon de Cas­sia: The Iues stode without for they knewe not the inwarde se­cretes and misteries of the lawe / they were put without from the light of truthe / and frome al shynynge and operation of vertue▪ Pylate wente forthe to confounde the Iues, he wente forthe to theym: Not as moued to consente vnto theyr malyce: but [Page] to declare and shewe vnto them in what euyls / peryls / and daun­gers that people standethe: whiche is excluded frome all good­nes. And therfore openly before all that were present he wolde reproue and shewe to be vayne all suche accusacyons as they had spoken agaynst Christ, whom after due examinacyon: he founde innocent. And also he went forth to the Iues to signifye spiri­tually that they shulde be caste out of theyr kyngdome and also frome the kyngdome of god. And ferthermore Pylate sayde to the Iues, ye haue a custome that I shulde dimi [...]se at your deno­mination one prisoner euery paschall tyme / to his liberty, which of these .ii wyll ye haue delyuered from prysone to libertye, Ie­sus / or Barrabas. In this eleccyon: the Iues dyd chose Bar­rabas,Libro. xiii. and y^t was to shewe theyr peruerse / obstinate & malicy­ous mynde. And here sayth Symon de Cassia: Pylate put to the eleccyon of the Iues whither they wolde delyuer Barrabas / or Christe, Barrabas was a stronge thefe / a sedicyous persone / and a manquellar, Christe was al good / Pylate ioyned these .ii. togyther / that they considerynge the mischeuous lyfe of the one and the goodnes of the other though there be no comperison by­twene good and euyll) they shulde condempne the euyll persone and delyuer y^e good.Luc. 23. C. And after that Pylate had granted to them a space and tyme to consider whom they wold chose: the prynces of the preestes and the seniours of the people dyd per [...]wade and moue the people to aske Barrabas. And then Pylate inquiryng whiche of these .ii. they wolde haue delyuered: they asked that Barrabas might be put to libertie: and that Christ shulde be condempned vnto most cruell deth. And therfore it foloweth in the gospell: Tunc vniuersa exclamauit turba: tolle hunc: et dimitte no his Barraban: All the people cryed away with Christ: and dely­uer Barrabas vnto vs, as if these malicyous Iues shulde saye: sley hym y^t dyd rayse deed folkes and delyuere that thefe & man­sleyar Barrabas, that he may sley them that be on lyfe. And therfore vnto this day the Iues can haue no peace, bicause they wold rather chose the sedicyous thefe Barrabas, and so in hym the se dicyous prince & captayne of all synne the deuyll / whiche vnto this day doth reigne in them (rather I say) than Christ. Theyr example done folowe nowe a dayes such persons that wyl rather help & ꝓmote euyl men: then good men. And so in many elections and ꝓuisions of benefices or offices t [...]orall & spūall / Iesus / that is y^e good ꝑson y^e frend of god which hath a good wyl to help and saue him self & also other / & therfore worthy to be chosē & ꝓmoted: [Page xciii] is reproued and put awaye. And contrary wyse / Barrabas / the euyll and vnworthy person / and the enemy of Christe, whiche wyll slay hym selfe and also other in soule: is chosen and promo­ted. And this article of Christes passyon: is not the leste, or of lytyll payne, for syth any man wyll be sory to se hym selfe repro­ued / and also an other not so worthy: promoted: howe moche more then myght Christe be [...]ory / seynge that so vyle and damp­nable a person was preferred before hym, and that the Iues dyd aske the lyfe of the manslayer,Mat. 27. C and the lyfe of the sonne of god. And then Pylate asked of them: Quid faciam de Iesu qui dicitur Christus? What shall I do with Iesus whiche is called Christe your kynge and Messias? Pylate spake this to make them ashamed of theyr iniquitie and also shewynge the mesure of theyr wickednes, but the Iues were nother ashamed of that Pylate con­fessed Iesus to be theyr messias:Ibidem. nor yet kept the mesure of theyr wickednes. For they all cryed with one voyce crucifigatur: crucifye hym,Omel. 35. suꝑ Math. in the whiche saynge (as Origene sayth) they multyplyed the measure of theyr wickednes. For before Cayphas they sayde: he is worthy deth, and nowe before the iudge they deter­mine the kynde and maner of death sayng: Crucifye hym.

¶The pullynge of the garmentes of Christ. The .xxx. article.

[Page] THe .xxx. article is the puttyng of Christes garmentes. For whan Pylate heroe that the Iues dyd aske Bar­rabas to be dimy [...]ed: and Iesus to be crucifyed: he sayd vnto them:Luc. 23. C. Quid enim mali fecit: Nullam causam mortis inuen [...]o in eo: Corripiam ergo illum et dimittam. What euel hathe Iesus done / I fynde no cause of deth in hym, therfore yf he committed any trespas agaynste your [...]awe or ceremonyes / I shall correcte and amende hym and so dimisse hym. In these wor­des Pylate beganne to swerue frome the iustyce of the lawe / he sayd that he wolde correcte and amende the innocent.Luc. 23. C. O Pylate if he be innocent:Mat. 27. C howe mayst thou amende hym or correcte hym. except thou decline from iustice? and so furthwith he toke Christ and began to rebuke hym. And firste they put of his garmentes, and this was no lytyll iniurie and rebuke to Christe to be strypt naked before all the compaigney. And though Christe was not borne of that infecte and corrupte stocke of Adam, wherby oure nakednes was made shamfull (for before that Adam dyd synne / he was naked & in nothynge abashed therof / but after that he had synned: he was ashamed of his nakednes, and therfore he sayd: Timui eo ꝙ nudus essem: et abscondi me: Gene. 3. B. I was afrayd or ashamed bycause (sayd Adam) that I was naked / and therfore I dyd hyde me) thoughe I say Christ was not borne by the sede of man: yet bycause he came to take our infirmities and to suffer for our [...]yn­nes: therfore he was abasshed to be sene naked / and so moche the more ashamed then all other chast virgyns be: in how moch that his honesty and chastitye excelled without comparison the clen­nes of all other virgyns. And whan Iesus was thus naked / Pylate toke hym to the saugiours to be scourged as ye shall se in the next article. And note here that one doctor sayth that Christ was thryes scourged. Fyrste with roddes: bycause he dyd trouble and moue the people / and there he had .xl. strokes saue one, accor­dynge to the commaundement of the lawe.Deut. 25. A Secondly with ru­shys of the see, whiche be more sharp than thornes, and this beatynge was bycause he had preached and taught a newe doctrine. And here he was scourged as Heliodore was by the angelles of whome we rede in the seconde boke of the Machabeis. Thyrd­lye they scourged hym with whyppes.Cap. 3. E.

¶Howe Christe was scourged. The .xxxi. article.

THe .xxxi. article is the scourgynge of Christe. For when Iesus was so strypt naked: Pylate delyuered hym to the saugiours.Ioh. 19. A. The gospell sayth: Apprehendit illum Pilatus et flagellauit: Pylate toke Christe and scourged hym, that is, Pliate made hym to be scourged of his saugiours, that the Iues (as saynt Austen sayth) sacyate and content with those his paynes and rebukes:Suꝑ Iohn̄ tract. cxvi. shulde desyre no more his death. And so he that dyd lowse them that were bounde / our sauiour Ie­sus was bounde fast to a pyllar, whiche was so great and thycke that his armes & his handes myght nat compas it. And therfore the saugiours corrupt by mony drewe out his armes with harde cordes: that all the vaynes of his armes appered out to the extremitie. And then those saugiours called in all theyr compaigney and our sauiour Iesus so bounde and naked / they bette so cruel­ly with roddes / knotted whyppes and thorny rushes of the see: that they dyd teare the flesh and drewe it away / so that his bones ware sene bare, and also greate gobettes and pecys of the flesshe hange vpon the scourges and whyppes. There stode naked be­fore all the people: the most louely yonge man / eligant and sham fast, beautious aboue all other men, speakynge not one worde / but as meake as a lambe dyd suffer pacyently the harde / sharppe and paynfull beatynges of those most vyle & cruell tormentours. [Page] That most innocent and tender flesshe, most pure and most fayre the floure of all mankynde was replete and full of strokes / blo­mes / woundes and brosers / he was wounded thorow out all his moste holye bodye, so that fro the toppe of the hed vnto the sole of his foote: there was none hole skynne. That noble and pre­cyous blode of his: ranne from euery parte of his bodye, the cruell tormentours added plage vpon plage and heped wounde vp­pon wounde / brosynge vpon brosynge / blode vpon blode / vnto the tyme that both the cruell tormentours and also the beholders, were wery of smi [...]ynge and seynge, and so he was commaunded to be lowsed from the pyllar. And here sayth saynte Barnarde: that the tormentours dyd ons lowse Iesus, and bounde hym a­gayne / turnynge his backe to the pyllar and bounde his handes aboue his heed, that they myght scourge hym vpon bely & breste and also his face, and so they spared no place of his most tender bodye whose crueltye cōsyderynge some of the pagans there standynge and beholdynge this sorowfull scourgynge: ranne to our lorde and bracke the ropes and so dyd lowse hym, and those cru­ell tormētours not saciate with that scourgyng: pulled the heyre of his most blessed berde and also of his heed, wherin was ful­fylled the prophecye of Esay:Esaie. 1. C. Corpus meum dedi percutientibus: et genas meas vellentibus: which auctoritie we declared before in the .xvi. article. ¶But howe many plages or woundes our sauyour Iesus had at this scourgynge, it can not be knowen but by reuelacyon, for they were in a maner innumerable, forsythe scripture sayth Pro mensura peccati: Deut. 25. A erit plagarum modus: After the measure of the synne: shalbe the measure of the beatynges or plages: and Christe was scourged for our synnes / whiche be in­numerable: therfore his plages and woundes muste be innume­rable. And that noted,Esaie. 1. B. the prophet whan he sayde of Christe, A planta pedis vs (que) ad verticem capitis: non est in eo sanitas: Frome the toppe of his hed vnto the sole of his fote: there was no hoole parte in hym.Suꝑ Mat. 27. As saynte Hierom sayth: Christe wolde be scour­ged that therby he might deliuer vs from perpetual scourgyngꝭ. As a louynge mother seynge the father beatynge her sonne: wyl runne bytwixt the rodde & her sonne with her armes spred abrode and receyue the strokes to defende her sonne from that beatynge / so dyd Christe for vs, and therin was verifyed the saynge of the prophet that he spake of Christe sayenge:Esae. 53. B Disciplina pacis nostre super eum: et liuore eius sanati sumus: The disciplyne of our peace dyd lyght vpon hym: that is: the beatynges which we deserued [Page xcv] for our synnes / and were not punysshed for them. but lyued in peace and pleasure / these beatynges (I say) dyd fall vpon Christ and so by his woundes we were made hole. And after that Iesus was thus scurged: they mocked hym in many thynges / as it shal appere in diuers articles folowynge.

¶Howe they put an olde purpur cote vpon Christe. The .xxxii. article.

THe .xxxii. article is the puttynge on of an olde purpull cote, for after that Christe was scourged and lowsed from the pyllar: they ledde hym so naked and scourged aboute the house to gather vp his clothes / which were cast about the house in diuers places by those cruel tormentours, and when he hadde founde them and wolde haue put them vpon hym: those most wicked saugiours sayd to Pylate: Syr / this lewde felowe called hym selfe a kynge, therfore (if it please you we shall aray hym lyke vnto a kynge, and so moche scornfullye they brought before hym al the ornamentes cōuenient for a kyng, and then these wretches called in all theyr compaigney / that they myght mocke Christe asmoche as any of them wolde, before that [Page] they wolde put hym vnto the deth, Pylate paraduenture / com­maundynge / or at leste sufferynge that it shulde so be and that he dyd to mitigate and swage the furie and malicyous mynd of the Iues.Suꝑ Iohn̄ Omel. 83. Or els as Crisostom sayth: The saugiours dyd thus to please the Iues of whom they receyued money. Fyrste they put vpon hym a robe of purpull / a kynges garment / but it was olde / to the more confusyon of Christe,Mat. 17. B this garment was conuenient for the bodie of Christe so scurged, for it was of red coloure and all his bodye was red with his owne blode. And herin was ful­fylled the question that the prophet moued in the persons of the angelles saynge:Esae. 63. A. Quare rubrum est indumētum tuum: et vestimen ta tua sicut calcantium in torculari: Why is thy clothyng red / and thy garmentes as of them that treyd in the presse, to the whiche Christe answereth by the same prophet saynge: Torcular calcaui solus: I alone haue troden in the presse, I alone haue suffred the pressure and payne of the crosse of scourgynges and beatynges for the synne of Adam and all mankynde, and therfore my bodye (whiche is as the garment of my godhed) is all red. Also this purpull vestment was moche conuenient to Christe, for purpull colour is made of the blode or lyquor of a certen fysshe of the see that is called in latyn Murex or conchilium, some men call it a Whelke, it is a shell fysshe. Our sauyour Christe was cladde on good Fryday with .iii. maner of garmentes, that is / a whyte garment / a scarlet robe / and a purpull robe, to signify that who so euer wylbe of the houshold of Christ: he must were the whyte garment of innocentie, the reed or scarlet of charitie and obedy­ence, and the purpull of penaunce.

¶Howe Christ was crowned with thornes. The .xxxiii. article.

THe .xxxiii. article is the puttynge of the crowne of thornes vpon the hed of Christe.Ioh. 19. A. A kynge shulde haue a deademe or a crowne, and for this crowne, the saugiours writhed a crowne of thornes & thurst it harde vpon his hed as a man shuld put a garlande vpon an other mannes hed. And this crowne was of the sharpe russhes of the see, whiche hath sharp corners and prickes, more sharpe and persynge than thornes. This crowne they put vpon his hed with the prickes dounwarde vnto his hed: not so moche to hurte hym: as to mocke hym therwith, though they dyd both mocke hym and also moste greuously payne and hurte hym, and herunto sayth saynt Barnarde, That godlye hed of Christ was persed vnto the brayne with those thornes, in so moche that the blode that ranne from his hed: dyd wasshe his forhed / chekes / all his face and necke. In this crowne was .lxxvii. sharp thornes, of these thornes it was spoken to Adam:Gene. 3. D. Terra spinas et tribulos germinabit tibi: The erth shall bryng forth or burgen to the / thor­nes and breers / for the erth of our bodye doth burgen and brynge forth many synnes, whiche with theyr prickes dothe prycke and wounde our conscience / as thornes the bodye. Christ toke these thorne and bare them as a crowne of victorie. These warry­ours that haue ouercome theyr enemyes / are wonte to beare or weare the armoure of theyr aduersaries subdued / in a signe or [Page] token of victorie, and do greatly reioyse therin. So Christe the lambe of god whiche hath ouercome the deuyll and taken a­way the synnes of the worlde: and wolde weare a crowne of thornes vpon his hed, in token of his victorie. For as I sayd before these thornes were our frute and the badge of our armes, & ther­fore Christe wolde weare them. It is moche pleasaunt and also desyrous to euery louyng soule / to se our kyng with this crowne. And herunto the spousesse in her canticles callethe all fayth­full soules sayng:Cant. 3. D. Egredimini filie sion et videte regem salomonem in diademate. &c. O ye doughters of syon / or faithful soules / come forth and se your true kynge Salomon Iesus Christ in his dia­deme or crowne with the whiche his mother the sinagoge of thē Iues hath crowned hym, or els spiritually: his mother charitie hath thus crowned hym. For as saynt Barnarde saythe: Thy loue (O blessed Iesu) and our iniquitie: made the to be scourged and crowned and nayled to the crosse.Gen. 22. C. A figure of this crownyng we rede, that Abraham se a shepe or a wether fastned by his hor­nes amonge the thornes, in the whiche visyon, he spyrytuallye dyd se Christe crowned with thornes.

¶Howe the saugiours put a rede in Christes ryght hande. The .xxxiiii. article.

THe .xxxiiii. article is the puttyng of a rede in Christes ryght hande for his regall sceptre,Mat. 27. D signifyenge therby that his kyngdome (whiche he vsurped callynge hym selfe a kyng) was voide and weyke as a rede, but they dyd not remember that Christe sayde:Ioh. 1 [...]. F. My kyngdome is not of this worlde / that is transitorie, and this was the thyrde acte of theyr scornfull illusyon. These .iii. that is / a purpull robe / a crowne or a deademe / and a sceptre be the ornamentes of a kyng, the whiche thre / these cruell saugiours gaue vnto Christe to his greate contumelie and illusyon, and therby, they wolde shewe that Christe was a false treytour agaynste the emperour / bycause he wolde haue vsurped and taken vpon hym (as they sayde) to be a kynge agaynst the ordynaunce of the emperour. But that they dyd to the cōfusion and rebuke of Christ: he turned it to his owne glorie & excellency,suꝑ Math. 27. & herunto saynt Hierom saith: Christe helde the rede in his hand to write the sacrilege of the Iues / and to shewe hym selfe to be that person that shuld write his elect people in the boke of lyfe.Suꝑ Mat. canone. 33. And saynt Hillary saith: Therfore oure lorde wold hold the rede in his right hand: that therby he might shewe / that he wyll kepe & maynteyne his seruantes though they be frayle & weyke / and he wyll replenyssh them with al goodnes.

¶Howe the saugiours scornfully saluted Christe. The .xxxv. article.

THe .xxv. article is the scornful worshippyng & salu­tynge of Christe, for after that the saugiours hadde arayed Christe with the ornamentes of a kynge: they kneled downe before hym and mocked hym sa­ynge:Mat. 27. D. Aue rex iudeorum: Hayle kyng of the Iues, as if they shuld say / thou wold haue ben a kynge but thou migh­test not.Suꝑ Mar. 15. And here sayth Bede: They worshypped hym scornful­lye as god: bycause he sayde falslye hym selfe to be god as they thought. Also they saluted hym scornfully as a kynge bycause he sayde hym selfe to be a kynge, and this they dyd that theyr illu­syon myght reanswere to the accusacyon of the Iues, for the Iu­es accused Christ in both these .ii. Also these saugiours dyd these thynges to Christe of a detestable & dampnable mynde, for they crowned hym with sharp thornes and afterwarde scornfully worshypped & saluted hym, and that to the great confusyon of Christ And therfore sayth Symon de Cassia:Libro. xiii. The ministers of Pylate to aggrauate and multiplye the vylenes & shame put vpon christ: dyd knele before hym, and besydes that: that they mocked hym after the maner of chyldren / they illuded hym with great threttes, so that nothyng wanted to the despysyng and the shame of christ, and in the remembrance of this despisyng, vpon good Friday we do not knele downe when we pray for the Iues, and though the gentyles dyd thus mocke Christe: yet it is imputed to the Iues for they were the autours and the cause of this illusion. After this scornfull salutacyon: they smote hym / as ye shall se in the nexte article.Gen. 9. D. This fourthe acte of the mockynge of Christe was figured in Noe when he slepte in his tabernacle: his sonne Cham dyd laughe hym to scorne. Noe dothe signyfye Christe / whome the Iues his owne chyldren dyd mocke and scorne. Al­so it is figured in Heliseus the prophete / whiche ascendynge vn­to the hyll of Bethell,Quarto re­gum. 2. D. the chyldren that dyd se hym: dyd say and crye mockynge hym: Ascende calue ascende calue: Ascende or come vp thou balde man: ascende thou balde man. And of this mockyng speketh the ꝓphet Dauid sayng:Psal. 21. Omnes videntes me de riserunt me: Al that se me dyd mocke me / also y^e ꝓphet Esay saith: [Page xcviii] Blasphemauerūt sanctum Israel: They haue blasphemed the holy of Israell / that is the Messias and sauiour of the worlde.

¶Howe the saugiours smote Christe with theyr handes. The .xxxvi. article.

THe .xxxvi. article is the smytynge of Christe / for these saugiours wyllynge to mocke Christe aswell in dedes: as in signes and wordes,Ioh. 19. A. Dabantei alapas: they smote hym with theyr palmes or handes, & that was to shewe in dede: that y^e honor which they had done to hym before: was onely to mocke hym, and in this they made theyr mockyng / more to the despisyng of Christ, for before where as they dyd worshyp and reuerence to hym as to god / and dyd salute hym as a kynge / nowe they smote hym to his dispite & shame. And this smytyng is not that of which we spake before in y^e .xi. article, for that was in the house of Annas / and thys was in the motehall of Pylate, also that was but one stroke whiche one of the ministers called Malcus dyd gyue to Christ / here were many strokes gyuen by diuers men to Christ. Thyrdly a Ie [...]e dyd gyue that stroke, but the saugiours & gentiles dyd gyue these. Fourthly y^t stroke was gyuen to reuenge y^e answere y^t Christe made to y^e bisshop Annas, [Page] but these were gyuen onely to mocke Christ. And therfore this smytyng doth conueniently make a specyall article, diuers from the other, and after this they dyd spyr in his face as ye shall se in in the next article. The lessone we may take as in y^e .xi. article.

¶Howe the saugiours dyd spytte in the face of Christ. The .xxxvii. article.

THe .xxxvii. article is the spyttynge of the saugiours in the face of Christe, whiche dyd moche aggrauate all theyr actes done before,Mat. 27. D. for what can be more vylanye to man: than to spyt in his face as dyd the saugiours in Christes face, lyke vyle and lewde persons. And herby ye may perceyue that thoughe these persons ben called in laten / milites, whiche comonly in englysshe we cal knyghtes / yet they were not knyghtes / that is gentyll and noble men / that be called also in laten: Equites aurati, and that is for theyr golden spurres, for such gentyll men and noble persons wolde mocke no good man nor spytte in his face, nor yet crucifye hym and take his garmentes / whiche properly perteyneth to hangmen and tormentours. But these be called Milites, after the olde custome, seruantes / fotemen or saugiours / as it appereth in the lyfe / actes and gestes of Iu­lius Cesar / where as Milites ben called fotemen / seruynge or hyred men that feyght on foot / and the knyghtes ben called horsmen These bene called / Milites, Vide Cale­pinum et Suetoniū ī vita cesat̄. not for theyr noblenes: but for theyr strength. For comonly those saugiours were stronge in bodye and redye to all euyll.Sanctus Thomas. And of these speaketh Theophilus say­enge:Suꝑ Mar. 15. The vayne glorie of these saugyours in these mockynges / euer reioysynge in the inordynate rebukynges of other: done shewe what they be / that is vyle and lewde persons for the more parte of them, and this article is distincte from the .xvii. article, for that was done in the house of Cayphas before the Iues and of the Iues, but this spyttynge was in the motehall of Pylate, done by the saugiours before Pylate and all the compaygney. [Page xcix] Those were the spyttynges of the Iues, but these ware of the gentiles, and after this they smote Christe vpon the hed with a rede / as ye shall se in the next article. The lesson as in the .xvii. article.

¶Howe the saugiours smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede. The .xxxviii. article.

THe .xxxviii. article is the smytynge vpon Christes hed with a rede, for his more payne and confusion / for vyle and stoborne persons are wonte to be smy­ten with a staffe as bestes be. And also they smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede: to make y^e crowne of thornes to go farther into his hed. And here note that y^e redes in those partes ben great and grosse / as bygge or great as a staffe wherwith we beate dogges.Mar. 15. [...]. The cruell saugiours smote Christ vpon the hed with a rede to his more rebuke & shame / as if they shulde say: O thou vyle & lewed felowe why woldest thou make thy selfe a kyng / and here they ordred Christe as theues and man­sleyers be ordred with vs / for oftymes they be manycled to shewe and confesse what they haue done / and the harder they thurste the manycles y^e more it is to theyr payn, and in lyke maner here they smote Christꝭ hed that was crowned with thornes / and y^t to put hym to more payne. They smote with a rede that hed whiche is ferefull to all deuyls, reuerent to all the vertues & angelles of he­uen, the most blessed hed of Christe which is to be worshypped of all sayntes for euer, from y^e which hed cometh all blessyng and grace / not onely into our berde but also into the hem of our gar­mentes, that is / not onely in to y^e holy apostles & martyrs which be as the berde of Christe. But also his blessynge and grace descendeth in to all the membres of the churche thoughe they be but of verye small perfeccyon / all they that be the chyl­derne of god: receyue this influens. O ye wretches howe fereful and terrible shall that hed apere to you at the day of iudgement: [Page] whiche nowe ye be not afrayd to smyte? And with that smytyng the blode ranne downe from his hed: vpon his necke / forehed and face, and so he appered lyke vnto a lepre, for the [...]pyttynges mixted with that blode: made hym lyke vnto a lepre. And then Py­late wente forth to the Iues. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶Howe Pylate dyd shewe Christe scourged vnto the Iues. The .xxxix. article.

THe .xxxix. article is the shewyng of Christe so pitious­lye arayed / vnto the Iues,Ioh. 19. A. for after that the saugiours had so miserably entreated our sauyour Christe: Py­late toke Iesus and went forth vnto the people of the Iues & said to thē: Ecce adduco eū vobis foras vt cognoscatis quia nullā ī eo inuenio causā. Behold (sayd Pilate) I bryng him forth [Page C] to you thus punisshed for your wordes and to certifye you that I fynde no maner of cause of deth in hym, therfore he thus correct and punisshed:Libro. xiii. I shall dimisse hym. And here sayth Symon de Cassia: Pylate sayd that he found no cause of death in Christ, wherby he excludeth all crimes from Christe, for he bryngeth in an vniuersall negation / that is no cryme I fynde in Christ, and this he dyd for to shewe his diligēce for the deliuerance of Christ. And morouer Pylate dyd brynge forth Christe in the same habyt and aray: as he was illuded and mocked of the saugiours / and that was for the intent that the Iues seing hym so miserably and shamfully arayed: shulde cease of theyr malice towardes Christ. And also Pylate shewed Christ to the Iues on that maner: kno­wynge that they wolde be very glad to se Christe thus dispysed and punisshed, and also supposyng y^t therby they content / wolde no more speake of his deth, & for this cause Pylate dyd scourge Christ and shewed hym to the Iues, and therfore the euangelist sayth:Ioh. 19. A. Exiuit ergo Iesus portans spineam coronam et purpureum vestimentum: Iesus came forth hauyng a crowne of thornes and a purpull robe and also a rede in his hande for a scepter. Behold here a lamentable spectacle / Iesus went forth (as saynte Austen sayth) in a kynges ornamentes not glorious and shynyng in his apparell:Suꝑ Iohn̄ tract. cxvi. but full of obprobry and confusyon.Vbi. supra. And therfore Py­late sayd to the Iues: Ecce homo: Beholde this is a man / as yf he shulde haue sayd (after saynt Austen) If ye haue enuy to hym bycause he called hym selfe a kynge: nowe spare hym / haue pytie vpon hym, for ye nowe se hym lyke to no kynge but shamefullye and miserably deiecte lyke a moste miserable wretch, for he scour­ged / crowned with thornes / mocked in a kynges ornamentes / despysed with many rebukes / and bet or smyten with many stro­kes / therfore sith ye se hym thus dispised: let [...] enuy wax colde or cease. But for all these theyr enuy nothynge decreased: but ra­ther encreased and waxed more hote and feruent. Se howe great is the malice of the Iues / that hereby wolde not cease of the procurynge of the deth of Christe, theyr obstinate wickednes wold not be relented with mercye. And among all the other illusions: this was more payne to Christ, that is / that his deedly enemyes shuld se hym so dispytefully arayed of the saugiours, of y^e which syght: they had no lytyl ioy, and yet they were not content with this syght: knowyng that Pilate wold haue so delyuered Christ to his libertie / but they hauynge no compassion of Christe / nor yet cōtent with the excusacyon of Pylate: cried out with a lowd [Page] voyce and also moued other to crye sayng: Crucify hym: cruci­fye hym. &c. as in the next article.

¶Howe the Iues dyd crye / Crucifye hym / crucifye hym. The .xl. article.

THe .xl. article is the cryenge of the Iues to haue Christ crucifyed, for when the bisshoppes and the other Iues had sene Christ so scornfully arayed / so miserably scourged / bet and mocked / not content therwith / nor yet alo­wynge the excusacyon of Pylate:Ioh. 19. A. dyd crye: Crucifige eum cruci­fige eum: Crucifye hym / crucifye hym, they sayd twyse: Crucify [Page Ci] and that was to shewe theyr feruent desyre that they had to cruci­fye Christe, and also for that they crucifyed hym both in wyl and in werke.Psal. 56. And as Rabanus sayth: It had ben more profitable to theyr soules to haue sayde: Miserere mei deus miserere mei: Haue mercy vpon me (O thou god) haue mercy vpon me, or els these wordes of the prophet Iohel:Iohel. 2. D Parce domine parce populo tuo: Spare lorde / spare thy people / gyue not thyne inheritance in to rebukes and confusion, let not the gentiles haue dominion vpon thy people the Iues, these prayers had ben more conueni­ent for them: but they were so malicyous that they cryed / crucify crucifye hym, and when they cryed thus: it was the thyrde hour of the day / that is .ix. of the clocke after our computation. At that houre the Iues dyd crucifye Christ with theyr tongues. As saynt Austen sayth:Suꝑ psal. 63. D and after this exposycyon the wordes of the euangeliste Marcus are to be vnderstanded where as he saythe:Mar. 15. C Erat autem hora tertia et crucifixerunt eum: It was y^e thyrd hour of the day and the Iues dyd crucifye hym / that is with theyr ton­gues. &c. openly shewynge therby that the tongues of the Iues were more to be sayd or called the sleyers of Christe than the handes of the saugiours. And therfore this crye is conueniently as­signed a specyall article of the passion of Christe. They asked and cryed to haue Christe crucifyed, whiche maner of deth was at that tyme of suche shame and confusion: that after a persone ware put to suche a death: he shulde neuer be remembred and spoken of agayne: but to his euyl and despisyng, and in a maner no man durst speake (specyally any good) of hym that was hanged vpon the crosse after his deth.Psal. 21. And of this complayneth Christe in the psalme saynge: Sicut aqua effusus sum: I am put out of mynde / as the water out of the vessel. Of all other liquores that be in a vessell, when they be put out of that vessell: there remay­neth colour or smel, that sheweth / what liquor was before in that vessell, but whan water is put out of a vessell there remaynethe nothynge, wherby we myght knowe what liquor was in that vessell,Sapien. 2. D. so Christe saythe, that he is clerely forgoten. Also y^e wise man sayth in the person of the Iues: Morte turpissima condemp­nemus eum: Let vs condempne Christ to the most shameful deth. And the prophet Hieremy saith in the person of our lorde Christ:Hier. 11. D. Cogitauerunt super me consilia dicentes: venite mittamus lignum in panem eius: The malicyous Iues haue counseled agaynst me sayenge: Let vs put a tree in to his breade, that is / let vs cruci­fye hym / and so he shalbe forgoten and dispysed of all people.

[Page] O thou faythful soule / behold here thy sauiour Iesus howe miserably and scornfully clad and crowned: he is brought forth with a rede for his scepter in his hand, and how shamefastly he stādeth nowe with his heed downwarde, before suche a great multitude cryenge and sayenge: Crucifye / crucify hym / and also deridyng and mockynge hym, that he wolde be taken for a prophete and a wyse man sayenge: Where is nowe thy wysdome / thy pro­phicye and miracles. &c. and so he not onely suffred payne and so­rowe: but also rebukes and thretnynges of the Iues. Then Py­late sayd to the Iues:Luc. 23. C. Quid enim mali fecit: What euyll hath he done, I fynde no cause of deth in hym. These wordes of Pylate done / instructe and teache all iudges to procede in all causes / and specyally in causes of deth: wysely and diligently. But alas where shall we fynde a iudge that wyll laboure so diligentlye for the delyuerance of an innocent: as Pylate dyd for Christe, and surely if Pylate were lyuyng in these dayes: I suppose he wolde excell in ryght iudgement many of our iudges both temporall and also spirituall. At that tyme the bisshoppes and seniours / and preestes and the religious / and all the people of the Iues were agaynste Christe, and Pylate lytyl regarded all theyr wordes, for he of a longe seasone▪ and oftymes laboured to delyuer Christe from them,Ioh. 19. A. and therfore he sayd: Accipite eum vos et cru cifigite: Take you hym and crucify hym: for I fynd no cause in hym. These wordes Pylate sayd for diuerse causes. Fyrst / af­ter Symon de Cassia,Libro. xiii. to rebuke the pryde of the Iues which so farre dyd excede: that they determined and assigned vnto the president and hyghe Iudge vnder the emperour, what deth Christe shulde suffer / that is the moste detestable and shamefull death of the crosse. Secondly Pylate spake these wordes / for to delyuer and acquyte the innocent Christe.Ome [...]. 83. Suꝑ Iohn̄ Herunto sayth Crisostome: The Iues brought christ to Pilate: y^t he shuld be put & condēp­ned to deth by the sentence of the iudge, but it happed y^e cōtrary for the iudge declared Christ to be innocent, and oftymes he de­lyuered and excused hym from theyr accusacyons. And that Py­late sayd to the Iues: Take you hym and crucifye hym: was spoken in abhorryng theyr wordes, for that they wold haue com compelled hym to a thynge agaynst hys mynde and also agaynst ryght. Thyrdly he spake so for the declaracyon of his power and auctoritie / for he wolde gladly haue ben delyuered from the iud­gement of Christe,Ioh. 19. B. the whiche the Iues perceyuyng: added the thyrd accusacyon besydes the other .ii. spoken in the .xxii. article [Page Cii] saynge: Nos legem habemus: et secūdum legem debet mori: quia fi­lium dei se fecit: We haue a lawe after the which he ought to dye / for he hath made hym selfe the sonne of god.Libro. xiii. And here as Sy­mon de Cassia sayth: It apereth manifestly the falsenes of theyr accusacyon, for if the wordes shulde be referred to theyr intent, or contrarie wyse if theyr intent shuld agre to theyr wordes, both wayes: the Iues do lye and theyr iniquitie doth lye and speake false to themselfes, for Christ dyd neuer make hym selfe god, no­ther in this worlde: nor yet eternally, for he was god euerlas­tyngly / not made / but eternally generate and goten of the father, but the Iues thought Christ to be onely a man and not god, nor Christe at any tyme as man / dyd affirme hym selfe to be made the sonne of god but for asmoche as he beynge the eterne sonne of god / was made man for vs / his godhed in no thynge chaunged, but takynge for our saluation / our nature: therfore he called him self the sonne of god / for he was both god and man in one person, but Pilate when he had herd this sayng of y^e Iues:Ioh. 19. B. he was more afrayd than he was before, not for that he feared theyr lawe: but that he was afrayd to condempne the sonne of god. And also he was afrayd hearynge suche a hyghe sentence / that was aboue his witte and vnderstandyng / that is that a man shulde be or make hym selfe the sonne of god, and whether it were true or not: he was afrayd to gyue sentence of deth.Suꝑ Iohn̄ 19. And herto sayth Alquine: He dyd not feare for that he harde them speake of theyr lawe, for he beynge a straunger and a gentill / regarded not that / but he was afrayd to cōdempne the sonne of god, and therfore he entred in agayne in to the motehall and callynge Iesus vnto hym sayd: Vnde es tu? Ioh. 19. B. Of what stocke or kyndred art thou? Pylate wolde haue knowen if he were the sonne of god / or if he were of the kynd or stocke of y^e goddes. And this laste poynte myght haue bene easely or lyghtlye persuaded vnto Pylate, for he was a gentill: which do suppose and beleue that many men may be of the stocke of goddes / and so the sonne of goddes. But Iesus dyd not an­swere one worde to his question, and that was bycause Pylate was not sufficient to receyue or vnderstande the solution of hys awne question.Esae. 53. C For the prophet sayth: Generationem eius quis enerrabit? Who is able to declare and shewe his eterne genera­tion? and though Christ was able to declare it: yet there is no mortall man able to vnderstande it. Secondly Iesus wolde not answere to Pylates question: that Pylates synne shulde not be aggrauate and made more greuous. And thirdly that the passion [Page] of Christe shulde not be letted.Pri [...] co (rum). 2. B. For as saynt Paule sayth, Si cog nouissent: nun (quam) dominum glorie crucifixissent: If they had kno­wen (howe Christe was the sonne of god) they wold neuer haue crucifyed the lorde of glorie, and this is to be vnderstand of Pylate and y^e gentyles & not of the Iues, for they myght haue kno­wen sufficiently if they had wolde.Ioh. 19. B. Then Pylate sayd to Christ: Mihi non loqueris, Nescis quia potestatem habeo crucifigere te. &c Why wylt not thou speake to me? dost thou not knowe y^t I haue power to crucifye the / or to dimisse and delyuer the? In these wordes Pylate cōdempneth hym selfe.Omel. 83. Suꝑ Iohn̄ And therfore Chrisostom sayth: O Pylate in this worde thou condempnest thy selfe, If thou haue this power: wherfore then dost not thou delyuer hym thou knowyng and so oftymes openly sayng that he is innocent? If thou reioyse or bost thy selfe of thy power that thou haste to kyll Christe or to delyuer hym: may not Christ then laufully say vnto the:Luc. 19. D. De ore tuo te iudico serue nequam: I iudge the by thyne owne wordes / thou wycked seruant? and then Iesus to reproue the bostynge and pryde of Pylate sayd:Ioh. 19. B. Non haberes aduersū me potestatem vllam: nisi datum tibi esset de super: Thou shulde haue no power ouer me: except it were gyuen to y^e from aboue or from an hygher power. Fyrste from god: of whome is all power, as saynt Paule sayth.Rom̄. 13. A. And secondly from the emperour, which at that tyme had the dominion ouer the Iues. And in these wordes Christ reproueth couertly or secretly the synne of Pylate, for no­ther god, nor yet the emperour had ordred Pylate there a iudge to condempne or punisshe the innocentes / but rather to defende and delyuer them. And notwithstandyng the synne of Pylate was great: yet it was not so greuous as the synne of the Iues or of Iudas. And this our lord sheweth in the wordes folowyng: Propteria qui tradidit me tibi: Ioh. 19. B. maius peccatum habet: Therfore he that dyd betray or delyuer me vnto the: his synne is the more great and greuous, and that well apereth, for Iudas dyd synne moued of a couityse mynde, the Iues synned: moued of malyce and enuy, but Pylate: onely for feare of the emperour & fauour of y^e Iues. It is more greuous offēce to sinne of a couetyse mind and of rancor and enuy: than onely of feare, for feare accusethe the synne in a parte / though not in the hole, and here Pylate consideryng that he was reasonably in a maner conuicte of synne in this cause: for he (as a wytty person) perceyuynge that he shuld be noted of synne / if he shulde condempne the innocent: therfore he sought oportunitie and occasion to dimisse and lette hym go, [Page C.iii] as he dyd before / in sendyng Christ to Herode, and also in sayng that he founde no cause of deth in hym. But the Iues anone per­ceyuyng the mynde of Pylate: returned to theyr first accusacyon and cryed saynge: Si hunc dimittis non es amicus cesaris: If thou dimisse this man thou art not true to the emperour. &c. as in the next article shal apere. And here note that there ware about. lxxx. M. people that cryed: Crucifige: crucifige: Of the whiche Peter conuerted in one day .iii. M. & shortly after .v. M. vnto y^e fayth.

¶Howe Christe was brought vnto his iudgement. The .xli. article.

THe .xli.Ioh. 19. B. article is the bryngynge of Christe before the iudge / for when the Iues dyd perceyue y^t Pylate wold haue delyuered Christe: they returned to theyr fyrste accusacyon and cryenge sayd: Si hunc dimittis: non es amicus cesaris: If thou delyuer this person thou art not the frend of the emperoure nor true to hym, for who so euer maketh hym selfe a kyng: he is a traytour to the emperour. This they spake to make Pylate afrayde,Libro. xiii. and here sayth Symon de Cassia that the Iues serched all the false craftes and deuyses that they could ymagyne,Suꝑ Iohn̄ trac. C.xvi. and all to put Christe vnto the deth. And then Pylate hearynge these wordes beganne to be more afrayd, for he myght not contempne the emperour that gaue hym his power and auc­toritie as sayth saīt Austen.Ioh. 19. C. And therfore he brought Iesus forth and sat downe to gyue sentence / openly, and this he dyd that the sentence of Christes d [...]th shuld not be imputed to hym / but to the Iues. And when Pylate sat downe to gyue sentence: it was the syxte houre of the day that is .xii.Mat. 27. B of the clocke. And then his wyfe sent to hym saynge: Nihil tibi et iusto illi, Mel not thou with the deth of that rightuous man,Glos ordin̄ Suꝑ Mat. 27. this night I haue suffred many thinges in my slepe about hym, for as the glose saith there: the deuyl perceyuynge that he shuld lese his kyngdom & power by the deth of Christ: was sory that he made Christ to be taken, and therfore he shewed certen visions to Pylates wyfe, that by her the death of Christ shulde be letted, as in the begynnynge he brought deth in to the worlde by a woman. Then Pylate commaunded that Iesus shulde be presented before hym where as he sat in iudge­ment and then he sayd to the Iues:Ioh. 19. C. Ecce rex vester: Behold your kynge / before he sayd: Beholde a man, therby shewynge howe shamefullye and miserably Christ was arayed, and that Pylate spake to moue the Iues to compassion. And nowe to moue them agayne: he sayd scornfully mockynge them: behold your kynge / as if he shulde saye: ye awght to be ashamed / that any wyse man [Page C.iiii] shuld perceyue that ye be afrayd that this simple person, so vyle­ly abiecte and despised / shuld be your kynge / but the Iues in nothynge ashamed nor yet moued to pitie:Ibidem. cryed, Tolle tolle cruci­fige eum: Away with hym hens with hym / take hym frome our syght, it is deth for vs to loke vpon hym, away with hym / cru­cify hym. And note here that they dyd crye thrice: Crucify hym and in the remembraunce therof we say thryce / Agnus dei / in the masse.Ibidem. Then Pylate scornfully sayd to them: Regem vestrum cru cifigam? Shall I crucifye your kynge? wyllynge therby to re­buke them and make theym ashamed to speake any more therof, whom he coulde not moue by the despysynges of Christe / but the Iues past all shame answered saynge:Ibidem. Non habemus regem nisi cesarem: We haue no kyng but the emperour. And herby ye may se howe moche the vnkynde Iues desyred the deth of Christe / for they to procure his deth wylfully submitted them selfe vnder the subieccyon of the Romaynes, the whiche before that tyme they wolde neuer gladly do, but rather they were alwayes in a mynde and purpose to rebelle agaynste the emperour for to haue theyr li­bertye. And here note that this article was more greuous to Christe / then any of the other before: for here he was broughte to his iudgement and his accusars moste cruelly dyd crye / away with hym / hange hym vpon the gallowes. &c. where as all the other were done and spoken, the iudge not syttynge in iudge­mente. And then Pylate seynge that that he myght in no thyng profyte to the delyueraunce of Chrste called for water. &c. as shall appere in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christe was condempned. The .xlii. article.

THe .xlii. article is the condempnacyon of Christ by the sentence of the iudge,Suꝑ Iohn̄ 19. for Pylate seynge that he in nothyng profyted for the delyuerance of Christ, but that more busines was made / for as the glose sayth: The Iues reputed to Pylate treason and rebellion agaynst the empe­rour, he was anone ouercome by feare / ād swerued from the way of treuth and iustice.Mat. 27. C But fyrst he toke water and wasshed hys handes sayng: Innocens ego sum a sanguine iusti huius: vos vide­ritis: Psal. 25. I am innocent of the blode and deth of this iust person / Pylate toke water and wasshed his handes accordyng to the sayeng of the ꝓphet: Lauabo inter innocentes manus meas: I shal wassh my handes among the innocentes, but he sayd to the Iues: Vos videritis: Loke you to your parte / cōsider what shalbe your syn. I am the minister of the lawe, take good hede whom ye offer to me to be slayne, for I must gyue sentence after your sayngꝭ / and not after my knoledge and mynde / and therfore this synne shalbe imputed to you and not to me.Mat. 27. C And then all the people of the Iues answered and sayd: Sanguis eiꝰ super nos et super filios nostros, His blode fall vpon vs & vpon our childern. This sayng / for the wordes is very good & most ꝓfitable to man saluacyon / for it is greatly to be desired that the blode of Christ fal vpon vs to wassh vs from all fylth of synne / accordyng to the sayng of saynt Iohan Dilexit nos et lauit nos a peccatis nostris in sanguine suo: Apoc. 1. B. Christe hath loued vs & wasshed vs frome our synnes in his blode. But the Iues spake these wordes with an other intent, for they desy­red y^t the vengeance of his blode and deth shulde fall vpon them and vpon theyr children,Suꝑ Mat. 27. and so it doth vnto this day y^t is almost xv, hūdreth yeres & so shal cōtinue (as saint Hierom saith) nygh vnto the ende of the worlde. And so pylate thought he had sayd before and declared Christ to be innocent / and so to be delyuered, yet nowe wyllyng to please the Iues / and sacysfye theyr cryengꝭ and fulfyll theyr wyl / dyd y^t thyng which was not plesyng to god and accordynge to iustyce. Also fearynge that he shulde haue bene accused of treason agaynst the emperour. Also supposynge no great peryll or daunger / though he condempned to deth this [Page C.v] pore innocent person, specyally considerynge that no man spake or intreated for hym, al this considered (I say) Pylate gaue sentence and iudged Christe, for that he wolde haue ben a kyng contrarie to the precepte of the emperour: to be hanged vpon y^e crosse or crucifyed, and this sentence was agaynst all iustyce, and also agaynste his owne knowledge, for he knewe Christe to be inno­cent in this cause and all other. And thus he gaue most cruel sentence agaynste the innocent in whome was no cause of deth. And so by his iudgement and power of the emperoure: he betoke Iesus vnto the Iues that he shulde be crucifyed. And note here that the euangelist sayth not (Vt crucifigerēt eū: Mat. 27. C sed vt crucifigeretur) That the Iues shulde crucifye Christe, but that he shulde be crucified by the auctoritie of the iudge, but he sayth that Pylate be­toke Iesus vnto the Iues: to shewe that they were the cause of his deth / though they wolde not haue had it so taken, for Pylate wold not haue gyuen this sentence / but onely for that he se that he coulde none otherwyse please and content the Iues. But what was the forme and the wordes of the sentence: it is not shewed in the gospelles: but in the euangely of Nichodeme it is writen howe that Pylate gaue sentence in these wordes folowyng / Gens tua comprobauit te regem: propterea precipio te primum flagellari secundum principum statuta deinde [...] cruce leuari: Thy people haue affermed the to be a kynge, therfore I commaunde the first to be scourged accordyngly to the ordynaūces and statutes of the princes of Rome and after that to be hanged vpon the crosse. Beholde here howe the moste innocente lambe Christe dyd chose to be dampned for the with an vniuste and false sentence to dely­uer the frome the iudgement of iustyce and payne of eternall dampnacyon, he payed for that he neuer had he suffred payne for oure synne. And here remember what lamentacyon his fren­des then made, when they herde this horrible and moste vntrue sentence gyuen agaynste Christe. And in the remembraunce of that sentence and deth of Christe / whiche in scripture is cal­led Alpha and Oo,Apoc. 1. B. the begynnynge and the endynge, and by­cause that Christe was that daye taken frome vs by his death. Therfore the churche euery yere in that day vseth to omitte and leaue the begynnynge and endynge of the houres of the seruyce. After this condempnacyon: the saugiours toke oure sauyoure Iesus. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christe bare his crosse. The .xliii. article.

THe .xliii. article is the bearynge of his crosse, for after that Pylate had gyuen sentēce of deth agaynst the innocent Christ Iesus:Mat. 27. D. then the saugiours toke hym and pulled of the purpull or scarlet robe, and put on hym his owne garmentes. And here saythe Symon de Cassia:Libro. xiii. When Christe shulde be crucifyed then the saugiours toke from hym that garment wherin they had derided and mocked hym, and nowe they beganne (not mockyngly or in sporte / but in verye dede) to put hym to the payne and deth of the crosse / and therfore they put vpon hym his owne garmentes / that therby he myght be the more knowen, and so goynge to his deth in his owne clothes: it shulde be the more to his confusyon and shame. And at this tyme without any doubte Christe suffred a newe payne and that was moste greuous / for that olde purpull robe was harde baken and cleued faste to his backe, in the woū ­des whiche he suffred before at his scourgynge, and therfore this robe myght not be pulled of his backe: but to his most greuous payne, for they rent and pulled the flesshe frome his bodye with that cote, and so put Christ, to a newe & intollerable payne agayn. [Page Cvi] Then they byndynge his handes and necke with a rope: therby shewed that he was cōdempned vnto the deth, and so drewe hym out of his propre citie as a misdoer, and they layde the great / he­uy and grosse tree of the crosse / vpon his moste soore and tender sholders, that he shulde beare it vnto the place where as he shuld be crucifyed. And for asmoche as that tree was reputed and thought of the Iues to be a prophane and vnclene thynge: and also that deth of the crosse shamefull / for the scripture sayth:Deut. 21. D Ma ledictus omnis qui pendit in ligno: He is a cursed that is hanged vpon a tree, therfore no man durst beare that tree not yet touche it. And for this cause: they leyde it vpon Christe, that he damp­ned: shulde beare his owne crosse.Ioh. 19. D. This was a great ioye and sporre to the wicked men, but it was a great misterie to vs chris­tians. And therfore saynt Barnarde sayth: O here is spectacle or thynge done that was neuer sene before / neuer herde nor done before, that a thefe or a malefactour shulde be compelled to beare the gallowes or tree wherupon he shulde be hanged / but onelye now in Christ? And here sayth saynt Austen: The mylde lambe Iesus taketh and beareth his owne crosse vpon his sholders go­ynge with great payne and sorowe vnto the place of his passyon,Esaie. 9. B. and herin was fulfylled the saynge of the prophet: Factus est ptin cipatus super humeum eius: His dignitie and power is made v­pon his shoulder, his crosse: is his dignitie and power, wherby he dyd ouercome the power of the deule, and for his obedience vnto the deth:Philip 2. B god dyd exalte hym as saynte Poule sayth. And as greate men beare diuers thynges in token of theyr diuers dignities, As kynges: a crowne, bisshoppes a myter, other men a gartar. &c. so Christe in the remembraunce of his dignitie: bare the crosse, and so thou serchynge: shal not fynde or perceyue that Iesus reigneth in any person: but by payne & herdnes / and ther­fore these delicates & carnall persons whiche wyl suffer no payne but folowe all pleasure: ben the enemyes of the crosse of Christe as saīt Austen saith.Gen. 22. B In this acte was fulfylled y^e figure of Isaac whiche bare the stickes wherwith he shulde haue bene offered to god in sacrifice.Tertio re­gum. 17. B. Also this acte was figured in the wydowe of Sareptha that gatherd .ii. stickes.Nū [...]. 13. C. Also our sauyour Christe is signifyed by that clustre of grapes that was borne vpon a tre by­twixte. ii. men, for Christe was hanged vpon a tre bytwixt two theuys. Also this Christe is signifyed by Helyseus whiche kut downe a tre and went with it to searche for the yren whiche was fallen in to the watre, and at that searchynge: the yren swame [Page] aboue the water / where as the tree was, so our sauiour Christe saught for man kynde whiche was fallen in to the deape water of troubles and drowned synne / and in hell, but by the tree of the crosse of Christe: it swame vp agayne and so was recouered a­gayne. Of this article saynt Anselme sayth: O my soule behold and se howe thy lorde god is in al thynges here despised and compelled to bowe his backe vnder the heuye burden of the crosse / and so to beare his owne confusion and shame. O merueylouse spectacle to beholde doste thou not se hym? beholde his dignitie and power is shewed vpon his sholder,Psal. 44. this is the rodde or tree of equitie, the tree of his kyngdome and power. And thus when Iesus had gone a lytyll forth bearynge his heuy crosse: he was so feynt & wery, partly for feblenes and tendernes of his bodye, and partly for the great afflicacyon and payne that he had suffred all the same day and nyght before: that he was fayne to go softly and also to lay downe the crosse from hym, or els (as some sayth) he fel downe vnder the crosse there to re [...]t hym and ease hym self. But those moste cruell tormentours not wyllynge to differ hys deth, and also fearynge lesse that Pylate shulde reuoke his sen­tence bycause he shewed hym selfe to haue a good wyll to delyuer Christ from deth, therfore they constrayned a straunge man that passed by them called Symon Cireneus to beare the crosse after Iesus.Mar. 15. B Not moued (as the glose sayth) of any pitye or mercye towardes Christ:Glosa ordi Ibidem. but that he myght the soner come to his death. And also that it myght appere that Iesus was not god / seynge that he was so feble & weyke a man that he was not able to beare that crosse as sayth saynt Austen. And this Symon was not a Iue or of the chylderne of Israell: but a pylgryme a straunger of the Sirenys that is a cytye in the countrie of Libia. And in this man was veryfyed the saynge of the prophet Dauid:Psal. 17. Popu lus quē non cognoui: seruiuit mihi: The people that I haue not knowen: hath done seruice to me. And though the iues put this labour (that is to beare the crosse after Iesus) vnto this Symon as to a vyle person & despysed amongꝭ them: yet it was not done without great misterie,Glos ordi [...] Suꝑ Mar. 15. &. Mat. 27. for as the glose sayth: Beholde and note here / that no Iue or Ebrewe: but a straunger / a gentyle is sub­dued to the obprobry and crosse of Christe, to shewe that the plentuousnes of grace & of the sacramentes or misteries of the lawe shulde departe from the Iues vnto the gentyles. Symon is as moche to say by interpretation as obedient,Beda. Suꝑ Lucā. 23. and Cireneus is in­terpreted: heres / that is an heyre. And therfore by this man may [Page C.vii] be well noted all good christians conuerted frome the erroure of gentilitie vnto Christe: whiche somtyme ware as pylgryms or straungers vnto the lawe and preceptes of god, but by theyr faith and obedyence vnto the cōmaundemētes of god: they were made of the housholde of god and his heyres / and also coenheritours with Christe. And thus bearynge his crosse: they brought hym to Golgotha. &c. as in the nexte article.

¶Howe Christ was led vnto Golgoltha that is the mount of Caluarie. The .xliiii. article.

THe .xliiii. article is the ledynge of Christe vnto Golgo­tha, there to be crucifyed, for after that they had layde the crosse vpon Christes shulders and there tyed it fast. As saynt Iohan sayth:Ioh. 19. D. Eduxerunt eum: They led hym out of the citie. Fyrste to fulfyll the fygures of the lawe. For it [Page C.viii] was commaunded in the lawe that the calfe and the gote / whiche were o [...]red in the moste solempne sacrifice for the expiation and purifyeng of the people:Leui. 9 & 10. that they shulde be buryed without the castelles or the habitacyons of men. So Christe whiche is the sacrifice for the expiation and redēption of all man kynde: shulde suffer deth without the castels or cities. And also he wolde suffer without y^e citie to declare & shewe vnto vs howe y^t the vertue of his passion shuld not be included within the coostes or boūdes of the Iues: but that it shuld be knowen to be a comon sacrifice for all the worlde. And thyrdly to signifye and shewe to vs / that who so wolde haue the effecte and vertue of this passion: he muste go forth / or go from the worlde / at lest in desire / affeccyon / or loue that is: that he haue no inordinate loue to the worlde, the good­des or pleasure therof. Wherfore let vs folowe Christe and go vnto hym frome our carnall frendes and worldlye conuersacyon bearynge with hym and for his loue rebukes and sharp paynes. And herunto saynt Bernarde sayth: Christe suffred his passyon and deth without the citye, therfore let vs go to hym from the cy­tye, that is by the contempte of worldlye conuersacyon, and that may be done by .iii. maner of wayes. In affeccyon or loue / that we loue not inordinatly the world. In effect & dede: that we vt­terly forsake the worlde both in wyll and also bodye. And thyrd­lye by profytynge: that we desyre and labour to be made one spi­rite with god. For as saynt Gregorie sayth: The more that a man is separate from the loue of the worlde: the more nygh he is to god. This ledyng aboue al the other .viii. of which we spake in the .viii. article: was most paynfull and shamefull to Christe and that for many causes, and therfore conueniently it maketh a specyall article. Fyrst by reason of his rebuke and shame / for it I was moche shamefull to be led vnto hangynge. Secondly, for II that he was copled and ioyned or led with .ii. theues and mische­uous persons / and that was done to his more confusyon & shame that the people shulde thynke / there was no difference bytwixte Christe and them. Thyrdly for the greate noumber of people III that se hym and folowed hym / and that not onely of men but also of women as the euangelist sayth.Luc. 23. D. But they all dyd not folowe hym of one intent and one mynde / for some were moche ioyfull of that syght / as the moste parte of the Iues. And it is no small payne to a man to behold and se other men, and specially his enemyes gladde and ioyfull of his affliccyon and rebuke. There were also some that dyd wepe and were sorye for that syght, as [Page] the blessed woman. And also this was moche paynfull to Christ to se his frendes & louers in sorowe and heuynes for hym.In libro de planctu virginis. Saint Bernarde describeth this ledynge and procession in this maner folowynge. When Christ (sayth he) was broughte forthe to be ledde vnto his passion: there was gathered about hym a greate multitude of people, as ye comonly se: when theues and mur­derars be had to hangynge. Some went saughynge / and some cast clay or durte vpon his most blessed hed and face. If Christe loked before hym / he sawe them cast durte vpon hym. If he lo­ked aboue hym: he sawe the heuy tre of the crosse lyenge vpon his necke and greuously oppressed hym. If he loke behynd hym he sawe his mother with a great nomber of men and women we­pynge and lamentynge for hym. And as some doctours do say / his most sorowefull mother wolde haue come to hym to haue helpen hym: and myght not be suffred / the whiche her swete Iesus seynge and consederynge her great heuynes: fell downe for so­rowe and werynes vnder the crosse. And that seynge his moste louynge mother: for sorowe she fell to the erth as deade. And in the remembraunce of this swonyng there was afterwarde a chapell buylded by the faythful people in the same place in the honor of our lady whiche is called: sancta Maria de Spa [...]mo. and after this:Luc. 23. D. Iesus turnynge hym selfe to the women that wepte: sayd, Filie Hierusalem nolite flere super me: sed super vosipsas flete et super filios vestros: O ye doughters of Hierusalem wepe not vpon me for I take these paynes and deth with my good wyll, for it is the wyll and ordinaunce of god my father / that I shulde thus dye, and also for the great profet y^t shall come therof to mankynde, for by my deth I wyll ouercome euerlastynge deth, but wepe for the cause of my passyon and dethe, that is: the synnes of the people which cause me to suffer deth by the order of iustice. And thus to wepe: it is necessarie for you, and therfore it folo­weth: Sed super vosipsas flete: et super filios vestros: But weape for your selfes and for your chylderne. Herin Christ doth not re­buke theyr affeccyon and compassyon that they had to hym: but he doth teche them an order howe to wepe, that is firste to wepe for them selfe and theyrs, for it is a vayne thyng and of no profyt to wepe for the passyon of Christ: and therwith to despyse hym with our euyl dedes and lyuyng. Also he byddes them that wepe for hym: to consider what paynes be lyke to fal vpon them selfe, And therfore they shuld wepe for them self and for theyr childern, and therfore Christe saythe:Luc. 23. D. Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus [Page C.ix] dicent: Luc. 23. D. beate steriles. &c. For the dayes shall come (sayth Christ) when they shall say: Blessed and happy be the baren and tho that brought forthe no fruyte, and those pappes or teates be happye that neuer gaue sucke or mylke, then they shall begynne to saye to the mowntes: Fal vpon vs, and to the hylles: Couer vs. And thsi he spake for the tyme of the seage of Hierusalem by the em­perours Vaspasyan and Titus his son, for then the Iues were in great distresse as it appereth by the histories of Iosephus and Egesippus, or els we may say that Christe spake this for the ex­treme and last day of iudgement. And the cause or reason of both these he addeth and sayth: Quia si in viridi ligno faciunt: in arido quid fiet? For sithe so greuous paynes and shamefull despites be done to me whiche am a grene tree florisshyng and quicke in the roote of my diuinitie / in the charitie of my manhode / in the bran­ches of my vertues / in the leeses of good wordes / and the fruyte of my good dedes, if (I say) they do these thynges to me, that is: condempne me to the shamefull deth of the crosse / without all iustice: what shall they do to the drie tree or stocke / that is to the synner / whiche wanteth the moisture of grace / the fruyte of iu­stice / the grenisse or florisshynge of the conscience, what payne (thynke you) be they worthy to haue. O Iesu, thou grene tre. O our hed. O thou glorie of all meake persons. O thou cedre of clenlynes, Palme of pacyence, Olyue of mercy, Vyne of glad­nes, shewe to vs what was done to the? And he answering saith this grene tre is pilled or the barke pulled of, it is shred / lopte / it is cut downe and cast vpon the erth. Marke this well frendes sith he that came in to this worlde without synne: departed not hens without most greuous paynes and passyon: what paynes then be they worthye to haue / whiche were conceyued and borne in synne, and all theyr lyfe haue continued in synne? Herunto saythe saynte Gregorie. As ofte as I remember the deth of our sauiour / the pacyence of Iob / and the death of Iohan the Baptiste. I say to the (O synner) therby I consider what paynes shall they suffer when god reproueth: syth tho whome he loueth 4 and hathe chosen / suffer so greuous paynes. Fourthlye / this ledynge was moche paynfull to Christe, For the place whether he wente: was moche fylthye and stynkynge, It is called in Ebrew: Golgoltha / that is by interp̄tation / Iocus Caluarie, The place of the skull, for Caluaria is called y^e skull of a mannes hed when the skynne / flesshe & the heire is all gone, this place was [Page] so called bycause all they that were condempned to deth were headed or hanged there. To that place they broughte hym: bycause men shulde suppose that he was a misordred person. There was also many boones of deade mennes bodyes / and specyallye the skulles of the heedes spredde abrode ouer all that place / and that made it abhominable to beholde and also stynkyng. And for this cause this leadynge was moche paynfull to Christe, and the space that Christe went bearynge his crosse: was .vi.C.lxvi. passes. And from the fote of the mount of Caluary vnto the top where as the crosse was fixed in the erth: were fyfty passes. And in this ledynge Christ fel. v. tymes vnder the crosse vnto the erth, and when they had brought hym to that place: the saugiours pulled of his clothes. &c. as in the next article.

¶Howe Christe was spoyled of his clothes before the crosse. The .xlv. article.

THe .xlv. article is the pullyng of Christes clothes before y^t he was crucified, for whē Iesus was come to y^e place where as he shulde be crucifyed: the saugiours pulled of his clothes before the crosse.Mar. 15. B And as Marke sayth: Dabant ei bibere vinum mirrhatum: They gaue hym to drynke: bytter wyne for it was mixte with gall / as Mathew sayth,Cap. 27. D and when Iesus had tasted of it: he wolde not drynke, for he wolde not mortifye or hurt his tongue, wherwith he intended to praye for his enemyes and to make his testament. And in this was fulfylled the saynge of the ꝓphet.Psal. 68. Dederunt in escam meam fel. &c. They put gall in to my meate, and they gaue me to drynke asell or vynacre. This poynt of the pullyng of Christes clothes doth conueniently make a specyall article: for it is no lityll payne for a man to be stripte naked before all the people, for so they dyd to Christ, for he was all naked without any cloth / the which thing was neuer done before to the most vyle persons, for comonly at the lest they left theyr shyrtes to hyde theyr nakednes. And in this pullyng of his clothes his woūdes that he had before with theyr beatynges and scourgynges: ware renewed to his great sorowe and payne, for his inner garment dyd cleue fast vnto his backe. And herunto sayth the prophet:Psal. 68. Super dolorem vulnerum meorum addiderunt: They added wounde vpon wounde and so sorowe or payne vpon payne vnto me.Ancel ī dia­log passion̄. O blessed mother / what sorowe was this to the when thou se hym so cruelly handled, thou wente to hym with spede and tyed thy veyle aboute his bodye. This most louely lorde Iesus wold be naked: that thou synner myght beholde howe pitiously that most pure bodie of his was arayed for the, he was naked for the / whiche dyd create the, and beynge eterne god: was cladde with beautie and strēgth, he was naked to whome we synge and saye with the prophete:Psal. C. 3. Confessionem et decorem induisti: amictus lumine sicut vestimento: Thou arte cladde with praysynges and beautie, thou arte cladde with light as with a garmente. This lorde god is made a spectacle to all the worlde / a wonder to many persones and a mockynge stocke to the people / for at hym they shoke theyr hed. Thou our hed / our [Page] ioy and our honour and glorie good Iesus: arte thus despysed. this article is different from the .xxx. article for there he was naked before Pylate and his ministers, and here it was openly be­fore all the people. There they toke from hym the white garmēt that herode put vpon hym to mocke hym: here they spoyled hym of his owne clothes, there he was stripte naked to be scourged, here to be crucifyed, there he was clad agayne: here they toke all his clothes frome hym.Li. x. super Luc. ca. C. Of this nakednes saynt Ambrose saythe: Christe naked ascended his crosse, and there he shewed hym selfe vnto vs that we myght knowe / howe we were made by god and nature, he hange vpon the crosse: as Adam was in paradise / for as our first Adam dyd inhabyte paradise naked: so the seconde Adam our sauiour Iesus dyd enter in to paradise naked. And as some say: there was a stone vpon the whiche our sauyour Iesus sat naked vnto such tyme the crosse was prepared and made redy, and there sittyng: he suffred many rebukes both by spyttynges / smytynges / and many blasphemouse wordes speakynge to hym. And whan the crosse was made redy: then most furiouslye they toke Christ. &c. as in the next article. A lesson as in y^e. xxx. article.

¶Howe Christ was layde or spred vpon the Crosse. The .xlvi. article.

THe .xlvi. article is the extensyon of Christe vpon the crosse, for after they had taken his clothes frome hym and the crosse was made redy: they with greate fury toke Christe from his mother Marie / not without her great sorowe / wepynge & sobbyng: they cast hym very harde na­ked as he was vpon the harde crosse lyeng vpon the erth / and so cruelly they spred hym abrode vpon the crosse / and drewe out his armes and legges as a cloth is stretched & drawen out vpon ten­ters, in somoche they drewe hym so that all his mēbres and ioyn­tes were in a maner out of theyr proper places. Of this speaketh the prophet sayng:Psal. C 39. Funes extenderunt in laqueum: These moste cruell tormentours haue extended theyr ropes to make a snare for me.Psal. C. 18. And in an other psalme: Funes peccatorum circumplexi sunt me: The roopes of synners haue compassed me aboute, and [Page C.xi] that so sharplye: that all his bones myght be nombred: and therfore the same prophet sayth of these tormentours in the persone of Christe:Psal. 21. Dinumerauerunt omnia ossa mea: They haue nombred all my bones, for they dyd prepare the crosse without aduysemēt or any mesure takynge of the length and brede of Christes body, or els they dyd it of pure malice / that is to make the holes so far distance: to put Christ to the more payne. And when Iesus wyl­lingly prepared hym selfe to lye downe vpon y^e crosse: those most wicked and cruell tormentours toke hym by the armes violently and cast his most holye and tender bodye vpon the harde crosse, in so moche that therby the crowne of thornes was thurste more fast and farther in to his hed and so put hym to extreme payne. O thou christen soule beholde the face of thy sauyoure Christe, but howe can thou lyft vp thyne eyne vnto his face to beholde his tormentes without teares? And howe can thou thynke in thy herte of his most greuous paynes without sorowe and syghyng? And consider what tribulation and sorowe he founde when he saught the. And herby ye may perceyue that this extension doth conue­niently make a specyall article, for therby Christe suffred a great and greuous payne.Lustra. se [...] qui tam per acta. And therfore the churche doth say and synge in a certen hympne: Flecte ramos arbor alta tensa laxa viscera. &c. O thou high tre of the crosse bowe downe thy branches / lawce the bowels that be stretched vpon the. &c. This extension or stretchynge forth of the bodie of Christe doth also shewe and declare vnto vs the great effusyon of the goodnes of Christe towardes vs whiche procedeth from his highe and infinite charitie that he hathe to vs. By this extension of his armes and membres vp­pon the crosse, he doth shewe y^t he loued vs asmoche as he might / gyuynge to vs / to gette our loue all that he was in hym self / and all that he myght do. And that whiche he coulde not expresse by worde (for his charitie in vnspeakeable) he dyd expresse it with this signe and token of his bodye, that is in this extensyon and stretchynge oute of his bodye vpon the crosse. And hereunto saynte Bernarde sayth: Verylye oure sauyour Iesus is a large and a liberall dispenser / stewarde / or prouysoure, whiche hath gyuen to vs his owne flesshe to oure meate / and his blode to oure drynke, his soule: for the pryce of oure redemption, hys woundes: for oure remedye agaynste temptacyons, hys ar­mes: for oure refuge and comforth, his crosse: for oure shelde, his herte: for a token of loue to vs, his water: to bathe and [Page] wasshe vs, his swette: for a medicine to vs, his nayles: for our sauce, his crowne of thornes: to our ournament, his wordes to our instruccyon, both his lyfe and deth: to our example. These be the .xii.Apoc. 22. A fruytes of the tre of lyfe of whiche saynt Iohan spea­keth in his apocalipse:Exod. 25. C These also be signifyed by the .xii. brea­des or looues that were dayly sette vpon the table in the temple of god / called mensa propositionis.

¶Howe Christ was crucifyed. The .xlvii. article.

[Page C.xii] THe .xlvii. article is the crucifienge of Christ, for our sauiour Iesus wold not onely be extended vpon the crosse, but also wolde be fastened and nayled to the crosse to commende vnto vs his indissoluble chari­tie wherby he dyd stablysshe our helth. Therfore after that those cruell tormentours had so stretched Christe vpon the crosse that the veynes and synnouse were greatly and aboue mesure extended and also the ioyntes of the bo [...]es out of order:Luc. 23. E. then dyd they crucify hym and nayle hym fast to the crosse / bothe his handes and fete / and that with great / harde and grosse nay­les whiche were so blunte and grosse: that they bracke both skyn and flesshe / synnouse and vaynes, and also put the ioyntes of the bones out of order. And the cause why he wolde be crucifyed: is this, for asmoche as our firste parent Adam extendynge his handes to the tre that was forbodden to hym and with his fete going to taste of the fruyte of the sayde tree dyd consente to the deuyle and so make an obligacyon of his awne dampnacyon: therfore our sauiour Iesus that he myght cancell and distroye the sayd obligacion and writynge, wold be faste nayled both in handes and fete to the tree of the crosse with the nayles of vnsuperable cha­ritie, therby cancelynge and destroyeng that decre and writyng that was contrarie to our saluacyon,Colos. 2. C. for our sauiour Iesus toke it from the deuyl and fastened it to the crosse as saynt Paule saith O howe gladlye dyd Christ ascende vpon this crosse, with what loue dyd he suffer al these paynes for vs, with what pacyēce was he obedient vnto the dethe? howe great pleasure had his father omnipotent in that obedience? O what sorowes / wepynges and mornynges ware there harde amonge his frendes and louers, and specyally of his most sorowful mother: when he was so cru­elly extended / fastened / nayled / and in all his holye body vexed? O moste wonder. O the depenes of pitie. O the greate fyre of loue. O the meruaylous pitie of god towardes vs. O the inestimable charitie of god. Besyde this reason we may assigne .iii. other reasons why christ wolde be crucifyed. First that he han­gynge vpon the crosse myght shewe hym selfe to be a mediatour and meane bitwixt god and man, and this is taken of the glose, Pri [...] ad Timoth. scdo. Pri. Timo. 2. B. Seconde reason is / that as the deuyle dyd ouercome Adam by the tre: so he shulde be ouercome by the tre of the crosse. The thyrde is that he myghte euidentlye shewe that he suffred deth for to repayre the ruyne and decay of the aun­gelles in heuen, also to bryng out and deliuered his frendes from [Page] hel that is called Lymbus patrum: to gather together his louers and to reconsyle his enemyes. It is comonly sayd that the crosse was made of .iiii. diuerse treeys, that is / the stocke or fote was of Cedre, the streyght longe tree: was a Palme, the armes or tree ouerwharte: was a Cipresse, and the table aboue the crosse wherin the title was writen and fixed: was of Olyue. The ce­dre signifyeth the profoūdnes of contemplacyon. The Cipresse: fame of good opinyon. The Palme signifieth y^e fruyte of iustice And the Olyue: the plentuousnes of mercy. Therfore the crosse of Christ is worthely called the tree of lyfe,Mat. 27. F for of it we may ga­ther threfolde lyfe or thre maner of lyues. First the lyfe of nature in token herof,Luc. 23. G. When Christ was Crucified: deade men roose a­gayne to lyfe of nature. Secondly the lyfe of grace and in signe herof: when Christ dyd pray vpō the crosse there were many con­uerted to grace and knocked vpon theyr brestes.Luc. 23. F. Thyrdly the lyfe of glorie: in token herof: Christ hyngynge vpon the crosse sayd to the thefe: This day thou shalbe with me in paradise.

¶How Christes handes and fete were nayled & specially of the first or lefte hande. The .xlviii. article.

[Page C.xiii] THe .xlviii. article is the diggynge / borynge or nay­lynge of Christes handes and fete, whiche caused a specyall and greuous payne to Christ, and therfore they make a specyall article, and herof speaketh the prophet in the person of Christe:Psal. 21. Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos. They haue digged and bored my handes and my fete. But for asmoche as by suche cruell boryng and naylyng Christe suffred or had .iiii. greuouse woundes, of the which euery one of them caused a specyal and distincte payne: therfore conueniently this article conteyneth in it selfe .iiii. distincte and dy­uerse articles / that is for euery hand and fote one distincte article so that this .xlviii. article is of the naylynge of the firste hande. The next. of the naylynge of the seconde hande, the .l. article is of the borynge of the firste fote. And the .li. article is of the boo­rynge or naylynge of the ryght fote. And note here that we say not the ryght hande and the lefte hand, for comonly in scripture by the ryght hande is noted vertue and goodnes, and by the lefte hand vyce & euyl, & in Christ is no sinistrall thyng or euyll. And as saynt Hierom sayth:Suꝑ Mar. cap. 15. The extension of the firste hande vnto the crosse: dyd take and nayle faste deth vnto the crosse. And the extension of the seconde hande: dyd fynde lyfe that was perisshed and lost. And the first hande may be here called that hand which they first nayled, whiche paraduenture myght be that hand that we call in vs the left hande bycause it is more nigh to the hert. Or els for a misterie (the whiche those crucifiers dyd not intende) that is this. For firste the euyll / vyce or synne is to be remoued whiche is signified by the lefte hande, and afterwarde is vertue and goodnes brought in, whiche is noted by the ryghte hande. Therfore the first wounde was in the first or lefte hand. In scripture comonly by y^e handes ar vnderstanded werkes. And so these handes of hym that wrought in the begynnyng or made y^e world, dyd nowe performe in the crosse the werke of oure redemption, whiche werke standeth in .ii. thynges, that is in the destruccion of deth and reparacyon of lyfe. But firste he destroyed death, wherby is vnderstanded synne / and all that foloweth therof. And therfore we sayd before that the extension of the first hande / vnto the tree of the crosse: dyd take death / and so faste nayle it vnto the crosse. And morouer he wrote with his owne blode in the same hande / as it were in velym or parchment a writynge of his vic­torie that he had vpon or ouer deth. And that this writyng shulde euer cōtinue: he graued it very depe in to his hand, yea it persed [Page] through his hande. And of this saynt Bernarde sayth: Christe is exalted vpon the crosse / the handes & fete of the moste benigne Iesus be faste nayled to that crosse, his blode is drawen out / our mediatour and meane standeth before his father / as Moyses dyd before god in the breakynge of the golden calfe / to turne away the wrath of his father from vs:Psal. C. 5. that he shulde not destroye vs. And truely our sauiour Iesus stode in cōfraccyon / in breakyng▪ for thoughe he were brosed and broken in all his bodye, yet he dyd not fall downe in soule and mynde, but stode stedfastly in perse­uerance of good wyll. O blessed Iesu in what state do I se the? O most swete and amiable Iesu / who hath put the to so bitter / cruell and odiouse deth. O onely sauiour of our olde rotten woū des, who hath brought the: not onely to most paynfull: but also to suffer moste shameful woundes. O most dulce and swete vyne tree.Psal. 76. O good Iesu is this the fruyte that thy vyneyarde dothe brynge forthe to the, whiche thou translated out of Egipte in to a moste pleasaunt and fruytefull soyle and grounde,Esac. 5. A. and hathe most paciently taried vnto this day of thy mariage / and loked that it shulde haue brought to the swete grapes, but it broughte forth thornes, for it hath crowned the with thornes / these Iues thy vyneyarde haue cōpassed the about with the thornes of theyr synnes Beholde to what bitternes and sharpnes this vyne is turned, not nowe thy vineyarde: but rather a straunger to the, for it denyed the cryenge and sayenge Non habemus regem nisi ce­sarem: Ioh. 19. C. We haue no kynge but the emperour. Therfore these cursed and cruell tylmen haue caste the out of the vyneyarde of the cytye of Hierusalem / or els out of theyr compaigney and there haue slayne the,Mat. 21. D not sodenly or out of hande: but with a longe tormēt and payne of the crosse, and haue gyuen to the many greuouse woundes with whippynges / beatynges / scourgynges, and at last: naylynge the handes and fete to the crosse where as thou suffred .xxvi. strokes with the hamer vpon thy handes, and .xxxvi. vp on thy fete in dryuynge in the nayles.

¶The boorynge or naylynge of the seconde or ryght hande. The .xlix. article.

THe .xlix. article is the naylynge of Christes seconde or ryghte hande,Suꝑ Mar. 15. wherwith (as saynte Hierome sayth) he founde lyfe: that was lost and perisshed. And here by lyfe: may be taken and vnderstanded all thynges that perteyne to our helth and saluacyon, as afore by deth were vnderstanded synne and all that folowed of synne. This lyfe our sauiour Iesus hath gyuen to vs with his second hande. And of this gyfte he hathe writen to vs a sure preuilege or dede of gyft writen (I saye) with his precyous blode, not in paper or parch­ment: but in his ryghte hande / whiche also he hath sealed for a perpetuall remēbraunce with a sharp nayle persynge his hande, [Page] as it were with a seale.Secūda Petri. 1. A. And herunto sayth saynt Peter: Maxima et preciosa vobis promissa donauit deus. &c. Almightie god hath gyuen to you most good and precyous promysses, and therby ye may be made lyke vnto god / and felowes or partakers of his diuine and godlye nature.

¶The naylynge of the first foote or lefte fote of Christ. The .l. article.

[Page C.xv] THe .l. article is the naylynge of the first or lefte foote of Christe, By feete in scripture ar taken and vnderstan­ded our affeccyons and desyres, with the whiche oure soule goeth / which for the more parte / be in vs senistrall that is of the left parte euyll or imperfite, but in Christe they all be on the ryght syde good and perfyte, and therfore Christ by the wounde of his first or left fote that dyd cure and heale oure euyll cogitacyons & affeccyons. Scripture speakyng of our olde and corrupt man sayth:Gene. 6. A. Cuncta cogitatio cordis humani prona est ad malum omni tempore: All the cogitacyon and desyre of mannes herte is prone and redy to euyll at all tymes. But nowe of man renewed and healed by Christe: may be veryfyed this sayenge of the wyseman:Prou. 11. C Desiderium iustorum omne bonum: The desyre of iuste men is all good. Of these iust men also speaketh the prophet Ezechiell saynge:Ezech. 1. B. Pedes eorum pedes recti: The feete of them be ryght feete / for the affeccyons and desyres of good men be not croked / frowarde / or turned to euyll, and that is by the efficacitye and vertue of this wounde of the first or lefte foote of Christe.

¶The naylynge of the seconde or ryght foote of Christ. The .li. article.

THe .li. article is the nailyng of the right foot of Christ. By the wounde of this foote our good desyres which of them selfe be feble and imperfyte:Secūda cor 3. B. be strengthed and made perfit. For as saynt Paule sayth: We be not sufficyent of ourselfe / as of our awne vertue: to thynke any good thynge, but our sufficiencye therin is of god, wherfore thoughe our cogitacyons / wylles / affeccyons & desyres be somtyme good of theyr owne kynde and nature: yet they be of no value or merit in the syght of god: excepte they be dyed or put in the blode of the feet of Christe,Psal. 67. therfore the prophet sayth: Vt intinguatur pes tu us in sauguine: Thy foot or affeccyon must he dyed and put in the blode of Christe or els all is without fruyte of eternall rewarde. And herunto sayth the glose vpon these wordes:Psal. 21. Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos: Glosa Cassiodori. They haue delued or digged my handes and my feete, he sayth not: Transfixerunt or vulnerauerunt: They hath nayled or wounded: but foderunt: they haue delued or dig­ged for the erth that is delued is apte to brynge forth fruyte. So Christ digged in his handes and fete, brought to vs the fruyt of lyfe, and no meruell / for he ranne after vs all the dayes of, his lyfe with great thyrst and moste feruent desyre of our health▪

¶Howe the crosse with Christe vpon it was raysed vp. The .lii. article.

THe .lii. article is the areyryng vp or lyftyng vp of Christ vpon the crosse,An [...]el ī dia­log passion̄. for after some doctours Christe was nayled to the crosse: the crosse lyeng vpon the erth, and after that he was nayled therunto: they lyfted hym vp with the crosse / and this lyftyng vp and puttynge of the crosse in to the stamp or fote that was fixed in the erth was one of the most greuous paynes of Christ, and that was bycause all the weyght of his bodye dyd rest vpon hys handes and fete nayled, and therfore when they had areysed vp the crosse and put it downe with violence in to the stampe or foote: it dyd so shake the bodye that it rent the woundes of his handes & feet, in so moche that greate plenty or ryuers of blode dyd flowe or runne out of those woun­des and founteynes of our sauiour. O blessed Iesu howe swet­ly and pleasantly was thou conuersant with men, Howe greate gyftes dyd thou gyue to men, and that in most abundance? howe harde and sharpe paynes haste thou suffred for them? thou haste suffred harde wordes / harder strokes and beatynges, and most harde tormentes of the crosse, and that in euery parte of thy bo­dye. Man was seake in his heade / that is in his intention, that is when he dyd any thynge for an euyll intent, whiche intention is as it were the heade of the soule. Man was also seake in hys handes when he dyd euyll werkes or imperfyte, he was also seke in his fete: when he had vnclene affeccyons and desyres / he was seake in his herte for he had euyl and vayne cocitacyons, he was also seake in his hole bodye: for he lyued a worldly lyfe / after the pleasures of the worlde and of the bodye. And for these causes good Iesu / thou wolde be wounded, first in the heade: that thou myght cure all our euyll and peruerse intencyons, thou wold be woūded in thy hādes: to heale al our sinful & remisse operations In thy fete: to purge all our vnclene & worldly affeccyons, thou wolde be wounded in thy hert to clense all our euyll and vayne [Page] cogitacyons. And also thou wolde be scourged and wounded in all thy hole bodie: to amende all our carnall life and worldly conuersacyon. But wherfore good Iesu wolde thou be lefte vp on hight?Se [...] de [...] C. xxx. C. Herunto saynt Austen answering saith, that was: he by­cause he wolde also purge the ayre from the power of the deuyls, and from the infeccyon o [...] our synnes. And in lyke maner he clensed the erth: by his blode that ranne from his body vnto the erth. Of this exaltacyon and lyftynge vp Christe sayd before:Ioh. 12. E. Si exal­tatus fuero a terra: omnia traham ad meipsum: If I be exalted or lyfted vp aboue the erth: I shall drawe to me all thynges / that is all my electe and chosen people, also he drewe to hym of all nacyons or of all kynde of people. who is he that hearyng these thynges / wyll not haue a sure hope and truste to haue remission and forgiuenes of his synnes, and that specyally when he remēbreth and beholdeth the desposicyon of Christes bodie hyngynge vpon the crosse / he hath his hed enclyned downe redy to kysse the / his armes abrode redy to halfe the / his handes open redy to gyue / his hert open to loue the / his fete nayled faste to abyde and continue with the / his body all spred abrode redy to gyue hym selfe holly and all to gether to the.

¶Howe .ii. theues were crucified with Christ. The .liii. article.

THe .liii. article is the crucifyenge of .ii. theues with Christe, whiche without was done to his great rebuke and shame,Ome [...]. 84. Suꝑ Iohn̄ as saynt Crisostom sayth. And also to make men beleue that Christe was culpable in suche thynges as the Iues dyd accuse hym in, and so worthely to suffer death. O the wicked and cursed iniquitie of the Iues in this dede, for they crucified Christ as a thefe, and with hym as the euangeliste sayth:Luc. 23. E. Crucifixerunt duos latrones: vnum a dextris: et alium a fi­nistris: They crucified .ii. theues / one of the ryghte hande of Christ and the other of his lefte hande. This vilanye our lorde suffred wyllynge to be crucifyed with theues: to shewe that he suffred passion and deth for synners, and herin / was fulfylled the saynge of the prophet:Esa [...]. 53. D Et cum sceleratis reputa [...]us est: He is ac­compted with theues or reputed to be as one of the wicked per­sons, he was rekened or accōpted with wicked men in his deth: that by his resurreccyon he might reuyue and quicken them: as saynt Ambrose sayth▪ Suꝑ Lucā. cap. C. 2. and so our lorde was crucifyed bytwixt .ii. theues as the capteyne and mayster of them, and the worste or moste mischeuous of them, and also that he seynge or hearynge theyr paynes and heuynes: myghte be more troubled and vexed therby in his passyon. By these .ii. theues may be signifyed those persons that be crucifyed with Christe for to do penance for theyr synnes / in religion, and that by ꝓrofession made vnto the same, but some of them vtterly leaue or forsake theyr religion by apostasie, of whom is well veryfyed the sayng of saynt Paule: Nomen dei per vos blasphematur inter gentes: Rom̄. 2. D. The name and religion of god is blasphemed by such apostatays amonges the worldly people, and that neuer so moch as in these dayes / our lorde amende it, and these persons be noted by that the [...]e that hang of the lefte hande of Christe and dyd blaspheme Christ. The other that kepe theyr professyon / and paciently bere theyr crosse of penance / be signified by the other the [...]e that hang on the right hande of Christe and confessed Christe and desyred hym of his mercy.

¶Howe the saugiours diuided Christes garmentes. The .liiii. article.

THe .liiii. article is the diuision of Christes garmentes, for when the saugiours had crucified Christe: they toke his garmentes & deuyded them in to .iiii. partes, to euery saugiour one parte, for there were iiii. hangmen, and besydes those .iiii. partes Christ had an other cote that was hole vnsewed or without any seame, for it was wouen or knytte.Ioh. 19. E. Of this cote the saugiours or hang men sayd Non scindamus eam: sed sottiamur de ea cuius sit: We wyll not cut this cote: but cast lottes who shall haue it, and her­in was fulfylled the scripture whiche sayth:Psalm. 21. Diuiserunt sibi vesti­menta mea: et super vestem meam miserunt sortem: The hangmen deuyded to them selfe my garmentes, and they cast lottes vpon my garment. This was a great abiection and vilanie to Christ as Crisostom saith,Suꝑ Iohn̄ Ome [...]. 84. for they dyd not so to the theues. This thyng is onely done to vyle / abiecte and condempned persons that haue nothynge but his garmentes.Thōs in cathena super Mar. 15. And Theophylus sayth: they dyd this to the rebuke and shame of Christ, and of a wantones as yf they shulde say scornfully / bicause he called hym selfe a kynge we wyll haue iche one of vs, some of his royall or kynges roobes. O meruelous pacyence and dispensacyon of the mercy of Christ whiche is the very lambe of god, a shepe or a lambe doth bothe fede and cloth them, that clyp hym and sley hym, he feades them with his flesshe and body, and clotheth them with his flees. So our true lambe Iesu Christe dyd cloth those saugiours with his garmentes, and also he feades vs daylye in the sacrament of the [Page] aulter with his precyous bodye flesshe and blode.

¶Of the writynge of the title aboue Christes heade. The .lv. article.

THe .lv. article / is the superscription or wrytynge of the title, for Pylate at the desyre of the Iues wrote a title expressynge the cause of Christes deth and this was it:Ioh. 19. D. Iesus nazarenus rex iudeorum: Iesus of Nazareth kynge of the Iues / as if he shuld say / Iesus of Nazareth was crucifyed: bycause he is the kynge of the Iues. And this title was writen thus to separate the cause of his deth / from the causes of the other .ii. that were crucifyed with hym, and that for theyr euyll dedes and lyfe. The Iues in­tended by this title (as Theophilus sayth) scornfully to rebuke the person of Christ which (as they sayd) made hym selfe a kyng so that the people passynge by and redynge this title / shuld haue no compassion vpon hym:Thōs in cathena super Lu 23. & suꝑ Mat. 15. but rather rebuke hym as a tyrante / [Page C.xix] that wolde haue vsurped the kyngdome. But Pylate wrote not as they wolde haue had hym to write / that is: that he made hym selfe the kynge of Iues, but he wrote playnly / that Iesus is the kynge of Iues.Suꝑ Mat. 27. And herunto saynt Hierome sayth: the Iues of enuy and to scorne Christe / dyd speake for the writyng [...]of the ti­tle: but the vertue and secreate power of god dyd ordre it other­wyse in the herte of Pylate, thoughe he were ignorant and wy [...]t not what he dyd (as the glose sayth) For it was god that procu­red suche a title to be put aboue Christes heed / that therby the Iues myghte knowe that Iesus was theyr kynge / and that they culd not auoyde though they slewe hym for that purpose y^t they wolde not knowe hym for theyr kynge,De lita suꝑ Iohn̄. 19. that notwithstandynge it appered by the title that he was theyr kynge,Beda. Suꝑ Mar. 15. for his kyngdom or dignitie was not lost or hyndred by the deth of the crosse: but rather confirmed / stablysshed and the more strengthed as Bede saythe:Suꝑ Lucā. libro. 6. cap. x C. Also by this title Pylate commended Christe in .iii. thynges / thoughe Pylate dyd not so intende, for the deth of Christe was firste the cause of the remission of our synnes, and that is noted in this worde Iesus a sauiour. Secondly the deth of Christ is the cause meritorious of our grace that we haue a [...]d that is no­ted in this worde Nazarenus, that is as moche to saye as floris­shynge, for by grace we florisshe in all vertues. Thyrdly by the deth of Christe we be made enheritours of the kyngdome of god noted in these wordes: Rex iudeorum: The kyng of Iues that is of all faithfull people that truely confesse god / and by this kyng we all shalbe kynges in glorie. And when many of the Iues had red this title / and perceyued that it was to theyr infamy & sclaunder:Ioh. 19. D. sayd to Pylate, Noli scribere: r [...]x iudeorum: sed quia ipse dixit: rex sum iudeorum: wryte not thus, the kynge of Iues: but that he sayd: I am the kyng of the Iues then Pylate sayd: Quod scripsi scripsi: That I haue writen: I haue writen, as if he shuld say: It is true that I haue writen / and therfore I wyl not chaūge it / I wyll not corrupte the trueth thoughe ye loue falshed. And thoughe Pylate spake thus not knowynge the truth that he sayd, yet that same was prophecied before by the prophet Dauid in the lvii. psalme,Iuxta .lxx. interpretes which speaketh of the passyon of Christ and diuers other before, whiche haue this title or inscription: Ne corrum­pas tituli inscriptionem: Destroy not or chaunge not the inscrip­tion of the title. And therfore saynt Gregorie sayth, this tytle was immutable, not for that Pylate wrote it: but for that the truthe sayde: I am the kynge of Iues: that is of the faythfull [Page] people and of suche as confesse & knowlege god to be theyr lorde.

The illusyon and mockynge of Christe crucifyed. The .lvi. article.

THe .lvi. article is the mockynge of Christe crucifi­ed: and here note that Christe was .viii. tymes mocked on good fryday. Firste was in the house of Cayphas. [...] Seconde in the house of Herode. Thyrde in the motehall of Pylate. And the other v. was when Christe was vpon the crosse, the first of them and the .iiii. in order was in the superscription of the title: of y^t which we spake in the last article, an other was done of the men that passed by / there as Christ was hyngynge vpon the crosse. The thyrd was done by the princes / scribes and seniours of the Iues. The .iiii. was done by the saugiours, and of these .iii. last: we shall speake in this present article. Of the first of these .iii. which [Page C.xx] is the .v.Mat. 27. E in order: the euangelist sayth: Pretereuntes blasphema­bant eum: The people that passed by that waye dyd blaspheme Christe,Libro. xiii. and this they dyd for .iii. causes, as sayth Symon de Cassia. First for theyr blyndnes and ignorance or want of knowlege of the truth, and no meruell though they that passed by / dyd blaspheme hym, for they dyd not tarye or abyde to se and knowe the inuisible truthe, so the Iues do passe by / and do not abyde in the knowlege or searchynge of the scripture that therin they myghte fynde and knowe Christe, thoughe Christe sayde to them:Ioh. 5. E. Scrutamini scripturas: Searche your scriptures, for they beare witnes of me. Secondly this was done & spoken to shewe theyr incōstancy or instabilitie in good werkes, for they passyng by: do leaue or do not continue in good werkes before god / as in meditacyon / prayers / werkes of charitie for the pure loue of god, and so they pray not to god that he wolde lyghten theyr vnder­standyng / that they myght fynde the founten of truth, & thoughe for a lytyll tyme they pray: yet they do not continue / for they be pretereuntes / that is passyng by and not abydynge in any good­nes. And thyrdly they shewe herby that they receyue not the pro­phet of his redemption, for they passe by hym whome they haue crucifyed, so that nother they haue compassyon of Christes pay­nes and passyon, nor yet wyll take parte of the fruyte of our re­demption which we haue by Christes passyon for they abyde not with hym / but passe by mouyng or shakynge theyr heades vpon hym as if they had the palsey or trimblynge in theyr membres. These .ii. last causes do morally toche those christians that wyll not gyue them to prayer & to good werkes, wherby they mighte obteyne the knowledge and the loue of god, and also those that wyll not remember the passyon of Christe and therfore leese the fruyte therof, for they passe by without fruyte / mouynge theyr heades and saynge:Mat. 27. E Vah qui destruis tēplum dei et in triduo reedi­ficas illud: salua temetipsum: Vah is an interiection of displeasur or of derisyon and vpbraydynge, as they myght saye: A strawe for the that wyll destroy the temple / and in thre dayes buylde it agayne, these folisshe people vsed or spake the same wordes that those false witnes spake before in Cayphas house.Artic [...]. 13. O sayde they scornynge Christ, if thou coulde do that (that is destroy the temple and buylde it agayne in .iii. dayes) why doste not thou saue thy selfe / if thou be the sonne of god descende from the crosse and saue thy selfe. And not onely those that passed by dyd thus blas­pheme Christ: but also the princes of the prestes mockynge hym [Page] ii with the scribes and seniours dyd say: Alios saluos [...]ecit: seipsum non potest saluum facere: Mat. 27. E And this is the seconde illusion of this article / and the .vi. in order, these princes and seniours sayde / he saued other: but he can not saue hym selfe. And in these wordes (as saynt Bede sayth) they confesse (thoughe they dyd not so in­tende) that Christe saued other,Suꝑ Mar. 15. and so theyr owne sentence con­dempned them, for if he saued other: he mighte also haue saued hym selfe if it had pleased hym. The seniours sayd farther Si rex israel est: descendat nunc de cruce: et credimus ei: If he be the kyng of Israell let hym descende from the crosse where as he is fast nayled / and then we wyll beleue to hym. To these folisshe and blas­phemous wordes (as holy pope Leo saith) all the elementes and in a maner all creatures make answere and with one sentēce condempne you,Ser de pas­siōe domini for heuen / erth / the sonne / the mone / the sterres de­claryng you to be vnworthy theyr ministery and seruyce do shew to all the worlde your malicyous blyndnes that wold not knowe your creatour and kynge, and that they shewed (I say) by a ter­rible and ferefull erthquayke, and by the eclipse of the sonne contrarie to the order of nature, and with many other merueyles as we shall shewe herafter in the thyrde parte.In prīcipio Morouer the scribes sayd: Si filius dei es: descende de cruce: If thou be the son of god descende from the crosse. I say to you / ye shulde haue sayde thus bycause thou arte the sonne of god: therfore thou wylte not des­cende from the crosse / for thou was incarnate and toke our na­ture, for that thou woldest be crucified and suffer deth for vs, for no pro [...]et it shulde haue ben to vs to be borne: except also we had bene redemed (Ye sayd [...])Mat. 27. E If he be the kynge of Israell: let hym descende and we wyll beleue to hym. Ye lye: ye thoughte not as ye sayd. And herunto saynt Gregorie sayth. O folysshe blynde companey of preestes and lerned men, was it impossible to hym to descende from a lytyll or lawe tree: whiche descended frome the heyght of heuens / or frome aboue them? May those nayles holde hym fast whome the heuyns coulde not holde? he came not to delyuer hym selfe for he was not vnder any bondage: but of his owne fre wyll: to delyuer vs from bondage. Also by theyr wordes ye may perceyue whose chyldern they be, for they folowe the voyce of theyr father the deuyll / he sayd:Math. 4. A Si filius dei es mitte te deorsum: If thou be the sonne of god: cast thy selfe downe, the Iues do saye: If thou be the sonne of god descende frome the crosse, he rose from his sepulcre or graue which was moch more than to descende frome the crosse, why dyd not they then beleue [Page C.xxi] in hym, but ye maye perceyue they thoughte not as they sayde. Not onely they dyd mocke Chryste: but also the saugiours dyd mocke Christe / saynge:Luc. 23. F. Si tu es rex iudeorum saluum te [...]ac: If thou be the kynge of the Iues: saue thy selfe. And this is the thyrde rebube of this article / and the .vii. in order. But thys iii illusyon of the saugiours was of no hatred or malice agaynste Christe: but of an euyll custome that suche persones done vse to rebuke or scorne the persones condempned to deathe / yet we maye suppose / that this illusyon was to please the Iues, for the saugiours seynge that the Iues mocked Chryste: they thoughte also that by theyr mockynge: they shulde please those Iues. And therfore they sayde, saue thy selfe: if thou haue that vertue and power that thou haste spoken of thy selfe / for thou dyd saye / that thou wold buylde the temple agayne in thre dayes / and that thou wolde ryse agayne after thy deathe. If thou haue suche po­wer: nowe saue thy selfe. And note heare that there ware foure maner of persones that dyd mocke Christe. Firste / they that passed by / as men rydynge or goynge by the waye / whiche dyd blaspheme hym. Seconde ware the preestes and senyours that stode there abydynge hys crucifyenge. The thyrde ware the saugiours that satte there to keape Chryste that he shulde not escape, and that no man shulde put hym of the crosse, vnto the tyme that he ware deade. And the fourthe was of the theues that ware hanged with hym. By these foure ar signyfyed .iiii. maner of Christians / that call theym selfe Christyans: but they folowe not the lyfe and wyll of our sauyoure Chryste, by the persons that passed by: ar noted couetouse men / that folowe and loue the transitorye gooddes of this worlde / and passe by the waye of Iustyce / for they kepe it not, by the preestes and seny­ours standynge: ar signifyed prowde and hyghe mynded men whiche stande verye prowdlye in theyr owne conceyte by the appetyte and by the desyre of theyr owne excellencye. By the saugyours that dyd sytte / are signifyed dylycate and slouth­full persones gyuen all to the lust and pleasure of the wretched bodye. And by the theuys hyngynge: arre noted impacy­ente persones / and suche other as grudge in aduersitye. But Chryste as moste pacyente and of hys owne naturall goodnes and myldenes / wolde not answere one worde to all these blas­phemyes: but he prayed for theym. And hereunto saynt Gre­gorye sayth. This is the propertye of good men, that when they [Page] suffer any wronge: they be not moued to wrathe: but rather to prayer. As so was our most mylde sauyour Iesus, which then spake his firste worde, that he spake vpon the crosse, and that was this:Luc. 23. E. Pater ignosce illis: quia nesciunt quid faciunt. Fa­ther / forgyue them, for they knowe not what they do. In this prayer we be taughte to heare shortelye suche persones as aske a­ny thynge of vs, also to remitte the iniuries and wronges done to vs, and to desire no vengeance, and also to loue our enemyes and pray for theym. who hathe so harde a harte that wyll not melte and be made softe at this prayer of Christe, as the prophet saythe:Psal. 94. Hodie si vocem eius audieritis nolite obdurare corda ves tra: If ye here this day the voyce of god: suffer not your hertes to be indurate or obstinate. Our lorde sayde: Father forgyue them: for they knowe not what they do, for they do moche good and profytte to me, and greate hurte and euyll to theym selfe. And truelye so it is: For he that doth wronge or euyll vnto an o­ther man: he knowethe not what synne and payne he getteth to hym selfe, and what grace and glorie he opteyneth to the persone that pacyentlye and gladlye suffrethe wronge. Or els they do not knowe what they do, for they knowe not that I am the sonne of god, they knowe that they crucifye one: but whome they crucifye:Suꝑ. Lucā capi. x C. they knowe not. And here saythe saynte Bede, that Christe dyd not praye for theym that knewe hym to be the sonne of god, and of malyce / pryde / and enuye / dyd crucifye hym: but he prayed for theym, whiche hauynge a goodde zele of the lawe of almyghtye god / thowghe it were not wele ordred, dyd not knowe what they dyd. For there ware somme symple and also vnlerned persones, deceyued by the preestes of the Iuwes, the whiche persewed Chryste of a zele that they hadde to the same lawe, and for thyese he dydde praye, And that same prayer was not in vayne, For in one daye after the as­cencyon of oure sauyoure Chryste there ware conuerted of them thre thowsande.Actuū. 2. G et. 4. A. and in an other daye, fyue thowsande. And no dowte that was by the vertue of this prayer of our lorde Iesu Christe,Esae. 53. D as the ordinarye glose saythe vpon this texte of E­saie: Et pro transgressoribus orauit: He dyd praye for his ene­myes and transgressoures of his lawe. O howe swete a me­lodye was bytwixte the prayer of our lorde Iesu Christe, and the knockynge or smytynge in of the nayles in to his handes [Page C.xxii] and fete, thorowe the whiche armony so many thowsandes ware conuerted to Christe? And that was no meruell, for Christe ke­pynge so greate myldnes and meakenes in his contumelyes and rebukes / hauynge so great pacyence in his tormentes, and also shewynge so great benignitie and charitie to his crucifyers: dyd euidently declare hym selfe to be the sonne of god the father to whome he prayed for his crucifyers, what miracle can be more then this charitable pitye.

¶Howe the thefe of the lefte hande rebuked Christe. The .lvii. article.

THe .lvii. article is the rebukynge that the thefe spake to Christe, for one of the theues that were hanged with Christ / that is he on the left syde of Christ, began to re­buke Christ sayng:Luce. 23. F. Si tu es xp̄s salua temetipsum et nos. If thou be Christe the sonne of god: saue thy selfe and also vs. This was the .viii. mockynge of the whiche we spake in the last article, and this was more rebuke to Christe than the other thre declared in the laste article, bycause so vyle a persone, wretched and condempned to deth and furthwith shulde suffer deth for his owne synnes and myslyuynge, wold thus so shamefully rebuke the auctor of lyfe. And therfore this rebuke is cōueniently made a special article. But the other thefe hering hym speake so loudly: [Page] dyd sharply blame hym saynge:Luc. 23. F. Ne (que) tu times deum qui in eadem dampnatione es. &c. Dost not thou feare god / that arte condempned to deth as well as he is, and we be worthely and iustlye con­dempned to deth, for we suffer worthy paines for our sinnes: but he neuer dyd euyll.Ser. C. xx. de tempore. Of this saynge saynt Austen merueylynge sayth: who taught this thefe to say thus: but he the sonne of god that hange by hym / Christe was hanged nyghe to this thefe: but he was more nyghe in his herte,Ibidem. and therfore he turned hym selfe to Iesus and sayd: Memento mei domine dum veneris in reg­num tuum: Remember me lorde when thou shalte come in to thy kyngdome, and then Iesus spake his seconde worde vpon the crosse sayng: Amen dico tibi: Hodie mecum eris in paradiso: Trulye I saye to the: this daye thou shalte be with me in my glorie. This confortable promisse Christe made vnto the thefe, to re­ioyse of the triumphe & victorie that Christe shuld haue agaynst the deuyl.Thōs in cathen̄ suꝑ lu­ce. cap [...]. 23. And herunto Theophilus saith: As a victorious kyng retournynge from his triumphe: doth brynge with hym the best of suche prey and goodes as he hathe gotten of his enemyes: so Christe ouercommynge the deuyll: dyd spoyle hym of his beste preys, and one of them / that is / this thefe he brought with hym vnto paradise: that is to the vision and fruition of god / whiche fruition the holye fathers beynge in Lymbo patrum / had: what tyme the soule of Christ descended to them after his deth / for then they dyd se the godhed of Christ, which was neuer separate from the soule: after that it was first ioyned therunto. Here thou soule beholde howe liberall / yea howe prodigall Christe was here, for he gaue his kyngdome to a thefe / heuen to one that was han­ged vpon a crosse, and paradise to one condempned to deth, and that at one shorte or lytyll peticyon. Also the liberalitie of god dyd gyue to hym more then he asked / and so is he comonly wont to do. And herin all synners haue an example to trust in god / and to forsake theyr synnes, seyng that the thefe so breuelye and shortly had forgyuenes of his synnes, for surely his grace is more re­dy then our desyre or prayer. O good lorde thou dyd say vnto the thefe: This day thou shalte be with me in paradise, & that was to put disparacyon frome our hertes, thou forgaue the thefe: to shewe to vs the fruyte of penaunce / the fountayne of mercy / and the celeritie or spede of forgyuenes. Thou the phisitien of oure soules, dyd saue the thefe accusynge hym selfe and accusyng the, callynge for mercy and rebukyng his felowe that blasphemed the wherfore thou penitent synner / consider what Christe rysynge [Page C.xxiiii] from deth and reignynge in glorie maye gyue vnto the: whiche gaue so great gyftes beynge mortal and goynge to his death? If he in that extreme captiuitie and thraldome of deth / dyd gyue so large rewardes: what shall he gyue: beynge in moste hygh lybertie of pleasure and glorie? And to shewe that he wolde do in dede that he promised: he cōfirmed it with an oth sayng: Amen. truly. O what vertue and swetenes had this floure or worde of Christ.

¶Of the passion that Christe had vpon his mothers sorowe and heuynes The .lviii. article.

THe .lviii. article is the compassyon of his mothers so­rowe. For when Iesus beynge vpon the crosse: se hys mother standynge by the crosse in great sorowe: he had great heuynes therof, he se his mother (I saye) a mo­ther / a virgine singuler aboue all other mothers / a meake mo­ther louynge her sonne, aboue the loue of all other mothers to theyr sonnes, and no meruell for she was the mother of god / of the onely sonne of god, and therfore she had more sorowe for the passyon of her sonne: than all other mothers can haue for theyr [Page] sonnes, for at his passion / the swerde of sorowe dyd runne tho­rowe the soule of that most blessed virgyne and mother. O holy virgine what vehemence of compassion and sorowe dyd almyghty god lay vpon the and so oppresse the with heuynes, he made the ioyfull and delyuered the frome all anguysshe and sorowe at the virgynall chyldynge or byrthe of thy moste swete sonne Iesus: but nowe he payed the for both / for nowe he put vpon the all the thrawes and sorowes of a woman trauelynge with chyld. And when thou dyd brynge forth thy sonne / god and man: thou had great ioye, but nowe when the blessed fruyte of thy wombe was in thy sight / crucifyed and slayne: then was thy sorow fare aboue all the paynes and sorowes of a woman chyldynge. In so moche that thou myght wele say that olde Noemy sayde:Ruth. 1. D. Nolite me vocare Noemi: sed Mara, quia amaritudine valde me repleuit omnipotens. Call not me Noemy / that is fayre and pleasant: but call me Mara / that is bittter or sorowfull: for almyghtye god hath fulfylled me with bitternes and sorowe. For this blessed virgyne and mother of god, considerynge and depely weaynge in her herte all the paynes and passion of her sonne Christ / mor­ned with hym mornyng, sorowed with hym sorowyng, she stode nyghe vnto the crosse, that he myghte be all hole fixed to her in her herte that was fixed for her vpon the crosse. This sorowfull and louynge mother when Christe dyd se: he was moued with great compassion vpon her, she had compassyon of his passyon / and he agayne had more sorowe for compassion of her sorowe. So blessed lady thy sonne shotte at the the same arowe or darte of loue: that thou dyd shote at hym, and therfore he sayth in his canticles:Cant. 4. C. Vulnerasti cor meū soror mea in vno contuitu oculorum tuorum: Thou hast wounded my herte: O my syster / my spouse / my doughter and my mother / thou haste wounded my hert in the sight of thyne eyen. And she in lyke maner myght say the same to her sonne. Christe knewe wele the great sorowes of his mo­thers hert, he knewe the heuines of her soule, and those sorowes whiche she felte not at his birth: they were nowe doubled to her in his passyon and deth, for her sonne in lyke maner suffred dou­ble sorowe vpon the crosse / that is: for his awne passion and al­so for compassion of his mother. And this sorowe for his mother: was not his leste sorowe, and therfore cōueniently it is assigned as a specyall article of the passion of Christe, for the compassion of his mother dyd greatly encrease the paynes of his woundes and passyon, whome he dyd se stande nigh the crosse with a most [Page C.xxvi] sorowfull, with weapynge eyen / great abundance of teares flo­wynge frome her eyen / with a most heuy countenaunce / with a lamentable voyce and in all the powers and strengthes of her bodye: fayntynge for great sorowe and heuynes. Yet for all these panges: he se her stande constantlye and perseuerantlye / and also strongly lyke a man neuer flyenge from hym. O howe ofte (suppose you) dyd that blyssed vyrgyne sighe and sobbe / saynge in her selfe. O my sonne Iesus: who maye graunte to me that fauour that I myght dye for the / or with the. O my swete sonne Iesu. &c. as ye shal se herafter in the .lxiiii. article. O how ofte (thynke you) dyd she lyfte vp her virginall and shamefaste eyen vnto those cruell woundes of her sonne, if at any tyme she withdrewe them frome the sight of those woundes, or els if she myght beholde them for her continuall weapynge. O howe ofte tymes (beleue you) myghte she haue swoned for the vehemence of her sorowes / for she suffred more cruell sorowes and panges: than the panges of deth, and so she lyuynge: continuallye was in dyenge / and yet coulde not dye, for she was preserued by her sonne that she shulde not dye for his deth. And thus Christ when he se his mother and his disciple whome he loued standynge / that is: Iohan the euangelist, commended or assigned his mother to his disciple Iohan saynge his thyrde that he spake vpon the crosse:Ioh. 19. E. Mulier ecce filius tuus: woman beholde there thy sonne. who may heare Christ speake these wordes without weapynge. He dyd not name her or cal her mother: for that shuld haue moch more greuouslye tormented her, after this Christe sayde to hys disciple Iohan: Ecce mater tua: Beholde there thy mother. And when he spake these fewe wordes: both those .ii. derbeloued / that is: Marie and Iohan wepe full bitterly / those .ii. holy martirs kepte silence / for theyr sorowe was so greate that they could not speake. And from that houre forward: this disciple Iohan toke Marie as his mother: or els he toke her in to his cure and dili­gence / to prouyde for her in all thynges as for his mother. This thyrde worde or sentence of Christe: Mulier ecce filius tuus: wo­man beholde thy sonne (this I say) was a worde of great dily­gence / loue and pitie, for as moche as Christe beyng in so great anguisshe and sorowes of death / wolde yet remembre his moste heuy and sorowfull mother, and prouyde her of a sonne or miny­ster to attende vpon her to her comforth. And herin he taught vs to haue compassyon of the afflyccyon of our parentes / and to prouyde for them in theyr necessities. O swete lorde Iesu thy crosse [Page] and passion doth torment the greuously / but the compassyon of the mothers sorowe, is no lesse payne to the, and no meruell / O good chylde if thou sorowe / if thou suffer and haue compassyon of the heuynes of thy mother, of her separation from the, of her commendation to a straunger.In medita­tionibꝰ vite x [...]i cap. 79. And here doctours done say / and specyally Bonauenture: that the sorowe that Christe had in the compassyon of his mother / was more intense and more greuous to hym: then the sorowe of hys awne payne and passyon.

THe mother of Iesu stode by the crosse / She stode for she neuer fell by synne / she stode to the great glory and prayse of al women, where as his discyples that shulde haue ben men of gostly strengthe & vertue / dyd flye awaye and leaue theyr maister alone. She onely abode with hym constantly in all his greuous panges and paynes / wherin was fulfylled the prophecy of Esaye sayenge in the persone of Chryst complaynynge.Esae. 63. A. Torcular calca­ui solus et de gentibus non est vir mecum: I onely haue troden in the prease of the crosse / & there was nat one man with me hauyng compassyon vpon me, but my mother alone she had compassyon and stode by me. And nat onely she stode bycause she dyd nat flye / but also for that in so great heuynesse of herte she dyd nothynge vnseamyngly or vnreligyously but ordred her selfe in most god­lye behauour without any misorder in cryenge or cursynge and suche other lyke / thoughe she suffred in her herte all those pay­nes that her sonne Iesus suffred in his bodye outwardlye. And (as we sayd before) here she felte and suffred all the panges that she escaped at the byrth of her sonne Iesus. Of these .ii. birthes or chyldynges speaketh the prophet saynge:Esae. 66. C Ante (quam) parturierat: peperit masculum: Before Mary the mother of Iesus hadde any panges or thrawes / she brought forth her sonne, so that she had her sonne without sorowe, then it foloweth in the prophet: Nun quid parturiet terra vna die: aut parietur gens simul? Shall the erth brynge forth with payne all her fruyte in one day, or all the people shalbe brought forth or borne in one day? Note wel these saynges. Firste the prophet spake of the birth of Christe which was without sorowe or payne to his mother and with great ioy. But nowe at her seconde chyldynge where as at the passyon of her sonne Iesus she brought forth all the electe chylderne of god at one birth, she had great panges and manyfolde sorowes. And here note that this blessed mother of mercy dyd helpe or assist the father of mercyes in this moste hyghe werke of mercye, and so with Christe dyd regenerate and redeme al mankynde, and this [Page C.xxvii] generation was to the great sorowe and payne of them both: and herunto Albert sayth though Marye dyd beare her sonne Iesus in greate ioye and without all payne: yet after warde whan she dyd regenerate al the faithful people in faith that was with moch sorowe and of this it appereth that Christ dyd communicate vn­to his mother this hygh werke of our redemption / for she suffred with hym his passyon in her soule as we sayd before. And note me well here for I do not say that our blessed lady dyd redeme vs bycause Christ of hym selfe was insufficient, for to say so it ware heresye. But I say it pleased our sauyour Christ to haue his mo­ther present at his passyon / and there to suffer with hym in soule as he suffred in bodye, that so consequently as he is called the father of mercy: so she myght be honored and called the mother of mercy, and also for other considerations as foloweth, First that our redemption might reanswere vnto the first condempnation, for in our firste losse and perdicyon both Adam and Eue dyd syn, notwithstandynge, if Adam had not synned we had not ben con­dempned, and therfore the onely synne of Adam was the cause of our perdicyon, but for asmoche as Eue dyd persuade / moue and counsell Adam to synne, therfore we say that we ware dampned by oure firste mother Eue, so in lyke maner though we be redemed by the passyon of Christ, yet for as moche as oure blessed lady was consentynge to that passyon and also sufferyde it in her soule: we may saye that she redemed vs with Christe. Secondlye / that as Christe redemyng vs by his passion: was made our father, by the whiche passyon / the sacrament of baptysme / wherin we be regenerate / taketh his efficacitie and vertue, so our blessed ladye myght be called our mother bycause she suffe­red in her soule the same passion of Christe. Thirdly that after Christ: we al shulde honoure the gloriouse virgyn as our modre. Fourthly for the encrease of her merite. And fiftly that y^e passion of Christ shuld be more bitter & paynful to him thorough the pre­sence of his modre by whom he sheweth his most hyghe charitie vnto vs. She stode also for all other departed from the stablenes of fayth but she onely / and therfore it is sayde of her thus. O good lorde thou haste stablished thy testament vpon the heede of Marie al waye virgin, for after the death of thy son thy fayth onely remayned perfetely in the reason of the same virgyn.

¶Howe the manhode of Chryste compleyned hym selfe to be forsaken of god The .lix. article.

THe .lix. article is / when Chryste sayde hym selfe to be lefte and also forsaken of god.Mat. 27. E As the euangeliste saythe frome the syxte houre of the daye vn­to the neynth houre, that is / frome .xii. of the clocke vnto thre at after none, there was a greate derke­nes ouer all the erthe, For the sonne was in an vniuersall eclypse, whiche was agaynste the naturall disposycyon and order of the sonne for that tyme, and therfore it was done by miracle, and by the onelye power of god.Li. 3. de [...]iuitate dei. ca. 15. B. And hereunto saynte Austen saythe for as moche as the innocente lambe Chryste / the true sonne of Iustyce dyd suffer the eclypse of deathe, therfore thys visible sonne / the moste clere lyghte of all the worlde, hauynge compassyon of his creatoure and maker: withdrewe the beames of his lyght and hyd hym selfe / as thoughe he durst not or wolde [Page C.xxix] not beholde his maker hyngynge vpon the crosse, nor se his most vyle and bytter death. And then about the .ix. houre of the day our sauyour Iesus cryed with a greate and lowde voyce. And that was (as Symon de Cassia sayth) for he suffred greate tor­mentes and paynes.Libro. xiii. Also for that he suffred greate wronge and iniurie. He cryed with a great voyce of the bodye / but that was more by the vertue and power of his godhed: than of his man­hed. He cryed with a great voyce for the great paynes that he suffred myght not preuayle agaynst hym: but at his awne wyll. He cryed with a great voyce that they myght heare hym and knowe hym hyngynge vpon the crosse, and at the poynt of deth: whom they wolde not heare swetely and deuoutly preachynge: but ra­ther with a froward & obstinate mynd euer despysed hym. Iesus cryed with a great voyce and spake his .iiii. word vpon the crosse saynge:Mat. 27. F Heli heli lama hazastani: These be wordes of Hebrewe and thus they be spoken in latyn: Deus meus deus meus: vt quid dereliquisti me? My god my god: wherfore haste thou left or for­saken me? These be not the wordes of the godhed of Christ: for that suffred no payne it is vnpossible, as if the sonne beame shuld shyne vpon a tree, and one person toke an ax or hatchet and dyd kut that tree: the sonne beame shulde in no thynge be hurte ther­by, and so in lyke maner though the body and manhod of Christ suffred great paynes and deth: yet the godhed therin was in nothyng hurte / ne yet suffred any payne, but Christ spake thus for his manhod whiche then seamed to be forsaken of god / for it was subdued to intollerable paynes and most shamefull deth. Christ was lefte in great paynes / that therby and for those paynes we myghte be conforted of god. It was done by a greate miracle that the glorie whiche was in the hygher porcyon of the soule of Chryste / dyd not descende and redounde in to lawer parte of the soule: but was suspended and letted: so that the lawer parte suffred all paynes asmoche as is possible any creature to suffer without death, for it was hollye lefte to it selfe without all com­forthe, whiche was not in the holye martirs in theyr martirdom and deth, for the comforth that they hadde in the hygher porcyon of theyr soule: dyd redownde vnto theyr senses, so that theyr martyrdome and paynes was no greate payne to theym, but with greate ioye they suffred them, as it appereth in the lyues of saynt Laurence / Vincente and many other. But oure sauyoure Iesus hadde none suche consolation in his senses: no helpe of [Page] any persone, but all lefte to suffer what so euer was put to hym, and that to the extremitie. And therfore he compleynethe hym selfe to be forsaken of god / whiche myghte not in dede be lefte of god / for the godhed was euer ioyned bothe to the soule and also to the bodye: but this he spake for vs / for he knewe that many of his electe membres shulde come to so greate tribulation: that it shuld seame to them that they were vtterly forsaken of god. Now blessed be our dearbeloued and moste mercyfull sauioure Iesus, whiche fyrst in his awne bodye for vs / and nowe also in vs and with vs it pleaseth hym to suffer our tribulation: for the tribulation that we suffer for iustyce and for god, he reputeth it as hys awne tribulation for he saith:Psal. xC. Cum ipso sum in tribulatione: I am with the good person in his trouble, and that is / that we shulde more surelye and faythfully truste in hym. This payne when he sayd hym selfe to be forsaken of god: was moste greuous payne to hym aboue al the other, for without this leauyng: there shuld haue ben no payne, for who so is consorted by god: there is no torment that can be paynfull to hym. Christe sayde twyes: My god, and that was to shewe the vehemence of his sorowe both in soule and in bodye. And herunto saynt Bonauenture sayth. He cryed with a great voyce for he felte great sorowe / and specyally for the great vnkyndnes of man, for though he suffred for al man kynde: yet there were very few present there that toke fruyte therof at that tyme, as the thefe that hange on the ryghte hande / and the glorious virgyne that was full heuye there by the crosse, so that our lorde myght wele say: why haue I so vaynly and with out fruyte subdued my selfe to so many great paynes and to deth? O blessed lady what sorowe had thou when thou harde thy sonne crye so? He cryed also with a great voyce / for the synne was great whiche was the cause of all that miserie, those paynes and deth. For as saynt Ambrose saith: He wepte and sorowed for the synne and miserie of them: whose nature he had taken.

¶Howe they gaue hym to drynke: vinegre or asell. The .lx. article.

THe .lx. article is the drynkynge of vineger, for Iesus after all the forsayd paynes and labours beynge thurstye or drye (for then all that was written of Chryste in the lawe of Moyses or in the prophetes / ware fulfylled, excepte one / that was writen in the psalme:Psal. 68. In siti mea potauerūt me aceto: In my thyrste they gaue to me vineger to drynke) therfore Iesus to fulfyll all the scripture: he sayde: I am drye. Not so to be vnderstande, that Iesus therfore was thirsty / and ther­fore they gaue to hym vineger to drynke: bycause it was so wryten before by the prophet: but bycause god knewe longe before / that Chryste shulde be drye, and also that the Iues or the saugi­ours shulde gyue hym vineger to drynke, therfore our lord wold haue it writen by the prophet, and so in this thirst of Christ that scripture was fulfylled,Iohan. 19. and so in lyke maner vnderstande all the other propheties of Christ. Christe sayd: Sitio: I thyrste. And this was his .v. worde that he spake on the crosse, for after [Page] his longe and continuall labour and payne had all the nyght be­fore and also that same day vnto .iii. of the clocke at after none, also for his effusyon and sheddynge of so moche blode, and for hangynge so longe vpon the crosse in the heate of the day, it was no meruell thoughe he ware drye, and of this the prophet also sayth in the person of Christe:Psal. 21. Aruit tan (quam) testa virtus mea: et lin­gua mea adhesit faucibus meis: My vertue or strength of my bo­dy was as dry as a shell / and my tonge clyued fast to my chekes for drynes, and therfore he myght wele saye: Sitio. I thrist. For they that be let blode: be more drye then other men, but our sauyoure Iesus was let blode that daye, both in scourgyng / beatyng crownyng with thornes and crucifyeng, besydes his sweatyng, therfore it was no meruell if he were drye. Saynte Bernarde entreatyng this article sayth: O good Iesu why dost thou crye and say: Sitio. I am thristy. Dost not thou knowe that thyne aduersaryes wyl ministre and gyue vnto the: vinegre for thy drynk where as thou gaue them drynke in the deserte when they were thristie?Num̄. xx. B And he answereth in the person of Christe saynge: I thriste and feruently desire the conuersyon of synners, the teares of penaunce / of compunction / of compassion / and of inwarde deuotion. I thyrst your helth and the redemption of all soules. Therfore that Christe dyd here expresse his greate drynes / was not without great misterie. For he dyd not say: I thyrst, for that he desyred any wyne or yet vinegre / whiche he knewe that they shulde gyue to hym. But what drynke (suppose you) dyd he de­syre, whiche is the founten of the lyuely and holsome water, the veyne of lyfe / the ryuer of all pleasure / the floode wateryng the heuenly paradise. Surely he thristed and desyred our helth / that is: by his thyrst he desyred our thirst, that is / that we shulde de­syre and thyrst god the well of lyfe. Also I thyrst (sayth Christ by saynt Bernarde) all you that goeth by this way / that ye wold attende and se / if there be any sorowe lyke vnto my sorowe / that by compassyon ye myght kut your hertes / for this day my herte was opened for you. O good Iesu, thou complaynest of thy thyrste: but thou speakes not of thy crosse: thou suffrest pacyent­ly the crowne of thornes, thou forgettest all thy moste greuous woundes and despysynges, the Iues and the gentylles / they thirsted thy blode and therfore they crucifyed the / but thou thyr­sted theyr helth / and therfore thou wold dye for them, as if Christ shuld say the helth of your soules doth more tormente me: then all the paynes of my bodye. But whan Christe sayd: Sitio. I [Page C.xxxi] thrist, anone they gaue to hym no good nor holsome drynke: but vinegre, for as the euangelist sayth:Ioh. [...]9. F. Erat ibi vas aceto plenū. &c. There was a vessel ful of vinegre, and they fylled a sponge with the vinegre / and wonde it aboute with ysope / and fastened it to a rede and so put it to his mouth. This they dyd first / for ther by was the scripture fulfylled that sayd:Psalm. 68. In my thirst they gaue me vinegre to drynke. Secondly to signifye the malice of the Iues whiche went out of kynde from theyr olde holy fathers / for as saynt Austen sayth:Suꝑ Iohn̄ trac. C. xix. C. The Iues ware as vinegre declynynge frome the good wyne of the patriarkes and prophetes, in to vy­negre / that is in to malice and crueltye, hauynge craftye / deceyt­full and malicyous hertes. These Iues ware conueniently sig­nifyed by that vessell full of vinegre / for they were full of iniqui­tye / hauynge theyr hertes lyke to a sponge full of poores or hoo­les, so theyr hertes ware full of many false deceytes and maly­cyousenes.

¶The consummacyon and end of the passyon of Christe. The .lxi. article.

THe .lxi. article is the end and consummacyon of the hole passyon. for when Iesus had taken or tasted of the vy­negre.Ioh. 10. F. He spake the .vi. worde vpon the crosse saynge: Consummatum est: It is done or ended, as it in the tast­ynge of that vinegre the fulnes of his passyon and paynes was consummate and ended, or els that tastynge done: all that was prophecyed of Christe that he shulde suffer: was ended, onelye deth excepte. And therfore as our heed and capteyne Christ suf­ferynge the bytternes of his passion for oure synnes perseuered and continued pacyentlye vnto the ende / that is vnto that al that was spoken by the prophetes and scripture that he shulde suffer ware fulfylled, so we (if we wyll be the membres of this heade) shulde continue in perseuerant pacyence in all oure aduersytyes and troubles / so that we myght come to the ende of all our trou­bles, our most benigne sauiour Iesu beyng our guyde, and that we myght say with Christe:Scd a Tim̄. 4. B. Consummatum est: That is: With thy helpe Iesu and not by my vertue, I haue faught a good ba­tell or feyght. I haue ended my course and kept my fayth. Then a thynge is sayd to be consummate: when all together is perfyt­ly ended and gathered to gyther as it ware in a somme. So our sauyour Christ after that he had suffred all the paynes that be spoken of before, in the. lx articles, so that there was no more to be suffred but death, then he gathered all them togyther as it ware in one heape or somme, and so offred them al to his father sayng: Consummatum est: That is to say: What so euer scripture sayde that I shulde suffer: I haue done it / perfourmed and ended it. The werke of my passyon is ended whiche I offer to my father for the redemption of man kynde. Nor this consummacyon was without naturall payne, as if a man hadde passed many greate perylles / daungers / and paynes / he can not lyghtly remembre and recompte them without a grudgynge to the bodye / thoughe on the other parte he be glad that he hath so escaped them. Suche a paynfull horror and grudgynge had Christ at this remēbrance and no meruell / for he was as yet hangynge vpon the crosse / to his no small payne, and also this remembraunce and consum­macyon conteyned in it selfe virtually al the forsaid articles of the [Page C.xxxii] passyon of Christ / whiche all in summe he noted when he sayde: Consummatum est: It is ended. And therfore this consummacy­on doth conueniently make a specyall article.

¶Of the yeldyng vp of his soule or of the death of Christe The. lxii article.

THe .lxii. article is the death of Christe, for when Christe had sayde It is ended: then he criynge agayne with a greate voyce sayd (or no necessite, but for our example) [...] tuas cōmendo spiritum meum. Father, I commend my spirite in to thy handes.Luce. 23. F This was the .vii. and last worde that he spake vpon the crosse. And by this sayng, he wolde declare vnto vs that the soules of holy sayntes: be in y^e handes of god after theyr departyng from the bodye, wher as before y^t tyme all the soules ware in the hande & power of hell. And by this his commendacion he commendeth to his father all his electe people for we be his membres as saynt Paule sayth. Omnes vnum sumus in Christo iesu. Gala. 3. D. We be all one in Christe iesu. Which in the dayes of his mortalitie offerynge prayers to his father with a greate crye and teares:Hebr. 5. B. was hard for his reuerence. And this worde sayd and prayer made: he bowed downe his heade, and so gaue vp his spi­rite.Hiero suꝑ Mar. 15. In criyng, weapyng, and praing / As the glose sayth, we that be erthly or made of y^e erth: do dye or giue vp our spirite / with out any voyce / or at most / a softe or small voyce. But Christ y^t camme from heuen: he at his death exalted his voyce, and cried with a great and lowde voyce / He that is not moued with this voyce: is [Page C.xxxiii] more heuy than the erth, more harde than y^e stone, and more close and stynkyng than dead menes graues / for all these ware broken, moued and open by this voyce. And note here that amonge al the paynes that Chryst suffered: this payne of death was most sharpe and paynefull for as the Philosopher sayth.3. Ethi. Ca. vi. Death is the moste terrible of all terrible or fearefull thynges / and that is for the na­turall inclinacion that the soule hathe to the bodye. But there is a more speciall cause in Christe for as Damasten sayth.Lib. 3. Ca. xxvii. His god­hed was vnit and knyt, bothe to the soule / and also to the bodye, and therfore, that separatiō of his soule from his body: was most paynfull to hym. Chryste enclined and bowed downe his heade: to shewe vnto vs. iiii. thynges, that is. Fyrste the greuouse and 1 heuy burden that was laid vpon him. A man that is ouercharged or oppressyd with a heuy burden: is wonte to stowpe and bowe downe his heade. But Christe was oppressid with the heuy bur­den of our synnes as sait Petre sayth.Pri. Petri. sedo. D. Peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum. Christe bare our synnes in his bodye vpon a tree, that is the crosse. Also Christe sayth by the prophet. Conuolute sunt iniquitates et imposite collo meo. Tren̄. prīo: E. The iniquites or synnes be folden or lappid vp to gether, and laid vpon my necke, and therfore no meruel though he bowid downe his heade to shew vnto vs what heuy burden he bare. Secondely he enclined his 2 heade to shewe his pouertie, for Iesus the son of god at his death was so pore that he had no place where to reste his head, and ther­fore he bowyd it downe. Thyrdly to shewe to vs that meaknes is 3 the way to glorie euerlastyng. Herunto Hugo sayth. We shall re­turne vnto the heuenly cuntre: by the waye of meakenes. And the wiseman sayth.Pro. 4. B. Viam sapientie monstrabo tibi. &c. I shall shewe to the the way of wisdom, and I shall lead the by the pathes of equi­tie: which when thou arte ones entred in to: thy feet shall not let­ted nor thou runnyng shal haue any let or obstacle. This waye is the vertu of meakenes,Luc. 18. C. for as Christ sayth. Qui sehumiliat: exalta­bitur. He y^t meaketh hym selfe shalbe exalted, & as y^e ꝓphet sayth. Non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit suꝑbiam. Psal. C. The prowde person shall not dwell in my house. Forthly Chryste enclyned his 4 heade to gyue thankes to his father for the victorie he had, for by his death: he distroyed death. And hereunto saynt Paule sayth. Absorpta est mors in victoria. 1. Cor. xv. G. Death is destroyed by the victorie and triumphe of Chryst.Ibidem. And in the same place. Deo gracias qui fe cit nos vincere in domino nostro iesu Christo. Beda. li. vi: Suꝑ. Lucā capi. x C. Thankes be to god that hath gyuen to vs the victorie ouer death by our lorde Iesu [Page] Christe. And note here after summe doctours, that the same houre that our fyrste adam dyd synne / our seconde adam Chryste gaue vp his spirite, and so the same houre that the fyrste adam by his synne subdewed hym selfe and al his posteritie to death, the same houre this second adam by his death distroyed death eternall so that none of his electe chylderne shalbe subdued there vnto. And the same houre that paradise was shyt frome our fyrste adam: the same houre Christe openyd paradyse to vs.

¶The openyng of Christes side and hert with a spere the .lxiii. Article.

THe .lxiii. Article is the openynge or wondyng of Christes hert with a spere.Mat. 27. F▪ For at y^e death of Christ there ware shewed many miracles, as y^e derknes of the sōne, y^e cuttyng of y^e veyle in y^e temple, y^e rentyng or breakyng of the stonys, the openyng of the monu­mentes or grauys, the conuersion of the noble man and capiteyn Centurio / the conuersion of the thefe & of many other, that seyng these great thynges that ware done, knocked vpon there brestes / in sygne or token of penaunce, and returned homewardes, his moste heuy mother there abidyng with a fewe women with her. The Iues then bicause it was the sabboth euyn, that the bodyes shulde not remayne vpon the crosse on the saboth day (for that sab­both day was an high day and festfull with them) they I say be­soughtIoh. 19. F. [Page] Pilate that theyr legges myght be broken and so taken downe of the crosse / then camme the sawgyours and brake the legges of both the theuys. And when they camme to Iesus, and saw that he was deed alredie: they brake not his legges, for as the legges of the paschall lambe ware not broken: no more ware the legges of Christ, that is the true lambe of god / and in that was the scripture fulfylled that saith.Exo. xii. G os non comminuetis ex eo. He shall not breake a bone of hym.Ioh. 19. F. But there cam one of the sawgi­ours with a spere / and dyd thrust Christ in to the side and forth­with there came out blode and watre. This sawgior was called Longius and he was blinde or at lest his sight was but weke and what tyme he had thrust Christ to the hert with his spere: y^e blode runnyng downe by the speare vnto his handes, he (not knowing the vertue therof) touched or rubbed his yen with his blody hādes and so had his syght clerely gyuen to hym. Also of this blode and watre; all the sacramentes of y^e churche haue theyr efficacitie ver­tue and strenght,Super dist. 2. 4. sen [...]. as by theyr meritoriouse cause. As the mayster of the sentence sayth and all doctours. And though at that tyme the deed bodye of Christ could feale no payne: yet y^e Iues did this thing of a great malice and to the great rebuke of Christ, for they ware not [...]aciate and content with the obprobries / rebukes and paynes that they put hym to in his lyfe: but that also they wolde put hym to more and so persew hym after his death. And for that cause this wondyng of Christes syde is taken here for a speciall article of Christes passion / for all y^e cruelties / shames and despites that be done to y^e deed corpes or corse / be acompted as if they ware done to the persones lyuyng. As somtyme the bodyes of deed per­sones: be drawen / hangyd / headyd, quarteryd, or burned: for the correction and punishment of suche defawtes as those persones dyd in ther liues. And though Christ that tyme deed, felt not that wounde of his syde: yet the blessyd virgyn his mother felt it, for that spere then dyd perse her most sorowfull soule / as saynt Ber­nard sayth, truly. O blessid mother, than the swerde of sorow did perse thy soule: when that cruell spere openyd thy son syde, after his death. His soule then was not present with his bodye. But thy soule myght not be departed from it, for y^e soule is rather there where it louyth: than where it gyuith life / & so not without great cause, we say that thou art more than a martyr, for the effecte of compassion in the: dyd exceade the fealyng of all bodilye paynes.

¶How the bodie of Christ was taken downe of the crosse the .lxiiii. Article.

THe .lxiiii. article is the takyng downe of Christes bodie from the crosse. For after that our sauiour Iesus had gyuen vp his spirite vpon y^e crosse: that was about the ix. houre of the day: the bodie of Christ hang styll vpon the crosse vnto euensong tyme / and there abode and taried our [Page C.xxxvii] blessid ladie and other .iii. women sittyng by the crosse / and not knowyng what to doo, they wold haue taken downe the bodye / and haue buried it: but they had no strenght therunto, nor yet such instrumentes as ware necessarie for that purpose. And to de­parte leuyng the bodie vpon the crosse: they durste not / and there to tary or abide y^e nyght drawyng nygh: they myght not. Behold and considre (thou deuote soule) in what proplexitie they be in and haue compassion on them with all thy herte. And as they sat thus in troble and heuines there cam Ioseph of y^e citie of Aromathya somtyme called Ramatha, where as Helchana and Anna the pa­rentes of the prophet Samuell dwellyd.Prīo regū. pri. A. This Ioseph was a riche man and of noble blode and also he was a senatour / and had great office in y^e courte of the emperour, a good man in hym selfe and in y^e syght of god, iuste to his neyghbour, a disciple of Christ, but secreate, for feare of the Iues, he had a truste to come to the kyngdome of god for he dyd in no thyng consent to the cowncell and those maliciouse actes of the Iues.St Math. Ca. 27. And as saynt Hierom sayth y^e fyrst psalme was made of hym. Beatus vir. &c. This holie Ioseph strenghthed thorow theffusion of Christes blode (all feare set a part) went boldly vnto Pilate, not fearyng the malice of the Iues, nor yet the powre of Pilate, and asked of hym the bodie of Iesu, for a great treasure, for he preferryd that bodye aboue all erthly treasures though they be neuer so preciouse. Pilate meruelyd that Iesus was so soon deed, and called to hym a capten of an hundreth men, and asked of hym if Iesus ware deed / and whan he knew the treuth by that capteyn: he gaue the bodie to Ioseph. And then Ioseph bought a fayre lynyn clothe for to wrap Christꝭ bodie therin. And so Ioseph came, not now as a secreat and pre­uy disciple of Christ: but an open disciple of Iesu. And also there cam with hym. Nichodemus, which bifore tyme cam priuely vn­to Iesus in the nyght for feare of the Iues, but now all feare set a parte he cam with Ioseph and brought with hym / of myrre and aloes about an hūdreth pownde weight, to anoynt and dresse the bodie of Christ before his buriyng. And when they cam nyghe to the place where Christ hang: they kneled down / and dyd worship our lorde. And our ladie perceyuyng that they cam to take downe her sōnys bodie (as risyng frō death) her spirit began to quicken, and so our ladie receyuyd them at theyr cōmyng reuerently. And furthwith they prepared them selfe: to take down the bodye, and our ladie healped as moch as she myght. One drewe the nayles out of his handes / an other susteyned the bodie that it shulde not [Page] fall downe, our Lady standyng: lifted vp her armes on heyght, redy to receyue the body when it shuld com downe, and as shortly as she myght touche hym: she drew his heade and his handes vp­on her sorowfull breste embrasyng and ofte kyssyng his wondes wherwith she culde not be saciate, and what tyme the bodie was taken downe: this blessed Lady toke his heade and his shulders in to her lappe, and Mary Maglene, toke his feet, remembryng what grace and comforth she founde by them and all the residue that stode about: greatly lamentyd and morned his death.

¶Of the buriyng of Christes bodie the .lxv. Article.

THe .lxv. and the laste article is the buriynge of the bodie of Christ. For after it was taken of the crosse / and dressyd with spices and swete oyntmentes and also wrapped in fayre lynen clothes as we sayd be­fore: then they went aboute to bury hym. And the time passing: Ioseph meakely desired our Lady that she wold suffre the bodie to be buried before that the saboth day shuld en­tre, for then it shuld be vnlawfull for them to doo any such labour or busynes. And then our lady very gently and discreatly ordred hyre selfe to them, and so crossyng and blessing that body though with great sorow: yet reuerētly she suffred them to take the body and bury it.Ioh. 19. D. And as the Euangelist sayth. Erat in loco vbi cruci­fixus est: ortus, et in orto: monumentum nouum. &c. In the place where Iesus was crucified: there was a garden, aud in that gar­den: a new sepulcre or graue cut or hewen out of a rocke of stone, and it apperteyned to the same Ioseph.Math. 27. G. And in this new tumbe: they buryed the bodie of Iesu. And here sayth Simon de Cassia, that Christ praynge dyed, and after his death: he was put in a garden,Li. xiii. in fine. that by his prayer and death: there myght sprynge to vs the plantes of vertues of his inuisible garden / and that ther­by we myght deserue to entre the garden of heuenly pleasures, moch more pleasaunt than that garden of paradise that was pre­pared of god for our fyrst parentes in the este part of the worlde. This new sepulcre also was conuenient for our new Adam,I [...] ibidem. that his buriyng myght reanswear to his incarnacion. For when he was incarnate: he was put in to the wombe of a virgyne, where neuer man was before / nor shuld be after hym and so was he put in a new graue where as neuer man was put before. Also he was buried in an other mānys sepulcre for he had none of his owne / [Page C.xl.] nor wold haue. For he y^t came to gyue hym selfe to the comforthe of man: wolde haue no erthly thyng propre to hym selfe. It was not conueniēt for hym that cam to gyue vs heuenly thynges, that he shulde labour for any propertie in erthly thynges, and therfore he made poore for vs from his natiuytie vnto his death: dyd kepe a poore li [...]e,1. Cor. x. A. and free from all propertie in worldly thynges. He was also buried in a sepulcre of stone,Math. 16. C. this stone signified Christ, vpon the which stone is stablished y^e sure foundacion of our faith.Nu. 20. B. Also he was buried in a stone: for many misteries. This is the stone that gaue watres plentiously vnto the people of god in the desert. This is the stone that gaue furth riuers of oyle vnto Iob. This is the stone vpon the which a man is exalted and fixed in the tribulacions and anguishes of his hert,Psal. lx. to his great comforth and defence,Psal. C. iii. if he cum therto by sure fayth. This is the stone that is the refuge and comforth vnto penitent synners / that be full of prickes (that is,Psal. 139. contricion for theyr synnes) as the hurchen is full of prickes. This is also the stone: agaynste or vnto the which the yong spryng of our synnes be caste and all to crushed and broken or destroyed, that is, our euyll cogitacions / at the begynnyng of them, or fyrst mocion before they encrease in vs they shuld be cast agaynst this stone, remembring the death and burying of Christ, and so auoyde and destroy them. In to this stone they put the body of Christ which was the lorde and gyuer of lyfe.Math. xxvii. G. And when they had buried hym then Ioseph rolled or put to the dore of the sepul­cre a great stone and so departed.Li. xiii. in fine. As Simon de Cassia saith, this stone put to the doore of the sepulcre: doth signifie the infidelitie of the Iues, and the hardnes of theyr hertes, for nother they wold cease from theyr euyll workes, nor yet leaue theyr obstinate and froward hertes. This stone was put to the se [...]ulcre: by y^e handes of men: but it was remouyd by aungelles / to signifie that by his owne euyll deades a mam may fall to obstinacie and heardnes of hert. But that can nat be remouyd but by the pouer and vertue of god. If the question be mouyd why this article is nombred a­mong the articles of the passion of Christe / seyth Christe beynge deed suffred no payne therby? It may be answeryd that one of the miseries of our corrupt nature is, that the body will putrifie after the death, and therfore it must be buryed. And though this reason haue no place in Christ, for his body shuld neuer haue ben putretfied / as the prophet sayth.Psal. xv. Non dabis sanctum tuum videre corrup­tionem. Thou shall not suffre thy holie sonne to see the putrefac­tion of his bodie: yet for asmoche as the Iues had brought this [Page] body of Christ to that cōdicion, that it seamed necessarie to bury it, and also that the Iues wolde nat haue ben otherwise conten [...], excepte it had ben buried: therfore it is cōueniently accompted as an artycle. And also for that, there folowed this buriyng .ii. great thynges / that is the lamētacion and mournyng of our Lady and the other women, and also y^e watche and keapyng of the sepulcre. Fyrst (I say) for the lamentacion of the blessyd virgyn and other women, by whose lamentacions ware fulfylled the lamentacions that the prophet Hieremy wrote vpon the death of the good kyng Iosias. The sorowful mother of god myght fyrst direct her wor­des to the father of heuyn and say.In libro. Treno (rum). Alas, my lord god, why hast thou gyuen to me a son to die so miserably, and so to leaue me be­hynd hym al desolate and ful of sorowe and heuines. &c? Second­ly she myght speake to Gabriel y^e archaungell. O Gabriell where is the glad tidynges that thou shewed to me? I fynde no ioy: but most bitter sorow. Thyrdly she myght speake to Iohan the euan­geliste and to other women that ware with her, and say / if ye loue me, if ye haue any compassion of me: I charge you that ye bury me with hym. These and other like, this sorowful mother myght haue sayd. The second thyng that folowyd this buriyng: was the watche and keapyng of the sepulcre by the saugiours. And hereof the euangelist sayth thus.Math. xxvii. G. Altera autem die que est post parasceuem dixerunt principes sacerdotum et pharisei ad Pilatum. Domine re­cordati sumus ꝙ seductor ille. &c. The next day after good friday / the princes of pristes and the phariseis cam to Pilate and sayd. Lord, or sir, we remembre that this deceyuer sayd, whyle he was yet aliue. After .iii. dayes. I wyll arise agayne. Commaunde therfore that the sepulcre be made sure and keapt vnto the thyrd day, lesse paraduenture his disciples come and stele hym a waye and say to the people that he is arisen from death. And then the laste erroure shalbe worse than the fyrst. This the Iues dyd fyrst to shewe the malice of theyr hertes. And therefore Symon de Cassia sayth.Li. xiii. in fine. This is a great iniquitie of men, a great enuy of the Iues, that they do nat cease to persue and falsly accuse y^e innocent deed, callyng Christ after his death, a deceyuer / and that also they spake before the iudge, which had prouyd the contrarie / they had don to moche before in y^t they falsly accused hym in many thyngꝭ and moreouerby theyr importune clamoures and criynges had made hym to be cōdempned vnto a most shameful death.Ibidem. Secondly, they dyd thus for theyr owne excusaciō. For as y^e same Simon de Cas. sayth. It is y^e cōdicion of an enuiouse ꝑson: euer to speke [Page C.xli] euyl of that person whom he hateth, and though he haue slayne or hurte that person whom he so hateth: yet he wyll neuer speake of hym, but with obprobriouse and euyl wordes, that therby he may be Iudged to be good and ryghtuouse: for asmoch as he ꝑse weth that person that was euyll and vnryghtuouse, and so he cloketh, hideth and coloreth his enuy by false crymes that he putteth vpon the innocent. But for al that, the conscience of such euyl persones be euer more in feare for they knowe that they do euyll / but by­cause they wyll not haue theyr malyce knowen: they cease nat to falsly accuse theyr enymy also after his death. And so theys false Iues euer repete theyr false accusacions: bycause they wold nat be noted as confounded. O blynd malyciouse people. In all theyr euyll deades agaynst Christe they go to the Iudge Pylate, that theyr iniquitie and synne shuld seme as iustice: bycause it is doon by auctoritie. And they called hym Domine, that is lorde, but they wold neuer obey to hym with theyr good wyl. It is the propertie of maliciouse and froward persons to prayse hym byfore his face whom they hate in theyr hertes,Math. xxvii. G. and that is to brynge theyr pur­pose to passe. Then Pylate sayd to them. Habetis custodiam. Ite custodite sicut scitis. Ye haue there the watche men, take them and goo and make the sepulcre as sure as ye can. As if he shulde say after Rabanus.Thōs suꝑ. It myght be sufficient to you that I haue cōsen­tyd vnto the death of this innocent,Math. 27. from hens fourth do what ye wyll, your errour shall reste vpon your selfe. And then they went and made the sepulcre sure with watch men and sealyd the stone. This was doon for .ii. causes. Fyrst to shew the folishenes of the Iues.Super. Math. in fin [...]. And herunto saynt Hillarie sayth. The feare that the Iues had of the steylynge of Christis body, the watche men and the sealyng of the stone: be a testimonie and a witnes of y^e infidelitie and folyshues of the Iues. Was it not a great folishnes of them / to watche and seale his sepulcre that a lytil before that tyme com­maūded a deed man to rise out of his sepulcre / the which was .iiii. dayes buried? Secondly this was doon for the more sure testi­mony of the truthe that is of the resurrection of Christ. And herof Crisostome sayth.Thōs suꝑ. Considre and note well here how the Iues a­gaynste theyr owne myndes doo labour to shewe and proue the truth agaynst them selfe. For this theyr acte is a manifeste and sure proue of y^e resurrection of Christ. And thus we may proue it. The sepulcre was sealed and surely keapte w^t saugioures: ergo / there culd be no crafte or deceyte. If theyr ware no deceyte: ergo Christ is surely risen / for there is the sepulcre, & the body is gon.