Mount Caluarie, THE SECOND PART: Compiled by the Reverend Father Don Anthonio de Guevara, Bishop of Mondonnedo, Chronicler and preacher unto Charles the fift.  
In this Book the Author treateth of the Seven Words which Christ our Redeemer spoke hanging upon the Cross.  
Translated out of Spanish into English.   ornament with palm tree 
IL VOSTRO MALIGNARE NON GIOVA NULLA.  
LONDON, Printed by Adam Islip for Edward White, and are to be sold at his shop by the little North door of Paul's, at the sign of the Gun. Anno. 1597.   

❧ A Table of the Chapters contained in this Book.  

PAter ignoice illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt.  
Chap. 2 How the son of God said unto his Father, that those which crucify him, be not his enemies but his friends. Fol. 7  
Chap. 3 How the son of God put himself a mediator betwixt God and mankind, and what torment he received thereby. Fol. 13  
Chap. 4 Of many qualities & conditions which the prayer of, Father forgive them, had in it: & how it is meet for us to follow it in our prayers. Fol. 20  
Chap. 5 Why the father answered not his son when he prayed for his enemies. Fol. 24  
Chap. 6 How Christ prayed for his enemies on the cross more hearty than he did in the garden for himself, seeing the one prayer was made with condition, and the other not. Fol. 30  
Chap. 7 How God is more merciful now than he was in time past: and why Christ did not say that he did pardon his enemies, when he asked pardon for them of his Father. Fol. 35  
Chap. 8 How our Lord reckoneth with the Synagogue: and of five cruelties which the jews used in the death of Christ. Fol. 42  
Chap. 9 How that Christ's mercy was far greater towards the Synagogue, than their naughtiness towards him; seeing he pardoned her, though she desired no pardon. Fol. 51   

The Contents of the second word.  
OF the conversion of the good thief, and of the great wonders which our Lord did unto him in this case. Fol. 64  
Chap. 2 How judas Iscarioth was a great thief; of the thefts he committed; and how he fell from the apostleship. Fol. 69  
Chap. 3 Here are reckoned many other great offences which judas committed, and divers treasons which he did against Christ. Fol. 76  
Chap. 4 Of the great virtues which the good thief had which died with Christ, and how he believed: & of that which the Prophet jeremy speaketh to this purpose. Fol. 83  
Chap. 5 How three hours in which the good thief was with Christ upon the cross, did profit him more than the three years profited judas in the which he followed Christ: and how some steal until they come to the gallows, and how this thief stole upon the gallows. Fol. 90  
Chap. 6 How the good thief had nothing remaining on the cross, but his heart and his tongue: and that by these two he gained glory: and there are curious points uttered touching the heart. Fol. 96  
Chap. 7 How the naughty thief lost himself only for want of faith: and of two chalices which the scripture maketh mention of, of which both the thieves drank of. Fol. 105  
Chap. 8 Of the great charity which the good thief had towards the naughty thief in correcting him of evil doing, and in advising him of the good which he lost. Fol. 113  
Chap. 9 Why the good thief did not chide with the naughty thief, because he did not love Christ, as he did chide with him because he did not fear God: there are many notable things brought touching the fear of our Lord. Fol. 121  
Chap. 10 How the son of God was more grateful unto the good thief, which bore him company on the cross, than Pharoahs' cupbearer was to joseph who accompanied him in prison. Fol. 130  
Chap. 11 Of these words Domine memento mei, Lord remember me, which the good thief spoke unto Christ: the which words are devoutly and deeply expounded. Fol. 139  
Chap. 12 How our Lord heard the thieves prayer upon the cross, and how Christ answered in the seven words for siue which he spoke unto Christ. Fol. 149  
Chap. 13 How the son of God never used this word Paradise, until he promised it unto the good thief: & of many learned expositions of this saying, hody mecum eris Paradiso. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. Fol. 157   

The Contents of the third Word.  
THat the love which the mother of God had, did exceed the love of all other men, & also the love of Angels. Fol. 174  
Chap. 2 How that if the love which the mother bore unto her son was great, so likewise the love which the son bore his mother was no less: and to prove this, there is expounded a saying of the Canticles. Fol. 181  
Chap. 3 Of the first and second word which holy Simeon spoke unto our Lady: and how many fall from the law of Christ, without his fault. Fol. 189  
Chap. 4 Of the third word which old Simeon spoke unto the Virgin in the Temple: and of three authorities touching this purpose. Fol. 195  
Chap. 5 How Solomon did inherit the kingdom of his father David's pleasures: and how Christ did inherit the kingdom of travails.  
Chap. 6 Of the sword of grief which killed the son of God, and went through his blessed mother. Fol. 212  
Chap. 7 How the Virgin and her family stood hard by the cross, and others sat a far off. Fol. 220   

The Contents of the fourth Word.  
HOw Christ in this speech more than in all the rest seemeth to change his style of speaking. Fol. 233  
Chap. 2 How Christ doth complain upon his father, because he doth break all his anger upon his body. Fol. 242  
Chap. 3 How Christ complaineth of his Father, because he took all his friends from him in his passion, and all others which he knew. Fol. 247  
Chap. 4 How Christ complaineth on his Father, because he bathed his body with the blood of his veins, and drowned his heart in waters of distress. Fol. 255  
Chap. 5 How Christ complaineth of his Father, because he did permit those to crucify him which were wont to be his friends: and how he calleth them friends. Fol. 260  
Chap. 6 How Christ complaineth unto his father, because they made more account of jepthes daughter in the Synagogue, than they do at this day of his death in the church. Fol. 265  
Chap. 7 How Christ complaineth unto his father, because they did open his wounds through malice, as they did stop up Isaac's wells through envy. Fol. 273  
Chap. 8 How the son of God complaineth to his father, because they did load his body with stripes, and his heart with care and anguish. Fol. 286  
Chap. 9 How the son of God complaineth upon the Synagogue, that having carried them upon his back, yet they be ungrateful unto him. Fol. 297  
Chap. 10 How Christ complaineth unto his Father upon us for our ungratefulness, considering that he hath taken upon himself all our offences. Fol. 303  
Chap. 11 Christ complaineth unto his Father, how badly envy did use him: and how in Samaria they sold an ass head for fourscore pence, and they gave but thirty for his. Fol. 310  
Chap. 12 Christ complaineth unto his Father, that all other martyrs had their pains and troubles inflicted upon them at divers times, and he is all at once. Fol. 318   

The Contents of the fift Word.  
WHy the son of God did bid all those which were athirst come unto him, and yet said upon the cross that he himself was a thirst. Fol. 335  
Chap. 2 How the Crows gave the Prophet Helias meat, and how the jews gave Christ neither meat nor drink. Fol. 342  
Chap. 3 How the hangmen drank the wine which was brought unto him and the other thieves, and did suffer Christ to die with thirst. Fol. 349  
Chap. 4 He followeth the authority of the Prophet Osee, & speaketh of the garments which Christ left in pledge. Fol. 356  
Chap. 5 Where is brought a figure of Tobias, and declared to the purpose. Fol. 362  
Chap. 6 Here the Author followeth the figure which he touched before, which is declared well to the purpose: and there is brought also a prophesy of jeremy. Fol. 368  
Chap. 7 Of a new thirst which King David had, which was a thirst not to drink, but to save himself. Fol. 376  
Chap. 8 God complaineth that we forsake him for vile & base things: and doth compare us unto old pools. Fol. 381  
Chap. 9 How the son of God did not refuse to drink gall & vinegar, although he kniw it would kill him. Fol. 385  
Chap. 9 How the synagogue could give Christ nothing to drink but rotten dregs. Fol. 390  
Chap. 11 How the synagogue gave Christ that to drink that she herself was, that is gall, and that which she had, that is vinegar. Fol. 393  
Chap. 12 How that the thirst that Christ had upon the cross, was not so much for drink, as to desire to suffer for us. Fol. 398  
Chap. 13 Where he goes forward with the figure aforesaid. Fol. 405  
Chap. 14 Of the cruelty and ingratitude that the jews used in giving Christ gall and vinegar, and how he satisfied for every sin in particular. Fol. 407   

The Contents of the sixth Word.  
HEre are put divers understandings of this speech: Fol. 429  
Chap. 2 Against disordered eaters and drinkers, and how Christ was a greater martyr than any other, and there is declared a prophesy of Esayas. Fol. 434  
Chap. 3 Of the greatness of the son of God, and how all things have weight and measure, and number, saving only the humanity of Christ. Fol. 441  
Chap. 4 Herein is entreated of the greatness and wealth of salomon's temple, & how that in the holy temple of Christ's humanity, the holy ghost hath bestowed greater workmanship, riches, & spiritual gifts, them the temple which Solomon built. Fol. 448  
Chap. 5 How that all the mysteries & prophecies which God had prophesied of him were fulfilled in Christ in jerusalem. Fol. 455  
Chap. 6 Here he entreateth of that high prayer which Christ made upon the table, saying, Pater sancte non pro mundo rogo, sed pro illis ut serves eos a malo. In which prayer if he obtained constancy & stoutness for his Apostles, yet he forgot not the weak saying, Non rogo ut tollas eos a mundo. Fol. 463  
Chap. 7 Herein he entreateth of the variety, and diversity of names of the sacrifices of the old Testament, & of the excellency of the sacrifice of the new Testament. Fol. 473  
Chap. 8 Wherein is declared a figure when Moses did anoint the altar seven times with one finger, and how that unction was a figure of Christ, and fully accomplished in his most sacred humanity. Fol. 480   

The Contents of the seventh Word.  
HOw God is the only and true comforter, and how he was Deus ultionum to the Synagogue, and is to the church Pater misericordiarum. Fol. 486  
Chap. 2 Of the difference that is betwixt David's testament, & Christ's testament, seeing the one commandeth to revenge other men's injuries, and the other pardoneth his own death. Fol. 492  
Chap. 3 Of the difference betwixt the blood of Abel and the blood of Christ, & how unlike their cries unto God are. Fol. 496  
Chap. 4 Where Christ complaineth on the Christian man's soul, because she was ungrateful for the benefit of her creation and redemption. Fol. 498   
FINIS.   

Here beginneth the first of the seven words, which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the altar of the Cross, saying, Pater ignose illis quia nesciuns quid faciunt: that is, My father, pardon these which crucify me, because they know not what they do.  

CHAP. I. Pater ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt.  
THe son of God spoke these words at the hour of his death upon the altar of the cross, as if he would say. O my eternal, just, & holy father, the first thing that I request of thee on this cross is that thou wouldst forgive all these, which take my life from me, seeing they know not how highly they offend thy goodness & clemency. Super inimicos me's prudent 'em me fecist●, saith king David in his Psalms, as if he would say. O great God of Israel, I give thee many thanks, for that thou hast endued me with the virtue of prudence, by the which I have learned to do myself good by the enemies which persecute me, and forgive them the injuries which they have done unto me. For the better understanding of that which Christ said upon the cross, and of that which David uttered in this Psalm, it is to be understood, that amongst all the Cardinal virtues, the first and chiefest is, Prudence, because that without her, justice endeth in cruelty, temperancy in weakness, sloth and idleness; fortitude in tyranny, might and power in pride, boldness in folly and madness, and knowledge and skill in malice. Plate said, that Prudence was such a great gift, that with her alone the wise man amer●●l●th that wh●●h is past; strengtheneth that which is broken, ruleth and governeth that which is present, provideth for that which is to come, redresseth that which is amiss, and maintaineth that which is well done. Eschines the great orator saith, I have known many Grecians of my time which were eloquent in that which they spoke, subtle in that they invented, bold in that which they took in hand, wary in their doings, close and dissembled in that they went about to have, and also modest in their behaviour, which notwithstanding for want of a little wisdom and prudence lost all in one hour. Socrates said oft unto his scholars, that they were not tied and bound wholly unto the letter of that which he taught them: for I am your master said he, to tell you only what you are to do, but prudence must afterward teach you when you are to do it, and how you are to do it, and whether you are to do it or not; and if you are to do it, then why are you to do it. Cicero to Atticus saith, Thou art not to call him wise which hath seen much, read much, and knoweth much, but him only who knoweth how to use it well, and apply it in time and place: for there is nothing more prejudicial to a Commonwealth then to be governed by one which hath great knowledge and small wisdom. The famous S. Augustine saith in an epistle, when the son of God said, Estote prudentes sicut serpents, Be ye wise like serpents: what else would he say, but that simple and wise men were better for the government of his church than the learned & arrogant. Seneca in a book De virtutibus, saith, The wise man loveth with moderation, serveth with care, suffereth with patience, speaketh with measure, visiteth without disquietness, promiseth that which he is able to perform, concealeth his intention, trusteth whom he ought, holdeth his tongue in that he knoweth, and never striveth with him which is mightier than himself. Novi david viru● bellic●sum & prudentem verbis, said a knight of the jews unto king Saul being possessed with the devil, as if he had said; I know one of Isaies' sons called David, who can deliver thee of this evil, who is in age a youth, in blood noble, in countenance shining & bright, red heard, low of stature, strong in forces, and above all very considerate and wise in his words. It is much to be noted that the holy scripture doth not commend David, for that he showed wisdom in his behaviour and countenance or in government, but only in speaking, because there is no one thing whereby a man is known to be endued with the virtue of prudence and wisdom more than by the words he uttereth with his mouth. Seneca saith, That all the things of this life have a place of remaining, & a being, in which they are maintained, and time in which they are made, a quality and condition unto which they incline, and an end where they rest: which we say by reason of speaking, in the which also is required a convenient time for that which we are to utter, and order in knowing how to speak. Vae mihi quia tacui, said the Prophet jeremy, as if he would say, Woe be to me, woe be to me O mighty God of Israel, for all the sins which I have known, and all the naughtiness which I have concealed and dissembled, the which if I had revealed would have been amended, and the which if I had discovered should have been punished. Also the wicked Cain said, Maior est iniquitas mea, quam ut veniam mer●ar, the which words it had been better for him never to have spoken than to have uttered, for he did sin much more in not acknowledging mercy in God, than in depriving his brother Abel of his life: behold then how jeremy was found fault with for holding his tongue, and Cain rebuked for speaking, whereof we may infer, what great need we have of the virtue of prudence, because she may instruct us what to say, and advise us likewise what we ought not to utter. Solomon said like a very wise man, Yempus tacendi, & tempus loquendi, in which words he giveth us licence to speak, and bridleth us to hold our tongue, because it is an extremity to be always silent, and the sign of a fool to talk overmuch. Cicero in an epistle saith, That a man is known to be good or bad by the works he doth, but he is known to be wise or a fool by the words he speaketh. To come then to our purpose, all this long discourse which we have made is to prove, that the son of God was very patiented in holding his peace, and very discreet in speaking: for he never spoke unless thereby he thought he should do good, nor did never hold his peace, unless he thought that scandal should rise of his speech, B●de saith upon these words, d●r●ine verba vitae habes, That the son of God was so discreet and wary in his words, that he never opened his mouth unless it were to preach, nor never held his peace unless it were to pray. Christ's own enemies reported openly of him, Quòd nunquàm homo sic locutus est, that no man ever spoke as he spoke: for he never murmured against any man, he never accused any man, nor injuried any for injury done unto him. S. Barnard saith; O sweet jesus, redeemer of my soul, the Prophet saith very well of thee, Ignitum eloquium tuum, considering that all thy holy words moved us to pity, stirred us to charity, invited us to goodness, trod down wickedness, provoked tears, converted Commonwealths, lightened our consciences, and made our hearts meek and gentle. They presented Christ before four seats of judgement the day of his holy passion, that is before Pilate, before Herod, before the high priests houses, the pontiff Caiphas, and the tree of the cross before his father, before whom he spoke only, and in the presence of the others was for the most part always silent, and that for certain not without a high mystery and hidden secret. The mystery then of this secret is, that he would not answer, in the first two Tribunals when they accused him of wickedness and scandal: but upon the cross where he was an advocate, he began presently to speak and plead for us, saying. Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them, in so much that for to excuse my offences, he omitteth to answer for himself. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? Thou dost not answer when thou art spoken unto in that that toucheth thyself, and in that that concerneth me dost thou answer not spoken unto? Dost thou make intercession for my fault, & dost thou not remember thy own life? Who but thou did ever excuse those which accused him, and defend them which condemn him? Anselmus in his meditations saith, O quam ignitum est eloquium tuum, My sweet jesus seeing that on the cross thou didst excuse me which was in the fault, and returnedst no answer for thyself being without fault, the which thou didst being inflamed with love, and very full of grief: Now that thou dost entreat, now that thou dost crave, why dost thou not entreat thy good father that he would mitigate thy griefs, as well as forgive sinners? Hast thou no pity of thy own holy members which are loosed one from another, and hast thou it towards thy enemies which are not as yet converted unto thee? Seeing thou art aswell bound to defend the innocent, as make intercession for the wicked, why hast thou no pity upon thy own innocent flesh, aswell as of my enormous crimes? Vbertinus saith, O quam vehementer est ignitum eloquium tuum, My good Lord, seeing thou dost excuse him who is culpable, entreatest without entreaty, forgivest without satisfaction, heapest up for those which will not repay thee, and also diest for those which have put thee to death: Seeing the law of Moses commandeth that the malefactor should pay a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, foot for foot, eye for eye, and life for life, why dost thou O mighty redeemer give thy hands unto those which bind them, thy feet unto those which pierce them with nails, thy eyes unto those which make thee blind, and thy life unto those which take thy life from thee? If thou wilt not revenge thy injuries, why dost thou not let justice do justice upon thy enemies? S. Barnard saith in a sermon, from the time that our Saviour was taken in the garden, until he was crucified on the cross, the works which he did were many, but the words which he spoke were very few; whereby he gave us to understand, that in time of great vexations and persecutions, it is fit for us to help ourselves with patience than with eloquence. In this first prayer which the son made unto the father, it is to be noted who the father is, what that is that he asketh, of whom he asketh, when he asketh, from whence he asketh, how he asketh, and for whom he asketh; for by so much the more one business is greater than another, by how much the inconveniences are greater which it draweth after it. He who asketh is the son, he of whom he asketh is the father, that which he asketh is pardon, the place from whence he asketh is the cross, the time is when he dieth, those for whom are his enemies, the manner how is with many tears; in so much that a prayer offered with all these circumstances, aught of great reason to be heard. This prayer of Pater ignosce illis, Father pardon them, is a very high prayer, seeing that he which made it was the son of God, who saith, Si quid petieritis patrem in nomine meo dabit vobis, And if this be so, how is it possible, that the father should not grant all that which the son requesteth, seeing he promiseth to give all things that shall be demanded in his name? If this be a great prayer by reason of him which maketh it, it is also a very great & high prayer by reason of him unto whom it is made, which is, Pater misericordiarum & deus totus consolationis, The father of mercies and the God of all comfort: the which eternal father created us with his power, guideth and governeth us with his wisdom, sustaineth and upholdeth us with his essence, and forgiveth us with his clemency, how is it possible that a son which hath such a father, or a father which hath such a son should not grant his demand? This prayer of Pater ignosce illis, was also very great because of the place where it was made, which was in the mount of Caluarie, and on the altar of the cross, where the wrath of the eternal father was appeased, his blessed son put to death, the wicked devil overcome, the old sin forgiven, and all the world there redeemed. S. Ambrose upon S. Luke saith, how much the jews dishonoured the holy temple, so much Christ honoured the Mount of Calvary; for they made a den of thieves of the house of prayer, and the son of God made a house of prayer, of a den of thieves. O good jesus what is there now that thou dost not make clean, what dost thou not renew, what dost thou not sanctify, what dost thou not make holy, seeing thou goest to the Mount of Calvary to pray for sinners, which before was infamous, by reason of execution done there upon malefactors? The son of God praying on the infamous and stinking place of the Mount of Calvary, giveth all men licence to pray unto God, where they will, and how they will, and for whom so ever they will, because the perfection of prayer, doth not consist of the place where we pray, but of the small or great devotion with the which we pray: According unto that which the Samaritane woman said unto Christ. That many jews would not pray but within the temple; and it may be to take away this error we do read that the son of God did not pray there, but preach only; which our blessed Saviour did because no man should excuse himself from prayer & devotion, saying that the temple was shut up. Vbertinus saith, that the son of God is not ashamed to pray, Pater ignosce illis, on the dunghill of the Mount of Calvary; and art thou ashamed to pray alone in thy house? O what a high charge and office the office of meditation and praieris, considering that Christ his being naked on the cross with his hands bound and tied, his feet pierced with nails, his head crowned with thorns, his mouth seasoned with vinegar, did not hinder him to pray, Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them: and seeing he pardoned and forgave with his heart, and prayed with his tongue.   

CHAP. II. How the son of God said unto his father, that those which crucify him, be not his enemies but his friends.  
QVid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum, his plagatus sum in dom● eorum qui me diligebant, said God by the Prophet Zachary in the thirteenth chapter, as if he would say, Who hath given thee these cruel wounds in the midst of thy hands; the Prophet answered and said, Lord, they wounded me thus, in the house of those which loved me much. These words were not spoken voluntarily, nor of every man, seeing they cannot be applied, neither to the nature of mankind nor of angel, because men are not wont to receive stripes and words in their friends houses, but in their enemies. The Prophet toucheth a new thing, and a high mystery, in saying that he was whipped and wounded in the house of his well-willers, and therefore it is needful for us to lift up our understanding, to discover and reach unto this high secret, because that high mysteries are fit only for heroical and high persons. This demand and this answer, passed on the altar of the cross, betwixt the eternal father which asked, and his blessed son which answered: who [not being content to entreat only for his enemies, saying: Pater, Father forgive them] would also have excused them, and take all blame from them, in saying, Nesciunt quid faciunt, They know not what they do: the father said unto him, Quid sunt plagae istae? so said the father unto his son, which is as much as to say, O my son if thou dost say, that none of these jews, are guilty and culpable of thy death and passion, I pray thee tell me, who made these cruel wounds in the midst of thy tender hands? The son answered his father, His plagatus sum, in domo eorum qui me diligebant, which is as much as to say; O holy and eternal father, I received these wounds which thou seest in my tender hands, in the house of those which were my friends: and if I be joyful in receiving them, why art not thou glad in forgiving them? Thou knowest well O my father, that nothing can be called an injury in this world, but only that which is done against our proper will. If I die by thy commandment, and to obey thy will, and because so it is needful for the world, why should I call them enemies which execute thy commandments? Give me leave O my father, give me leave seeing I must die, to sell my death dearly, give me leave, seeing I lose my life to employ it well, which I shall think well bestowed, if thou pardon those which take my life from me, and have pity on those which offend thee: for what doth it avail, that I die for sinners, if thou wilt not forgive them their sins? Thou knowest O my good father, that by pardoning and suffering, the redemption of the world must be wrought. If thou shouldest not be satisfied with the death which I suffer, and with the life which I offer thee; in giving me another life, I would offer it unto thee, & giving me another death, I would accept it, to the end O my good father, that thou shouldst be wholly appeased, and all mankind pardoned. O everlasting goodness, O infinite charity, O unspeakable clemency shown in this answer, calling that a house of friends which was a fortress of enemies, and going about to excuse those which he should accuse, and in purposing to appease him, whom he should have stirred up to wrath and indignation. Fulgencius upon this place saith, Notwithstanding all the enemies and persecutors which the son of God had in this world, yet he never used this word Enemy: which is evident by this demand of his fathers, who ask him where he had been so evilly handled and wounded, sought out a new devise because he would avoid this word of enemy, and lay the fault upon his friend rather than confess that he had any enemies, because God was want to have many familiar friends in the house of the synagogue, which were holy men: our blessed saviour would not account of the injuries which the jews did presently unto him, nor of the wounds which they gave him, but respected rather the services which the old patriarchs had done unto him. It is greatly to be noted and weighed, that in the answer which the son gave unto the father, he did not say that he had been wounded in the house of those which then loved him, but in the house of those which were want to love him, for he saith, In domo eorum qui me diligebant, and not qui me diligunt, & yet notwithstanding all this, he doth not only, not call them enemies, but telleth his father that they did unto him the works of friends. What meaneth this O sweet jesus, what meaneth this? If those of the house of Israel were thine, in times past, I pray thee didst not thou unto them more good turns than they did services unto thee? If thou dost reckon of the services which the fathers did unto the●● a thousand years ago, why dost thou not make account of the wounds, which their children gave thee not longer than one hour agone? O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul what human judgement, yea what angels understanding is able to conceive or reach unto this, why thou shouldest rather respect old services, which ordinarily other men forget, than thy own injuries which run freshly from thy blood like streams? Seeing we have already told you who prayed, which was the son; and unto whom he prayed, which was the father; and where he prayed, to wit upon the cross: it is time now to tell you what prayer he made, and for whom he prayed, for seeing the son of God betook himself to prayer in such a narrow extremity, it is to be thought, that he entreated some great and weighty matter. Vbertinus saith, That when the divine word was nailed upon the cross, as it were almost dead, having his flesh pierced with nails, & his bowels burning with the love of charity, forgetting his own self, and having his enemies in remembrance, lifting up his holy eyes unto heaven, said, Pater ignosce illis, qui nesciunt quid faciunt, which is as much as to say, O my eternal and blessed father, in recompense of my coming into the world, preaching thy name, appeasing thy wrath, reconciling thee unto the world, I desire of thee this one thing for a spiritual guerdon, and reward of all my travails, that is, that thou wouldst pardon these sinful jews, father I am very well pleased, that thou wouldst not yield unto my natural desire of life, when I prayed unto thee in the garden, if it would now please thee to hear me in praying for them: for I think it a far greater benefit that they live in their souls, than a hurt unto me to die in body. Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them, for I die because they sinned, and if I die it is because they may live: and in so difficult a matter as this, it is far greater reason that thou have more regard unto my new death, than unto their old fault. Father forgive them, seeing the death which prevailed on the wood, I have here crucified with me upon the cross, the which being so it is far greater reason, that thou esteem more of the charity with the which I die for them, than of their malice with the which they put me to death. Father forgive them, for if thou wilt punish these jews with all rigour of justice, it will be but a small punishment to condemn them for ever to hell: but if thou dost otherwise, as there was never any wickedness done like unto this, so likewise thou shalt never bestow thy accustomed mercy like as in forgiving these their offences. Father forgive them, for if my death be sufficient to redeem all those which shall hereafter be borne, or be already borne, it is not reason that these unhappy jews should want the benefit of it, and so much the more because that if my blood be shed by thy holy will and consent it would be reason that it should be well employed by thee. Forgive them O my father forgive them, for seeing the party injuried (which am I) do pardon the injury, why wilt not thou O my father pardon that which concerneth thy justice? What hath justice to do there, where there is no complaint of one against another? Father forgive them, seeing the time is now come whereof the Prophet speaketh, Tempus miserendi deus tempus miserendi, Time of forgiving good Lord, a time of forgiving: it is neither just nor reasonable that rigour should take place there, where mercy by thee hath been publicly proclaimed. If it be true as true it is, that, misericordia & veritas obuiverunt sibi, and also that justicia & pax osculatae sunt, Why wilt thou execute justice upon this people, seeing the Prophet saith, that peace and justice have embraced one the other. Father forgive them, seeing I ask it in the end of my life, and entreat thee at the hour of my death, thou must think my father that it behoveth me very much, that they be pardoned, because that by my example none should presume to call himself my servant, in my church, if he do not reconcile himself first unto his brother. Father forgive than, for seeing the old law endeth when I shall say, Consummatum est, All is finished; and the new law beginneth when I shall say, Commendo spiritum meum, I commend my spirit, it would not be reasonable that under the law of Grace, we should consent that any thing should be unfitting or unfit, nor that under the law of Love, we should permit rancour and malice. Father forgive them; for if in the wilderness of Aaron, when thou wast angry with all the jews, thou didst forgive them, and reconcile them unto thee for no other cause but only because Moses and Aaron did offer a little incense unto thee: why wilt thou not forgive them now, seeing I do now offer for them, not incense, but myself crucified? Father forgive them, for seeing they be thy creatures by creation, thy clients by law, my children by redemption, my brethren by blood, my acquaintance by education, my followers in doctrine, and so near of kindred unto my disciples; why should I consent to their loss and condemnation? Father forgive them, seeing I came not into the world to procure thee enemies, but to give thee new friends, and to take thy old griefs and sorrows from thee: for otherwise if by my death, this people should remain in thy disgrace and hatred, it would seem that my death, would rather move thee to indignation, than appease thy wrath. If my death make not an atonement betwixt you, who is able to do it? O my good father when thou didst command me to come down from heaven, and also to die upon the cross, didst not thou promise and agree, that thy anger and my life, and my life and thy anger should have an end at the same hour? Father forgive them, and fulfil thy agreement, give that which thou hast promised, and seeing in thy presence my life is dearer unto thee than thy anger, I am glad and willing to die, if by that means thy ire may be appeased. O blessed prayer, O holy wish and request, never heard of before! O happy petition, which thou madest sweet jesus in thy last hour, wherein thou didst show by deeds all that thou hadst preached with words, seeing thou didst entreat for those which put thee to death, & ask pardon for those which crucified thee. Let all the prayers be brought forth, that ever were made in the world, and we shall easily perceive, that there was never any equal unto this prayer of Christ's: for there was never any which had that intent which he had, nor asked that which he asked, nor compassed that which he compassed. What did the great Patriarch jacob request of Laban his father in law, but only his fair daughter Rachel for his spouse? What did the women of Israel demand of the women of Egypt save only their silver and gold? What did Anna Helcans' wife and samuel's mother, request of God in the temple, saving only that it would please him to give her a son? What did the jew maid called Axa ask of her father Calaph but only the pasture which held water, because the other which he had given her was dry? What did the mother of the Zebedees' require of Christ, but only that he would make them the greatest lords of his kingdom? Which of all these do ask any thing of God for their enemies, or yet for their friends? Every man did ask for that which was fittest for his own turn, every man sought for that which was good for himself, no man entreated for his neighbour, no man remembered his enemy, no man made intercession for another, no man loaded himself with other men's faults. Only the son of God made man, prayeth for his enemies in the last supper, saying; Pater, keep those which believe in me: and prayeth also upon the cross for his enemies, saying: Pater ignosce illis, so that like a merciful lord he defendeth the good, and pardoneth the wicked.   

CHAP. III. How the son of God put himself a mediator betwixt God and mankind, and what torment he received thereby.  
Qvaesivi de eis virum qui interpeneret sepem, & staret oppositus contra me: these are the words of the great God of Israel, spoken to the Prophet Ezechiell being in the captivity of Babylon, not far from the river Cobar in the two and twentieth chapter of his prophesy. And it is as if he would say, Ezechiell I have been many a day angry with jerusalem, and I seek out a holy and a virtuous man, which should put himself like a hedge betwixt me and the people of Israel, because their offences might not come unto me, nor my punishment reach unto them. We may infer of the complaint which our Lord maketh in this place, what great scarcity there was in the synagogue, of good men, seeing he found not one among them all which was worthy to appease the wrath of the Lord, and to help and secure the people. The merits of good men are of great force and power before God, for to pardon the evil in their faith, which is easily seen in all the cities of Sodom which he did pardon for ten good men's sake, and all the twelve tribes of Israel which he pardoned for one alone: but alas neither in the synagogue was there found that one, neither in Sodom those ten. To say the truth it was no marvel that he was not to be found in all the synagogue, with those conditions, which God required in him: for he ought to have been a man in discretion and not a child, and the Lord himself was to make choice of him and no other, and he was to be an Hebrew and not a Gentile, & he was to put himself a mediator betwixt God and the people, and it was required that he should be partial on neither side. And our Lord was not content only with this, but that mediator ought also to have desert and merit in him, to appease God's indignation, and not sin to stir him to wrath. S. Gregory upon Ezechiell saith, I doubt whether a man endued with these conditions, and shining with these virtues, might be found amongst the Angelical Hierarchies, how much less among human creatures, because such a one should be more than man, yea he should be equal with God. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, and David, and all the litany of the old and new testament, were not equal with God, nor any thing more than men, seeing they were borne in sin, and attained unto no divine secret without it were revealed unto them. The son of God only was equal unto God, and the divine word only was more than man, because in him, and in no other, those conditions of a holy man were found which God sought for, and the virtues which should pacify God his wrath and anger. The first condition which God required, was, that this mediator should be a man in wisdom, and not a child, which may better be verified in Christ than in any other, seeing that from the first instant that he took human flesh upon him he saw the divine essence, and knew as much as he doth now in glory, which is not so in other men, seeing they are long a bringing up, and wax old very timely. The son of God was also an Hebrew of the tribe of juda a which was the most honourable stock of all the tribes, and he was of Nazareth which was a holy land: and he was also the most honourable of all his kindred. Thirdly, the son of God was best beloved of his father because of him, and of no other, he said in his baptism. Hic est filius meus dilectus, as if he would say, This is only my lawful child, in him only am I well pleased, this only is my heir, him only I do tender and love, in him I delight, and take great contentment. Fourthly, the son of God was a very thick mud brickwall, a close hedge, which put himself betwixt God and the people, when he suffered himself to be crucified upon the cross, upon the which as strong battelments they discharged all the sins which were in the world, and all the wrath which God had. O glorious hedge, O happy brickwall, O strong wounds, such waste thou O redeemer of my soul, seeing thou didst permit, and consent to put thyself a mediator betwixt God & man, to the end they should unload and put upon thee all the sins of the world, and all the vengeance which God was to take for them. S. Gregory upon Ezechiell saith, The son of God only was the man he sought for, this was the brickwall he required, this was the mediator he asked for, this is the pacifier of the old quarrel, and of God's wrath, this is the reformer of new grace, and this is the overthrower of the old sin. S. Jerome upon this place saith. The man which God sought by Ezechiel, who else was he, but the son of the living God, and our redeemer? Who like unto an unexpugnable wall, did put himself boldly betwixt God and us, saying, Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them. By which words, he did not like, that our sins should come into the sight of God, neither suffered he God's wrath and vengeance to descend upon us. Origen upon S. Mark saith, That when the two chief captains of the synagogue, Moses and Aaron, perceived that the Lord began to pour his wrath and anger upon the people, they went immediately unto the tabernacle, the one to pray, and the other to do sacrifice to be a mean betwixt God and them; because that otherwise, God would have poured out his anger upon them, & the Synagogue have received great hurt and detriment. That which happened unto those two holy men in the desert happened unto Christ on the mount of Caluarie, who seeing the elements to be troubled, and the dead to rise again, to revenge his death and punish that nation, he made himself a mediator and a stikeler betwixt God and them, and prayed, Paterignosce illis, as if he would say, Pardon them my father, pardon them; for if thou wilt not pardon them, it will be a greater grief unto me to see them lost, than my passion which causeth me to die. What would become of the jews then, if Christ had not said unto his father, father forgive them, and what should betide us now if he should not say. Pater parce illis, Spare them father. S. Barnard saith in a sermon, That this word of Ignosce illis, Forgive them, is of such a deep consideration, that it should never be out of a sinner's mouth, nor blotted out of his memory: because that the son of God did show his mercy more unto us in two things than in all the rest: that is, in the pardon which he got us of his father, and in the blood which he shed for us on the cross. Anselmus reasoning with Christ saith, What dost thou cry for, what dost thou ask, what dost thou entreat for, what wilt thou, what seekest thou, what sayest thou to thy father O good jesus, what sayest thou? I entreat O my father, that thou wouldst forgive them, because they know not what they do, and that thou wouldst load my flesh with thy anger; and I entreat that there remain nothing unteconciled unto thee, because that my redemption would seem unperfect and insufficient, if there should remain in any a fault to be redeemed, and in thyself any anger to punish us. O what an inflamed charity, what a wonderful example, what incredible patience, what entire love thou didst show us O sweet jesus in this speech of, Father forgive them, the which thou didst utter not for an ease to thy grief, but in favour of thy persecutors! O what infinite goodness, what unspeakable clemency, what strange charity doth shine this day in thee O my jesus and saviour, seeing thou dost lose those which bind thee, pleadest for those which diffame thee, entreatest for those which accuse thee, excusest those which blame thee, and pardonest also those which will kill thee! What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? dost thou pray for them at the very instant which they blaspheme thee, mock thee, and laugh thee to scorn? They have pierced thee with a spear, and yet dost thou give them an acquittance and a release of the blow? What mortal man can praise himself or boast to have done that which thou hast done, that is to crave pardon for murderers before they have confessed their fault, and seek to release them before they have repent? They will not return into the city before thou hast yielded up the ghost, and wilt not thou die before thou hast first pardoned them? Who ever saw or heard any thing like unto this; to wit, that pardon should proceed first out of his blessed bowels, before the blood should end to issue out of his tender veins? Dost thou not remember to ask a sepulchre for thy body, and dost thou remember to ask forgiveness and mercy for those which crucified thee? O sweet jesus, O my soul's glory, who but thou could have the breath going out of his body, and Ignosce illis Pardon them in his mouth? To defend thyself couldst not thou open thy mouth, and to excuse thy enemies couldst not thou keep it shut? S. Chrisostome saith, The son of God only was he, who on the altar of the cross, inspeaking these words, Father forgive them, coupled, joined, and handfasted together, pity and cruelty, the offence and mercy, anger and patience, hatred and love, killing and pardoning. With as great reason (saith Hilarius) we can now say, Vbi sunt irae tuae antiquae, as the Prophet David said, Vbi sunt misericordiae tuae antiquae, seeing we be certain that from the hour that the son of God died upon the cross, we may call him, Pater misericordiarum, as the Synagogue called him, Deus ultionum, The God of revenge. No man ought to distrust Christ's goodness and mercy, although he have been never so great a sinner, so as he live and die a Christian: for seeing he pardoned those which would not be pardoned, he will much rather pardon those which ask for pardon. S. Barnard as if he were in a maze saith thus unto Christ; O good saviour, O my soul's delight, if thou wilt pardon thy death, why dost thou pardon it before thou be dead? they took thy life from thee, to the end that thou shouldest forget such a grievous injury done unto thee, and make no reckoning to be revenged. It is a tolerable thing to forgive the injury done unto thyself; but why dost thou forgive the injury done unto thy sorrowful mother and thy blessed father, not calling the parties offended unto it? Thy mouth is now ready to receive vinegar, thy person to be mocked, thy side to be pierced, thy body to be buried, and yet dost thou make intercession for that wicked people? Dost thou entreat for those which crucify thee, and dost thou not remember those which weep by thee? Now that thou hast pity on the offences of the synagogue, why hast thou not also compassion of the tears of thy blessed mother? S. Cyprian upon the passion of our Lord saith: All things end with thee, and all forsake thee O sweer jesus upon the altar of the cross, saving only thy patience, with the which thou did dost suffer thy torments, and thy charity with the which thou didst forgive thy enemies, seeing thou dost pray for those which crucify thee, entreat for those which blaspheme thee, hold thy peace against those which spit on thee, excuse those which accuse thee, and pardon those which pardon not thee. O my redeemer, what a pitiful heart hast thou, that considering how the jews themselves gave thee licence to take revengement on them: saying, Sanguis eius super nos, His blood upon us, yet thou didst not only not use this liberty given thee, but forsookest it, & there pardoned thy injury. O how contrary these two speeches are, Sanguis eius sit super nos, Let his blood fall upon us, and Ignosce illis, Pardon them: seeing that by the first the jews crave punishment of God, and in the last Christ asketh pardon of his father for them: in so much that the blood of Christ which they asked to be against them, the son of God asketh that it may be for them! What hast thou to do O good saviour, what hast thou to do with the jews (saith Vbertinus) and hangmen and torturers? They go about to condemn thee, and thou to save them; they to accuse thee, and thou to excuse them; they to carry thee to Pilate to be condemned, and thou to thy father that they may be pardoned; they to say, crucifige, crucifige, crucify him, crucify him, and thou to say, Ignosce, ignosce, Pardon them, Pardon them. At what time the son of God hanging upon the cross, prayed on one side unto his father, and on the other side the Hebrews prayed Pilate; there was a great conflict betwixt God's justice and mercy: for justice willed the prayer of Sanguis eius, Let his blood fall upon us, to be heard, and contrary mercy forbade it, and would have Pater ignosce illis, but in the end mercy had the upper hand, and revengement had no part therein. Whose heart saith Bonaventure would not bleed, and who would not love thee O good jesus, to see thee say to thy father, my father forgive them, and not my father examine them, and to see that thou dost forgive them without ask, yieldest unto them without entreaty, and pardonest them without amendment? It is such a high mystery saith S. Augustine, and a hidden Sacrament, to see the son of God release injury with mercy and clemency, and not punish their crime with revenge, and that the prayer of Ignosce illis, Forgive them, prevailed against that of Sanguis eius, His blood light upon us; that although it may well be rehearsed, yet it cannot be well comprehended and understood.   

CHAP. FOUR Of many high qualities and conditions which the prayer of, Father forgive them, had in it: and how it is meet for us to follow it in our prayers.  
cum clamore valido & lachrimis efferens preces & supplicatienes, exauditus est pro sua reverently, saith the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews, chap. 5. as if he would say: When the son of God was crucified: upon the tree of the cross, he made many requests unto his father, & with many supplications entreated him, praying unto him with a loud voice, and pouring down many tears before him. This prayer was well heard of the eternal father, and very acceptable unto his divine clemency, partly because he who prayed was a person worthy of great reverence, and partly because the prayer which he made was founded upon great pity and mercy. It appeareth well that he which prayed was of an excellent and perfect condition, and he very mighty unto whom he prayed, and that which he prayed of great merit, and the manner which he observed in prayer a perfect platform of prayer, seeing that the Apostle in this place layeth down such high conditions of this prayer which Christ made upon the cross. Whereof although much be spoken, yet there remaineth much more not spoken of. First then he saith that Christ prayed once on the cross, because he saith, Cum clamore, with a cry; and with a high and loud voice, because he saith, valido, strong; and that with tears Cum lachrimis; and that he prayed and offered his prayer at the same time unto his father; and that the quality of the prayer was to entreat and beseech, preces & supplicationes; and that his prayer was heard of his father at that very instant when he made it, because he saith, & exanditus est pro sua reverentia. The condition and quality of the prayer which the son of God made upon the cross, which the Apostle toucheth here, is very great and worthy to be marked and observed with great heed, and followed with great diligence: for if we fail in any one of these conditions, we are said rather to cry out then to pray. Theophilus upon the Apostle saith, That when the Apostle saith that the son of God prayed with a loud voice upon the cross, he meaneth that he offered and directed his prayer with all his heart, and with all his will unto God only, and unto no other. For to say the truth, he is said to pray aloud, whose mind is not distracted and drawn into many thoughts. When the Apostle saith that Christ prayed aloud on the cross and with a strong voice, he letteth us understand with what a fervent desire and great devotion, he prayed: for there is nothing requested aloud and by crying out, which is not either through abundance of love, or overmuch grief. Both together forced Christ to cry out upon the cross, that is, the great love he bore unto his friends, and the overmuch pain he suffered in his members. When the Apostle saith, That the son of God offered up prayers and supplications upon the altar of the cross, he declareth, as Theophilactus saith, That the prayer ignosce illis was extended unto the good and unto the bad: in so much that for his enemies he offered prayers for the pardon of their sins, and for his friends he offered up oblations for to confirm them in his grace. As the son of God was Lord over all men and died for all men, so upon the cross he prayed for all men. For if the wicked had need of him to help them to rise, the good also had need of his help to keep them from falling. Anselmus in his meditations saith, That when the Apostle saith, that the son of God was not content to pray only with devotion, but also offered up that prayer unto his own father, it is to let us understand, that for the saving of all the world he offered up his pains and sorrows for a recompense, his life for a satisfaction, his person for a reward, his blood for a price, and his soul for a sacrifice. It is also to be weighed, that the son of God made not this holy prayer of Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them, sitting but upright, not being at liberty but bound, not in a low voice but aloud, not laughing but weeping, & that which is most to be marveled at; the words that he prayed with, were very few, but the tears he bathed them with, were very many. O good jesus, O my souls pleasure, who could be worthy to stand at the foot of thy cross, to see how thy blood ran from the thorns, and thy tears flow from thy eyes, in so much that at the same hour and moment, thou didst water the earth with tears, and pierce the heavens with sighs! O what a sacred word was that, O what a holy prayer was Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them, seeing that it was made by the son of God upon the altar of the cross accompanied with sighs, washed with the blood of Christ, and offered up with the tears of the redeemer! Although the son of God requested the greatest matter of his father and of the greatest weight that ever was demanded of him, that is to wit, Pardon of his precious death, yet the tears which he shed were so many, and the love so great with the which he asked it, that if he had asked a greater matter of him, his father would never have denied it him. S. Basill saith, O what great hurt sins bring unto us, considering that for to lighten us of them, and obtain pardon for them, it was needful for Christ to pray unto his father for them, and offer oblation, and cry out, and suffer his blood to be shed, and tears to pour down from his eyes, so that thou O good jesus didst buy my great offences by the weight of thy blood & tears. Our Lord when he prayed for his enemies upon the cross, taught us what form and fashion we ought to keep when we pray, that is, to shed blood from our members, and fall tears from our eyes. The son of God wept when he prayed for his enemies, and art not thou ashamed to laugh and talk, when thou prayest for the remission of thy sins? Yea and if thou canst not weep in thy prayers, yet tell me why thou dost talk overmuch? Barnard saith, That it is more than a jest, rather than a prayer, if at one time thou wouldst pray and talk: for if thou be not attentive unto that that thou prayest, neither will our Lord be unto that that thou demandest. Defecerunt prae la●hrimis oculi mei, saith jeremy in his Lamentations; as if he should say. I had such great compasston to see all the jews led captive unto Babilonia, that my eyes with very weeping lost their sight. And indeed there is no greater token that a man is in true charity, then to see him have compassion of other men's hurts; and thereupon it happeneth that good men weep sooner for the wicked then for themselves; the which happened also unto Christ upon the cross, who wept first for his enemies, before they wept for their own sins. It is a very proper thing unto the chosen people of God to weep a like for other men's harms, and for their own; because it is the property of true Christian charity, to take as great grief to see his brother lost, as pleasure to see himself saved. One of the greatest privileges that good men have is, that even as they merit in taking comfort and joy of the good that is done to good men, so they are grieved at the hurt which falleth unto evil men, in so much that the good man and the just reapeth profit & commodity of every man's conversation. Who doubteth but that the lamentation which Christ made upon the cross, was far greater than that which jeremy made on the Mount Zion? But now it is to be understood that jeremy wept for one people only, and the son of God for all the universal world. jeremy wept only tears from his eyes, but the son of God wept tears from his eyes and shed blood from his veins. Further jeremy complained that by weeping he had lost his sight only, but our sweet saviour did not only lose his sight with weeping upon the cross, but also his very life. O good jesus, my soul's delight, what patience is sufficient, or by what justice is it reason that I should commit the offence, and thou shed the tears? Art thou not content with Ier●my to make fountains of tears of thy eyes, but also to make streams of blood of thy veins? With all those sighs which proceed from thy heart, with so many griefs which thy members endure, with so many tears which run from thy eyes, and with so much blood which floweth from thy veins, who would not grant thy request, and who would not have compassion of that which thou sufferest? O who can be able tosay with jeremy, Defecerunt prae lachrimis oculi mei, Because that the greatest hap which could light unto me were, that in amending my faults I could recover my soul, and in weeping many tears lose my sight.   

CHAP. V Why the father answered not his son when he prayed for his enemies.  
VOs cogitastis malum de me, sed deus vertit illud in bonum: ego pascam vos & paruulos vestros. When the great Patriarch jacob died in Egypt, and that all his children remained under the power and will of their brother joseph, and being afeard lest he should call to mind how they had sold him unto the muleteers of Egypt, the good joseph spoke these words unto them. You my brethren did think that you had done me great hurt, but you did me great good: for your selling of me was the occasion that I came unto prosperity, and to rule and govern all Egypt, in so much that the great goodness of our Lord turned your gall into honey, and your poison into treacle. Fear not, nor yet have no suspicion, that I will revenge for that injury, or that I will take satisfaction for that reproach and shame; but I have rather a will to look unto your wants, & give nurture unto your children. It is not necessary to expound this glorious figure, unto those which are curious in the scriptures, seeing all this was fulfilled literally in our good jesus. Yet notwithstanding, we will say something touching this figure, because all men may perceive how well the truth answereth unto the figure, the sense unto the letter, the proof unto the prophecy, and that which was prophesied unto that which after happened. What did it mean that joseph was envied of his own proper brothers, but that the son of God was hated of all the jews? Who was sold unto the Ismalites like joseph, but the blessed jesus, who was also bought with money? Who like unto joseph was cast into prison, because he would not commit adultery with his mistress, but only the son of God, which was condemned unto death because he would not consent to sin with the Synagogue? who like unto joseph did pardon the manslaughter committed by his brothers, but only the son of God, who was not content only to pardon his enemies, but also prayed unto his father for them? The pardon which Christ gave his enemies, was of greater value than that which joseph gave unto his brothers, because without comparison, it is a greater mischief to take one's life from one, then to sell his person. O how rightly may the son of God say unto the jews which killed him, Vos cogitastis de me malum, sed deus vertit illad in bonum. You thought todo me hurt, but God doth turn it to my good, considering that they thought at one time to put him to death upon the cross, and take all power from him upon earth! but he maugre their malice rose the third day, and like unto another joseph had all power given unto him upon earth, and in heaven. You O ye jews Cogitastis de me malum, When you bereaved me of my life, but my blessed father did turn it to my good, when at the same time my life ended, the Synagogue was buried, and the Church took her beginning. With just occasion, and with no less reason good men may say unto the evil, the just unto the unjust, those that are persecuted unto the persecutors, Vos cogitastis de me malum, You think to hurt me, but God turneth it unto my good: for when they think to suppress & tread them down, they exalt and life them up, and thinking to diffame and discredit them, they give them credit and honour: for the Tyrant Herod did much more good to the innocent children, when he caused their throats to be cut, then if he had caused them to have been kept and brought up. There was never done in the world (saith S. Augustine in his Confessions) nor never shall be done a wickeder part than the kill of Christ: and yet there was never so great good done, nor never shallbe as hath been gathered by the death of Christ, that is, the redemption of all the universal world; in so much that God never permitteth any evil to be done, whereof he doth not draw some profit. Cyprian in his book of Martyrs saith. If the devil do tempt thee, if the flesh disquiet thee, if the world hate thee, jacta cogitatum tutum in dominum, Cast thy thought upon God: for although Tyrants, and naughty men think to do thee hurt, yet have a sure confidence and hope, Quòd deus vertet illud in bonum, That God will turn it to good: seeing that the evil Christian goeth out of tribulation moved and stirred up, but not amended; and the good and virtuous man chastised, bettered, and amended. The excommunicated jews, Cogitabant de Christo malum, when at the foot of the cross they said, Vah qui destruis templum dei, Thou which dost destroy the Temple of God: but the son of God turned that into good, when he said, Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them, in so much that the haste which they used in speaking ill and cursing of him, and reviling him, our good jesus used in blessing and praying for them. It is here now to be weighed how it can be true, that the son of God was heard of his father as S. Paul saith, Pro sua reverentia. Seeing that God answered him no one word at all? For the better understanding of this point, it is to be presupposed, that in some requests which were made unto the son of God, if he would not yield unto that which was demanded, he answered them presently by word, but when it pleased him to condescend unto their petition, he performed it with deed without any word speaking, we have example of both these in the Zebedeans his cousins, unto whom he answered, Nescitis quid petatis, You know not what you ask: & when the great john Baptist sent to know of Christ, Es tu qui venturus est? He answered no one word unto the Embassy more, then that he began immeadiately before the Ambassadors to work such great miracles, that they knew by them that he was the Messiah promised unto the jews. When the collectors of the tributes of Capernaum said unto jesus that he was to pay his Didrachma, which was the tribute due unto the king, he answered them no word at all, but sent S. Peter unto the sea, and of that which the disciple fished the master pared his tribute. To apply this unto our purpose, we say that what magnificency Christ used unto johus disciples, and unto the rent-gatherers of Capernaum, the self-same used the father towards his proper son on the cross, not answering him by word unto Pater ignosce illis, Father forgine them; but by deed forgiving the wicked their offences, if they would at any time be sorry and repent them of their sins, and by confirming the good in grace. Beda upon Luke saith, That the prayer which the son of God made was not mad in vain, considering that by the merit of that prayer, and by him who prayed it, all our prayers both are, and have been heard: and for this cause the Apostle saith, Quòd offerebat oblationes & preces, Because he prayed for all men, and in the name of all men; and so he wept for all, and in the name of all. O good jesus, O glory of my soul, what do I want if I do not want thee, and what have I not, saith Barnard, if I have thee? I have and possess thee O my good jesus, seeing that I am partaker of thy prayers, I have part in thy tears, I have thy gifts in pledge, I am the successor of thy sorrows, and heir apparent unto thy sweatings. Damascen saith as the Apostle doth: Exauditus est prosua reverentia, Christ was heard upon the cross, seeing that by the merits of, Father forgive them, the Centurion immeadiately there said, Vere hic erat filius dei, Truly this was the son of God, and the good thief also said, Domine memento mei, Lord remember me In whose power saith Fulgentius●, but only in the virtue and power of the prayer of Paterignosce illis, within a short space after that Christ had so prayed, did some strike their breasts, and some say, This man was just? By the merit of this holy prayer, the Apostles converted three thousand men in one day, and five thousand another day: by reason that the son of God had gotten pardon for the excommunicated synagogue, glorious S. steven was baptised, holy Paul converted, and the good Matthew called to be an Apostle. O what a difference there is betwixt the prayer which Christ made in the garden, & that which he made upon the cross: in the one heeswet blood, and in the other he shed tears; in the one he prayed that the bitter chalice might pass, and in the other pardon for the synagogue: and that which jesus prayed for himself was denied him, & that which he prayed for others was granted him: In so much that his blessed father had more pity on the sins of that people, than on the flesh of his own son. O great goodnest O infinite charity? The Son of God is in the garden alone, he is prostrate on the ground giving up his ghost, and yet ready for a new combat, his blood issueth from all the pores of his body, he prayeth thrice for himself, and thou wilt not hear him, and when he prayeth for his enemies dost thou hear him at the first word? Why dost thou not grant him his request, seeing that when he prayed upon the cross for his enemies, he called thee nothing but Father; but when he prayed in the garden alone for himself, he called thee, My Father, which is a sweet word, and a word of a gentle and courteous son. What would become of us (saith S. Jerome) if Christ should not in his glory above, repeat that word unto his father, Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them? Christ said once only, Father forgive mine enemies, and he repeateth it a thousand thousand times in heaven for his Christians: for even as we never cease from sinning, so the son of God never ceaseth to pray for us. Saint Steven did not see Christ sitting by his father, but on foot; and the reason was, because that at that instant when S. Steven fell down on his knees to pray for his enemies, Christ rose immediately also to pray and make intercession for them: so that that prayer which Saint Steven made here upon earth, our sweet jesus presented presently unto his father in heaven. It is deeply here to be weighed, that Christ did not say, Lord forgive them, but, Father forgive them; because this word Lord is a fearful word, but this word Father is a word of joy: and therefore when one man calleth another Father, it seemeth that he doth bind him to answer him friendly, and not to deny him any thing that he demandeth. We shall find often in holy scripture, that when God was angry with the Hebrews, he said always, Ego Dominus qui loquor vobis, I am the Lord which speak unto you: but when he would as it were flatter them and make much of them, he always said unto them, Ego ero illis in patrem, I will be a father unto them: that is, that he would deal with them like a pitiful father, and not like a rigorous Lord. In so much that this word Pater Father, breedeth love, and this word Lord bringeth fear. Always when the son of God made any great prayer or asked any great favour at his father's hands, he began his petition with Father, O just father, O holy father, making reckoning that by calling him father, nothing should be denied him which was his son. If jesus Christ should have begun his prayer with Lord, as he began it with Father, it would have seemed that he had called upon God's justice & power, & not upon his will & mercy: & therefore in saying, Father, he entreated him that he would not judge as a Lord of justice, but like a father of mercy. O depth of all goodness! O bowels full of charity! what else didst thou mean when thou begannest thy petition with Father, but that thou wouldst give him to thy enemies for a father who is thine own proper father? what goodness in all the world can be equal unto thine, or what like charity can be found, seeing thou art the plaintiff & the party offended, yet thou gavest him unto thy enemies for a merciful father, whom thou shouldst have given for a rigorous judge? Then let us conclude, that when the son said unto his father, Pater ignosce illis, that at one time he prayed unto him that he would forgive them their sins, & that at the same time he would vouchsafe to take them for his children.   

CHAP. VI How Christ prayed for his enemies on the cross more heartily than he did in the garden for himself, seeing the one prayer was made with condition, and the other not.  
SVpra dorsum meum fabricaverunt peccatores, & prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam. These are the words of King David in the 128 Psalm, spoken in the name and person of the son of God: and they are as if he should say. I know not O mother the Synagogue, what I have done against thee, nor wherein I have offended thee, & yet thou hast gainsaid me from my childhood, thou hast persecuted me from my manhood, thou hast defamed me, ever since I began to preach unto thee, and in the sweetest time of all my life, thou hast crucified me. But this is nothing O mother Synagogue, this is nothing in comparison of that, that thou didst lay all thy sins upon my shoulders, which never had lost their innocency, nor never done unto thee any injury. Supra dorsum meum, And sinners have built upon my back, seeing that Adam hath cast his disobedience upon me, Eve her gluttony, Cain her son his murder, king David his adultery, the Tyrant Roboam his Idolatry, and all the Synagogue her malice. Is it not true that sinners have built upon my back, seeing that I must be punished and pay for all the offences that the sinful jews committed? The jews would willingly have loaden Christ on both his shoulders, that is they would have cast upon him both the pain and the offence: but good jesus took upon him the punishment like a redeemer, but charged not himself with the guilt of sin like an offender. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, That the son of God doth not complain, that they burdened both his shoulders, but only one, seeing he saith, Supra dorsum Upon my back, although his enemies would have overcharged and wearied them both, by killing his humanity, and darkening his divinity, by blotting his fame and credit and hindering his doctrine; but our mighty redeemer suffered them only to lay the punishment on him, and take his life from him. Basil saith, That sinners build upon one shoulder only, when they have no other goodness in them, but the bare name of Christians only: and just men build upon both his shoulders when they are at one time both Christians and virtuous men. Thou must know (brother) that in the law of Christ it is not sufficient that a man be called a Christian, unless he be also such a one indeed. Sinners build upon one of Christ's shoulders only, when they serve God in wish and desire only, and serve the world with all their might and power, which is a mean rather to condemn them then to save them: for in the Church of God there are many condemned by good wishes & desires, but not one by good works. Christ complaineth, that cursed Heretics do build upon one shoulder, when they confess only his humanity, & take away his divinity; which is great wickedness & falsehood: for he is as true a God as he is a man and as true man as he is true God. Christ's complaint of the Synagogue doth not end here, but he saith further, Et prolong averunt iniquitatem suam: as if he would say, Thou was not content, O ingrateful Synagogue, to impute thy offence unto me, and lay all the punishment due for it upon my back, but thou hast also prolonged thy naughtiness and persevered in thine infidelity, heaping sin upon sin, malice upon malice, envy upon envy, and idolatry unto idolatry. When did the forsaken jews prolong their iniquity, but when at the foot of the cross, they were nothing forrie to have crucified Christ, but were grieved to see him rise again? S. Barnard saith, that Christ had great reason to say that the jews had prolonged their iniquity, because that at the time of his passion, for the better revengement unto their malicious hearts, and the more to torment Christ's blessed members, they would have been glad that day had been longer, and that Christ's life had continued a longer time. The hatred which those wicked jews bate unto Christ was so great, that sometimes they desired nothing more than to see him yield up the ghost, and sometime they were never satisfied and full in doing him injury, insomuch that if they did crucify him with their hands, they did also crucify him much more with their hearts. We should have great compassion upon the jewish nation which do prolong their iniquity until the end of the world: for as the Apostle saith, the Synagogue shall never be all lightened until all the Gentiles be converted. It may be said not only of the Hebrews, but also of many Christians, that Prolong averunt iniquitatem suam, who in stead of amending themselves, go on every day impairing themselves, so that they are like unto those which are sick of the dropsy, who the more they drink the more they thirst; so they the more they sin the greater lust they have to sin. And as Christ with great reason said, that the Hebrews did prolong their iniquity against him, with the like reason may they say of Christ, that towards them he prolonged his mercy, seeing he was as hasty in procuring their pardon, as they were in causing his passion. What should become of me O sweet jesus, what should become of me saith Anselmus, if as every day I add naughtiness to naughtiness, and so prolong my iniquity, thou didst not add goodness unto goodness, and so prolong me thy misericordiam? O sweet jesus and my soul's delight, of whom may it so truly be said as of thee, that thou hast prolonged thy mercy, seeing that thou wast upon the cross as it were gaping for death, and yet pardoning thy enemies? And although I do every day prolong my iniquity, and thou every moment prolong thy mercy, notwithstanding thy mercy exceedeth my iniquity: for otherwise my sorrowful soul should long ago have known what thy rigorous justice had been. Cyprian saith upon the passion of our Lord, that he hath much more prolonged his mercy, seeing he said not in his prayer, Father forgive them if thou wilt, but absolutely that he would forgive them; and that not by the rigour of justice due unto them, but by the sole mercy of him which made the petition. Behold then O my soul, behold that with greater devotion & affection the son of God prayed for thee upon the cross than he did for himself in the garden, seeing that he said there, Father if thou wilt, let that chalice pass; but on the cross he said not If thou wilt, but Father forgive them. In so much that it seemeth that he left the care of his passion unto the will of his father, but the pardon of his enemies he desired presently to be given. What meaneth this O sweet jesus, what meaneth this? It seemeth that thou dost put it in consultation whether thou shalt die or not, saying unto him Father if thou wilt; and dost thou not give thy father leave to think whether he shall pardon that wicked people or not, but that he should there presently forgive them? The son of God saith unto his father (as Gregory reports) Father forgive them, and not If thou wilt, because we should understand that when we forgive and be reconciled unto our enemies, we should do it so sincerely and hearty, and with such good will that we should never turn our face from them, nor never deny them our communication. I will not (saith Hugo) call that a Christian forgiving, when we forgive our enemy under condition never to speak unto him, nor go by his gate, nor dwell where he hath to do: for our redeemer excepted no condition in the pardon of his passion. It is also deeply to be weighed, that the son of God did not say upon the cross, Father forgive him, but Father forgive them: That is, he asked forgiveness not for one in particular, but for all the whole world in general. Whereof it is inferred that seeing he prayed for all, that there was sin in all. When Christ said Pardon them and not pardon him, he gave cause of great hope unto all sinners, that they should be pardoned by him, seeing he forgot not to redeem any, nor to pardon any man, nor leave out any man not spoken for of his father, but made all men partakers of his passion. As the son of God said unto his father, Pardon them, so if he had said Pardon him, he would have put all the church in an uprose and hurly burly, and all the world in a confusion and doubt in knowing who were condemned, and who pardoned. Rabanus upon S. Matthew saith, That when the Maker hanged upon the cross, if he had said Pardon him, as he said Pardon them, than we should not have known whether he had pardoned judas which sold him, or Herod which scorned him, or Pilate which condemned him, or S. Peter which denied him, or Caiphas which blasphemed him. And he saith further, that the cause why Christ said unto his father, Pardon them, and not pardon him, was because our good Lord is so liberal in giving and so noble in pardoning, that he cannot forgive any one sin alone, if there remain any other hidden offence in the sinner. Factious and envious men are wont to pardon some of their enemies, & not other some: but the son of God for a certainty doth not so, but he would forgive all men together, and redeem all men together. S. john said not of Christ, behold him who taketh away the sin of the world; but said behold him who taketh away the sins of the world. He said not unto Mary Magdalen, thy sin is released, but thy sins are forgiven thee: In so much that in matter of sins God cannot but either wholly wink at them, or wholly pardon them. For as S. Jerome saith, No man ever heard the son of God say, I pardon thee such a sin or this sin or that sin, but he always said I pardon thee all thy sins, and thereupon praying upon the cross unto his father, he did not say Pardon him, but said Father pardon them. For it seemed unto him, that the value of the blood which he shed, was of such price, that those for whom he died were but few, although he died for those which were absent, as well as for those which were present, for the quick and for the dead, for those which were already past and for those which were to come, for the just and for the sinners; & that one drop of his blood which he should shed, would be sufficient to redeem a thousand of worlds: and if this were so, what reason had he to bestow it upon one alone, seeing there did abound for all the world? The son of God debated not the matter, nor played not the huckster with his father in contending, how much blood shall I give thee for their pardon; because he would let us understand in this, that he paid very well, yea and repaid for all the sins which were forgiven. For to conclude, all the sins in the world might have been numbered, but the price of the blood of Christ could not be valued. O good jesus! O my soul's hope, if in favour of great sinners thou didst say, Father forgive them, why dost thou not say in my behalf who am a great sinner, Pater ignosce illi, Forgive him? If the jews have been ungrateful towards thee for the miracles which thou didst amongst them, have not I been much more ingrateful for the benefits received of thee? If thou didst pray for the Israelites which did kill thee once, why dost thou not pray for me which kill thee every day? Do not I put thee to death every day and every hour, seeing I do crucify thee as oft as I sin against thee? Seeing the sins which are severally in other men, are together in me, why dost thou not say, Father forgive him, as thou didst say, Father forgive them? Say then O my good jesus, say unto thy Father, Father pardon this sinner, seeing that by how much the more my sins & offences are greater than other men's, by so much the more thy mercy will shine by forgiving me.   

CHAP. VII. How God is more merciful now then he was in time past: and why Christ did not say that he did pardon his enemies, when he asked pardon for them of his father.  
POnam contra te omnes abommationes tuas, & non parcet oculus meus super te. These are the words of the great God of Israel, spoken with much anger and very great fury to the people of Israel, by the mouth and preaching of the holy Prophet Ezechiel chapter. 7. as if he would say: I am so angry with thee O Synagogue, and have pardoned thee so often, that I am now determined to lay open all thy wickedness, and not forgive thee any one of them: because that as mercy doth follow thy amendment, so justice & rigour may follow thy hardness of heart. Before the son of God came into the world to take man's flesh upon him, God was much more accustomed to use his justice then his mercy; seeing that in all the story of the old Law, those which he chastised were very many in number, and those whom he forgave very few. And that we may prove it to have been so from the beginning of the world, how did he punish Adam, and Eve his wife for no other cause but for eating the apple which was forbidden them? Did he not condemn the wicked Cain to wander throughout all the world, and have a shaking in his head, for the murder which he used against his brother? Who is ignorant how God did drown many in the universal flood for the sin of the flesh, and sunk those of Sodom for the sin against nature, and let the ground open and swallow up Dathan and Abiron for the rancour of envy? And did not God command Moses and josua, to take out of the camp and stone to death the jew for hiding a barrel of gold at the sack of jerricho, and another Israelitie for gathering sticks upon the Sabbath day? Hieremie never endeth to bewail the captivitiy of Babylon, whereof he saith, Destruxit & non pepercit he destroyed and spared not. But God commanded that all that kingdom should be made desolate and destroyed, not pardoning nor forgiving any one. When the Lord commanded king Saul to go & take Amelech his kingdom, he advised him and instructed him, that from the king himself which sat in his throne unto the beast which fed in the meadow he should not pardon any one, but slay and kill them every one. In the ninth chapter of Ezechiell, God said these words unto the striking Angel, Senem, & iwenem, & virginem, & paruulum interfice, & sanctuario me● incipe, etc. as if he would say, Go throughout all the city of jerusalem, & put to the sword all the old men, and all the young men, all the virgins, and all the children, and because no man shall think that any place may save him, thou shalt begin this my punishment with the Priests of the Temple. Cadent a latere tuo mill, & decem millia à dextris tuis, saith the Psalmist, as if he would say: Thou dost so severely revenge thy injuries O great God of Saboth, and so punish our offences, that as oft as I look upon thee I see both thy arms armed, and both thy hands covered with blood, insomuch that if a thousand men are fallen at thy left hand, there are other ten thousand slairie at thy right hand. When the eternal God had seen that they had put to death his well-beloved son, being accustomed to punish presently and not to pardon, he darkened the light of the sun, made the earth to quake, rend the vail of the Temple, and opened the sepulchres of the dead, because those which were dead should rise again and take revengement of those which were alive. When the son of God perceived that all this was done for his sake, & that his father would destroy all the word for to revenge his death, he lifted up his eyes unto heaven, and with a sorrowful voice said, Father forgive them, because they know not what they do: as if he would say; O my eternal and holy father, I beseech and pray thee that thou wouldst forgive this unhappy people, seeing thou shouldest make more account of the blood which I shed for them, than of the offence which they have committed against thee. It is now now time for a thousand to fall on thy left side, and ten thousand on thy right: for seeing that I stand betwixt them and thee, it is not reason that they should fall but rise, nor that thou shouldest punish but pardon them. O what a happy time! O what a happy age the Catholic church liveth in, in the which he which is injuried is reconciled and made our friend, the judge become our advocate and spokesman for us, our accuser turned to be our defender, and he who was wont to fear us with justice, doth now flatter us and entice us to him with mercy. How shall David be able to say now, Cadent a latere eius mill, A thousand shall fall on his side, seeing the son of God hath said upon the cross, Father forgive them? In the law of grace, and under the yoke of Christ it is not time to go astray but aright, not to cast away ourselves but to save ourselves, not a time of justice but of mercy, not to punish but to pardon, neither is it time to fall but to rise. It is much to be noted, that the son of God did never command any man to fall and throw down himself, but rather bad all men rise up, as it appeareth in the nineteenth of S. Matthew, where he saith, Rise up and take thy bed, and in another place Arise maid, and he said unto him whom he raised from death in Naim, adolescens tibi dico surge, and likewise he said in the garden to his Disciples, Rise let us go. It is the property and office of the devil, to counsel and procure men to fall: for so he counseled Christ in the desert, when he said, I will give thee all these things, Si cadens adoraveris me, as if he would say; I will make thee Lord over all the world, if thou wilt but fall down on the ground. O my sweet jesus I will live with thee, who commandeth me to rise, and not with the devil who counseleth me to fall: for he is desirous to have me fall, and thou and no other art able to help me up again. Why should I live with the devil who deceiveth me a thousand ways, or with the world which putteth me in a thousand dangers, or with the flesh which asketh of me a thousand pleasures? O redeemer of my soul, O sweet delight of my life, I will live and die with thee, and no other, for if I be sick thou dost heal me, if I be sorrowful thou dost comfort me, if I be falling thou dost help me, if I be fallen thou dost help me up, & if I have sinned thou dost pardon me. He is the disciple of the devil, who goeth about to throw down his brother, & he is the son of Christ who doth help to lift up his neighbour: for we are not able in this life to do any man a greater favour, then to keep his credit & honour, & to help him to save his soul. When the giver of life said upon the cross, Father forgive them, by those speeches he meant to obtain two things of his father: That is, that he would neither punish their bodies like unto murderers, nor condemn their souls like unto traitors. O infinite goodness! O clemency never heard of before! O redeemer of my soul, dost thou dissemble with the treacherous, pardon murderers, excuse traitors, undertakest for the credit of the infamous, & turnest unto sinners? It is little when I say thou dost turn unto sinners, seeing thou dost not only turn unto them but also die for them. What is the reason O good jesus, what is the reason that thou dost pray unto thy father that he would forgive them, and dost not say I do forgive them. When thou sayest, Father pardon them, why dost thou not say also, I pardon them? Art thou the party injuried, art thou the party shamed and disgraced, art thou the party aggrieved, and dost give the liberty of pardoning them unto another? It is a high mystery, and a hidden Sacrament, to think that the son of God would not say I pardon them, but entreat his father to pardon them, making greater reckoning of the injury which they had done unto his father, then of the death which they procured unto himself. The reason why the son of God would not say, I pardon them, although he were the party offended, was to tell us plainly, That he did not esteem those which put him to death his enemies, rather his dear brothers & great good doers unto the world, having more regard unto the good which they had done in causing the world to be redeemed, then unto the hurt which they did in causing himself to be murdered. When good jesus said, Father forgive them, it is no more them to say, thou art he my good father who must forgive them, because they have broken thy law, discredited thy doctrine, violated thy temple, & put to death thy son. If thou dost say that I should forgive them, I say I have no cause to forgive: for I take my death as well revenged, & my life as well bestowed, seeing that by the merit thereof all the world may live, & heaven made open unto all men. S. Augustine saith, That if the son of God had holden the jews for his enemies, as they accounted of him, it was in his power to forsake them, and go preach unto others; but because he esteemed of them as of his kindred in blood, neighbours by nature, brothers by law, disciples in doctrine, it was not needful for him to say on the cross I forgive them, seeing he was not angry towards them, nor moved at all with them. They bare rancour and hatred unto Christ, but nor Christ unto them; & therefore notwithstanding all the reproaches they used towards him, & all the injurious speeches they gave him, he never left off preaching unto them, nor never ceased to work miracles amongst them. With what face could they say that Christ was their enemy, seeing he raised their dead, cast out devils from them, instructed their children, cured their friends of diseases, & also forgave them their sins? Seeing the son of God had done the works of a friend among them, & that of a true friend, why should he say upon the cross, I do also forgive them, seeing he did not hold any one of them for his enemy? If sweet jesus was angry with them, if he misliked them, it was not for the injuries which they did unto him, but for the offences they committed against his father; & therefore he committed the pardon unto him which was most injuried, protesting that himself was not offended with them. O sweet jesus how canst thou say that thou wast not offended nor injured by them, being as thou wast injuried & crucified by their hands? and although thou do not complain upon them, nor revenge thee on them, nor yet accuse them; yet O my redeemer why dost thou excuse them? Barnard saith, That the son of God was replenished with such great charity, and such unspeakable pity towards those which crucified him, that he could not obtain leave of himself to impute any fault unto them, seeing he had charged himself with the pain due for it. Cyprian saith, That seeing Christ was the true mediator, pacifier, & stikler betwixt his father & the world, it would have been evilly thought of to say, that any one of them were his enemies: and thereupon it is that seeing he had no enemy there amongst them, he had no necessity to say on the cross, I pardon them. If the son of God (saith S. chrusostom) hanging upon the cross, should have said, I also pardon them, it would have been thought that he received greater grief for the torment which he himself suffered, than of the injuries which were done unto his father; which for a certainty was not so: for if it were possible, Christ would more willingly return again into the world to die, than endure to see one injury done unto his father. Who dare now, O good jesus (saith S. Barnard) who dare ask a revenge of the injuries done unto him, seeing thou didst make such small account of those which were done unto thyself? Dost not thou reckon of the cruel thorns which pierced thy holy head, and shall I make account of an angry word which my brother speaketh against me? How shall I dare to say, that I have enemies, seeing thou dost handle those which nailed thee unto the cross like brothers? It ought to be a strange speech in the mouth of a Christian to say, This is my enemy; for in making thy brother thy enemy, thou dost lose Christ, and causest him to be no more thy friend. It is much to be noted, that Christ entreated not his father to pardon them after they were dead, but asked that he would pardon them quickly, yea & that very quickly, because he would let us understand, that the value of his precious blood was of such great price, that at that instant that it began to be shed, at the same time it began to do good. The redeemer of the world would not leave us out of the favour of his father, nor an enemy unto any; in token whereof he came into the world, saying, Et in terra pax hominibus, Peace unto men upon earth: and went out of the world, saying, Pater ignosce illis, Father forgive them. The son of God (saith Cassiodorus upon the Psalms) is not like unto the children of this world, who leave unto their children a little wealth with much strife, seeing that by that speech of, Father forgive them, he redeemed us with his blood, baptised us with his tears, anointed us with his sweat, instructed us with his doctrine, loosed us from the devil, and reconciled us unto his father. O how much are we bound unto thee, sweet jesus, for praying unto thy father that he would forgive his enemies before and not after thy death, that is, before the tears of thy eyes were dried up, and whilst the wounds of thy body were yet fresh. What would have become of mankind if Christ at his death had been angry with us? When he said in his last Sermon, Pacem meam do vobis, I give you my peace, What else meant he, but that he left us reconciled unto his father, and united unto himself? How could the eternal father (saith Anselmus) deny his blessed son the pardon which he demanded, seeing he asked it with such mild words, with such sorrowful tears, with such fresh wounds, with such loving bowels, with such continual sighs, and with such great and passing grief? We may then conclude, that when Christ prayed his father to pardon quickly and without delay, he teacheth us, that before we die and go out of this life, it is convenient for us to pardon all injuries; for otherwise those in the other world shall have great occasion to weep, which would not in this world speedily forgive.   

CHAP. VIII. How our Lord reckoneth with the Synagogue: and of five cruelties which the jews used in the death of Christ.  
SIt Dominus judex inter te & inter me, said the most renowned king David unto his Lord and king, king Saul, Reg. chap. 24. as if he would say, I will have no other judge betwixt me and thee, O great king of Israel, but only the mighty God of heaven, unto whom it is well known how faithfully I do serve thee, and how cruelly thou dost handle me. Origen saith, that king David ought to have great privity with God, seeing h●e chose him for the judge of all the words he spoke, of all the thoughts he conceived, of all the works which he did, of all the enmities he suffered, yea and of all the friendships he followed. David could not justify his cause better, than to refer the justice of it unto the hands of God, who is so just in his person, so upright in his judgement, that neither prayers bow him, neither threatenings fear him, nor gifts move him, nor words deceive him. When good king David cited Saul to appear before the judgement of God, David could have cut off his head if he would, as he did the guard of his garment: but yet he would not do it, because he did set more by God's favour than by saul's evil will. Saul was a capital enemy unto king David: he caused him to flee his country, forsake his kindred, deprived him of his riches, banished him his court, separated him from his wife, and proclaimed him to be his public enemy. And yet notwithstanding all this, David (if he had listed) could have been revenged of Saul, as especially when he stole the bottle from under his bed's head, and cut away a piece of his garment: yet the pitiful king David would not only not do it, but showed himself angry with those which durst counsel him unto it. Origen saith, that only because Saul was anointed king by the God of Israel, it seemed unto good king David, that he deserved pardon, and that that was a sufficient cause to make him reverenced of all, and offended by none. We are anointed with a better ointment than king Saul was: for he was anointed with the oil of the Olive tree, but we are anointed with the blood of Christ; and therefore he who doth persecute a Christian, doth persecute one who is anointed by Christ. Good king David respected it not that Saul did abuse his regal unction and anointing, but only because that he was anointed by a good Spirit, in so much that David regarded it not that Saul was a most wicked and naughty king, but only that God had made him a king. Thereupon Saint Ambrose saith, and that very well, that according unto the example of David, thou oughtest not to look unto the malice with the which thy enemy entreateth thee, but unto the unction wherewith he is made a Christian: and whether he be a christian or not, thou art not the judge of this business, but he who is thy God and his, who is to punish the injury which thou hast done unto him, & in him the revengement which thou hast taken on thee. Coming then unto our purpose: The words which David spoke unto Saul, that is, Let our Lord be a judge betwixt me and thee, the Son of God may say unto the Synagogue, and unto all her children; and that he alone shall be the judge betwixt them, as well of all the good which Christ did unto the Synagogue, as of the hurt he hath received by her. Which of all the Angels if he would come down unto us, which of the dead if he could rise again, what man, were he never so wise, were able to number the multitude of benefits which were ceiued by him, and the incredible torments which they gave him? Let our Lord be a judge betwixt me and thee, O Synagogue (for no other can be) how much more greater my love was, with the which I redeemed thee, than the torments which in my passion thou gavest me, and that how thy hatred was far greater than all the cruelties thou usedst towards me. Therefore I call thee into judgement, O Synagogue, before God, not to the end that he should chastise thee, but only to judge betwixt me & thee, how that there is no work of pity and mercy which I left undone for thee, and how there was no cruelty of torment which thou didst not assay against me. Speaking then more particularly of the pardon which the son of God gave the Hebrews, it were reason to show what they did to deserve it, and what moved Christ to give it; for by so much the more excellent & bountiful is the pardon, by how much the lesser the occasions were to give it. The jews did Christ five notorious injuries at the time of his death, the least of all which, if it had been thoroughly punished, had deserved not only not to be pardoned, but also condemned into eternal fire. For (saith Hilarius) what punishment worthy of their desert can be given unto them, who take away life from him which is the giver of life? The first wrong which they did unto Christ was, that they crucified him through malice, not finding any fault in him at all: which appeareth plainly by that that they did let go Barrabas the manslayer, and condemned the son of God; judging him to be an honester man who killed those which lived, than that great Prophet which raised up those which were dead. Christ was a giver of alms, and Barrabas was a thief; Christ was quiet and a peacemaker, and Barrabas a sour of sedition; Christ a great preacher, and Barrabas a great robber and assailer of men by the high way; Christ a master of all good men, and Barrabas a captain of all scandalous men: and yet notwithstanding all this they condemned Christ to be put immediately to death, and sent Barrabas home unto his house. O how wicked a demand made you O ye jews and perverse petition, in ask that he may live which killeth those which are alive, and that he should die who raiseth to life those which were dead! Who is there in your city, who can heal the sick and diseased, or raise the dead unto life, if this Prophet die? So great was the hatred which they bore unto the son of God, that to hear him once named they were much troubled, & in Barrabas name they much rejoiced; which they showed manifestly when they cried all with one voice that Pilate should deliver them Barrabas, and crucify Christ. O what a happy man should I be, if my love towards thee were so great as their hatred was towards thee: for by that means as they took a wrong course in choosing Barrabas for themselves, so I should do aright in making choice of thee for myself. It had not been to have been marveled at if they had erred in their choice, if Pilate had given them their choice betwixt two thieves, or two mankillers, or other two strangers unto them: but giving them the choice betwixt an assailing thief, and a most holy Prophet, and they presently to choose the wicked one, & use injustice against the good one, it could not be but they did it through great want of wisdom and greater abundance of malice. The second injury was, that if they had put the son of God to death in some mean village, it would not have been so great an infamy and reproach unto him: but the excommunicated jews the better to revenge themselves upon Christ and to put him to the greater shame, put him to death in the great city of jerusalem, where he was very well known by his preaching, & allied unto many honourable Persons by consanguinity. What wrong like unto this was ever done unto any man, or what reproach comparable unto this, that is, to lead him to be crucified at the Mount of Calvary, through the same streets which he was wont to pass through to the Temple to preach? Seneca saith, That it is a greater grief than death itself to a man that is shamefast and of a valiant courage, to see himself trodden down where he hath been honoured, and contumeliously handled, where he hath been highly esteemed: for he feeleth the present torment and grief, & he grieveth and perceiveth that, which his enemies speak. Because the son of God was mighty in doing miracles, fair and amiable in his countenance, profitable in his doctrine, and a friend unto the weal public, he was beloved of all, and envied of many; by reason whereof he grieved much at the open dishonour they did him, and that publicly they took his life from him. What grief could he be free from, seeing himself carried openly, and condemned unto the death of the cross, & that his friends accompanied him weeping, and his enemies scorning & mocking him? The third was, that although they could have put him to death secretly in his chamber, or in some dark night, yet they never meant once to do it; but they brought him forth at one of the clock, they condemned him at three, they crucified him at six, & they murdered him at nine. It was not for want of diligence, but through abundance of malice that they chose that hour, because then the sun showeth his beams most brightest, & most people pass through the streets. Chrisostome upon S. Matthew saith, That the jews would not put Christ to death in the morning because all men were not up, nor in the night because all were at their rest, nor yet late in the evening, because many had withdrawn themselves to their lodgings: but they remembered to kill him in the day time betwixt three & four of the clock, because that at that time all men go abroad to walk in the market place. It was an old plague of the Synagogues to imbrue & flesh themselves in the blood of the prophets & holy men, as of Esaias whom they sawed in pieces; jeremy whom they drowned in a well; Micheas whom they buffeted to death, Zachary whom they stoned to death, & Ezechiel whom they imprisoned: and because the curse of their predecessors should reach unto those which were then alive, they be thought themselves to take Christ's life from him, & blemish his good name & credit. Damascen saith, that when the jews crucified Christ, they chose a bright & a fair day without cloud & darkness, because Christ should be seen of all men, & not unknown of any, because their purpose & intent was aswell to discredit him as to kill him. For when the Evangelist saith, that when Christ gave up the ghost, the sun was darkened, it is an unfallible argument that it was a bright & a clear day; but the sun waxed dark upon the sudden, because he would with his shadow have covered him whom the jews had put to open shame. S. Cyprian saith, That when the jews put Christ to death, they were not content only to make choice of a bright day & clear, but also they would have a long day (as commonly the days are the 25 of March) because they might have time in one day to accuse him, give judgement on him, & crucify him. The 4. point was, that although they could have put him to death alone, yet they would not do it without company; & the company they gave him was not of honest men, but of two errand thieves. It is to be weighed, that the jews never gave Christ the pre-eminence or highest room but only upon the cross and gibbet, where they crucified him betwixt two thieves, & they put him in the midst as if he had been the greatest thief among them all, & the most notorious offender. Albertus saith, That the jews hanged our good jesus betwixt two malefactors, as if he had been a captain & a ringleader of them, to make us think thereby how bad a person that Prophet was, seeing that in comparison of him the thieves were of a better life. Put the case, saith S. jerom, that all the testimonies which they brought against Christ had been true, and that they had proved by sufficient witness those crimes which they laid against him, yet notwithstanding he deserved not that kind of punishment, nor to be executed with such infamous thieves, because the Imperial laws do command such only to be partakers of equal punishment which were confederates in the offence. If the son of God drew sinners unto him & received them, truly it was not for that he would help them or further them in sin, but to draw them to good life, in so much that by his blessed company they were not perverted but much more converted. The fifth wrong was, that although they might have put him to another kind of death, which was not so scandalous to hear of, nor so cruel to be endured as the death of the cross, yet they would put him to no other death but that, because he should end his life with great cruelty & smart. For the torment of the cross was holden to be the terriblest that was to suffer, & the least pitiful to give, and therefore they crucified none unless it were such a one as without amendment did break the law, or such a one as durst be a traitor to the king. Was he perdie a breaker of the law, who said openly Non veni solvere legem sed adimplere: I came not to break the law, but to fulfil the law? Is he pardy a traitor who said openly, Reddite quae sunt Caesaris Caesari, Give that which is Caesar's unto Caesar, and that which is Christ's unto Christ? They & not the son of God were breakers of the law, they were Traitors unto the king, they caused sedition among the people, yea they stole away the sacrifices: in so much that against all order of justice, those transgressors murdered him which was holy, the Traitors put to death him who was loyal, the guilty crucified the innocent, and the thieves crucified their judge. Chrisostome saith, That as the hatred which they bore unto Christ did pass all other hatred in the world, and as the envy they bare Christ was far greater than any other which could sink into man's heart, so also they would that the death which they gave Christ, should exceed the deaths which all other men did suffer. Who doubteth but if a worse death they could have invented, a worse death he should have had? It is to be weighed, that being an old custom, that the judges which give sentence and not which accuse, should appoint the manner of death which the party which offendeth should endure: yet the jews would not leave Christ's death unto pilate's arbitrement, but they themselves would presently design & appoint what death he should die. Tell me I pray you, what death did they appoint him, or what torment did they choose out for him? Barrabas the thief being loused, & let free by the common consent & agreement of them all, Pilate ask them what they would do by jesus of Nazareth, they cried all aloud with one voice, Crucify, crucify him, because he is guilty of death, with few words they condemn Christ unto many cruel & terrible torments, that is, that he should die quickly, seeing they say that he is guilty of death, that he should die upon the cross seeing they said crucify him; & that he should be twice crucified, considering that they say crucify, crucify him. As touching the first, they entreat Pilate to put Christ to death, and Pilate said, that he found no cause in him why he should die: but in fine, his resistance prevailed not so much as their importunity. The jews did not request of Pilate that he would whip Christ or banish him, or object any reproachful crime against him, but that he would immediately put him to death, & that because the holy doctrine which he preached, and the evil life which they led were imcompatible the one with the other. And as for the second, the forsaken jews were not content to demand of Pilate that Christ should be put to death, and with that death which they themselves desired, but that they should immediately crucify him on a cross, which kind of punishment was never given but unto very naughty & wicked persons, and for very heinous and enormous faults. S. August. upon S. john noteth, that the jews were not content to cry unto Pilate once that he would crucify him, but they doubled their cry, & said crucify him, crucify him, to let us understand that they meant aswell to crucify his fame and credit, as they did crucify his person. Origen saith, That by entreating Pilate twice to crucify him, saying, crucifige, crucifige, was to persuade him that he would crucify him with his hands, and that they would crucify him with their hearts. They crucified him with their hearts, when with their hearts they hated and detested him, & then they hated him with their hearts, when they defamed his person, and discredited his doctrine, in so much that it was not without cause that they cried twice crucify, crucify him, seeing that at one time they took away his life, and blemished his credit. And although Pilate should have been determined to put him to death, either by cutting his throat, or casting him into a well, or by hanging him, which are easier deaths to suffer, and less infamous to endure, yet the doggish jews would not leave it unto pilate's arbitrement and free will, for fear lest he would have been too pitiful in the manner of his death. When certain words are doubled in holy scripture, it is a great sign of love or hatred in those which use them, as when Christ said, Desiderio desideravi, I have desired with desire, and when he said Martha, Martha, in which words he showed the love and affection which he bore unto his disciples, and what tender love he bore to Martha, who guested him in her house. The jews also by iterating of those words, showed the great hatred which they bore unto Christ, and let us understand with what heart & good will they crucified him. Behold then their deeds towards Christ, & behold also the deserts which were found to be in them. Yet notwithstanding all this, in recompense of the cruel death which they gave him, & the great shame and infamy they put him to, he saith with a loud voice, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.   

CHAP. IX. How that Christ's mercy was far greater towards the Synagogue, than their naughtiness towards him; seeing he pardoned her, though she desired no pardon.  
FRons meretricis facta est tibi, & noluisti erubescere, tamen revertere ad me & dic pater meus es tu. God spoke these words by the mouth of the Prophet jeremy, complaining unto him of the enormous and great sins the jewish nation had committed against him. And they are as if he should say; O wicked and infortunate people of the jews, which art come unto that boldness of sinning, that like unto a public whore, thou hast no shame in doing nought. Turn therefore unto me O sinful Jerusalem, turn thyself unto me thou unfortunate Synagogue; for I can do no less when thou dost ask any thing of me like as of a father, but I must grant it unto thee like a son. S. Jerome upon these words saith. O what an infinite goodness and mercy is this, O my God and Lord, that seeing thou hast tanted & condemned jerusalem as one which was full of sin, and without shame, yea and hast compared her unto a public strumpet, yet thou dost entreat her to amend, & givest her licence to call thee Father. Whom will't thou cast from thee, and deny to be thy son, seeing thou dost vouchsafe to be a father unto a strumpet? If thou dost admit public lewd women into thy company, is it like that thou wilt cast from thee the honest and virtuous ones of thy house? If thou love those which are sinful and shameless, who is a greater sinner, or less bashful, or more lewd than this my wicked soul? If the remedy of my soul consist in nothing else but in calling thee Father, from this time forward I do call thee Father; and if thou dost require nothing else of me, but that I should turn unto thee, O good jesus I turn unto thee, and ask thee forgiveness of all my sins, and seeing I do turn unto thee as unto my Lord, and confess myself before thee to be a great sinner, I beseech thee most humbly, that thou wouldst not cast me from before thy face, & that thou wouldst not take thy holy spirit from me: for if thy holy grace forsake me, my soul is turned unto that that she was before, that is unto a shameless and lewd woman. It is much to be noted here, that God doth not complain of the jews that they were envious, angry, or gluttennous, but that they were bold and without shame; which wanteth not a high mystery, because there is no greater sign in all the world that a man's conscience is very corrupt, then when to sin he hath no shame at al. I have a great hope (saith S. Augustine) that that sinner will amend his life which sinneth secretly, and is ashamed of it; which hope I have not of him, who is resolute in his speech, and dissolute in sin, because that that man doth either very late or never amend his manners, who by long use hath hardened his conscience. To come then unto our purpose, with very great reason and for just occasion God called the synagogue a shameless and dissolute strumpet, seeing that in the death of his son she showed not only her malice, but also her impudence, in killing him in the open day, not being sorrowful for it at all. Christ knew very well that which his father had promised unto the jews, that is, that if they would call him Father, he would forgive them as his children. By reason whereof Christ our God began his prayer with Father forgive them, giving thereby to understand, that seeing he called him Father, he should be heard like a son. If it seem unto you my loving brethren (saith S. Ambrose) that the jews had no occasion to put Christ their Lord to death, neither did he see in them any condition whereby he should pardon them: and touching this merciful pardon I can tell you, that I do not so much marvel of the pardon which he giveth on the cross, as I do of the circumstances with the which he doth give it. The jews showed their naughtiness towards Christ in many things, but the son of God showed his mercy & clemency towards them in many more things: for there is no man in this life able to commit so great an offence, but God's mercy can go beyond it. The first thing wherein he showed his mercy towards them, was in the petition which he made upon the cross for them, that is, pardon & remission of their sins being his enemies; preferring them before his blessed mother, which brought him into the world, & his well-beloved disciple which followed him, & before Mary Magdalen whom he so much loved. What charity (saith Remigius) should have burned in his divine bowels, who at the very instant of his own death, remembreth first to relieve his enemies, them comfort his friends? what meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this; dost thou first remember those who openly blaspheme thee, then those which stand at the foot of the cross weeping for thee? O infinite charity! O unspeakable goodness, what heart could do that which thou dost. S. Barnard saith, that it was in manner of a contention whether were greater the sighs of the faithful, the tears which issued out of his mother's eyes, or the blood which gushed out of Christ veins, or the blasphemies which the wicked jews uttered with their mouth: but yet our holy & meek jesus did first pardon the injuries, before he was mindful of the tears. O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul (saith Anselmus, as thou dost say, Father forgive them, why dost thou not say, dry the eyes of my sorrowful mother, staunch the blood of my tender veins, & heal the wounds of my gentle flesh, & have pity & compassion of these faithful women which here weep for my sake? as thou didst say in thy last supper (saith Cyprian) Mandatum nowm do vobis, I give you a new commandment, so mayst thou now say upon the cross, I give you a new example, seeing that never any before thee hath taught us so perfect a manner how to love, nor so lively an example how to pardon, & it was a strange & a new kind of goodness which jesus used in ask pardon first for those which crucified him, rather than for those which followed him, & for his mother which accompanied him: for without comparison the grief which he had to see the souls of his enemies perish, was far greater unto him, than to see his mother's eyes run down with tears. Let no man them wonder, nor marvel that our good jesus did remember himself first of the people which murdered him before his mother which bore him, because he came not into the world to dry men's eyes from weeping, but to savesoules from perishing. Secondly, the son of God showed his mercy in ask pardon for his enemies with kind & sweet words: that is, not by calling him God, or Lord, or creator, but only father, which is a word answerable unto mercy & pity, & contrariwise this word God, or Lord, doth always signify justice. When Christ said, Father forgive them, he would have said, Lord forgive them, or my God forgive them, it would have seemed that he would have had the pardon according unto the rigour of justice: the which if he had required or his father granted, there is no doubt at all, but before the son of God should have yielded up his ghost, the ground would have opened & swallowed them up. When the son of God would ask any great thing of his father, he began his prayer always with Father; as when he said, I confess unto thee O father, & when he said Father into thy hands I commend my spirit. What meaneth this O redecmer of my soul, what meaneth this? Is thy pity so great towards us, and thy mercy so abundant, that thou dost pray for thy enemies with the same words, as thou dost pray for thy own affairs? S. Chrysost. upon S. Matthew noteth, That the excommunicated jews did always change their style & manner of speech when they spoke unto Christ: for once they said, Benedictus qui venit in nomine domini, & anon after they said, Vah qui destruis templum: but as for the son of God, as his mind was sincere & clear inwardly, so his words were holy outwardly: were not think you his words holy, & his thoughts pure & clear, when he said unto his Father, Father forgive them, seeing he prayed with his tongue, & pardoned with his heart? S. Barnard crieth out, O sweet jesus, O redeemer of my soul, what couldst thou have said, or what shouldest thou have done more for thy enemies, than pardon them with all thy heart, & make intercession for them with such sweet & loving words? Thirdly Christ showed his goodness & mercy, in ask pardon in the presence of such as were there, that is, in the presence of his sorrowful mother, of his well-beloved disciple, his dear friend Mary Magdalen, his cousins and kindred, showing that as all men were by him redeemed, so also all should be by him pardoned. Vbertinus to this purpose saith, O good jesus in the death which thou didst suffer, and in the pardon which thou didst give to thy enemies, thou didst not only help thyself there with thy tongue, but also with thy heart, seeing thou didst entreat thy father with thy tongue that he would have pity on them, and didst also beseech thy mother with thy heart that she would forgive them. Rabanus upon S. Matthew saith, That it was not without a high mystery & hidden sacrament, that the son of God when he died would have his mother & his kindred there; & the reason was, because they should all be witnesses of his pardon, as they were of his passion: for our holy Lord had a greater desire that his blood should benefit his enemies, than that his kindred should entreat at his death for him. Wherefore O good jesus (saith Anselmus) wherefore didst thou bring thy mother & all thy family to the foot of the cross, but only because as thou didst suffer in thy flesh, so they should also suffer in their hearts; & as thou didst forgive them thy death, they should also forgive them their injuries & wrongs done by them? Bonaventure saith, that as the son of God said father forgive them openly, so he said mother forgine than insecret, in so much that as the hangmen did martirize the son, so the son martirized the mother, leaving her bound to weep his death, but not licenced to revenge it. O my jesus, O my soul's health, I beseech thee, that as thou didst get pardon of thy father and mother for thy enemies, so thou wouldst get me pardon for my sins, saying, Father forgive, mother forgive him, seeing I am hateful unto thy father by reason of the sins which I commit against him, & ungrateful unto thy mother for the benefits which I have received of her. O happy & holy day in which thou didst die, seeing that on that day the Father forgave his injury, the son pardoned his death, the mother pardoned her martyrdom, Saint john pardoned his reproach and peril, Marry Magdalen her anguish and distress, and the good thief was pardoned of his sin. How was it possible that the Father should not forgive the world of their sins, seeing that on one day in one hour, and at one time they said, Father forgive them; the son by letting his blood stream from his veins, the mother by suffering her tears flow from her eyes, and the sad family by piercing the heaven with their sighs? Because (saith Cyprian) the office of the son of God was, to put together that which was broken, and reconcile those which disagreed, he would not departed out of this world, before he had made an atonement betwixt his friends and his foes, beseeching his father to forgive them, & commanding his mother not to accuse them. The sorrowful mother had great reason to challenge the jews for the life which they took from her son, and also the father for the wrongful death which they put him to: & therefore our most merciful redeemer, besought of his father that he would not condemn them into everlasting damnation, & obtained with his mother that she should not challenge hisdeath before any justice. But what justice could she ask of those malefactors, seeing they had been already pardoned of her son? Anselmus saith, That when jesus gave up the ghost upon the cross, he left no death for his mother to revenge, nor injury to forgive, but only a bitter passion to weep and bewail, which should be great enough to rend her bowels in sunder, & dry up the tears of her eyes. The 4. goodness which Christ showed the jews, was in that he gave pardon to his enemies which did not demand it, & yielded that unto his crucifiers which they would not have. For how is it possible for those men to seek for pardon, which will not acknowledge themselves culpable? And how should they acknowledge themselves culpable which cast all the fault upon him which deserved it not? The jews were so fleshed in the blood of Christ, & so far out of their wits, that they did not not only procure & ask pardon for their offence, but rather hindered it & put it from than when it was offered them, taking delight in the hurt which they did unto Christ, & grief that they were not able to do him more. When they led the innocent lamb to be crucified, for very joy they said, O thou which dost destroy the Temple of God. And when Pilate would have deferred his crucifying, with great envy they said, If thou let this man go, thou art not a friend unto Caesar: in so much that if they did show themselves grieved and sorry, it was not for that they thought themselves culpable of any crime, but because they had deferred and prolonged Christ's life so long time. The wickedness of the jews was not content in not having pardon of God for their offences, but they demanded openly vengeance for them, when they said unto Pilate, Let his blood fall upon us and upon our children; and therefore by these dreadful words they desire to be punished of God, and at no time pardoned at his hands. O wicked Synagogue, O impious saying. Let his blood be upon us. Tell me, I pray thee, why dost thou desire that the blood of Christ which he shed for to redeem thee, be ●urned to condemn thee? The son of God appealeth from these words which they speak, and he will not stand unto that agreement which the jews made with Pilate; he will not agree that his blood should be shed against them, but for them: and therefore as they said, Let his blood fall upon us; so contrariwise he said, Father forgive them. O wicked Synagogue, O unfortunate jewish nation (saith Remigius) who hath led you unto such great folly and madness, that you should more esteem of the blood of kine (which your priests shed in the Temple) than of the blood which Christ shed in the mount of Caluarie? Saint Jerome saith, On the altar of the cross the Prophecy of Simeon was fulfilled, who said, that Christ's coming into the world was to some men's good and to others hurt, seeing that we do pray that the blood which he sheddeth should be in the remission of our sins, and the jews do entreat that it turn unto their condemnation, and upon their children. It is much to be noted, that we see it often times fall out, that one enemy hurteth not another, and that a good Christian doth pardon another of his offence when he repenteth, we see it also by experience; likewise we see it fulfilled that a perfect man doth love his enemy: but yet we never saw that ever any but Christ pardoned him which would not be pardoned. And how would they be pardoned who pardoned Barrabas and condemned the son of God? What contrition of their sins have they, who desired of Pilate that the curse of God should light upon them and upon their children? O infinite goodness! O unspeakable charity! did they say pardy with king David, Tibi soli peccavi, To thee alone have I sinned: or with the thief, Domine memento mei, Lord remember me; to the end that he should say, God be merciful unto you, Misereatur vestri? What wit is able to conceive, or what heart able to acknowledge such great mercy, when thou saidst, Forgive them, in stead of their sanguis eius, His blood light upon us? O my good jesus, O my soul's health, who is he who dare say, that he hath enemies now, seeing that thou dost make clean the unclean, settest those at liberty which will not be free, losest those which will be bound, unburdenest those which will be burdened, and above all givest pardon unto those which will not be pardoned? If thou dost pardon that people which would not be pardoned, wilt thou not with a better will pardon him who hath repent him of his sins, and whom it grieveth with all his heart to have offended thee? Saint Augustine upon S. john saith, Will not he who meant to meet them who came to apprehend him in the garden of Gethsemani, come out to receive and embrace those who go to serve him? Will not he who defended the adulterous woman from outrage, and pardoned the wicked people not being thereunto asked, pardon and defend that sinner whom he seethe amended, and hath been of him with many tears thereunto entreated?   

CHAP. X. How it is meet for us to conform our wills unto Christ's will, to the end that we may know how to love him and serve him.  
COr tuum numquid est rectum cum cord meo, sicut cor meum est rectum cum cord tuo? We read in the fourth book of the Kings that a certain king of Israel called jehu going from Samaria to kill the children of Achab and the priests of Baal, met on the way with jonadab, unto whom he spoke these words: Tell me, I pray thee, jonadab, is thy heart and mind so faithful and upright with mine, as my heart is with thine? jonadab answered him unto these words, Know thou, O king jehu, that my heart is conformable unto thine. jehu replied and said, Seeing it is true that thy heart is agreeing unto mine, give me thy hand, and come to me into this chariot, where we will talk and communicate of things profitable for us both. This is a wonderful figure & worthy of great attention and consideration, seeing that our Lord doth teach us by it, the great good turns which he doth unto us, and that which in recompense thereof we are to do unto him again. Who is that king jehu who taketh his journey from judea unto Samaria to kill and to take vengeance upon the wicked men which were there, but only the son of God, who came down from heaven above to destroy our sins? Assure me (saith Saint Augustine) that there be no sinners in the world, and I will assure thee that there be no naughty men in the world; for as in heaven there is no sin remitted, nor any wicked man there suffered, and as contrariwise there is nothing but sin and wickedness in hell, so also there is nothing but naughty and wicked men. We are much more bound unto our Christ, than Samaria unto their king jehu, because that that king did only rid Samaria of naughty men, but the son of God made clean & purged all the earth from sin. Who are the children of Achab whose heads king jehu cut off, and who are the priests of Baal which the also slew, but Idolatry which he took away from the Gentiles, and the Mosaical law which he took from the jews? What is the chariot which the son of God went up into to accomplish such high and strange things, but only the cross upon the which our holy Lord attained such and so many great victories? It is to be noted that the king jehu did not ask jonadab whether their apparel were alike or neat of one fashion, but if they loved one another alike; to let us understand, that without comparison our Lord doth much more regard the love which we bear him, than the services which we do him. Saint Basil upon the Prophet which saith, Bonorum meorum non eges, Thou wantest not of my goods, saith, I see well, my God, I see well, that how much the more need I have of thee, the less thou hast of me; and if thou hast need of me, it is not in respect of the goods of fortune, but the love of my mind. Note also that the king of Israel and no other took jonadab by the hand to lift him up into the chariot; whereby we are to understand, that only the son of God & no other Saint of heaven, is able to give us grace to love him, & give us strength to follow him. Who is able to follow thee, or hath power to imitate thee, O redeemer of the world, if thou do not first stretch out thy hand unto him? who is able to lift himself up unto the chariot where thou dost triumph, or unto the cross whither thou goest to die, if thou do not take us by the arm to lift us up, and if thou do not hold us by the hand lest we fall? How had it been possible for Mary Magdalen to have forsaken her profane life, or Matthew his renting of custom, or Paul his persecution, or the thief his assailing of men by the high way, if the son of God had not taken them by the hand, and lifted them up unto the cross with him? When in the holy scripture by the feet are understood good purposes and desires, and by the hands good works, what meaneth he by giving jonadab his hands and not his feet for to mount into the chariot, but that our good Lord doth rather take hold of the good works which we do, then of the good purposes which we have? Gregory in his Register saith; If thou wilt get up upon the chariot of the cross with thy captain jonadab, thou must not get up with thy tongue, which are good words, nor with thy feet, which are good wishes and purposes, but with thy hand which are good deeds, because S. john doth not say, Veeba●ecorū, Their words, nor Desideria corum, Their desires, but Opera corum sequuntur ills, Their works follow them, It is also to be noted, that the king of Israel would not suffer the captain jonudab to go up into the chariot to him, until he had certified and assured him that he was his true friend, in so much that they united their hearts before they joined their hands. After the ●●itation of these two friends, we must have amity and love with Christ, if we will have him to help us up into the chariot: and the amity and friendship which we ought to have with him, is to love him as he loveth us: for Christ our Lord will first be loved of us, then served by us. S. Basil saith, That if any man did labour in the church of God, and take pains, and forgetteth to love, we may well say of such a one, that he shall not only not be accepted, but that God will think him also importunate and troublesome, because God will not be served by men of greatstrength, & such as are forcible, but of such as are free of heart. And further the king of Israel was not content to ask jonadabs' heart, but that he should give it him upright, sincere and entire; which Christ also demandeth of us, because the son of God will never take him for his friend, who hath his heart crooked, sinister, and not upright. And who hath his heart upright and sincere, but the servant of our Lord, and he which hath no other thing in this world, nor seeketh after any thing but only jesus Christ? Who is he who hath his heart crooked and awry, but he who is without life, who hath care neither of Christ, neither of himself, but goeth every hour more and more sinking, and as it were drowned in the world? David knew this very well, when he said, Cor mundum crea in me deus, & spiritum rectum innova in visceribus meis, as if he would say; O great God of Israel, O great Lord of the house of jacob, I beseech thee that thou wouldst create a new heart in me, and favour me with the gift of a new spirit which may be both right and true: for the heart which I brought from the womb of my mother, is such a one, as I dare not offer it unto thee, nor he dareth not appear in thy presence, because it is unclean with sin, and loaden with thoughts and care. O good jesus, O my soul's hope, what better prayer can I make unto thee, or what juster petition can I make unto thee, then that thou wouldst create a new heart in me. That is, that you wouldst give me a clean heart, with the which I may praise thee, and a new spirit with the which I may love thee. Give me O good Lord, give me a new spirit, because mine is old & unpleasant unto thee, give me a clean and a chaste heart, because mine is foul and stinking before thy face: for if thou do not, no prayer of mine can be acceptable unto thee, nor no work that I do can be meritorious unto thee. Cassiodorus noteth, That king David was not content that he was noble in blood, a Prophet by office, a king in degree, and in surname and calling of a royal tribe, but he asketh of God above all things, that he would give him a clean heart, and pour the holy ghost into him; to let us understand that it doth little avail us to be grateful unto the world, if withal we be hateful unto God. Then we are hateful unto God and out of his savour, when our hearts be unclean and loaden with many spirits, and then we have many spirits, when we please others better then we please God. Which the Prophet liketh not, but prayeth unto God that it would please him to give him a clean heart to believe in him, and an upright to serve him. Why wouldst thou O my soul have more than one heart, seeing thou art to love but one Christ only? And why also wouldst thou have more than one holy spirit, considering that it is the Devil which poureth many spirits into one body, and our God for all bodies hath but one only spirit? S. Barnard upon the passion of our Lord saith; If we will ascend with Christ to the cross, it is necessary for us to do that with our hearts that he did with his; that is, with the heart of God he took the heart of a man, and with the heart of a spirit he took a heart of flesh, and with a high heart he took a low heart, and with a heart of revenge he took a heart of pity and mercy. Take good Lord a new heart to come down from heaven into the world, and do not renew thy heart to ascend from the world to heaven.   
The end of the first word which Christ our redeemer spoke on the cross.   

Here beginneth the second word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the Cross, when he forgave the good thief, uz. Amen dico tibi, hody mecum eris in Paradiso. Truly I say unto thee, that this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.  

CHAP. I. ❧ Of the conversion of the good thief, and of the great wonders which our Lord did unto him in this case.  
DOmine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum, said the good thief which was crucified on the right hand of Christ, and speaking unto Christ himself: and it is as if he had said; O maker of all things and redeemer of all mankind, I beseech thee, that ●s thou wouldst take me for a companion unto thee upon this tree, so also thou wouldst vouchsafe to remeber me above in thy kingdom. If we mark curiously this speech, we shall find, that there was never prayer made with like circumstances as this was. For he who made it was a thief, the place where he made it was on the cross, he unto whom he made it a man crucified, that which he asketh is a kingdom, and the time when he asketh it, is when he was almost dead: in so much that at the very time when he should die, he desired that Christ would let him reign. I have of a long time commended unto my memory, and singularly well liked of that speech of Boetius which saith, Quòd nihil ex omniparte beatum, as if he would say; There is nothing so perfect in this life, which doth neither want, nor abound in somewhat, insomuch that either we have need of scissors to clip off that which is superfluous, or a needle and a thimble to add that which wanteth. Seneca in his book of Clemency saith; It is an hundred and twelve years ago since I was borne in Cordua a town in Spain, and it is threescore and eight years ago since I came to dwell in the court of Rome, and yet in all this time I never saw any thing so perfect, which was even when it came to be measured, or of just weight in the balance when it came to be poised, or satisfied the eye when it came to be seen, or contented men's minds when it came to be enjoyed. And it is easily perceived that there is nothing, Ex omni part beatum, because there hath never been any Prince in the world so famous and renowned, no Philosopher so wise, no captain so valorous, no parsonage so worthy who wanted not somewhat worthy of commendation, and in whom there was not found somewhat worthy of reprehension. Who doubteth that there is nothing every way perfect, seeing there is no man alive who hath not wept, who hath not erred, who hath not sinned, who hath not sighed, and who hath not been persecuted? How can we say that there is any man happy on earth, seeing he doth a thousand things whereof he hath cause to repent, & scarce one thing worthy of praise? Only our Lord and no other is, ex omni part beatuis, in all respects happy seeing that of him and of no other, the Prophet saith, lustus es domine & rectum judicium tuum, as if he should say; Our Lord is very just in himself, and upright in all which he doth. It had been but a small honour unto God to say that he was just, unless it had been also said that he did justice; and it is a small matter to say that he did justice, unless we say also that he is very just, because there are many which are just, and yet do no justice; and very many which do justice, and yet are not just. S. Augustine saith, That it is so high and heroical a virtue to hit aright in all things, and not to be able to miss in any, that God reserved this point only unto himself, and participated it with none but unto his son and unto his mother. Irenaeus upon the Psalms saith. That it is a small matter to say of our Lord that he is just, seeing he is justice itself, and to say that he is upright, seeing that he is righteousness itself, and to say that he is holy, seeing that he is holiness itself: because there is no other righteousness but that which he hath, no holiness but that which he giveth, nor justice but that which he doth. Who is so blind who seethe not plainly that our Lord is just and his judgement right, seeing there is no other goodness but that which is himself, nor other justice but that which he doth in his own house? Who is so just as thou (saith Jerome) in that which thou dost, and so upright in that which he judgeth as thou art, O great God of Israel; seeing that in thy judgements and sentences neither ignorance deceiveth thee, nor entreaty boweth thee, nor rewards corrupt thee, nor threatenings fear thee? To come then unto our purpose, seeing that thou art just O good Lord, and that thy judgement is rightful, how fell it out that thou didst send judas from the cross into hell, and tookest the thief from thence with thee to Paradise? Thief for thief, nought for nought, sinner for sinner, ungrateful for ungrateful, and both alike: it seemeth unto man's judgement that he should as well have bestowed his kingdom upon judas which followed him three years, as upon the thief which accompanied him three hours. When our Lord took from Cain the right of his first birth or inheritance and gave it unto Abel, took it from Ishmael and gave it unto Isaac, took it from Esau and gave it to jacob, from Reuben and gave it to judah, from Saul and gave it to David, the reason was for that he found in those great demerit, whereby they lost it; and in the others great merit with the which they deserved it. If Christ should take a kingdom from a naughty man and bestow it upon a good man, it would be but just: but yet it would scum a hard point to take it from one thief & give it to another, because that that is very ill bestowed which is given unto one which is unworthy of it. Was not the one as great a thief as the other, seeing that when the one went robbing by the high way, the other being with Christ stole away the alms? But we answer unto this and say, that neither in this nor in any other God is to be called in question, nor yet holy jesus to be reprehended, considering that justly he sent the Traitor judas into hell, and justly likewise he carried the thief with him to Paradise; because the one did deserve it because he was a confessor, and the other lost it because he was a Traitor. Let us not be proud or stout (saith Cyrillus) for any thing that God doth, nor be moved at any thing that God provideth: for we judge a man only by the apparel which he weareth, but he judgeth him not but by the merits which he doth. Damascen saith, That before the high Tribunal seat of Christ, they do injury unto no man, they deny no man justice, they are moved with no man, neither do they any thing there without reason, because there the rod of justice is never bowed, nor the measure of mercy ever falsified. For the wise man saith, Thou hast done all things good Lord by weight and measure, speaking of God's government, as if he would say; O great God of Israel, O mighty God of the house of jacob, how just thou art in thy deeds, and how rightful in thy justice, because that thou dost make all things even by the line & plummet which thou dost, and dost heap up all things which thou dost give, because they shall be of full weight. When doth our Lord (saith Saint Ambrose) not do all things by measure and weight, but when he measureth our merits with his rod of justice, & with the poise of his great mercy give us that which we deserve? Gregory upon Ezechiel saith, That when our Lord doth pardon some & not othersome, chastise these & not those, exalt this man and pull down that man, he doth all this in weight and measure, and not by hap without justice; and if at any time his work breed any admiration in us, it is not because God hath erred in doing it, but because we are not able with our understanding to attain unto it. Abraham would willingly that God would have given him presently the land of promise which he had promised him, but he gave it him not until three hundred years after, expecting until the Cananeans should fully be unworthy of it, and the jews deserve ●t. After that king Saul fell from the favour of God, & good king David was chosen king of Israel, yet there passed forty years before they took the crown from the one, and placed the other in the throne of the king: all which time God looked that Saul would grow worse and worse, & that the good king David should become better and better. I marvel at nothing that thou dost O my Lord (saith Anselmus:) for although it be hidden from me, yet it wanteth not reason with thee. If our Lord be determined to accept of the sacrifice which Abel offered him, and mock at that which his brother Cain offered, if his will be to convert Nabugodonoser, and suffer king Pharaoh to persist in his obstinacy, and if he let judas cast away himself, and yet save the thief, what are we to ask him an account of this: yea and although he would give it us, who is able to understand it? We read in the Prophet Daniel, that when God took away the kingdom from king Baltaser, that first he reckoned and compared his demerits with the merits of the Chaldeans, by measuring those of the one, and weighing those of the other; and in the end he found by justice, that the Chaldeans deserved to reign, and Baltaser worthy to lose his life and estate. Seeing there is always (saith Chrisostome) in the house of God weight and measure, Quia omnia fecisti in pondere & mensura, how is it possible that it should be evilly governed? If our Lord give us troubles and vexations, it is to exercise us; if he give us rest, it is because we should praise him; if he give us poverty, it is because we should merit, if he give us abundance, it is because we should serve him, and if he chastise us, it is because we should amend ourselves; in so much that he giveth us all things measured by his justice, and ruled with his mercy. If our Lord sent judas to hell, certainly he did it not at a venture; and if he gave the thief Paradise, he did it not without right; because judas his demerits were very great, and the thieves merits were not small. And because we may not seem to speak at random, and that God doth nothing but by his justice, we will declare how justly judas was condemned, and how rightly the good thief was pardoned.   

CHAP. II. How judas Iscarioth was a great thief; and of the thefts which he committed; and how he fell from the apostleship.  
FVrerat, & locules habebat, & non erat ei cura de egenis; saith S. john, chap. 12, speaking of wicked judas. In the holy College of Christ there was a Disciple called judas Iscarioth, who was a wicked thief; he carried the purse, & he had little purses within it, and he made no reckoning of the poor which were in necessity. Under a few brief words, the Scripture accuseth judas of very enormous and grievous faults, considering that it calleth him an open thief, and saith, that he had little purses where he kept that which he had stolen, and that he had no compassion or pity upon any. It is a carelessness for a man to be nought alone, to be nought in the company of naughty men is weakness, but to be nought in the company of good men is malice and wickedness; because it is better reason that one follow many, then that many follow one. The unhappy judas had no occasion, nor any reason to give himself as he did to sin, nor yet to dare to steal as he did: for if we well consider all circumstances, we shall find, that in the house where he remained there was poverty; in the company he went with, there was patience; in the mother which he served there was humility; and in the master which he had there reigned charity. O how well the Apostle said, Qui se existimat stare, videat●ne cadat, He that thinketh to stand, let him take heed lest he fall, seeing that poor judas got such great wickedness in the house of holiness. How should it be possible for him to be good in the company of the devil, which was nought in the company of Christ? If the infamous judas was a thief and a Traitor, covetous and ambitious, living in the company of so many good, what dost thou then hope for brother (saith Cyprian) which art compassed on every side with so many naughty men? Irenaus saith, That judas began to play the Apostatae immeadiately after that he entered into the Apostleship, and that Christ's goodness did much shine upon him in looking so long for his amendment, which judas never did, nor never forsook his thieving. The first thing that the Scripture accuseth judas of, was, that he was a murmurer and a detractor: saying, Vt quid perditio haec, etc. as if he would say, If it be so that Christ my master hath made profession of a virtuous man, and preacheth poverty unto all the world, and also reprehendeth sharply all such as spend any thing wastefully; it would be better for him (because he might conform his life unto his doctrine, to command this ointment to be sold for a great deal of money, and divide it afterward among the poor and needy. Here judas doth murmur notoriously, seeing he murmureth at the ointment which was shed, and how evilly it was bestowed, and at Mary Magdalen which shed it, and he murmureth at Christ upon whom it was cast. When excommunicated judas said, Ad quid perditio haec, he injuried the other Apostles, which would not murmur as he did, he scandalised Simon the leper, in hearing such things spoken of his master, he injuried Mary Magdalen in finding fault with her for spending of the ointment, and he rebuked Christ, and noted him to be a curious and a dainty man in suffering it to be spent upon himself. Anselmus talking unto judas saith, Tell me I pray thee judas, if the shedding of the ointment upon thy master was a good work, why dost thou not like of it as the rest of the Apostles do? If pardy it were done scandalously, was not S. Peter there to have reprehended it, who was thy ancient, and was not S. john there also to have hindered it, and counseled him, who was more familiar with him than thou wast? O wicked judas what justice is it to sell thy master for money, and yet to hold it for an evil thing to anoint him with ointments? Dost thou make a conscience of it, that they should anoint Christ his tender flesh, and dost thou make it no scruple at all to steal away the alms? O blessed Magdalen, O happy woman! O happy had he been which had been worthy to have been there at that hour when thou didst anoint thy master and my God, and happy had I been when thou didst anoint him with holy ointment, if I could have tempered and mixed it with my tears, and as thou didst anoint him with an ointment, I could have washed him with my tears. I do not so much marvel at the malice of judas, as I do at the patience of Magdalen, for not regarding what judas did, the more he murmured, the more hast she made in anointing him. O what a number of murmurers there be now adays (saith S. Jerome in an epistle) which say with judas, Vt quid perditio haec, What needeth this loss, condemning & finding fault at all that which is not done according unto their will and pleasure, in so much that the murmurer thinketh nothing well done unless it be done as he will. Hilarius saith, Many murmurers do murmur at the sumptuosity of churches, and at the riches of holy places, saying with judas, Vt quid perditio haec, all which when they murmur, it is not so much because they see it in the churches, but because they have it not in their own houses. Because the son of God doth represent all holy and virtuous men (saith Origen,) what other thing is meant, when he suffered Magdalen to anoint him and refresh his body, but that he would be well pleased, that we should serve all holy and good men, and well content that we should use all courtesy towards them? Why dost thou murmur, O thou murmurer, if thou dost see thy brother ease his body of continual pain and travel, and recreate somewhat and refresh his bones, seeing thereby thou art not prejudiced at all? he which judgeth in evil part of the recreation which his neighbour taketh, murmureth at Christ with judas, seeing that the perfection of great personages doth not so much consist in having their bodies broken, as it doth in having their hearts pure and clean. Put the case (saith S. Chrisostome) That there were a fault in that unction, yet without comparison judas did far more sin in murmuring at it, than Mary Magdalen in doing it, or Christ in consenting unto it. Let no man judge his neighbour (saith Barnard) Let no man find fault at another man's doing, because that murmuring is so odious in God's sight, that oftentime he which murmureth at another's doing, sinneth more than he which doth the thing. The second accusation in scripture against this traitor judas was, that he was a notonous thief; which was a vice by God in the old law straightly forbidden, and with grievous punishments chastised. Ea quae mittebantur portabat judas, saith S. john, chap. 12. As if he would say: The office which judas Iscarioth had in Christ's house was to receive and take charge over all the alms which denout persons did send unto Christ, and to bestow them, and divide them to Christ's use and his Apostles. S. john's words are to be noted, when he saith, That judas carried those things which were sent them: wherein he noteth the great perfection of Christ, and of his College, considering that he asked nothing from door to door, but did eat only of the alms which were sent them unto their house. The son of God (saith Damasceu) nor those of his holy college, were not of those poor which were troublesome and importunate, because he busied himself more in preaching than in begging: for if they had no alms sent unto them, they did eat the ears of the come and the herbs of the fields. We do not read in the course of the whole Gospel, that Christ commanded or commended any other matter unto judas his disciple, but the gathering of the alms and the charge of those temporal matters; in so much that were it much or little which they did send unto Christ, judas did both receive it and divide it, and withal steal the best part of it. chrusostom saith thus, If we mark it well, our Lord commended his holy soul unto his Father, his blessed mother unto Saint john, his holy Church unto Saint Peter, his glorious body to Nicodemus, and his poor substance and wealth unto judas; in so much that he committed the goods of this life unto the wickedest man that was then alive. It is not to be thought that it is a good sign if our Lord give any great abundance of temporal wealth in this world, seeing that naughty judas ●●charioth had more wealth lone than Christ's whole company and college all together. It is much to be noted, that seeing Christ had neither house, nor vineyard, nor land, not other rent, but only the alms which they gave him in the commonwealth: & also it is to be thought religiously, that that which judas stole from Christ could not be much, nor that which he detained from the alms which was given him. If it be so then, that Christ had but little, and that that which judas stole was not much, why doth the scripture with open mouth call him a thief? wicked ●udas was a thief and that a great thief, because that that which he stole was a holy thing, and a holy alms, and in a holy house, and did belong unto a holy person; and therefore according unto the law of God, that cannot be a small theft which is done in a holy and sacred place. Saint August. saith, that as the two mites which the poor old woman offered in the Temple were more acceptable unto God than all the treasures of the people, so our Lord is more offended with a little which is taken out of the Temple, than with a great deal stolen in the world. Benaventure saith, that judas did not condemn himself for the great quantity which he stole, but because it was a holy place from whence he stole it, and thereupon it is, my religious brother, that thou mayest offend more in taking a small thing out of thy monastery, than a secular man in taking a greater out of the market. Why should any man marvel, that the Scripture calleth unhappy judas a thief, seeing he stole away the life and goods from the king of glory? judas sold Christ's life for many, he put Christ's fame and credit to pledge with the wicked, and he put Christ's wealth into his purses: in so much that if Christ more had had, more this thief would have rob. O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul, if I were judas, or judas were as I am, I would never have pledged thy honour and credit, nor have sold thy life: that which I would have stolen should have been the humility the which thou didst live with, the patience which thou didst speak with, and the charity which thou didst forgive with, and the zeal which thou didst preach with. O what a happy thief should I be if I could rob all these virtues from thee, seeing that in stead of these thefts heaven gates would be open unto me. The third accusation is, that wicked judas Habebat loculos, that is, had a purse with little purses in it to hide the pence which he had stolen. Rich covetous men are wont to put their double ducats in one purse, the single in another, shillings in another, and their small money in another, because they may find them quickly, and count them easily. Wherein saith Seneca doth the felicity of covetous men consist, but in seeing every hour their purse, counting their money, always hoarding up somewhat, and in studying how they may lessen their ordinary charges? Aymon noteth, That the Scripture saith not, that judas had purses, but little purses, whereby is gathered Christ's and his colleges great poverty, seeing that all which that thief stole was but small base money which might well be contained in small purses. Saint Cyprian noteth, That there was so little money in Christ's family, that there was not enough to stuff a little purse, much less many purses: and when the Scripture saith, that judas had many purses, it was because he had one common purse to spend of, and another secretly to steal with. O happy time, O golden age of the primitive Church in the which there was but one purse among them all: but now alas that not among worldlings, but also among them which profess a monastical life, there is scarce any one which hath not with judas his small purses to keep his own money in. And he saith further, tell me traitorous Monk, tell me thou Monk which hast property in things, what difference is betwixt thee which stealest the revenues of thy Monastery, and the Traitor judas which stole the alms from Christ? Anselmus saith, That as all perfect men are more bound unto strait uses, than all other worldlings, I dare affirm that he hath secret purses hidden with judas, which in his cell fostereth disordinate and superfluous appetites. Saint Basil in his Rule saith, As it is a greater perfection in a religious person to want his own will, than to want any kind of money, yet we may say of such a one that it is more dangerous for him to be mutinous against his superior, then to have his purse full of money. Now thou art to understand my religious brother, that judas did not so much damn himself for the money which he carried, as he did because he did what he lusted. It is an evil thing to bear the purse, but it is far worse to be wedded unto a man's own will: it is a bad thing to carry purses with money, but far worse to fulfil a man's own appetites, because there is no sin which burneth so much in hell as the sin of a man's own proper will.   

CHAP. III. Here are reckoned many other great offences which judas committed, and divers treasons which he did against Christ.  
IVstificationes tuas custodiam, non mederelinquas usquequaque, said the Prophet David in his 118 Psalm; as if he would say, O great God of Israel, O great God of the house of jacob, I beseech thee with all humility, that seeing I bind myself to keep thy commandments all the days of my life, that thou wouldst not forsake me until my death. This is a high prayer which the Prophet maketh, considering that he doth capitulate and agree with God, and God with him, that he will serve our Lord, & that our Lord will have charge over him. It is much to be noted with Cassiodorus upon the Psalms, that the Prophet doth not only say, Do not forsake me, but he addeth also Vsquequaque, that is, that he would not forsake him all his life, and also that he would give him his helping hand in all that he shall go about. O good jesus, O the love of my soul, I beseech thee, that if thou do suffer me to fall into any sin, yet that thou wouldst not forsake me, Vsquequaque, Always or continually, and let me commit all sin, for if thou do not hold me with thy merciful hand, where shall I stop but in the pains of hell? Our Lord hath held many with his hands, as Cain, Heli, Saul, and Manasses; but he did not hold them Vsquequaque, that is still, and all in all until the end; considering that the one slew his brother, the other lost his Priesthood, the other was deprived of his kingdom, and the other died a Pagan. He did also forsake David in his adultery, S. Peter when he denied him, Paul when he persecuted him; but he did not forsake them, Vsquequaque, that is, until death; for of great sinners they became very holy and chosen men. O what a singular favour, saith S. Basil upon the Psalms, our Lord doth unto those whom he doth not utterly forsake, as he never doth his best friends; the which although they be evilly handled, and suffer much, yet he doth it rather to exercise them, then to forsake them. The unhappy and unfortunate judas cannot say truly unto our Lord, leave me not for ever, because his sins were so great and his offences so grievous, that he was forsaken of God's hands utterly, & he made himself wholly unworthy of God's mercy and clemency. Was not the traitor judas utterly forsaken think you, seeing that he sold our Lord & master upon the Wednesday, & upon the Friday after he hanged himself upon a tree? Do not forsake me O good jesus, do not forsake me Vsquequaque, for ever: but if thou wilt forsake me for a time, and withdraw thy helping hand from me, forget me no longer than thou didst forget S. Peter, which was until he wept; and do not forget me as thou didst judas, until he hanged himself. The scripture accuseth judas that he had noregard unto the needy and poor, but that he was more careful to steal somewhat from the alms which was given unto Christ, then to be pitiful upon the poor and necessities which were among the people. Suspirabam, ligatus sum non cathenis ferreiss, said me a prava voluntate, saith Saint Augustine in the eighth of his Confessions, as if he would say; O how many times did I pierce the heavens with sighs, and watered the fields with my tears, seeing myself taken and bound in irons, and yet not with fetters and chains, but with my own proper wicked will: and that which I cannot speak without weeping is, that I yielded my own will unto the enemy, and with my will he doth that which is not my will. Who ever uttered such pitiful words until this day? O with what great reason this holy man speaketh this, and with what greatreason he weary for giving our will unto the devil, seeing he maketh of our will that which we will not: for if we give the enemy once an entrance into our soul, he rebelleth presently with the chiefest force he hath, judas gave principally his will unto the devil, and he in am of his will, taught him to murmur, and having taught him to murmur he used him to steal, and having used to steal he began to have purses, and that being done he came to sell Christ for covetousness. What would the Prophet say when he saith, abyssus abissum invocat, One depth calleth another, but that the quality of one sin is to call another unto him. August. upon the Psalms saith; King David saith very well that one sin enticeth another, considering that of idleness cometh looking, of looking desiring, of desiring consenting, of consenting doing, of doing persevering, of persevering damning himself, in so much that we go from sin unto sin in post hast, until we be benighted in hell. jucundus home qui miseretur, & commodat, etc. saith David in his hundred & eleventh Psalm, as if he would say. O how happy is that man who is pitiful with the weak, a giver of alms unto the poor, and modest in that which he speaketh: for although God suffer such a one to be tempted, yet he suffereth him not to be overcome. S. Jerome upon these words saith, If thou mark it well, there is no man called pleasant and fair in Scripture, but he which useth pity, and giveth alms, and he who mea●reth his words before he utterthem; for such a one is in favour with God, and esteemed among men. Who hath been merciful unto his brother in this world, unto whom God hath not been the like in the other? who hath imparted his goods unto the poor, unto whom God hath not imparted his glory? who hath bridled his tongue, who hath not benregarded & respected for it? What greater reward would he have which useth mercy, or he which giveth alms of his substance or he who hurteth no man with his tongue, than that oath and promise which the Prophet speaketh of, Quòd in aternum non commovebitur, that although he be never so much vexed and beaten with temptations, yet our Lord will not suffer him to be overthrown. S. Barnard saith upon Qui habitat, O good jesus, O the glory of my soul, if my heart be assured by thee that he shall not be moved for ever, what do I weigh it if pride beat me, if anger move me, if envy molest me, yea and the flesh disquiet me? when our Lord asketh of us that we would be merciful, & alms givers, & fair spoken, it is a very small matter that he asketh of us, considering that which he doth promise for it: for for to be assured, that neither in adversity which may come unto him, nor prosperity which he may happen unto, Quòd in aeternum, that his heart shall never be moved, is such a great matter that it can neither be bought with the weight of tears, nor deserved by heroical deeds. The contrary unto all this was found in wicked judas: for in steed of pity he was cruel, considering how he had no regard upon the poor, & in stead of almsgiving he stole the alms from Christ, & instead of bridling his tongue he sold his God & Lord unto the Synagogue; and how could judas the thief have pity on the poor which begged among the people, seeing he stole the alms which they gave unto Christ? If it be a sin to steal from a rich man, yea that which he aboundeth with; shall it not be a sin & a wicked sacrilege to steal from the poor that which they have necessity of? when those of Christ's holy college did eat the ears of corn for pure hunger, they would rather have earen bread and meat if they had had money to buy it. If judas did see Christ divide the apostles alms to the needy poor, he should nor only not have taken it as a reproachful thing & dishonest, but rather he should have been thankful and glad for it, because there is no work of mercy which is not in this world commended, and in the other rewarded. It is a certain thing that the eves wish not well unto the poor, because a thief will never come to him whom he thinketh will ask something of him, but unto those from whom they imagine they can steal somewhat away. Fulgentius saith in a sermon; If sorrowful judas had been loyal unto his master, merciful unto the poor, friendly with the Apostles, disciplinable in his manners, and not desirous of other men's goods, our Lord would never have left him to have gone out of his college, nor he ever have committed treason. Who made thee O judas stumble and fall into such enormous and grievous sins, but thy small or rather no pity? When the scripture accuseth the traitor judas that he had no care of the needy, it is a matter both to make us afeard, and also to wonder at; because that in the sight of our Lord, the alms which we do unto the poor are much more accepted, than the sacrifice and incense which we offer him. judas is also accused of that which he did in the parlar where he supped, when Christ said. Ecce manus tradentis me, as if he would say; O my disciples, O my only sons and companions, truly I open and discover one thing unto you: that is, that one of you which are here with me, hath sold me by treason, and which is worst of all, he doth eat with me at my table and at my own dish. Christ complaineth that judas sold him unto the Synagogue, and that he sat at his table with him, and that he did eat with one hand only, and that he was ashamed neither of the one nor of the other: and there is none of this spoken without a great mystery. Confundimini & crubescite super viis vestris ô domus Israel, said God by Ezechiel, chap. 6, as if he would say: O house of Israel, O ye people of juda, be now ashamed of the filthy works which you do, and of the wicked steps ye walk in. For I am much more offended to see how little you esteem of me, then of the offences which you commit against me. A man which is of a noble and stour courage, and of a shamefast countenance, although he have been offended and wounded by another, yet he doth not so much feel the injury which is done, as he grieveth to see his enemy walk before his house; because the brabble proceeded of anger, but the going about his house cometh from malice. Gregory upon Ezechiel saith thus, Our Lord had great reason to complain of the house of Israel, & of the kingdom of juda, and that not so much for the wickedness they committed, as for the small shame they had in committing it; because that he will either late or never amend, which is not ashamed at all to have offended. It is to be noted that the Prophet saith, Erubescite de vijs vestris, that is, that we should be ashamed to walk our ways, because to walk unto the flesh and the world there are many ways, which are all of vanity: but to walk unto heaven there is but one way, which is of charity. What are our ways but only our disordinate and naughty desires? Whither do our desires lead us, but unto vices, and from vices unto sins, and from sins unto hell? Then be ashamed to sin or to have sinned: for as S. Ambrose saith, The first step to repentance is to be ashamed of the sin committed. What saith the son of God, when he saith, Behold the hand of him which betrayeth me: what else doth he say than, behold the Traitor, behold wicked judas, who is not content to have sold me unto the synagogue, but also sitteth & eateth at my table without any shame at all. The son of God could not have spoken a word of greater injury to judas than to call him Traitor: for after a man hath committed treason against another, there is never after any hope to be had of him, nor trust to be put in him. judas was a Traitor in selling Christ unto those unto whom he did sell him: that is, unto his mortal enemies, who bought him not because he should serve them, but because they would be revenged on him. judas was a traitor, for selling Christ for so base and vile a price, because a lusty and an able young man, as Christ was, was more worth if it had been but to make a slave of. judas was a Traitor in selling him unto them, because in doing of it he showed great malice, and exceeding avarice, seeing he agreed with his enemies for him at the first word, & he never replied nor hucked one word upon the sale. judas was also a traitor, because he went of his own voluntary will to sell Christ, not being asked nor induced unto it by any, wherein he showed his infamous condition & wicked treason. For by so much the more sins are offensive, by how much the occasions were less which caused us to commit them. judas was also a Traitor in sitting with Christ at his table, as though he had offended him in nothing: wherein he showed his small conscience and great impudence; for having as he had the money in his purse, for the which he sold Christ, it was not reason he should have eaten with him in his dish. Remigius exclaimeth in an epistle: O unto how many may Christ say now adays, behold the hand of him which betrayeth me is at the table with me, all which like unto judas either by usury, or by simony dare sell Christ, and after eat with him at the same mess, profaning and wasting church-good, as though they had cost Christ nothing! S. August. upon S. john saith, That there supped but one Traitor in the parlar with Christ, but now adays in the table of his church there dineth & suppeth an infinite number of Traitors: and that which cannot be spoken without tears is, that never serving nor benefiting the catholic church at all, they eat and take away the fruit which Christ got us with his precious blood. Tell me my brother, tell me I pray thee, what difference is there betwixt thee which selleth Christ for sins, and judas which sold him for money? Is it not thinkest thou a greater sin to sell Christ for other sins, then for judas to sell him for thirty pieces of money? The difference which I find betwixt thee who art a sinner, and wicked judas who was a Traitor is, that he sold Christ but once, and thou sellest him every day and hour: and in so grievous an offence there can be nothing more just, that seeing thy treason is greater than his, that thy condemnation also should be greater than his. It is also to be weighed that Christ doth not say that judas did eat with him with both hands, but with one only; for he saith: Ecce manum tradentis me; Behold the hand of him who betrayeth me, which he spoke not without a secret mystery. S. Jerome saith thus, He who could have seen judas in the parlar, should have seen how his heart was given to the devil, his body unto the world, his word unto the Synagogue, his left hand upon his purse, and with his right hand he did eat with Christ. Vbertinus saith, That he doth eat with the Traitor judas at the table with one hand, who liveth in a monastery, not with a purpose to follow Christ, but with an intention to flee the perils of the world, and coker himself with the goods of the monastery. Bonaventure saith, That then the religious man eateth with one handwith judas at Christ's table, when he liveth in the monastery by necessity, and not voluntarily, insomuch that his body is in his cell, & his heart in the market place. Thus than you have had recited unto you the heinous offences, which the Traitor judas committed, and how justly our Lord condemned him: so that now there remaineth only to tell you of the perfections which were in the good thief which died with Christ, and how justly Christ took him to heaven with him.   

CHAP. FOUR Of the great virtues which the good thief had which died with Christ, and how he believed: and of that which the Prophet jeremy speaketh to this purpose.  
TOnde capillum tuum & proijce, & sum indirectum planctum, quiae perijt fides & ablata est de ore eorum, said God unto the Prophet jeremy in the 7. chap, as if he would say. O jeremy my friend and Prophet, paul the hair of thy head, and then cast it under thy feet, and weep and bewail the Synagogue, because now there is no truth in her mouth, and the faith of her Commonwealth is utterly lost. Men did never paul their heads in holy scripture, nor rend their garments, nor shed many tears, but for very great disasters, or pitiful accidents; as for the death of jobs children, & with all the loss of all his goods; for what cause holy job shaved his hair, rend his garments, & cried out with loud cries. It is much here to be noted, and also necessary to be known, that seeing the scripture saith, that the soul which committeth the sin, that the self-same shall endure the punishment, why God commanded jeremy to weep with his eyes, and paul his hair, for the sins which others have committed? If Israel do offend & fall into the sin of idolatry, how is the good Prophet jeremy to be blamed, & why is he commanded to paul his hair for it & cast it under feet? Hath not every man think you inoughto do to weep for his own sins, without weeping for other men's sorrows? Hugo de sancto victore answereth unto this doubt upon those words, Defecerunt prae lachrimis oculi mei, Thren. 1. and saith that there is nothing more natural unto good men than to weep for the sins of the wicked. The charity of the good is so great, & the carelessness ossinners so idle, that the just men dofirst weep for the sins of the wicked, than they do weep for themselves. O how many sinners do we see in these days, sporting & laughing in the world, for whose sins the just do weep and give themselves discipline? O that it would please the God of heaven, that the heart of him who sinneth would receive such grief as the just in seeing him sin? I swear by the law of a good man, that none would go to rest at night with sin, nor rise in the morning without grace. Is there any day (saith Cyrillus upon Leuit.) in which a good man doth not better himself, or any moment wherein he doth not merit, considering that he doth imitate the good in that which they do, & weep for the wicked in that they commit? King David did weep for the death of his dear son Absalon, and not only because he was his son, but because he saw him die in that evil estate. The son of God wept over the city of jerusalem, not only because they would there kill him, but because they would never amend them of their wickedness. The Prophet jeremy did weep very much for the captivity of his people, not so much because they were in captivity in Babylon, as because they would not neither for that punishment or any thing else leave their idolatry: the great captain josua with all the nobles of Israel wept, not because of his own life, which was not long, but because they saw how ingrateful the synagogue was to god. The Prophet Samuel wept when king Saul came from the conquest of Amelech, not so much because God had deprived him of a kingdom, but because he had fallen into such a great sin. Saint Augustine in his Confessions saith thus! We do not see good men so much occupied in any thing as in drawing evil men to good life, and when they can neither by entreaty: nor threatening convert them, than they betake themselves to weep bitterly for them. When jeremy said, Defecerunt prae lachrimis oculi mei, and when David said, Exitus aquarum, etc. what else would they say, but that the eyes of the one of them were failed for weeping for the pains which the people endured, and that the eyes of the other were made a sea of tears for the great wickedness which he saw in Israel. Anselmus in his meditations saith thus. O sweet jesus, O my good Lord, if good men should not aid me with their holy prayers, & if holy men should not help me to weep for my grievous offences, what would become of me wicked and wretched creature? O what infinite charity, O what unspeakable mercy, saith Jerome upon jeremy, had our Lord upon the wicked Synagogue, and always hath upon every sinful soul, considering that he commanded the Prophet jeremy to weep for the sins committed by her, as though they were his own. Wherefore thinkest thou, doth our Lord command holy & just men to weep for our sins, but because he knoweth better than we ourselves, that if we have power to fall into sins, yet that we cannot lift ourselves out of them without his grace & licence? Who then is able to obtain us this grace, but he who is in state of grace? It is to be noted, that in jeremies' weeping, our Lord commanded him first to poll his he are, than cast it and tread it under his feet, and that then he should weep over them: of all which things there is none which wanteth a secret and a mystery. What other things are the superfluou: hears in the head, but the vain and light cogitations which are in the mind? When he saith, That the oftener our hear is pouled and shaved, the more they increase & grow, what meaneth he else, but that filthy and unclean thoughts the more they are suppressed and kept under, the faster they grow upon us? What doth he else mean when he commandeth jeremy not to pull up his hair by the root, but only paul it; but only that if we be able to resist unclean thoughts, yet we are not able wholly to subdue them and pull them up. The roots of the hear remain always in the head, and the roots of vain desires continue always in the soul; & if our Lord doth permit this, it is because we should have matter whereupon to exercise ourself in, and occasion to merit the more. Then we do p●●● up our evil cogitations, when we throw them out of our hearts; then we spurn them with our feet, when we return no more to think upon them, and then we weep with all our heart, when we repent that ever we consented unto them. O how happy should I be, if I could shave the superfluous thoughts of my heart, & could kick at the disordinate desires of my mind, & could weep the times which I have evilly spent! for in the latter day we shall give as straight an account of the times which we have evilly spent, as of the offences which we have committed. Speaking more particularly, seeing that God commanded the Prophet jeremy to poll his head, as if he had been a simple man, & kick at that which he had pouled, & weep many tears, it is convenient now that we know whether he commanded him to do these things for the sins which he hath committed, or for sins which he hath seen in the judaical people. Who ever saw Christ weep or command any man to weep, but he had occasion to doir, and reason to command it? The reason why jeremy weary is, Quid ablata est fides de ore corum, Because there is now no faith in the house of jacob, & because the goodness & truth of Israel is perished. Behold how God doth not complain here of us, for that we do not offer sacrifice, nor because we pay not our tithes, nor because we break the holy fasting days, nor because they are coverous, nor because they are carnal & glurtons: because nature inviteth & inclineth us to all these, carelessness & human frailty excuseth us. That which our Lord complaineth of is, that they are faithless in heart & idolaters, and that they can speak nothing with their mouth but lies, which two vices are perilous for us to be saved with, & very hard to amend. Cyprian upon the Creed saith; Although the Apostle saith, that faith without works is dead, yet I had rather do sinful works being a faithful Christian, them virtuous works being a faithless Pagan; because that our Lord doth easilier lighten him which believeth that which he commandeth, then him which blasphemeth him and his church. Damascen saith, That the devil dare never tempt mightily any, but such as he perceiveth to be weak in faith, and in that case he careth not much to tempt him hardly with other vices, if he see him weak & cold in faith; because the devil is better at ease to see a man doubtful & waver in faith, them to see him commit all other sins in the world. What doth the devil watch at, or overwatch, but to see whether thou be doubtful in the faith of Christ? what hast thou if thou hast not true faith? what wantest thou, if thou wantest not the true faith of Christ? O good jesus, O the light of my soul, I beseech thee that thou wouldst not deprive me of thy faith, that thou wouldst not cast me out of thy church, that thou wouldst not take thy mercy from me: for if thou wilt not suffer me to fall from thy faith, I shall always have a hope that in the end I shallbe saved. To come then unto our principal purpose, who made unhappy judas hang himself, & what was the cause the good thief was saved, but only the great faith the thief had, & the sinful infidelity which the other fell into? because judas would not believe that Christ was our maker, and because the good thief believed that Christ was our redeemer: judas sold Christ, and the other believed in Christ: insomuch that in believing & knowing little, men come to offend much. So much (saith Gregory) the faith of a good Christian is more meritorious, by how much the fewer arguments & reasons it is grounded on, because the merit of the catholic faith doth not consist on that which we see with our eie●, but in that which we believe with our hearts. If we compare the faith of the good thief with the faith of the old fathers, we shall find it to be true, that he did so far exceed them in faithfully believing, as they did go beyond him in good living. How should not. Abraham believe in God, considering how God spoke unto him from heaven above, and used him as if he had been his particular friend? The thecues faith was greater than his, because that Christ never spoke unto him one word of belief, neither did he ever see him in heaven, but only hanged upon the cross. The Prophet Esay did believe in God, when he saw him sit on high in his throne, beset with thousands of Seraphins; but the the eves faith was greater, because he never saw Christ but crucified, and accompanied with thieves. The Prophet Maises had faith when he saw the God of Israel speak unto him out of a bush, and that the bush wasted nor burned not; but the faith of the good thief was greater than this, considering that he saw Christ loaden with thorns, which burned nor in show, but in troth pierced his brain. S. Peter had faith, when he saw Christ go upon the waters; but the good thieves faith was greater, considering he saw Christ not spurn the waters, but saw him bathed in blood from the feet to the head. Marry Magdalen had faith when she saw him raise her brother Lazarus from death to life who had been four days dead; but the good thief had greater faith than this, considering how he never saw Christ raise the dead, but only saw himself die upon the cross like a malefactor. S. john the Evangelist had faith when he had ssept upon our Lord's breast, after he had supped with him in the parlar; but the thieves faith was greater than this, seeing that he believed in the son of God, not sleeping upon stis breast, but suffering with him by his side upon the cross. S. james had faith when he saw Christ transfigured in the hill Tabor and the Fathers of the old law adore him; but the good thieves faith was greater than this, considering he saw not the son of God transfigured but disfigured, he saw not his face shine, but his body torn in pieces. O happy and glorious thief, who but thou hath stoine the faith from the synagogue which of old she was wont to have, and stolen Christ from them in whom then they believed not? Impart and divide unto me part of the faith which thou didst steal from the Synagogue, and Christ which thou didst rob away on the Mount of Calvary: for although I was not thy companion in suffering, yet now I will be in believing. That which I would have thee impart unto me is, the entire faith which thou hast, the holy words which thou speakest, the abundance of blood which thou shedst, the true confession which of God thou makest, and the Christian charity with the which thou dost correct the other thief. O that this thief hath a happy inheritance, seeing that with the theft of worldly things he easily got the gallows, and with the theft which he stole upon the cross he got glory. chrusostom of the praise of the thief saith thus; In whom O good jesus, in whom did thy holy faith remain when thou didst departed out of this life, but in thy sorrowful mother, who wept at the foot of the cross, & in that holy thief who suffered on thy side? O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul (saith Barnard) what a small number of friends thou hadst with thee on the cross, and what a multitude of enemies about thee, considering that thou hadst there but two faithful Christians, that is, thy blessed mother which did believe in thee with her heart, and that just thief which did confess thee with his mouth. Seeing it was nothing else to be a Christian, but to believe in Christ, and serve Christ, it is to be believed that this thief was a Christian, and that he died a Christian: for if he had not been one, he would never have commended himself unto Christ, as we do ourselves unto God, unless he had also believed him to be God. Isichius upon Leviticus saith, That we do not doubt whether this thief was baptized or not, but how he was baptized, and where, we know not; but that which we do know in this case is, that if there wanted water on the cross to baptize him, yet there wanted no blood to regenerate him. There was but one pool in the temple of Jerusalem to heal men with, but on the Mount of Calvary there are three fonts to baptize with; the one was full of our Lady's tears, the other full of the water of our Lord's side, and the third full of the blood of his body. How could this thief be unbaptised, having such great preparations to baptize him? O my soul, O my heart, why do you not baptize and wash your sins, why wipe you not away your wickedness in the tears of the sweet mother, in the water of his grievous side, and in the blood of her holy son? Ecce nunc in iniquitatibus conceptus sunt, Behold now I am conceived inherited, or what offences could I have committed, which the mother's tears could not wash, and the sons blood could not inake clean? I will not now go with judith to the fountain of Modien to wash me; nor with Naaman to the waters of jordan to bathe me, nor to the pool at jerusalem with the sick of the palsy to heal me, but I will go only unto the holy fonts of the Mount of Calvary to baptise me, which are full of the blood which my God shed, and of the water which issued out of his side. To conclude then, when Christ was baptized, there was none present but S. john: but in the baptism of this thief there was Christ, and his mother, S. john & Mary Magdalen, insomuch that in the house of God they give more honour to good thieves, then unto those which are naughty-Emperours.   

CHAP. V How three hours in which the good thief was with Christ upon the cross, did profit him more than the three years profited judas in the which he followed Christ: and how some steal until they come to the gallews, and how this thief stole upon the gallows.  
ET●nunc domine deus Israel, da servo tuo cor docile, ut discernere possit inter bonum & malum, said the great king Solomon in a prayer which he made unto God, Reg. 4. chap. 3. as if he would say; O great God of Israel, O great God of the house of Israel, I pray thee & beseech thee that it would please thee to give me from thy hands a heart willing to do all that thou dost command me, & believe all that thou dost counsel me. Who is able to govern so rich a country, if thou in teaching him do not give him an understanding to discern betwixt the good & the evil? This petition of salomon's was very grateful unto God, because he asked him no more kingdoms to enlarge his dominions, nor riches to live deliciously with, nor many years to live long with, nor favour & might to be revenged of his enemies. To have much, to possess much, to live long to be of great might, are they nor the things we desire most of all with all our hearts, & for the which we do most of all sweat for & sigh? when Solomon asked a heart apt to learn, what did he ask else, but a mind which would suffer itself to be instructed & to be counseled by wise men, which few men are wont to ask, and much less to do; because every man thinketh himself wise, & that he needeth no man's conunsell at all. What better prayer could that happy king have demanded at God's hands; than a heart well iustructed, & ready to hear counsel? Plato in his Timaeo saith, that he never saw any man do amiss which followed counsel, but he saw many cast themselves away by following their own will, Seneca to Lucilths saith that the commodity of a mind well taught, and of a man well counseled is, that if he hit aright in that which he doth, all men give him the glory of it, & if he err in his enterprise, all men cast the blame upon him which counseled him. When Christ took counsel upon the feeding of the hungry companies, did he not take it trowy you of 8. Philip, which was one of them which could d●●least & knew least? S. Paul writeth to his disciple Philemon, Sine tuo consilio nihil facium, that is, I will do nothing without thy counsel: without his advise & opinion he would not determine either to go to Rome, or stay & preach in Asia. King David was a for greater Prophet than Nathan, yet he consulted with the good king, whether he himself should make the holy 〈◊〉, or command his son to make it. If Christ then being God, and S. Paul being an Apostle, and king David being a Prophet, would not trust their own judgement, why should any man refuse another's counsel and opinion? Foris vastavit eos gladius; & intus pavor, quia gens estabsque consilio & prudential, said God unto Moses, complaining upon the people of Israel; as if he would say, O Moses thou hast it in thy choice, which thou hast made of people to serve me upon those which have neither wisdom to govern themselves, neither do ask counsel of that which they ought to do, by reason whereof they shall go all their life time sore feared with the enemy's knife, and always bear fearful hearts. God complaineth of the Synagogue, that she had little wit and great folly, and that she despised counsel and was guided by her own wit, which are two things dangerous to a Common wealth, and hurtful unto every particular person. chrusostom saith, That God doth that man great favour unto whom he giveth a heart apt to learn, and easy to be counseled, and not hard to be entreated; because there are some men so unpleasant in their conditions, so proud in their conversation, that they are hated of all men, & liked of none. It is to be noted, that the wise man saith not only unto God give me a heart, but he addeth, a heart easy to be instructed; because God giveth hearts unto many, which are rather hearts of beasts then of men, with the which they neither know that which they should, nor choose that which they ought, nor keep that which they have, nor keep secret that which they know. S. Barnard expounding these words, Abii post vestigia gregum tuarum, saith, That it is a word of great injury and grief which woundeth the mind, when God commanded any to go after beasts, seeing that man is lord over beasts; which our Lord doth sometime command, because he is a greater beast than a beast which hath the use of reason and yet doth not follow reason. The end why the wise man did ask for a heart easy to be instructed, was because he might know how to choose what was convenient, and eschew that which was hurtful: for if a man cannot do this, a brute beast can do that which a man cannot do; because we see by experience that he eateth every day of one food for his sustenance, and of others he eateth at times for a purgation. S. August. de verbis Apostoli, saith, That it is so great a gift to have a mind apt to learn in this world what is good and what is bad, that he giveth it but unto very few; for this being known, there is nothing else to be known. To come then unto our purpose, had not this good thief a heart easy to be taught, what was good, what evil, and that far better than the other thief his companion, seeing he said unto our Lord Remember me, commending himself unto Christ; and the other said blaspheming Christ, if thou be Christ, save thyself and us? Origen upon Matthew saith, Care not my brother for being a thief, in hope to save thyself, as the good thief did to save him: for God gave him not heaven so lightly, but that he paid somewhat for it, FOr if he gave him the kingdom of heaven, it was because he did confess him, when all denied him, praised him when all men blasphemed him, accompanied him when all men forsook him, and defended him when all men accused him. O high judgements of God, O inscrutable secrets of Gods divine providence! which of the Saints deserve to understand them, or which of the Seraphins is able to attain unto them? Let all the wise men of the world come together, let all the Hierarchies & holy principalities assemble themselves: what count can they yield, or what reason can they allege, why three hours only, in the which the good thief was upon the cross with Christ, did profit him more than judas three whole years continually that he went with Christ? Agreeable unto the saying of the Apostle, what availeth it the gardener if he labour in his garden, plant lettuce, and water them with the water of the morning, if our Lord do not visit it with his grace? Chrisostome de laudibus latr●nis, saith, The thief stole, and judas gave alms; the thief filled his belly, and judas fasted; the thief stole, and judas prayed; the thief followed the world, & judas served Christ, & yet notwithstanding all this, the thief is saved, & judas condemned. What doth it avail us to serve, if it please not the son of God? God looked first upon Abel, then upon his sacrifices: in the world they look first unto the gift, although he who giveth it be nought, but in the house of God they regard more the merit of him who giveth, than the value of the thing which he giveth. The merits of this thief were very great, considering he served Christ neither years nor months, nor weeks, but hours, and those very few, but he employed them so well, that if he sinned a long time, he repent suddenly, amended with speed, & saved himself in a short space. Vbertinus saith, That it is to be noted, that the scripture passeth with silence who this thief was, from whence he was, what age he was of, what law he observed, of what stock he descended, because that Pilate being a Roman judge, could aswell crucify the Gentiles, as hang the jews. The scripture kept close the secret of this secret to let us understand, that for our salvation it maketh little to the purpose, whether we be noble men or mean men, rich or poor, well spoken of or infamous, but only that we hold Christ for our Lord and king, and that we keep faithfully his holy law. S. Basil upon the Psalms saith, That all the things of this world suffer an excuse, but those things which touch the good of our conscience, & the service of the catholic church do admit none at all. And that there is no excuse to be admitted in the service of God, let us look unto the good thief which suffered on the cross with Christ, who for to ask pardon of his error, and to repent him of his sins, was not hindered at all by being infamous, nor condemned, nor crucified, nor of base lineage, nor yet that he had so small time to repent. How great sins so ever we have, or how late soever we come unto the cross, let us not distrust to be heard, nor despair to be admitted: for we do not read of this thief, that he was baptised, or confessed, yea or that he had repent until he was put upon the cross Cyrillus crieth out; O great mercy, O infinite goodness, what sweats did that thief endure for thee, what discipline did he give his flesh, what number of years did he serve thee, in what holy pilgrimages did he bestow his time, that thou shouldest within three hours pardon his offences, and no other but thou thyself take him to glory? Barnard saith, O who could become a thief with the good thief, seeing that one fight of thee made him a Christian, and one word brought him to heaven? We see daily that some steal in their childhood, some in their youth, some at man's estate, some in their old age, ●nd some even unto the gallows: but yet to steal upon the gallows, of whom do we read it, but of this holy thief? There was never any famous thief, that ever did so famous a robbery before he came to the gallows, as this good thief did even upon the gallows, considering that before all their faces he stole away the kingdom of heaven. O that this was a happy theft which the thief stole upon the cross, considering that he stole the son from his father, their Lord from the Angels, and their creator from the jews, and their redeemer from the Christians. Who ever saw any thing like unto this, who ever heard any thing like unto this, or who ever read any thing like unto this? Thy feet nailed, thy arms crucified, thy hands bound, all thy body disjointed, and withal hanging upon the cross, and yielding up the ghost, yet dost thou steal from others? When other men ask pardon of the people, say their belief, restore things taken away, as all other thieves do, at that time thou dost go about to steal anew. O good jesus, O the comfort of my soul, wilt thou not give me licence to rob and steal with this thief? That which I would steal, should be the blood which thou didst shed, the love which thou didst die with, and the charity which caused thee to die, and the cross on which thou didst die: but woe and alas if I would steal all this, I should first crucify myself. O my soul, O my heart if you will steal and rob with this thief, suffer yourselves to be taken, then to be bound, then to be dismembered and crucified: for as in the world when we are at liberty money is stolen, so upon the cross when we lose our liberty, the heavens are stolen. Adam's was but a small theft, seeing of all Paradise he stole but one apple. But this good thief was not content with the apples of Paradise, unless he stole all Paradise. It was a vain and a light theft which fair Rachel committed against her father Laban, and this of the thief was an honourable theft, because he did not abase himself to steal idols made of wood, but he stole the very true God. The theft which king David committed was a bold theft, when he stole the bottle of water and the spear from king saul's bolster: but the good thieves theft was more solemn, who stole not a lance from a bolster, nor a bottle of water, but he stole Christ's body dry and without blood, and his side which was pierced with a lance. Moses spies were crafty and subtle thieves, which stole away the bunch of grapes of the land of promise: but the good thief was far more subtler, seeing he stole from those who had stolen, not a bunch of grapes which hanged, but Christ crucified. Let all the thieves that are, come forth (saith Cyprian) and be compared with this thief, and they shall find for a truth, that he is the greatest of all, and the most famous of them all: seeing that if other do steal they lose their life, but this in stealing recovered life.   

CHAP. VI How the good thief had nothing remaining on the cross, but his heart and his tongue: and that by these two he gained glory: and there are curious points uttered touching the heart.  
OMni custodia custodi cor tuum, quia ex ipso vitaprocedit, said Solomon the wise, speaking with his son Roboam, in the fourth chap. of his proverbs; as if he would say, I counsel thee my son Roboam, as a thing that doth very much import thee, that thou keep thy heart with all care & watching, because from him proceedeth all the good of thy life. It doth behove us very much that we believe this that the wise man saith, and also keep it, seeing he writeth it with such high words, and persuadeth it with such deep reasons. I confess for my own part, that amongst all the things which I have read, or have heard wise men speak of, there is none that hath taken such deep root in my memory, nor hath satisfied my judgement like unto this counsel of the wise man. For the better commending of which speech I wish I had Homer's understanding, Plato's wit, Diogenes phrase, Eschines art of Oratory, & Cicero's tongue. After this saying, & in comparison of it, there is nothing more to be thought, nothing more to be sought, nothing more to be said, nor nothing more to be commended: for under this speech is comprehended, all the goodness that hath been written until this day, & all that which is necessary for thy salvation. This is a high doctrine, a wonderful saying, worthy to be heard, and true to be believed, just to be taught, & wholly to be observed. S. Jerome saith thus of it: when the wise man saith, Omni custodia, Keep thy heart with all watching, it is to say plainly, keep, keep, watch, watch, be advised, be advised, shut shut the gates & entrance of thy heart: for it is he in whom our Lord desireth to delight in, and that is he whom the devil also would willingly possess. S. Augustine in a sermon saith, The wise man saith not without cause, keep thy heart with a careful watch, considering that God and the devil, and the devil and God strive not who shall possess the eyes we do see with, or the tongue which we speak with, but only which of them both shall house & shut himself as in a castle in our hearts which we bear: insomuch that in the guard & keeping of the heart consisteth our salvation or perdition. Origen saith, That when the wise man saith, Omni custodia cor tuum custodi, he doth forewarn us & advise us, that we put diligent watch & ward over our fugitive heart, because the flesh may not defile him, the world move him, the devil deceive him, the enemy steal him & possess him. What else doth he say when he biddeth thee watch & ward thy heart, but only that so much interest we have in Christ, how much he himself hath in our hearts. If God hath little in thee, thou hast little in God: if thou hast much in God, god hath much in thee: & seeing thou wouldst have nothing of God but thy salvation, & God would have nothing of thee but thy heart, thou oughtest highly to keep it, and trust it and commit it to none but unto him. S. Gregory in his Morals saith, The counsel of the wise man is very deep, and his advise very divine, when he saith, Keep thy heart with all watching, and the reason is, that because all that which God giveth us, and all that which we offer unto him is worth nothing if it be not kept in the heart, and proceed from the heart: and therefore it is a very wholesome thing that our hearts be always full of good desires, and very far from vain thoughts. Tell me I pray thee, why the wise man was not content to say, that we ought to keep the heart, but he added that we should keep him with all watching and guarding, and put him in very great safety? What other thing is it to keep it with all guard, but only that we should not give place for any vanity or folly to enter in? Seneca saith in an Epistle, We see that the eyes are defended with the eye lids, the mouth with the lips, the ears with a cotton, the bands with gloves, the corn in the garner, and money in chests: but no man is able to take away vain desires from the ambitious & mutinous heart, nor cut off his light cogitations. Tell me I pray thee what treasure is there in man's heart, because he should be gorged with so many guards? O my brother if thou didst know what a great treasure that is which God hath left in keeping in the heart of the just man, I assure thee, and swear unto thee, that thou wouldst keep thy heart with a strong guard, & wouldst not consent that any but God should enter into it. is it not thinkest thou great reason that thy heart be well guarded, seeing God will not have it for any other but for himself? In the he●●t of man there is the reasonable power, with the which he governeth himself, the irascible power with the which he defendeth himself, & concupiscible with the which he provideth for things necessary; and in the keeping of these three powers, the salvation of the soul consisteth, & the rest & quietness of the life. The devil traveleth much like unto another joab, to give us three fierce wounds in these three noble powers, because our sorrowful heart should faint & be dismayed, & not know how to govern himself in prosperity, nor help himself in adversity. S. Barnard upon Qui habitat saith, O what guards & double guards, O what watches & double watches men should put to their poor heart, that is, Liberality against the world which doth compass us with riches, Chastity against the flesh, which doth environ us with pleasures, Charity against the devil who doth vex us with malice. If we had as great a care in guarding our hearts, as the devil hath in fight with it, he should never bring us into such great disquietness, nor could never put us in such danger and peril. If thou wilt hear me tell thee the order of thy perdition, thou shalt perceive clearly, that it riseth for want of putting a guard over thy heart: insomuch, that at the same instant in which we withdraw the guard from our heart, presently our conscience runneth to perdition. Then the order of our disorder is, that the sight breedeth thought, thought breedeth delight, delight breedeth consent, consent breedeth work, the work breedeth custom, custom breedeth obstination, obstination breedeth desperation, & desperation damnation. Would it not be just to keep a heart manacled & fettered, which bringeth forth such children & nephews? who holdeth you O my soul loaden with scrupulosities, who holdeth you O my body tormented with travails, but only the towers of wind which my heart breedeth, & a thousand dangers into which he casteth himself? It is very convenient saith Anselmus, that we keep our heart in work, because that which we shall do may be good, & keep our tongue very well, because that which we shall speak may be just, & keep well our thought, because that which we shall think may be clean and pure, because our hearts shallbe such as our works are. Audi popule stulte, audiqui non babes cor, said God by the Prophet jeremy in the 5. chap: as if he would say, Hear my foolish & cursed people, hear me people without heart, which art come to such perdition, that thou wantest reason, and hast no heart. God could not have jested at the people of Israel, nor given them a greater scoff than call them fools without a heart. For seeing that the life of the body is the heart, as it is, and the life of the heart the soul, and God the life of the soul, & that the life of God is God himself; what other thing is it to be without a heart, than to be nought and without a soul? Origen upon ●eremy saith, That God speaketh not of the heart of flesh which is in the breast, for this heart no jew wanted; but God speaketh of holy & spiritual hearts, with the which we serve our Lord, and save our souls: & in this sense if any one want a heart, he wanteth also reason. And if this be true as true it is, that the heart is nothing else but reason, what loseth he who loseth his heart, and what hath he who hath not his heart? And therefore there are not any put into the house of innocents, or into Bedlam, because they wanted a heart to live with; but because they want reason to govern themselves with: & for this cause is not he a verier fool who liveth not according to reason, than he who hath his heart molested and troubled. Plato saith in his Timaeo; If a man doth lose his eyes, or feet, or hands, or his wealth, we may say of such a one, that if he lose, he loseth somewhat; but he who loseth his heart & reason loseth all: for in the womb of our mother the first thing which is engendered is the heart, and the last thing which dieth is the same heart. Because we have great need of patience in the travails which we do endure, and constancy in the good works which we do take in hand, God doth us a principal favour in making us a stout heart, & it is also a great punishment of him to make us of a faint heart. Anselmus in his meditations saith, O good jesus, O the glory of my soul, stop I pray thee, stop my ears, that I hear not, make my eyes blind that I see not, cut off my hands that I steal not, with condition that thou wouldst leave me a will to serve thee, and a heart to love thee. How is it possible that I should love thee, & serve thee with all my heart, if thou O sweet jesus dost let my heart lose itself? seeing thou art the God in whom I believe, the Lord whom I serve, and life with which I live, and the heart which I most love, what other thing is it for me to be without a heart, than to be deprived of thee O my good jesus? Vae duplici cord, & labijs scelestis, etc., said the wise man, as if he would say; Woe be unto that man which hath two hearts to think ill with, two tongues to murmur much with, and two hands to steal more with, and goeth two ways to lose himself. No man hath two hearts, but he who is malicious, no man hath two tongues but he who cannot rule his tongue, no man hath two hands but the covetous man, no man goeth two ways but the ambitious man, who for to have more, and prevail more, leaveth no way not gone, nor any estate not shot at or shaken. It is sure a new thing & not heard of before, that the wise man dare say, that some man hath two tongues to murmur much with, & some two hearts to think much with, & in this case we dare well say that it is as monstrous a thing to have two hearts, as to want one. Remigius upon these words saith, In things which do hinder the one the other, to undo them is to win them, to separate them is to fly from them, & to cut them asunder is to sow them, & to diminish them is to increase them, and to waste them is to better than. the example of all this may be given in trees which have many boughs, and in a vine which hath many branches, whose superfluity if we do cut off, we make them grow, and the pruning of the vine maketh it fructify. The Prophet jeremy accuseth Israel, because he hath no heart at all; and Solomon reprehendeth the malicious man, because he hath two hearts: what mean shall we keep then to comply with the one, and satisfy the other? Hugo de arra anima, answereth and saith, Seeing our love ought to be but one, and he on whom we ought to bestow our love should be but one, in like manner the heart with whom we should engage our love, should be but one, because that cannot be called true love which is scattered into many hearts. If we should be permitted by the law of Christ to have many loves, we should also be suffered to have many hearts: but seeing it is not permitted to have more than one love, why would we have more than one heart? He in an Order of religion is said to have many hearts, who remaineth with his body in the monastery, and with his will & mind wandereth in the world, and so he liveth with pain by reason of the one, and casts out sighs by reason of the other. The dissembling hypocrite hath also two hearts, who with the one desireth to be in low degree, and with the other laboureth to be exalted; with the one he speaketh fair, & with the other he bireth secretly; with the one he proclaimeth conscience, & with the other he maintaineth malice; & which is worst of all, with the one he doth forward concord, and with the other he stirreth up war. Woe therefore be unto him who hath two hearts: for if he had but one, either he would be wholly good or wholly bad; but having two hearts, he cannot in religion do that which he ought, nor in the world do that which he would. He hath also two hearts, who hath good words and naughty works, he which crieth the spirit, & is all flesh, he who liveth wickedly & hopeth well, he who is rigorous with other men, and mild unto himself, straight unto his brothers, & liberal unto himself. Hath not he think you two hearts, who promiseth much & performeth little, he who sweareth that he loveth, and yet in the end loveth not, but deceiveth? To come then unto our purpose, all that which I have spoken, is to let you know how wisely and warily the good thief kept his heart, and how highly he did employ it, seeing he denied it the devil, & offered it unto Christ. Christ and the devil were at a great variance which of them should carry away the thieves heart, because the devil alleged that he did belong unto him, because he was a ringleader of thieves; and Christ said that he did belong unto him, because he was the father of sinners. But when the thief said, Lord remember me, the devil fled, & Christ defended the thief. Chrisostome saith, That Cain offered corn unto God, Abel lambs, No Wethers, Abraham doves, Melchisedech wine, David gold, jepthe his daughter, and Anna her son. If all these men did offer much unto God, that which the good thief did offer was much more: for all that which they offered were external things, and not their own; but that which the good thief offered was his own, and in this case there is great difference betwixt offering that which a man possesseth and keepeth in his house, and offering of his own proper person. If any man ask thee what that is that the thief offered Christ, let him first answer what that was that he kept for himself for giving as he did, all which he had unro Christ, he was not seen to reserve any thing for himself. Seneca saith in an Epistle, Who is he who giveth another all which he can, who doth not give him also his will and all that he hath? The good thief gave Christ all that he could, all that he was worth, all his power, all that he possessed, & also all his might & will, at what time he acknowledged himself a sinner upon the altar of the cross, and jesus Christ to be his redeemer. O good sinner, O glorious confessor; wilt thou not tell us what thou didst offer unto thy God, seeing thou didst obtain such grace by it? The thief offered not his eyes because they were covered, neither his money because the jailor had it, nor his coat because the hangman had it, nor his body because it was crucified; he had only left his tongue, with the which he confessed Christ, and his heart with the which he believed in him. If he would have given Christ his honour, he knew not where it was, if he would have served Christ with his life, it was now at an end, if he would have bestowed his goods upon him, he had none left: for he lost his honour and credit by his theft, his life Pilate commanded to be taken from him, and all his goods the office of the Fiskall possessed. O high mystery (saith Origen) O divine example, who being put upon the tree, had nothing left but his heart, and with that he believed in Christ, and his tongue, and with that he commended himself unto God. It is to be believed, that if this good thief had had any thing else left but his tongue and his heart, that with more he would have served Christ: insomuch, that we cannot condemn his offering for a mean and miserable gift, seeing he offered God all which he had: For what doth he not offer who offereth his heart? what doth he not divide who divideth his heart? O my tongue, O my heart, why do you not take for your companion this thief crucified upon the tree, because he may teach you how sins are bewailed, & the heavens stolen away? Irenaeus saith, I think I shall never be condemned, but I have a great hope I shall be saved, seeing that the good thief being alone, & crucified upon the cross, by no other means but by offering his heart & tongue unto God in less than half an hour, went into glory. S. Barnard saith, O good jesus, O the hope of my soul, why should I torment myself and be sorrowful, if I want feet to go to glory, or have no ears to hear sermons, nor have no riches to give alms, nor jewels to offer in the temples? Seeing that I hold it for certain, that with one holy wish I shall content thee O sweet jesus. Moses' sister was scabby, noble Lia was blearecied, good Moses stutted in his speech, holy Tobias was blind, Mimphiboseth was lame: yet notwithstanding all these defects and imperfections, nothing hindered them from being virtuous and holy. If our hearts be clean and whole, what careth God if our members be rotten? The great Patriarch jacob blessed his sons being blind, dogs licked the wounds of holy Lazarus legs, patiented job did wipe and shave off the worms of his flesh with a tile stone, holy Tobias saw nothing but what his children directed him unto, but none of all these things hindered them from serving their Lord and God, and from helping their neighbours & brothers to save themselves. Remigius saith, Behold O my soul, behold, the good thief had sentence to die upon the cross, with his joints severed the one from the other, his eyes covered, his flesh rend & torn, his blood shed, and yet notwithstanding all this, with his heart which only lived, he knew how to remedy and save himself. In so few hours, in so short a space, the penance which the good thief did, could not be great, nor the sighs which he gave could not be many; yet because he gave them so from his heart, and with such great devotion, Christ took them in a sort for a just account; & not only those which them he gave, but also those which he had a will afterward to give, if death had not cut him off.   

CHAP. VII. How the naughty thief lost himself only for want of faith: and of two chalices which the scripture maketh mention of, of which both the thieves drank of.  
COnsurge consurge Jerusalem, quiae bibisti calicem irae dei usque ad faeces, said the Prophet Esay speaking with Israel, as if he would say. Rise up O jerusalem, rise up O Synagogue, seeing that of mere drunkenness, thou art fallen upon the earth, considering that thou hast drunk the cup of the anger of God, unto the very bottom and dregs. The son of God the night before his passion, being at his prayers in the garden of Gethsemani, when all the torments which he was afterwards to suffer, came unto his mind, and the torment of the death which he was to endure, said unto his eternal father, Pater sivis, transeat a me talix iste, as if he would say. My eternal and holy father, I ask thee as thy son, and beseech thee as thou art my father, that thou wouldst consent, that all those of my church may also drink of this cup of bitterness. The doubt now is, that seeing the cup that Israel tasted of, was from as good a God as the cup that Christ drank of, why the cup that Christ drank of was approved & liked, & the cup that jerusalem drank of misliked & disallowed? The one was a cup, & the other a cup: the one was of bitterness, and the other was of ire: the one fell to the synagogue, & the other to the church: the one was of God, & the other was of God, & seeing it is so, why do they threaten Israel, for that which he drunk, and praise Christ for that which he supped up? The better to understand this point, we must understand that there are two kind of cups or chalices in the holy scripture. To wit, the one which is called the chalice of bitterness, & the other which is called the chalice of ire, and the difference betwixt them is, that by drinking the one, we appear betimes in the morning in Paradise, & by drinking the other we go down at night unto hell. What is the cup of bitterness full of, but with hunger, cold, thirst, persecution, & temptation; all which things our Lord giveth to drink, unto all those which he hath chosen to serve him, and unto all those whom he hath predestinated unto salvation. S. Gregory in his Morals saith. That it is a sign that he is predestinated to be saved, unto whom God giveth his cup of bitterness to drink; in so much that we cannot escape grievous hells, unless it be by the cost of great travails. It is to be noted, that Christ said not unto his father, that he would not drink of the cup, neither yet did he offer himself to drink up all, but he prayed him only by special grace, that others might help him to drink it: for if he should alone have drunken the cup of bitterness, he alone should have entered into Paradise. O giver of all goodness, O distributer of all favours, what hadst thou that thou didst not communicate unto us, or what didst thou possess that thou didst not divide amongst us? Thou hast given us thy body to eat, thou hast given us thy blood to drink, thou hast given us thy law to keep, thou hast given us thy heart to love, thou hast given us thy cup to taste, & thou hast given us thy glory to enjoy. Anselmus saith, That in the vain palaces of the world, those are thought to be most familiar, which are most of all made much of by their Lord: but in the company & house of God, those are best beloved which are worst handled; insomuch that we will say him to be his familiarest friend, whom we shall see to drink oftenest of his bitter cup. O high mystery, O divine Sacrament! when the son of God did weep tears from his eyes in the garden, and did sweat blood from his body, he did not ask that his chosen flock might be cockered and made much of, but only that he would let them sup some sup of his bitter cup. What else was S. Peter's cross, S. Andrews cross, likewise Bartolomewes' knife. S. Laurence grediron. S. Steuens stones, but certain pledges which they received of Christ, & certain bitter sups which they drank of his chalice? Hilarius upon S. Matthew saith, That how many more sups a man hath supped in this life of Christ's cup, so many steps the higher shall he be in heaven in glory: for what cause we ought to entreat and ask earnestly, that if we cannot drink all his cup, yet that he would let us at the least razed of him with his elect. S. Jerome saith also, That although the cup which Christ left his elect, be somewhat bitter in drinking, yet after that it is drunk, it is saverous and profitable, because the travels of this world do not give us so great grief and pain when we suffer them, as they bring us delight after we have suffered them. It is also to be noted that he saith, Transeat a me calix iste, that is, He would not have his bitter cup turn back again, but go on forward: whereby he giveth us to understand, that the merit of his passion, and the blood of our redemption, should not be bestowed upon them which every day go worse and worse until the end, but only upon them which every day grow better and better. This word of Transeat, Let this cup pass, is a high word, and worthy to be marked, in the which and by the which our good jesus doth admonish and warn us, that those shall not drink of his cup of bitterness, & enter with him into glory, which having been good, turn in the end to be nought; but only those who being nought, prove to be good: nor those who when they should go forward from virtue to virtue, turn backward and persevere in vices, because that among the servants of our Lord he who doth not profit doth disprofit. There is no rich man in this world which doth set so much by his wealth, as Christ doth by his chalice of bitterness: and therefore seeing that he commandeth that his cup should pass further, & that those should drink of him which do go forward, the servant of our Lord ought to take pains to make himself better, and to go forward, not in ambition which doth tempt him, but in devotion which he doth want. O good jesus, O my soul's comfort, Let this cup go, not from me, but to me, because we may taste of thy pains & travels, feel thy griefs, weep for thy tormenr, enjoy thy love, & wash away my wickedness; insomuch that when thy cup doth pass from thee, it may light upon me. Let every man make his provision of wines of Illana, of Candie, of Dania, yet I for my comfort and devotion, do ask of God that all the days of my life I may deserve to drink of that bitter cup one drop. There is another cup which is called the cup of the wrath and ire of God, of the which when I begin to speak, my bowels open, my heart is troubled, and my soul is sorrowful, my flesh trembleth, and my eyes also weep. How is it possible that my heart should dispose, my pen write, my ink mark, and my paper suffer me to write, how happy they are who escape the drinking of this cup; and how unhappy they are which drink of it? With this cup of ire God did threaten jerusalem, of this the Synagogue drank, with this wicked Babylon was drunk, yea and this was the cause why all judea was lost. S. Augustine in an Homily saith, He drinketh of the cursed cup of ire, who through his sin falleth from the estate of grace, which is an evil above all the evils of this life, because a soul without grace is far more deader than a body without a soul. When dost thou think that God doth suffer us to drink of the cup of his ire, but when he forgetteth to hold us up with his hand through our demerit? When shall we see whether we have drunk of the cup of his wrath, but when God is careless in keeping us from falling, and we slothful in amending ourselves? S. Ambrose upon the Psalms saith, O what a difference there is betwixt the wrath of God, & the wrath of man, for they punish when they are angry, but God forbeareth to punish when he is angry, in so much that God is more displeased when he dissembleth a fault than when he doth presently punish. S. Barnard saith, That there is no greater temptation than not to be tempted, nor greater tribulation than not to be afflicted, nor greater punishment than not to be punished, nor yet a sharper scourge than not to be scourged. For as there is small hope of the sick man's life whom the Physician doth distrust and despair of, even so in like manner there is great occasion to suspect the salvation of that man whom our Lord doth not punish in this life. It is also to be noted, that Esay doth not only threaten jerusalem, because she drunk of the cup of the ire of God, but because she drunk also the dregs and lees, until she left none, in so much that if there had been more, more she would have drunk. We call that properly the dregs of the wine, that part of the wine which corrupteth and marreth, and that which goeth to the bottom, and that which rotteth and stinketh, and that whereof we receive no profit. What are the dregs which sink unto the bottom, but only wicked sin which beareth us into hell? The dregs of sin cause us to rot, and with dregs of sin we sink, and by the dregs of sin we are damned, and by the dregs of sin we are hated of God. I will visit jerusalem and those men which are fastened in their dregs, saith God by the Prophet Sophonias in the first chapter, as if he would say, I will visit all the dwellers of jerusalem, and I will make no reckoning of other sins and offences, but of such as I shall find entangled, and tumbling in the dregs and lees. Who are those which stick in the mire & are bedurted with the dregs, but those which stand obstinately in their sins and wickedness? God complaineth not of those which are defiled in the dregs, but on those which are fastened and fixed in them: for our Lord is not so much scandalised to see us fall into sins, as to see us wallow and delight in their dregs and grounds. O that wicked is the heart which is fastened, and standeth firm in the dregs of sin, because promises cannot allure and entice him, nor threatenings fear him, nor entreaty convert him, nor punishment amend him, nor counsel profit him! How badly our Lord liketh of them which are firm in the lees and dregs, he showeth plainly, seeing he threateneth such as stand fast in them, and those which drink of the cup unto the dregs; whereof we may infer that we do not so much condemn ourselves for sinning, as because we will not go out of sin. To drink of the cup unto the dregs is, as if as there are but seven capital sins they were feven thousand, to have a will to offend in them all before we died. To drink unto the dregs is, that if by deed we commit ten sins every day, in thought we commit an hundred every hour. To drink the cup unto the dregs is, that if we omit to commit any sin, it is not because we would not, but because we could not or durst not. To drink of the cup unto the dregs is, that not being content to sin, we commend and praise ourselves for doing it, as if we had done our Lord some notable service. To drink the cup unto the dregs is, that when we have committed all kind of sins, yet we cannot endure to be called sinners. To drink the cup unto the dregs is, to be so graceless and shameless in sinning, that we entice and importunately urge others to do the like. To drink the cup unto the dregs, is to hate our neighbour with our heart, iviurie him with words, and hurt him in deeds. Lo thus then have I told you what is the cup of bitterness which the elect and chosen drink of, and which is the cup of wrath and ire which the wicked drink of: in so much that if we would know who shall be saved, or who damned, we are only to mark what cup he drank of. To come then unto our purpose, we must suppose that these two thieves drank of both these cups, which are so dreadful and wonderful; and such as the cup was, of which each of them drank, such was the reward or punishment which on the cross each of them received and carried away. When the naughty thief said unto Christ, save thyself and us, he drank of the cup of wrath, and when the good thief said unto Christ, Lord remember me, he drank of the cup of bitterness, insomuch that the one drank of the pure wine, seeing he went into heaven, and the other drank of the stinking dregs, seeing he went into hell. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? Seeing they were both companions, both the eves, both hanged, both saw Christ, and both were near unto Christ, why do they give to the one to drink of the cup of glory, and unto the other the cup of ire? S. Augustine answereth unto this & saith. Why God doth give light unto one, and not unto another, why he draweth this man and not that man, I pray thee good brother go not about to seek out the reason, if thou wilt not be deceived: for all this dependeth of God's high judgements, the which although they be secret, yet notwithstanding they be not unjust. Origen upon Mark saith; As there are many things in the heart which are not of the heart, and as there are many in war●● which take no pay in the war, so the naughty thief was upon the cross, not having the fruit of the cross: for in stead of ask Christ that he would pardon him, be asked that he would deliver him and unbind him. If thou be Christ, saith the naughty thief, save thyself and us, as if he would say, If thou be the Christ which the jews hope for, deliver thyself from death, and quite us from pain. Cyprian upon the passion of our Lord saith; O that, that is a wicked word and a detestable prayer which thou O naughty thief dost utter with thy mouth, when thou dost persuade the son of God to come down from the cross: for if he do suffer & die, it is for nothing that toucheth him, but for that which toucheth thee and is most expedient for me. Why dost thou ask him that he would save thee and also himself, seeing that he suffereth of his own accord, & dieth for thy naughtiness? The beginning of this naughty thieves perdition was, when he said, if thou be the son of God, and not, thou art the son of God: in which words it seemed that he doubted whether he were the son of God or not; and so he doubted in his faith, and made a scruple, whether he were the redeemer of the world or not, and so he fell into infidelity, which is the highest wickedness of all other. Cyrillus upon S. john saith, That the good thief said not, If thou be Christ, neither did S. Peter say, I believe if thou be Christ; but the one said faithfully, Lord remember me, and the other likewise said, I believe, because thou art the son of God, insomuch that no man can be lightened or pardoned which maketh any doubt at all in the faith of Christ. The Apostle saith in his canonical Epistle, if any man want wisdom, let him ask it of God, not doubting in faith: as if he would say, If any man have need of any great matter, let him take heed that he do not ask it with a faith that is lukewarm: for if our Lord do not grant us that which we ask him, it is rather because we know not how to ask him, than because he hath not a desire to give it. Damascen saith, If he who asketh be not a Pagan, and that which he asketh be not unjust, and he who asketh be holy, and the place where he asketh be also sacred, and he for whom he asketh be needy, why should he doubt to obtain it, considering that of himself he is so merciful? O good jesus, O my soul's pleasure, give me thy grace that I may say with the blind man in jeremy, O son of David have mercy upon me: and keep me from saying with the naughty thief, if thou be Christ save thyself and me too; seeing that like a true Christian I confess thy mighty power, and call for thy great mercy. Christostome saith, The naughty these thought, that as Pilate had condemned him for a robber by the high way, so he had executed justice upon Christ for stirring the people to sedition, and that Christ did no less esteem of his life, than he did abhor death: wherein certainly he was much deceived; for he did not so earnestly desire to live as Christ did desire to die. The jews persuaded Christ that he should come down from the cross, and this naughty thief did also persuade him that he would sly from the cross, that which the son of God did not love to hear of, nor would not do: for if he had forsaken the cross all the world should have been crucified. S. Barnard saith, I do not desire thee my good jesus, that thou come down from the cross, nor that thou sly from the cross, but that thou wouldst put me there with thee, because it would be more reasonable that they should give sentence upon me for thee, than that they should give sentence upon thee for me. It may be gathered of all that which we have spoken, what great courage we have need of to begin any good work, and a far greater to finish it: for our enemies are ready always about to deceive us, the flesh to move us, men to hinder us, and the world to trouble us.   

CHAP. VIII. Of the great charity which the good thief had towards the naughty thief in correcting him of evil doing, and in advising him of the good which he lost.  
COmmendat deus omnem charitatem suam in nobis, saith the Apostle writing unto the Romans in the fift chap. as if he would say. The God and Lord which I preach unto you O Romans, doth commend nothing more unto you than charity, in loving your neighbours with all your heart: the which love you must show them, not so much because they love you, as because they serve God. Holy Paul did preach and teach us many things, whereof some were to make us afeard, some to give us counsel, some to teach us, some to comfort us, as this matter which we now handle, the which being well looked into, and read with attention, we shall find that he giveth us as much as he hath, and loveth us as much as he ought. For the better understanding of this speech, we must suppose that the love of God, charity, and grace, go always coupled together, in so much that no man can have heavenly love without heavenly charity, & no man can have heavenly charity, but he must have heavenvly grace, & he who hath heavenly grace, cannot fail but go to glory. Damascen saith, That Love, and Charity, and Grace, are only one gift, and the greatest which came from heaven; & is called Grace, because it is given without any price, and it is called Charity because it is high, and it is called Love because it doth join and unite us with God: in so much that when he recommendeth his Charity unto us, he trusteth his Love with us. When our Lord doth commend us his Love, as a thing left to keep with us, if we mark it well, what else is it but a token, whereby we should mark with what Love he loveth us, and with what Charity he entreateth us? O happy pledge, O lucky trust, when our Lord credited us with his eternal Love, his infinite Grace, and unspeakable Charity! the which virtues he gave us because we should not live ingratefully with them, and that in our death we should buy heaven with them. When our Lord doth give us charge to keep his Charity, what else is that but to do us the favour to give it us? If he would not have given it us, he knew well where to keep it, without gi●ing it us to pledge: but he saith that he doth commend it unto us to keep, and not give it us; because we should be very careful in keeping it, and fearful to lose it, because we cannot be saved without it. Bede upon the Apostle saith, One friend can give to another his jewels of silver and gold, but he cannot give him the love which he hath in his heart; for although he can show it, yet he cannot pass it unto him: but the son of God did not only show us his love, but did also give it us. He did show us his great love, when he took man's flesh upon him, and he doth give us his sweet love when he doth impart his grace amongst us, insomuch that with the first love he delivered us from being slaves, and with the second love, he received us to be his sons. In figure of all this, the altar of the Synagogue was all hollow, but the altar of the church is massy and sound, by reason of the fervent love which God beareth us, and great charity and mercy which he doth us. It is much to be noted, that God doth not commend unto us, Faith, Hope, Patience, and Chastity, but only Charity: in which words he giveth us to understand, that if we do set much by that which our Lord giveth us, we ought to esteem much more of the love with the which he doth give it us. Isidorus saith, That all the courtesies which our Lord doth promise us, and all the persuasions which he useth unto us, are to no other end, but because we should be thankful unto him, and because we should be merciful unto our neighbours. What wanteth he which wanteth not Charity; and what hath he who hath no Charity? The merciful and pitiful man hath God always at his hand, that he fall not from his faith, that he lose not his hope, that he defile not his chastity, nor despise humility: for in the high tribunal seat of God, no man need to fear that they will deal cruelly with him, if he hath had any charity in this world. Wherein dost thou think (saith S. Jerome) that all Christian charity doth consist, and all the health of thy soul, but only in serving of Christ with all our heart, and in labouring to profit and benefit our neighbour? What greater good can I do unto my brother, than put him in the right way if he be out, and correct him if he be nought? Bede saith upon this matter, That true and chaste love, may be divided betwixt God and our neighbour, so as our neighbour be not proud and nought: for if he be so, we are to wish his salvation, and fly his conversation. We have spoken all this, to declare the great charity which this good thief had, and also used towards the naughty thief, seeing that upon the cross, he taught him that which was convenient for him, & reprehended him in that which he spoke. Neque tu times deum, qui in eadem damnatione es? said the good thief unto the bad: as if he would say, O my friend and companion, I wonder much at thee, that having been of such a naughty life and conversation, and being upon the very point to die, I say I marvel that thou darest to crucify this holy Prophet more with thy tongue, than the hang men do, with their nails; because the nails do open his veins, but thy evil tongue doth rend his entrails. The good thief used but few words, but they contained many mysteries, and therefore it is needful that they be read with attention, and written with gravity. It is to be noted, that although our Lord God be present in all things with his power, yet he is much more in man's heart, and tongue by grace; because those are the two parts with the which we do most of all please or offend God with. S. Aug. saith, That the eyes do loath oft to see, the ears to hear, the hands are loath to work, & the feet to go, yea & the body to sin; but the heart is never weary of thinking, nor the tongue with speaking. Cor mundum crea in me deus, & pone custodiam ori meo, said the Prophet David: as if he would say, I beseech thee O good Lord, that thou wouldst renew this heart within me, & put a watch unto this mytongue, because that all the other parts of my body can but trouble & offend me, but the heart & tongue can trouble me & damn me. S. Ambrose saith, That it is a certain token, that we are in God's favour, when he doth give us grace to keep our hearts clean, & our tongues bridled, because the foundation of all Christian goodness is to believe our Lord God with all our hearts, & praise him with our tongue. Ego dabo eis cer nowm, said God unto Israel, & I will open thy mouth said God unto Ezechiel; as if he would say, I will lighten thy heart O Israel, to the end that thou mayst believe in me, and I will open thy mouth O Ezechiel, to the end that thou mayst preach my name: for thou hast obtained no small gift, if thou come to know me, & learn well to set forth my name. To come then unto our purpose, the grace of a new heart which God gave unto Israel, and the gift of praising his name, which he gave Ezechiel, Christ also gave unto the good thief which was near unto him, seeing he touched his heart, with the which he believed in him, & opened his mouth with the which he preached his name. Vbertinus saith, That this good thief was an excellent preacher in the church of God, who in a sort seemed to go before the Apostles in faithfully believing, and preaching Christ's might and power. What greater marvel wouldst thou have the blood of Christ work (saith Rabanus) than to make preachers of thieves & robbers? the pulpit in the which he preached was the cross, the preacher was the the●f, the holy one of whom he preached was Christ, the church where he preached was Calvary, the audience before whom he preached were the jews, the Theme upon which he preached, was Neque tu deum times, Neither dost thou fear God: and that which there he preached, was the setting forth of Christ, and the reprehending of that which his fellow spoke. The office of a preacher is (saith Saint Gregory) Secreta reserarae, vitia extirpare, & virtutes inserere. The duty of a preacher is, to open the secrets of the scripture, extirpate vice out of the Commonwealth, and teach how our souls are to be saved. What greater secret can there be than to confess and preach a man crucified to be God? Who reprehended vices like unto this thief, seeing that he confessed himself to be a sinner, and accused the other thief to be a blasphemer: who did teach the way to heaven better than this thief, seeing he was almost the first that went thither? The good thief divided his sermon into four parts: the first was when he rebuked the other thief, when he said, Neque tu deum times: the second when he accused himself to be nought, saying, Nos quidem justè patimur: The third when he excused Christ: saying, Hic autem quid mali fecit? The fourth when he craved pardon for his sins, Domine memento mei, Lord remember me. Seeing then that the preacher is but a new preacher, & the pulpit new, and the thing that he preacheth new, it is reason that we should hear that which he preacheth with attention, and do that which he counseleth with great devotion. Auferetur zelus meus ate & quiescam, ne irascar amplius, said God by Ezechiel chap. 16: as if he would say. O thou Synagogue which art hardened, seeing that thou wilt not believe that which I tell thee, nor do that which I command thee, I am determined not to chide thee nor punish thee for any fault that thou shall commit, but as being incorrigible, I am determined to forsake thee. O sorrowful speech, O dreadful word: when our Lord saith that he will advise us no more what we have do, nor correct us of that which we do: for if he take his merciful hand from us, what shall we dare to take in hand? Tell me I pray thee what can we do, or what do we know of ourselves, if we be not guided by the hand of God, in that which we take in hand, and advertised in that which we do amiss? S. Gregory saith upon Ezechiel. When our Lord saith by Ezechiel that he will be no more angry with us, it is a sign that he is very angry with us, because it is a property of our Lord never to be so angry as when he is not angry to see us offend. Barnard saith, O good jesus the light of my soul, I beseech thee that thou take not thy zeal from me, nor withdraw thy punishing hand from me; but as I commit a fault, so let thy punishment be ready: for by this means I shall sooner amend, & live also more warily. When the father of a company doth not punish a perverse servant, it is a sign that he will put him out of the house; and when they let a sick man eat all things that he lusteth, it is a sign that he will die: & so when God doth let us go with the bridle lose in our own hand after what vices we lust, it is a token that we go altogether out of the way. O how indurate that man ought to be in sin, and how he ought to be mired in wickedness, of whom God saith, Auferetur zelus meusate! For when God saith that he will not love us any more with realousie, what doth he mean else, but that he will be careless and forgetful of us, and forsake to punish us? The holy scripture maketh mention of two kinds of zeal; the one is holy and glorious, and it is that which God hath towards us; & the other is common, and is that zeal which we bear towards our neighbours: and if the one be necessary, the other is more necessary, because the true zeal and love of our neighbour consisteth not so much in helping him to maintain himself, as in directing him to sane his soul. S. Augustine in a Sermon saith, What doth it avail thee O my friend, that thou help thy neighbour in time of necessity with thy money, if thou consent unto him and he with thee to wallow in vices? O how far a greater good turn thou shouldest do him in lessening his faults, than by augmenting his wealth, because there is no greater riches under the heaven, than to have a clean conscience! The good thief had a great zeal that the other should be saved, seeing he did rebuke him for being a blasphemer, and persuaded him to be a Christian: insomuch that for a recompense for helping him to steal, he would also help him to die well. Chrysistome upon this matter saith, These two thieves had kept company a long time together, and divided equally their prey betwixt them, because that as there was no difference betwixt them in the fault, so they would have equal shares in the division. Now the good thief would have continued his old use, and as he had stolen heaven there upon the cross, so he would have divided part of it unto his companion, if the Lord of the theft, which was Christ, would have consented unto it, or if the wretched thief had deserved it. O how great and unspeakable a charity was this of the good thieves! for considering that himself was a Christian, he would have made the other one also, and seeing himself the heir of heaven, he would have taken the other thither with him, and seeing himself pardoned, he would have gotten pardon for the other, but that he would neither believe in Christ, nor with good will give ear unto his companion. It is much to be noted (saith Chrisostome) that the good thief said first unto the bad, Neither thou dost fear God, before he said, Lord remember me. For as I suppose, it helped much to save the good thief, that Christ saw with what great charity he laboured that his companion should not cast away himself. When he said first in favour of the other, Neither thou dost fear God, before he spoke in the behoof of himself, Lord remember me; is it not most manifest and clear, that he desired as much that his companion should be converted, as himself saved? Remigius saith, That among all the services which we can do unto our Lord, there is none so great, as to help our neighbour to save himself, and contrariwise, there is none that doth more offend him, than to help our neighbour to damn himself; because it seemeth that we make small account of the shedding of his blood, if we help him not to bestow it well. Then we bestow his glorious blood well, when we cause it to benefit our brothers: for otherwise we may say, that it was well shed by Christ, but evilly bestowed by us. What greater sacrifice can I do unto our Lord, than draw my neighbour from sin, who hath been redeemed by his precious blood? Then I draw my brother out of sin, when I correct him with my tongue, and help him in his work. For as touching the offending of our Lord, it is convenient not only to advise & counsel him, but if we can also punish and chastise him. Cyprian in his book of Martyrs saith, Who dare now adays like unto Phinees thrust through with a poniard a bold jew and a shameless Gentile? Who like unto holy Samuel will weep for the disobedience of Saul? Who like unto holy job will rise early in the morning to offer sacrifices of peace for the sins of his sons? Who like unto the High priest Aaron will threaten Pharaoh within his own palace, because he should leave off the service of his God in the Synagogue? Who will lose the light of his eyes like unto the good Prophet jeremy in weeping and taking pity upon those who carried away those of Babilonia captives? Now the zeal of holy men is lost, now the fervency of good men is at an end, now the punishment of naughty men is forgotten; for because that in matter of correction, a friend will rather venture his conscience with his friend, then suffer him to lose his credit. Certainly it is no credit, but a discredit, no charity but cruelty to suffer his neighbour to damn himself for want of correcting him: for oftentimes naughty men would amend themselves of their errors, if their friends which they have, would advertise them of them. Seeing we cannot avoid it, but stumble at every foot, nor give over sinning more or less, why have we friends and companions, but because they should keep us up with one hand from falling, and lift us up with the other, if they see us down? S. Barnard in an Epistle saith, Let no man leave off the correcting of his neighbour and friend, because he thinketh that by so doing, he doth displease him: for after he hath considered of the matter, he shall perceive that he hath done a good work; because that oftentimes the counsel which they give us, is more worth than the money which they lend us.   

CHAP. IX. Why the good thief did not chide with the naughty thief, because he did not love Christ, as he did chide with him because he did not fear God: there are many notable things brought touching the fear of our Lord.  
ECclesia quidem magis quotidiè aedificabatur, ambulans in timore domini, & consolation spiritus sancti, saith S. Luke in the ninth chap. of the Acts of the Apostles; as if he would say, After that S. Steven was stoned to death, and the Apostle Saint Paul was converted, by so much the more the church of God increased in building, by how much the more she was founded upon the fear of our Lord, and the church did receive no comfort but such as the holy ghost did send her. Bede upon this place saith, That the scripture doth advise us with a high style, how much it doth import us that we fear our Lord and keep his commandments, because the primitive church never began to increase and flourish, until that Commonwealths began to fear the Lord, and seek for the consolation of the holy Ghost. S. Augustine upon the words of our Lord saith, That in the triumphant church love without fear worketh; but in the militant church, love and fear go together: and a sign of this is that the greater love I bear my friend, the greater fear I have to displease him. Cyrillus upon S. john saith, Although the son of God said, Ignem veni mittere in terram, which was as much as to say, that he builded his church upon love, yet he took not his fear from her: because that seeing that there is both mercy and justice in God, we are bound aswell to fear his rightful justice, as we are to love his mercy. When God gave Moses the old law, he gave it him with great thunders and terrible lightnings, and with all mixed it with many threats, & ordained it with many punishments: because the jews should determine with themselves to keep it, and not in any wise to break it. King Pharaoh commanded all the midwives of the kingdom of Egypt to slay all the male children of the jews at the time of their birth: and because they would not do it for fear of the Lord, the Lord gave them great riches in their houses. The scripture commendeth very much a steward which the king Achab had, whose name was Abdias, the which seeing the cursed Queen jezabel cut the throats of the Prophets of Israel, did hide some number of them until all the butchery was passed: the which the good Abdias did not so much for the love which he bore unto the Prophets, as for the fear which he bore unto God. When king josaphat constituted judges in all the cities of judea, he gave them no other instruction, but that they should fear God, and be very mindful of the good of their Commonwealth, because that by this means they should be well liked both of God and of all the people. The scripture reporteth of holy Tobias, that he began at the same time to wean his son, and fear the God of Israel, and that he contracted friendship with none nor none with him, unless he knew that he feared God. S. jerom upon the Prophets saith, All holy men and of great perfection, do not only love the Lord, and fear him as their Lord & God, but do also refuse to converse with those which will not fear our Lord: and for that cause Abraham went from the Chaldeans, & holy Lot fled from the Sodomites. We must entice & flatter the virtuous man with love, & fear the wicked & perverse man with threats, because that of ten-times the wicked man doth rather amend his life for sear of hell, than for the desire which he hath to go to heaven. Irenaeus in an Homily saith, That if as God made Paradise, he would not have made also an hell, few there would have been, which would have served our Lord, & very many which would have offended him. Because that if an evil man might enjoy the world, he would little care if heaven were taken from him. A vain worldly man engraved in a medal of gold the words of the Psalm, Caelum caeli domino, terram autem dedit filijs hominum, The heaven of heaven unto our Lord, he gave the earth unto the sons of men: and he wrote for a posy, take thou Lord heaven for thee, upon condition that thou wouldst leave the earth unto me. O cursed tongue, and wicked speech! what an ungodly mouth was that, which durst utter such horrible blasphemy? for by the rigour of justice, he may justly be carried into hell, who renounceth to go to heaven, and is well pleased to hue in the word. Anselmus saith, O what a great favour God doth unto that man whom God doth not exclude from his love, & doth not leave him without fear for the man which hath both love and fear in him, although he want other perfections, neither aught to fear, lest he should be damned, nor distrust at all to be saved. We have spoken all this in the commendation of the good thief, & of his piety & charity, who did not rebuke the other thief his compamon, for that he was proud or envious, but only because he did not fear God, saying Neque tu times deum, Neither dost thou fear God: Giving us to understand by this, that he went down right into hell, for no other cause, but because he made small reckoning of Christ. And it is much to be noted why the good thief did not rebuke the other for that, that he did not love Christ; as he did reprehend him, for that he did not fear Christ. Hilarius answereth this doubt and saith, That because love doth belong unto those which are perfect, and fear unto such as are not so perfect, the good thief did not persuade the other that he should love, but that he should fear, because the duty and office of loving, is of such high quality, that although many go about it, yet few attain unto it. Glorious Saint Peter did persuade himself that he had loved Christ, as he ought to have loved him; and thereupon to take away his vainglory, Christ asked him three times whether he loved human which deinand, christ gave us to understand, that the merit of loved oath not consist in loving with all our heart, but if good jesus do accept it, that then it is perfect. The will which we have to serve our Lord, is rather, baslard will, than a lawful will; for to tell the troth, my brother, we have more skill in sinning than in loving. The good thief would not so plainly teach the evil thief the art of love, as he did the duty of fear, partly because the time was too short to learn so high a matter, as then being in great torment, and near unto death, and partly because the quality of man's mind is easily induced to fear, and very slowly to love. O unto how many may we say now adays that which the good thief said unto the other, that is, neither thou dost fear God; letting them to understand by these words, that they neither fear God, nor love God, nor serve God, nor yet remember whether there be a God, considering they let no sin undone, unless it be because they dare not, or because they cannot. What friend is there in this world, which giveth his brother such brotherly correction? What friend dare tell his friend, take heed brother, for thou art proud, or ill-tongued, or a babbler, badly beloved, and every man marketh thy doings? S. Barnard upon those words of jeremy, Omnes amici eius spreverunt eum, etc., saith, Woe be unto me O my good jesus, woe be unto me, because that all the holy masters which brought me up, are now dead, all my faithful friends, which were wont to give me counsel are now gone; and if I have any left, they rather cover my faults than correct them. There are few good thieves left to correct me, and many naughty friends to hide my faults, and (which cannot be said without tears,) which art not content only to hide my sins, but also are ready to entice me to sin. A certain man of Athens ask Plato wherein he should show his friendship unto him, answered him; Thou shalt advise me of all that I shall speak amiss, and help me in all that I shall do amiss; because the duty which I require of my friend is, that he would help me to be virtuous, and hinder me from being vicious. There are but few friends which do this, and very few which ask this of their friends: for there are few which will have those for their friends, which may and will correct them for the enormities they do, but defend them in the vices they commit. What doth it avail me if my friend deliver me from my enemies which lay wait for me, if he deliver me unto vices which kill me? We see that one thief doth correct another from the cross, and yet one Christian will not correct another, but will rather be vicious betwixt themselves, than break the friendship which is betwixt them. Nun qui oderunt te domine oderam, & inimici facti sunt mihi? said David in the 138 Psalm: as if he would say, O great God of Israel, and mighty Lord of the house of jacob, one of the duties which I have done for thy service, is, that all the days of my life I have hated those which love not thee, I have utterly disliked those which followed not thee, I went from them which loved not thee, yea I did fly from him which served thee not. Cassio dorus upon these words saith, Thou hast great reason in that which thou sayest, and greater in that which thou dost, O renowned and gracious king Davide for if naughty men had no companions to help them, and wanted friends to bandy for them, in short time we should see them ended or amended. That one friend do not help another in matters touching his wealth it may be born, but not to counsel him in things concerning his conscience may not be endured: for if the matter do offend God and endanger our conscience, we should neither suffer our father who engendered us, nor yet consent with friend or brother who loveth us. Nathan did rebuke David, Samuel Saul, Micheas Achab, Helias jezabel, S. john Herod, and S. Paul S. Peter, not for any thing that they had done against themselves, but for that which they had committed against God: because we should know that we ought to hold him for an enemy, who is not beloved of God. How wilt thou have God for thy Lord and friend, if thou be a friend unto that that he detesteth? We have great need to say with the Prophet. Did I not hate those which did hate thee, and they are become my enemies? For to tell thee the truth, my brother; thou canst neves rightly jove virtue and virtuous men, unless thou do first detest vice and vicious men. For as Seneca saith, He shall never or very late be good, who will have a naughty man for his friend. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, What greater maruails wouldst thou see or hear, than those which the son of God did at his death, where preachers became thieves, & thieves turned to be preachers? Wicked judas was a preacher, and he became a thief; and he who suffered with Christ was a thief, and he became a preacher: and as they took new offices, so they ended in divers effects; for the one sold Christ in the temple, and the other excused Christ upon the cross. Who was the last thief of the Synagogue, and the first preacher in the church, but that holy thief which suffered by Christ? Who made a Sermon of greater weight than this thief did, considering that in the presence of all men, and against them all he accused himself and excused Christ? Hic autem quid malifecit? These are the words, not of a Pagan, but of a Christian: as if he would have said, Who ever being God made himself a man, eternal made himself temporal, & being infinite limited his power, and being a judge suffered himself to be judged? What hurt did he; Who taught those which knew little, who set those aright which went astray; who did comfort those which wept, & who did pardon those which did offend. What hurt did he; He who did restore the deaf unto their hearing, fed the hungry, gave sight unto the blind, and raised the dead to life? What hurt did he; He who preached unto the Samaritane woman, defended the woman taken in adultery, and he who helped the Cananean, and forgave Mary Magdalen? What hurt did he; He who preached the faith, taught the law, opened the Prophets, and he who put up a school throughout all the world? Quid mali fecit, what harm had he done. He who made us a pathway to walk in, a truth to hold by, a life to live by, and glory for us to enjoy? What hurt did he; He who endured hunger, because I might eat, took great journeys because I should take rest, and who suffered because I should not be endangered, and he who died because I should live. What hurt did he? O cursed Israelites, O forsaken jews, what hurt hath he done unto your Synagogue, who never ceaseth to do good unto all the world? If he could have been accused to have done any hurt, it was because he had done so much good unto your nation, because there is nothing worse bestowed than that which is done unto an ungrateful people. Anselmus saith, That it cannot be understood nor compassed with man's wit, that all the wisest of the law should be at the Mount of Calvary to accuse Christ, and one only thief to defend him. When ●as that Prophecy accomplished, Perdam sapientiam sapientum, & prudentiam prudentium, I will lose the wisdom of the wise. But when on the altar of the cross all the synagogue did accuse thee, and one only thief excuse thee, dost thou find no sufficienter surely and witness to preach thy patience to extol thy mercy to praise thy liberality, and to defend thy innocency, than a thief ready to be hanged? That which thou dost, thou dost very well O my good jesus, because no man can give abetter testimony of thy charity and clemency, than rich Zachaeus whom thou didst visit, and the Publican Matthew whom thou didst receive, and the infamous Samaritane whom thou didst convert, and the adulterous woman whom thou didst defend, and the good thief whom thou did dost pardon. Considering that thou didst come into the world for sinners, didst eat with sinners, converse with sinners, and didst die for sinners, who can be a better surety or witness for thee than sinners? The good thief did not only excuse Christ, and entreat for him, but did also accuse himself, saying, Nos quidem instè patimur: as if he would say, Thou and I, I and thou, my companion, if we suffer any thing, we suffer it worthily, because they have given us our torment according to our offence. There are very few which make a more glorious confession than this, because it is so much against our nature to suffer a reproach, that we will rather suffer torment than confess our fault. Our first father being asked by God, why he had transgressed his commandment, did cast the blame upon the wom●● who had deceived him and she being asked why she did deceive him, made answer that the serpent was importunate with her, and did persuade her; and so in stead of confessing, they began to excuse themselves. S. Augustine upon the Apostles words saith, Woe be unto me, woe be unto me: for I do inherit sin from my father, an excuse from my mother, lying from the devil, folly of the world, to make much of myself of the flesh, and pride of myself; insomuch that I am not content to be m●ght, but I would also be counted good. Seneca writing unto his friend saith thus, Our news from hence are these, the walls of Rome are ruined, the Temples not visited, the Priests fled, the treasure rob, old men are dead, young men are wicked and mad, & vices are lords of all. O my good friend Eucilius, if these seem great faults, there are other greater than these in Rome: and they are, that no man doth confess himself culpable of any of these things; but the Dictator layeth the blame upon the Consul, the Consul upon the Censor, the Censor upon the Prae●●r, the Praetor upon the Aedile, and the Aedile upon the Quaestor; insomuch that because no man doth confess his fault, we never hope to have an amend meant of it. O my soul (saith Anselmus) O my heart, why dost thou confess us, but because thou shouldest amend us. Woe be unto me, woe be untome, there is no sin that Peommit, for the which I have not an excuse; that is, the devil deceived me, my friend entreated me, I was weak and feeble, the world drew me on, I took not heed, insomuch that I am more faulty in my excuse, than in committing the offence. justus prior est accusator sut, said the wise man in his proverbs, The greatest token that a man is just and honest is, that he knoweth not how to accuse another of any thing that he seethe, nor excuse himself of any thing that he doth. When the Angel rebuked the children of Israel in Galgalos, they did presently break down their Idols, cloth themselves with fackclothes: by reason whereof when the Lord saw that they began to confess their fault, and not excuse it, he did not only pardon them, but did also comfort them. When king David took away Bersabe unto his house, and sent her husband unto the wars, when the Prophet Nathan sent from God did reprehend him for it, he did there presently confess his fault, and was there presently absolved for it. When Achab the murderer was rebuked by the Prophet Helias for stoning Naboth to death, because he denied him his Vineyard, he wept immediately and fasted, & repent him of that which he had done, and therefore he was absolved of his fault before the Prophet went out of the threshold of his door. Who ever hath confessed with his heart, which hath not been pardoned at God's hands? Why dost thou think that the thief obtained pardon so quickly at God's hands, but because he excused Christ, instructed his fellow, and accused himself? This was a glorious confession, and a fault worthy of pardon, seeing that on the Mount of Calvary, and not in the Temple, upon the tree & not in place of confession, publicly & not secretly, aloud and not in muttering wise, he confessed the son of God to be our redeemer, and himself a sinner. O holy thief (saith Chrisostome) Why dost thou not ask that they would unlose the cords which thou art bound with, or pull out the nails which thou art nailed with, or look unto thy house & family, because thou art now going out of this world, or that they would bury thy sorrowful body? Truly that seemeth to be an exceeding great love which thou didst bear unto Christ, seeing thou didst forget thyself, and remember him, excuse his innocency, & proclaim thine own offences. It would not hurt us at all, to confess that which thou didst confess, saying, Nos quidem justè patimur, We do justly suffer. For if our faults were put in a balance on one side, and our punishment on the other, without comparison our Lord doth dissemble much more than he doth punish. For if our Lord would punish all our offences according to their desert, we could live but a small time.   

CHAP. X. How the son of God was more grateful unto the good thief, which bore him company on the cross, than Pharoahs' cupbearer was to joseph who accompanied him in prison.  
MEmen to mei, cum bene tibi fuerit, ut suggeras Pharaoni ut educas me de isto carcere, quia huc innocens missus sum. These are the words of holy joseph, speaking unto Phareahs' chief cupbearer: as if he would say, For a reward of interpreting thy dream, & for letting thee understand, that thou shouldest upon the morrow return again to the palace, and use thy old office of the cupbearer, I beseech thee that thou wouldst be mindful of me, and entreat the king that he would let me out of this dungeon, where I have been two years without cause or desert at all. There were in prison at one time with ●oseph Pharoahs' baker and cupbearer, who having dreamt each of them sundry dreams, and not knowing what they meaned, joseph did interpret them unto them, telling them that after three days they would hang the baker, and return the cup bearer unto the palace: all which came to pass as joseph had told them. After that chaste joseph had been two years in prison because he would not sin with his master's wife, he entreated the king's cupbearer very earnestly that he would speak unto the king for him: but he was so ungrateful, that he never thought of him any more, of whom he had received such good news. God doth not well like of such persons which are not thankful for the benefits bestowed upon them. Which is easily perceived: for although Pharaohs cupbearer had forgotten to do that which good joseph requested him to do, yet the scripture doth not forget to accuse him for a thankless and an ungrateful man. Rich Laban was ungrateful unto his son in law jacob, who although he had served him forty years continually for his shepherd, yet he paid him very unthankfully for all that service: for over and beside, that he gave him one daughter for another at the time of his marriage, he deceived him also in parting of his goods. Saul was also ungrateful unto his good son in law David, who having slain in his service that great Philistian, and oftentimes delivered all the people of Israel from the enemies, yet Saul launched a dart at him at dinner time, where David had ended his life, if he had not defended himself speedily from him. The young Prince Amon was ungrateful unto the good king David, who having sent to comfort him for the death of his father, the young youth cut off a piece of king David's Ambassadors coats, and shaved half their beards, saying: that they went not to comfort him, but to be a spy over him. King joas was ungrateful unto the High Priest joiada, who having brought him up from his childhood, and done him great services, yet joas commanded his son to be slain, not because he had been a Traitor, but because he had rebuked the king to be a sinner, and a trangressor of the law. King Demetrius was ungrateful unto the good captain jonathas, who after he had sent to secure king Demetrius being in great distress, and to levy the siege being besieged, yet good jonathas had no greater adversary afterward than the king Demetrius. Cognovit bes possessorem suum, & asinus praesepe domini suit Israel autem non cognovit me, said God by the Prophet isaiah in the first chapter: as if he would say, What meaneth this, people of Israel, what meaneth this? The ox knoweth the labouring man which doth yoke him, and the ass knoweth him which giveth him meat, in the stable, and thou Israel dost neither know me for thy Lord and master, neither remember thyself of the good turns which I have made unto thee. Isidorus upon these words saith, That God compareth a thank less and an ungrateful man as it were in an anger, unto an ox which is a heavy beast, and unto to an ass which is a foolish beast: because that to say the troth no man omitteth to be thankful for the benefits received, unless he be a wayward and sluggish man in conversation, or a fool in condition. Is not think you an ungrateful man a fool, and a very fool, seeing he maketh himself unworthy of an other benefit, by not being thankful for that which he hath received? There is no vice in the world which hath not his seat rather in one kingdom than in another, as pride among the Babylonians, envy among the jews, anger among the Thebans, covetousness among the Thirians, gluttony among the Sidonians, and the magical art among the Egyptians. But there is no man which will receive ingratitude in his house, no man willingly give him a seat to sit in. For although I be ungrateful to thee, yet I would not have thee be ungrateful unto me. Seneca in his book of Anger saith, That it is not only a grief, but also a perilous thing to have to do with an ungrateful man: for when he purposeth not to pay that which he oweth, he hateth him whom he ought not; and by that means for having been his friend, ●●e● turneth to be thy enemy. Cicero in his Books De Legibus reporteth, that Bisias the Grecian, Osiges the Lacedaemonian, Bracaras the Theban, and Scipio the Roman counted it a lesser hurt to be banished into strange countries, than to live in their own countries with those which were ungrateful for their seruivices. Plautus saith very well in a Comedy, That it is the property of a base mind, & of an impudent man to give every man leave to serve him, & be ungrateful unto all men for their service: and thereupon it is, that he which serveth an ungrateful man serveth no body, & he which doth any thing for an ungrateful man, doth for no man. Eschines the Philosopher saith, that although the cities of Thebes & Athens be full of naughty men, yet there are not so many of any sort, as of ungrateful men: & the reason of this great mischief is, because we take those to be our friends which are not expedient for us to take, and give our gifts unto those which know not how to be thankful for them. Whereof thinkest thou doth it proceed, that no men be thankful for that which thou dost bestow upon them, nor acknowledge the favours thou dost them, but because thou dost admit those to be thy familiars, which ought not to be taken for thy neighbours? If thou dost any good (saith Cyprian) unto those which deserve it, I assure thee that he will be grateful for it: but if thou give unto him who is straight unto himself, how wouldst thou have him liberal unto thee? To come then unto the purpose, although King Pharaohs cupbearer was ungrateful unto holy joseph, yet certainly Christ was not so unto the good thief, seeing that upon the cross he did more for him than he deserved, and also gave him more there than he asked. And therefore seeing we have told you what the thief demanded of Christ, it is convenient now that we tell you what Christ gave the thief, and thereby we shall plainly perceive, that our Lord is more liberal in giving, than we are in ask. Amen dico tibi hody mecum eris in Paradiso, said Christ unto the thief: as if he would say, O thou thief, my friend and companion, dost thou think that I have forgotten the service that thou hast done me in honouring me & keeping me company until this my last hour? I promise thee as I am God, and swear unto thee as I am man, that this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. O this was a glorious answer, and a happy legacy, which the divine wisdom gave unto this good thief, because that in old time God recompensed all the services done unto him by increasing their wealth, or prolonging their days, or delivering them from war, or saving them from plague. O happy speech, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, because that all which God gave from the beginning of the world, was as it were from the tiles of our house downwards: but that which he giveth now is from the heavens upward, that is, such a gift as no tongue is able to express; Do tibi partem unam extra fratres tuos, said jacob unto his son joseph when he was at the point of death: as if he would say, For the troubles which thou hast endured with this mystery was, that when the children of Israel saw the sea before them, which they could not pass over, and the Egyptians behind them, who came with intent to slay them, they began to complain of Moses, and in his presence cry out aloud, why he had brought them out of Egypt, where they had their sepulchres, and lead them into the deserts where they should be eaten up of wild beasts. Moses' seeing himself in such a narrow strait, spoke not one word unto our Lord, but began to weep, and with his heart only to pray unto God and commend himself unto him: which prayer was of such great force & efficacy, that it seemed to move God greatly to condescend unto that which he had asked him. Good Moses did pray, & yet did not cry; he wept and yet spoke not; he sighed and made no noise; he desired and entreated not; and he hoped, and yet he did not importunately urge. This was a high kind of importuning, by not importuning; and a high kind of ask in not ask: for to obtain that which we desire at God's hands, sighing is better than crying out, & more is gotten by offering unto him tears, than by speaking many words. S. Gregory in his Morals saith, That God did not bear false witness against Moses, in saying that he did importune him, in not importuning him; and that he astonished him by crying, he not crying at all: because there is no higher kind of ask than by praying, nor any sweeter manner of speaking with God, than by weeping. Barnard saith, How is he not busy who is busy with his heart, and what doth not he obtain who asketh with tears? S. Augustine upon the Apostles words saith, That our Lord doth oftentimes hear the heart when he prayeth, although the tongue do not speak outwardly: but he never heareth the tongue which speaketh outwardly, if the heart do not pray inwardly: because our Lord is nearer unto the heart with the which we love him, than unto the tongue with the which we speak unto him. Our Lord had great reason to say unto M●ises, Quid clamas ad me, What dost thou cry unto me for? Because he had more respect unto the tears which Moses wept, than unto the cries which the people made; and so he regarded more that which Moses desired with silence, than that which the people demanded with a noise. What meaneth this O great God of Israel, what meaneth this? Dost thou not answer one word to the people which call upon thee, & dost thou answer Moses which doth not speak one word unto thee? Dost thou hold thy peace when the jews and torturers speak unto thee at the foot of the cross, and dost thou answer the thief for speaking once unto thee? There is no such great difference betwixt torturers and thieves, and thieves and torturers, that the one should be heard, and the other repulsed: for if torturers and hangmen take their lives from such as are hanged, so do great thieves also take away men's riches and apparel by the high way. The wicked jews did not deserve an answer at Christ's hands, seeing they said, come down from the cross; because no man should be so bold as to bid him come down, but go up: because such as are to go into hell, go down, and those which are to go to heaven go upward. The hangmen did not deserve to be answered of Christ, which said Thou who dost destroy the temple of God, because he came not into the world to take away the stones of Salamons' Temple, but to win souls unto his father which is in heaven. For it availed Christ very little to that which he pretended, whether the temple stood or were fallen down. Neither did the naughty thief deserve an answer who said unto Christ, Save thyself and us, because there was no man able by any force to put Christ upon the cross, unless he had gone up of his own will, & that not to fly from it, but to redeem the world upon it. Why should the son of God answer so naughty a thief, seeing he demanded nothing, but to have his life saved, not making any mention at all of his soul? When the naughty thief said unto Christ, save thyself & save me too, what else did he pretend or demand, but that by some miracle, or by some words of enchantment he should deliver them from the crosses, and put them in safety? Irenaeus in a sermon saith thus, According unto the great love, that Christ died with, & according unto the great quantity of blood which issued out of his body, it had been but a small enterprise for Christ to have loosed the thief, & have sent him to keep his Easter in his own house, because he came not into the world to set thieves at liberty, but to save sinners. Cyprian saith, That if as that naughty thief did ask Christ that he would pull out those nails, and slacken those cords, and deliver him from those torturers, and assuage his torments, he would have asked somewhat touching his soul, or that he would have had mercy showed upon him, our gracious Lord would not have refused to answer him to that which he said, nor have denied him that which he demanded. O what a thief he is (saith Haymo) and a thieves fellow, who can ask nothing of Christ, but honour to get him credit, power to defend himself, and might to offend others, riches to enjoy, liberty to command, and health to live only in this world! Such as dare to ask these things of our Lord, be either Christians without souls, or thieves without shame, of whom I do now prophesy, that if they be not hanged like thieves, they shall be condemned like sinners. Let us take example by this dreadfulll example, that we do not ask with the naughty thief, that our Lord would take us from the cross, but that he would keep us on the cross; nor let us not ask of him that he would give us a long life, but that he would amend our consciences. For look how willing our Lord is, to give us things necessary to save us, so is he unwilling to give us that which we do ask of him to cocker us.   

CHAP. XI. Of these words Domine memento mei, Lord remember me, which the good thief spoke unto Christ: the which words are devoutly and deeply expounded.  
QVia patience est dominus, indulgentiam fusis lachrimis postulemus ab eo, said the holy woman judith speaking to the inhabitants of Bethulia in the eight chapter of her book: as if she would say, It seemeth best unto me O ye citizens of Bethulia that we kneel down upon our knees, our hands joined together, and our eyes full of tears, and crave pardon of our Lord for our sins, and that it would please him to deliver us from our enemies. Holofernes the Tyrant had so narrowly besieged the city of Bethulia, that within five days they would have delivered themselves unto the enemy, if the siege had not been raised, or some new succour come unto them. There was in the same city a widow named judith, who was beautiful in her countenance, chaste in her body, rich in estate, and of great fame and credit among the people. This holy judith perceiving that the captains of the city were dismayed on one side, and the neighbours despaired on the other, said unto them as followeth: Who are you which dare tempt the great God of Israel, and will give yourselves to be slaves, if he do not deliver you from the Assyrians within five days? Will you prescribe five days to the infinite mercy of the Lord, who hath neither beginning nor ending? Do you not know that such a promise and vow made against our Lord, doth rather stir him to indignation, than appease his anger? Care not then to load yourselves with arms, but with larmes: care you not to make provision of victuals, but to weep for your sins: because you should be more afraid of your sins, than of your enemies. The war which you endure, and the hunger which you suffer, the God of heaven, and not Holofernes maketh against you, and with no other weapons but with your own offences: and you must learn, that the enemies who besiege you, are rather executioners of Gods divine justice, than enemies of your Commonwealth. All the time that our forefathers were at peace with our Lord, they did well; and when they neglected their duty unto him, it went not well with them: and as it fared then with them, so doth it now with us; in so much that all our pains and travels come from the hands of God, either to punish us, or for to make us merit. Tell me (saith David) what are we able to do, what are we able to perform, or what do we know if we be not guided by the hand of God? If then our ableness must come from God to do any thing, and our strength from him to be able to perform any thing, and our knowledge from him if we will guess aright at any thing, in whose hands should we put our hope, but in the hands of his divine mercy? Let it be so then, that there be a proclamation made throughout all Bethulia, that the old men fast, the young men give themselves discipline, the Priests pray, and all weep together, that it would please God to keep and deliver not the walls from enemies, but our hearts from sins. All the citizens were very much amazed at that that holy judith counseled them, and all accepted her counsel, by reason whereof, within five days Holofernes was beheaded, he and his defeated, the city unburdened, and the country pacified. To return then fitly unto our purpose, agreeably unto this advise our thief behaved himself on the cross with Christ: for first, he desired our redeemer of the world to forgive him his sins, before he asked him that it would please him to take him with him unto the kingdom of heaven. This thief did not say unto Christ, When thou comest into thy kingdom, Lord remember me, for so he might have seemed to ask for heaven before he had asked for the remission of sins; but he said Domine memento mei, Lord remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. In which words he first made his confession, and then form his petition. What doth it avail thee to ask of Christ, if he be angry with thee: first make Christ thy friend, then ask favour at his hands. For it is the manner and condition of our Lord, that first thou give thyself unto him, and then for him to give himself unto thee. Vbertinus saith, That it is greatly to be noted, that the good thief did not say unto Christ, take me from this cross, help to unloose me, give me life, restore my credit; but he said, Lord remember me, seeing that thou knowest better what to give me, than I. to ask of thee. S. Ambrose upon S. Luke saith, That this thief was very happy and glorious, seeing he taught the church how to pray, as he had taught the Synagogue how to steal, considering he said nothing in his petition, but Lord remember me: the which prayer although it were short, yet it was full of mystery, because that we need not to be very importunate with God to win his favour, but remember him of our business with Domine memento mei. What sayest thou good thief, what sayest thou? Domine memento mei dum veneris in regnum tuum: as if he would say, O holy Prophet, O jesus of Galily, by the blood which thou shedst, I beseech thee, & by the love with the which thou didst shed it, I pray thee, that thou wouldst be mindful of me, when thou shalt come into thy own proper kingdom. If we will reckon the five words, they are these: Domine the first, memento the second, mei the third, dum veneris the fourth, in regnum tuum the fift. Now it is to be noted, who spoke these words, that is a thief, unto whom he spoke them, which was Christ, where he spoke them, which was upon the cross, and when he spoke them, and it was when he was ready to die: insomuch that if they be easy to be counted, they are hard to be understood. He doth begin his prayer like a curious Orator with this word Domine, Lord, wherein it seemeth that he doth confess in Christ, his Deity and divinity, his essence and power, his authority and rule, his justice and liberality. Origen saith, If the good thief should believe that Christ was a mighty and great king, yet would he ask him no less than a whole kingdom? This word Lord is a high beginning of a petition: for if he who asketh do not believe that all things are under his mighty hand, he could not think that he should obtain any thing. O glorious thief (saith Anselmus) and happy martyr, what dost thou see in this Lord which is crucified, what dost thou see in him on the cross, why thou shouldest commend thyself unto him? Who ever saw or heard the like, that one which was bound should commend himself unto another, which was also bound; and one which was crucified unto another in the same case? Dost thou ask that those confederacies and friendships which end in death, should begin with Christ and thee in death? Seeing he who should be a Lord, should be at liberty and in freedom, why dost thou call him Lord, which is fastened to the cross, and crucified like thyself? Seeing that he who should be a Lord, aught to be mighty and rich, why dost thou call him Lord, who was poor in his life time, and naked in his death? But this Prophet whom I call upon, and unto whom I commend and commit myself, is a mighty Lord, and a king of great power, seeing the son lost his light for compassion, the stones broke with grief, the vail rend in sunder for a mystery, the graves opened with fear, and the Centurion confessed him to be Christ. O great God of Israel, O great Lord of the house of Iacob●, for this cause thy name is admirable, and worshipped in all the circuit of the earth, because thy power and dominion is doubled and redoubled, more than any man's in the world. Cassiodorus noteth upon this matter, That the holy scripture doth never call any twice Lord, Lord, but Christ alone; because he alone, and none with him, is Lord of heaven and earth, of life and death, body and soul, and of peace and war. We cannot call Hector the Trojan, Anchises the Grecian, Alexander the Macedonian, and Caesar the Roman, Lord, more than once, because they were kings only of their own kingdoms: but unto the son of God, we say twice Domine domine noster, Lord our Lord, because his siegnory is so great, that no man is able to limit it, nor set any bonds unto it. Every other Prince hath his kingdom limited and set with bonds, either to the top of a steeple or covering of a house; and if it be not so, let him send a post from thence upward, and he shall perceive that his kingdom reacheth no higher: which cannot be said to be true of the son of God's Empire, seeing it goeth from one end of the world until the other, and reacheth up unto the highest heaven. Considering that David calleth Christ, Lord Lord twice, why doth he call him only once Lord. The mystery of this mystery is, that David called him Lord, Lord twice, because he should keep his body from his enemies, and carry his soul unto those which are blessed: but the good thief did call him but once Lord, because his intention was not that Christ should keep his life, but only that he would vouchsafe to save his soul. Why dost thou think (saith S. Basil upon the Psalm) that David said unto our Lord, Lord calling him twice Lord, but because he was Lord of the truth, and of the figure, of the church and of the synagogue, of the Prophets and of the Apostles, and of the old Testament and of the new? The good thief would not call Christ Lord twice, because he would let us understand, that the figure is fulfilled, and the truth come; that the church is come and the synagogue ended; that the Prophets are dead, and the Apostles succeeded in their place; that the old law is buried, and the Gospel proclaimed. Why, think you, doth the good thief call Christ Lord but once, but because we have but one Lord to believe, & one redeemer to worship? To say once Christ remember me, was to say, that he would have him and no other for a master to serve, for God in whom he would believe, for his Lord whom he would obey, for a friend whom he would trust unto, & for an advocate in whose hands he would put himself into. The second word which the thief said unto Christ was Remember me: as if he would say, Seeing that I do confess thee here before all men to be my Lord, and upon this cross acknowledge thee to be my redeemer, have me in remembrance, my good Lord, seeing I have remembered thee, and turned unto thee. Remember me O sweet jesus: seeing thou hast created me, remember me; seeing thou hast redeemed me, remember me; and seeing thou hast lightened me, remember me; and seeing thou hast chosen me, remember me: for it would avail me very little, that thou shouldest give me light to know thee, if withal thou shouldest not give me grace to serve thee. Remember me O good jesus, because I am hard by thy side, remember me because I believe in thee, remember me because I trust in thee, remember me because I hope in none but in thee; and seeing I have offered myself for to be thy perpetual servant, remember I beseech thee to accept me for thine. Remember me because thou hast raised me from the dust, remember me because thou hast made me a Christian, remember me to make me good, and remember me to give me heaven, and above all things I beseech thee that seeing thou hast given thy life for me, remember me that I lose not my soul. O good jesus giver of life, with my tongue I beseech thee, and with my heart I ask it of thee, that seeing thou dost shed thy precious blood upon the cross for me, remember me that it be not evilly bestowed on me: and when shall thy blood be evilly bestowed on me, but when it is not by thee accepted for me? Seeing thou hast sweat oft for me, suffered most grievous pains for me, endured unspeakable persecutions for me, and hast dissembled my abominable offences; what dost thou gain O good jesus, what dost thou gain, if I lose my soul, and thou the fruit of thy precious blood? Remember me O Lord, seeing that in pardoning my fault, and by saving my soul, thou shalt make a Christian, people heaven the more, every thy church, spread abroad thy fame, and exalt thy mercy. Remember the sabbath day, said God in the law, remember the days passed said Moses unto God, remember because my life is a wind said holy job, remember how I have walked before theesaid king Ezechias when he was sick, and remember me said good joseph when he was in prison, and remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom, I say unto thee here now crucified upon the cross. What should I say, O the light of my life? What dost thou ask me that I have not given thee, and what do I possess that is not thine? I have already given my money to the jailor, my coats to the hang man, I have salne out with my companion who injuried thee, I have made the best answer that I could for thy honour, and therefore I can do nothing more, but say, Lord remember me, Domine memento mei: and seeing I offer thee the confession of Miserere, & that upon my knees, and my eyes washed with tears, why shouldest thou shut the gates of thy mercy against me, my confession being thus just, being condemned for a naughty person as thou art, my members disjointed the one from the other like thine, crucified upon the cross like thyself, I believe faithfully in thee, and commend myself wholly unto thee saying, Lord remember me, Lord-remember me: and I beseech thee have pity on me, seeing that in suffering I am like unto thee. I die for being a thief, and thou for the same cause; they put me to death on the Mount of Calvary, and on the Mount of Calvary they kill thee, at high noon days they execute me, and at the same hour they execute thee, thou art as near the end of thy life, as I am near to death; and therefore Lord remember me: thus as we depart both together out of this world so also we may both together go into heaven. What reason doth permit it, or what justice doth suffer, O my good Lord, that thou shouldest take me for thy companion, to suffer on the cross with thee; and when thou dost go into heaven, to leave me here behind thee? Seeing thou wilt departed out of this world to death, and that through such a narrow passage and long way, whom canst thou take with thee better than the thief, which was thy fellow upon the tree? It is necessary that thy poor mother live, thou hast left thy john thy cousin to his own custody, Peter thy Disciple hath denied thee, judas thy steward hath sold thee, all the jews have been ungrateful unto thee; and therefore seeing that thou dost see no body near thee, who doth confess and acknowledge thee but myself alone, who am here alone with thee, Lord remember me, and either give me somewhat in thy Testament, or take me with thee to Paradise. O holy Nazarean and blessed Prophet, seeing that thou didst hear jonas out of the Whale's belly, Daniel out of the lake of Babilonia, joseph out of the dungeon of Egypt, jeremy out of the dark well, and didst hear David when he said, Tibi soli peccavi, I have sinned unto thee only, why dost thou not heare-mee, when I cry Lord remember me, Domine memento mei? Behold O my good Lord, behold O my good companion, now my eyes do break, now my last hour is come, now my sight faileth me, and my speech is troubled, and my soul is pulled out of my body, and therefore in this narrow passing and doubtful way, unto whom should I say better than unto thee, Lord remember me, yea and all the whole Psalm of Miserere? joshua was a thief, seeing he stole grapes from Chanaan, David was a thief, seeing he stole the bottle of water from Saul, Rachael was a thief, seeing she stole the idols from her father, jonathas was a thief, seeing he stole honey from the hive, josaba was a thief, seeing he stole the infant jonas, and yet thou didst not command any one of all these to be hanged, nor send them from thy houseuf this be so, and if thou didst forgive those which stole thy goods, wilt thou not forgive me poor thief, who turn for thy honour's sake, and keep thee company in this place? Seeing that of old time, thou art accustomed to forgive very famous thieves, and dissemble very notorious thefts, why dost thou not forgive me among them, and absolve me of my sins? If thou wilt have tears for the thefts which I have done, thou seest that they run down my cheeks; if thou dost content thyself to see blood, thou seest that there is no drop left in me, if thou wilt have me whip myself, I am already bowelled, if thou wilt have me repent, I say unto thee Soli peccavi, if thou wilt have me make entire satisfaction, how canst thou have me to do it, not having half an hour to live? Lord jesus remember me, and be my surety unto thy father in the other world, and put me with thy chosen flock, writ me in thy book, and place me in thy glory, seeing that the faith of which thou art, doth flourish only in thy mother, and remaineth in my heart. Remember me O good jesus, and if thou wilt departed out of this sorrowful life into the other before me, I beseech thee, leave me the step of thy foot to tread in, and a pathway to follow thee: for if I acknowledge thee for my God, and receive thee for my God, and believe in thee for my God, being as thou art dismembered and crucified, shall not I serve thee, and praise thee far better when I shall see thee glorified? Darest thou trust me with thy cross, because I should worship it, and with thy body because I should accompany thee, and with thy mother to comfort her, and with thy honour to defend it, and with thy church to augment it, and with thy faith to maintain it, and wilt thou not put thy glory into my hands, that I may always praise thee in it? When they condemned thee to be crucified, and brought me to be executed, I heard thee say there before Pilate, That thy kingdom was not of this world: and then seeing thou art a king, and hast a kingdom, remember me and take me with thee, and I will tell thy father what thou hast suffered to serve him, and all the favours which thou hast done for me. Now that the good thief hath made his prayer unto God, and recommended himself unto him, it is reason now that the naughty thief have licence to speak, which is my naughty and perverse heart; because the thief which hanged on the left hand of God, did blaspheme Christ but once, but thou, my soul, dost blaspheme him every day. Remember me O sweet jesus, and have mercy on me, O my soul's glory, to the end that the shedding of thy precious blood, be not evilly bestowed in me: for at the time when thou didst shed it, thou didst not feel so grievously the want of it in thy body, as thou didst feel the ungratefulness of the whole world. And when is thy precious blood unthankfully shed for me, but when I yield unto that which my Sensuality demandeth of me, and not unto that which thy Gospel counseleth me? What is all that worth which I would, if thou wilt not? If thou goest to seek out thieves, and if thou dost hunt after sinners; why dost thou seek for any more than for me; because there is no thief who hath committed greater robberies than I, nor any sinners who hath done more grievous sins than I? O patiented and benigue Lord, if the wickedness of my heart, and the offences which I have committed, in secret were known notoriously unto the judges of the world, as they are known unto thee, I should many years ago have been hanged, and in the other world condemned. I will not say with the Prophet David, Where be thy old mercies, seeing that I see them enter every day into my gates, because I do not make more haste to sin, than thou to pardon me. The pardon which thou didst give unto the good thief, doth give us also great hope to obtain pardon at thy hands: for he being come to the gibbet, condemned for his offence, went away sanctified with thy Grace. If thou do give thieves and robbers kingdoms, what wilt thou do and give unto them whom thou dost love; and are chosen of thy father? If thou didst give the kingdom of heaven to a rover and a these for speaking one only word unto thee, and serving thee one half hour, what wilt thou give unto him O good jesus who loveth thee with all his heart, & praiseth thee with his tongue, and emploieth all his might and power in thy service.   

CHAP. XII. How our Lord heard the thieves prayer upon the cross, and how Christ answered him seven words for five which he spoke unto Christ.  
DOminus exaudivit vocempueri de loco in quo est, Genesis 21. said the Angel unto Ishmael his mother: as if he would say, Take no care O Agar, take no care: for although thou hast lost thy way, and art banished in this desert, fear no peril, because our Lord hath heard the prayer of the youth thy son, because he hath prayed where he hath prayed. The Patriarch Abraham had a bastard child by Agar his maid and slave, both which were thrown out of doors after that he had a lawful child borne unto him, and these two went up a mountain alone in great despair, & our Lord sent unto them an Angel to comfort them, and to give them drink. Origen saith, That if we look well into the scripture, we shall neither read, that the mother did pray unto the Lord, neither is it made mention that the son did commend himself unto God: but that God's great mercy is so great, that by seeing the youth Ishmael weep, and the sorrowful mother lament and cry, our Lord was moved to comfort them by word, and also relieve them in deed. Plato in his Timao saith, That it doth smally benefit the grieved and comfortless to visit them seldom, and speak much unto them, and give them no comfort at all, unless that comfort be wrapped in some remedy and relief. Seneca saith, That if a friend do visit his friend, and find him heavy and sad, and so leave him, if he find him poor and so leave him, if he find him weeping, and leave him weeping, we will say of such a one, that he goeth rather to jest, than to visit and comfort: because a comfortless heart, is much better appeased with that which we give him with our hands, than with that which we speak unto him with our tongue. S. Ambrose in his Exameron saith, That to the end a work of mercy may be perfect & more acceptable unto our Lord, it ought neither to be asked of any, nor craved, but voluntarily & liberally be bestowed, because there is nothing more dear in this world, than that which is bought with entreaty. O that he buyeth very dearly, who buyeth by the change and price of his shame; because that shamefast men and of liberal hearts, do without comparison grieve more when they uncover & show their face, than when they untie their purse. Cicero to Atticus saith, That there is nothing wherein a Gentlemanlike man taketh more delight than in giving, and greater grief than in ask; because that in giving, he maketh himself Lord of him unto whom he giveth, and in taking he maketh himself a slave to him of whom he receiveth. Hilarius saith, That to deal with God, there need no words but tears, nor many entreaties but many sighs: for when we pray unto our Lord, he hath greater regard unto the heart which desireth, than unto all that which the tongue speaketh. Agar the slave, and Ishmael her son, spoke no word unto God, nor yet made any petition unto him, but each of them being set down under a several oak, the son did never fill himself with weeping, and the mother never ceased from sighing, the which holy tears were not unpaied, nor sighs unaccepted. To come then unto our purpose, if our Lord did hear Ismaels' tears, which was in the desert, will he not also hear the memento mei, which the thief spoke unto him in the Mount of Calvary? Let no man marvel that we compare the thief with Ishmael, and Ishmael with the thief: for as the one was brought up in the mountains a hunting, so the other went by the high ways a robbing, & as Ishmael had one very virtuous brother, so also this thief had a blasphemer to his companion. Is●●ael was young, for he was not above three years of age, the thief was also young, for he had not been as yet three hours a Christian, because that before our Lord, the years when we are borne, are not reckoned, but the time from whence we are baptised. After Christ's resurrection, he called his disciples children and younglings, not respecting that some of them were old, and had grey hairs, but that they had not been long baptised, that is, when he washed their feet in the parlar, and ordained them Priests after his supper. If Ishmael did weep at the foot of the oak in the desert, so did the good thief weep also upon the cross on Calvary: and that which is more excellent is, that if he gave the one water whereof he should drink, he gave the other his blood, wherewith he should be saved. As Abraham had one lawful child, which was Isaac, and another a bastard which was Ishmael, so God the father had or lawful child, which was Christ, and the other a bastard, which was the thief; and of these two, the one was borne in the church, and the other in the Synagogue. The blessing which fell unto Ishmael, was that he should be against all men and all men against him: the which blessing also the good thief had, who being upon the cross, and all purposing to kill and crucify Christ, he against all [though all against him] defended him and excused him. Ishmael was a father of many barbarous people, and the good thief was an example of many great sinners, but not that they should live wickedly as he had done, but that they should turn unto our Lord as he did. Agar the mother could not see Ishmael her son die, neither could the son of God see his companion the thief be condemned: and therefore as the tears of the one were grateful unto him, even so the words of the other were pleasing unto him; to wit, when he said on the cross, Lord remember me, and O good jesus have mercy upon me. With great reason, and for good occasion the son of God did give care unto all that the good thief would speak unto him, and unto all that which he did request of him, because he used such measure and discretion in his petition, that he asked nothing which should be for his comfort, but for his salvation. If he would have asked any thing for his comfort, he would have asked that the cudgels which wound his cords should have been slackened, or that they would have pulled out the nails, or healed his wounds, or that they would pull him down from the cross, or that they would give him longer life: but he asked none of all this, but only that Christ would have his soul in remembrance, not mentioning his person at all. Our Lord could not deny him so reasonable a petition, nor delay him, but he answered him immediately: for even as he said, Domine memento moi, Christ said presently unto him, hody mecum eris in Paradiso, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. The naughty thief did not deserve to have an answer at Christ's hands neither soon nor late, partly because it was the son of God's custom, not to answer those which did injury him, nor esteem of those which bore false witness against him, and partly to advise us, that it is a point of great discretion, not to set by injurious words. Vbertinus saith, Why should Christ hear what the naughty thief would ask him, or make account of it, seeing that he knew very well that if he would have been loosed, it was to steal again, and in stealing again, they would hang him again? In that that Christ would not answer unto the naughty thief, nor yield unto his petition, he used a new kind of clemency toward him; to wit, that he hindered him from sinning any more, and from augmenting his damnation: for if Christ should have taken him from the cross, and he have returned again into the world, by how much the more he would have augmented his sin, by so much the more he should have increased his punishment. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, That our Lord showed his mercy and pity toward both the thieves; unto the good one in giving him glory, to the naughty one in denying him life: for if he had lived longer, he would have sinned more, and according to the measure of his offences, his torments should have been given him. S. Gregory saith, That if our Lord do for us that which we ask, we ought to rejoice; and if he deny us that which we ask him, we must not complain: for if our Lord would have given the sons of Zebedet the kingdom which they required, and unto the naughty thief the life which he craved, it had been unto their great confusion and also damnation. And because that in these words, hody mecum eris in Paradiso, there are contained seven words, as we have noted heretofore; it shall not be amiss, if that upon every word we speak one word, because the curious Reader may see how wisely the thief dealt, and how profoundly Christ did answer him. The first word which Christ spoke unto the thief was Amen, that is, I swear to thee in truth: which word Amen was in the old Testament very famous, and much set by, and in the mouth of the son of God much used, insomuch that the Synagogue did profit herself with that word to confirm that which she swore, & Christ used the same word to swear that which he spoke. In monte Hebal stabunt, Reuben, Gad, Asser, Zabulon, Dan & Nepthalim, ad maledice●dum populum, & respondebit omnts pepulus, Amen, said the Lord unto Moses in the 28 chapter of Genesis: as if he would say, It is my will and pleasure O Moses that six Princes of Israel, that is, Reuben and Gad, and Asser and Zabulon, and Dan and Nepthalim; go up unto the highest of the hill Hebal, and from thence they shall begin aloud to curse all the transgressors of my law, and in the end of every curse, all the people shall answer, Amen. When the six princes were come to the top of the hill Hebal, they began to curse those which broke the law in this manner. Accursed be that man which dare make strange Gods to worship and give honour unto them, although they be of gold and silver, & let all the people say Amen. Cursed be the son or daughter which will not honour his father and his mother, and let all men say Amen. Cursed be that man which jesting at a blind man, shall put his foot before him to make him fall, and shall set him out of the way to make him err, and let all the people say Amen. Cursed be the man which will take money to kill his neighbour by treason and craft, and let all say Amen. Cursed be the judge, who either through hatred or gain which he may pretend, giveth a wrong judgement against a widow, and oppress the orphan, and not ease a stranger, and let all the people say Amen. You may then see that this word Amen was a word of fear and of great rigour, seeing that it was used to confirm their curses, which they did cast upon the people, and not the blessings which they gave them. It is to be noted, that God commanded Moses the same day to go up unto the top of the hill Garisim with six Princes with him, to bless all those which would keep his commandments: but he did not command them in the end of their blessing to say Amen, as he did in the end of his curse. The synagogue was not worthy of this privilege, because God kept it for his church, which is seen by the promise which Christ made unto the good thief, when he said, Amen I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, in so much that Christ began to bless the chosen of his church, with the same word that the synagogue ended her curse against the transgressors of the law. This word Amen (saith Vbertinus) which did serve in the synagogue for a curse, doth serve now in the universal Church for a blessing: the which word the son of God had always in his mouth, when he promised any great matter, or spoke any high secret. Christ did so well like this word Amen, truly, that his Evangelists and Chroniclers do affirm, that he used it fifty and five times, and S. Paul in his Epistles eighteen times, and it is used in the apocalypse also five times, and in the canonical Epistle three times. S. August, upon S. john saith, That the son of God was not content to say once Amen, but he did oftentimes double the word, saying Amen, Amen, truly, truly; giving us thereby to understand, that he did not only speak the truth in that which he spoke, but also that he was the truth itself. There is no Angel nor man (saith Remigius) which can say Amen, Amen: for although they speak the truth in all that they speak, yet it doth not follow that they be the truth itself, because God did not impart this high privilege unto any, but his only son, who by special grace said, Ego sum via & veritas & vita, I am the way and the truth and life. Christ did not say, I know which way the way goeth, but said I am the way: for in troth he who is not guided by Christ shall miss the way to heaven. Nor Christ said not, I give life, but said I am the life, because that in the house of God, they call it not to live, unless they live well, neither do they say that man to live, which is not a good man; nor christ did not say, I speak the truth in that which I say, but said I am the very truth: for even as the devil is a bottom without bottom, from whence all lies do proceed, so the son of God is a fountain from whence all truths do spring. Benedictio & honour & gloria, & potestas in secula seculorum, & quatuor animalia dicebant Amen, apocalypse 5. said the Angels in praise of our Lord: as if they would say, Let honour, glory, power and blessing, be given unto our God, and unto the lamb his son, for ever and ever, and the four beasts answered Amen. Also S. john said in the 7. chapter, That he saw a company of Saints before God, which were so many in number, that they could not be numbered, and so many Angels also that they could not be numbered, clothed with stoles & palms in their hands and prostrate upon the ground, which said no other thing in the praise of God but Amen, Amen, Amen. O what great mysteries and deep secrets are contained under this holy word Amen, seeing we find it in the old Testament, and that Christ used it, and the Angels in heaven praise Christ with it, and the church also doth every where profit herself with it! Doth she not profit herself with it, seeing that in the end of every prayer, she doth confirm it with Amen? Unto World without end, we answer Amen, unto Who liveth and reigneth, we answer Amen: with this holy word the son of God began to pardon, and with the same word the church endeth her prayer. Rupert upon the apocalypse saith, That this word Amen, is neither Greek, nor Latin, nor Chaldey, but Hebrew: and although this word might have been turned as other words were, yet the church did not think it convenient, but as Christ said Amen, so doth the church say likewise Amen. Why did the son of God (saith Chrisost.) begin the pardon, which he gave the good thief, with this word Amen dico tibi, but only to assure him, that he would fulfil all which he promised him? Seeing that it is a custom first to promise that which we will give or do, and then to swear and affirm it, why did the son of God do the contrary, & swear before he promised the thief Paradise? For when Christ said unto the thief, Amen dico tibi, it was as much as to say, I swear in truth: and why would God swear that which he promised, and would not be believed at his word? Cyprian upon the Passion saith, That because that which Christ promised was such a great matter, to wit Paradise, and he unto whom he promised such a grievous sinner, who was a thief, & he who promised, of such small credit, who was a man crucified, and the place where he promised so infamous which was the cross, and the people before whom he promised so vile, who were the jews, the son of God would swear first before he promised. If Christ did swear it was not because there was any want in his word, but because the synagogue should the better believe him. August. upon S. john saith, That if the son of God would not have sworn the performance of so great a gift, it would have seemed unto the jews, that he had promised it him in a mockage; & so much the rather, because that until that very instant, in which Christ said on the cross, hody mecum eris in Paradise, he never gave it unto Saint, nor promised it in scripture. If Christ had not sworn that which he promised, who would not have thought that he had jested in promising credit & honour unto him who had lost his credit, to promise life unto him who was dead, liberty unto him who was bound, riches unto him who was poor, and glory unto him who was infamous? Because the jews obstinacy was so great, and the good thieves faith but young and weak, good jesus would swear before he promised that which he meant to promise; & because all men might be certain, that he who at the point of death, confirmed any thing by oath, ought never to deceive.   

CHAP XIII. How the son of God never used this word Paradise, until he promised it unto the good thief: and of many learned expositions of this saying, hody mecum eris in Paradiso, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.  
NOn frustra dixi semini jacob, quaerite me, quia ego sum dominus loquens iustitias, & annunciansrecte, said God by Esay, chap. 48, as if he would say, I said not in vain unto old honourable jacob, that he should speak with me alone & believe in no other, because I am the Lord who can say nothing but that which is just, nor demand nothing but that which is holy. As God is just (saith Jerome) he saith nothing but that which is just, and as he is holy, he speaketh nothing but holy things; because other men besides him, neither tell us aright what we have to do, nor advise us in time of that which we are to avoid. All out friends and counsellors, when they do advertise us of any thing, do seem rather to go by guess, than be sure of that which they say: and by that means they give us counsel after we have received hurt, and teach us the way after that we have gone astray. God saith very well, that jacob heard him not in vain, neither did Israel that in vain which he commanded him, seeing that he gave him the right of the first birth, due to Esau, and made him son in law unto Laban, and gave him Lia and Rachel for his wives, and made him father of twelve children, and Prince over twelve tribes. O how true it is (saith Origen) when our Lord saith that he speaketh nothing but that which is just, and teacheth nothing but that which is right, seeing he maketh those just who deal with him, and maketh those holy who do converse with him. And if he say that the obstinate men and naughty be his, yet he will not say, that he is one of their number. What can the children of vanity tell us but vain things, and what can the children of lies tell us but lies? Who is loyal and faithful unto him whom he hareth, or whom commodity draweth awry? It is our Lord only who giveth us our sight to see with, and teacheth us which way we should go, and taketh away the stones lest we stumble at them, and giveth us counsel in all that we have to do. Our Lord saith very well, that he is the Lord who speaketh justice and righteousness: for there hath been no man saved until this day, whom he hath not counseled, nor no man lost whom he hath not deceived. King Roboam who was nephew unto David, and son unto Solomon, of twelve kingdoms which he inherited from his predecessors, lost ten of them, for no other reason, but because he believed not our Lord in that which he counseled him, and by following other young men's humours, which pleased his fancy. jeroboam and Assa, and jozias, and Achab, and Benedab, and Manasses, which were famous kings of Israel, what could they do to get credit, what could they do against their enemies, or wherein could they help their friends, or how could they deal in their own affairs, because they believed not in God, nor followed his counsels? And therefore seeing he saith, I am the Lord who speaketh justice, whom should we give ear unto but unto him, whose doing should we credit but his, and especially, seeing that be alone & no other, seethe that which is present, and knoweth all that is past, understandeth that which is doubtful, teacheth unto that that is secret, knoweth things to come, and withal most of all others desireth that which is good for us? Why should I believe in man, and not in God, seeing that of that which is past, he knoweth nothing but that which he hath heard; of that which heeseeth not, he knoweth nothing but that which hath been told him; of secret things he knoweth no more than hath been revealed unto him; of things which are present, he knoweth no more than that which he seethe, and of things to come he knoweth no more than what he can guess at. S. Barnard in an Epistle saith, That it is not without cause that God said by Esay, I am the Lord which speaketh justice and righteousness, because that the counsels which men give us, are but conjectures and no certainties, but the counsels which God giveth us cannot fail but be as he hath ordained. God said unto jacob, non frustrà dixi, quaerite me, that is, That he had not given him that counsel in vain, neither did it repent jacob at any time to have followed it: but few men can say this, nor few counsels can be praised in this sort: for oftentimes it were better give a counsellor his fee, not to follow his counsel, than to follow it. He giveth me counsel in vain, who maketh me more passionate than already I am, and maketh me enter into more suits than I have already begun, because it is the duty of a good friend to put him in his way who is out of it, lift him up who is down, comfort him who is afflicted, and quiet his mind who is moved with passions. Upon those words of the Psalm, Audiam quid loquetur in me dominus deus, Basil the great saith, O how willingly I will hear all that thou wilt say unto me O good jesus, because thou art eloquent in speaking, wise in counseling, pitiful in pardoning, just in succouring, mighty in commanding, bountiful in giving, and true in accomplishing all that thou dost promise. What did ever good man ask of thee, but thou hast commanded it to be given him, and what hast thou commanded but he hath obtained? What can a man give but that which he hath, and what can a man say, but that which he knoweth? Seneca unto this purpose saith, That if we find a man eloquent in speaking, we shall find him weak in wit, to put that in execution which he speaketh; insomuch that if it be a pleasure to hear him, it is dangerous to believe him. If we find a man that is just in relieving him who is oppressed, we shall find him very hard in forgiving his own enemy; insomuch that if he be just in other men's injuries, he is very vindicative of his own. It is the property of a man, that if he have much temporal goods at his commandment, he hath no will to spend them with any; so that if by the request of friends, or importunity of neighbours, he do part with any thing, he doth weep before he doth leave it. It is the property of man, although not of a wise man, to desire to be heard, although he cannot speak, to be feared although he have no authority, and well beloved although he cannot love, and be believed although he speak not true, and he will be served although he have no need. What tongue can speak it, and what heart can suffer and endure to talk with a fool, to love an ungrateful man, to ask and crave of a niggard, deal with a liar, and serve a proud man? He who forgetteth God, and dealeth with man, cumbereth himself with all these inconveniences, and bindeth himself unto all these obligations, and the rather because there is no man who trusteth long another man, but in the end is paid for it. To come then unto our purpose, the good thief was most happy in worshipping Christ alone, and believing in him only: for reward whereof Christ said unto him alone and no other, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise. It is a great pity to see how many Levites and Priests, Lawyers and ancients, neighbours, and acquaintance of Christ were about the cross, looking how he suffered, & watching how he died; unto none of all which he said, Hedie me cum eris in Paradiso, as he did unto the good thief; in so much that they heard the words, but wanted the promise. Seeing our good jesus (saith chrusostom) was determined to give the good thief glory, why did he not give it him, and hold his peace? And seeing he did not send him word by a third person, why did he not tell it him in secret, and in his ear? And seeing he would not tell him in secret, but publicly, why did he not defer the reward? And yet if he would not defer the reward, why did he not send him to heaven alone, but would take him to Paradise with himself? All these are such high mysteries and such deep secrets, that there is no wit able to understand them, nor tongue able to set them forth, nor hand able to write them, and therefore it is necessary for us to crave for the grace of our Lord to direct us in it, and the holy Ghost to lighten us. When Christ said unto the thief, This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, it is as if he had said: O thou thief my friend and fellow, seeing that I know with whom I speak, it is also reason, that thou do know who speaketh: and therefore I let thee understand, that I am the creator of heaven, I am the redeemer of the world, I am the Prophet which is desired, I am the Messiah promised, I am the giver of the Gospel, and I am also the Lord of Paradise. Let all men bear witness with me, & therefore I speak it openly, that I bequeath my eternal Paradise unto this thief by this Will and Testament, because that all such which shall succeed me in my church, may know how well I recompense those which serve me, and how well I deal with those which follow me. Anselmus crieth out and saith, O glorious thief, O happy thief, how fortunate and lucky waist thou, seeing thou didst nothing but that which did content our good jesus, nor saidst nothing but that which well liked him! Thy feet with the which thou didst follow him were happy, the eyes with the which thou didst suffer with him was happy, the tongue with the which thou didst confess him was happy, & the heart with the which thou didst believe in him was happy. S. Chrisost. noteth, That God did send Moses as an Ambassador to Pharaoh, Nathan the Prophet unto David, the great Prophet Esaias unto Manasses, his holy Prophet jeremy unto King Ozias, the Prophet Daniel unto Balthasar, and the Satirical Prophet Helias unto king Achab. The son of God sent a greater imbasie and greater Ambassadors unto the thief, than God the father did unto the Kings, seeing that unto the thief which was crucified on the cross with him, he sent no other ambassador than himself, & so by this means, the embassy and the Ambassador, were all one thing. Was it not think you the self-same thing, seeing that it was Christ which sent the message, & the self-same Christ which carried it? Origen in an Homily saith thus, The greatest message that ever came from heaven into the world was that of the incarnation, and the next unto it was that which Christ did unto the good thief, insomuch that by the coming of the son of God the gate of glory was opened, and in the promise made unto the good thief the possession of it was taken. The embassy which john Baptist brought us, was that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, but the good thief saith not that he is near unto heaven, but that he is within heaven, S. john's was a great embassy, when he said, Behold the lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world: but that of the thieves was better when he said, Behold him here who hath already redeemed the world. The embassy that Samuel brought unto David was good, when as of a shepherd he anointed him king but the embassy which Christ did unto the good thief was far better, because that there passed almost forty years betwixt the time that the kingdom was promised unto David, and the time that it was delivered unto him, but the thief had his kingdom promised him at two of the clock in the afternoon, and was given him presently toward night. The reward for bringing thee news of such a great embassy as that of Christ's was, that is, the promise of glory, he would let no man have but he would win it himself; insomuch he who promised glory & gave glory, was the glory itself. O good jesus, redeemer of my soul, & dost thou well see that in promising glory & Paradise that thou dost promise nothing but thyself? what meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? Dost thou trust malefactors, commend thyself untorovers, offer thyself unto sinners, commit thyself unto thieves? If thou thinkest thyself overcharged with this thief, give him the Province of Achaia, give him part of Assyria, give him the kingdom of Palestine, give him the monarchy of Asia: for in giving him as thou dost give him thyself, if thou were not God as thou art, it would seem that thou shouldest prejudice many. Is there any other Paradise but to enjoy thee, is there any other glory than to see thy face, is there any greater contentment than to be in thy company, is there any goodness but that which cometh from thy hands? This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where thou shalt see me face to face, enjoy my essence, dwell with my person, have the fruition of my glory, thy death shall die, and thy life shall rise again. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where thou shalt be always mine, and I will be thine, where thou shalt serve me, and where I will love thee without end, where thou shalt leave sinning, and I never cease to do thee good. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where thou shalt see joy without sorrow, health without grief, life without death, light without darkness, company without suspicion, plenty without want, and glory without end. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where youth doth never wax old, old age doth never appear, beauty never fadeth, health never decayeth, joy never waxeth less, grief is never felt, no wailing ever heard, nosorrow everseene, and death feareth nor. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where thou shalt go from the gulf to the ●●auen, from the battle to the triumph, from the stream to the spring, from darkness unto light, from wa●● to wealth, from a dream unto the truth, from faith to hope, from cold love to perfect and servant Charity. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise, where thou shalt not know how to weep but laugh, not complain but be joyful, nor ask but g●●e, not blaspheme but bless, not sigh but sing, not hate but love, not mislike but praise, not die but live. This day thou shalt be ●●th me in Paradise, where thy hands shall touch that which they desiced, thy eyes see that th●● they looked for, thy ears hear that which they loved and thy heart possess that which he groaned for. This day thou shalt be with me in Parachse, where thou shalt nor fear the deceits of the Devil, the cockering of the flesh, the vanity of the world, the ambushes of thy enemies, the sudden passions which fall out every day, the necessity of every hour, nor yet the anxiety and grief of mind. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise; where there is no night which is dark, nor day which decreaseth; no rough Winter, nor troublesome Summer, no cold to freeze thee, no heat to distemper thee, no famine to weaken thee, no thirst to make thee dry, no death to make thee afraid, nor life which shall have any end. O my soul, O my heart, wilt thou not tell me what thou dost think upon, or what thou dost contemplate on, seeing thou hearest not this which is spoken: dost thou not mark who speaketh it, nor unto whom he speaketh it, nor dost thou regard where it is spoken? He who speaketh is the son of God, he with whom he speaketh is a thief, that which he saith is that he promiseth Paradise, the place where he speaketh is the Mount of Calvary, the hour when he speaketh is at the point of death, and those before whom he speaketh is the whole Synagogue. Is it possible that an imbasie accompanied with these many circumstances, should not be new and heard? For in Scripture there is nothing necessary, that is not full 〈◊〉 mystery. Certainly this was a very new thing, seeing that Christ never had this word Paradise in his mouth not from the time of his incarnation, until the last hour that he departed out of this world, and then having no other there but the thief which bore him company at that time he promised him Paradise. O my soul, if thou wilt have part in Paradise, behold what a one the son of God is who giveth it, and behold what he doth unto the thief unto whom he gave it; and as thou didst see what they do, so do thou force thyself to do the like. O my soul, O my heart, dost thou not see that our Lord who giveth Paradise is upon the cross, and that the thief unto whom heaven 〈◊〉 given, is also upon the cross, & therefore that the crucified doth nor give the reward of Paradise but unto another crucified. Saint Barnard upon the Passion saith, for mine own part I think not myself deceived, but I know that the naked giveth not his kingdom but unto another naked, he whose joints are unloosed, unto another whose joints are also loosed one from an other, he that is covered with blood, unto another covered with blood also, and the crucified unto another crucified. Thou that sittest sporting thyself what dost thou ask of him who suffereth on the cross? Thou that art clothed and reclothed, what dost thou crave of him who is bowelled upon the cross? Thou that art fair and fat, what dost thou ask of him who is on the cross, one member rend from one another? Thou that art at freedom and liberty, what dost thou ask of him who is nailed and fastened upon the cross? If thou wilt hear (saith Anselmus) O my soul, hody mecum eris in Paradiso, Lift up thy affections from the earth, let thy heart be free from all passions, let thy flesh keep watch and ward over her inclinations, crucify thy liberty on the cross, let blood thy fancy of all presumptions, and bury thy affections that they may not appear. If thou wilt ascend as high as heaven, it is necessary, that with the thief thou take the cross for thy ladder to steal it: for otherwise although thou be a companion with him in sinning, yet for all that thou shalt not so be in reigning.   

CHAP. XIIII. Why the son of God did not say upon the cross unto all men, Amen dico vobis, as he did say unto the thief Amen dico tibi: and how he was the first martyr which died with Christ, and the first Saint which he canonised.  
LOquetur ad eos in ira sua, & in furore suo conturbabit eos, said king David in the second Psalm: as if he would say, when the great God of Israel shall be angry and troubled, he will speak unto the wicked men with anger, and when he shall trouble their judgements, it shall be with great anger. Our Lord doth threaten the wicked whom he meaneth to punish, with two grievous scourges, that is, that he will speak in anger to fear them, and trouble their judgement that they shall not be able to guess at any thing aright. If our Lord speak unto us with anger, it may be borne with, but if he trouble our judgement, it is a thing much to be lamented: for in this wicked world, if he do not lighten our steps to see where we go, we shall fall down upon our face. Barnard crieth out and saith: What shall become of thee, O my soul, if he who should lead me put me out of the way, if he who should secure me forsake me, if he who should pardon me accuse me, and he who should quit me condemn me, and he who should give me sight make me blind? Saint Augustine De verbis Apostoli saith, When it is said in Scripture, that God speaketh unto us with anger, it is meant that he doth not speak with mercy, and when it is said that he doth trouble us with fury, it is to say that he doth not lighten us with his divine grace, because there cannot happen unto us greater hurt in this world, than for God to withdraw his hand from doing us good. There is no anger in God, as there is in man, with the which he doth trouble himself, nor fury to move him withal; and when we say that he is angry, it is because he useth that punishment which in others is done with anger, and if we say that he is in fury, it is because he useth rigorous punishment towards us, or else because he doth not punish at all in this world: for wherein can our Lord show greater anger, than by not using his accustomed clemency? Our Lord's wrath is appeased when he punisheth presently after the offence committed, and he is very angry when he deferreth the punishment unto hell. S. Ambrose saith, That in the house of God, not to punish is to punish, to dissemble is to be angry with, not to speak is to chide, to pardon is to threaten, to suffer is to let it putrefy, & to defer is to revenge the more. Is there, think you, any greater punishment, than not to be punished in this world? When doth our Lord speak unto us with anger, but when we fall from his grace into sin by our fault? God spoke with anger unto our first father, when he said unto him thou shalt eat thy bread in the sweat of thy face, as if he would say, Because thou hast fallen from my grace, and eaten of the apple which I did forbid thee to eat of, for a perpetual punishment, thou shalt eat and drink always with care in thy mind, sweat on thy face, and travail of thy body, insomuch that at the best morsel thou shalt give over eating, and fall to sighing. God spoke also with anger unto the murderer Cain, when he said unto him, behold the blood of thy brother Abel doth cry from the earth unto me: as if he would say Because thou hast slain thy brother Abel through malice and envy, I cannot but do justice upon thee, because his blood crieth aloud for it of me; and thy punishment shall be, that thou shalt wander to and fro all the days of thy life, and thy head shall never cease shaking. God spoke with anger unto the great king Nabugodonoser when he said, Eijciam te ab hominibus, as if he would say, Because thou hast rob my temples of their treasures, and led away my people of the jews captive, thou shalt be thrown out from the conversation of men, & shalt live with beasts on the mountains, thou shalt eat hay like oxen, and be clothed like wild savages with hair, until thou dost acknowledge me for to be thy Lord, and thyself to be a sinner. God spoke with anger unto the great Priest Heli, when he said, Ego praecidam brachium tuum, etc., as if he would say, Because thou didst not punish thy children when they stole away the sacrifices, and behaved themselves dishonestly with women in the Tabernacle, I will take thy Priesthood from thee, I will kill thy steward, and will make that no old man come into thy house, in so much that thou shalt have no children in thy stock to inherit after thee, nor ancient men to counsel thee. To come then unto our purpose, God used this kind of speech unto the Synagogue, but now speaketh otherwise unto the church, as is easily seen in the death of Christ, when he said unto the thief, hody mecum eris in Paradise. We do not read that Christ did ever use this word of anger so oft as he hath done the word of mercy, the which he hath used often, as Per viscera misericordiae dei nostra, said holy Zachary in his song: as if he would say, The son of God came down from the highest of heaven into the earth, moved thereunto by the bowels of his mercy. The holy Prophet doth in this open a high mystery unto us, whereby he giveth us to understand, how entirely our Lord doth love us, seeing that he doth visit us with the bowels of his mercy. There be many which have this word Mercy in their mouth, but not in their hands, and those be such as are fair in speech, but cruel in deeds, and such use sweet speech to take men, and flattery to kill them. Others there be which have mercy in their hands, and nor in their tongues, the which are rough in words, but mild and gentle in deeds, and those offer blows but strike not, they fear but kill not. Only our sweet jesus hath mercy & pity in his mouth, seeing he doth so much commend it unto us, and in his deeds seeing he doth use it so much, and also in his bowels because he doth love us so much. S. Barnard saith unto this purpose, Our Lord would not place mercy in the eyes, lest they should make him blind, he would not place it in the ears, for fear they should make him deaf, he would not place it in the hands, for fear it should be lost, he would not put it to keep in the body for fear lest it should grow old, neither yet in the tongue for fear he should be dumb: But our good jesus put it to keep in his heart to bestow it upon those whom he loveth, and keepeth it within his bowels, because that all that which is loved with the heart is kept within the heart. O good jesus, O the life of my soul, I beseech thee by the bowels of thy mercy, that thou wouldst take pity on my sinful soul, and seeing I have no other Lord in my bowels but thyself, on whom wouldst thou better bestow the mercy which thou hast within thine, than upon me! Thou didst speak with the bowels of thy mercy, unto the good thief, when thou wast not content only to say: Amen, Truly I say, but thou didst add tibi to thee, letting us understand, that thou didst speak unto him alone, and promise Paradise unto him alone and unto no other. Vbertinus saith, That if when Christ said Amen dico, he had not added tibi, his mother who brought forth his humanity, and the other thief which had lost his liberty, might have thought that he had spoken unto them, I say if he had not turned himself unto the good thief, and said tibi. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this, dost thou speak unto the thief, and forget thy mother? Dost thou not speak unto thy mother who bore thee nine months in her bowels, and dost thou speak unto the thief who had known thee but three hours? Dost thou promise presently Paradise unto the thief which spoke but three words, and dost thou make no reckoning of thy mother, who bought thee with her tears? Dost thou bestow thy precious blood, first upon a thief which knew not how to do any thing else but shed blood by the high ways, before thou dost bestow it upon thy mother? Would it not be reason to pay thy mother now with the blood that runneth from thy side, for the milk which thou didst suck of her breast? What more heroical and divine exchange could there be made in the world betwixt the son and the mother, the mother and the son than blood for milk, and milk for blood? If thou dost look O good jesus that she should speak unto thee as the thief did, dost thou not see that for weariness she cannot help thee, for grief she cannot look upon thee, for fear she cannot comfort thee, and for being astonished she cannot speak unto thee? I beseech thee Per viscera misericordia, that thou wouldst say, Amen dico vobis, as thou dost say, Amen dico tibi: For by that means thou shouldest comfort thy mother, satisfy the thief, vanquish Hell, help the world, and withal I should have hope to be pardoned. If thou dost die for all and not for one, why dost thou not say, Verily I say unto you, as thou dost say, Truly I say unto thee? O sweet jesus, and love of my soul, seeing that upon my knees, and my face bathed in tears, I say unto thee, Tibi soli peccavi, I have sinned unto thee alone, do not I deserve to hear from thy mouth these words, Amen dico tibi, Truly I say unto thee? Anselmus saith, That it was too timely to give Paradise unto his mother, and the other thief had not deserved it, and the great Centurion was not yet become a Christian, and the jews were hardened in their hearts, and therefore it was not without cause that he said unto the thief, Amen dico tibi, and not Amen dico vobis. It was a great word which God spoke unto the first man, that is, dominamini piscibus maris, & volatilibus cali: but that which he spoke unto the good thief was far greater, because it is far better to be companions unto the Angels in heaven, than kings over beasts upon earth. It was a great word that God spoke unto Noah, that is, I found thee just in my sight: but this which he spoke unto the thief was far greater, because it is better to be just & receive the reward of being just, than to be simply just. That was a favourable speech which he used unto king David, I have found a man according unto my heart: but this which he spoke unto the good thief was far more favourable, because that David was but near unto his heart, but the thief was in his heart. And it did appear easily, that David was but near God's heart, seeing he did sin afterward, and it doth well appear that he had the thief within his heart, seeing he suffered him to sin nor steal no more. That was a favourable speech which God used unto Abraham, that is, Num celare potero qua gesturus sum Abraham. But that which was used towards the thief was more favourable, because the greatest secret that God revealed unto Abraham was, that the son of God should come into the world, but he did not only reveal, but also show this unto the good thief. Christ did trust the good thief better than he did trust Abraham, because he was the first sinner who saw the redemption of the world with his eyes, & he was he upon whom the blood of Christ was first bestowed. The precious blood of the son of God was then otherwise shed towards the thief, who was upon the cross, than towards his mother who was by the cross; because it dropped down upon the garment of his sorrowful mother, but it went to the soul of the thief to save him, & thereupon the holy thief went immediately to Paradise, but his sorrowful mother stayed weeping on the Mount of Calvary. O holy blood, O heavenly blame, why dost thou take such pity on the thief, & dost defer to give thy mother the kingdom of heaven which thou dost give presently unto the thief? Dost thou defer it to her who brought forth Christ, & take pity on him who bore him company on the cross, seeing thou dost augment tears in her, & diminish offences in him? It was a word of great favour which he did use unto Mary Magdalen, that Remissa tibi peccata multa, Many sins are forgiven thee: but yet that was greater which he did use to the good thief, because he used greater liberty with him than with her: for if he loved her & pardoned her, he loved the thief like a friend, pardoned him like a Christian, & rewarded him lika a just man. Barnard saith unto this purpose, That it is a sign of great love to pardon, but a greater sign to give & pardon; because that pardon is sometime given by force, but a gift never cometh but of free wil Origen upon Matthew crieth out, O deep mystery, O divine sacrament! who ever heard or saw the like unto this, that is, betwixt the sun rising & the sun setting, the thief was condemned by Pilate, shamed by the criers, iusticied by the hangmen, confessed by his own mouth, by Christ pardoned and also brought unto Paradise. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? Who is able to reach unto the reason why Abel with his innocency, Ne with his justice, Abraham with his faith, David with his charity, Moses with his meekness, Ilb with his patience, Tobias with his frankness, Lazarus with his poverty should so long desire to see Christ, and the thief presently enjoy him!  
S. Ambrose saith, That Christ received in a new kind of martyrdom all the torments which were given the thief as a naughty man from the hour and moment that he defended Christ, and confessed with Christ: insomuch that if he began to suffer like a thief and a rover, he ended and died like a glorious martyr. This happy thief was a very glorious martyr, seeing he suffered near Christ, and with Christ, & where Christ suffered, and in the same manner that Christ suffered, and which is most of all, he was the first martyr after Christ's passion, and the first Saint which the son of God did canonize after his death. S. Stoven was the first martyr after Christ's ascension, but from Christ's death until he ascended into heaven there was no other Mattyr in the world but the thief, whose conversion Christ caused, whose tears he accepted, whose martyrdom he approved, whose passion he canonised, and whose soul he glorified. S. Augustine saith, O good jesus, O my soul's delight, considering that thou dost save him who accuseth his own faults, and him who excuseth thy innocency, the maintainer of thy credit, the confessor of thy essence, the companion of thy person, wilt thou not save also this sinful soul of mine? For so great a battle as thou hast won this day, for so great a victory as thou hast obtained, and also for so much blood as hath issued from thee, it is a small prize to carry away with thee but one thief only, because that by so much the greater the triumph is, by how many more prisoners the triumpher is followed with all. And if it will not please thee to take me thither with thee, tarry thou here with me O good jesus, for I desire no other glory of thee in this miserable world, but that thou wouldst let me have always a good conscience. Origen saith in an Homily, that it is much to be noted, and a thing to be wondered at, that Christ did not say unto the thief, Amen dico vobis, although there were many more there: but he said, Amen dico tibi, to let us understand that by forgiving him alone he showed his mercy, and by not pardoning others he showed his great justice. There were store of sinners about the cross as well as he, which peradventure would have been pardoned as well as he; but amongst them all the thief only deserved to hear his pardon: but by this he maketh us know, that there is no man which hath cause to despair of pardon, seeing he forgave him; and yet that we presume not too much of pardon, seeing he forgave him alone. Let the conclusion of all this be, that we remember before we sin, that our Lord did not pardon the multitude that was there present; and after we have sinned, let us remember that he pardoned the thief which suffered with him: and in so doing we shall fear his justice, and remember his mercy: the which I humbly beseech him that it would please him to use here with grace, & afterward with glory, Amen, Amen.   
The end of the second word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the Cross.   

❧ Here beginneth the third word which the son of God spoke upon the Cross unto his blessed mother. Mulier ecce filius tuus, Woman behold here thy son.  

CHAP. I. That the love which the mother of God had, did exceed the love of all other men, and also the love of Angels.  
SIcut water 〈…〉, it a ag● te diligeba●●, these are the words of holy David, 2. Reg. chap●●● 1. when 〈…〉 brought him that king Saul his enemy, and Prince jonathas his great friend, were slain in a battle which they had with the Philistims. The jews gave this battle to the 〈…〉 the wild mountains of G●●boe, and when the sorrowful news came to king David that king Saul had lost the battle, he began aloud to cry, and shed many grievous tears, and said as followeth in doleful wise. O famous and renowned Israel, why dost thou not weep for the loss of so many excellent men, which this day they have slain thee, and noble Princes which this day are perished within thee? How is it possible that the strongest of Israel have fallen down so ignominiously, and the most famous of juda have ended their life by sword? O how well king Saul & jonathas should have loved one the other when they were alive, seeing that they left not the one the other in death, & although the cruel sword was able to take away their lives from them, yet certainly it was not able to take away their hearts from them with the which they loved one the other. What sword durst wound their hearts, or what lance durst touch their flesh, considering that Saul and jonathas were in running more light than eagles, and in sight more strong than lions? jonathas arrow was never shot but he hit, & saul's sword drawn but he struck. Weep then O ye daughters of Israel, weep upon the death of your king Saul, who clothed you in scarlet in your passover, and gave you jewels of gold in your weddings. O ye mountains, O ye mountains of Gilboe, I curse from henceforth & anathematize you for ever, to the end that it never reign water upon you by day, nor any dew fall upon you by night, seeing that you consented that the enemies of Israel should there kill Saul, and slay my good friend jonathas in the same place. O my faithful and old friend jonathas, why didst thou go to the battle, not calling me with thee, and why didst thou die not taking me with thee? My heart can receive no comfort, nor my eyes cease from weeping, when I remember how much I was bound unto thee, and call to mind the great love that passed betwixt us, because that the love which passed betwixt thee and me, was of like quality, as the love which a mother hath when she hath but one child only. It is now to be noted, that for this last word we have brought all this story, whereby we may well gather and infer, that the love which a mother beareth unto her only son, exceedeth all other human love. For if David could have found any greater love, unto a greater he would have compared his. King David was a very holy man, and his son Absalon a very bold young youth, but in the end when news came unto him that joab had thrust him through, and that he was hanged upon an oak, the poor old man made such pitiful complaint, and did show such grief for it, that every man did perceive plainly, that he wished himself rather dead than his son lose his life. The which he openly said when he cried aloud, My son Absalon, my son Absalon, where truly he would willingly have gone to his grave if his son might have lived. God had no better experience to prove the love which the Patriarch Abraham bore him, but to command him to kill his only son, which he had in his house, and when the old man had lifted up his sword to slay the young youth, the Angel took him by the arm, and commanded him to be quiet: for now our Lord was satisfied, to see that he loved him better than his own son. When news was brought to holy job, how the wise men had rob him of five hundred yoke of oxen, and that a flash of lightning from heaven had burnt him seven thousand sheep, and that the Chaldeans had taken from him three thousand Camels, and had put to the sword all the shepherds of his flock, the good man was not grieved at all with it, nor uttered any sorrowful word forir. But when the fourth post came to bring him news, how they had slain his six sons, and three daughters in his eldest sons house, the man of God could not dissemble his great grief, and did show it more by deed than by word, by rending his garments in sunder, and cutting his hair from his head, and wallowing oftentimes upon the ground. We do not read that the great Patriarch jacob did weep in all peregrinations, or complain in all his tribulations, until he heard that the wolves in the desert had eaten his well-beloved son joseph, the which evil news did strike him so near the heart, that he said before his other children, that he would die and go into hell, because he might have space and time enough to bewail his son. Sunamites the Inn keeper of Samaria, and hostess unto Heliseus did so much grieve at the death of her son which God had given her by the prayer of Heliseus, that she went weeping like a fool about the fields, in such manner that neither her husband could bring her in, nor the Prophet comfort her. The great Priest Heli was so grieved when it was told him that the Philistims had overcome the jews, and taken the Ark and killed his two sons Obni and Phinees, that he fell from his seat, and immediately yielded up the ghost. The wife of old Tobias, and mother unto young Tobias, did weep beyond all measure, and went almost beside herself only at the long tarrying which her son made in Rages a city of the Medes, whether his father had sent him, to take up certain money, and this her grief was so excessive that she never ceased to pray unto God for to keep him, nor she never left off weeping until she saw him with her eyes. I have thought it expedient to rehearse all these examples, the better to prove and extol the love which fathers and mothers bear unto their children, and how it is not to be compared with any other love, and how bitterly the Parents weep not only for the death of their children, but also for their absence. Horace saith, That to the loss of a child, and that of the only child, there can be no loss comparable unto it, because that causeth grief at the heart, which is loved from the heart. Anselmus saith to this purpose, that this fatherly love is not found only in men which are reasonable: but also in brute beasts, for we see the Hen fight with the Kite, the Stork with the goshawk, the Mare with the Wolf, the Lioness with the Ounce, the Elephant with the Rinoceront, the Gander with the dog, and the Pie with the Cuckoo: the which fight is not only because they be enemies, but because they steal away their young ones. S. Ambrose in his Exameron saith, That the love of the father is so great and so excessive, that oftentimes we see brute beasts follow men which have taken away their young ones, wherein they let us understand that they had rather be taken themselves, than see their little ones taken captives. If a br●te beast show this grief for his little oves, what shall a reasonable man do? When Demosthenes wept bitterly the death of one of his sons, & another replied unto him and said that he was a Philosopher; it seemeth well said he that thou hast never been a father; nor what the love of a son is, because that to have a son is the greatest of all loves, & to lose him, the greatest grief of all griefs. To come at the last unto our purpose, what woman did ever love her son, as the mother of God did love hers? Ipsum solum tenet matter sua, & pater eius tenerè diligit eum, said the Patriarch judas unto the Patriarch joseph his brother: as if he would say, O most renowned Prince joseph, I and my brothers, and my brothers and I, do humbly beseech thee upon our knees, and request thee with many tears, that thou wouldst forgive our younger brother Benjamin, the taking away of the golden flask which was found in his bag, because his doleful mother hath no other son, and his old father loveth him with most tender love. These words may better be spoken of the virgin and of her son, than of Benjamin, and his mother Rachel, who had more than one son, although she knew it not, seeing that joseph Benjamins brother was alive, & the most richest & mightiest of all Egypt. The eternal father had no other son but this alone, and the immaculate virgin had no other but Christ only: for the father never engendered other natural son but this, and the mother never brought forth other son but this. We may very well say of the father, that he did love his son tenderly, seeing he gave him all his nature, all his wisdom, all his power, all his will, and also all his might and authority. What being had the father which the son had not, what knew the father which the son knew not, what could the father do that the son could not do, what had the father that the son also had not? What is it to say, that he loved him tenderly, but that the father loved him with most entire love, insomuch that he denied him nothing which he had, nor hide nothing from him of that he did know? Let us leave off the love of the Father, and let us speak somewhat of the love of the mother, who loved her precious son with a tender heart, and wept for him with tender bowels. O most sacred Virgin, how shouldest thou not love thy blessed son very tenderly, seeing that when thou didst bring him into the world, thou waste young and tender? When the Virgin that bringeth forth a child is tender, the child which she bringeth forth is tender; the time also young and tender, why should not the love with which she loveth it be also tender? If jacob who had twelve children, loved one of them with tender and sweet love, is it to be thought that the mother of God having but one only son, would not love it with most tender and sweet love? and so much the rather because jacobs' love was divided into the love of many sons, but our blessed Lady's love was wholly drawn to the love of one only. S. Barnard upon Missus est saith, That there is no love upon earth which may not be weighed and measured, excepted only the love which the son of God bare unto his mother, and the mother unto her son; the which was such, that all the Angels could not measure it, nor yet all the saints weigh it. Anselmus saith, That those which are fathers, and those which are called mothers cannot love their children, as much as the Virgin did love hers, nor yet they are not bound unto so great love; because they are bound to love their neighbours as themselves, their brothers as themselves, and their God more than themselves. Love which is divided into so many parts, cannot possibly be equal with that love which the Virgin bore her son. Love that is pure and not feigned, cannot be spread abroad, but gathered in one, not in many but in one, not divided but entire, not strooken but heaped up, not for a time but for ever, not finding excuses or faults but suffering, not suspicious but confident and trusting. And he who observeth not these laws, hath no cause to say that he loveth. These causes ought neither to want in him who loveth, nor in him which is beloved: for if they do, we should not call them lovers but acquaintance, for under the law of love there is neither a defect admitted, nor a complaint suffered. There is no defect admitted because love maketh all whole: there is no complaint suffered, because love maketh all gentle and mild: there is no injury done because love dissembleth all, there is no sloth in love, because heis watchful, he is not a niggard because he can deny nothing. O glorious Queen, O the light of my felicity, who did ever better keep these high bonds of love like unto thee? The blessed mother of God, Tenerè diligebat filium suum. For being as he was flesh of her flesh, bones of her bones, blood of her blood, bowels of her bowels, how should she love him, but like unto her own entrails? Tenerè diligebat filium suum, She loved her son tenderly, seeing she loved him as her son, she loved him with the zeal due to a bride groom, served him as her husband, used him as her brother, reverenced him like a father, worshipped him as a God. She loved him tenderly, seeing she went to Bethelem, and with the teat in his mouth she carried him into Egypt, and being a child of twelve years she brought him into the Temple, and never forsook him all the time that he went a preaching, and that which is most of all to be noted, she wept for all his travails and vexations, and with her fingers ends supplied all his necessities. And how did she supply them but by watching in the night, and weaving in the day? She loved him tenderly, seeing she adored him in his presence, she contemplated on him in his absence, she succoured him in his necessities, she followed him in his journeys, and comforted him in his adversities. What would the child that the mother would not likewise, and what did the mother ask that the son did not give her? They lived in one house, they did eat at one table, and that which she gained with her fingers was common betwixt them, and that which was given to him for preaching, they spent together. What should I say more? they prayed for all sins together, and they wept for all sins together.   

CHAP. II. How that if the love which the mother bore unto her son was great, so likewise the love which the son bore his mother was no less: and to prove this there is expounded asaying of the Canticles.  
INtroduxit me rex in cellam vinariam, & ordinavit in me charitatem, said the espoused of her espouse and bridegroom, talking of rich jewels which he gave her: and it is as if she would say, The light of my eyes and joy of my heart, took me by the hand, and led me into the wine-cellar and told me the order of true love. S. Barnard saith, O well-beloved bride, why dost thou tell it abroad, that thy bridegroom carried thee to drink into the wine-cellar, & taught thee how to be farther in love, seeing thou shouldest be angry to have it spoken of, and to do it thou shouldest be ashamed? Other brides are wont to go to the meadows to gather flowers, to gardens to cut fruits, to shops to buy gowns, to the common places of recreation, to visit their friends, and dost thou go to the winesellers among the cups? Dost thou not know that the noble and fine dame is noted of Incontinency, if she smell of nothing but of wine? So strange a matter wine ought to be unto thee O thou bride of the Lord, for to think of it would be imputed unto thee for a curiosity, to ask for it an evil example, to smell of it a fault, to drink it a scandal, and to be drunk a sacrilege. Plato saith, That in the glorious times and golden age of the world, kinsmen kissed their kinswomen for no other reason, but for to know whether they had drunk any wine for if they had they either were put to death for it, or banished into some island. If Plutarch do not deceive us, it was an inviolable law in Rome, that if any Matron of Rome had any necessity to drink wine, either because she was weak, or because she was sick, the Senate only should give licence unto her, and she notwithstanding drink it out of Rome. Macrobius saith. That two Senators chiding in Rome, the one told the other that his wife was an Adulteress, & the other replied and told him that his was a drunkard: and being debated in the Senate which of the two was most injuried, it was agreed on by them all, that it was a greater infamy for a woman to be a drunkard than an adulteress. If this be so, as true it is, why did this chosen dame & dainty bride not only drink wine, but go also to the seller for it? Why doth she go to fet it, & if she for it, why doth she drink of it, & if she drink of it, yet why is she drunk with it? What do I say that she is drunk with it, seeing she doth invite all men to drink of it? The spouse which saith openly, Bibite amici & inebriamini charissimi, what else doth she say, but drink my friends, & you my dearest of all be drunk? Thou my sweet love sayest that in taverns & sellers where the wisest are wont to lose their wit and sense, the greatest love is shown. How dost thou say, Quòd ordinavit in me charitatem, seeing a tavern is the place where patience is lost, anger kindled, lying hath the upper hand, gluttony filleth itself, & virtue weakened? Marvel not my brother, marvel not to hear me say, that he brought me into the winesellers: for into the seller whither my dear bridegroom brought me, there enter none but such as are predestinated, and none but the chosen drink of those wines. Barnard saith, That the divine seller whither this bridegroom brought his bride is the sacred & holy scripture, in which the vessels are also the holy scriptures, & the wine within those vessels was the son of God promised in the old law, & that wine began to be sold, when good jesus began to preach. Why did the master of the feast keep that wine to drink of in the end of the marriage, but only to let us understand that the cups & mysteries of holy scripture were to be opened in the end of the old law? When Christ said unto his Apostles, Other men have taken pains & you are entered into their labours, in these words he would say that the Fathers of the old Testament, have planted & pruned the vines, & gathered the grapes, but yet the Apostles only drank of the wine, seeing they did reach unto the secret mysteries of holy scripture. Our Lord did put all the twelve Princes of the church in this seller, when in the parlour he made them drunk with the grace of the holy ghost, by reason of which drunkenness there was no secret which they did not reach unto, nor mystery which they did not understand. O precious wine, O happy drunkenness! considering that at that very hour, when the Princes of the church entered into that seller, of fearful men they became stout, of simple men learned, of dull men very wise, & being without devotion became very fervent, & of dumb men very eloquent, & of fisher's preachers. In that holy seller, pride lifteth not up itself, they call for no envy, no gluttony cometh near them, they know no wantonness of the flesh, there entereth in no sloth, nor they know not what malice is. In the seller of God the gate is humility, patience the governs, charity commandeth, abstinence ruleth, diligence watcheth, and devotion triumpheth. Who would not drink of such wine as this is, & who would not enter into so blessed a buttery? Origen upon the Canticles saith, That the seller of wine unto the which the bridegroom brought his bride, is no other thing than this holy catholic church, where the cups are the sacraments, & the wine which is kept in them are the seven gifts of the holy ghost, by whose means the church can never err, & without them no man can ever be saved. What should become of the child new born, who hath neither faith nor hope, if he were not put presently into that glorious shop? What are the cups which we drink in, but only his great benefits & favours through his mere mercy & free liberality bestowed upon us? When we be baptised we drink of his cup, when we are strengthened by his divine power against the inward enemy we drink of his cup, when we receive grace to repent us of our sins, we drink of his cup, & when we pass out of this life in his love and sorrowfulness for our sins, we drink also of his cup. Behold then how this wine is kept, & how the last cup endeth with our life, and our life with the last cup. This grape out of the which this precious wine came out of, was first form in Nazareth, borne in Bethelem, brought up in Palestine, the vintage made on the Mount of Calvary, pressed upon the cross, where all the blood which ran from the son of God, was turned into wine for to drink of in his catholic church. It is a common Proverb used by one friend unto another, that he will give him all that he asketh, yea also his blood; which offer we see made, but fulfilled of none. Why dost thou offer thy friend that thou wilt shed thy blood for him, if he require it at thy hands, and afterwards if he ask thee any thing, thou turnest thy face from him? The son of God is none of these certainly, who saying and doing, gave us his body to eat, and his blood to drink, with the which we were redeemed, and by the which all the elect are saved. O good jesus, with what wine dost thou make the soul of thy best beloved drunk, but with the wine of thy precious blood? Vidi mulierem ebriam, etc., I saw a woman drunk with the blood of the saints, saith S. john in his apocalypse chap. 17, as if he would say, Being in banishment in the Isle of Pathmos, among other visions which I saw there, I saw a woman which was drunk, but not with the wine, which was made of grapes, but with blood which issued out of veins. We see men drunk with wine every day: for with this kind of drunkenness the good Patriarch Noah was drunk, & the covetous Nabal, Cornelius, and the proud captain Holofernes. We see men drunk with anger also every day, and with this kind of drunkenness king jehu was drunk when he slew in one day seventy of king Achabs' children, and when the captain joab slew the captain Abner. We see many drunk with envy every day, as joseph's brethren when they sold him for envy, & the wicked Pharasies which put Christ to death for envy. We see many drunk with love, as Hemor was with Dia● jacobs' daughter, & jacob with Rachel Laban's daughter, and good king David with his neighbour Bersabe, and young Amon with Tamar his sister. See then how some are drunk with wine, some with vain love, some with anger, some with envy, some with the wine of wicked Ambition, the which are so far out of their wits and senses, that for to better their honour a little, they care little to lose their credit, and also to damn their souls. We have read of no drunkards, we have seen no drunkards, nor yet heard of any drunkards, which have made themselves such only with pure blood: for although barbarous men love to shed blood, yet they love not to drink it. The catholic church hath no ●ewell comparable unto this, nor no greater riches in her holy shop than the blood of the Saint of all Saints, and with the which she healeth us, when we are sick, she upholdeth us when we fall, maketh us clean when we fin, and justifieth us when we die. The Apostles were drunk with this kind of drunkenness, when they said, We must rather obey God than man, and S. Peter was drunk in this sort, when he said, Let us make three Tabernacles in this place, and S. Paul when he said, I am not ready only to be bound, but also to die, and S. Laurence when he said, it is broiled enough, turn it now and eat of it. The more pure wine S. Steven had drunk of, the more impatiently he would have felt the stones which he was stoned with, and S. Laurence the coals, and S. Bartholomew his sword: but after they had entered into this holy seller, and drunk of this holy blood, he suffered the stones as if they had been roses, and the coals as if they had been lilies. And therefore the bride had great reason to commend, and not to be angry with her love, for bringing her into this divine seller, where she slept without being awaked, and watched and yet sat not up all night, and entered into it without infamy, and lived with change, and did eat without paying for the shot. O good jesus, O the glory of my soul, wilt thou not let me go into this holy tavern, to drink there if I lust one drop? Give me leave O good jesus, give me leave, because I may know thy grace, and taste of thy precious blood: for of all other drinks in the world, the more I drink of them, the greater thirst I feel of all the drops of blood which thou hast shed most freely, wilt thou not give me one to assuage the thirst of this sinful soul? It is also to be noted, that the bride doth not only boast that her bridegroom did bring her to the tavern to drink, but did also teach her there the order which she should keep in loving, in so much that of a plain maid, he taught her to be a curious lover. This that the bride said, Ordinavit in me charitatem, is worthy of great heed, seeing that by that the Scripture will let us understand, that there is no love firm and stable, if there be not an order in the manner of loving. If there be (saith Ovid) an order in fishing, in fouling, fight, shall there not be also in loving? And he saith further that all which fish love not, nor all which hunt love not, nor all which fight love not: but all which love, fish, hunt, and fight, because he fisheth well who fisheth for others good will, & he hunteth well who hunteth after others bowels, & fighteth well who fighteth for another's hart. S. Barnard saith, Take heed O my soul, take heed, that that do not hap unto thee, that happeneth in vain worldly love, where often those which love chide, & those disagree which love well, not so much for any treason which the one hath done to the other, as for want of order in loving. He who is not wise in his love, is not my friend but my enemy, he doth not love me but diffame me. Origen upon these words saith, That when there is no order in love, all endeth in disorder: for love endeth in hatred, well-willing in detesting, serving in offending, praising into diffaming, speaking into not hearing, care into forgetfulness, diligence into sloth, often visiting into long absence, and sighing into complaining. S. August saith, O how well the bride saith, he hath set charity in me in good order, because that by how much the more fervent the zeal is, & the spirit vehement, and the love sudden, by so much the more it is convenient, that he who loveth be wise, because that the zeal may be printed in him, & the spirit moderated in him, & charity set in order. Anselmus saith also. O how well my good jesus hath set charity in good order in me, when he giveth me his holy grace to love our Lord only for himself, & in himself, & by himself, & giveth me also grace to love my neighbour only for God, and in God, and because he is the house of God. Cyprian upon the Creed saith, He cannot be said with truth, that Ordinavit in me charitatem, who loveth God not because he is good, but because he should give him Paradise, and he who forsaketh sin not because it is nought, but for fear of hell, and if he love his neighbour it is not because he is a Christian, but because he is his friend, in so much that such a one would neither love God, nor his neighbour, but in hope to get some profit by it. This kind of love the Devil had in the beginning, who when he should have loved God in God, and for God, loved himself in himself, and for himself; insomuch that when he went about to climb above himself, he fell lower than himself. Then God doth ordain all things in charity (saith Remigius) when he setteth me in the right way, and doth lighten me, and when my love beginneth in him, continueth in him, and endeth in him: because that cannot be called true love, which is not grounded in God for God and by God. Irenaeus in an Homily saith, I will say them with the bride that he hath ordained charity in me, when he hath set such order to my eyes, that they see no vain thing, and when he stoppeth my ears that they hear no profane things, & bridle my tongue that he speak no superfluous things, & shut up my heart that he desire no forbidden thing. S. Gregory upon job saith, That seeing there is nothing bad but that which our Lord hath forbidden, we dare say boldly, that no man ought to desire that which is not lawful for him to get. S. Jerome to Priscilla saith, O with what great truth, he may say with the bride, Ordinavit in me charitatem, who holdeth himself for a sinner, and others for just, and he who acknowledgeth a fault in himself, and preacheth innocency in others! for otherwise it should be no Christian charity, neither is it permitted in the law of God to love goodness in my neighbour, and retain naughtiness in myself. To come at the last unto our purpose, who in this life hath or shall enter so far into the shop and storehouse of our Lord, as the mother of our Lord, and that without spot? No man went so far into the selle● of our Lord, nor no man drunk off so many wines as she did, because she left no cup untasted of, neither was there any grace of the holy ghost, which she was not replenished with. Saint Ierom● saith, That grace was given unto all other Virgins, by weight and measure, but unto the mother of God, it was not given by weight and measure, but heaped up. The Angels in heaven, neither yet the holy men departed did not reach unto so many secrets of God, as the mother of God did: because it is to be believed, that he who did trust and credit her, would hide nothing from her. O mother of my redeemer, tell me what couldst thou not do, what hadst thou not, or what didst thou not know when thou hadst my God in thy womb? O Virgin blessed and beloved of the Lord, thou mayst well say, Dilectus meus mihi, & ego illi, seeing that if he hath placed thee in his eternal storehouse, thou didst put him in thy virgin's womb, where thou didst teach him to know what it was to be a man, and he taught thee what it was to be the mother of God. As jobs sons went sporting themselves from house to house, so the mother of God and the son of God went from seller to seller recreating themselves, and the mother told the son what he should have in this world, and the son told the mother how they should rest in heaven: the which speeches the holy Orders of heaven were not worthy to hear. O (saith S. Barnard) how content the son of God was of the wine-cellar, where his mother kept him: for without comparison he took more pleasure in the chaste cogitations which he saw in his mother's womb than in the milk which he sucked at her breasts. Anselmus also saith, O what a thing it had been to see in that virgin's womb, the sons life within the mother's life, and the sons body within the mother's body; and which is most of all, though their bodies were separated the one from the other at the time of his birth, yet their hearts were never separated at all.   

CHAP. III. Of the first and second word which holy Simeon spoke unto our Lady: and how many fall from the law of Christ, without his fault.  
ECce hic positus est in ruinam, & resurrectionem multorum in Israel, Luke the second chapter. The great Chronicler S. Luke saith, That the first time that the mother of our Lord went abroad, the mother and joseph her and were in a maze, and wondered at that that Simeon said of the child, and of that which the holy woman Anna Phanuel prophesied of him before them all. S. Cyprian upon this place saith. If the great wonders which Simeon spoke of jesus the child, did make the mother joyful, so likewise they put the Angels in a wonder and marvel, because they said of him, that he should be the light of the Gentiles, the glory of the jews, and the redeemer of all Nations. And Simeon not contented with that which he had said, although he were very joyful of that which he had seen, said further that he desired not to live any longer in this world but die presently, seeing that he had already seen with his eyes that which his heart had so long time wished for. It is a natural condition of the heart which hath long wished for any thing, if at any time he hath that before his eyes which he bought with many sighs rather to desire to die, than to be separated from the same. Origen upon Luke saith, That all the praises which Simeon spoke of the son of God, moved the mother to further love: for if he said that her son was the light, she knew that she first of all received light; if he said that her son was honour, she knew that he had first of all honoured her; insomuch that the Virgin did already possess all that which was promised unto others. S. Augustine saith in a Sermon. That Simeon did very well say, that the child jesus was the light of the Gentiles, considering that he brought them unto this holy faith; and that he was the glory of the jews, seeing that there never came any one out of their stock like unto him, which is easily seen in that that for their further honour and fame, he made of a Synagogue a church, of a figure the truth, of Prophet's Apostles, and of sacrifices Sacraments. It is here to be noted, that Simeon did not say simply, Thou shalt be the glory of the people of Israel, but he added more and said, thou shalt be the glory of thy people of Israel: the which he said for the wicked and perverse of the Synagogue who although they were in the people of the jews, yet they were not of the people of Israel. Abel, Seth, Noah, Sem, Abraham, jacob, joseph, and David, and all the Prophets were of the people of God, of all whom the son of God was the honour and glory, seeing they believed in him, before that he came into the world, and were saved in the faith in which they lived. Cain and Cham, Ishmael and Esau, Roboam and Athalia, jesabel, Annas & Cayphas did all dwell among the people of God, but they were not of the elect number of the people of God, because that no man can be called a neighbour of the children of God, but he who believeth steadfastly in God. Let me (saith chrusostom) be of the number of the people of God, because I may be lightened with thy light, and glorified with thy glory, seeing that no man can be lightened but whom thou dost lighten, nor glorified, but whom thou dost glorify. O how many there be at this day in the church that be not of the church, and how many in religion, which be not of the religion! Because that our perfection and salvation doth not consist in the names we bear, nor in the places we have, but in the good or evil lives which we lead. What doth it avail me to be called a Christian, if I lead the life of a Pagan, or what doth it help me to be called a religious man if I live like a worldling? As the son of God came into the world not to the honour of those which were in the people, but of those which were of the people, so thou my brother shouldest be of the number of the religious, and not in the number: for otherwise thou shalt be as Saul was among the Prophets, and as Satan was amongst the children of God. Origen saith, That when Simeon did divide Christ's gifts, he gave light unto the church: saying, Lumen ad revelationem gentium, A light to the revelation of the Gentiles: and he gave the jews honour and glory, saying, Ad gloriam plebis tuae Israel, which honour and glory they deserved to lose when they went about by all the means they could to dishonour the son of God upon the cross. The son of God gave great honour and glory unto the Synagogue, if the jews could have known it; and that is, in that he vouchsafed to descend of them, and be borne amongst them, and in that he would converse among them, & preach among them, and do so many miracles to them: but because they knew him not, nor were not grateful unto him for it, all that glory and fame is turned into their dishonour and infamy. The light which happened unto the Gentiles, of which our holy mother the church is descended, was never taken from them, as the honour was taken from the sorrowful jews: for since that the holy Ghost was sent upon the holy Apostles, we never saw the church of God err nor go astray. O what unspeakable joy the mother of God received at that time, when she saw her precious son presented unto the temple, offered to holy Simeon, praised of Anna the Prophetess, & the usual offering offered up for him! His mother rejoiced much to have him in her arms, to look on him with her eyes, to give him suck with her breasts, to offer sacrifices for him, and to hear those marvelous things which the old men spoke of him. The Virgin then being very joyful to hear Simeon, and much more of that which she saw in her son, the good old Simeon turned himself unto our Lady, and did behold her saying, Ecce hic positus est in ruinam, as if he would say, I have often told thee, my daughter, that this my Lord and thy son should be the light of the Gentiles, and the glory of the jews: but now I tell thee also, that he shall be a stumbling block for many to fall by, and a help for many to rise by again, and he shall be as it were the white in a butt, which very many shall shoot at, but few at all hit. David in his Psalm spoke of Christ, that which was not unlike unto that that Simeon spoke of Christ; that is, Cadent in retitulo eius omnes peceatores, as if he would say, All the sinners of the world shall fall into his nets, myself excepted who am saved by special privilege. And it is much to be noted, that the Prophet doth not say, that there is not any one constrained to fall into the net, but they will fall into it of their own voluntary will, and entangle themselves; and so we may say that there is no fault of the masters net, if he making and arming his net to take fish, yet men will fall, into it. Neither did Simeon say, when he spoke of Christ, that he should be the fall of many; but he said, Positus est in ruinam, Because there is very great difference if I make you fall, although you would not fall, or to fall or stumble on me without my making you fall. Remigius upon S. Luke saith, That notwithstanding that David doth say that all sinners shall fall into his net, and that Simeon doth say that he is put a stumbling block, I say that notwithstanding all this, we should bear false witness against the son of God, if we should say that he hath been the cause that any man hath fallen from the faith: for it cannot be spoken of the self same person, that he is come to redeem us, and that he is the cause of our damnation. If I make a bridge over the which all men may go over a strong and a dangerous river, what fault am I in, if you cast yourself down from it into the river, seeing that I made it to the end that you might go over safely, and you would needs throw yourselves headlong into the water? When the sun doth cast his morning beams over all the world, what fault is he in, if through his heat and brightness the dirt be hardened, and wax made soft? If there be a stone put to pass over a quagmire or dirty place, and you fall and bewray yourself, what fault is the stone in, seeing that you could not stand upon it? The son of God was nothing else in this world, but a bridge for us to pass over, and a sun with the which we should have lightened ourselves, and a stone upon which we should tread on, and a sword with the which we should have defended ourselves: and shall he then be in any fault, if we turn that into poison, which he gave us for treacle? Cassiodorus upon the Psalm saith, That all the sinners of the earth shall fall into his net without any fault at all in the son of God: for seeing he came into the world, preached unto the world, amended the world, taught the world, and redeemed the world, what fault is there in him, if a man damn himself, considering that he will not keep the law which is given him by God? Christ's holy law is not an occasion for us to fall, nor suspicious to be believed in, nor obscure to be understood, nor hard to be kept, in so much that the danger is not in that which he commandeth us, but in that that we do disobey his commandment. Then when old Simeon doth say of jesus the child, that he is put for a stumbling block unto many, he will not say that the son of God should be a cause that many should be cast away in his church, but that many would fall from his holy law, and especially more perfidious jews than of others, who when they should have been blowers abroad of his holy doctrine, were hangmen of his holy life. Saint Augustine saith, That all Gentiles have fallen into his net which know him not, all jews by not receiving him, all Tyrants by persecuting his Martyrs, all Heretics by falsifying scriptures, and all naughty men fall daily by blaspheming his name. Of the same flower that the Bee gathereth honey, the spider maketh poison: rats bane to poison with, and treacle to help men with, is made of the same thing: the rose which smelleth sweet, & the adder which biteth deadly, is often bred in the same bush, & of the same wood men do oft cut timber to cover a church, & to make a gibbet. Good judgements by these examples may easily perceive that which I have said to be true without further trial. What fault may be imputed unto the son of God if of the same holy law the jew gather poison, and the Christian honey; the infidel gathereth gall, and the faithful man honey, the naughty man adders, the good man roses, the just man findeth a church to save him in, and the tyrant maketh a gallows to damn himself on. It is also to be noted, that sinners will fall not into a net, but they will fall into reticulo a small net: for if we will well look unto it, Christ hath put before us more reasons to save ourselves, than the Devil hath set occasions before us to damn us. They are but small nets which the devil doth set before us to fall into, but they are very great and large nets, which God putteth to catch us; but yet alas if there fall ten into Christ's net, there fall ten thousand into the devils small net. Cyrillus upon S. john saith, That according unto the prophecy of Simeon and of Daniel, the son of God came for the fall of the Babylonians, Egyptians, Chaldeans, Persians and Medes, Greeks' and those of Palestine, because the law of the Gospel hath been preached and received in those places. Chrysostom saith, That the son of God came to take flesh for the fall of the Temple of Solomon, the city of jerusalem, the sacrifices of juda, the ceremonies of Israel, and of the old Mosaical law, and of the pride of all the Synagogue, which was all ended and gave up the ghost with this word, Consummatum est. The son of God came into the world for the overthrow of all sins: for if he was, as he was, the truth itself, he was a great enemy of lies, and because he highly loved charity he hated cruelty, and because he highly commended humility, he persecuted envy, which was the cause that no man did ever reprehend vice more sharplier than he, nor no man did ever extol virtue like unto him. The son of God came into the world, to the utter ruin of the famous city of Jerusalem, seeing there was not one tower in the city which was not thrown down, no brickwall which was not broken, no house which was not barnt, no Temple which was not beaten to the ground, no treasury which was not rob, nor orchard which was not spoiled, no Virgin which was not violated, no woman which was not forced, no man which was not either slain or taken captive. The son of God came into the world for the overthrow of the Synagogue, seeing he left them no kingdom whither to go unto, no city where to dwell, no king to rule them, no Patriarch to honour, no Prophet to give them counsel, no army to defend them, no captain to fight for them. The son of God came into the world in ruinam the overthrow of the pharisees and Sadduces, considering that he took away their hypocrisy from them by which they prevailed, their authority by which they commanded, their doctrine with which they deceived, their covetousness with the which they rob, and their Simony with the which they made themselves rich.   

CHAP. FOUR Of the third word which old Simeon spoke unto the Virgin in the Temple: and of three authorities touching this purpose.  
IN resurrectionem multorum in Israel, & in signum cui contradicetur, said holy Simeon unto the blessed Virgin, that day when she presented the child jesus in the Temple: as if he would say, I have told thee my daughter Mary, how this thy son and my Lord shall be a stumbling block to many, and an occasion that many which are fallen shall rise again, and many which go astray converted, and he shall be a mark and a sign which shall be spoken against by many. Origen saith, That it doth well appear, that holy Simeon spoke by the mouth of the holy Ghost, when he said that the son of God was come into the world, not only for all naughty & wicked men to stumble at, but also because that all goodness and good men should be raised up by him, because it is the duty of a good Physician not only to purge the humour which offendeth, but also to strengthen it. What fruit should we receive by his coming into the world, if he should only throw down the wicked, and not raise up the good? When our Lord saith by jeremy, Consolabor me de inimicis meis, he would with a far better will forgive us, rather than punish us: but because all that is in God, is God himself, he cannot do less than use his justice, giving notwithstanding always place unto his mercy. When he saith, Woe be unto me, woe be unto me, I must revenge me of my enemies, what can be spoken with a more tender heart, or what justice can be done with greater mercy, seeing that he first weary for the sinner before he punish the sin, and first shed many tears, before he show discipline upon the malefactors? In the judgement seat of worldly judges, they punish sins without justice, & then mock at the sinners: but in the house of God they first weep for the sinners, and then they punish the sin, because there is nothing more strange to God than revenge, nor nothing more grateful unto him than mercy. Perditio tua ex te Israel, ex me autem saluatio, said God by the Prophet osee: as if he would say, O what pains I take with thee, O Israel! for if thou lose thy way, I put thee into it again, if thou stumble I hold thee up, if thou see not I direct thee, if thou fall I lift thee up, if thou defile thyself I make thee clean, if thou be blind I give thee light, if thou doubt I counsel thee. This speech of the Prophet is worthy to be noted and also wept, and to be bewailed with many tears, seeing that he telleth us and admonisheth us by it, how little we are able to do of ourselves, how little we are worth, how little we possess, how little we know, seeing that it is in our own power to fall, but we are not able to rise without the help of God. Thou sayest very well O great Simeon, that the son of God is come In resurrectionem multorum: for after we are fallen and defiled, if he do not give us his hand, who is able to lift us from the ground? What had become of the people of Israel when they were captive in Egypt, if our Lord had not delivered them from thence with his mighty hand? What would have become of good King David when he slew innocent Urias, and committed adultery with his wife Bersabee, if God had not given him counsel by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan, and lightened his heart? What had become of king Ezechias when our Lord condemned him to death, and that unto a sudden death, if our Lord had not visited him by the hands of the Prophet Esay, and accepted his tears? What had become of the Apostle Saint Peter, when he denied Christ three times, if our Lord when he was tied to a pillar had not looked upon him, and provoked him to tears? What had become of S. Paul when he went to the city of Damascus to apprehend all such which called upon the name of Christ, if our Lord had not spoken unto him by the way, and of Saul would not have made him Paul, and of a persecutor of Christ had not made him a preacher of the Gospel? What would become of thee and me, and of all the sinners of the world, if good jesus should not give us light, because we should not stumble, and give us his hand to rise again? S. Barnard to this purpose saith, It may be said better of me than of any, O my good jesus, That thy perdition is of thyself Israel, and thy salvation of me. For if I hit aright in any thing, it is only through thy grace, and if I err it is through my own malice: and therefore my own sin is able to make me fall, but to rise again I have need of thy mercy. Anselmus in his Meditations saith, What greater weakness of main can there be, or what greater mishap, than that if I defile myself, I cannot make myself clean again, if I be sick I cannot make myself whole again, if I ray myself I cannot wash myself again, yea and if I sin I cannot repent of myself; if our Lord do not first give me his light, as he did the good thief on the cross, and if he do not first look upon me, as he did look upon S. Peter, from the pillar. heal me good Lord, and I shall be made whole, Save me and I shall be saved, saith king David, as if he would say, No man is able to heal me O my good Lord, if thou do it not, nor no man is able to save me, if thou dost not save me, O my redeemer, because no man knoweth my wound but thou, nor my felicity consisteth in none but in thee. Cassiodorus upon the Psalm saith, That we should note how that the Prophet doth first ask of our Lord that he would make him whole before he save him: for if our Lord do not first wash the fault from us, it is in vain to think that he should give us his glory. S. Basil upon this place, Sana me domine saith, That if thou do not go with me, nor I with thee, the more I go about to heal myself, the sicker I grow, when I think to go forward I turn backward, when I imagine that I go straight, than I find myself most out of the way, when I labour to go most clean and neat, I find myself then most of all unclean: and that which is the worst of all is, that I know not wherein I do best, nor cannot guess when I do amiss. Anselmus upon the same place, heal me good Lord, and I shall be whole, saith: Who but thou O my sweet jesus, can cure me, and give me any temedy, to such hidden wounds, and such manifest offences, to faults of such quality as mine are, to such careless care, such unclean thoughts, such wicked crimes, such damnable bowels, and such inconsiderate speeches? heal me good Lord, and I shall be made whole: for it availeth me very little, to use help and not be made whole, to fight and kill myself, to swim & drown myself, 〈◊〉 to study and not profit, to take a journey and never come to the end, to ask and never have any thing given me, to serve and never deserve any thing. heal me good Lord, & I shall be made whole of the pride which overthroweth me, of the envy which rotteth in me, of the anger which wasteth me, of the gluttony which disquieteth me, of sloth which dulleth me, of covetousness which maketh me cruel, and of all sensuality which never leaveth me. heal me Lord, & I shall be free, from the world which deceiveth me, from the devil which tempteth me, from the flesh which pampereth me, from my enemies which persecute me, from my friends which importune me, from my evil thoughts which torment me, and from malicious men which diffame me. heal me good Lord, and I shall be healed, not of a scab but of a sin, not of blindness but of filthiness, not of the members of my body, but of my thoughts, not of my body but wickedness, not of swollen feet, but of disordinate appetites. heal me Lord, and I shall be healed, of my unruly desires, of the wantonness of my eyes, of my overmuch speaking, of the coldness of my works, of the stealth of my hands, of the malice of my thoughts, and of the worm of my covetousness. O good jesus, my only trust, heal my soul, because I have offended thee in thought, I have offended thee in delight, I have offended thee in omission. I have offended thee in consent, & I have offended thee in deed, & therefore unto thee my fault I confess, and therefore good jesus take pity upon me. Sprinkle me with isope, & I shall be made clean, Lavabis me & supper niven dealbabor saith the Psalmist, as if he would say, When it shall please thee, & when thy son shall come into the world, thou shalt sprinkle me with holy Isope, & wash me with thy precious hand, by which sprinkling and washing I shall not only be clean and without fault, but I shall remain whiter than all the snow of the highest mountains. Who is he (saith Aymon) who commandeth us to wash ourselves, but only the eternal father, & who is he who washeth us, but only his precious son, & with what doth he wash us, but with his holy blood, and who be those which he doth wash, but such as are of his holy church? O glorious Isope, and happy washing place, in the which the Angels if they had licence to come down, and the heavenly powers if they durst, would wash themselves in? There were many rivers in Samaria, but Naaman was healed in none but in the river of jordan: there were many cisterns & pools in jerusalem, but the diseased were helped only in the Probatica. There were many fountains in Palestine, but David could never slacken his thirst, but in the fountain of Bethelem. We will infer of all this, that there hath been very much blood shed in the world, but none could ever make us clean, but only the blood of Christ. All water washeth not, every fish pool maketh not clean, every fountain filleth not, neither doth all blood make whole: a beasts blood hurteth, man's blood defileth, but the blood of Christ doth make whole, doth wash, doth fill, and content. If we look curiously into the Scripture, and especially into the apocalypse, thou shalt find it to be true, that S. john did not see any Saint of heaven wash himself in the water which did run in the river, but only in the blood which did run from the lamb. O of what great virtue this holy blood is of, seeing that for to wash us and bathe us in it we need no great quantity, but a very small deal! which is easily seen in that the Prophet doth not ask, that he would make him a pole of blood to wash him in, but that it would please him to sprinkle him with a little Isope dipped in it. A very little is sufficient, O my good jesus, and it sufficeth to be sprinkled with it, and not washed, seeing that one drop of thy precious blood, sufficeth to fill thy glory with many, and to people thy church with many good men. It is much to be noted, that he useth this word Sprinkle me with Isope, and I shall be made clean: for by casting water with Isope, one drop falleth here, and another there, this man is wet with it, and that man is dry: even so it falleth out in the bestowing of Christ's holy blood: for although it were shed for all the world, yet notwithstanding it was not employed upon all men. The blood of the son of God is sprinkled with Isope, seeing that the Christian is saved with it, and the Pagan condemned, the iust is made clean, & the naughty man continueth unclean, the virtuous man is bedewed with it, and the vicious man remaineth dry, and that which is more to be lamented, some do there wash away their offences, & some have not one drop of it. The Priest in the Levitical law did cleanse such as were infected with a leprosy if they came unto him, and if they brought those things which the law prescribed, and if they were sprinkled seven times with the blood of the bird: but if they refused to do any of these things, the Priest was in no fault, and their uncleanness was imputed unto themselves. The High priest the son of God, did die for all men, and shed his blood for all men: but if thou Infidel or Heretic, wilt not enter into the Catholic church, if thou sinner or naughty man wilt at the time, when it is distributed turn thy face from it, what fault is in Christ if his precious blood work no virtue in thee? O how happy that soul is, upon whom there falleth one drop not of the blood which the priest sprinkled, but this precious blood which the son of God sheddeth! for being washed in so deep a poolshe will go beyond the snow in whiteness, & exceed the son in clearness. It is time now for us to come unto our first purpose, & apply all this unto that which holy Simeon spoke of Christ. When Simeon saith of Christ, that he is put to help up many, and when the Prophet saith O Israel thy perdition cometh of thyself, and thy salvation of me, and when David saith, heal me Lord and I shall be made whole, and on the other side Sprinkle me Lord with Isope, and I shall be made clean, he letteth us understand plainly, that if we be not made clean by the mighty hand of the son of God, no man else hath the power to do it. Wherefore saith Irenaeus did the redeemer of the world come into the world, but because wickedness and wicked men should fall down, and because virtue and virtuous men should rise? By his coming into the world, idolatry fell down, and the true faith was set up; Hypocrisy was beaten down, and truth lifted up; tyranny fell down, and justice lifted up; malice fell down, and innocency lifted up; revengement fell down, and mercy lifted up. If thou dost come into the world (saith Vbertinus) because that all naughtiness and naughty men should fall, who in all the world is so wicked as myself, or who fallen so low? What greater fall than to be fallen from thy grace? Come then sweet jesus, come to the lifting up of my virtues, and come to the fall of my vices: for if thou do not make my vices first to fall, my virtues can never rise. Note (saith Remigius) that Simeon first said of Christ, that he was come in ruinam, before he said that he was in resurrectionem, because it is impossible that humility should rise in me before that my pride be overthrown, neither can patience rise in me, if my anger first fall not, neither my abstinence rise in me, before my gluttony fall, and therefore I must first suffer myself to die, and then I shall rise again with Christ, chrusostom saith, That in the house of God, there is never no rising of virtues, if there be not first in her a fall of vices: whereof it followeth, that if thou wilt have wholesome virtues to grow in thee, thou must first of necessity pull all superfluous passions out of thee. S. Barnard saith, That the son of God came into the world for the fall & rising of many, seeing that pride fell with his humility, covetousness with his poverty, anger with his patience, the flesh with his chastity, gluttony with his abstinence, and also ignorance fell with his doctrine. Chrysost. saith, That the son of God came into the world, in ruinam & resurrectionem, when the proud man becometh humble, the covetous man pitiful, the furious man meek, the carnal man chaste, the gluttonous abstinent, and the cold man devout, in so much that there is in the same man a fall of vices, and a rising of virtues.   

CHAP. V How Solomon did inherit the kingdom of his father David's pleasures: and how Christ did inherit the kingdom of travails.  
IN tuam ipsius animam doloris gladius pertransibit, Luke 2. These be the words which Simeon used to the holy Virgin, as if he would say, I have told thee Marry what shall happen unto this thy son: I will tell thee now what shall fall unto thyself, that is, that the same sword shall end his life, and pierce thy soul. What thing more strange, or what more grievous news can be told a holy and virtuous woman, than to tell her from God that her sons sword shall part her heart in two? Abraham took a knife for his son Isaac, but he killed him not. Balaam met with an Angel which had a knife, but he struck him not: joshua saw another Angel with a drawn sword, but he did not set upon him, and Solomon took a knife to cut a child in two, but in the end he did not part him in two. What meaneth this mother of God, what meaneth this? Abraham's knife did not hurt his son, and thy sons sword woundeth thy heart. Balaam did not hurt his Ass with his sword, and doth not thy sons sword favour thy heart? joshua his sword doth offer and threaten but hurteth not, and doth thy sons sword wound but not threaten? Had Salamons' knife pity on the strumpet's child, and had not thy son's knife pity on his own mother? He placed a Cherubin before Paradise, and a fiery sword to keep the way of the tree, saith the holy Scripture in the fourth chapter of Genesis. After that our first Parents had transgressed the commandment of God, our Lord put there presently a fiery sword to keep Paradise, because no man should enter in, to eat of the tree which was forbidden. S. Augustine upon this place saith, That there was neither sword nor knife in the house of God, before that man knew what sin was, but at the same hour that he fell from grace to sin, our Lord put both sword and gibbet in his house. Before that man sinned, there was no door to shut in the house of god, nor Cherubin to watchit, nor sword to defend it: but immediately after man sinned, the gate was shut, and the key was lost. What is the sword which we speak of here, but only the son of God in whom we believe? The son of God is called a sword in the apocalypse, and a sword which cutteth on both sides, because he alone and no other punisheth the bad and defendeth the good, killeth those which are alive, and raiseth those which are dead. It was in the hands of the Cherubin to let us enter in or not, into the terrestrial Paradise: and it is in the hands of the son of God, whether we shall enter into the celestial Paradise or not. We have a greater and a better watch in our Paradise, than Adam had in his, because that the Cherubin did but stand at the gate, but the son of God is the gate itself. When he said I am the gate, what did he mean else, but that he was the key with the which we should open, he was the gate through the which we should enter in, and he the guide which should direct us, and he the Paradise which we should enjoy. It is also to be noted that the sword with the which the Cherubin kept Paradise, was neither of silver nor gold, nor iron, but was of pure fire, which is a new and an unusual thing which no man would believe if it were not in Scripture. It is a thing often tried for iron to have fire in it, and for iron to be in fire: but that a fire should be called a sword, is never read but of that sword which kept Paradise. To apply them the figure unto the thing figured, all men are as it were iron overcast with rust, that is, fallen into original sin, or actual great or small, the sword of the living God excepted, in whon there was never found any sin, nor the rust of any fault, but was always like unto a sword of fire, made in the forge of the holy Ghost. What was the sword which kept Paradise but only jesus which suffered on the cross? When thou didst say. O my sweet jesus, I come to put fire on the earth, art not thou happily all fire, seeing that thou dost come to put all the world on fire? O how much better the sword is which the church hath, than that which the synagogue used! Because her sword did let no man enter into Paradise, but ours doth open the gates unto us. What shall I say more, but that her sword was of fire, which did burn, & ours is but of Love which giveth comfort? O sword of holy love, my sweet jesus, how happy I should be if I were dead with thy knife, because that that kill should be a rising from death, that bowelling of me a letting of blood, my end a new beginning, and my dying a living. Our Lord's mercy is such, that he saith not, Ego mortifico, but he saith I do give life: nor he saith not I will strike, but he saith I will make whole, in so much, that if he kill us it is to raise us to life again and if he● wound us it is to make us whole again. Then our Lord doth mortify us, when he killeth our inclinations in us, and then we are strooken with his hand, when we are punished with his great mercy, and like a good surgeon he never seareth the quick flesh, but the rotten member which infecteth the rest. And because Simeon saith, that the dolours and the sword of her son went through the mother's heart, it is expedient for us to stay somewhat in declaring the griefs which Christ suffered, because that thereby we shall know them, which he imparted unto his mother. Cum esset David in spelumcan Obdollam, convenernat ad eum omnes qui erant in angustia, & oppressi aere alieno, saith the Scripture 1. Reg. 22. as if he would say, When king David hid himself in the den of Obdolla, there came unto him all such as were banished by the order of justice, or fled for debts; of all which sorrowful David was the Prince and captain, for of all the afflicted he was the most afflicted. This is a high figure, and deep mystery, worthy of great consideration, because in it is figured very much by David, and namely the great griefs which Christ endured. O that it were far better for me poor sinner which writ this, that my soul did taste of them, than for my fingers to write them! Because that the doctrine which the son of God teacheth is of that quality, that although it be very good to preach it, yet it is far better to follow it. There were many figures of Christ in the old law, but none so lively as David was: in proof whereof, they did not call Christ the son of Adam, nor the son of Moses, but the son of David, partly because he was of his princely Tribe, partly because he was not so lively figured in any as in him. God said unto David by special privilege, I have found a man according unto my own heart, & the Father said of Christ only, this is my well-beloved son, in so much, that that love which God bore in times passed unto David, was figured afterward in the love which he bore to his dear beloved son. David was also a figure of the son of God in that, that as David was persecuted by his master the king of Israel without cause, even so Christ was persecuted of the Israelites, not having offended them at all: insomuch that if Saul did persecute David of pure envy, the jews did persecute Christ of pure malice. David was also a figure of Christ in the den of Obdollam, where if Christ had been, David had never been the captain and prince of all the afflicted, and banished men, but the son of God had been their ringleader, as having endured more grief and vexation than all they, because he did exceed all heathenish gods in power, and all the Angels in merit, and all the Martyrs in suffering. King David was badly handled by his brothers defied and challenged by Goliath, banished by Saul, skoffed at by Michol, stoned by Simei, persecuted by Absalon, rob by the Amalechites, warred by the Philistims, watched by the Ceilitas, and injuried by the Ammonites. But notwithstanding, that king David suffered many griefs and troubles, yet they may be numbered. But what shall we say of those which good jesus endured, which were so many in number, that no man is able to reckon them, nor yet at all follow them? Being a verified matter that king David had ten kinds of people which did persecute him, & that he had twelve tribes or kingdoms which did obey him, it is now to be known who was his son who inherited his kingdoms, and who was his son who succeeded him in all vexations and griefs. Solomon son unto Bersabee and David, succeeded him in the inheritance of his twelve kingdoms, with whom his father left him no wars to maintain, no enemies to resist him, no succeeds to contend with him, no factions to pacify, nor debts to pay. What did not the good old man leave his son, considering that he left him all his kingdoms in peace, and great treasures laid up for him? But when forgetful Solomon saw that his father, had left him great store of wealth and no wars, he bestowed all that in vices which he should have bestowed against his enemies. King Solomon inherited kingdoms and vices, vices and kingdoms, seeing he had threescore Queens crowned to his wives, and seven hundred concubines. Solomon did inherit vices and all other daintiness, seeing he himself doth commend himself, that his eyes coveted nothing which was denied him, nor his heart desired nothing which he did not obtain; in so much that he did not live according unto that which reason did prescribe him, but according unto that the flesh did lead him unto. He wasted his father's treasures, which he did inherit, in building stately houses to dwell in, and strong castles to retire himself unto, large orchards to recreate himself in, great pools to fish in, cunning musicans to sing to him, sweet instruments to play upon, and nimble young maids to dance in his hall. King Solomon did inherit great peace and concord from his father David, considering that in fifty years which he reigned, he was never challenged by any king, he never saw enemy in his kingdom, he never placed army in field, there never went banner out of his palace, never captain had pay of him, no drum ever broke his sleep. Solomon did inherit great riches from his father, seeing that he covered the Temples with gold, he inherited great power, seeing that all the kings of the earth did serve him, he inherited great wisdom, seeing he never erred in matter of justice, he inherited enxceeding great knowledge, seeing that men came to see him as a miracle. Solomon did inherit from his father more delights and dainties than kingdoms, seeing it is not read, that ever he was sick, that ever he endured any necessity, that any enmity did disquiet him, that any persecution did afflict him, that any grief did trouble him, that any king durst offend him, that any kingdom rebelled against him, or subject disobeyed him. To conclude, we say that David's successor in his kingdoms was his son Solomon, whom by excellency they called the rich, the wise, and quiet, because that in all his life time, he never put hand to sword, nor never shed man's blood. Now that we have told you who succeeded David in his delights and kingdoms, it is also needful that we prove unto you who was his son which succeeded him in his injuries and griefs: for seeing we have rejoiced with the prosperous, it is reason that we suffer somewhat with the afflicted. David was twice made a Prince, once in the city of Ebron, where he was anointed king of the twelve Tribes, & secondly in the den of Obdollam where he was made chief of those which were in tribulation: and from hence it groweth, that when the time came when he should divide these two kingdoms betwixt his two sons, he gave Solomon his rich and flourishing kingdom, and jesus Christ his poor afflicted one. Our Lord will give him his father David's seat, said the Angel unto the Virgin, as if he would say, Thou art to understand O high Virgin, that the pledge and dowry which the eternal father will give his eternal son, shall be the seat of his old father David, the seat I say, not of judgement, but to be judged, nor the seat of commanding, but of obeying, not of weal but of woe, not of honour but of poverty, not of pleasure but of pain. O how the judaical nation was deceived in thinking that Christ's kingdom should be a temporal kingdom, and that he should deliver them out of their captivity! For seeing that he inherited but one seat of his father David, how was it possible that he should deliver the synagogue by force of arms? If the Messiah promised in the old law, should be David's son, and rich and mighty, why did they not receive king Solomon for their Messiah, seeing that he inherited from his father arms to deliver them, power to defend them, treasure to enrich them, and great wisdom to govern them? How is it possible that the son of God who inherited nothing of David but a poor seat, should make war unto any, and deliver them from servitude? The son of God succeeded his father David in the seat of obedience, which he had with those who obeyed him, in the seat of charity which he had with the diseased, in the seat of mercy which he had with the afflicted, the seat of humility which he had with the proud, and the seat of patience which he had among the overtravelled. Christ did only inherit the principality of the afflicted and comfortless, and was content withal with it, seeing that he was banished by Herod, sold by Iuda●, denied by Saint Peter, accused of the jews, and sentence given on him by Pilate, and mocked of his servants. If all the troubles & vexations of the world should be put on one heap, and those which Christ alone suffered on another, all men would give him the prime, and to none of the rest, because that of all other men be they never so holy, there is no man that feeleth more than his own grief and pain; but the son of God did feel his own, and those of his elect. When the Apostle saith that the son of God, Factus est omnia nobis, is made all things for us, what else doth he say, but that he doth suffer with him who suffereth, weary with him who weary, & dieth with him who dieth? Because he is the father of us all, he feeleth all our griefs, and because we cost him much he is grieved that we suffer much; and therefore being a Prince and a captain of the afflicted, he doth help us to weep our grief, and remedy the excess. For he saith in his Sermon, Ve●ite and m● omnes qui laboratis & ●nerati estis, & ego reficiam vas: as if he would say, Come unto me all you which are laden and I will unlade you, and come unto ●ee all you which labour, and I will comfort you. O glorious captain, and happy proclamation which Christ maketh throughout the world, seeing that he bindeth himself to unload those which are burdened, comfort those which are afflicted, turn to those which are persecuted, refresh those which are hungry, lift up those which are trodden down, and b●e a father of all which be father less. If such as were in tribulation and necessity, and fled unto king David were sad and sorrowful, sad and sorrowful they returned again, if they were banished, banished they returned again, if they were in debt, indebted they returned again, and if they were discontent, discontented they returned, in so much that good king David could neither comfort them, nor relieve them. He who is persecuted with jesus cannot for a certain say so, nor he who is banished with our banished Lord, because none cometh unto him comfortless who returneth not comforted, nor no man cometh unto him indebted, whose debt he payeth nor. O this, this is a happy calling, Come you unto me all you which are laden, seeing that the son of God doth let us understand thereby, that he hath a school for the ignorant, an exchange for the needy, an hospital for the diseased, a tower for such as are fled, a pantry for the hungry, and a safe conduct for the banished. S. Barnard saith, The God of all creatures, and the Lord of the heavenly governments is the true Physician of my griefs & sorrows, because all other men have power only to hear than, but no skill to remedy them. Irenaeus saith, If I be a cold, he who wisheth me well, can bring me to the fire, if I be hungry, give me a little bread, if I be thirsty give me a cup of water, if I be naked give me a shirt, but if my soul be sad and comfortless, what comfort can he give me, but only bid me have patience? S. Augustine to the hermits saith, He who will comfort the soul, aught to be in the soul, and he who will remedy the heart should dwell in the heart, but because no man hath his abiding there but only the son of the living God, of him and of no other our remedy and ease must proceed. Cicero in an Epistle saith, O how he is deceived which saith and thinketh, that the griefs of the heart are lenified and eased by seeing fair meadows, walking by fresh rivers, eating dainty meats, hearing pleasant music? For all these things can but suspend my griefs for an hour or two, but they cannot root them out, and much less remedy them. Tell me I pray thee, how can the instruments which found in my ears, remedy my griefs which are enclosed in my bowels? How can the pleasures and joys which my eyes receive in beholding meadows and forests, give ease to my pains which lie in my bones? What doth dainty fair mitigate the anxiety of mind? What comfort can an afflicted mind take, if they give him no other remedy but bid him have patience? What careth my sorrowful heart for my friends words, if when they are gone from me, my sorrows remain? Seeing that all the pleasures and joys of the world reach no further than unto the five senses, it is a certain thing, that as pleasures are seated in those senses, so likewise griefs are rooted in the heart. Plato saith, That griefs and delights are great enemies, and that they dwell far one from another, and thereupon it happeneth, that there is no delight and pleasure which entereth into the inward part of the heart, nor no grief which cometh out further than the heart. Cassiodorus saith, That as we seek for an expert Pilot to sail with, and a skilful Physician to cure us with, so for to comfort our griefs and heaviness, we should seek out cunning men in them, because that no man can take more pity on another, than he who hath been wearied & injuried by suffering. When the son of God came into the world, he came not to learn to read, nor to write, nor to swim, nor to preach: for all this is but dross and mire in comparison of that which he knew before he came into the world. That which he came hither to learn by experience, was that which he knew before only by science, that is, to accustom himself to suffer corporal passions and vexations, because he might have the more compassion upon the afflicted. chrusostom saith, That the son of God came to traffic in this world like unto a rich & wealthy merchant, that is, by carrying to heaven that which there wanted, & by bringing from thence that which wanted here: for there there wanted men, & therefore took some thither with him, & here there wanted merits, & therefore left store behind him. The son of God came into the world, because there wanted men in heaven, to enjoy his glory, and because we wanted grace to deserve it, & so we gave him human flesh to suffer with, and he gave us his holy grace whereby we might merit. O holy and glorious exchange, seeing that he changed with us, quietness for travel, innocency for infamy, spirit for flesh, life for death, and glory for pain●● Now that 〈◊〉 have declared how the son of God came into the world to learn vexations and troubles, the better to have compassion on them in others, it is convenient that we declare now, how that the mother of God did inherit her son's sword of sorrows, as he did inherit his father David's seat of griefs and travails.   

CHAP. VI Of the sword of grief which killed the son of God, and went through his blessed mother.  
ETtuam ipsius animam doloris gladius pertransibit, said Simeon to the Virgin in the second chapter of S. Luke: as if he would say, The sword of the passion of this thy son, shall be so cruel, O high Virgin, that at one stroke it shall take his life from him, & pierce thy soul. The like prophecy was never heard of in times past, nor read in any book, nor any so sorrowful a prophecy ever spoken of, as this was which the Virgin newly delivered heareth this day, which the good old Simeon uttereth unto her: for what saith the prophecy, but that at one time, in the self-same day, in the same hour, and with the self-same sword, they will do justice upon the sons flesh, and upon the mother's bowels? There are found swords commonly to cut off a thieves ear, to behead a murderer, to quarter a traitor, to cut a blasphemous tongue, but a sword that can pierce the soul, and mind, there is no other to be found, but this sword of Christ's. The sword which Cain killed his brother with, the sword which Moses killed the Egyptian with, and the sword which king David slew the Philistime with, and Helias sword with the which he slew the Idolaters, and Phi●●es sword with the which he slew the Ammonites, did all wound the body, but alas Simeons' sword bruised the flesh of the son, and did not favour the bowels of the mother. Vbertinus noteth, that Simeon doth not say, that a sword of sorrow shall strike thee, but Pertransibit, that is, that that sword will not be content only to wound, but as it were with a mortal thrust shall pierce thy blessed soul, from one side unto the other. And then that deadly sword pierced her from one side unto the other, when all the sorrows and griefs which the sons flesh endured did load the heart of the dolorous mother with grief. The words of Auegratia plena which the Angel used, and those which Simeon spoke, doloris gladius pertransibit went together, and were of equal force: for even as the Virgin's soul was so full of grace, that she could receive no more, so her heart was so full of grief, that she could endure no more. There could not a greater grief be spoken of than that which the mother was to suffer, which was uttered in saying that a sword should pierce her heart from one side unto the other: and indeed as old Simeon had prophesied, so it came to pass, because there was never Martyr which suffered more torment in the martyring of his body, than the blessed Virgin suffered in seeing her son martyred. And this speech tuam ipsius animam, is very much to be noted: for although other holy men were grieved at the death of Christ, yet none so much as his holy mother: for in other men the grief was as it were a blow, but in the Virgin's heart a thrust. Simeon doth threaten none that the sword of grief shall pierce, but only the mother of Christ, to let us understand, that as she was the creature unto whom Christ imparted most of his comfort, so it was she unto whom he gave most of his dolours, insomuch that as she did most deserve, so she did most suffer. O great Simeon why dost thou threaten the mother only, with the sons sword, seeing that not only the martyrs did feel his death and passion, but it seemeth also that the Angels themselves did lament and weep for it? For what martyr is there in heaven O sweet jesus, which did not feel thy death, and die for thy holy law? It is therefore said that the holy Virgin did by a special grace and privilege feel more grievously the death of her son, than any other creature of the world, because it is a property of our Lord to impart most bitter feeling of his passion unto those souls whom he doth most tenderly love. When Simeon said that she should feel her sons passion more than any other, it was to say, that Christ would leave his passion and torment in keeping with her above others, to the end that they might be known afterward unto the world: in so much that it was unto thee, blessed Virgin, unto whom the son of God bestowed his greatest love on earth, and unto whom he imparted most of his sorrows. Unto whom then should we run for a true sufferer of his sorrows, but unto thee O mother of God now full of joy and consolation, though then full of sorrows and passion? O that thy soul is glorious, and thy heart most happy blessed Lady, seeing thou was not martyred with the Emperor Nero's sword as the Apostle Saint Paul was, but with the self-same that thy son was; in so much that as in the incarnation love coupled you together, so in his passion dolour separated you one from the other. Flebat Anna matter Tobiae irremediabilibus lachrymis: Toby chapter 10, as if he would say, The honourable. Matron Anna, old Tobias wife, and young Tobias mother, wept the absence of her well-beloved son with remediless tears, saying, Woe be unto me, woe be unto me, my son and my heart, what will become of me without thee, or is it possible for me to take any rest in thy absence? Whither art thou gone from me, where hast thou absented thyself, the light of my eyes, and staff of my old age, comfort of my life, and hope of my house? How is it possible that thy father could obtain of himself or of me, to send thee to recover a little money so far from us? What greater disaster could fall unto us, than to lose our son for the recovering of a little coin? I would to God that that money ha● never been due unto my house: for, for the ease of my heart there is no treasure like, as to have thee with me O my dear son. O my son, O my heart, how unfortunately did I consent that thou shouldest departed out of my sight, considering that it was most certain, that having thee with me, I wanted nothing! What shall my sorrowful eyes do now, seeing they cannot see thee but fill themselves with weeping for thee? Such sorrowful words and grievous complaints, could not be uttered, but of a tender heart, nor could not be spoken but of a child dearly beloved. Mimus the Philosopher saith, That because, the tongue is a crier and a publisher of that which is in the heart, it is most certain, that if there be love in the heart, that he crieth Love; and if there be nothing but sorrow & grief in the heart, he publisheth also nothing but sorrow. For the better understanding of this dolorous figure, it is to be noted, that as Isaac was the figure of Christ in that which he was to suffer, so Tobias mother was the figure of that that the immaculate Virgin was to weep: insomuch that the virgins glorious martyrdom was prophesied by Simeon, and figured in holy Anna. The mystery did well answer unto the Sacrament, seeing the blessed virgin was a mother, & Anna a mother, the one wept & the other wept, the one had but one only son, & the other had but one only son, the Virgin's son went a far journey, & Anna's son went a far journey, Tobias mother wept remediless tears, & the mother of God's tears were also without remedy. Young Tobias took his journey at his father's commandment, & the son of God was incarnate by his father's commandment: & if Tobias went to gather up money which his father had lent, Christ also came to recover souls which his father had lost. What shall I say more, but that Christ and Tobias, and Tobias and Christ, were sent by their own fathers, and lamented by their own mothers? O that the Virgin had better reason to weep for her son with remediless tears than Tobias mother had, because her sighs and rears found remedy and comfort, but the mother of God found no remedy nor comfort. O sorrowful woman and comfortless mother! for what comfort could thy tears find, seeing thou didst see him end his life in one day upon the cross, whom thou wast thirty years a bringing up? O comforelesse mother, and mother of discomfort, thou art she which should weep with remediless tears, and not the mother of young Tobias; because her son came home well married, but thy precious son remained dead upon the cross. O honourable Anne, and blessed old woman, it is an Angel which led him, an Angel which accompanied him, an Angel which married him, and an Angel which guarded him, and an Angel which brought him back again. Therefore leave thy tears for her, who is the mother of him which is crucified, considering that a traitor sold her son, a sinner denied him, a tyrant condemned him, and a wicked people put him to death. Our Lady wept with remediless tears, seeing that she & not Tobias his mother did lose the staff which did support her, the glass which she looked in, the light with which she saw, the rest wherein she took joy, her only hope and that which she most of all loved. Seneca to this purpose saith, That the grief is not so great, when things are lost by little and by little, as when they are lost all at once: and therefore it is a great matter for a man to be accustomed to endure, and hardened in suffering. Who doth doubt at all but that the sudden losses which fall unto us, are more grievous than those which come not all together? if they had apprehended the son of God in one day, accused him on another, given sentence on him the other, and executed him on the other, although the grief could not but have been great, yet it had been tolerable; but to see that in four and twenty hours they apprehended him, accused him, gave sentence on him, and put him to death, what heart is able to suffer it, or what eyes can weep and bewail it sufficiently? Venient tibi has una die sterilitas & viduitas, said God by the Prophet Esay, chapter sixteen: as if he would say, When thou shalt lest think upon it, there shall happen two great mishaps unto thee O Synagogue, that is, thou shalt be made a widow, and also barren without a son. The space of three thousand years in which God was married unto the Synagogue, he raised patriarchs and Prophets continually in her: but when the son of God was put to death, she was put from him like a naughty woman, and the Church admitted in her place, in so much that from good Friday forward when he died on the cross, she never after was great with any gifts or graces, nor never brought forth any holy man. Our blessed Lord was his mother's bridegroom, and dear son also, and he was so certainly her bridegroom, that joseph was not more hers when he was betrothed unto her: and thereupon it is, that when joseph died she was not fully a widow, but when the son of God died she was fully a widow. Why doth the Prophet call her a widow, but by reason of her son which she lost, and why doth he call her barren, but by reason that she had no comfort and consolation? O that the Prophet doth rightly call thee barren, seeing that in one day, and in one hour, thou didst lose thy husband and wast bereaved of thy son! But yet thou mayest comfort thyself with one thing, O glorious Virgin, that is, that thou needest not wear a mourning weed, though thou be a widow, because thee very stones have broken in sunder, and the heavens have mourned for pure compassion. Magna velut mare est contritio tua; quis medebitur tibi? Saith jeremy in his Lamentations: as if he would say, thy grief doth so much exceed all other griefs, as the sea doth exceed all other waters; because all men can take pity on thee, but no man remedy thee. jeremy doth highly set forth the dolours which the sorrowful mother suffered on the Mount of Calvary by comparing her unto the sea water; because that as there is no drop of water in the sea which is not salt, even so there was no part of the Virgin's heart which did not feel grief and pain. He calleth the Virgin's dolour Contrition, that is, a kind of bruising or breaking: he calleth it great, and he calleth it a sea which is bitter, in so much that as there is nothing which can be compared to the sea in greatness, even so there is no grief which can be compared unto the grief which the Virgin suffered. There are some griefs and sorrows, the which if they be bitter, yet they are not great, and if they be great, yet they are not bitter: but the Virgin's dolour was the greatest in the world, for it was so bitter, that there could be none so bitter, and so great that none could be greater. What could be more bitter, seeing it went to her heart, what longer seeing it continued all her life time? O that thy contrition was great like unto the sea: for as there is in the sea both calm and tempest, so was there in thy heart at one time joy and sorrow; joy in seeing thy son redeem the world, and sorrow in seeing thy son die without justice. What sorrow dost thou think should that heart feel, in the which at one time there did strive sensuality and reason, love and fear, liking and dissiking, willing and nilling? What sea can be compared in depth, or what water in bitterness, unto the heart in the which is forged at one time, a will to redeem all the world, and a will that her son should not suffer? For as the sea is deep, and large, so the Virgin's grief was deep, because it reacheth unto the heart, and great because it was of a great matter, and bitter because it was the greatest grief in the world. Barnard saith, That as in the sea one wave followeth another, and when they are come to the bank, they break against it: even so in the Virgin's mind one sorrow overtaketh another, and one grief overreacheth another, the which both together break against the Virgin's bowels. And she suffered all these anxieties and sorrows alone, because there was none who might take part of them with her, nor any man able to give her remedy for them. Quis medibitur tibi? as if jeremy would say, O sorrowful mother, and comfortless Lady, what Physician is able to cure thy wounds, having them, as thou hast them, so far within thy heart? Who shall cure thee O thou of all other the most comfortless, because the griefs of the heart are such, that although they are easy to be reckoned, yet they are hard to be cured? Who shall heal thee O blessed Lady, seeing thy careful love is of such quality, and the wounds of thy sorrow so great, that no man can guess at the curing of them, but he alone who was the cause of them? Who shall ease thee of all others the most desolate, seeing that the Physician which cured the dolours of the heart, is now crucified among thieves and malefactors? Who shall cure thee O blessed Virgin, or who shall make whole thy sorrowful heart, but he only in whom thou hast put it, seeing we know that although Galen and Hypocrates can purge the humours, and let the veins blood, yet they cannot cure the griefs of the mind? Who shall ease thy sighs but only he for whom we sigh for? Who shall heal thee O my good Lady, seeing that he is dead on the altar of the cross, for whom thou dost weep, and he hath yielded up the ghost for whom thou dost sigh? Who shall heal thee O my sinful soul, if thou hast lost Christ and fallen from grace? Thou must now know, that thou hast no recompense for so great a loss. join therefore O my soul with our Lady and weep with her, she for her son, and thou for thy loss, because that after his resurrection he may comfort her and help thee.   

would have bestowed them all in seeking, looking upon, in hearing and in loving, and serving her son? O who could have seen thee in that lamentable hour on foot, and not sitting hard by the cross, and not far off, looking upon him with thy sorrowful eyes, kissing his feet with thy mouth, and receiving the drops of blood upon thy head! The scripture doth not say only, that she did stand hard by the cross, but addeth further, juxta crucem jesu, by the cross of Christ, to distinguish the cross of Christ from the cross of thieves: for it had been no matter whether a man had been on foot, or sitting by those crosses. Who should come to the cross of Christ crucified, but he who is also crucified? And he who will come to the cross, must live like unto them that are on the cross, upon which they know nothing but how to suffer, hear blasphemies, consent to have themselves nailed, see themselves crucified, suffer themselves to be pierced with a spear, yea and not resist to die. Who be they which sit by the thieves crosses, but other thieves? By the crosses of thieves do sit impatient men chiding, covetous men a deceiving, gluttons a eating, libidenous men a playing the adulterers, malicious men a lying, and slothful men a taking their ease. It was a cross by which Christ's poor family stood, and they were crosses by which soldiers of the devil stood, to let us understand, that they suffer more crosses and pains which go to hell, than those which go to heaven. S. Augustine saith, That if thou wilt see who they are which do save themselves, and what multitude they be, which condemn themselves, thou mayest see it by that, that by the cross of Christ there stood but a few persons; and by the crosses of the thieves there were a thousand people and more, in so much that it is in thy choice either to go weeping a foot to heaven, or go sitting and laughing to hell. Anselmus upon the mystery of the cross saith, On the Mount of Calvary there were very many which looked on the cross of Christ a far off, but very few which stood near unto it: and the reason is, because that by the cross of Christ it is not permitted that any should sin, and by the crosses of the thieves, it is lawful for every man to steal and sin. O my soul, and O my heart, why dost thou not melt, and yield up the ghost, seeing the drops of blood which descend upon our Lady, and the sighs of our Lady which ascend unto our Lord? Dost thou not mark O my soul, dost thou not mark how the sorrowful mother is bathed with the blood which runneth from her son, and how the earth is watered with the tears which fall from her eyes? Barnard saith, What offences can there be so great in the world, which the blood of the son cannot remedy, and the tears of the mother cannot wash away? Behold O my heart saith Bonaventure, and thou shalt see the son upon the cross, and the mother at the foot of the cross, she is on foot, and he lifted up, she holdeth her peace, and he speaketh no word, and that which is most of all, they look upon one the other with their eyes, and understand one another with their hearts. O my fingers and you my pens, give over writing I pray you, because I may meditate the better how the mother saw her son shed drops of blood, and the son saw the mother shed tears from her heart. What hearts should they have which had such eyes? Who can write this and not sigh, and who can read it, and not be heavy for it, that is, how the mother's heart was full of grief for that which she saw, and the sons heartful of love for that which he suffered? And by that means there was a cruel debate betwixt the sorrow of the mother and the love of the son. Note well (saith Vbertinus) that he who was upon the cross, and those which were near the cross, they were all standing, and none sitting, which is to give us understanding of the sweet taste of the cross, and of the high mysteries contained in him, whereof he did impart none unto those which leaned or sat at their ease, but unto those which stood on their feet. Non coques haedum in lact matris, deuteronomy, chap. 24. as if he would say, Let no man be so bold as to seethe the flesh of the kid in the milk of his dam, but let them eat the goat's milk by itself, and eat the kid by himself, and the law did permit the dam to be milked, and the kid to be killed. If there were no other mystery in this, what did God care whether the kid were sod in his mother's milk or not? Origen saith, If it be well noted, the law doth forbid the kid to be sod in the milk of the goat, but the law did not forbid to seethe the goat in the blood of the kid. In which mystery he did let us understand, that the holy mother the church was to be sod, & saved in the blood of Christ, and not Christ in the blood of the church. On that dismal and unlucky day, upon the high Mount of Calvary, the goat and the kid met together, which were Christ and his mother, in which place against all reason and law, they did at one time seethe the son in the mother's milk, and the mother in the sons blood. From whence issued out the blood, but out of the veins of the son, and from whence came the milk, but from the mother's eyes? O goodness never hard of before, O unspeakable sorrow! who did ever see or hear of a mother who shed so many tears, as were enough to bathe her son in them, or of a son from whom came so much blood, as was enough to seethe his mother in? It appeareth well, that they used themselves like mother and child, and that they loved like bride and bridegroom, seeing she gave him distilled tears, and he gave her strained blood. Barnard in an Homily saith, O of all women most blessed, O mother of my dolours, what son had ever such a mother as he had, or what mother had ever such a son as thou hast, seeing thou didst conceive him being a Virgin, broughtest him forth with joy, broughtest him up with milk, followedst him with sweats, and buriedst him with tears? What could she do more for him, than follow him with infinite travel and pains, and bury him with remediless tears? And what could he do more for her, than choose her for his mother, and redeem her with his blood? Anselmus upon the Conception saith, That from the beginning of the world until this day, there was never milk better paid for, than that which Christ sucked of his mother: for if she gave him milk out of her precious breasts, he gave her blood out of his holy members. Who ever heard before, or saw blood paid for milk, or milk for blood? Who can estimate or set a price on the blood which streamed from the son, or of the tears which ran from the mother? O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul, had it not been better for thee, and lesser grief for thy mother to have sod thee in the milk of her breasts, rather than in the tears of her eyes? What canst thou ask more of her, or what hath she more to give thee, seeing she gave thee milk when thou wast borne, griefs and sweeting all thy life time, and tears when thou didst die? It had been lesser hurt for her, and lesser grief unto thee to have given thee rather milk than tears, because the milk cometh running from the veins, and the tears come strained from the heart. For who weary but weary from the heart? Seneca saith, That a man may talk and do his business being at quiet: but only a grieved and troubled heart weeepeth, because there are none more certainer witnesses of the sorrows which we suffer, than the tears which we weep with our eyes.   

CHAP. VIII. Why Christ took his mother with him to see him die, seeing that she was not to help him to redeem us.  
QVi invenerit aviculam eubantem cum pullis suis, tollat filios & dimittat matrem, deuteronomy 22. God spoke these words unto the jews which were hunters; as if he would say, If any man go to the fields a hunting, and by chance meet with a Sparrows nest, he may take the young ones, so as he let the old one go, in so much that he should neither take her, nor much less kill her. What other thing is it to go a hunting for Sparrows nests, but to seek out divine books? Origen saith, Who or what is the nest but the book, what the Sparrow but the letter, & which the young ones but the senses, and who the hunter but the Christian which occupieth himself in holy Scripture? When God commandeth the hunter to lean the mother, and take the young ones, he doth plainly advise us, that we should leave the letter in the nest of the holy Scripture, and take the meaning. He doth leave the Sparrow in the nest which careth not for that which the letter soundeth, but for that which the holy Gospel saith, Because there be some such obscure phrases in scripture, that they are not only not to be taken as they sound, but also that not to be done which the very letter commandeth. When Christ saith, If thy eye do scandalise thee, it was not his meaning that we should pull out our corporal eyes which we see with, but the spiritual with the which we damn ourselves; for Christ's sweet law doth command no man to tear his own members, but to pull out sins by the root. When we love a child well, we say that we love him like our own eyes, and thereupon Christ saith, if any of thy eyes do scandal thee, pull him out. Saint Augustine saith, That all the Synagogues perdition consisteth, because that in the nest of the Scripture, they take the mother, and leave the young ones, that is, they take the letter as it soundeth, and take not the sense which is hidden under it, making more account of the dry bark, then of the tender marrow. When the Apostle saith, that the letter killeth, and that it is the spirit which doth give life, what else doth he say, but that we should take heed of taking the old Sparrow, and that we should take the young ones which was the sense? When the son of God saith, Search the scriptures, he meaneth not that we should read the books only, but that we should seek out the true sense thereof. If wicked Arrius had searched out the meaning of those words, My father is greater than I am, & of those other words, That they may be one as I and my Father are one, there should never so many good men have been persecuted, nor so many scandals have risen in the church by it. Seeing that all living beasts are created for man's uses and service, if our Lord had meaned no other matter in the sparrows nests, than the letter speaketh of, he would never have bidden us eat of the one, and not touch the other. It had been a greater loss to the Commonwealth to kill five or six young ones, than one old one: but because the giver of the law did intend rather the mystery, which was signified in the sparrows, than the prohibition which he made when he commanded the young ones to be taken, & the old one to be let louse. Conformably then unto that which our Lord commandeth, let the curious Reader leave the letter and take the true sense: otherwise it were better for him not to read the Scripture, than understand it as the Synagogue doth. To come then unto our purpose, what is the nest but the holy cross of Christ? Who the sparrow but our blessed Lady? And who the young one but her precious son? Ezechiel saw a nest put upon a high tree, in which nest every bird laid an egg, and in the nest of the cross of Christ, all the Saints lay their eggs, that is, then good desires, of which the son of God like a good Hen, of every one gathereth his good work. According unto the old law the young sparrows might be taken and killed, and so they did by Christ: and wherefore then was his poor mother so grievously tormented there, who was figured in the sparrow, seeing she was exempted by law? O wicked jerusalem, and cursed Synagogue! seeing that in the nest of the cross, thou didst find the old bird and the young, why art thou not content to kill the young one, but dost also torment the mother? O holy tree, O precious nest, O blessed son, O comfortless mother, what heart could destroy that holy nest, in the which all the holy Trinity was enclosed? In the high nest of the cross, the father was he who commanded the son to suffer, the holy ghost which assisted, the flesh which died, the foul which gave life, and the blood which redeemed us. All this nest was overthrown by the Synagogue, when his blood lay upon the ground, his carcase on the cross, his flesh in the sepulchre, his soul in joy, and his divinity united to all. What shall we say of his sorrowful mother, of whose heart there was one piece on the ground with his blood, another on the cross with his skin, another in the sepulchre with his body, and another in hell whither Christ went with his soul, & another on the Mount of Calvary with those of her family which wept? What else shall I say O my soul, but that into how many parts her son was scattered, the sorrowful mother's heart into so many was divided? Vbertinus saith, That the doleful mother's heart was scattered & divided & divided again; because that loving her son as she did better than herself, she kept the least part of her heart unto herself. Why do I say that she kept some part of her heart unto herself, seeing that all her heart lived and died with her son? If the heart do run to desire that which the eyes behold, and if whither the heart goeth there goeth also the very bowels to continue, where was all the Virgin's heart, but in her son whom she best beloved? Because the doleful mother had no other son but him, all her love was fixed in him, and because the jews found the Sparrow and her young one in the nest of the Cross, they crucified the flesh of Christ, and tormented the mother's heart. Saint Barnard saith, That if the Virgin's breasts had been opened in that sorrowful hour & lamentable day, it is religiously to be thought, they might have found her heart of flesh, but not the force and vigour of a heart, because her vital spirits had mortified it, and her true love buried it with her son. O mighty Redeemer, and supreme Creator, who is able to tell the secret, or reach unto this, that is to say, why thou didst take the mother with thee thither, to see thee die in that great and high day of thy passion, and leave all thy other disciples behind thee, because they might not see thee suffer? In so great a conflict, and so narrow a strait as this was upon the Mount of Calvary, why wouldst thou have rather women with thee to weep, than men to defend thee? Who but thou O good jesus (saith S. Barnard) who but thou did ever go into the field to fight against his enemies without weapons, & accompanied with tears? The mother wept, the son wept, the kinsman wept, the disciple wept, the aunt wept, all the family wept, so that Moses did drown his enemies in waters, and the son of God his with tears. Anselmus saith, That he that could have been at the death of Christ upon good Friday should have seen the jews make an outcry, the pharisees blaspheme, the hangmen lay on, the heavens wax dark, and all the faithful weep, in somuch that there was nothing in the synagogue but blasphemies, and nothing in the church but tears. Non immolabitur una die ovis cum filio fuo, said God in Leviticus, chap. 22. As if he would say, Let those take heed which will offer to the Tabernacle, that they do not kill the lamb and the ewe the same day. Origen saith, That because our Lord is merciful, he would have his disciples be so likewise, and therefore he did forbid them any thing that might tend unto cruelty, or induce them unto it. What can be more cruel than to take the lamb and the own at one time? Who is the ewe which hath brought forth the lamb, but only the mother of Christ, and who the lamb but her precious son? God did warn the synagogue often that they would take heed unto the Lamb and ewe, and especially that if they would touch the son, that they would pardon the mother. God had no greater wealth nor any equal neither in heaven nor in earth, unto that lamb and sheep, of whom he himself had a care, and in whose service and guard all the powers of heaven were by him employed. This commandment was broken on the Mount of Calvary, where they at one time, killed the innocent lamb, and spared not the sorrowful mother. What cruelty and inhumanity like unto this was ever seen or heard of, hang but one sheep in the Synagogue, & the church having but one lamb, to kill the lamb in the presence of his mother, and torment the ewe in the sight of the Lamb? What equal torment could there be to the mother than to kill her son before her face, or what greater martyrdom could the son suffer, than to sacrifice his mother in his sight? O how glorious and happy should I be if my soul would turn to be such an ewe, and my heart such a lamb, because I might be sacrificed on the Mount of Calvary with the true Lamb! O sweet jesus (saith Vbertinus) O merciful Lord, seeing that all laws do speak in favour of thy precious mother, why wouldst thou break them, seeing thou art the judge of them all? Is not the law made in the favour of thy mother, which commandeth that the lamb should not be sod in the milk of his dam? Is not that law made in the favour of thy mother, which commandeth to take the young Sparrows, and let the old one go? The law which commandeth not to kill the Lamb and the ewe at one time, is it not made in favour of thy mother? Thou then, that art the giver of the law, do not break the law; which thou dost, if thou sacrifice thyself which art the lamb, and thy mother which is the ewe. There is blood enough in the blood of the lamb, & there needeth not the blood of the mother: for if it be necessary for the son to die to redeem us, the mother's life is also necessary to comfort us. Bonaventure, Anselmus, & Vbertinus, cannot wonder enough what should be the reason why the son would take his mother with him to the foot of the cross, seeing that she could not help him in his death, nor he had no need of her to redeem us. It is not to be thought that he brought her thither without cause, neither that she did go thither without some mystery, because that all things done betwixt the son and his mother should be esteemed as a mystery of mysteries, like unto salomon's Canticles, which are songs of songs. The reason why our good jesus would take his mother with him, was (as Anselmus saith) Because he would leave her his only inheritrize, as being the next of kindred. O my singers, O my heart, how is it possible for you to be able to write, or my tongue able to speak of the wealth which the son leaveth, or of the inheritance which the mother doth inherit? But what could he leave unto his mother who was borne in Bethelem among beasts, & died on the Mount of Calvary betwixt thieves? What can his sorrowful mother inherit of him who shroudeth himself in a borrowed shroud, and burieth himself in another man's sepulchre? What could he bequeath by Testament, who having two coats, gave one to the hangmen which crucified him, and the other to the knights which kept him? What could he leave who never had a form to set down on, nor a bolster to lay his head on? The inheritance then which she did there inherit from her son, was the blood which there he shed, and the dolours which he there suffered for all men, so that with the blood which came down from the cross, he watered her body, and with the dolours which he suffered, he martyred her soul. Saint Barnard De passione domini saith, That in so great and high a work as this was, and in so narrow a straight as this which Christ was in, it was very necessary that the Virgin should be there, and give her son part of all that was in her, not only to have compassion on him, but also to suffer with him. S. Augustine upon the passion of our Lord saith, That because the great prophecy of Simeon was not as yet accomplished, it was done by the permisson and counsel of the holy ghost, that the mother should be with the son on the Mount of Calvary, where at one time the sword of grief bereaved the son of his life, and pierced the mother's soul. As it was not reason (saith Anselmus) that the mother of God should want the crown and reward of martyrdom, so was it not reason that she should be put into tyrant's hands, & therefore it was given her as a mean, that because she had served her son with excessive love, her own son should martyr her with his unspeakable griefs. Who ever saw or heard, that as it were at one sound and after one measure, the hangmen should martyrize the son, & the son martyrize his mother. S. Barnard upon those words, Maior est iniquitas mea, which Cain spoke, saith thus: O good jesus that, that charity is greater which thou didst use, than that which thou didst command me O redeemer of my soul, seeing that on the Mount of Calvary, the Friday which thou didst suffer upon the cross, thou didst not only put thy own life for us, but also thy blessed mothers. When didst thou condemn thyself to die, & not pardon thy mother, but when the knife of thy passion did take away thy own life from thee, and pierce thy mother's soul? The greatest matter that the sorrowful mother could inherit was some thorn fallen from thee, or some of thy blood shed upon her, or some piece of thy flesh which stuck upon the cross, or some of the hairs of thy head which were cast abroad. She did also inherit the hatred which the people bore unto her son, because that from that day forward, she was called the mother of him which was put to death, of him which was possessed with a devil, of the Soothsayer & Publican. His sorrowful mother did inherit also all the holy college of the twelve Apostles. Isichius upon Leviticus saith thus: Christ took his precious mother to the Mount of Calvary, because she should be a witness of his passion, and credit her with the blood of our redemption: for to believe & hold for a certainty, that we are redeemed, it sufficeth if the Virgin tell us that she saw her son die. The son of God came into the world, and paid his father the debt which was due for all the sins of the world, of which payment his will was that his mother should be a witness, because she might give testimony, after his death, how his father was paid, the world redeemed, sin at an end, the heaven already opened, and the devil overcome.   
The end of the third word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the cross.   

❧ Here beginneth the fourth word which the son of God spoke upon the Cross when he complained upon his father, saying: Deus meus, deus meus, ut quid me dereliquisti? That is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

CHAP. I. How Christ in this speech more than in all the rest seemeth to change his style of speaking.  
HEloij beloij lamazabathani? Hoc est: deus, deus meus, quare me dereliquisti? This is the fourth word which the redeemer of the world spoke on the altar of the Cross: which speech is no less dreadful than pitiful, nor pitiful than dreadful: and it is as if he would say, My God, my God, My father, my father, what have I done irreverently against thee, that thou shouldst forsake me in so narrow a straight as this is? There are offered unto us in this divine speech high mysteries and deep secrets to entreat of, whereof we can give no reason if we be not favoured with God's divine assistance: whom with tears we do humbly beseech, that it would please him to lighten us with his grace, and secure us with his help and aid. The reason is to be known why the son of God did change his manner of speaking rather in this speech, than in all the others which he used, as the Evangelists do record it, saying, Heloij, heloij, lamazabathani. Was it because he should be understood of all men, seeing that he was crucified for all men? It is also to be known why he doth repeat this word God twice, saying My God, my God, as though God were deaf in hearing him. It is also to be weighed why he called him God, and not Father, seeing he who complained was the son, and he unto whom he complained was his Father. It is also to be marveled at, that seeing he did not call him father, but God, why he did add this word My, saying, My God, my God, as though his Father were his God only, and not the God of all others. It is also very much to be noted, why he doth rather complain that his Father had forsaken him, than put him to death: seeing that he knew very well that Pilate was not of power to take away his life from him, if his eternal father had not given him licence to do it? And although he did complain of his Father, why did he not say, My Father why dost thou forsake me, but My God why hast thou forsaken me, making account of that which he hath suffered, and not of that which then he did suffer? Although all these things are easily rehearsed, yet they are not easy to be expounded: but because they are divine secrets, and done betwixt divine persons only they pass man's capacity, yea the Angel's understanding. To come then unto the mysteries, it is first to be seen who complaineth, and unto whom he complaineth, whereof he complaineth, and where he complaineth, and before whom he complaineth, and with what words he complaineth. He who complaineth is Christ: he unto whom he complaineth is his Father: that whereof he complaineth is because he had forsaken him: the place where, was on the cross: and he complained before his mother with these words, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. These are most pitiful words to hear, and tender to provoke us to weep: for if we consider how the son of God spoke them being nailed upon the cross, his body naked, and his enemies round about him, and that upon a dunghill, what heart is there that would not break to think on it? Seeing we know, believe, and confess, that Christ was true God, and that his father was also God, and both were but one God, how can it enter into man's understanding that one who is God should complain upon him who is also God? If between one God and another there be complaints, is it any great matter if men sometimes fall at odds? We see it fall out daily, that the son complaineth of the Father, and one friend upon another, yea & one man upon himself, but that Christ who is God should complain upon his father who is God, it is a thing never heard of before, nor human weakness is not able to conceive it. For seeing no man complaineth on another but for some wrong done unto him, what grievance could the eternal Father have done unto his son whom he loved so well? For seeing we know that Christ is the son of God and his only beloved son, and with whom God hath left all his treasures in keeping, how is it possible that God should have dealt hardly with him, seeing that he deserved it not, neither his father desired it? According unto that which we have said our reason is good which way so ever we do wind ourselves: for if we say that the father did that unto his son, which he ought not, we can neither say it nor affirm it: then if we say that the son complained without occasion, we dare not presume so to say, in so much that we must deliver the father of all fault, and allow the sons complaint to be good. To unfold ourselves of this business, it is to be noted that Christ said by the Prophet, Abinfantia crevit mecum miseratio, Because he began to suffer from his childhood, and yet he never complained until the time came that he should die. Leo upon the Passion of our Lord saith, That the noble men's children of this world cry our presently when they see any trouble come upon them, and ask for secure: but never any man saw our Lord open his mouth to complain, until a quarter of an hour before they would pull his heart out of his body. S. Chrisostome upon Luke crieth out & saith. What news is this O redeemer of the world, what news is this? When they lay hands on thee, thou takest it quietly, when they blaspheme thee thou makest as though thou were deaf, when they whip thee thou dost hold thy tongue, whon they do crucify thee thou dost suffer, when they kill thee thou dost dissemble: and yet dost thou open thy mind even as thou art yielding up thy ghost? Why dost thou complain upon thy father alone, having as thou hast so many enemies which have offended thee, that is, judas who sold thee, Peter which did deny thee, Pilate which g●ue sentence on thee, Herod who scorned thee, and all the people which put thee to death? Demosthenes the Philosopher saith, That a man ought never begin that which he cannot bring to an end, nor say that which he cannot prove, nor ask that which cannot be given him, nor love that which cannot be gotten, no● contend with him whom he cannot revenge, nor yet complain of that which cannot be remedied. Seneca in an Epistle saith, That no man should say that he complaineth, unless he think that he shall have remedy against his complaint: for otherwise he doth himself hurt in complaining, & stirreth him unto anger of whom he complaineth. Tell me then O good jesus, what remedy h●st thou for thy complaint, seeing that thou hast not half an hour to live? Dost thou make thy request unto thy Father when thy soul is even now departing from thy body? Who ever heard of, or ever saw the like, that the end of thy vexitions to be the beginning of thy complaint: in thirty and three years that thou didst converse with us, thou didst never brawl with any, thou didst never injury any man, nor never complain of any man, and now being at the very point of death dost thou complain only upon thy Father? O what great mystery and deep secret this thy complaint doth cover, seeing that in such a time, and such a narrow strait, thou dost complain, when all other are wont to pardon their injuries and reconcile their enmities, and ask pardon for their offences? Pauper & in laboribus a iwentute mea: exaltatus autem, & humiliatus & conturbatus: these words the Prophet David saith in the person of Christ Psalm 88, as if he would say, I have been brought up in travails and poverty from my childhood, and then I was lifted up, and then made low, and afterward troubled and persecuted. Thy fears have made me afraid; and thy angers have broken upon me, and thy travails have compassed me about, and they have compassed me about altogether as it were a vie, and over and above all this, thou hast set my friend far from me, and hast separated him who was my neighbour far from me. If we do deeply look into the complaints which the son maketh in this place against his eternal Father, we shall find that they are many in number, great in quality, and in respect incomparable, cruel in their kind, and unworthy of him unto whom they are sent. Basil upon the Psalm saith, That speaking like a man, it seemeth in human reason that the innocency of good jesus did not deserve, neither could it be in the clemency of his good Father, that the divine pity should load upon weak humanity, so many torments together, and heap so many troubles & vexations. The first complaint which the son made against his Father is, Quod pauper & in laboribus sum a iwentute mea, to wit, That he brought him up poorly from his childhood, he made him live with hunger, and go like a banished man from place to place. Cicero saith in an Epistle, When a young man doth suffer travails, and endure poverty, if he be not a fool and an idiot, he beareth it with a great courage, by remembering that his Father was poor in the same manner: but if his Father had been rich, and now he himself poor, this is such a misfortune, that there is no patience able to endure it, nor heart which can dissemble it. What should the son of God think when he remembreth what a rich Father he had, and that he did spend all his treasure upon other men's children, and suffer him to go poorly, naked and a hungered, and scorned by all men? The Apostle speaking of God's riches saith, Deus qui dines es in omnibus, as if he would say, Thou art the God only which doth possess great riches, and art the Lord which hath many lordships, because thou shouldest want nothing thyself, and to impart much of the overplus unto others. Gloria & divitiae in domo eius, saith the Prophet, his house is full of glory, and there is infinite wealth in his chamber. If God then have glory for those which are in heaven with him, and be also a father who hath wealth for such as are with him in this world, what was the cause why he did not impart some of this unto his son? Ambrose upon this word Pauper & in laboribus saith, That most sacred humanity came in poverty of glory, seeing that his Father did not suffer his soul to impart somewhat of his glory unto his body, and his person also lived in poverty, seeing he had nothing proper unto himself in this life, in so much that as the father was rich in all things, so the son was poor of all things. Plato in his Timaeo saith, That although poverty be no evil thing in a good man, yet notwithstanding man's nature doth much abhor it, because there can none but he be called very fortunate who is able to give unto others, neither is there any other very unfortunate, but he who must of necessity ask of others. It is to be thought that Christ's humanity did feel his poverty, and necessity which he endured, aswell because his father had very much to bestow upon him, as for that he must oftentimes ask for that which he had need of. S. Bonaventure saith in the life of Christ: Christ had much a do to maintain himself and those of his College: for sometimes he asked that which he had need of, and they gave it him not, and at other times he asked not, and yet they sent him, in so much that there did strive in his tender heart at one time the hunger which he suffered, and the shame which he had to ask. Hunger did bid him to ask, and shame did bid him to forbear: in so much that there passed very few days in the which his stomach was not very hungry, or his holy face covered with shame. Ginomius the Philosopher being asked what poverty was, answered. That poverty of his own nature was very evilly conditioned, because it giveth no contentment unto the person in whom it is, no savour at the table, no taste in the cup, no warmth in the gown, nor any life in the purse. What contentment can a poor man have, seeing they scorn him before his face? What savour hath he at his table, seeing that oftentimes it is time to have dined before the fire be made in his house? What taste can he have in his cup, seeing that sometime he doth not send once a week unto the tavern? What trust can a poor creature have in his purse, seeing that his purse did cost him more than that which is in it? Christ had great reason to say, that he was brought up poorly, and with great pain from his infancy, seeing that he was borne poor, lived poor, and died poor, insomuch that as he was the most holiest of all holy men, so was he the poorest of all poor men. Exaltatus autem humiliatus & conturbatus, which is the second complaint which the son maketh of the Father. And it is as if he would say, Besides that my Father hath brought me up in poverty, & great misery, he hath remembered to give me honour, the better afterward to diffame me, and to exalt me to throw me afterwards down, in so much that my fame hath been spread abroad throughout all this kingdom, and my infamy hath flown afterward throughout all the world. This is a very pitiful complaint, and a very deep speech, and therefore it is necessary for us to expound it well and read it with great heed. Seneca in his second book of Anger saith, Laetiores reliquit fortuna, quos nunquam aspexit quàm ques aspexit, & postea deseruit, as if he would say, It was better with them, and they were more merrier which fortune did never exalt, nor never thought on, than with those whom fortune had once lifted up to great honour, and afterward thrown down again. Boetius in his first book of Comfort saith, In falicissimum genus infortunij est hominem fuisse faelicem. As if he would say, There is no torment in the world to be compared unto that, that when a man doth remember that he hath been happy in time past, and that he is fallen from that estate; because such a man's heart doth bewail his present misery, and sigh after the felicity which he was wont to enjoy. What grief can he take for honour, who never knew what it was? Macrobius in his Saturnales saith, That if we want any thing, all that we can do is to desire it; but if we do once obtain it, & then lose it, the heart is not content with desiring it only, but doth also lament the loss of it, because it is a far greater grief to lose that which once we have enjoyed, than that which we never had, although we do desire it never so much. The son of God did complain on his own father, because he had exalted him, and afterward thrown him down, because there was never son more honoured by his father than Christ, nor never son so much abased as Christ was afterward on the Mount of Calvary. The better to understand this speech, exaltatus & humiliatus, we must suppose, that God did never give nor never will give unto any those graces and pre-eminences, which he gave unto his well-beloved son, because there is no creature worthy to receive them, nor any Angel of that capacity, that he is able to have them imparted unto him. The son was exalted by his Father, seeing he gave him his own divine essence and power, and in that his flesh should be united unto that divine nature, and because the holy Ghost was the maker and framer of all that mystery, and because he should take flesh of a Virgin, and she remained a Virgin. The son was highly exalted by his father, considering that he gave him so much power upon earth, as he had above in heaven. The son of God was highly exalted by his father, considering that he gave him the most excellent soul that ever was or shall be created, and gave him power to cast out devils, and authority to raise the dead, and power over all the elements, & also gave him licence to pardon sins. The son of God was greatly honoured, when he gave him, himself for his father, a pure Virgin for his mother, holy joseph for his master, the great Baptist for his ambassador, the great Evangelist for his Secretary, holy Peter and Saint Paul for his Preachers. Christ was highly honoured by his Father, considering that he made john baptise him in the river of jordan, and caused the holy Ghost to be present with him, and his glory to shine there upon him, and openly acknowledge him to be his well-beloved son. Behold then how the son of God was exalted and honoured by his father: but alas as he endeth his speech with exaltatus, he saith presently that he was humiliatus & conturbatus, that he was thrown down and troubled, so that according unto this prophecy the end of his honour was the beginning of his infamy. Christ was abjected and abased by his father, because that from his young tender infancy, his father began to hold a rigorous hand over him: for in the first three and thirty years which he lived, he never gave him licence to show his power, nor employ his knowledge, nor set forth his learning, nor win credit and fame in the world. Christ was abjected and made low by his father, seeing that of God he made him a man, of eternal temporal, of one that was invisible, visible, and of one that was immortal, mortal, of one who was strong & mighty, weak, and of a free man a bondslave, according to his humanity. The son of God was abased and abjected by his father, considering how he suffered the pharisees to persecute him by malice, the Priests by envy, the Scribes by covetousness, the Gentiles through ignorance, and the Synagogue by obstinacy. Christ was brought low and abased by his father, seeing he gave his enemies leave to point at him as if he had been an enchanter, diffame him as an idolater, accuse him of blasphemy, rebuke him of sedition, and condemn him for a Traitor.   

CHAP. II. How Christ doth complain upon his father, because he doth break all his anger upon his body.  
IN me transierunt irae tuae, & terrores tui conturbaverunt me, saith David, as if he would say, Thou was not content O my Father, thou wast not content, to bring me up in such great misery as thou didst, thou wast not content to exalt me and throw me down again, but now anew thou dost break all thy anger upon me, and dost lay upon my back all thy dreadful fears. It is a new speech and a grievous complaint, to say that the father should break his anger upon his son, and that he maketh his soul afeard. And therefore it is necessary for us to show what anger is, and how it can be verified that there is anger in God. Possidonius the Philosopher being asked what anger was, answered, In my opinion anger is nothing else but a short and a sudden folly. Aristotle defining it said, that anger was but a kindling of the blood, an alteration and moving of the heart, a forgetting of wit & sense, and a troubling of the judgement. Eschines being demanded from whence anger proceeded, said that it proceeded from the heat of the blood, and of the abundance of choler, and a vapour of the gall, and fierceness of the heart. Macrobius saith, That no man should chide with one that chideth, nor with him who is chidden, until the cause be known on both sides: for the cause is not in the anger which we show in chiding, but in the justice or injustice of the cause for which we chide. Seneca in his first book of Anger saith, That the conditions of an angry man are, not to believe his friends, to be sodden in all his business, help himself with his hands, not to respect dangers, speak suddenly and maliciously, and be angry for a small occasion, and admit no reason. Chilo the Philosopher saith, That if any man ask him what he thinketh of anger, he will answer that it is a thing easy to be written of, and easy to persuade, and sweet to be counseled against, but very hard to be bridled. Saint Basil upon the Psalm, Neque in ira tua corripias me saith, That Anger is such a dangetous thing, that if we do give it entrance into our will, it doth afterward make our nill of our will. Then we yield our will unto anger, when we begin to trouble ourselves with small matters, and then anger doth that which is not our will, when in great matters we would not be angry: in so much that if we do not resist anger in the beginning, we shall never or late cast it out of our house. We have spoken all this to the end that we should marvel the more how it should be in God, and how he should be moved like a man, seeing that as there is no man able to take his eternal being from him, so there is no man able any way to trouble him. Who should be able to trouble him, seeing we know that God is a spirit, and hath no heart in his breast, no blood in his veins, no vapour rising from his gall, no gall in his lights, no forgetfulness in his memory, no alteration in his judgement? S. Jerome upon the Prophet O see saith, That God is so wise that no man is able to deceive him, so mighty that no man is able to resist him, so constant that no man is able to move him, so invisible that no man is able to touch them, so just that no man is able to oppress him. Then if it be so, that he cannot be deceived, oppressed, nor moved, how is it possible that any anger should reign in him, as it doth in a man? When the son saith unto the Father, In me transierunt iraetuae, he saith plainly, that he hath unloaden his great anger upon him, and hath cast all his griefs upon his shoulders. For the better understanding of this complaint which Christ maketh, it is to be noted, that for the space of many years God had enmities and hatred, and found himself aggrieved, moved, and disquieted: for at the same hour that he created creatures, the Angels would have been equal with him, man began to disobey him, sin began to prevail, and also to persecute his friends. God had three notorious enemies in the world, which are man, the devil, and sin: whereof man went about to lift up himself in Paradise, the devil to take heaven from him, and sin to rule and govern the whole world. O that these were unspeakable griefs which these three enemies caused God to have, and their disobedience toward him exceeding great, heaping daily sin upon sin, wickedness upon wickedness, never going about to amend themselves, nor God to be pacified. Our Lord did dissemble all kind of disobedience, and all manner of sin, until his son came into the world, upon whose humanity he did so fully unload and unburden his anger and grief, as though he had been the only inventor of sin. Gregory in his Morals saith, That the world is a strong enemy, the devil a stronger, and sin the Traitor the strongest of all: for if there were no sin in the world, God would not be angry, nor man should not be condemned, nor the Devil would not go about so diligently, neither should there be any hell for the wicked. Damascen saith thus, It doth well appear that the eternal Father did break all his anger upon his precious son, and that he did unburden himself and load all his wrath upon his humanity, seeing that before his son did take flesh, he did nothing but punish, and after that he died did nothing but pardon. Have you seen since God hath broken his anger upon his son, either the world drowned with water, as in the flood, or burnt with fire, as in Sodom and Gomorra? Hath there been seen since God broke his anger upon his son, such captivities as the people of the jews were in, or such plagues as were in Egypt, or such famine as were in David's time, or such wars as were in the Maccabees time? Christ had great reason to say unto his father, In me transierunt irae tuae, seeing that he broke all his anger, and discharged all his wrath upon him. Eripuit me de inimicu meis fortissimis, & ab his qui oderunt me, saith the Prophet David speaking under the person of Christ: That is, in recompense that my Father hath unloaden upon me all his wrath and anger, he hath delivered me from my mightiest enemies, and hath put from my side such of my enemies which did hate me exceedingly. What dost thou say O sweet jesus, what dost thou say? dost thou die by the hands of thy enemies, and yet dost say that thy father hath delivered thee from them? My father hath not delivered me from the devil, seeing that he doth tempt me, nor from the pharisees seeing that they have accused me, nor from the Scribes seeing that they have defamed me, nor from the Gentiles seeing that they have crucified me, but he hath delivered me from sins which are the strongest of all my enemies. Are they not the strongest of all, seeing they rule and maisterall? Augustine upon the Apostles words saith, Of three enemies which we have, sin is the strongest of them all; because many holy men, have gone before us in old times, upon whom although the devil and the world have had no power, yet notwithstanding sin hath had a dwelling place in them, because there did never man live so clean, who knew not what sin was. Cassiodorus saith, I for my part, think sin more mightier than any other enemy, because the world and the devil can but deceive me, but wicked sin can hurt me & damn me. For if there were no manner of sin in the world, we should need neither gallows nor sword. Christ only may say, he hath delivered me from my enemies, because he & no other was free from sin, because all other creatures knew what sin was, and all knew what punishment for it was. O how happy a man he should be, who could say with the Prophet, he hath delivered me from my strongest enemies! for it is nothing else to say that God hath delivered him from his enemies, but that our Lord hath delivered him from his sins. The Prophet had great reason to call sin not only an enemy, but also his strongest enemy, seeing that without other help, he threw the Angel out of heaven, cast Adam out of Paradise, deprived judas of his Apostleship, and condemned all the world to death. Is not sin think you the mightiest of all other enemies, seeing that he is able and strong enough to carry me to hell? The power of my visible enemy reacheth no further than to take my life from me, but sin the Traitor is an enemy so strong, that he is able to take my life from me, deprive me of grace, cast me out of glory, hurt my soul, and condemn me unto pain. Who had such enemies as the son of God had; that is, so wicked in their cogitations, so malicious in their speech, and so cruel in their deeds? Were not the lashes which opened Christ's shoulders very cruel enemies, the nails which broke his sinews, the thorns which tore his temples, and the spear which opened his side, and the Synagogue which took his life from him? Yet Christ called none of all these his enemies, nor did not handle them like his enemies, but only sins, which he did not only call enemies, but mighty and strong enemies, giving us thereby to understand, that we should hold none for our enemy but only sin. When good king David said, Persequar inimicos meos & comprehendam illos, He spoke it not in respect of the enemies which persecuted his person, but for sins which did damnify his soul. For seeing that good king David did pardon Saul and Simei, and others his mortal enemies, how could he counsel us that we should persecute ours? When he saith I will persecute my enemies until I destroy them, he spoke of no other enemies but of his sins, the which it is convenient for us to persecute, and cast from us. And it is not without a mystery that he saith Persequar & comprehendam, Because that as the enemy which is offended, if he be not taken, turneth again and biddeth us a more fierce battle than he did before; even so doth the devil and sin deal with us, the which if we do not drive away utterly from us, and root out from our hearts, they turn again against us like unto most mighty and strong enemies. What doth it avail the huntsman if he run after the Hare, if he take her not: what doth it is profit thee, if thou run after sin and detest sin, and speak evil of it, if thou dost not overtake sin; and what else is it to overtake sin, but to overcome and destroy sin utterly? O how many there be which say, I will persecute my enemies, and how few there be which say, and I have taken them: for if they cast out sins to day on one side of their house, they turn again to morrow, and knock at the ring of the door, and it is opened presently unto them.   

CHAP. III. How Christ complaineth of his Father, because he took all his friends from him in his passion, and all others which he knew.  
ELongasti ame amicum & proximum & notos meos a miseria, These are the words which the son of God spoke, continuing his former complaint, uttered by the Prophet David, Psalm 87: as if he would say, Thou shouldest have contented thyself O my Father, when thou didst unload all thy wrath upon my weak body, & not separate anew my friends from me, & hinder those to come unto me which were my known acquaintance. Christ complaineth in this place of his Father, that he took his friends from him, seeing that he saith, thou hast removed my friends from me, & he complaineth that he took his kinsmen from him, & that he took his acquaintance from him, and at that instant when he was in greatest misery. This is a pitiful complaint which the son of God now maketh, because there is no grief to be compared unto that, nor no hurt equal unto the taking away of a man's trusty and faithful friend. Horace asketh what he is able to do, or what he hath who hath no friends? To what purpose doth he live which hath no friends? Mimus the Philosopher saith, That a man dieth as oft as he loseth any of his good friends: and saith further, that as the body is made of divers members, so the heart of friends: and there upon it is, that as the body cannot live without it have many members, so likewise the heart cannot live without friends. They killed David's greatest enemy which was Saul, and his dearest friend who was jonathas in one day, and he was so aggrieved at the death of his friend, that by turns after he had wept the death of his friend, he wept his enemy's death also. We do not read that our redeemer did weep for the death of holy joseph his master, nor for all the travails which he eudured in this world; but he wept for the death of Lazarus his good friend, whose death he could not endure, but immediately did raise from death again. If Plutarch the great Philosopher do not deceive us, Plato came from Asia unto Cicilia, for no other cause but to see Photion the Philosopher, who was his dear friend. Cicero in his book of Friendship saith, That the Philosophers do commend nothing more unto us, nor wise men did esteem of no riches more than of the conversation of their friends, because that without friends it is not lawful for us to live, nor yet very sure to die. Aristorle being asked what friendship was, answered, That it was nothing else but one soul which ruled two hearts, and one heart which did dwell in two bodies. Diogenes saith, That seeing there is no greater pain than to deal with naughty men, nor no greater comfort than to converse with good men; for my own part I confess and say, that I had rather die with him whom I hold for my friend, than live with him whom I esteem my enemy. Eschines the Philosopher being demanded how one friend should be towards another, answered: betwixt true friends there is but one yea, and one nay, one liking & one misliking, one agreeing & one disagreeing, one will and one nill, one love and one hatred. Experience doth teach us, that how good soever the bread be yet it mouldeth, and wine becometh vinegar, and garments tear, and flesh waxeth stolen, and years pass away, but friendship alone is that which never wearieth, & good conversation is that that never doth loath. Pliny in an Epistle saith, If thou wilt be honoured, give honour unto others; If thou wilt be succoured succour others; If thou wilt be loved love others. For if thou wilt have a friend, thou must either make him or find him: and in that case I say, that it is better for thee to make him by good turns, than buy him with money. Peter of Ravenna saith in a Sermon of the holy Ghost: O what a sweet thing it is to have friends to love, and to love to be loved again: for the qualities of true friendship are, that it feareth no sword, it dreadeth no arrow, it refuseth no spear, nor esteemeth not his life, but embraceth death with cheerfulness, rather than make any default in friendship. Isidorus saith, That the privileges of true friendship are, that it maketh prosperous fortune more pleasant, and adverse more easy, maketh doubtful things certain, and fierceness meek, and maketh that light which is grievous & heavy. Hermogenes saith, When thou art in prosperity in this world, thou oughtest to suspect all friendship; for thou dost not know whether they love that which thou hast, or thyself which dost possess it: for true friendship is not known when thou hast much to give, but when thou art in necessity to ask. Is there (saith S. Ambrose) any greater consolation in this miserable world, than to have a faithful friend, with whom thou mayst open thy breast, communicate thy secrets, discover thy heart, impart thy pleasures, and give part of thy griefs? If thou dost make a bed to lie in, and build chimnees to warm thee in, and garners for thy corn, why dost thou not seek bowels to hide the secrets of thy bowels? And thou must know, that thou oughtest nor to trust the secrets of thy heart, but unto another who is thy heart. Saint Jerome unto Ruffinus saith, When thou dost enter into friendship with any faithful friend (Ruffinus) learn better how to keep him than thou didst keep Jerome: for a good friend is not found every where the is long a seeking for, and seldom gotten, he is hardly kept and easily lost, he is recovered very slowly, and the want of him felt very quickly. Chilo the Philosopher saith, I am half of my friend, and my friend is half of me, in so much that I must seek him in me, and myself in him, because he is I, and I am he. And he saith further, that when my friend dieth in him whom I loved, half of myself died with him, and half of him remaineth alive with me, in so much that by my will I should die, if it were not to keep that part of him which remained in me alive. This virtue of friendship could not be better praised, than this Philosopher hath done it, seeing he doth confess, that half of himself is in the grave with his friend, and that half of his friend was alive in his soul, and that he desired to live for no other reason, but because his friend should not die in him. To come then unto our purpose, if all this be true, we should have great compassion upon Christ, seeing his Father took his friends from him, separated his kin from him, & left him no comfort by his acquaintance. It is much to be noted, that Christ doth complain that his Father took but one friend from him, & one kinsman, but many of his acquaintance; to note unto us, that of faithful friends there is scarce one to be found, and of virtuous kinsmen hardly one, but of acquaintance a great number. O that he knoweth but meanly what friendship is, who putteth a friend, a kinsman, and his acquaintance under one reckoning, because that I am to call him only my friend who loveth me, & him my kinsman who is a good Christian, & all other my neighbours & companions my acquaintance. To speak properly, Christ had but one friend only who was his Father, & no other friend like unto him; & one only which was of his kindred, who was his mother, & none other like unto her: but he had great acquaintance among the jews: & in that great conflict which he had in his passion, his friend forsook him, his kindred did not help him, and his acquaintance showed themselves ungrateful. Thou didst remove far from me, my friend, seeing that thou O my Father, wouldst not hear me when I prayed unto thee in the garden following the inclination of the flesh: and thou didst remove my kin from me, seeing that my mother could not help me on the Mount of Calvary; and thou didst remove my acquaintance from me, seeing that there I was put to death by them. O in what great danger, and in what a narrow straight the son of God was at the time of his passion, seeing he complaineth that his Father did not hear him, his mother did not help him, and none of his friends would know him. Thou didst say very well O sweet jesus, that Elongasti a me amicum & proximum, seeing thy friend who was thy father, could comfort thee but would not; thy kin who was thy mother, would but could not help thee; and thy acquaintance who was judas, neither would nor could accompany thee, in so much that upon the altar of the cross thou didst abound in torment, and want friends. O that we had a far better friend of thee, than thou hadst of us, seeing that Totum belli pondus versum est in Saul; When as to make an atonement betwixt us and thy Father, he did lay all the danger of the war upon thy shoulders. Non est qui utrumque possit arguere, & ponere manum suam in ambobus, saith job chapter 9 As if he would say, The one is so strong, and the other so obstinate, that there is no man able to satisfy them, nor who dareth put his hand between them. When that holy man job saith, that he saw two men at a variance, which all the world could not make friends & set at agreement, & yet did not name them, it is small doubt but he understandeth some great secret & hidden mystery. Of these two which holy job speaketh of, who is the strong & mighty one, but only our eternal God, & who the obstinate man, but he who is without comfort? Cyrillus saith, That God & man, & man & God did handle one another very hardly, because man did nothing but sin, & God did never cease to punish, & thereupon it is, that in those days they called God, Deus ultionum, deus ultionum twice; because he did neither pardon their bodies of punishment, nor their souls of the fault. Because God was the highest and chiefest goodness that was, and man inclined unto wickedness, God did command him to better and amend himself: unto which he answered that he would be merry and take his pleasure; by reason whereof man went every day worse and worse, and God more angry and incensed every day against him. Pope Leo saith, That God doth not weigh whether we be weak or strong, in health or sick, rich or poor, simple or wise, but that which he desireth, is that we should be good, and he is angry if we be nought: and thereupon it is, that he never casteth any good man out of his presence, nor he admitteth no naughty man into his house. Gregory saith, That he could not suffer one sin in him who was an Angel, and dost thou think he will suffer so many sins in thee who art but a man? And he saith further, that God would rather suffer, that an Angel should take heaven from him, and man the world, than suffer one only sin either in the one or in the other; because that to make a new heaven he is of sufficient power, but to like and approve a sin, neither is his power able to do it, neither can it be comprehended under his clemency. Seeing then that God is such an enemy unto sin, and seeing that man doth so much covet to sin, how can they be but contrary the one unto the other, and use one another like enemies? Holy job doth weep and sigh, saying, Non est qui possit utrumque arguere, that is, there was no man who durst be a mediator betwixt them, nor put himself between them, to the end that man might give over sinning, & God withdraw his hand from punishing. Damascen saith, When God and man, and man and God, were at strife and variance, and the one always above in heaven, and the other continually upon the earth, there was no mean to make them meet, nor no court to agree them in, because there came none down from heaven to us, nor any fit person went hence from us to heaven. The son of God came then into the world, and put himself a mediator between them both, that is, between God and flesh. O how much we are bound to Christ for that which he did for us, and much more for the manner with the which he did it! for the more to bind the one and the other, he took the divinity of his Father with the which he might pardon us, and took flesh of man, with the which he might suffer with us. In so much that because he took his kindred and alliance of both, he was able to make them both friends. O how costly this friendship and kindred was to the son of God, and grievous also, seeing that it did cost him his blood which was in him, & the life which he possessed so far forth, that for to make me friends with God, he became an enemy unto himself. It is certain that when two enemies do draw their weapons to fight, if another venture in betwixt them, that both their blows do light upon him, in so much that he who parreth them is hurt or slain, and those which were at debate prove afterward good friends. On the Mount of Calvary, and on the altar of the cross, as God and man, and man and God, had summoned the one the other to a place of defiance, blessed jesus put himself betwixt them both to cut off the strife, because he knew that if he had not taken away all anger at that place, they would have remained perpetual enemies. As man threw sins at God, and God punishment upon man, it fell out that the sin which man fought with, and the punishment with the which God did chastise, fell all upon the Mediator who had not deserved it. O good jesus and glory of my soul, upon whom but upon thee did thy Father lay his old anger, upon whom but upon thee did man lay his fault? Do not then vex thyself O holy job, and say, Non est qui ponat manum suam in ambobus, seeing he is already come from heaven, and already borne in the world who hath put his hand betwixt God and man, yea and hath both his hands cut off by them? Have not they both trow you cut off his hand, seeing his Father ordained that he should die, and man put the fault on him for which he should be crucified? O divine mediator, O holy stickeler! which of the Angels could do the like, or what man could attempt that which thou hast done? That is willingly, and upon good and long deliberation, thou didst offer thyself to lose thy life, to set God and man in concord and unity. The son of God than doth complain upon his Father with just cause, saying, Why hast thou forsaken me? seeing that he did load all his wrath upon his back, and man likewise lay all the burden of his sins upon his shoulders, upon him in that place God did empty all his wrath, and in that place man's sins took their end. O that this is a glorious time, and a happy age which we of the Catholic church live in! for having Christ for our Mediator, there can no sin go up to the Father, but it must first meet with Christ, nor any punishment come down upon man, but it must also come by him. The son of God being a mean betwixt his Father and us, who doubteth but that he will stop our sin in himself, that it ascend not to heaven, and also keep back the punishment of his Father, that it do not descend into the world? As otherwise it would if Christ should not make himself a mean betwixt us.   

CHAP. FOUR How Christ complaineth on his Father, because he bathed his body with the blood of his veins, and drowned his heart in waters of distress.  
CIrcumdederunt me sicut aqua, tota die circumdederunt mesimul, Psalm 88 The son of God spoke these words, continuing his complaint against his Father: and it is as if he would say, What meaneth this O my Father, what meaneth this? Wast thou not content to break thy anger upon me, and remove all my friends from me, but now anew thou wilt compass me with a great flood of water, in the which my life is drowned? Christ doth set forth at large all his travails, and bewaileth the want of friends: for he saith that the waters were great, and he saith twice that they besieged him, and that they came all together upon him, and that they came so ragingly, that they took away all his forces. First of all, we must examine here of what kind of waters our Lord speaketh in this place, whether they be sea waters, or of a river, or fountain, or of a lake, because that in all these a man may drown himself, and lose his life. We read only of two punishments which God hath inflicted by waters, the one in the flood of Noah, in which almost all the world perished, the other which he used against the people of Egypt in the red sea; the which two punishments were so famous, that our Lord hath not used the like until this day. The son of God doth not complain of this kind of flood, nor we do not read that he ever was in danger by water: for being Lord of all the waters, how is it possible that he should be drowned in the waters? The son of God complaineth of stronger floods than these, of more raging seas, & more salter waters, of whose bitterness none tasted so much of as he did, nor no man went so near the bottom of them as he did. What waters were they then which compassed the son of God, but only most grievous tribulations, which passed through his heart, and tormented his body? In Scripture by many waters is oftentimes understood many tribulations, as when he said elsewhere, Saluum ●●e fac●domine, quia intraverunt aquae animam meam, as if he would say, Save me O Lord because I am drowned, help me O my great God, because the waters overflow me, because the waters of distress enter in at my mouth, and drown my dolorous heart. O in what great anguish of mind he was who spoke these words! for to say that anguish went to his heart, was nothing else but to be grieved at the heart. The waters of tribulation, and the flood of vexation entered into no man's heart so deeply, as into our saviours: for seeing that we were the cause of them all, as he did love us from the heart, so he did feel them from the heart. It is to be noted, that he doth not say that the water did wet him, or bemite him, or make him afraid, for all these things do not kill, but only put us in fear. All the peril of water is, that a sudden stream do not carry us away, and that our life doth consist in nothing but in the sudden growing or decreasing of the water. Seneca saith, That no man can be in greater danger in this life, than he who seethe himself compassed with waters, because that at the self same time our soul and life goeth out where the waters go in, and the waters go out where our souls go in. To what other thing could the son of God better compare his anguish & distress, than unto one compassed about with waters? It is to be noted that he saith, Circumdederunt me, Have enuitoned me, because the water which raineth doth wet only, the water thrown dasheth only, and that which is drunk filleth, but that which compasseth on every side drowneth: and therefore Christ saith they have iuclosed me on every side; & saith not they have wet me, because his blessed heart was drowned in the sea of sorrow, and his sacred body in the flood of torments. The waters which compassed him about, & the floods which fell upon him were so great, that my tongue is not able to rehearse them, nor my heart to think them, nor my fingers to write them, nor my eyes to bewail them. O good jesus & my soul's delight, how or when didst thou see thyself environed with waters, but when thou sawest one member pulled from another on the Mount of Calvary? O that it is an improper speech to say that thou wast compassed with water, seeing that thou mightest with greater reason have said, that thou didst see thyself drowned in blood, because that in that lamentable day of thy death thou didst want water, and flow in blood. It is nor without a deep mystery and hidden secret, that Christ saith, that he was compassed about with water, although it were true that he was environed with blood: and the reason is, because there is no man who is so greatly recreated by drinking a cup of cold water, nor taketh so great contentment in it, as good jesus did in shedding his blood to redeem the world with it. Christ saith then, they have compassed me about like unto water, because that if he did look upward, he saw his Father who would not seem to hear him, if downward he saw but his mother, who could do nothing but weep for him, if he did look on the left hand he saw but a thief, who would not believe in him, if on the other hand he saw another thief who could not help him. He was compassed on every side: for if he should have looked behind, he should have seen the hangmen watching him, and before him the jews a mocking him. Christ saith, they have compassed me like unto a water: upon which words S. Barnard saith thus, O good jesus, O my soul's delight, what pity did move thee, what charity did force thee, being nailed upon the cross, loaden with thorns, beset about with spears, yet thou sayest that thou art compassed with waters? Dost thou die upon the cross, and that with great thirst, & couldst not get a cup of water to drink, and yet dost thou say, that thou art compassed with water? What love hath transported thee, or what goodness hath made thee past thy sense, that thou shouldest think the blood which issueth from thee, should be water that runneth out of thee? What meaneth this O redeemer of my soul, what meaneth this? Doth thy hard nails, cruel spears, grievous thorns, seem to be fountains of sweet waters? The love which Christ bore us in suffering was so infinite, that all things seemed sweet and pleasant unto him, because it is a privilege of love that nothing seemeth hard and painful unto him which loveth, but that which he doth unwillingly. The son of God doth nothing unwillingly in this world, unless it be when he punisheth our offences: for although he do many things daily being prayed thereunto, yet he doth nothing being forced. Christ doth complain also that they compassed him with many floods of waters coming together: for he saith, Circumde derunt me simul, which kind of persecution is no less painful than perilous, nor perilous than painful. Plato to this purpose saith, That when griefs and vexations come by little and by little, they seem to be somewhat tolerable: but when they come by heaps, they are untolerable; and the reason is, because man had no time to foresee such dangers, nor place to avoid them. Basil upon the Psalm saith, That griefs and vexations came upon that most blessed humanity of Christ, like a very great water, and like many enemies which laid in ambush, the which Christ would not nor did not resist, nor yet fly away from, but only beseech his Father to give him more strength to endure and abide them. Bede saith in an Homily, O that this thy love which thou didst show in this speech of Quare me dereliquisti was unspeakable, and thy charity incomparable! for if thou dost complain to thy Father, it was not because he should take away some part of the torment which thou didst suffer, but because he would not give thee longer life to suffer more. Vbertinus saith that Christ said very truly, when he said, that whole floods of many waters had compassed him round about, because that in the compass of four & twenty hours he was watched, apprehended, denied, accused, whipped, and received sentence, spoiled, crucified, and dead; insomuch that if we compare the moments of times with his torments, we shall see, that the torments which he suffered were more than the moments and quantities of the time in which he suffered. S. Ambrose upon the Psalm saith, That no man could ever say these words of Circumdederunt me aquae tota die & simul, with so good reason as Christ; because on that day which he suffered in, there passed no hour, nor moment, nor minute of time, in the which he was not either strucken, or whipped, or spit upon, or blasphemed: insomuch that those ministers of wickedness were so busy & hasty in giving him torment, that they themselves had no time to rest them in, nor Christ to breath in. Pope Leo upon the Passion of our Saviour saith, That he had great cause to say, that he was compassed with many waters, because that all kind of people and all nations conspired in one against that most sacred humanity, jews, Gentiles, Priests, pharisees, Disciples, Pontifes, Kings, Captains, Soldiers, hangmen, young, old, stranger, and all others. S. Augustine upon S. john saith this: What people were therein the world which were not at the death of Christ, or what torment was there invented which he suffered not? In so tempestuous a sea, in so dangerous a flood, in such sudden waves, and in such distresses heaped one upon another, who would not have the son say unto the Father, Why hast thou forsaken me, seeing he did not speak one word to comfort him, nor left him any one friend which did favour him?   

CHAP. V How Christ complaineth of his Father, because he did permit those to crucify him which were wont to be his friends: and how he calleth them friends.  
QVae sunt plagae istae in medie manuum tuarum? His plagatus sum in domo eorum qui me diligebant, saith Esay, chap. 20. These words were spoken by all the Angels, unto the Lord of all Angels, who was the son of God, and it is as if he would say: O son of God, O eternal wisdom, being descended from heaven into this world alive & whole, how dost thou come now from thence with such a pitiful body, and so wounded in thy hands? If thou wilt know where, how, and by whom I have received these wounds and gashes, know thou that I have received them in the house of such as loved me, and they gave them me who bore me good will. Look how new and strange this question is, so marvelous is the answer; and how marvelous the answer, so strange the question: for it is a very strange thing that God should go to heaven with wounds upon him; and to say that his friends gave them him, is also a very marvelous thing, because it is the part of a friend to cure our wounds, and of an enemy to make them. What is this O good jesus, what is this? How can he who loveth thee wound thee, and he who wisheth thee well hurt thee, and he who woundeth thee take pity on thee, and he who serveth thee offend thee? Anselmus handling this place saith, O eternal goodness of thee my God, and patience never before this time seen, seeing thou dost call them openly thy friends which rend thy flesh, wrist thy sinews, unjoint thy bones! To say O good jesus that thou waste wounded in the house of such as loved thee, is a speech which showeth thy clemency, and giveth me great confidence: for if thou do call those thy friends which do wound thee and kill thee, what wilt thou do by them which faithfully have served thee? Christ had one house in jury, which was jerusalem, and he had a friend in heaven which was his Father, and he had another friend upon the earth which was the Synagogue, and in that house he was put to death, and he was wounded by those two friends: for the Synagogue did crucify him, and his Father did determine that he should be crucified. If the Gentiles which were not his friends & acquaintance should have put him to death, it would have been tolerable: but to see that he was wounded & slain in the city where he had lived, & by his friends which he had made much of, & by the will of his Father which begat him, did grieve him very much, although he did dissemble it. Barnard saith, The more I think upon thy works O good jesus, the more I wonder; seeing that man having done the deeds of an enemy towards thee, thou canst not call him enemy but friend, considering that thou sayst, I have been wounded in the house of such as did love me. By which words he doth let us understand, that he regardeth more the love which he beareth unto the world, than the offences which the world doth unto him. If as good jesus said unto the Angels, my friends have thus wounded me, he would have said unto his Father that his enemies had done it, what should then have become of the poor jews, and what afterward of us all? As when friends in jesting do hurt and scratch one another, so Christ would make the Angels and his Father believe, that his enemies had not wounded his sacred hands, but that his friends had done it as it were in sporting. O how truly we may say with the Prophet David, Non est deus noster sicut dijeorum, Our God is not like unto their gods, seeing that here upon earth men take in earnest the words which their friends speak in jest to them, and if they scratched with a pin, or with one's nail, they make no less a matter of it, than if it were a thrust with a lance. The which quality could not sink into Christ, seeing that before his father, he called his enemies his friends, his whipping scratching, his deep wound a raising of the skin, and earnest testing. S. Augustine upon these words, Amice ad quid venisti, saith, this word Enemy, O good jesus, will not enter into thy mind, because thou art accustomed to call every man friend: for seeing that thou didst call judas thy greatest enemy thy friend, whom wilt thou call enemy? Osculantes se ad invicem fleverunt pariter David & jonathas; sed david flevit amplius. 1. Reg. chap. 20. These holy words are rehearsed in scripture, talking of the friendship that was betwixt David and jonathas: and this is their meaning; As king David was departing out of the kingdom, and going from jonathas his faithful friend, at the time of their departure they embraced one the other, and wept; and although jonathas did weep much, yet David did weep more. Mimus the Philosopher saith, That the love which one friend beareth another, is never better known than when the one departeth from the other; for if the one want words, the other aboundeth in tears. Cicero in his book of Friendship saith, That true friendship is known in going the one from the other, because that in their embracing the one the other, they change their hearts, in so much that this man's heart goeth away with him, and his heart remaineth with this man. It seemeth that David and jonathas were great friends, seeing that they did embrace one another so hearty, and wept so tenderly. David did much more esteem of the friendship of jonathas, than of the hatred of his father king Saul: the which was easily seen to be so, considering that when Saul made a truce between them, David presently departed out of the kingdom. David with all his wisdom and force durst never abide the persecution of Saul his enemy, without his friend jonathas aid: whereby we may infer, that there is no grief in this life equal to the loss of a friend. Be he (saith Seneca) poor or be he rich, be he great or be he little, how is it possible for him to live without a friend? Horace saith, That if a man be in prosperous estate, he hath need of one to give him counsel, if in mean to comfort him: for I have heard (saith he) my master Menander say, that a fortunate man hath as great need of good counsel to govern himself by, as the needy man hath need of help to lift up himself by. If then the mighty have need of good counsel, and the poor of help and succour, who can better give us good counsel, or supply our wants then a friend? Eschines in an invective against Demosthenes saith, That an enemy can do his enemy no greater wrong, than take his good friend from him, because he taketh away the secret of his heart, the refuge of his travails, the remedy of his necessities, and relief and cherishing of his persecutions. Plutarch maketh mention, that when Denis the Tyrant did scoff at Photion the Philosopher, for that he was poor, he made answer thus, I confess unto thee that I am poor, but yet Denis is poorer: for although he abound in money yet he wanteth friends, and I have friends enough but want money. That Philosopher thought it a greater poverty to want friends, than to want money: wherein he had great reason, because that in tribulation or sickness, it doth ease a man better to see two or three friends at his bed's head, than to have his chests & coffers full of gold and silver. There are many (saith Vbertinus) which are poor of money, & not of friends, and others which are poor in friends and not in money, and there are some which are poor in the one and in the other, of which sort Christ is the chief, seeing that on the cross, he had no man which would bestow a cup of water upon him, nor any one which would give him one word of comfort. Christ complaineth of the Apostles because they fled, complaineth of his parents because they did hide themselves, complained on his acquaintance because they did not stick unto him, because that in all the conflict of his passion he had no friend which followed him, no kinsman which defended him, nor acquaintance which backed him. Christ had (saith Rabanus) very honourable and virtuous friends, and valorous acquaintance; but when they saw him weak in strength, and poor in wealth, all of them left him in his troubles, because they would not be the partakers of his danger. Saint Barnard crieth out and saith, What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? There wanteth not one in jerusalem to defend Barrabas, and doth there want one before Pilate to defend thee? Doth Barrabas by stealing find friends, and dost thou by preaching get enemies? Doth the murderer of the quick find defenders, and doth the raiser of the death find accusers? Do they condemn him who made an atonement betwixt God and man, and do they set him at liberty who disquieted all jerusalem? O unhappy and wicked jerusalem, will there be always some in thee to persecute the good, and defend the wicked? Venerable Bede saith, That all those which were Barrabas friends, were Christ's enemies, and all those which were Christ's friends, were Barrabas enemies: for with the same note and voice that they cried, do not let go any but Barrabas, they said of Christ, crucify him. S. Augustine in an Homily saith, That because the twice doubling of a word is the true token of love or hatred, the jews did well show the love which they bore unto Barrabas, in desiring Pilute twice to let him lose, and the hatred which they bore to Christ in saying twice, Crucify, crucify him. For to say twice Non dimittas nobis nisi ●arrabam, what else was it then to ask with all their hearts that he would grant that thief his life, and send him to his house that feast of Easter? And to cry out twice aloud, crucify, crucify him, what else would they say to Pilate, but that they ask with their tongues, & entreat with their hearts that he would put jesus of Nazareth upon the gibbet, or put him to death upon the cross? Chrisostome saith, The Prince of the Synagogue, and the ruler of Capernaum, Centurio the captain, Zacheus the rich, and Simeon the leper, and Lazarus the knight, were not all these, trow you, Christ's friends and acquaintance, and of the richest and honourablest among the people? Christ did very much for every one of these, when he was alive, but there was none of these which did any thing for him when he died, although he went by their gates to be crucified, and with their eyes they did see him die. Christ then had great reason to say unto his Father, why hast thou forsaken me, considering that himself had too many enemies, and Barrabas wanted no friends.   

CHAP. VI How Christ complaineth unto his father, because they made more account of jepthes daughter in the Synagogue, than they do at this day of his death in the church.  
FAc mihi quodcunque pollicitus es, concessa tibi victoria & ultione de inimicis tuis. chap. 12 of the judges. The daughter of that famous captain jepthe spoke these words unto her father when her father returned from the war which the people of Israel had against the king of the Ammonites: as though she would say, Do with me O my Father, do with me what pleaseth thee. For seeing that thou dost come victorious from the war, it is very just and reasonable that thou shouldest perform that which thou hast promised our Lord. jepthe had promised and made a solemn vow, that if God would give him the victory of that war, that he would offer unto him the first live thing of his house which he should meet withal; and although it were alive when he should meet it, yet he would not offer it but killed and dead. jepthe then returning from the war with a great victory, his sorrowful fate was, that having but one only daughter, she went to meet him & receive him coming home singing and playing on a Taber. Immediately as the sorrowful Father saw his unfortunate daughter, his eyes were full of water, and his heart broke in two, when he remembered the vow which he had made in the war, and that he could do no less than kill his daughter. The father then said unto his daughter, O my daughter and sole inheritrize, how unfortunate was thy destiny, and how unlucky was my fortune, in that I must open my mouth, and make that promise to such great prejudice to thy life, and hurt unto my house? His daughter answered him and said, If thou hast opened thy mouth, my father, to make any vow unto the great God of Israel, let me be no hindrance for the performance of it: for I will like it well, only because I see thee victorious over thy enemies. And she added further and said, only I ask of thee my father, that thou wouldst give me two months' space before thou dost sacrifice me in the Temple, to bewail my Virginity in these sorrowful mountains with others my companions. And when those two months were passed, (the tender virgin bewailing and weeping the loss of her life and virginity unbestowed) the Father performed his vow, and sacrificed his daughter. Because jephthe that captain had that famous victory, but yet with vufortunate loss of his only daughter, all the young maids and virgins of the people of Israel agreed a meeting to weep and lament the death of jephthes daughter four days in the year; and although the people of the jews did omit things of greater weight than that was, yet they did never forget to mourn and lament those days. The holy scripture doth promise us many great matters in this figure of jephthe, worthy to be known, & hard to expound. Who is understood by the famous captain jephthe, but the son of the living God, and redeemer of the world? He who said, all power is given me in heaven and earth, is more valorous and mighty than jeph the was, because that jephthes authority extended no further than the land of jury, but the son of Gods did reach over heaven & earth. The scripture maketh mention, that when jephthe was a young man, those of his country put him from his father's inheritance, & banished him out of the land, and how that in progress of time he delivered them from their enemies, and was captain over them all. That which the neighbours of Gilead did to jephthe, the inhabitants of jerusalem did to Christ, whom they banished out of the Synagogue, and deprived of his Father's inheritance: and yet nevertheless he delivered them from their sins, and was the redeemer of them all. The truth doth very well answer to the figure in this place, and the sense unto the letter. For as they which did banish jephthe out of all the kingdom, did afterward entreat him to be their guide and captain: so those which said to Pilate, crucify, crucify him, did afterward on the Mount of Calvary strike their breasts and say aloud, Verè hic filius deifuit, This man was truly the son of God. Who was understood in jepthes daughter, a virgin fair and young, but only that flesh and humanity of the Word? S. Ambrose upon those words Speciosus sorma, saith, Who is so beautiful, who is so pure, who so holy, as that most sacred flesh was and is? The daughter of jephthe was not known of any man, and Christ's humanity was also unknown of man, seeing that it was not conceived by consent of husband, but form and framed by the webe of the holy ghost. jephthe did promise to offer in the Temple his only daughter for the victory which he had obtained against his enemies, and Christ did promise to offer upon the cross his own flesh for the victory and conquest which he had against sins; so that jephthe did offer only the daughter which he had begotten, and the son of God did offer his own proper body. Is it not think you a greater matter for a man to offer his own flesh, than that which is born of his flesh? jephthe was very loath and grieved to offer his only daughter, and it was a great corrosive to the daughter's heart, to see herself sacrificed by her own Father: but in the end she was more joyful and glad of the victory which her Father received against his enemies, than grieved that her own life should be sacrificed. O how well one mystery doth answer unto another! for when the flesh said, Let this cup pass from me, with the daughter of jephthe he was loath to die: but when he said, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, he was glad to suffer: so that that sacred flesh was very willing to be sacrificed, because that the divine Word should obtain victory over sins. Dost thou not think my brother, that one mystery doth very well answer another, and that one secret is very well compated with another, seeing that that virgin was sacrificed for her father's honour, and that divine and sacred flesh also sacrificed for the honour and glory of his father? jepthe had a great revenge over his enemies, but Christ a far greater over sin: and yet it is to be noted, that by how much the greater those two victories were, so much the more greater were the prices which they were bought for, because the one did cost his daughter's life, and the other his own. What can be dearer than that which doth cost a man's life? Pellem pro pelle & cuncta dabit home pro animasua, saith job chapter 2. The Scripture maketh mention in job, that as there appeared before the judgement of God many wicked men, the devil made one among them: for good men do never assemble themselves to do good, but Satan is there also to do them some hurt. Our Lord said unto Satan, from whence dost thou come, and whither hast thou gone? To this Satan answered, I have gone about all the earth, and walked through it, to see whether I could happen upon any more that were mine. Our Lord replied, hast thou seen my good servant and trusty friend job, unto whom no man on the earth may be compared? And dost thou not know Satan that job is a holy man, sincere in condition, upright in his conscience, fearful in that which the law commandeth, without malice, & one who continueth till this day in his innocency? Thou hast stirred me up against him, that I should kill his sons, destroy his sheep and dear, and that his oxen should be stolen from him, and all his wealth taken from him, and that I should deprive him of all his honour. Satan answered unto this and said, Know Lord, that a man will give all his wealth & substance with condition to save his life. Pellem pro pelle dabit hemo, that is, A man will give all his sheep skins, & all the cows hides in the world to keep his own flesh. If thou wilt try Lord who thy friend job is, lay thy hand upon his own person, and fill his body with a leprosy, and then thou shalt see, that he will be more grieved to see his body plagued, than to see his goods taken from him. This than was the reasoning and dialogue which passed betwixt God & the devil touching jobs tentation: whereof we may infer, how much more that is to be esteemed which the son of God offered, than jephthes sacrifice, because the one offered his daughter, and the other his own proper life. The victory which jephthe had, was a costly victory unto him, but Christ's was more costly, because that jephthe did overcome and live, but the son of God did overcome and die, and there is no dearer victory in the world than that which is bought with the exchange of a man's proper life. Although jephthe did love his only daughter well, yet Christ did love his precious flesh better, because it was united unto the divine eslence, and therefore the better he did love it, the more was his grief in losing it. Aristotle saith, That wise men do love their lives better than others of the vulgar people, because they see themselves more necessary unto the Commonwealth, and every common good is to be preferred before a particular. And according unto this saying of the Philosopher, as the son of God was wiser than all men, and better than all men, so without doubt by so much the more he loved his life, by how much it was most profitable to all men. Satan said well Pellem pro pelle dabit homo, A man will give one skin for another. For if a man would have asked the captain jephthe which of these two things he would rather have done, either have sacrificed his daughter, or his own person, it is to be thought that he would rather have sacrificed his daughter twice, than his own person once. Seneca in his book of Clemency saith, That because it is a natural thing unto us to live, and a dreadful and fearful thing to die, we are much afraid of our own death, and bear another man's easily. Theophilus saith, That it is much to be marveled that Christ would die; but it is much more to be wondered at, that he would die with so good a will, because that without augmenting his glory, yea rather diminishing it, he offered himself willingly unto them, to the end that they should take his life from him. The figure saith further, that jephthes daughter, went two months weeping and wailing her virginity on those solitary mountains, with other virgins and maids which bore her company. What was the meaning that that pair virgin, bemoaned and bewailed her virginity, but only that she was sorry that she had not been married, and had a husband, and that she had no children to mourn for her death, or inherit her goods? It seemeth to be a dishonest matter for a virgin to weep, and bewail her own virginity, if there were no other hidden sense under this letter, because that in scripture the more obscure a saying is, the more fuller it is of mystery. We have already said that Christ's sacred flesh is figured by that tender virgin, and now we say again, that as jephthes daughter bewailed her own virginity, so did Christ likewise his: only it is to be noted, that there is a difference betwixt weeping and weeping, virginity and virginity. The son than doth complain on his father saying, Why hast thou forsaken me: which he uttered because he had not employed his most pure virginity and most holy innocency as he desired to do: for as he was borne a virgin, a virgin he died; and if he came innocent into the world, with his innocency he returned unto heaven again. Let no man think that Christ bewailed and wept his virginity, because he did inviolably keep his most holy flesh: for if his mother did not lose it in bringing him into the world, neither could he lose it by living in the world. The chastity which the scripture speaketh of, and the virginity which Christ bewaileth with jephthes daughter, is not the corruptible virginity, but the incorruptible, not the virginity of the body, but of the soul, the which doth make our Lord great with holy speeches and divine inspirations; and therefore if he be great with these divine inspirations, he bringeth forth afterward holy works. S. Augustine upon those words, Desponsavit te mihi in fide saith, Spiritual and holy men have as great need to marry their fowls with Christ, as worldlings have to seek husbands for their daughters: and if I have said as great, now I say more need; because a maid may be saved without the company of a husband, but a soul cannot be saved unless she take Christ with her. S. Barnard saith, O how far more higher is the spiritual matrimony, than the corporal! the one is between the wife and her husband, the other betwixt the soul and Christ; of the one come children, which sometimes do breed grief & anger, of the other there do proceed works which do always good. If jephthes daughter do weep her departing out of this world a virgin, even so doth Christ weep and lament his virginity, because he hath left no greater a spiritual posterity after him: for he would willingly have left all the hearts in the world great with child with good & virtuous desires, and all souls delivered of good works. When God said by the Prophet Esayas, Numquid ego qui alijs generationem tribue, sterilis ere? That is, Shall I be barren myself and give issue unto others? he did not speak this for any desire which he had to marry himself with any woman, but for the great zeal which he had to marry and couple himself with our souls; because that in all ages and all times the chastity of the body is a holy thing, and in all ages & all times the barrenness of the soul is nought and discommendable. What dost thou weep for then O good jesus, what dost thou weep? I weep my virginity with the daughter of jephthe, because I have scarce found any in all the world who will marry with my divine grace, nor who will be great with child with my divine inspirations: and that which I mislike most of all is, that if I begin to dally and make love with any sinful soul, she turneth her back towards me, and is ready to fly from me. I bewail my virginity, because that in three and thirty years which I have lived in the world, with all the sermons which I have preached, and with all the dead which I have raised unto life, and with all the devils which I have cast out, and all the sins which I have forgiven, it seemeth unto me that I have made small gain, and done little good in respect of the pains which I have taken. I bewail my virginity, because that being come in person into the world, having instructed all the people, shed my blood, rend and torn my flesh, lost my reputation, and bestowed my life, yet I see now that there is scarce any one found who would benefit himself with my blood, or who is thankful unto me for my benefits bestowed upon him. I bewail my virginity, because I have found none to bestow my virginity on, none to give my innocency unto, none to impart my patience unto, none unto whom I may communicate my charity, nor any one with whom I may leave my humility in keeping: but if I came rich and adorned with virtues in the world, so I must return rich again with them to heaven. The figure which we have spoken of, saith further, that all the maids of Zion did meet in jerusalem to mourn and weep the death of jephthes daughter four days one after another, in the which they made great lamentations, so that no year did pass, in which this solemnity was not observed. It is here to be noted, that although there have been in the synagogue many personages, noble in blood, valorous in war, discreet in the Commonwealth, learned in all sciences, and clean and unspotted in life, yet it is not read of any of them, that after they were dead and buried, were mourned for at any other time. All the kings, Dukes, patriarchs, and Prophets were buried by their friends and kinsfolks, and forgotten of them, excepted only the daughter of jephthe, for whose death all the virgins and maids did mourn and weep every year once by a special privilege. We speak all this because that if the daughters of Zion thought it convenient to think upon and weep for the death of that virgin once every year, should it not be greater reason that we should weep for the death of jesus Christ every hour and every moment of an hour? Those virgins did weep for the death of that young virgin for no other reason but because she was young, beautiful and virtuous, so that they were induced to make that solemn lamentation rather through compassion than reason. What other reason could there be for that solemn yearly lamentation, seeing that the daughter of jephthe died not for the Commonwealth, nor yet had in estimation for any rare virtue above the rest? Just occasion and reason doth invite us to weep every hour, and every moment of an hour, for the death of Christ, considering that he died for the Commonwealth, and paid for our offence. For the son to say unto his father, Why hast thou forsaken me, is to say nothing else, but to complain of us because we remember not his precious death, as jephthes daughter was wept for once a year. Although the sinful soul doth not remember the death of Christ, yet the holy church doth not forget nor omit to celebrate his death once at the end of every year in the holy week. And in steed that the daughters of Zion did weep for the death of that virgin four times in the year, the church doth represent unto us the passion written four times of the four Evangelists.   

CHAP. VII. How Christ complaineth unto his father, because they did open his wounds through malice, as they did stop up Isaac his wells through envy.  
HAbuit Isaac possession●● onium, armentorum, & familiam plurimam: ob hoc invidentes Palestini obstruxerunt omnes putees eius, implentes humo, Genes. 26. The Scripture hath these words telling us of a great discouresie which the king of Palestine did unto Isaac the Patriarch: and it is as if he would say, Isaac was a great and mighty man, and had many flocks of sheep, and many herds of kine, and many bondslaves both man and woman; by reason of which prosperity of his, the Palestines did greatly envy him, and did stop up his wells by casting much earth into every one of them. O that the Apostle said very true, when he said, all things happen unto them in figura, seeing that all things that were done in the Synagogue, were nothing else than a figure of that which should happen in the Catholic church. For if it were not so, there are many things in Scripture which would seem but a jest to write of, and a superfluous thing to read. If there should not be some deep mystery & some hidden secret in this figure, what were it unto us, or what profit should we receive in knowing that Isaac had many sheep, kine, and slaves? What were it also unto us, if he had many enemies, and that they did shut up his wells, envy his riches, have an ere unto his greatness, considering that it is an old custom, that every rich man is envied? This figure doth lead us unto higher mysteries than the letter doth show, and therefore it is needful to have a high spirit to declare it, and great attention in reading it. To come then unto the purpose, Isaac in the Hebrew tongue doth signify a man full of laughter and joy: the which joyful name can agree only unto the son of God, and he only in this world in a high degree can be called Isaac. When the son of God was in heaven above, and before he came down into this world, no mortal man knew any cause to laugh, nor yet durst not laugh: for because that they saw that God was angrywith all the world, all the world was in a dump and mourned. When God had said unto No the Patriarch, Paenitet me fecisse hominem, that is, I am sorry and repent that ever I made man, how could any man dare to laugh and be merry? How durst holy job laugh, seeing that he said with many tears, utinam de utero translatus essem ad tumulum: I would to God I had been buried as soon as ever I was borne. His meaning was this, O great God of Israel, why hast thou brought me out of my mother's womb, and now that thou hast brought me out, why dost thou not destroy me, & why did dost thou not carry me presently from my mother's bowels to my grave? How could the Prophet Helias laugh, seeing that running & flying away through the mountains from Queen jezabel, Petivit anima sua, ut moreretur? His meaning was: Am I better than my predecessors, that I should live rather than they? Die then my soul, die, for because that my life is grievous unto me, and I would see it at an end. How should the Prophet jeremy laugh, seeing that he said with deep sighs, Quis dabit capiti meo lachrimas, & oculis meis fontes lachrimarum, ut plorem interfectos populi mei? His meaning was, Who can bring to pass with the great God of Israel, that he would make a sea of water of my head, & change my e●es into fountains of tears, to sigh by night, and weep by day, for those whom sin hath deceived, and the sword slain? How could old honourable Tobias laugh when he said, Quale mihi gaudium erit quia in tenebris sedeo, & lumen caeli non video? In those pitiful words he meant to say this, What joy can there be in my heart, or what laughter can there be in my mouth, seeing that I find myself poor, and feel myself aged, blind, and cannot see the light of heaven? Origen upon Exodus saith, That because the old law was a shadow of the new, and that all those which were of the Synagogue were sad and terrified, therefore they did use so many kinds of instruments, & such diverse sorts of music, because that by them they might forget the sorrow & sadness which they were in. But when the fullness of time came, in the which God sent his son into the world, he brought mirth with him, he brought pleasure with him, he brought the joys of heaven with him, where they do nothing else but laugh and rejoice, as we do nothing else but mourn and weep. Did not trow you our joyful Isaac come laughing into the world, seeing that when he was borne, the Angels did sing, Gloria in excelsis Deo, Glory be to God on high? Damascen saith, That if the words which God spoke, and the works which he did be weighed with gravity, they do all give us joy & comfort, and put us in a great confidence of our salvation, and take away the distrust of damnation, because he spoke and did much more in the favour of clemency than he did in the rigour of justice. And because we may not seem to speak at random, it is reason that we bring forth some few sentences which he uttered in the favour of mercy and pity. Christ to the Hebrews said, If any man shall keep my word he shall not die for ever; that is, His soul shall never perish. Si quis sermonem meum seruaverit, non morietur in aeternum: It is reason that we mark who spoke these words, why he spoke them, and unto whom he spoke them. He who spoke them was our laughing Isaac, and the cause why he sp●ke them was, because he would make the world re●oice with such good news: & yet for a recompense for this good news they rewarded him very badly, seeing that because he said in pilate's house, that there was another world, & that his kingdom was not of this world, they clothed him with purple in Herod's house as if he had been a fool. He spoke these words unto the cursed jews when they called him a Samaritane, which was as much as to call him an Hererike; & when they said that he had a devil, which was as much to say, that he was a Necromancer. Dost thou not think, my good brother, that our merry Isaac was full of ●●ughter, when he answered so sweetly unto such outrageous blasphemy? O sweet answer, O heavenly speech! who but thou did promise us another life, after that this was ended? Dost thou not think that our Isaac is full of laughter, seeing that when the jews do go about to stone him, he putteth himself betwixt God and our faults, to the end that they may charge all the blows upon his back? Did not he laugh, trow you, when as he had cast the Devil out of them, yet they called him a man possessed with a Devil? When the son of God said that his yoke was sweet, he did let us understand thereby plainly, that his holy la wa● a cheerful la, a gracious la, and a loifull la: and so truly it is, because all good men keep it cheerfully, and all naughty men break it with weeping. Secondly the figure above named saith, that Isaac was very rich, and that he had many flocks of sheep, and many herds of kine, and a great number of bondslaves both men and women. To say the truth the son of God had neither sheep, nor kine, nor bondmen; but he f●●d that which was signified by them, because his coming into the world was not to possess sheep and kine, nor to be wealthy in them, but his coming was to redeem our souls, and to be a mediator for our sins. When the Prophet said, thou hast made all things subject under his feet, sheep and oxen; he spoke it not only in respect of sheep which went in the stubble, or of kine which fed in pastures, but in respect of sinners souls which were in their bodies, the which he did so much esteem, and for the which he did so much, that although his father did put them under his feet, yet our good Isaac did put them upon his head. By Isaac's sheep the good people of Israel were understood, which came unto the knowledge of Christ: such were Lazarus, Nicodemus, joseph, Zacheus, the good thief, and many others, all which were of the number of the elect. By Isaac's oxen and kine which are of the greater sort of beasts, all the Gentiles, from whom all we which are Christians do descend: for even as a cow is greater than a sheep, even so the holy mother the church is greater than the Synagogue. These are the kine which the son of God came to seek, these are the sheep which our Isaac came to keep: for of the other flock and heard which old Isaac had, our redeemer of the world never had calf nor lamb. The figure saith also that Isaac had a great family, and many bondwomen which served him at table, & many men which gathered in his wealth. Our Isaac was a poor man in this kind of bondmen, and women, as he was of beards and flocks of cattle and sheep: for his poverty was so great, that no man would live with him, nor dwell in his house. Christ had another manner of family than Isaac had: his family was noble, abundant, and holy, because there resorted unto it the powers of heaven, the fathers which were departed, the just which rejoiced in his coming, and all the good men of the world. What should become of the just man (saith Anselmus) if he had not the son of God for his guide and captain? What meaneth he when he saith, Vbiduo vel tres congregati fuerint in nomine me●, ibi ego sum, But that wheresoever or howsoever two or three just men be in Christ's name, that he will be there in the midst of them. O what great difference there is betwixt old Isaac's family and our Christ's family because that in Isaac's family they call those of his house youths, servants, and men, bond slaves; but in our blessed jesus family, he calleth his, his friends, companions, and brothers. O high mystery and divine Sacrament, why doth jesus call all, his friends, saying, Amicimeiestis, and another time Brothers saying, Dic fratribus meis, but only to let us understand that he had redeemed them with his precious blood, and justified them with his divine grace? Who would not be glad O good jesus, who would not be glad to love thee, serve thee, and follow thee, seeing that thou art so courteous in thy words, and so grateful in thy deeds? Who would not be glad to dwell in thy house, and who would not be willingly one of thy family, seeing that thou dost call strangers thy acquaintance, thy enemies thy friends, thy servants thy companions, and ungrateful men thy brothers? Who did ever take such great care of his family as thou didst O good jesus, seeing that at the very instant that thy enemies apprehended thee in the garden, thou didst request nothing else at their hands, but that they would take thee, and set thy family at liberty? In his last supper, and in his last Sermon, when he said, Pater, Father keep them which believe in me, and such as will believe in me, he did well show the love which he bore unto his family, seeing he prayed unto his Father for those which were already borne, and for those which should be born afterwards, for these which were absent, and for those which were present, & as well for the dead, as for those which were alive. O happy is that soul, which doth dwell in the family of the son of God, seeing that he loveth him before that he is borne, and when he is borne giveth him justice, and after his death glory. The figure saith further, that all those of the kingdom of Palestine did greatly envy the Patriarch Isaac and all his house, not because he had done them any hurt or wrong, but because he was mightier than all they. S●neca in his book of Anger saith, That there is no envy more dangerous than that which proceedeth of another man's prosperity: for as long as the good luck of the one doth last, the others envy and malice is never at an end. All the intent and purpose of an envious man is, to turn him back which goeth before, beat down him which is on high, throw him down which ●s more fortunate than himself, discredit him who is in greater honour, and impoverish him who is richer than himself. H●race saith, That the property of an envious man is, that as another's prosperity doth increase, so his envy doth also grow, whereof it followeth, that because he cannot abide him, he hateth him with his heart, diffameth him with his tongue, iniurieth him with his hands, and stirreth up also others against him Good Isaac did never hurt the Palestines his neighbours, he did never forray their mountains, nor eat up their pastures, nor violate their wives, nor speak evil against them, nor breed any discord amongst them, but did secure them as if they had b●en his brothers, and entreat them as if they had been his children. Yet notwithstanding all this, being besotted and drunk with envy, and obstinate in malice, they commanded good Isaac to go out of the land, forsake his wealth, and break up his household. And further the people of Palestine not content with all this, agreed by the consent of the people, and by a clattering of a counsel to stop up his wells which his servants used, and his flocks drank of. They could not have showed their malice nor bewrayed their envy more in any thing than in demming up Isaac's wells of water, because that without the element of water, neither men can live, nor beast sustain himself. To come then unto our purpose, what mortal man hath there ever been, is, or shall be, who hath been so much envied as the son of the living God was? What was the cause of such untolerable envy in the Israelites, but his excellency in knowledge, his skilfulness in learning, his uprightness in justice, and the purity of his life? The jews raged, and were ready to hurt themselves to see Christ utter such great mysteries of Scripture as he did, preach so many sermons unto the people, do such strange miracles in the city, preach publicly against vice, and draw unto his company those which were always accounted honest. The jews malice against Christ was greater than the Palestines against Isaac, because they did nothing but command Isaac to go out of the land; but the jews did not command jesus, but they themselves with their own hands drew him out, and not satisfied with that, they agreed afterward to crucify him. They did shut up the water where Isaac did drink, but they did open jesus hands and side: and therefore comparing hurt with hurt, and loss with loss, it was a greater loss to take Christ's life from him, than to take Isaac's water from him. Is it not think you a greater hurt to open a man's veins of blood with the which he liveth, than to shut up a man's wells whereof he drinketh? If men shut up my wells I open others, if I have no water I drink wine, if they expel me out of this country, I go unto another; but if they draw my blood from me, who will give me more blood, and if they break my veins who will lend me others, and if they take my life from me, who will help me unto another? Christ then was worse handled through envy than Isaac: for if Isaac did live in honour, he went away with honour, and if he came alive into the land he went away alive: but what shall we say of holy and blessed jesus, whose family they did scatter abroad through envy, whose mother they separated away from him, whose blood they shed, whose doctrine they contaminated, and whose fame they obscured, and all through envy and malice? Chrisostome saith, As all the riches of man doth consist in his soul, his credit, his life and goods, so the Pharisaical envy and malice did leave Christ none of all these: for they took his soul from him, they discredited him in his fame, they deprived him of his life, and left him no goods at all. How far thinkest thou did all his goods reach, but only unto a torn cassock, and a bare coat? And yet most cursed envy came and took the garments away from him, and gave the one unto the hangmen which did put him to death, and the other coat unto the soldiers which kept him. What poverty then in all the world can be equal unto this which Christ our Lord suffered hanging upon the cross, seeing they have drawn his soul from him, shed his blood, bereaved him of his life, and divided his garments! Although the envy and malice which the Palestines bore to Isaac were great, yet they did never lay hands upon him, but they did lay hands upon the son of God when they did apprehend him, they did lay their feet upon him when they did kick him, they did lay their tongue upon him when they did blaspheme him, and they did lay their hearts upon him when they did hate him.  

The Author continueth this matter, and expoundeth another figure to this purpose.  
TVlit mulier velamen, & expandit super ●s putei, quasi siccans ptisanas, & sic latuit rex. 2. Reg. chap. 17. For the better understanding of these words, you must know that there were sent from David's camp two young men into jerusalem to know what determination and counsel Absalon and Achitophel had taken against David, to the intent that Chusi (who was David's true friend, and Absalon's feigned friend, and yet dwelling with him) might let David understand what Absalon purposed to do. And as Chusi did send to these two young men who were Achimaas and jonathas, Absalon's determination, a certain young man had spied them near unto jerusalem, because they durst not enter into the Town; The which young man gave Absalon intelligence of them presently, who sent forthwith to apprehend them; and they perceiving that they were discovered, ran away with all speed, and came very weary to Bahurim, where they entered into a house, and knowing that they were pursued, went into a well, and the good wife covered the well with a sheet, and when Absalon's people were come, and inquired after them, she made answer that they came thither very weary, and drinking a cup of water, they ran away with all speed, and so Absalon's soldiers not having any hope to overtake them, are gone back again to jerusalem. And when they were gone away, Achimaas and jonathas came out of the well, and went unto David, and did advertise him of the advise which Chusi did send him. The wisdom of this Innkeeper was great considering that through her only wit Achimaas and jonathas escaped safe, and Absalon's scouts were deceived. Mimus the Philosopher saith, That a friends advised and deliberated counsel is best, and an enemies first counsel to be feared, and a woman's sodden wit to be followed: for if she have time to think upon that which she should say, she will direct her vow & voice unto that which her heart is most inclined unto. It is convenient here to declare what the well is, what the sheet with the which it was covered, who they were which did hide themselves in it, & who they were who did seek out those which were hidden in the well, & who the woman was which saved those which were hidden, and who they were which were mocked by her. To come unto the first point, what shall we say the well to be, but the old and new Testament: the which well was high because it speaketh of high matters, and also deep, because it speaketh of profound matters; it is a well because no man can draw it dry and empty it, and it is of water because it treateth of nothing but of most clean and holy things. Saint Ambrose upon those words, Puteus altus est, saith thus, Although the wells be never so deep with waters, yet the holy Scripture is far more profound in deep and hidden mysteries, because the water may be emptied with a rope, but the mysteries of Scripture cannot be reached unto without grace. When David the great Prophet said unto God. Da mihi intellectum & scrutaber mandata tua, Who doubteth, that seeing he craved for grace to understand the scriptures, but that they cannot be understood without grace? Christ spoke many things unto his Apostles with his own mouth, which they did not understand for want of grace: and if this be so, how dare any man presume to say, that he doth understand the Scripture without grace, & unless he know himself lightened with grace? there be many men which die for thirst, because they will not go for water, & these are Pagans which have no faith: and there be others which go for water and take not a cord with them, and these are Heretics which do not understand the Scripture well: others there be which do take a rope with them, but do take no vessel to put in, and these are simple men which can read the Bible, but cannot understand it. He who will draw water out of this holy well, aught to take the cord of science and knowledge with him, and a pitcher of conscience, because he shall never or very late understand the Scripture, who doth not study it with a holy purpose and meaning. What other meaning hath it that the well was covered and stopped up, but that the old Testament was very dark and obscure? This well was covered with a linen cloth, and Moses' face was covered with a linen, and the Sancta sanctorum was covered with a linen, to let us understand, that all the old mysteries were dark, hard, and obscure. What other thing did the breaking and rending of the vail of the Temple at Christ's death signify, but only that he did open and reveal unto us the mysteries of the old Testament? What doth it mean that the vail of the Temple was rend in two at Christ's death, & that the vail which Moses had over his face was never rend & broken, but that the holy catholic church is only lightened, & that the Synagogue lieth hidden until this day with her Moses? According unto that saying of the Apostle, Adhuc velamen est super faciem Moisi, that is, until this present day Moses face is covered, to wit, the jews are hardened with him. Much good may it do unto the Synagogue to keep their Moses with his face covered, but the holy mother the church hath her Christ bare and open upon the cross: for as in dying he did show us all his holy flesh, so he did discover & open all his secrets unto us in preaching. To go forward then with this figure, what was the meaning that there were two messengers or spies hidden in the bottom of the well, I say messengers of the king & of the Priest, or princely and priestly authority (for they received the determination which Absalon and Chusi had made by the means of Abiathar the Priest, and so they represented the secrets betwixt the royal and Priestly estate) What meaneth I say all this, but that the humanity of the Word should take upon him the royal and priestly estate? What is the meaning that the self-same well was an occasion that some should escape, & others be mocked, but that one and the self same scripture is cause that the catholics do save themselves, and the Heretics condemn themselves? What doth it mean that Absalon's servants did never meet with the well, but that the poor jews have not as yet met with Christ? It is much to be weighed, that Absalon's scouts and spies did look no further than the sheet which covered the well, and in like manner the people of the jews do look no further than the exterior letter of the old Testament doth say; under which jonathas and Achimaas do lie hidden, that is to say, the humanity of the word, and the word itself. Remove and take away, O you jews, take away the sheet of your ignorance, take away the sheet of your malice, take away the covering of the letter, and withdraw the vail of your obstinacy: for until you do forsake your error you shall never meet with Christ shut up in the well. O what great pity and compassion we should take upon the wicked Synagogue, seeing that there is nothing betwixt Christ and her but only a sheet, the which if they would take away, they should meet immediately with Christ! And what thinkest thou is the sheet, but the evil understanding which they give of the scripture? Absalon's scouts went about the well, and yet they never did meet with their enemies; and the jews do go about the bible, but the mysteries of it are hidden: and the reason is, because they will not take away the sheet of the letter to see the holy and divine water which is contained under it. To speak more particularly, what were the wells which Isaac's predecessors did open, but all the holy books which the Prophets and all other holy men did writ●? What meaneth the opening of a new well in the catholic church of God, but to give an high and a true sense and meaning unto the text? The learned man doth open so many wells of water, as he doth ways expound the holy scripture; and the more obscure the scripture is, the more deeper we will say he fetcheth his water. I will not deny but he taketh pains who draweth water out of a deep well; but the learned man doth take greater pains in expounding a text of holy Scripture, because the one is done by force of drawing, and the other by pains in studying. If any man do strive and contend with thee, my brother, that the labour of the body is greater than the travel of the spirit, thou mayest answer him, that he is Tanquam asin●● ad lyram, And that he is Saul among the Prophets, and Satan among the children of God. Now that we have proved that these wells are the holy books of the Prophets, we will add further and say, that these are the wells which the blind jews did fill and stop up: and when did they stop them up, but when they did deprave and corrupt the holy Scriptures? The Palestines did demme up isaac's welswith earth, and the self same do the jews to the Scriptures, which they expound of the Synagogue, and not of the church, according unto the letter and not the fence not according unto the spirit, but according unto their own will. What other thing is it to demme the water with earth, but to blind the sense with the letter? Christ left us, which are Christians, the wells of his church, open, pure, and clear, and not stopped at all: but alas the jews through their obstinacy, and Heretics through their malice, labour to deny them, and trouble them, going about to discredit our faith, by interpreting the Scriptures after their own fantasy. The son of God doth complain unto his Father upon the cross of all these things, saying, Why hast thou forsaken me, to wit, why dost thou suffer them to stop up the wells of my doctrine on one side, and open my side with a spear on the other.    

CHAP. VIII. How the son of God complaineth of his Father, because they did load his body with stripes, and his heart with care and anguish.  
IN flagella ego paratus sum, & dolour meus in conspectu meo semper, saith the Prophet David speaking in the name of the son of God, and it is as if he would say, Do by me O good Father, do by me what thou thinkest good: for I am ready to suffer all the stripes that thou wilt lay upon me, because I can never forget nor put out of my mind the grief which I have conceived in knowing that I must suffer. Such doleful words as these are, do well seem to proceed from a man which is in great anguish, and from one who seethe himself condemned to die, confessing and protesting that he dieth for obedience sake, and that he taketh his death with patience: doth not he die for obedience, who offereth himself unto death, and doth not he take his death in patience, who knoweth not how to complain? There are some persons which feel no labour and pain but of the mind, as great lords; and there are others which feel no pain but of the body, as labourers; and some which neither feel them in mind nor body as fools; and some there be which feel them both in the mind and the body, as virtuous men do. Seneca in his book of Clemency saith, That the labour of the mind doth weary a man by night, and is at rest in the day, because than he is also occupied; and the labour of the body doth weary a man by day, and is at ease in the night, because he is at rest: but he who doth labour spiritually and corporally, doth pass the day time in sweeting, and all the night in sighing. Cicero saith unto his friend Atti●us, That of all the infelicities of this world, the greatest is to have his body overlaid with labour, and his heart loaden with care. Reason is wont to moderate the anxiety of the mind, and good cherishing the labour of the body, but what comfort can the body give unto the mind, or the mind unto the body, when the one sweateth, and the other sigheth? According unto the literal sense, good king David did complain of both these travails, that is, the travel of the body, when he saith, Et ego in flagella paratus sum, and the travel of the mind, when he saith, Et dolor meus in conspectu meo semper, the which vexations he suffered at the hands of king Saul, when he wandered like a banished man, and hid himself in mountains and rocks. David endured great labour of the body, as well for the journeys which he took, as for the hunger which he suffered: he had great grief of mind to see himself a stranger in his own land, a sugitive from his house, banished out of the kingdom, and in disgrace with his king. Although this be all true, yet who can better say, Et in flag ella paratus sum, I am ready to be whipped, than Christ's tender body, or who can say with him, Et dolour meus in conspecta meo semper, and my grief is always before my eyes, as his afflicted mind was? We cannot deny, but that David was persecuted, yet we do not read that he was whipped, the which we may affirm of Christ our redeemer, who was not only whipped at pilate's pillar, but was also shown unto the people with Bcce home, Behold the man. If David cannot say of himself, Ego in flagella paratus sum, neither can he say, Et dolor meus in conspectu meo semper: But only the son of God can so say, because there was no hour nor moment of the day in which his body was not traveled, and his heart grieved. It is long ago since I commended unto my memory that saying of Plato, Quòd in humanis plura sunt quaeterrent quam nocent, as if he would say, In dangers which happen unto man, and in human chances, there be many more things which put us in fear, than that happen unto us in deed: for so many times the heart is martyred, as he thinketh upon danger to come. When any malefactor hath received sentence of death, from the time that the sentence is read until his head be cut off he doth swallow death so many times as he thinketh that he must die; in so much that if the sword doth kill him but once in the end, yet his imagination doth kill him a thousand times before. Then to apply this unto our purpose, what Prophet was there at any time in the old Testament who knew so much as Christ did? When the son of God did prophecy that there should not remain one stone upon another in jerusalem, did he not as well know that there should not be left in his body one drop of blood with another? When good jesus did prophecy unto S. Peter that he should die in his old age upon the tree, did he not know as well that himself should be crucified upon the cross? If then the son of God did know that he should die, and that his death should be, to be crucified upon the cross, what joy or mirth could there be in him? The son of God had two things always before his eyes, that is, the cross and the nails with the which they would crucify him, and his enemies which would crucify him, whose conversation he neither would nor could eschew, seeing that he came to redeem them with his blood, and convert them with his doctrine. What man is so stout, or who is of that courage, that can live & converse with him that must take his life from him? O great goodness and infinite charity! good jesus, who but thou alone hath defended them who persecuted him, protected those who have accused him, given honour unto those who have defamed him, and pardoned their offences who have taken his life from him? What wilt thou do, good jesus, what wilt thou do for those which follow thee, and serve thee, if thou deal thus with those which lay wait to entrap thy person, impugn thy doctrine, take away thy same, & deprive thee of thy life? Anselmus saith, That the son of God did live among sinners, not because he did like them, but because he would amend them, because no man ever took greater delight in revenging than he in pardoning. To speak more particularly, it was not without a high mystery that Christ said, Et ego in flagella paratus sum, having a greater regard unto the laslies which he was to endure, than unto the death which they were to give him; because that a noble & modest man doth grieve much more at one lash with a whip given him in open place, than if they should strike off his head inprison. Men are won in criminal causes to behead worshipful & free men, or use some other punishment upon them, & contrariwise whip, hang, or mark with a h●te iron bondslaves, so that in the manner of punishment a man's grief is greatly augmented or diminished. We use to speak it for a great reproach, to say unto one, g●e thy way, thou hast been whiphed: the which words we never use unto one who 〈…〉 because that b●nshment is given only for a 〈…〉, but whipping is gruen for a punishment & an intai●y When the Apostle●nd, Ter virgis caesus sum, semel lapidatus 'em, & ter naufr●giumpe tuli, although he make mention of three kinds of torment's, yet if we look well unto it, he maketh his thrice whipping the foundation of his martyrdom. By the law of a noble man, as Christ was, & by the law of modesty & shamefa●●ouile which he made reckoning of, it is to be thought that he felt greater grief when they brought him forth whipped with Ecce homo, than when they brought him to the cross upon the Mount of Calvary, because the cross took away his life, and the whipping took away his reputation & credit. The jews gave Christ three solemn torments which they did not use to gave unto other theeve, that is, lashes with a whip, with the which they opeved his shoulders, the thorns with the which they did raze his head, and the gau●e and vinegar, wi●h the which they did make his mouth bitter. In the two thee 〈◊〉 they purposed nothing but to take then lives from 〈…〉 seemed not mough to take away Christ's life, but they would also take away his same & good name. If the son of God had not felt the discipline of the whip more than any other punishment, he would never have said, Ego in flagella paratus sum: in which holy words he gave us to understand, that he was ready, nor only to suffer all kind of punishment, which they should lay upon him, but also to bear all injury that they would use towards him. O what great reason good jesus had, to be more grieved with the whipping than with the other torments, considering that in other punishments he was only tormented, but in this he was tormented & shamed: he felt the grief when they did whip him, & the shame when they put him naked. O good jesus, O my souls health, being as thou wast so tender of skin, so smooth & soft, so subtle in blood, & so quick in thy judgement, what didst thou feel when they did whip thee so cruelly, and unclothe thee so unseemly? If it were not when thou didst preach, that thy face was uncovered, & when thou didst travel that thy feet were without shoes, who ever saw thy precious flesh naked, until they took thy garments from thee, when thou wast tied unto pilate's pillar? O my good Lord, unto what didst thou offer thyself when thou didst say, Ego in fla●ella paratus sum, because that at pilate's pillar, thou wast turned out of thy garments, tied, whipped, iniurited, shamed & beaten black and blue at one time. O redeemer of my soul, O maker of my life, when shall I see the day that I may see my life so spoiled of faults, & so naked from vices, as thou wast then from garments S. Barnard upon those words of Ecce homo saith, Thou art not content, O good jesus, thou art not content, to go bound from the garden, but they carry thee to Anna's bound with a cord, thou dost go to jerusalem also tied with a rope, and thou dost return unto Pilate in the same order, and now thou art content to be spoiled again of thy apparel and whipped in open place with Ecce homo, Behold the man. One friend may suffer banishment for another, and be taken for another; yet notwithstanding no man doth suffer himself to be turned naked & whipped for any other, because a friend should venture his person for his friend, and spend his goods, with condition always that his credit and honour be conserved and kept. The son of God only was he who said Ecce ego in flagella paratus sum, seeing that he did suffer himself publicly to be stripped naked, and bound, and whipped, and so whipped to be brought unto shame, not respecting the grief which he felt, nor the shame & reproach which he endured. What else did he mean when he said, I am ready to be whipped, but that he had as ready a will to receive martyrdom, and such great love in redeeming the world, that if they would have given him twice as many lashes more, and doubled his torment, he was ready to receive it? Why didst thou say, O good jesus, why didst thou say, I am ready to be whipped, but that by force of stripes they should open thy sides, to the end that thy enemies should see thy loving bowels and heart? When thou dost say, Ego in flagella paratus sum, what other meaning hast thou, saving only that the spear should pierce thy sides, and the lashes cut and open thy shoulders, to the intent that they might see thy blessed heart, and how that the love, which thou dost die withal, is far greater than the torments which thou dost suffer.  

The Author followeth this matter, and maketh an end of the authorities which he alleged before.  
ETdolor meus in conspectu meo semper, saith Christ in the same Psalm: as if he would say, Among all the dolours which I suffer, there is one of them of so evil a condition, that it never departeth out of my sight. Although the complaint which Christ formeth in this place, do contain but few words, yet it is full of many grave sentences: for he complaineth not of many griefs but of one, he saith not that it is another man's grief but his own, he saith not that it is in an others man's sight but in his own, and he hath it not by fits, but cootinually. If the Prophets do not rise again to tell us, and if the Angels do not declare it unto us, how can we be able to guest what grief it is which lasted so long, and the complaint which hath no end. If the son of God had been diseased of a dropsy, or gout, or palsy, we could have said that as his infirmity was, such had been his grief: but seeing that we do not read that he was ever sick who can guesle what his grief should be? It cannot easily be comectured what this grief was, seeing he calleth it but dolour, one grief: we know not whether it was the grief of his agony, or of the pillar, or of the piercing of the spear, or the yielding up of his ghost, because every one of these griefs do breed a fear in us when we think of them; how much more to suffer them? When Christ saith that my grief is always in my sight, it is a thing to make us both wonder & fear: for seeing that Christ's griefs were so many in number, and so cruel in torment, what should he mean to complain upon one, seeing that they were without number and count? We cannot deny but that Christ suffered many bitter torments: but there is one more principal than all the rest, the which is such a one, and so grievous a one, that until this present day it runneth blood in thy presence, and cannot be taken away whilst this life doth last. What grief can be compared unto this grief, seeing it hath his beginning in this world and doth not end in the other? This long grief is the great ungratefulness which is in us for our redemption & the small c●re which we had that he ●as put upon the crosle for us; in so much, that the grief whereof he complaineth unto his father, was caused neither by the thorns, nor nails which pierced him, but by ungrateful and unthankful men who did not acknowledge him. S. Barnard speaking of our duty to God saith, If thou wilt know what God hath made thee, look what he hath done for thee: for in thy miserable nature the works of his infinite benignity do appear. How much the base thy God made himself in humility, so much the greater he made thee in goodness, and how much the more viler he made himself for me, so much the more familiar and like he made me unto him. Take heed then man, that thou be not proud, seeing that thou art made of dirt, and see that thou be not unthankful and ungrateful unto God, seeing that thou art so near coupled unto him, because an ungrateful man was never pleasant nor acceptable unto God. It is the part of a perverse mind, to seek occasions and shifts to excuse himself, & not to be grateful for the benefits which he hath received: the which kind of treason and naughtiness is proper only unto shameless men, and to such as have dead hearts, and as it were without a soul. Who is he who cannot be thankful for a benefit received, but he who never knew to do good unto others? All this is S. Barnard's speech. Cassiodorus saith in an Epistle, That it is a hard matter to suffer, and not easy to dissemble, that a wise & discreet man should gather no fruit of his travail, but that he should rather receive hurt from whence he hoped for remedy, in so much that he suffereth hurt without an offence given, punishment without a fault, grief without cause, pain without sin, persecution without an enemy. Naughty men's manners would be much worse than they are, if there were none to chastise vice and reward virtue. Lactantius saith, That which Imaruell at in men is, that if they be sick they commend themselves presently unto God, if they have wars they run to God, if they want water they ask it of God, if they be molested with a plague, they turn to God, if they go by sea, they offer themselves unto God; but that which cannot be spoken without grief is, that after God hath delivered them out of those dangers, no man thinketh more of God. Do not think it (saith Seneca) to be a small misfortune unto thee, if by chance thou hast lighted upon an ungrateful friend, because that as a benefit or good turn is wont to make of a foe a friend, so the same benefit is wont to make an enemy of him who was thy friend. For it is the property of an ungrateful man, that the more that he is bounden unto any man for any benefit received of him, the more he hateth him of whom he hath received it: and the worst of all is, that they would see him dead of whom they received it, and not be thankful at all for it. Thou dost complain, O my friend Lucilius, that thou hast fallen upon more than an ungrateful man, and that of an old friend he is become thy new enemy, and if thou wouldst enter into the consideration of this loss, thou shouldest abstain from ever doing any good turn unto any: which I do not counsel thee to do, nor yet that thou counsel any man to do it, because it is better that men accuse the other of ungratefulness, than thyself of covetousness, and that the benefit be lost in the other, rather than rot in thee. There is no vice more common among men, than for one man to be ungrateful unto another, which doth proceed oftentimes, hereof, that men know not how to make choice of their friends, or for that they do not bestow their benefits well: and therefore oftentimes we have greater reason to complain upon ourselves, for not knowing how to give, rather than of others, because they be ungrateful for the good turns which they have received of us. Cicero in his third book of laws saith, Clarissimi viri Athenis pulsi carere ingrata civitate maluerunt, quàm manner in improba, as if he would say, Many famous men in waters, and learned in sciences, have been banished from Athens, not for any fault which they committed, but for malice conceived against them; the which were rather willing and glad to live in banishment than to dwell in an ungrateful city. Valerius Maximus saith, That the most notablest man that the renowned Lacedemonia did ever bring forth, was that great Philosopher Lycurgus, because among all those which lived before his time, & those which succeeded him, there was none equal unto him in knowledge, nor none which went beyond him in life. The Oracle of Pithius Apollo, being asked in what reputation he did hold Lycurgus, made answer, I am very doubtful whether I should put him among the number of men, or place him among the company of Gods. Notwithstanding that the Oracle had given this high testimony of Lycurgus, and that he was pure in his life, eloquent in learning, constant in pains, and very wise in his laws, yet all these virtues and excellent gifts could not keep him from proving the ungratefulness of his thankless citizens. And therefore they did not only injury him in words, but also they did show by cruel deeds the hatred which they bore him, and the hurt which they wished him: for once they burned his houses, and another time they followed him with stones, and another time they dashed out one of his eyes, another time they expelled him from among the people, and in the end for a recompense and reward of governing that Commonwealth eight and thirty years, they banished him out of the country, and so he died. Plautus saith, That there is no love worse bestowed than that which is bestowed upon an ungrateful man, because that man loveth nothing at all who loveth an ungrateful man. I have spoken all this against the vice of ungratitude, and used so many examples, because every man might perceive what great reason God hath to complain upon ungrateful men: for seeing that the Philosophers do inveigh so bitterly against them, it would be but small reason that they should be defended by Christians. S. Cyprian saith, Christ doth complain of our ingratitude, because that for so great & unspeakable a benefit as he did for us in dying upon the cross, he did not bind us to follow him in that kind of death, or that we should die for him by the sword, but that which good jesus did bind us unto is, that we should have his blessed passion in a remembrance, and love him with all our heart. How shall any man (saith Barnard) believe that thou wilt venture thy life for Christ, and for his faith, seeing thou dost not remember his death in all thy life? If thou wilt (saith Vbertinus) have the death of Christ help thee in thy last hour, remember that death of his every day; because the son of God doth always take pity upon those in their last hour, which do remember his passion in their life time. Christ saith, And my grief is always before my eyes, because that among all the griefs which are, ingratitude is cause of the greatest of them, and among all the sins and naughtiness which are, this is the greatest: for if there were no ungrateful men unto God, there should be no sin at all in the world. Christ doth call the sin of ungratefulness dolour and grief, because that he is always grieved with it: for the grief which he had of the thorns is passed, his whipping had an end, and the pain of the cross dured no longer than his life did last, but the grief of ingratitude is renewed in him daily. Christ doth also say, that the grief which he doth complain of is his own grief, Dolour meus: by which loving speech he doth let us understand, that he is much more grieved to see us sin, than it grieveth us to be sinners. Why doth Christ say in his complaint, my grief, and not our grief but only because that we do not feel so great pain and grief when we are punished by him, as good jesus feeleth to think that he must punish us. I would to God that it would please his divine clemency, that I were so sorry to commit an offence, as it doth grieve him to punish me: for than I think that I should not know how to sin, nor God should have nothing to punish. He complaineth also that he doth not only suffer grief, but he saith that that grief is always in his sight; and therefore because we do never give over sinning, it is certain, that his grief of compassion will never have an end. Cease then my brother, and give over sinning, and then the pain which thou dost endure, will presently have an end. When thou shalt hear us say that God hath any grief or pain, thou must not think that it is a grief or pain which he suffereth, but only a most entire and loving compassion which he hath upon us. When the son of God saith upon the cross unto his Father, Why hast thou forsaken me, the chiefest complaint that he formeth in that place is, because he causeth him to suffer so cruel a passion for such ungrateful people.    

CHAP. IX. How the son of God complaineth upon the Synagogue, that having carried them upon his back, yet they be ungrateful unto him.  
AVdite me domus jacob, & residuum domus Israel, qui portamini ab utere meo, usque ad senectam. God spoke these words by the Prophet Esayas chap. 46, as if he would say, Hear me now, he are me all you of the house of jacob, and all you which have escaped of the house of Israel, give credit unto my words, seeing that I am the God which carry you upon my shoulders, from the hour of your birth until your death. Under these few words God doth touch very many great matters: for first he beginneth to call them, than he biddeth them give ear, than he saith that it is he who calleth them, than he noteth who they be whom he calleth, than how well he loveth them, when he saith, Qui portamini ab utero adsenectutem, But we must note first of all in this place, why the Lord doth separate the house of jacob from the house of Israel, and why he doth call the house of jacob an entire house, and the house of Israel a broken and dissolved house: for he saith, hear me all you of the house of jacob, all you of the house of Israel which have escaped, and remain. If jacob and Israel, and Israel and jacob be all one thing, and all one house, saving that one man had two names, how was it possible for the one to stand, & the other to fall? In very truth in old time all the Synagogue had but one God, one people, one lineage, one king, one law; but when they began to sin and play the Idolaters, our Lord did immediately divide them. By the one house & by the other are understood the church and the Synagogue, whereof the one, which was jacobs', came wholly unto the church, and Israel's fell unto the Synagogue, but almost overthrown, not because she deserved it not, but because all which was written might be fulfilled. According unto this Prophecy, the Angel said unto the virgin in his embassy, He shall reign in the house of jacob, & he said not, he shall reign in the house of Israel, because the Synagogue did then draw towards an end, and the church unto her beginning in the son of God. God then calleth the house of jacob, which is the church, calleth those which remained of the house of Israel, which is the Synagogue, because Saint Peter was the residue of Israel, and Saint Paul was the residue of Israel, and all those of his College were the remnant of Israel, the which the son of God went throughout all the jewish nation to gather together as it had been crumbs of bread hurled abroad. Now that we know what the house of jacob is, and those who remained of the house of Israel, it is now reason also that we know what he will do with them, and why he doth call them, and why he used a speech unto them, which was never hard of before, that is, that he doth bear them upon his shoulders from their mother's wombs. God will have nothing else with them, but only that they believe in him and hear him, seeing he saith, Audite me Hear me: and withal he doth put them in remembrance of the great benefits that he doth for them, to wit, carry them upon his shoulders, Portamini ab utere; and therefore if we will have God's favour, we must believe the words which he doth speak, and be thankful unto him for all the benefits that he shall bestow upon us. Robertus upon Esay saith, If we will compare that which God requireth at our hands with that that he doth give us, without comparison he doth bind himself unto more than that which he doth bind us unto: for he doth bind us to nothing, but to believe in him, and he doth bind himself to maintain and govern us, Ab utero usque ad senectam: that is, from the time that we be first borne, until our dying day our Lord doth bind himself to bring us up like his children, and maintain us like his brothers, in so much that like a pitiful Father, and a merciful Lord, he giveth us that which we have need of, and counseleth us that which we have to do. O infinite goodness, and exceeding charity of thine, my good God, considering that by this speech, Ab utero portamini, thou dost bind thyself to give us food to live with, and by Audite me, thou dost bind thyself to give us counsel to save ourselves with! and therefore we have of thee a Lord to help us, and a Father to counsel us. Our Lord, which did create us, is a better Father unto us than man which doth beget us, seeing that he saith, Qui portamini ab utere: By which fatherly speech he doth let us understand, that he doth not only provide for our necessities, but doth also dissemble our iniquities. O that our Lord doth say very well, Qui portamini ab utero, seeing that he doth bear us on his shoulders as oft as he doth wink at our wickedness: for if he should punish us for every fault according unto his justice, we should by this time have had no memory left of us. If our Lord should not bear us upon his shoulders, and dissemble with our faults, to provoke us to repentance, he should scarce have any at all to punish above two or three hours; and for the first sin only, if it had pleased him, he might have condemned us to hell. What temporal father doth so long suffer his own children, as our Lord doth all us. What father doth carry his child in his arms above an hour, as our Lord doth us all our life time? Before we be borne, we offend him in original sin, & after we be borne we offend him all the rest of our life with other grievous sins; yet notwithstanding all this, he doth bring us up like his children, and deal with us like brothers. What wouldst thou have me say more unto thee, but that from our mother's womb our wickedness doth strive with his goodness, he in forgiving us and we in offending him: O great goodness and unspeakable clemency! what father or mother did ever the like for their children, that thou my good jesus hast done for my sinful soul? There is no living creature this day in the world, that doth give milk unto his young ones above two years: but our eternal Father and Christ his precious son, from our birth until our old age, doth give us the milk of his grace, the bread of his doctrine, the help and secure of his church, the pardon of his clemency, and the reward of his glory. Dilexit me & tradidit semetipsum pro me, saith S. Paul● as if he would say, Do not marvel, you Galathians, that I did preach so vehemently unto you, & that I did exalt Christ's name with such great fervency: for I tell you if you know it not, that besides that he loved me very much, he suffered himself to be crucified for me. This is so strange a thing, that S. Paul speaketh of in this place, that unless a man be acquainted with the phrase of Scripture, he would take scandal at it: for when Paul saith that Christ died for him, not mentioning any other, he seemeth to exclude the redemption of all the world beside. What meaneth this, O divine Paul, what meaneth this? if the son of God did give himself for thee, why dost thou preach him to be the redeemer of all mankind? Were thy sins so grievous and so enormous that they had need of all Christ's blood to redeem them? If God should send into the world a new redeemer for the taking away of every sin, how were it possible that God could send so many, seeing that he had no more sons but Christ? Tell me I pray thee, how could so glorious a humanity, so profitable a life, such sound doctrine, such a copious redemption, such a dreadful death be employed in thee alone, and not benefit any but thyself? If it be so O Paul that Christ gave himself for thee, and not for me, what have I more to do with Christ than with a holy Prophet? If he died for thee alone, is it not reasonable that thou alone shouldest be thankful for his death? God forbidden that it should be so, neither doth his mercy permit that the Apostle only should be redeemed, and all the world beside deprived of the blood of Christ: for his redemption was so copious, and there was such abundance of blood shed for us, that on Christ's part redemption did abound, and there wanted on ours to be redeemed. Did not redemption, think you, abound on his part, seeing that one drop of his blood was sufficient for all redemption; and did there not want on our side, seeing that if there had been an hundred thousand worlds, he would have redeemed every one of them? When the good Apostle said, Tradidit semetipsum pro me, he spoke it not to extenuate and diminish Christ's passion, nor straighten his redemption, but to confess before all the world, that whatsoever the son of God had suffered upon the cross, he was as much and as straightly bound to be grateful for it, as if he had died for him alone. S. Augustine in his book of Christian doctrine saith. As our Lord did know every man's offences in particular, so he did redeem every of them particularly, in so much that every man in particular is as greatly bound unto him for his blood; and as certain a debtor unto him for his death, as if he should have redeemed him alone, and suffered for him only and no other. Theophil saith, Even as in thy creation thou art as greatly bound unto God as if he should have created thee and no other, so in thy redemption thou art ●s greatly bound unto him, as if he should have redeemed thee & no other: for at that time when he bought thee, he gave as much for thee as for all men, and as much for all men, and no more, as for thee. S. Barnard saith. If the son of God should have redeemed a thousand thousand of worlds, he would have given no more blood for them than he did, and if he should have redeemed no more but me alone, he would have shed no less blood than he did: by reason whereof we cannot de●nde his redemption betwixt us, that thou mightest be but meanly grateful unto him, and another less; but thou must think that he died wholly for thee, and wholly for me, and that every man is as great a debtor unto him, as if he had died for him alone. Anselmus saith. Do not think that Christ bought us ingreat, and at the first sight, as flocks of sheep are bought, but he bought every man by himself alone, satisfying in particular for every sin, so that as he found many in the world, so he redeemed them all: but if he had found but one sinful soul in the world, he would have bestowed his precious blood in redeeming her alone. Isidorus Desumme bono saith, Mark and note well, good Christian, that Christ did not less love thee, than he loved me, neither did he buy thee with lesser travel than he bought me, not giving less blood for one than for all. And thereupon being as it were carried away with great love towards us, he esteemed not, nor did not look to the price which he gave for us, but unto the love with the which he bought us. If our blessed Lord would have looked unto the smallness and base value of that which he did buy, as he did look upon the great love with the which he did buy us, would he, think you, have bestowed one drop of his blood upon us? If human nature should be joined and coupled with the nature of Angels, and that of them both there were made one nature, what could it do, what were in it, what were it worth, that the son of God should shed so much as one drop of blood for it? That it would please Christ to die for us, let us thank the great love which he bore unto us, and not any desert or merit of our own. For if he should have expected at our hands that we should first have deserved it, he should yet be to take flesh upon him, & to redeem us. Origen in his Periarchon saith, As the sun when he riseth, doth no less give light unto all than unto one, & aswell unto one as unto all: even so the son of God did not die more for all than for one, nor noless for one than for all. Barnard saith, O infinite goodness, O unspeakable charity! which of all creatures would have done so much for thee as thou hast done for me, that is, esteem more of my soul, than of thy own life, of my honour than of thy fame, of my redemption than of thy passion, & of my remedy & help than of thine own hurt. O with what great reason the Apostle did say, Tradidit semetipsum pro me, casting upon himself the whole price of the blood of Christ, but not that which it was worth in value, but that great obligation unto which it did bind him. The son of God than doth complain to his Father, saying, Why hast thou forsaken me, because he did punish him and not the Synagogue, whom he had brought up and carried upon his shoulders.   

CHAP. X. How Christ complaineth unto his Father upon us for our ungratefulness, considering that he hath taken upon himself all our offences.  
Qvidultrà debui facere vineae meae, quod non fec? Christ spoke these words by the mouth of the Prophet Esayas, chap. 5. As if he would say, What can any man do more for his vineyard, or Lord for his Commonwealth, than I have done for thee O Synagogue? These are tender words to feel, and pitiful to hear, seeing that on one side he doth complain of the Synagogue, and on the other he will reckon and debate the matter with her, and cono●●ce her first, that all the fault is in her and not in him, before he do punish her and give her penance. God doth debate the matter with the jews, as one good friend doth with another, going about to win them with the great benefires which he hath done for them, and the great ingratitude with the which they have recompensed him. Our Lord might very well punish the jews without delay, and not contrary unto the order of justice; but yet he would first put them in mind of the great goodness which they had received at his hands, and of their manifold sins which he had dissembled, to the end, that if they feel the smart of it, they might not justly complain on him. It is a cunning manner of reprehending a man's friend, to tell him of the good turns which he hath done unto him, and the dangers which he hath delivered him from, because by this means he doth not only reprehend him, but also confound him. Saint Jerome to Martella saith, The sum of all the benefits which God can do to us are, to direct us in the right way of goodness, and put from us the way of sin and wickedness, because we are no less bound unto him who doth deliver us from perils and dangers, than unto him who doth us great good turns. S. Gregory upon the Psalms saith, When the redeemer of the world did make our Lord's prayer, Pater ●●ster, when he did command us to say, Da nobu hody, give us this day, he did also enjoin us to say, Sed libera nos, But deliver us from evil; by which words he did teach us, that we should not only crave help of him, but also beseech him, that he would deliver us from evil. What innumerable benefits God hath bestowed on us, Esay doth tell us in this authority when he saith, Quid ultra debut facere vincae meae, and S. Paul when he said, Tradit semetipsum pro me, where the one speaketh of the great care which our Lord hath in governing and maintaining us, and the other of the bitter pain he took in redeeming us. Our Lord saith very well, what should I have done more unto my vineyard, seeing that he took human flesh for us, washed away our offences, endued us with his grace, incorporated us in his church, and made us capable of glory? What should he havedone more, considering that he hath left us his body to receive, his merits to help ourselves with, his Saints to imit-te, his Gospel to keep, and his Sacraments for a medicine? Quid ultra debus facere, considering how he made our bodies of nothing, created our souls to his own likeness, given us Angels to guard us, and bestowed all the earth upon us? What should he do more, seeing that he hath commanded the sun to give us light, the earth to sustain us, the fire to heat us, the water to wash us, & the air to recreate us? What should he do more for us, seeing th●t over and above all other beasts he hath given us judgement to discern good from bad, memory to rememberthings p●st, and a will to love that which is holy and good? If these benefits do seem great unto thee, yet I tell thee further, that he hath done more than this for thee, which thou hast forgotten, of which our Lord will call for an account, at the great day of his general accounts. What are these new savours, or when doth he unto us any other good turns, but when he turneth some dangerous hurt from us? Grief of mind, anxiety of heart, fears of life, sudden passions touching our credit and fame, with such like as are wont to assault us every minure of an hour, although we think not on them: so that if our Lord should not keep us with his mighty hand, we should live with pain, and die with peril. What are those mischiefs which do most of all weary us, and which are never from us, but dreadful death, unspeakable grief, bitter tears, extreme sorrow, and untolerable fear? These fine dolours do bait, and overthrow all mortal men, because they are so common among great men, and so universal among the meaner sort, that until this day we have known none exempted from them, and we have heard of none who have died and not tried them. If every man will examine his own person, he shall find it to be true, that he knoweth all these mischiefs and evils, not by any science which he hath heard, but by experience within himself, seeing that we see nothing else every hour, but every man to weep and bewail his infinite pains and griefs? And because we may not seem that we do speak at pleasure, we will speak of every word a little, to bring thee to remembrance, how every one of these griefs is experimented in thyself. As concerning the first, which is death, what mortal man was ever borne in this life, whom death in the end hath not made an end of, and put into his grave? With this condition we come into the world, and live in the world, that in the end we must leave the world, and that by reason of a common law which he hath given us. The second grief are tears: and what mortal man did ever live in this world with such great joy, but hath wept at some time or other, and that hearty? Horace saith, That weeping is so natural a thing unto all mortal men, that we be borne weeping, live weeping, and die weeping. Demosthenes saith. That a man hath need of a master to learn all offices and duties, unless it be weeping; because there is nothing whereof a man hath such abundance and plenty, as of cares in his mind, complaints in his tongue, and tears in his eyes. The third pain is sorrow: for what mortal man did ever attain unto such sure and quiet state of life, that he should never need to fetch at any time a deep sigh? O that it is well seen in the life of holy jacob, that to mourn, sigh, and weep, are offices and duties so annexed unto the miserable life of man, that we shall first see ourselves dead, than free from them! The griefs which trouble our minds are so many, and the anxieties which charge our bowels are so huge and strong, that lamenting and wailing is taken for a remedy, and sighing for a comfort, and weeping for an ease; because it happeneth often to afflicted minds, that the more tears they shed, the more ease their hearts receive. The fourth pain, which is grief: what man hath ever been so strong and healthy, who hath not been thrown down with some sickness, or beaten with some great affliction? O that the Apostle said very well, that we have a treasure in fickle vessels, seeing that we are so weak in strength, and feeble of health, that we do nothing but keep ourselves from the sun lest he burn us, and from cold lest it go through us, and from the air lest it distemper us, from the water lest it stop us, and from meat lest we digest it not. Averroes saith, That because these inferior bodies are subject unto the superior influences of the heavens, they pass great peril, and are endangered by the stars and planets: for the elements often changing in themselves the bodies which are made of them, do also the like. Of all the riches of this life, there is none equal or to be compared unto health, because that all other pains and griefs either time doth cure, or discretion doth moderate. The fist pain, which is fear: what mortal man had his heart ever so at rest, that no fear hath ever come upon him, or in whom no sudden passion hath reigned? Menander saith, That of necessity there must reign in men's hearts, mirth or sorrow, love or hatred, pain or ease, and hope or fear; but of all these, sorrow and hatred, pain and fear, are those which do most of all reign in our bowels, because we see mirth and love, pleasure and hope, either late or never come to our door. Cicero in his Commonwealth saith; put case that we love many things, yet without comparison we fear more things, and that which is worst of all is, that our love doth change every day, but our fear doth never departed from us. Plautus saith, How merry so ever our countenance be, and how full soever of laughter thy mouth be, and howsoever the tongue talketh, yet nevertheless the sorrowful heart is loaded with fear; for he feareth lest his credit and honour shall be taken from him, or lest they steal away his wealth, or lest his life be near an end, or least that which he loveth should be long absent. Xenophon saith, What pleasure or contentment can reign in any mortal man's heart, seeing that we suffer so many griefs without us, and so many fears torment us within us. Lo then you see these five principal griefs proved unto you, although it was not needful to prove them, seeing we see that all men do die, all men weep, that all men are full of sorrow, that all men complain, and that all men live in fear. If we could happily meet with any man now adays who would bind himself to keep us from these griefs, and cure us of these fears, what would we deny him, or what would we not give him? If we pay bountifully and be thankful unto the Physician, who doth cure us of one grief, what should we pay or give him, or what thanks should we render unto him, who would cure us of all? Verè languores nostros ipse pertulit, & dolores nostres ipse portavit, saith Esayas, chapter, 54. As if he would say, The Redeemer of the world, and the heir of all eternities was he who took our infirmities upon himself, and did load and burden himself with all our griefs & sorrows. In old time Esculapius the inventor of Physic was much set by; the Greeks' esteemed of Hipocrates their first Physician; the Thebans of Anthony Musa their first surgeon; and the Romans of Archagnatus their first Physician, whom they adored for a time like an Idol, and in the end stoned him in Campus Martius. The Greeks', the Romans, the Thebans had never such a Physician as we Christians have of Christ: for all other Physicians of the world can but counsel us, but our great Physician hath science to counsel, experience to cure, and power to heal. S. Augustine saith, There was never any such manner of curing in the world as Christ brought with him, because that all other Physicians before his time, if they found any man sick, they left him sick, and if they found him in pain, they left him in pain: but holy jesus did never lay his band upon any that was diseased, but he left him whole. Hilarius saith, When the Gospel saith of Christ, Totum hominem saluum fecit, be spoke it not so much for corporal infirmities, as he did for spiritual diseases, the which are wont to proceed, not of corrupted humours, but of sins which had taken root. S. Ambrose saith, The son of God did then heal me of all my griefs, when he took them upon himself: for seeing that they had such possession of me, & so long time rooted and wxt old in me, how was it possible that any man should take them from me, if he had not cast them upon himself? He did cast my death upon himself, when he did die upon the cross, he did cast my sorrow upon himself when he was in his agony, he did cast my tears upon himself when he did weep for my sins, he did load my grief upon his own back when he did taste vinegar and gall, and he did take my fear upon himself, when he did fear death like a man. When a temporal Physician cometh to visit a sick person, he doth comply with him by taking him by the pulse, and by giving him a regiment of life, and if he find him to have an ague he leaveth him with it, insomuch that they may better be called counsellors, seeing they do give counsel only, than Physicians, seeing they cure not. God forbidden that any such thing should be said of our Physician, seeing that from the time that he came down from heaven to cure the world, he himself became sick, & cured him who was sick, and he who was sick did rise up alive, and the Physician remained there dead; and the reason of that was, because he changed the health which he brought with him, with the sickness which the other had. O that this exchange was a glorious and happy exchange which thou didst make with me, good jesus, seeing that thou didst change thy goodness for my naughtiness, thy clemency for my justice, thy health for my infirmity, thy innocency for my malice, and thy pain and punishment for my fault! And because we have made mention before of five notable pains & evils, with the which all mortal men are beaten and afflicted, it is reason that we see in this place how the son of God did bear our weaknesses, unburdening us of them, and burdening himself with them. Verè languores nostros ipse pertulit, when he said in the garden of Gethsemani, my soul is heavy unto death: for with those doleful words, he loaded his soul w●●h my heaviness, and did unload upon me all his joy. When did our joy begin but in his greatest sorrow? So long as God did not know by experience what sorrow was, we did never know what mirth was; and from that day that he began to weep, we began to laugh. He did truly take our infirmiries upon him, when good jesus upon his knees in the garden said unto his Father, Transeat a me calix iste: for in that agony he did cast all my fear upon himself, to the end that I should afterward be less timorous. Before that God took flesh he was feared of all men, and did fear no man, and wicked man did fear all things, and was feared of no body: but since the time that Christ like a fearful man said, my soul is sorrowful and heavy, there is no reason that we should fear any thing, for his fear was sufficient to make all the world courageous S. Barnard upon that saying, Cum ipso sum in tribulatione saith Seeing that thou dost bind thyself, O good jesus, by these words to be always at hand with me, and to be by my side when I shall be afflicted and persecuted, why, or for what cause, or whereof should I be afeard? There is no cause to fear the flesh, seeing that thou didst make thyself flesh: there is no cause to fear the devil, seeing that thou hast overcome him: there is no cause to fear sin, because thou hast brought it to an end: there is no cause to fear the world, because thou hast overcome it: there is no cause to fear man, seeing thou hast redeemed him; neither will I fear thee O my good jesus, but love thee. Before that thou didst make thyself man, I was man who did fear; & now I am he who is feared: sin doth fear me because I admit him not: the flesh feareth me because I cherish him not: the devil feareth me because I believe him not: and the world feareth me, because I follow him not. He did then truly take our infirmities upon him, when as upon the altar of the cross he did cry with a loud voice and many tears, and when he prayed and shed many tears, with the which he did wash away our offences. He did then take our infirmities upon him, when as in the last hour he did yield up his ghost, Inclinato capite, accepting the death which his Father did offer him, to transfer life into us. Damascen saith, From what time did we lose the shame of death, but since Christ did fear death? No man ought to marvel that the son of God did fear death, but that which we should marvel at is, that he made his martyrs not fear death, and that they should go so freely to death, seeing that they go more cheerfully to be martyred, than Princes do go to be crowned. The son than doth complain unto his Father, saying, Why hast thou forsaken me, because that having taken our infirmities, sins, and sorrows upon himself, it is no reason that we should be so ungrateful and unthankful unto him.   

CHAP. XI. Christ complaineth unto his Father how badly envy did use him: and how in Samaria they sold an ass head for fourscore pence, and they gave but thirty for his.  
INuidebant ei fratres sui, nec poterant ei quidquam pacificè loqui. Genesis, 37. chap. The Scripture declaring the great hatred which jacobs eleven sons bare unto their brother joseph, speaketh these words: and the meaning is this, The elder brothers did hate the young very much, because his father did love him best, and make most of him; and their hatred and envy grew to that depth, that they could not endure to see him, nor speak one friendly word unto him. Saint Paul thought that envy was the root and foundation of the perdion of mankind, seeing he saith, that Propter invidiam mors intravit in mundum: and therefore it shall be great reason that we declare what envy is, and what hurt it doth, and who is Queen of envy. Aristotle saith, That envy is nothing else but a passion of the mind, & a mortal anguish to see another man in credit and honour, imagining that to be his discredit. Horace saith, The greatest grief that we have with envy is, that it is not in the eyes, for so it would be seen, nor in the hands, for it would be felt, nor in the tongue, for it would be heard, but his chair and seat is in the secretest place of the heart and mind, where it abideth, complaining of every man, and tormenting him who possesseth it. Menander saith, The mother of envy is swelling pride, and cursed ambition, and therefore they never go asunder, or very seldom, but where pride is there is envy, and where envy, there pride. S. Augustine saith, Take away envy, and presently all that is mine, is thine, and all that is thine is mine. Origen saith, Envy doth grow so fast upon me by reason of the disordinate love which I bear unto my own person: for thereby I bear malice unto my inferiors for fear lest they become my equals, and I envy my equals lest they go beyond me, and I spite my superiors because they do me no good. S. Jerome in a Sermon saith, That the difference betwixt a malicious man, and an envious man is, that the malicious man doth love nothing but that that is nought, and the envious man doth hate nothing but that which is good. S. Gregory in the fift book of his Morals saith, The naughty man doth envy none but such as he seethe in higher estate than himself, or whom he seethe to be of better life than himself, or whom he heareth better spoken off than himself: whereof it ensueth, that how much the other doth grow & increase in goodness, so much the envious man doth vex and torment himself. Isidorus saith, Take heed of envy, my brother, take heed; for it is nothing else but a certain disease which doth trouble thy senses, burneth thy breast, gnaweth thy bowels, grindeth thy heart, wasteth thy life, darkeneth thy memory, and condemneth thy soul. Seneca saith, That a man doth seldom envy him whom he can overcome, but him whom he cannot vanquish. And the self-same Seneca saith further, It is more expedient for us to beware of the envy of our friends, than of the hatred and displeasure of our enemies, because the enemy carrieth his hatred in his tongue, and I take heed of him: but because my friend hideth his envy in his heart, it cannot be known, nor I cannot beware of him. Laertius saith, I would to God, that all envious men had their eyes scattered over all the world, that because other men's goods and welfare is a torment unto them, they might be tormented with so many tortures, as they see other men's hap and felicity increase. Diogenes saith, There hath no man lived in this world in fame and credit, but he hath presently felt the worm of envy; whereof it followeth, that the poor and miserable man doth only escape the envious man's hands. Demosthenes in an Oration saith, What shall I do wretched man as I am, or whether shall I go? For if I desire to live in poverty, misery doth weary me; and if I choose to be rich, envy doth torment me. To come then unto our purpose, all this discourse hath tended unto no other end, but to admonish all men of honest life, and of a clean conscience; to beware of enny, because the Devil is such a friend unto this vice, that if he see a man to be very envious, he will tempt him with no other sin. Cicero saith, What hath caused all the wars which we have had with strangers, & all the dissensions which we have had among ourselves, but abundance of wealth, and the envy which men have borne unto Rome? Although Christ was poor, yet he was hated of the wicked, accused of malice, and persecuted with envy. But his poverty being so great as it was, and hiding his power as he did, whereof should any man envy him? They did not envy Christ for the feature of his body, seeing there were other beautiful also, nor for his stock and kindred, seeing there were others noble also; not for his eloquence, seeing there were others learned, nor for his wealth, seeing there were others more wealth; but that which they did most of all envy at was, his Catholic doctrine which he did preach, and holy life which he did lead, because that none of the Prophets which went before him, did preach of such high points as he did, nor yet any one of them did live so sincerely as he did. Saint Augustine upon those words, Sciebat enim quod per invidiam tradidissent eum saith, The envy conceived against good life, is more dangerous than that which is bred by reason of our wealth: for if he be a naughty man which is possessed of this wealth, he will endeavour himself rather to increase his substance, than amend his life. Let us compare then the envy which jacobs' sons bore unto their brother joseph, with the envy which they did bear unto Christ, and we shall see how well the figure doth answer unto the thing figured, and the spirit unto the letter, seeing that the one was fold by envy into Egypt, and the other also through envy crucified. joseph did mislike his brothers doings, and therefore they did envy him; and Christ did not like the jews doings, and therefore they did hate him: and they did persecute joseph because he did accuse them before their father; and envied Christ because he did reprehend them before the people. The jews malice towards Christ was greater than joseph's brothers against him; for joseph was only sold, but innocent jesus was not only sold, but also crucified. joseph's brothers could not give him one fair word, neither could the jews hear Christ's doctrine with patience: and therefore if his divine providence should not have kept him from their fury, they had taken Christ's life long before away from him. Nolunt audire te, quiae nolunt audire me filii hominis, quia omnis Israel est attrita front, & duro cord, said God unto the Prophet Ezechiel: as if he should say, Be not angry O Ezechiel, be not angry, if thou perceive that thou dost no good with thy speech, and hast no credit among them: for seeing that they do not believe me, it is not to be marveled though they do not hear thee: for the house of Israel is grown now unto that madness, that it hath neither conscience in her soul, nor shame in her face. These are the words of the eternal Father, directed unto his blessed son, letting him understand by them what small fruit he should reap by his doctrine, and what small credit they would give unto his speech; & the reason is, because that all those which were of the house of Israel were inwardly without a good spirit, and outwardly without shame. According unto this speech of the Prophet such Prelates as govern & preach, do toil & labour exceedingly, when the subjects which hear them, are a people without any conscience, & of less shame. For besides that they do no good among them, there is also great danger to live among them. Ezechiel did very well couple small conscience with small shame, and small shame with a small conscience, because that you shall never or very seldom see a shameless man, but he is without conscience, nor a man without conscience but is also shameless. Wickedness for wickedness, and sin for sin, A Christian can have no greater sins than to be obstinate in heart, and without shame in his face, because that hell is full of none but of such as are of an obstinate heart and impudent countenance. The man which is of a tender and soft heart, and shamefast in his behaviour, is easily amended, and doth now and then sin by stealth; but he who is hard hearted & shameless in condition, doth late or never amend his sin, because he careth not for being counted a sinner. When Christ said, Gaudete & exultate, quia nomina vestra scripta sunt in caelis, he gave us heence to be glad of nothing, but only that we were good Christians, and registered in the book of Saints; and likewise that we should be sorry of nothing so much, as to be naughty Christians, and blotted out of the book of life: for he was borne in an evil hour, who doth not endeavour to amend his life, and doth not care at all to sin. We speak all this to prove that the jews were of a shameless forehead and hard hearted, seeing that Pilate did know plainly, that they did accuse Christ through envy and malice, which he gathered by the shameless speeches which they used against Christ, and the false proofs which they alleged against him. Facta est fames magna in Samaria, ita ut caput asini vaenundaretur octoginta argenteis, 4 Reg. 6. The Scripture rehearseth this, to show the great misery and distress that Samaria was in, as if it would say, When Samaria was at wars with the Arabians, being besieged and afflicted with famine, an ass head was worth fourscore rials, and a certain measure of Pigeons dung five rials, so that they had no meat to eat but asses, and nothing to dress it with but Pigeons dung. Although the flesh of an ass be loathsome to eat, and Pigeons dung filthy to burn, yet notwithstanding we will draw some mystery of this figure, to advance Christ's honour by it, because there is no word in holy Scripture which hath not some secret hidden under it. In this figure of the ass is represented the great war that Christ found in man's nature. What other thing was the war which Samaria had with the king of Arabia, but the displeasure & anger which God had against the Synagogue? What was the great dearth & famine which they endured, but the exceeding want which they had of good doctrine? What did it mean that an asses head was sold so dearly, but only that a good man was little worth, & a naughty man highly esteemed? By the Pigeons dung wherewith they did dress the asses head, is meant nothing else but the Mosaical ceremonies with the which they did offer up their sacrifices. There fell nothing unto the Synagogues lot but the dregs, and the wine unto the church; to the Synagogue the bark, and unto the church the fruit; the thorn unto the Synagogue, and the rose unto the church; the Pigeons dung to the Synagogue, and to us the Pigeon. The war betwixt God and man's nature, was far more cruel, than that which was betwixt the city of Samaria and the king of Arabia, because men did nothing but sight with God with their sins, and God did nothing unto man but inflict punishment upon him. If they ask the son of God why he came into this world, and took human flesh upon him, he will answer them, that his coming was to relieve this famine, and appease this war, in testimony whereof the Angels in heaven did sing, when Christ was borne, Peace, Peace; seeing that I am a mean between you, there must be no more anger left. When the son of God came into the world, the war ceased, and when he began to preach, the famine began to cease, because that this famine, which human nature was afflicted with, was not caused for want of corporal food, but for want of virtuous men. The want of victuals dured in Samaria but the space of one year, but the want of virtuous men continued in the Synagogue from the time of the valorous Machabeans until the coming of Christ: for from that time until Christ's coming, they had no Prophet to give them light, no captain to defend them, no Priest to teach them, nor any other famous man to rejoice in. Who did ever find a greater dearth in the world than that which Christ found among the jews? Seeing that he found the princely sceptre broken, the priesthood at an end, the Temple rob, the city perverted, and her liberty lost? There was a great dearth in the Synagogue, considering that there was not in her one person of account. For he did not choose the twelve Apostles for his companions because they were holy, but because he meant to make them holy. There was a great famine in Samaria, seeing the governor was Pilate, who was a Tyrant, the bishop was Cayphas, who was a profane person, the pharisees were counsellors, who were Hypocrites, the Preachers were Sadduces, who were Heretics, and their governors were Romans, who were Gentiles and Pagans. How was it possible that there should be any good in a Commonwealth, which was governed by such naughty governors? As in the unfortunate Samaria they had no kine nor calves left, so also the Synagogues patriarchs and Prophets were at an end, and that which was worst of all was, that as Samaria was constrained to feed upon asses heads, so the Synagogue was forced to be governed by naughty and wicked men. We do not say much in saying that they were governed by wicked men: for we might with good reason call them asses, seeing they had no discretion to know that which was good, nor wisdom to eschew that which was nought. Dost thou not think that Pilate the judge was a very ass, seeing he confessed before them all, that he found no cause to put Christ to death, and yet Tradidit illum voluntati eorum? Thou dost confess, Pilate, that Christ was without fault: and yet dost thou condemn him to die? Was not the Highpriest Cayphas a very ass, to say that Christ blasphemed, because he said that he would come to judge the world? Art thou judge of the world which is not thine, and wilt thou not let him judge the world who hath created it? Was not, thinkest thou, King Herod a great ass for clothing Christ in fools apparel, because Christ would not give him an answer, seeing that for that act he should rather have accounted him wise than otherwise? Wherein could the son of God have better shown his discretion and patience, than in not answering unto any injury, and in not misgoverning himself in any word? Was not all the whole congregation and counsel of the jews, a very ass in thy opinion, in that they did cry for liberty for Barrabas, and procured that Christ should die? The Synagogue did not buy Barrabas life so good cheap, as Samaria did the asses head, because the asses head was bought for money, but Barrabas life did cost Christ his blood. It was not worth so much, and yet they gave more in Samaria for an asses head, than they did for Christ's blood in jerusalem, seeing they gave but thirty pieces of money for Christ, and fourscore for the asses head. To speak morally then; men buy the asses head dearly, when they choose for the governor of a Commonwealth, or Prelate, a simple and undiscreet man; because that in all canonical elections, the learned is to be preferred before the simple, and the wise before the undiscreet. There must needs be a great famine in that monastery, in which they choose for their head, such a one as is light in behaviour, base in lineage, a fool in his judgement, & an ass in his conscience. The Prophet did not say in vain, Cum sancto sanctus eris, & cum perverso perverteris; For a wise man can bring up but wise men, a wicked man nothing but wicked men, and an ass none but asses. O thou whosoever thou art who dost hear or read this, do not think that we call those asses who have but small or no learning, but those which have no conscience, nor no bringing up: for he is often fit to govern who hath great experience & discretion, than he who is full of knowledge & folly. We do not call him an ass who is ignorant in Logic, & Philosophy, and Divinity, because that in Universities men learn rather to dispute than govern, make syllogisms, than rule subjects. When a Prelate is unpleasant in his conversation, hard in charity, variable in his opinion, slack in justice, negligent in prayer, these we call asses, and unworthy of such a calling; for, for my own part, I had rather my Prelate should be experienced in government, than skilful in learning and knowledge.   

CHAP. XII. Christ complaineth unto his Father, that all other martyrs had their pains and troubles inflicted upon them at divers times, and he his all at once.  
EGressus est frater eius, in cuius manu erat coccinum, quem appellavit Zaram, Genesis 38 cha. As if he would say, Thamar brought forth two children at one birth, and both alive; of the which, the one they called afterward Zaram, which was the last of the two, and was borne with a scarlet thread tied at his finger: which for a certain was a strange thing to behold, and deeply to be considered of. If we will curiously seek out the meaning of this figure, we shall find that it containeth a deep mystery, pertaining directly unto our purpose, because it showeth how soon our redemption began in Christ. That two children have been borne at one birth we have seen often, and that one should be borne before the other we have also heard: but that the one should have his finger tied and not the other, is a thing that hath never been seen nor hard of; and therefore by how much the thing is more rare, by so much it is the fuller of mystery and secret. Deeply then expounding this figure, who were the two children born at one birth, but only the human & divine nature, which saved the world? The two children whose names were Phares and Zaram did know no other mother but Thamar, and the divine and human nature did acknowledge no other father but God: for as it is an easy matter for a father to have many children, so it is a hard & impossible thing for Christ to have many fathers. Although those two children were very natural, and near brothers the one to the other, and of one belly, yet they were never sounited together, as the divine and human nature was united in Christ, because these two were never separated in Christ in his life, nor severed at his death upon the cross. And as one of these two children was borne before the other, so the redeemer of the world was first God before he was man, and was first born of his Father, according to his divinity, than he was of his mother, according to his humanity. We know well that of the two brothers Phares and Zaram, the one was born after the other: but the divine birth was so far before the other, that we find no beginning of it, because it was Ab aeterno. Of these two brothers the first of them was borne in health, pure and clean, and without any mark at all, to give us to understand, that Christ's first birth, which was his divinity, did return again as whole, fair, and clean to heaven, as it came from heaven; because it is the natural condition of the divine essence, that how much the straighter his power is joined unto it, so much the stranger and further it is from all kind of suffering. What did it mean that the other brother was born with a coloured thread tied about his finger, but that Christ should shed his blood for the redemption of all the world? O good jesus, O redemption of my soul! thou dost see well, that to come out of thy mother's womb with thy finger tied, is nothing else but to come into the world condemned to death. Zaram only, who was the figure, and the son of God, who was the thing figured, were those who had their finger tied with a coloured thread, because he and no other was to die for the world, and redeem us out of sin. What other meaning had the thread of scarlet, saving only the shedding of his precious blood? The difference betwixt thee, O my sweet jesus, and other condemned persons is this, that they are tied in a hempen cord, and thou in a thread of scarlet, and they about the neck, and thou about the finger, and they are lead to be hanged, and thou to be crucified. A thief is led away bound with a great tope, because he is drawn to death by force, but the son of God is tied with a small fine thread, because he dieth not by force, but of his own free will: for if it were not his good pleasure so to do, neither the Angels, nor men, nor the devils were able to put him to death. O high mystery, O divine Sacrament! who ever saw or heard, that before a child were borne, or knew what sin was, yet that he should come out of his mother's womb already condemned? What mercy can be compared unto this, that before his mother should give him milk to suck, his own father threatened him that he should die crucified? Elegit suspendium anima mea, & ossa mea mortem, & nequaquam ultra iam vivam, saith job chap. 7. And he spoke them when his children were dead, and his body plagued, and his goods lost, and himself upon the dunghill; and it is as if he would say: My pains and dolours do so narrowly beset me about, and my grief is come to that bitterness, that my soul hath chosen to be hanged, and my life to come at an end, because I am a weary to suffer any longer, and do loath my life. Such pitiful complains as these are, and such tender words, cannot proceed but from an afflicted and grieved heart, and from a man which desireth death. Because it is the property of one which is distressed, to complain unto all those which comfort him, & fill himself with weeping with all those which come to visit him. What else would holy job say, when he saith, Elegit suspendium anima mea, & ossa mea mortem, but that his soul desired to be hanged, and his bones choose death, and his life to be at an end? O holy man, thou hast nothing left thee but thy soul, and wouldst thou have it hanged, nothing left but thy bones, and dost thou desire to have them dead, thou hast nothing left but thy life, and wouldst thou lose it? Thou must understand, my good brother, that job did not speak these doleful words in his own name, but in Christ's name, unto whom this speech doth most properly belong. Because that from the beginning of the world until this day, there was never soul so sorrowful as his, nor never body so martyred as his was. Saint Chrisostome upon these words of the Apostle. Fidelis deus, qui non permittit nos tentari ultra id quod possumus, saith thus: Our Lord is very faithful and pitiful, because he tempteth no man above that which he is able to suffer, nor suffereth no man to have greater pain than he is able to bear, the son of God excepted only, upon whom the Father laid in the judgement of men, torment and pain not able to be endured, and withal innumerable temptations. What wilt thou require more in this case, but that God the Father laid martyrdom upon Saints by ounces▪ but upon his blessed son by great loads and burdens▪ Wha● great distress was his soul in, think you, and what grief did oppress his heart, when he sighed for the gallows, and his body desired his grave? When did thy soul desire to be hanged, but when thou didst crucify thy blessed humanity upon the cross; & when did thy bones covet death but when thou didst lose thy life for the elects sake? When the Scripture saith Elegit, He did choose, it is signified that thou didst die willingly for us: and when he saith Suspendium, his death was signified, and withal his determination which he had to redeem the world, and that our redemption should be hanged upon the tree. And when he saith, Ossa mea, the multitude of people is set forth which were at his death, as well the good as the bad, the quick as the dead: the good, to see themselves redeemed by him, and the bad to see themselves revenged of him. All human pains are brought unto three principal heads, that is, to the trouble and travel of the body, to the grief and sorrow of the mind, and to the loss of life. These vexations are wont to happen at diverse times, and also be divided and laid upon diverse persons, and he who hath grief of body feeleth no sorrow of mind, and if he have anguish of mind yet not so great that it should take his life from him, because our Lord is so pitiful that he doth not look unto the multitude of our offences, but unto the weakness of our forces. God was more pitiful with all mankind than with his own only son, considering that he gave other men their troubles and pains by pieces, and unto his son all at once. For he gave him sorrow and grief of mind, seeing he saith, My soul hath chosen to be hanged: and he gave him the pains of the body, seeing he saith, that his bones desired death: and he took away his life considering that he saith, jam non vivam. What unspeakable sorrow, and what sea of tempest should toss and vex that blessed soul when he said, My soul hath chosen to be hanged, that is, that it would be a comfort unto him to be crucified! What cruel grief should crush his bones when he said, and my bones death, thinking it an ease to see his bones in their grave, rather than to suffer such intolerable torment? What a jest did they make of his doctrine, and how little did they regard his person, seeing he saith, I will live no longer, that is, that he would forsake us, because we are incorrigible, and because we do not deserve his company, he will not bestow his grace among us. This speech may otherwise be very well understood, because the time which he did suffer and die in did take from him all that might mitigate his pain, and comfort his heart. No other Martyr could ever say, My soul hath chosen hanging, because there was none of them which wanted comfort in their sorrows, and help in their pains; and above all, this was a great comfort to them to think for how good a master they suffered, and what a great reward they expected for their martyrdom. That which did comfort Martyrs in their martyrdom, did discomfort Christ in his passion. For if he did die, it was for a lost and perverse nation, and the reward he looked for was perpetual ingratitude; because there was never so great a matter performed, as when Christ died because we should live, and yet there was never deed so ungratefully requited, as his death was by us. Saint Barnard saith, O good jesus, O my soul's joy, Art thou not content to lose thy life for my life, but that thy sorrow and grief should continue also until they take thy soul from thee upon the cross? If the son of God had said only, Tristis est anima mea, it had been tolerable: but to say, Vsque ad mortem, it is a thing not to be any way endured: For it was only he and no other, in whom the pain ended at the same time that his soul departed from him. Cyprian saith, That by this speech, Vsque ad mortem, the son of God doth bind himself to die sorrowfully and comfortless, taking no ease at all in his passion, because there was no portion of the inferior part, which grief did not wholly possess, nor any bone in all his body which was not bruised and broken with grief and pain. Christ saith, Eleg it suspendium anima mea, because that as all the time that he lived in this world, he kept the glory of his soul in suspense, because it should not fall upon his body; so at the time of his passion he did keep his reason in suspense, because it should not comfort his soul. For if Christ would have given his glorious soul licence to impart some small sparkle of her glory unto the body, he had never been comfortless; and if he would have given licence unto his reason to have comforted him in his passion, he should never have felt his passion so sharp and bitter. But because our redemption should be more copious and abundant, he would admit no comfort nor consolation at all. Ne fortitudo lapidum fortitudo mea, nee caro mea, saith holy job; As if he would say, O great God, do not punish me so rigorously, nor show thyself so cruel against me, because my heart is not so hard as a stone to feel no pain, nor my fl●sh as hard as copper, that no torments are able to hurt it. He who spoke these words, did crave aid for his grief, and favour for his anguish, seeing he did confess that his heart was not able to bear them, nor his strength able to sustain them. There are some men so senseless that they feel no kind of tribulation no more than if their hearts were made of stone▪ and contrary there are some of so tender a nature, that if a man do but touch their coat, they cry out that they may be heard unto heaven, in so much that the first like unto beasts feel nothing, and the other like impatient men never cease crying. When the holy man saith, That his heart was not like a heart of stone, he meant that he did feel all tribulation and anguish, even unto the heart: and when he said that his flesh was not made of copper or brass, his meaning was, that although he did feel all tribulation, yet he did never complain of it; in so much that if he did feel it as a man, yet he did dissemble it like a wise man. S. Gregory in his Morals saith, job doth very wisely under these words show us the manner how bad men and good men do suffer their anguish, and he compareth those which feel no tribulation unto a stone, and those which complain on them always, unto sounding copper: for indeed he who feeleth no grief at all, is like unto a stone, and to feel it and hold his peace is the part of him who is wise and discreet. Christ's heart was not of stone, because he should not feel, neither was his flesh of copper, to complain: for he did feel all pain and anguish more than any man, and did suffer it better than any; for in all the time of his passion he did never complain upon any when he suffered, nor did never command a revenge to be taken on any when he died.   

CHAP. XIII. How the son complaineth of his Father, because that he had condemned him to die before that judas had sold him.  
QVare me posuisti contrarium tibi, & factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis? These words are uttered by holy job, in the person of the son of God, speaking unto his Father upon the cross: & their meaning is this, O my Father, why art thou so contrary unto me, as if I were thy enemy? doth it not content thee that for my friend's sake I am grievous unto myself, and complain on myself? It is an ordinary thing to see one man complain upon another, and to see me complain upon myself is no new thing, but to complain on thee and myself at once, is a hard case: for although my tongue can count my griefs and tribulations, yet my heart cannot suffer them. If Christ did complain of Herod for mocking him, or of Pilate for giving sentence on him, it was no marvel; but to complain on his Father, it seemeth that there is no patience able to endure it. For seeing that he should have defended him, it seemeth a very hard part to suffer him to be crucified. The son of God doth frame two great complaints in these words, the one of his eternal Father, the other of himself: and therefore it is very convenient that we declare how the eternal Father did send his son to die, and how he himself went to suffer on the cross: and in so doing, we shall find that the one did that which he did, moved thereunto with charity, and the other to suffer that which he suffered, was moved with pity. Qui proprio filio non pepercis, sed pro omnibus nobistradidit illum, saith S. Paul: and his meaning is this, The love which God bore unto all the world, was so exceeding great, that he would not pardon the death of his own proper son, but would have him crucified for all. Being, as he was, his natural son, & his only son, and so holy a son, and so well-beloved a son, was it not a thing most wonderful that he would suffer him to be crucified? David had many sons besides Absalon, and yet when the captain joab had slain him in field, David was almost besides himself, and cried out, O my son Absalon, O my son Absalon, who will do me the favour to kill me, and restore me thee again? He that gave such sorrowful words for the death of a son, would he not, think you, have powered out far more pitiful lamentations, if he had been handled, as Christ was crucified? To have killed a servant for to save his son, any Father would have done; but to kill his son for to save his servant, only the Father of Christ did, who having no other son but him, gave them him as freely to be carried to be crucified, as if they had led him to be crowned. Damascen saith, The eternal Father did well know, that our business could not be brought to pass, but by his sons means; and he knew also very well, that so old a strife would cost his son very dearly, and notwithstanding all this he gave his full consent that he should be condemned to die. And that which most of all did show his goodness, and our wickedness is, that the devils, against whom he did plead & strive, did not give sentence against Christ, but man for whom he did plead, and whose cause he did defend. Theophilus doth seem to say, that it importeth more to say, that the father did suffer his son to be crucified, than to say that he doth suffer sin: which appeareth by the Apostle, when he saith, Quòd pro nobu omnibus tradidit illum: and he saith not, Quòd permisit, but he saith that he did deliver and give his son to be crucified. If the father did give him to be crucified, who was able to defend him? If we do give credit unto the Prophet Esayas, the son doth charge no man with his death and passion saving only his Father, seeing that he saith in the Father's name, Propter peccata populi mei percussieum, as if he would say, Let no search be made for the death of my son, because I was he who struck him and wounded him, and crucified him, and buried him, because the sins of my people could not be cleansed, but with the blood of my son. David was of the same opinion in the 88 Psalms, saying, thou hast shortened the days of his life, & hast thrown his seat upon the ground. Who was able to cut off his days, or cast down his seat, but only he who gave him life, and honoured him with a seat? All this was figured, not only in Abraham, who had drawn his sword to kill his son, but also in king Moab, who for the liberty of the people, did kill his own son from the top of a wall. Origen upon the Apostle saith, Although it seem to be a thing against humanity for the father to be a butcher of his own son, and make an anatomy of him, yet it was no cruelty for the father to make his son to die for the redemption of the world, but rather a great point of charity; because it was decreed from the beginning that as our hurt came by disobedience, so our bulwark and defence should be by obedience. Theophilus saith, God left his son in the hands of death, with an intention, that because that if she did set upon him without cause, he should lose the right which he had upon others: and so it befell unto him; for because he ventured upon him who was just, he lost his action against him who was a sinner. S. Augustine upon S. Matthew saith; There were at Christ's death, first Christ's father, and then the son, the Lieutenant Pilate, judas the Disciple, and all the people of the jews: and as they were all of divers conditions, so they were of divers intentions. Pilate gave sentence on him for fear, judas sold him for covetousness, the jews slew him by malice, the Father delivered him for charity, and the son offered himself to die with pity: and he saith further, Do not say, O you jews, do not say, If he be the son of God, let him come down from the cross: for you would have crucified him long before that time, if his Father had not denied you him, & afterward when he would, and how he would, he delivered him unto you. What did Pilate in the death of Christ but sin, what did judas in the passion of his Master but sin, what did the jews in crucifying Christ but sin? The passion of Christ our redeemer the Father permitted, the son suffered, the holy ghost approved, in so much that we be not bound for our redemption unto those who put him to death for to revenge their injuries, but unto those who suffered it, to redress our faults. O how much we own unto God the Father for his clemency, seeing that because he would not punish my offence in myself, he punished his own son for it, not according unto his innocency, but unto my great offence, the which his holy son did lay upon his own shoulders, to the intent to disburden me of it. Anselmus in his Meditations saith, Say, O my soul, say with the Prophet, I am he who sinned, I am he who have offended thee, I am he who hath sinned: for the Lamb thy son, what hath he done? Let thy fury be turned against me, O Father, who have committed the fault, and not against thy son who is without spot, and let not the cruel spear of iron pierce his heart, who can do nothing but love, and let him enter into my heart who can do nothing but sin. O fatherly affection, and favour never heard of before! what is there in me to give thee, or what is there in all the world to serve thee with, seeing that for to seek out him who was lost, to redeem him who was sold, to unlose him who was bound, and deliver him out of captivity who was taken prisoner, thou didst make thy own son captive. O infinite goodness, and unspeakable clemency! what pity did constrain thee, or what charity did overcome thee, that to give light unto the blind, to heal the lame, put him in the right way who went astray, to make clean the unclean, to lift him up who was fallen, and pardon him who had offended, thou wouldst not pardon thy own son? What priesthood can be compared unto thy Priesthood, or what sacrifice is like unto thy sacrifice, seeing that in old time they did offer nothing unto the Priest, but some live beast for the sins of the people, and thou didst not offer but thy own proper son? The son than hath great occasion to complain of his Father, saying, Why hast thou put me contrary unto thyself, seeing that he commanded that son which he loved best, to die for those which most of all did hate him.  

He followeth this matter in a moral sense.  
FActus sum mihimet ipsi gravis, saith job, as we have already said. Although saith he, I complain of many, yet I complain of none more than of myself; and although many things do wage battle against me, yet I am the greatest enemy unto myself. Origen upon this place saith, It is a thing never heard of, and a very strange complaint: for although a man be never so culpable, yet he desireth to excuse himself, and accuse others. Irenaeus in a Sermon saith, We fall every day and stumble, and sin: yet notwithstanding all these faults, no man doth confess himself to be nought, nor acknowledge his brother to be good. Petrarch saith, That men complain of the sea, that it is dangerous, of the air that it is corrupt, of his friend that he is a dissembler, of the time that it is troublesome; and yet I see no man (saith he) who complaineth of himself: & therefore we are like unto young gamesters, which never blame their own play, but when they lose do curse the dice. This speech of job doth contain much matter, and therefore it is convenient that we tell you how many sorts of war there is, seeing he saith, that he maketh war against himself. There is therefore one kind of war which is called a royal war, another called civil war, another more than civil war, another personal, and another cordial or of the heart. Of all which wars I will tell you what we have read, and what we think. It is called a royal war, because it is made by one king against another, or by one kingdom against another: as the war betwixt Darius and Alexander, Troianus and Decebalus, Rome and Carthage, the which two proud cities, although they had no kings, yet they were heads of kingdoms. There is another kind of war called civil war, which is betwixt neighbour and neighbour, or when a city divideth itself, and fighteth the one against the other; as in Carthage betwixt the Hannones and Hasdrubales, and in Rome betwixt Scylla and Marius, and afterward betwixt Caesar and Pompey, all which ended their lives before they ended their quarrel. There is another war called more than civil war, as betwixt the son and the father, brother and brother, uncle and cousin; as betwixt David and his son Absalon, who purposed to take away the kingdom from his father, although he achieved not his enterprise, but in the end was hanged upon an oak. It was more than a civil war that was betwixt the Aiaces the Greeks', Bries the Licaonians, Athenones the Troyans', Fabritioes' the Romans. This is the most dangerous kind of war that is, because those hatreds which are conceived betwixt kinsmen, by so much the more are more deadly, by how much they are nearer tied in kindred. There is another kind of war which is called personal or a combat, when two valiant men do fight a combat for the averring of some weighty and important affair, where for to save their honour they lose sometime their life and honour both. This kind of combat the valiant David fought against the Giant Goliath, the one armed and the other without arms: yet in the end David did overcome Goliath and killed him with his sling, and cut off his head with his own sword. There is another kind of war more stranger than those we have spoken of, which is called the war of the heart or entrails, which is begun in the heart, fought in the heart, and also ended in the heart. In this sorrowful war, sighs are the darts they cast, tears the weapons they fight with, the bowels the field where the battle is fought, and those who fight are the hearts, and he who can weep best, is accounted the best soldier. Factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis, because there, there fighteth one against the other, and both against him, love and fear, sloth and courage, talking and silence, anger and patience. O what great reason job had to say, Factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis, seeing that not in the corners, but in the very midst of our hearts, theft and alms deeds do fight and strive the one against the other. And reason and sensuality, care and sluggishness, strife and quietness, anger and patience, covetousness and liberality, pardon and revenge. O unhappy battle and dangerous combat, where I am made Mihimet ipsi gravis, seeing we fight here not in company, but alone, not openly but secretly, not with swords but with thoughts, and there is nothing seen but all is felt. And that which is worst of all is, that to overcome we must sometimes suffer ourselves to be overcome. Where but in this more than civil war, in what fight but in this, in what strife but in this, did all the holy and virtuous men end their lives? Who then will say that it is not very true that, Factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis, seeing that we are so much the better accepted of God, by how much we are contrary unto ourselves. The Apostle complained of this war, when he said. O infaelix homo! quis me liberabit de corpore mortis huius? his meaning was, O unfortunate and sorrowful man as I am! when will the day come, wherein I may see myself free, and as it were exempted from myself, to the end that I may do that which I would do, and not as now, to desire that which I ought not. Saint Augustine speaketh of this civil war in his Confessions, when he said; Factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis, seeing that I am bound and fettered, not with irons and chains, but with my own sensuality: but I gave my will voluntarily unto the Devil, and of my will he maketh now that which I will not. Anselmus in his Meditations saith, I am made grievous and painful unto myself, because there is no man so contrary unto me, and so against me, as I am to myself, and I am like a fool besides myself, in so much that living within myself, yet I go wandering abroad out of myself. Isidorus in his book De summo bono saith, I am made grievous unto myself, and for that cause my judgement is so darkened, my memory so weakened, my thoughts so changed, that I know not what I would have although it be given me, nor I know not whereof I should complain although I be demanded. Dost thou not think that my judgement is sore troubled, & that I am an alien from myself, seeing that I do oftentimes, by desiring to know that of myself that I know of others, inquire of myself for myself? Barnard saith in a Sermon, Am not I, good jesus, grievous and painful unto myself, seeing that if hunger do make me faint and weak, eating doth also loathe me, if could do weary me, the heat doth also molest me, if solitariness do make me sad, company doth also importune me, in so much that I am pleased and contented with nothing, and am always discontented with myself? How can I be pleased with my own doings, seeing that if I do behave myself once like a wise man, I do behave myself an hundred times like an undiscreet man? S. Ambrose in an Epistle to Theodosius saith, Because I am grievous and painful unto myself, I do withdraw myself from the company of men, because they should not change and disguise me, I fly from the devil because he should not entrap me, I forsake the world because he should not damn me, I renounce wealth and riches, because they should not corrupt me, I refuse all honour and dignities, because they should not make me proud. But alas alas, notwithstanding all this, and although I suffer very much, yet my body is never at rest, my mind is very unquiet, by reason whereof I grow worse and worse every day in virtues, and plunge myself more and more into the world. Whosoever he were who made these verses, he made them most gravely: 
In war that I am under taking,  
Against myself my source doth spend me●  
Since with myself war I am making,  
O from myself then God descend me.   
When such grave and wise men do complain on themselves, we have small reason to trust to ourselves, because a wise man should distrust none more than himself. I will justly say, Factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis: for if I be in the king's displeasure I forsake his country; if I am pursued by justice, I fly from it; if I be troubled with a naughty neighbour, I remove into another street: but having my own proper will to my enemy, how should I possibly fly from myself? Who will not say, I am made grievous unto myself, seeing that within my own heart I harbour love and hatred, contentment and discontment, my will and my nill, my liking & disliking, my joys and my griefs, and also my delight and my sorrow? For my own part, I say and confess, that I am grievous unto myself, considering that I willingly would that I had no such will: for pride doth puff me up, envy doth consume me, gluttony doth waste me, anger causeth me hatred, incontinency doth disquiet me, in so much that if I do abstain from sin, it is not because I have not a will unto it, but because I am weary and can sin no more. O how true it is, Quòd factus sum mihimet ipsi gravis! for if I be sick, it is because I have eaten too much, if I be poor it is because I took my pleasure too much, if I be imprisoned it is because I have stolen, if I be sad it is for that I loved, if I be ashamed it is for somewhat that I have committed, & if I be discontented it is through my own choice; and if I have committed an error in my own choice, whom should I blame but myself? If the truth be well examined, there is no man who ought to be more grieved with any man than with himself: for as of one part we do nothing else but complain of the troubles and travels which we suffer, so on the other part we ourselves do continually seek them. If it be true that I am grievous unto myself, with whom shall I have a good peace, if I myself do make war against myself? Who shall deal with me that I be not grievous and troublesome, seeing that I myself cannot be content with myself? By what means can I possibly set my neighbours at one, if my sensuality and reason do bandy one against the other? Who until this day hath ever had more cruel enemies against him, than I have now of my own thoughts and desires, considering that they draw me to that which is good afeared and amazed, and unto that which is wicked with great confidence and boldness? I do conclude then and say, that considering the time which I lose, and the small profit which I make, the care I have in sinning, and careleslenes I have in amending, the great goodness I receive at God his hands, and how little I serve him, the evil which I do, and the good which I hinder, I am greatly ashamed to live, & very sore afraid to die.    
The end of the fourth word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the Cross.   

Here beginneth the fift of the seven words, which the son of God spoke upon the Cross, to wit, Sitio, that is, I am a thirst.  

CHAP. I. Why the son of God did bid all those which were a thirst come unto him, and yet said upon the cross that he himself was a thirst.  
SCiens jesus quia omnia consummata sunt, ut consummaretur Scriptura, dicit Sitio: These are one of the seven words which Christ spoke upon the cross, which S. john rehearseth in the 19 chapter: as if he would say, The son of God knowing that all that touched the redemption of all the world was now finished, having an intention that all the scripture should be accomplished, he spoke the fift word, saying Sitio, that is, I am a thirst. Christ did well know that it was written in the Psalm, In siti mea potaverunt me aceto, seeing that to fulfil the Scripture he suffered that great thirst, to the end that all the mysteries should be accomplished which were prophesied of his death. The Prophets had prophesied many things in Christ's name which he should do when he came into the world; among the which they had prophesied that he should suffer very great thirst: and therefore to say that he had thirst to fulfil the Scripture, was to say, that he did suffer that torment to ungage his word. Christ did deal like a friend with all the Prophets and holy men of old time, considering that to the cost of his life, and great travel of his holy person, he did accomplish and fulfil all that which they had laid down in Scripture, to the great credit of the Prophets, and great glory of holy writ, and with the great travel of his own person. Christ said preaching that there was no tittle, no point, nor sentence of holy Scripture, which should not be fulfilled according unto the letter. The first mystery of the incarnation, Ecce virgo conciptes, was fulfilled literally, seeing himself was a virgin, and borne of a virgin: and also the last mystery of his passion, was accomplished literally, Dederunt in escam meam fell, & in siti mea potaverunt me aceto, Seeing that they gave him upon the cros●e gall and vinegar to drink. What did Christ mean when he said, that to fulfil the Scripture he had such great thirst, but that he might now freely departed and go out of this world, seeing that all the redemption was ended, and the Scripture accomplished? The simple Reader ought not to imagine, that the son of God would not have come into the world, nor redeemed the world, nor endured this torment and thirst, if it had not been written in the Prophets: for he must learn, that the Scriptures are tied unto Christ, and not Christ unto the Scriptures; because that they should not have been written, if he should not have been borne and crucified; and yet he should have been borne and crucified, although the scripture had not spoken it. Venerable Beed saith, Seeing that all Christ's actions are great, and those of his death and passion most great, it is much to be noted, and to bewondered at, why it was the pleasure of the son of God, that his thirst should be his last work, and that he would departed out of this life with great thirst. S. Augustine saith, The last grief and pain which Christ suffered was his thirst, the last complaint which he made was of his thirst, and the last request which he made was for a cup of water, and the last torment which he endured was of the gall, vinegar and mire which he drank, because that immediately after that he had tasted of that cup he gave up his ghost unto his Father. Seeing therefore that this thirst is the last torment, the last request, the last complaint, and the last work that Christ did in this world, it is convenient that we tell who he is who suffereth this thirst, where he doth suffer it, for whom he doth suffer it, and at what time he doth suffer it. He who suffereth is Christ, the place where is upon the cross, I am he for whose sake he suffered it, the time was until death, insomuch that with the same great thirst which he endured, his soul was drawn and pulled out of his body. The high mysteries of the cross of Christ may well be compared unto the eating of Pineapples, and their kernels, the which the oftener they be cast into the fire and taken out, the more kernels they yield to eat, and more husk to burn. That which happeneth unto the labourer with those Pines and kernels, doth happen unto us in these divine mysteries, in the which the more we think upon the passion and cross, the more secrets we discover, and the more mysteries we find. Cyprian saith, That which men dispose of a little before their death, is always of greater importance, than that which we deal with in our life time, because it is done with greater heed, provided for with deeper consideration, ordered with better discretion, rated and determined with better conscience. No man did ever dispose better of his life and soul, than Christ did of his own person and the church, because he disposed of them with more care than jacob, with more pity than Isaac, with more discretion than joshua, with greater wisdom than David, and greater bounty and liberality than Solomon. Mulier da mihi bibere, said Christ to the Samaritane woman, As if he would say, Give me a cup of water, good woman, because thou seest that I am weary of the way, and very thirsty. When Christ said unto the woman, Da mihi bibere, and also when he said upon the cross, I am a thirst, it was a sign that he had been a thirst many days, and also many years, and very desirous to quench his thirst with water. That which Christ saith in the 7 of Saint john, seemeth to be very contrary unto this, If any man be a thirst, let him come unto me. Upon a solemn day of Easter, Christ cried publicly in the market place. If any man be a thirst let him come unto me. O high mystery and deep secret! who is able to understand that which Christ saith in this place, seeing that sometime he asketh the Samaritane woman for a little water, and on the cross he saith that he dieth with thirst, and yet on the other side he maketh open proclamation, that all which be thirsty should come unto him? How can these two speeches hang together, Woman give me some drink, and this, If any man be a thirst, let him come unto me? Dost thou invite all men to come to drink at thy Tavern, and hast thou not a cup of water for to quench thy own thirst? For the better understanding of this, it is to be noted, that God doth take some things of us, and yet there are some things which God doth give unto us; which is easily perceived, in that he took flesh of us when he would become man, and yet if we will become pure and holy, he must impart his grace unto us. This being so, when Christ saith, If any man be a thirst let him come unto me, he doth give us to understand, that he is the fountain of grace, of the which we should all drink of: and when he sayih, Woman give me some drink, he doth let us also understand, that there are some things in us of the which he would be served withal. When the son of God saith, If any man be thirsty let him come unto me, to what water, thinkest thou, doth he invite thee, but unto the water of his grace and of his glory? And when he saith unto the Samaritane woman, give me drink, what water thinkest thou did he ask, but only patience and obedience? Christ doth invite us to drink of his great goodness and favours, and he craveth of us of the water of the pools of our poor service, saying Da mihi bibere, in so much that to show the great love which he doth bear unto his creatures, he feigneth that he hath need of their services. S. Barnard upon those words of the Psalm, Sitivit anima mea ad deum fontem viwm saith, O what a great difference there is betwixt the thirst of the good and the bad, because the bad thirst after nothing but wickedness, and the good after virtues, the bad after temporal things, and the good after spiritual, the one after sin, and the other after amendment, so that all the thirst of the wicked is after sin, and the thirst of the good after salnation. Basil upon the Psalm saith, The Prophet would never have said, My soul hath thirsted after God a lively spring, if he could have found the fountain of glory in this world, and the water of grace in this life. But alas of how many waters soever we drink of, and how many waters soever we seek for, we shall never meet with the water of life, until we come to enjoy the divine essence. Hugo de sancto victore upon the Psalm saith, All the things of this life are dry fountains, and dead waters; & conrary, all things of glory are fresh fountains and water of life: for there and not here we shall live all contented, and not thirst at all. All which live in this world, live in hunger and thirst, because all the vices which we like of do hurt and not profit, make us sorrowful and not joyful, weary and not recreate us, loath and not fill us. What vicious man is there in the world, who the more he doth give himself to vice, is not the more thirsty after them? Let not the Devil deceive thee, my brother, in saying I will now cloy and glut myself with vice: for the more thou dost eat and drink and be merry, although thou do seem to be fully satisfied, yet thou art not so, but only a weary. Saint Barnard upon the Passion of our Lord saith, What doth it mean that the son of God went out of this world dead with thirst, but only that there is nothing in this world that can quench the thirst of our soul? Anselmus saith, How is it possible, O my good jesus, how is it possible that I should live in the world contented and fully satisfied, seeing that thou didst departed out of it hungry and thirsty? S. Jerome upon S. Luke saith, All that the world doth give us to quench our thirst withal, is but vinegar, and all that he giveth us to mitigate our hunger is but gall, the which things being well proved do take away our life, and not our thirst. Robertus upon Saint john saith, That for the son of God to die with thirst, is to let us understand, that have we never so many dignities, let us heap up never so much riches, and let us prove never so many vices, and let us cocker ourselves all we can, yet we shall departed with as great thirst out of this world, as if we had not lived but one moment in it. In this sorrowful life there is nothing but is thirsty: the flesh doth thirst after dainty cherishing, the soul doth thirst after longer life, the heart doth thirst for more strength, the Devil to deceive us, and Christ doth thirst after our salvation. Which of all these do not live in hunger and thirst? What doth our flesh but complain in every part, that we keep it naked, that we keep it hungry, weary, discontented, and dead with thirst? What sinful soul did ever departed out of this wretched life, so beset with grief, or loaden with years, which would nor have given all that he had been worth to have lived one year longer? What human heart is there on earth, which watcheth not to get more, and breaketh not his sleep to be worth more? Why doth the Devil watch but to keep his own, and beguile the good? Why are there so many sorts of vices in the world, and so many enticements, but to quench the thirst which it hath, to make us all vain, worldly, and light? Why did the son of God come into the world, preach the Gospel, live in pain, and die upon the cross, but only for the great thirst which he had to save the world? Lo then, we have proved how the flesh, the heart, the soul, the world, the devil, and Christ, are all hungry and desire thee O my soul: and that which cannot be spoken without tears is, that only Christ doth thirst after thy salvation, and all the other after thy perdition. O my soul, if thou hadst as great a thirst to amend thyself, as Christ hath to save thee, or if thou hadst as great a thirst to amend thyself as these thy enemies have to deceive thee, I do promise thee that thou wouldst not live as thou dost so carelessy, nor yet behave thyself so riotously. The good do inherit the thirst of our blessed Saviour jesus Christ, and the wicked do inherit the thirst of the devil. And what is the thirst which the good do inherit, but to be peacemakers, humble, chaste, sober, and very charitable? And what is the thirst which the wicked do inherit of the devil, but to be more mighty, and rich, and more vicious? O what great difference there is betwixt these two thirsts! for the thirst of the good and virtuous goeth to be quenched at the fountain of life, which is glory; & the thirst of the wicked goeth to be quenched at the dead waters of pain and punishment; in so much that such as our thirst is in this world, such shall be the water which we shall drink of in the other. O how well the Prophet said, My soul did thirst after the living God, because that all the water which our Lord doth give us to drink is of the lively fountain, which is clear unto the eye, and fresh to recreate, saverous to provide of, and wholesome to taste of, delicare in digesting, and most precious to keep. The water which the world giveth his followers to drink of is deep to teach unto, troubled to see unto, unsavoury to drink, puddle in taste, and stinking to keep. Let us conclude then that the servant of God is always thirsty and desirous of God, who as he who is very thirsty doth seek drink with all diligence, so he who is desirous of God doth seek all the ways and means he can to serve and obey him.   

CHAP. II. How the Crows gave the Prophet Helias meat; and how the jews gave Christ neither meat nor drink.  
REcede hine, & vade contra Orientem, & abscond te in torrentem Carith, & ibi de torrent vives: nam coruis praecepi ut pascant te: God spoke these words unto H●lias Reg. 3. chap. 17, as if he would say; It is my will and pleasure, O Helias, that thou live no more in this land, but that thou shouldest go out of it, and thou shalt go towards the East, and hide thyself in the brook Carith, where thou shalt have no need to fear hunger, because I will command the crows to bring thee meat and bread every day, and there thou hast water enough for thy drinking. When our Lord did command Helias to go out of Samaria, there was a great famine over all the land, and he was also persecuted by the wicked queen jezabel: and yet having an intention to secure his Prophet, he appointed him a place far off, where he should hide himself, and provided him all kind of victuals for him to eat. Helias being gone to the brook Carith, there he lay hidden a long time, feeding only upon that which the crows gave him, and drinking of the water which ran in the stream. And after a few months were passed, and the Queen's persecution was ceafed, and the famine amended, Helias returned to the people, and the crows were seen no more. Before we do come unto these mysteries, it is here to be noted, what great care our Lord hath over his servants, and how he is never careless of his friends, because his natural condition is never to be unmindful of those which do not forget to serve him. Cum ipso sum, eripiam eum, & glorificabo eum, saith the Psalmist in the name of our Lord: and his meaning is, I myself, and no other, will be always with him in his troubles, and I will bring him safe out of them, and he shall escape out of them with honour and glory. If we do well understand Christ, he promiseth three things unto such as suffer persecution and tribulation for his service: The first is, that he will be at their side in all troubles and vexations: the second, that they shall never lose their life, nor endanger their conscience for any trouble, be it never so strong: the third, that he will deliver them out of that trouble with great fame and glory. If such great profit be gotten by persecution, why doth any man follow the pleasures and delights of the world? What tribulation is there in this world so hard and dangerous, which is not overcomed with the help of Christ? O how happy is that soul which is tempted for the service of God, and is persecuted for the love of him! seeing he hath given his word and his credit that he will not suffer any to fall in his temptation, nor forsake any man in his tribulation. Note gentle Reader, that Christ doth not say, I am with them In gaudio & exultatione, in mirth and joy, but In tribulatione, in tribulation: for as in this life he knew nothing but how to shed tears, suffer temptations, endure travail, so he hath compassion of none but of such as weep, and are persecuted and tempted; in so much that as the devil is the captain and ringleader of all which live in pomp and jollity, so Christ is the head of all that are afflicted and in tribulation. Saint Barnard saith, If this that is said, Cumipso sum in tribulatione, be not performed in thee, think with thyself that thou dost not suffer that tribulation for Christ, but for thy friend and thyself; and therefore in that case let him help and secure thee for whom thou dost suffer that danger. If thou do not make reckoning of Christ, nor think on him, nor suffer for his sake, what hath Christ to do with thy paint and travail? If thou do suffer for the flesh, let the flesh help thee, if thou suffer for the world, let the world deliver thee, if thou suffer for thy friend, let thy friend give thee aid, if thou do suffer for Christ, to Christ commend thyself: for if thou do serve others, what reason is it that thou shouldst ask favour of him. Saint Basil saith, What friend had God at any time whom he forgot, or in what tribulation did he ever see him when he helped him not? Gregory in his Register saith, He who did not forget Noah in the flood, nor Abraham in Chaldea, nor Lot in Sodom, nor Isaac in Palestine, nor jacob in Assyria, nor Daniel in Babylon, dost thou think that he will forget thee in thy affliction and tribulation? Remigius saith, If this promise of Cum ipso sum in tribulatione, be not kept with thee, think that our Lord doth it, either for thy greater profit, or his own service: for the greater the tribulation is which thou endurest, the more thou dost merit for thy soul: and if it be not for this cause, it is because thou shalt fall into some greater danger, from the which our Lord doth keep his holy hand and divine succour to deliver thee. And because that the curious Reader may not think that we serve from our purpose, it is to be noted, that the Prophet Helius (whose figure we handled) was beset with three grievous persecutions, that is, with the war which was in jury, with the famine which was over all the land, and with jezabels' hatred. He durst not preach for fear of the Queen, he durst not go abroad for fear of the war, he durst not hide himself for fear of famine and hunger; in so much that this holy Prophet was so much without hope of remedy, that he knew not whether he should have his throat cut openly, or whether he should die for hunger secretly. Our Lord therefore to fulfil his promise, Cum ipso sum in tribulatione, took him out of jury, unwitting to the soldiers; and did hide him in Carith, where no man could see him, and sent him meat by crows to feed on, and did provide him a stream of water to drink of. We may gather by this example what a good Lord we have, and what care he hath over us if we serve him, seeing that he doth pay us for all we do, and secure us for all that we suffer for him. To come now unto the purpose, all this figure was fulfilled in Christ at the foot of the letter: for as Heliac was persecuted by jezabel, so was Christ of the Synagogue, and Christ found as great a famine of good men, as Helias did in Samaria of victuals. Hugo de sancto victore, saith upon those words of jeremy, Paruuli petierunt panem, The bread which the little ones cried for to ear, and the lamentation which jeremy made because there was no man to give it him, was not understood of the material bread which was wont to be in the ark, but of spiritual bread, wherewith the souls are fed: and to say that there was no man found to give it them, was as much as to say, that there was no good man left to preach unto them. Chrisostome in an Homily saith, In Commonwealths well governed, the want of a good man is greater than the famine of bread and wine, because we have seen that God hath sent a famine for the demerits of one man alone, and after abundance for one good man's sake alone. Ambrose saith, Famine, war, and pestilence, are much to be feared in naughty Commonwealths, and where there are no good persons: for although our Lord doth suffer them to come for a time, yet he doth not consent that they should long time endure. What goodness have Commonwealths in them, if they have no good men in them? And what want they, if they do not want good men? Saint Augustine in his Confessions saith, When I hear a knell rung for the dead, my soul is presently driven into a perplexity, whether I should weep first for the good which die, or the bad which live, because there is as great reason that we should weep for the life of the bad, as for the death of the good. Now that we have proved, that the want & famine of good men is more dangerous in a city than a dearth of victuals, who doth doubt but that the scarceness which Christ sound in the Synagogue was greater than that which Helias found in Palestine? What good thing, or what good man could there be in the Synagogue, where the Viceroy Pilate was a Tyrant, the famous high Priest Caiphas a Symoniacle, & the masters the pharisees Hypocrites, and the counsellors the Sadduces Heretics, and their kings and Prophets all ended? The son of God did kill this hunger, when he gave the world a church for a Synagogue, Apostles for Prophets, a law of love for a law of fear, a new Testament for an old, the spirit for the letter, the truth for the figure, and his holy grace for our old offence. What would have become of us, if Christ had not left so many good men in his church? He left us many Martyrs, many confessors, many virgins, many doctors; in so much that when Christ died, although he left not the world many books to read in, yet he left us many Saints to follow. The figure saith further, that Helias went to hide himself in the water-brook of Carith, which was a figure, that the son of God should come to take flesh, and hide himself in the entrails of the Virgin's womb: and as it was figured in Helias, so it was accomplished in Christ, because that under his humanity which he took upon him, he did hide his divinity which he carried with him. When the Prophet Esayas said, Verè tues deus absconditus, he knew well that God would hide himself for a time, and remove himself from their eyes, seeing that the catholic Church did acknowledge him, and the unhappy Synagogue was ungrateful unto him. Recede hinc & abscond te in torrentem Carith: the eternal Father spoke these words unto his precious son, as if he had said unto him, Go my son, go and hide thyself in the world, because thou mayst redeem the world: Where thou shalt hide thy power because thou mayst suffer, thou shalt hide thy wisdom, because they may mock thee, thou shalt hide thy prudence, because they may take thee to be unwise, thou shalt hide thy justice, because they are to judge thee like a blasphemer, and thou shalt hide thy strength, because thou mayst the better die. O how well this was fulfilled in Christ, hide thyself in the water-brook of Carith! for if he should not have hidden his great power before Pilate, who would have been able to take his life from him? If the son of God should not have hidden his eternal wisdom, durst the pharisees have mocked at his doctrine as they did? If Christ should not have hidden the rigour of his justice, who would have been able to do justice upon him? If Christ should not have hidden his inexpugnable strength, how should it have been possible for any man to draw his life out of his body? The Prophet Zachary spoke unto this purpose, Ibi abscondita est potentia eius, As if he would have said: Thou mayst not look, O Synagogue, thou mayst not look for a Messiah which will be mighty but weak, not rich but poor, not in health but sick: do not imagine that he should be honourable but thrown down; do not proclaim him for to be a great Lord but a servant; he shall not be a warrior, but a man of peace; and he shall not go much openly, but for the most part in hucker mucker. Seeing that Esaias saith, thou art truly a hidden God, and also Zacharias that his power is hidden, why doth the Synagogue look that the Messiah should come openly, considering that their Prophets said that he was to come secretly? Origen in his Periarchon saith, Because the son of God came not to fight with visible men, but with invisible sins and enemies, there was no necessity that he should come fight, but preaching, it was not needful that he should wander over all the world, but only publish his Gospel among them all, and if the arrogant jews did not reach unto the knowledge thereof, it was not because they could not, but because they would not. Theophilus saith: speaking with the church the Prophet David saith, Deus noster manifest veniet; and speaking with the Synagogue, the Propht Esay saith, Vere tu es deus absconditus, and thereupon it happeneth, that the unhappy Israelites, although they were learned in knowledge, yet of no credit in conscience, and so they deserved not to know him, because they would not believe him. The figure goeth further and saith, that the place where Helias went to hide himself, was at water-brookes of Carith, which is as much to say as, a thing cut in sunder, or parted in the middle, which had been once whole. The water-brook where Christ did hide himself, was the depth and vehemency of his passion, where our good Lord entered diving and ducking as in a dirty and dangerous river, where he remained drowned and dead in the water of his passion: and the son of God p●●ted himself in two, when his soul went into hell, and his body remained in the grave, and when those parts which made him a man were dissolved, although they were never severed from the Hypostatical union, seeing that he was aswell God in hell and in the grave, as he is this day in heaven. He was so hidden in the brook of his passion, that there was no part of his divinity seen, and the beauty of his humanity scarcely perceived: and because our blessed Redeemer would suffer his enemies to be revenged on him, he did suspend for that time, the operation of those miracles which might have hindered his passion. The figure saith further, that the Prophet Helias being in the brook secret and close, crows of the fields brought him his dinner in the forenoon, and his supper at night, so that the birds gave him to eat, and the water to drink. If this mystery were not a figure and foretelling of some other great mystery, it were to be thought, that as God did send the Prophet Daniel meat by Abachuch the Prophet, so he would have sent Helias meat by some other Prophet, or holy man. If by Helias Christ be figured, by jezabel the Synagogue, by the persecution his passion, and by the brook the cross, and by the water his blood, and by his hiding himself his death, why should not the crows signify the jews? Seeing there were Eagles enough in the air, and Pigeons plenty in the world, what great ability did God see in the crow, that he should make him steward unto Helias his faithful friend? What was the meaning that God did commit Helias to the crows, but that he should also commit his son into the hands of the jews? The qualities of a Crow are, to be in colour black, in flying flow, in his flesh hard, in smelling quick, in eating ravenous, and in condition ungrateful. And because the raven or crow is an ungrateful bird, the Proverb is, that if thou bring up a Crow, he will peck out thy eye. The people of the jews were an ungrateful Crow unto Christ, seeing that for a recompense that he took flesh of them, and taught them so long time, although they did not peck out his eyes, yet they crucified all his members on the cross. What bad thing is there in the crow, that is not also in the jews? They are black in faith, slow in judgement, hard in belief, cruel in condition, ready to malice, and most covetous. What meaneth this, O my Father, what meaneth this? After that thy son had lived thirty three whole years, dost thou command him to be cast unto Crows? Certainly the Crows which we see with our eyes, are not so cruel as the jews which we speak off, because the Crows do eat of nothing until it be dead, but the wicked jews did venture upon Christ when he was yet alive. O that Helias did far better with his Crows, than the good jesus with the jews, because Helias Crows did give him bread and flesh to eat, but Christ's crows gave him nothing but vinegar and gall to taste. Let the conclusion of all our speech be, that it was better with Helias in his banishment and water-brook, than with Christ on the Mount of Calvary, because Helias went out alive from the water, and Christ remained dead on the Mount of Calvary, and Helias did never know what hunger was, but the son of God did never kill his hunger, nor quench his thirst.   

CHAP. III. How the hangmen drank the wine which was brought unto him, and the other thieves, and did suffer Christ to die with thirst.  
SVper vestimentis pignoratis accubuerunt tuxta altar, & vinum damnatorum bibebant in doom dei sui. Osei. 2. God spoke these words complaining on the Israelits, as if he would say, My people of Israel are come to such mad and shameless behaviour, that within the Temple, and hard at the altar they drank the wine which was prepared for the condemned, and they lay down and leaned upon the garments which were laid to pledge. It is an usual thing and common in taverns, that drunkards do cast themselves down to sleep upon other men's apparel, and if it be in hot Summer, to sleep upon the benches of the Temple. If there were no greater matter contained under this complaint and rebuke, and if the sense were not of greater weight than the letter, and the thing figured worthier than the figure, it was no new thing, nor rare fault, to drink of another man's wine, or cast himself upon some cloak laid to pledge, or to sleep in the holy Temple. That which God speaketh here, and that which our Lord complaineth of, reacheth further than it seemeth for, and doth draw us unto a deeper mystery than outwardly it appeareth: for if we mark it well, God did never speak unto the Synagogue, but it did redound afterward to some mystery in the church. First the Prophet in this place maketh mention of certain garments: secondly, that those garments were a pawn and pledge: thirdly, that they were laid near unto an altar: four, that drunkards lay upon them: fifthly, that they drank there much wine: sixtly, that that wine was the wine of condemned persons: and then that they drank within the holy Temple. What one of these words doth want his mystery, or what circumstance is there not worthy of deep consideration? In the self-same sort that this was prophesied by Osee, it was fulfilled by Christ: for wine being brought for Christ to drink of, and also the other thieves, the jews did not only not give it them, but did themselves drink it, & then being very drunk, they took Christ's clothes, and cast them on the ground, and sat upon them. When the Prophet saith, that they drank the wine, & lay down upon the garments hard by the altar, he saith most truly: for the first church that ever was in the world was the Mount of Calvary, the first altar was the cross, the first sacrifice offered up for the redemption of man, was his own body to be crucified on good Friday, upon the same altar of the cross the first faithful were the Virgin and Saint john, with the other Apostles and secret disciples. In that holy Temple, and by that sacred altar, who were they which leaned & were cast down upon the garments, but only the unhappy and unfortunate jews? Think it is a great mystery, that the Prophet did not see those of his Synagogue sitting, but leaning near unto the altar, to let us understand, that they be neither open Christians, nor concealed jews: for Christians they could not be, because they will not believe in Christ; and if they will be Iewes they have no Temple where to judaize. Robertus saith, Until this day the jews are not prostrate before the altar, which is Christ, to believe him, nor yet on their knees to worship him, nor on foot to defend him, nor embracing him in sign of love, but leaning to offend him, because their intention is to tread his holy garments under feet, and keep off jesus Christ from them with their elbows. Taking this prophesy in another sense, it is to be noted, that oftentimes in Scripture by good garments are understood good works, and by torn garments naughty works; and thereupon it is, that as the body is clad and fostered with a new garment, so the soul is decked and garnished with holy works. And because that the curious Reader may not think that we speak at random, we will prove our saying by Scripture. What was the meaning that Saint john saw Christ Vestitum ponere, which was to see him with a long garment, but to see him loaden with virtues from the head to the foot? He that went to the wedding not having his nuptial garment, but because he was uncomely clothed, was carried to prison: who is represented unto us, but he, who although he do lead an evil life, yet doth dare to enjoy Christian liberty? When God doth command in the apocalypse, Omni tempore vestimenta tua sint candida, let thy garments be white always, what doth he signify, but that we should be all clean and virtuous? When the Scripture saith, that jacob made his son joseph, Tunicam polymitam, that is, an embroidered garment down to the ground. What was the meaning that his garment did reach so low, but that the son of God should be perfit in all virtues? What did it signify that the jews did cast clothes under the ass feet to go over, and the Apostle put them upon the ass which Christ road upon, but that he misliked all that the Synagogue did, and approved all that the church did? S. Augustine saith, Because in holy writ, by the garments which we wear are understood the works which we do, we may truly say, that no man goeth well clothed but the virtuous man, nor no man with a torn coat but the wicked and naughty sinner. Christ did use but two garments in this world, the one next his skin, which was without seam, the other an upper garment which served him for a cloak & coat; in so much that Christ did show the perfection of his poverty not only in his diet, but also in the simpleness of his apparel. Barnard saith, The son of God did teach us not only to live, but also to apparel ourselves, because his holy garments were few in number, vild in colour, small of price, good in profit, but clean in use. Hylarius saith, Although the garments which the son of God ware were but few, vild & torn, yet the Scripture doth much esteem of them, not for the value which they are worth, but for the great mysteries which they did signify. Origen in an Homily saith, What were the garments which the son of God went always clad with, but his divine and human nature, whereof he was made? His coat without seam, and in which there never entered needle nor scissors, was his divine nature in great purity glorious from the beginning, in the which there was no beginning, nor shall be no end; for that nature is now as it was from the beginning, and shall be for ever as it is at this instant. By the other coat which was sown and cur, is understood Christ's sacred humanity, which was form by the Holy-ghost, and borne of the Virgin Mary, and therefore Christ's wearing of these two coats doth signify, that he and no other is God and man, and the son which was incarnate. Before that Christ took flesh, he had but one coat to cover self withal, which was his divinity: but after that he came into the world, he put on another coat, which was his humanity, and by that means he did lend us his coat to make us holy, and we did lend him ours to make him a man. Saint Chrisostome saith, The one of Christ's coats, to wit, that which was without seam, continued whole and untorne in his passion, but his uppermost garment was rend and torn, to give us to understand, that although his enemies had power to lay hands upon his sacred humanity, yet they had none at all to touch his divinity. Damascen saith, One of Christ's coats fell whole and entire unto the knights, and the other torn and ragged unto the hangmen, and that because we should understand, that to the catholic church there fell the entire and whole coat, seeing that she doth fully believe that Christ is both God and man, and unto the Synagogue there happened his torn coat, seeing they believe that he is no more than a bare man. Saint Augustine saith, By Christ's two garments are understood both his bodies, that is, his true body made and compacted of his holy members, and his mystical body, which are all good Christians: and because thou mayest perceive, my brother, how much thou art bound unto Christ, know thou, that he did esteem better of his mystical body, which are Christians, than of his own true body which was made of his own members. What was his meaning that he suffered them to take away and tear in pieces the one of his coats, and yet never touch the other, but only that he is more grieved when any man doth speak evil of his church, than to have laid hands upon his own proper person? Remigius saith, O how whole, and entire he did leave us the unsowne coat of his church! and yet naughty Christians and perfidious Heretics, do rend his coat into as many pieces, as they do raise dissensions, and stir up heresies in the church. It was Christ's holy will to die not only without a coat, but also not to have one thread of a coat upon him, which he did suffer to the great prejudice of his gravity, and loss of his credit. Who was ever, or who ever shall be so grave in his doctrine, as the son of God was, and so honest in his person? And seeing that Esayas saith, that he was offered up because he would, it is to be believed, that seeing they could not crucify him, if he himself would not, so they could neither have stripped him naked unless he had consented unto it. Whereof it followeth in a good consequence, that if he would die for our redemption, that he did let himself be stripped for our comfort. What did it signify that the son of God did put off all his garments, but that he did dispossess himself of all his good works? I and thou, thou and I, my brother, have great need to die clothed and clad, to wit, with our own faith and good works, and also be helped by others. For as for holy jesus, as he came out of the womb of his mother united unto the divine essence, so he had no necessity of his own works, to save himself, nor of other men's merits to pardon us. Cyrillus upon S. john saith, Of as much as the son of God did merit praying on the mountain, preaching among the people, healing the diseased in hospitals, by suffering among his enemies, and dying upon the cross, I say he did spoil and make himself naked of all that, and put it upon us; insomuch that we are heirs of his blood with which he redeemed us, and successors of all the merits which he heaped together. O glorious inheritance, and happy wealth, which thou good jesus didst leave to the parishioners of thy church! seeing that by the means thereof, we are made sons of the Father, brothers of the son, puples of the Holy ghost, companions to the Angels, parishioners of the church, and heirs of thy glory. O what great difference there is betwixt the inheritance of heaven, and an inheritance in the world! Worldlings leave their children store of goods and revenues, and much debate and strife to defend them, and many enemies to persecute them: but our good Lord in lief of great wealth did leave us his grace, and in steed of enemies did leave us his merits. What should have become of all the sinners of the world, if as Christ died spoiled and deprived of his goods, so he would have died clothed with all his merits? What should become unto proud men, if he would not have left them his humility, and what of cruel men if he would not have left them his charity? What end should angry men come to, if he should not have left them his patience, and what were it of all sinners, if he should not have left them his clemency? Cyprian saith, If Christ would have ascended to heaven with all that which he merited in this world, and not impart it among us, and as it were unclothed himself of them as of certain garments, there should not have been in the world at this day a church to preach in, nor Priest to be ordained, nor Sacrament to be administered. Cyrillus saith to this purpose, If the son of God would have merited for himself alone, and died for himself alone, we might have said with reason, that he had come into the world, and took flesh upon him for himself, and not for us. But let such blasphemy be far from our tongues and thoughts, and far from our heart, because our good Lord died not for himself, but for us, nor did not merit for himself, but for us. Hugo de sancto victore saith, Because that the great Redeemer of the world did leave us his garments for relics, and his merits for Treasures, the Church his spouse hath at this day, Sacraments to give, sacrifices of a contrite heart to offer, sweet doctrine to preach, and rewards to promise for amendment of life.   

CHAP. FOUR He followeth the authority of the Prophet Osee, and speaketh of the garments which Christ left in pledge.  
PArtiti sunt vestimenta mea, & super ea miserunt sirtem, said Christ in the 21 Psalm, complaining unto his Father on the cross, as if he would say, O my good Father, thou wast not content only, that they should spoil me of my garments, and turn me naked to my great shame, but also that the hangmen should divide my coat, and the soldiers cast lots upon him. We must see in this place, how many coats there were, and whose they were, and among whom they were divided, because all our salvation doth consist in being excluded or admitted unto that division. There were but two garments in all, and Christ was the master of them, and they were divided betwixt hangmen and soldiers, the place where was by the cross, and the manner how was by lots. These two garments were divided betwixt the Gentlemen which kept and guarded Christ, and the hangmen which crucified Christ, insomuch that according unto the merit or demerit of every one of them, they received their part of the garment. Theophilus saith, Who are meant by these gentlemen and knights, but the virtuous and just; and who by the hangmen but sinners and naughty men? O infinite goodness, O clemency never seen before! such as thine was O good jesus upon the altar of the cross, where thou didst bar no man of the inheritance of thy sweatings, and dividing of thy merits, deprive no man, exclude no man, nor disinherit no man, but there fell aswell one part to the hangmen which lifted thee up upon the cross, as to Nichodemus who took thee down from the same. Isichius upon Leviticus saith, As the son of God was the Redeemer of all men, so his pleasure was, that his garments should be divided for all, and that none should be excluded from the general redemption; which he did presently himself declare, seeing that he saved the thief who was a jew, and converted the Centurion who was a Gentile. O what great hope we have to be saved, and what great confidence that Christ will pardon us! for seeing that he hath distributed part of his merits and garments among butcherly hangmen, it is to be believed, that he will give with a better will unto his chosen friends. The difference in dividing his garments was this, that those cruel hangmen did immediately divide and tear in pieces his garment as it was given them, and the Gentlemen kept it whole as it fell unto them, in so much that in the handling of the garments, the persons qualities might easily have been known. That which the jews did in those days, the self same do Christians at this day: for those which are good do keep all that Christ commanded them, and those which are wicked, keep no more than please them: insomuch that the good and virtuous Christian doth keep Christ's garment entire & whole, by endeavouring himself to keep the commandments; and the wicked and perverse do keep it rend and torn, and be content with the bare name of Christians. S. Jerome saith, If thou do see thyself, my brother, proud in presumption, envious in ambition, angry in impatiency, a glutton in eating, & covetous in giving, tell me I pray thee, what dost thou hold of a Christian, and what dost thou want of a Pagan? What greater disaster and loss could hap unto thy soul, or what like evil fall upon thy body, than of all the distribution and dividing of Christ's coats and merits, there should fall nothing to thy lot but the name of a Christian? Dost thou not know that they call thee a Christian in a mockery, if thou do not follow Christ, as they call him white john, who is all black? O how unhappy they be, unto whom there fell nothing but a shred of Christ's garment, that is, to brag that he hath heard the Gospel preached, and that he was baptized like a Christian. For Christ is not content only with that, but his pleasure is, that as he gave us all his garments freely, so he will that we serve him with all our might and forces. With the hangmen there fell a shred of Christ's garment unto him who keepeth but one commandment only, and unto him his whole coat which keepeth all that Christ commandeth: for Christ said not unto the young man, who asked him what he should do to go to heaven, Keep the commandment, but keep, & observe the commandments. There fell a shred or rag of Christ's garment unto him, who thinketh to observe the Gospel only by wishing well; and unto him it fell whole and entire, who serveth him with works and deeds, and not with desires: for as Saint Barnard saith, The heavens are replenished with good works, and hell is full of good desires. S. Augustine saith, As of children which do equally inherit their father's goods, some do increase their portion, & some waist and consume it; so is it in the church of God: for although all were inheritors of the garments & merits of the son of God, yet some do dissipate and tear them to their own perdition, and some conserve and keep them to their salvation. The authority alleged before saith, Super vestimentis pignoratis accubuerunt, as if he would say, The Gentiles sat down upon the garments which were laid togage, and the jews leaned also upon them. For the Prophet to lay down as a great fault and offence, that the Synagogue durst be so bold as to lean upon certain garments which were laid to pawn, it must be expounded with great diligence, and read with great heed, because that in Scripture the newer and more unusual a term is, the greater mystery it doth contain. It is requisite for us to declare what these garments are, and why they were laid to pawn, and when they were laid to pawn, and also unto whom, because that all these circumstances do greatly beautify the mystery, and lead us to the secret. For the better understanding of this new prophesy, Super vestimentis pignoratis, etc., We must handle another place which is as new as this, the newness whereof will bring us to the knowledge of the other. The new speech is this, Ecce nova facio omnia; Which words Saint john in the apocalypse heard Christ speak. Behold & mark well all you which be of my Church, how I do not that which others have done, nor undertake that which others have undertaken, nor teach that which others have taught, nor live as others have lived, because that in my life and family there is no corrupt & rotten thing, but all sound and whole, nor any old thing but all new. This is such a new kind of speech, that no man ever spoke the like until the son of God came: and to say the truth, unless it were he who had created all things, who was able to renew all things? For if all the Angels, and all men are not able to make a fly, how should they be able to make a new world? Rupertus saith, O how well Christ saith, in saying, Behold I make all new! for beginning in himself, he was a new man, he had a new soul, took new flesh, gave new light, taught new doctrine, lived a new life, and promised new glory. Was he not a new man, seeing that no man but he was both God and man? Who but he had a new soul, seeing that his and no others was united to the divine person? took he not new flesh, seeing that none but he was of a mother and a virgin? Who but he gave the world a new law, seeing that he was the first which preached the Gospel? did he not also promise a new reward unto his elect, seeing none before him promised the kingdom of heaven? Si volueritis & audieritis me, bona terrae commedetis, said God. Esay 1. as if he should say, If you will believe me, & keep my commandments, I will give you victory against your enemies, I will give you health to your bodies, I will give you corn in your fields, and I will give you peace in your kingdoms. This is that then that God promised them, & all the reward which he gave them for their travails, insomuch that the reward and glory of the Synagogue never went out of the kingdom of Palestine. The son of God doth not deal with us which are Christians, as his Father did with the jews, seeing that he saith Matthew 10. Qui fecerit & docuerit hic vocabitur in regno caeloruu●, As if he would say, The Christian who shall keep my commandments, and the preacher which shall set forth my law, his name shall be written among those which are predestinated, and he shall be placed in the kingdom of heaven. Saint Augustine saith in a Sermon, As the son of God did command us to keep new precepts, so he did promise us new rewards for it, and as he gave great commandments, so he gave great rewards: whereupon it is, that until he came into the world, no man commanded that which he commanded, nor no man promised that which he promised. Christ said not in vain, Ecce nova facio omnia, but because he instituted the Sacrament, which was a hard thing to reach unto, and commanded us to believe the blessed Trinity, which is a high matter to understand, willed us to believe him both God & man, which is a new thing to be received, charged us to love our enemies, which is a hard matter to do, and commanded us to keep his law only, which was a new thing in the world to do. S. Thomas in his book against the Gentiles saith, That as the son of God did not command those of the old law to believe great things, so he did not promise them but small things, and because he commanded his chosen Christians to believe hard things, and perform things which were not easily done, he promised that they should possess and emoy very high rewards. To come then unto the text of Vestimentis pignoratis, etc. It is to be noted, that as the service of the just was to be done here upon earth, and the reward which they are to receive to be given above in heaven; because we should not think that he mocked us, in deferring our payment to the other world, his pleasure was to leave us a good gage and pledge in this world, until he should reward us for our good life in heaven. The pledges which Christ left us in this world were his precious garments, his holy works, and his most holy Sacraments. Why did Christ, thinkest thou, leave us so many pledges in this life, but because he will unpawne them afterward above in his glory? In his glory above all those pledges shall be taken away and have an end, because that in heaven we shall need to hope for nothing, because we shall see that with our eyes, which now we desire; nor we shall have nothing to believe, because there shall be nothing hidden; we shall have no cause to fear, because there shall be no death; we shall need to ask for nothing, because life is there everlasting; neither shall we desire any thing, seeing that glory is there perpetual. O how happy be all Christian people, seeing they have not only Christ's garments for a pledge and hostage, but also Christ himself remaining with us, under the visible signs of the Sacrament, until he give himself unto us in heaven glorified! Let no man marvel to hear us say, that we have Christ for a pledge & pawn, for that which his Father promised us, seeing that the Apostle saith also that we have the Holy ghost for a pledge, for that which the son commanded us, Ipse est pignus haereditatis meae, as if he would say, God the eternal Father hath given us the gifts of the holy Ghost, and all the garments and merits of his son for a pledge of that which he hath promised us; and this no longer but until he will carry us to his eternal glory, and give us the fruition of his divine essence. What Christian is there who will be afraid to lose himself, and not have a hope to save himself, having as we have for an assurance of our salvation, as Christ's robes in pawn, and the gifts of the Holy ghost in hostage? Super vestimentis pignoratis all holymen do lean, when they join their works with Christ's works: for all that we do is little worth unless we tie it unto Christ's merits. It is to be weighed, that the Prophet Osee did not see the garments by themselves, and elbows by themselves, but garments with elbows, and elbows with garments, to give us to understand, that we cannot merit with our own works, and that Christ will not always save us by himself; by reason whereof, it is necessary, that we fasten our arms upon his works, and that he stick his works upon our elbows arms.   

CHAP. V Where is brought a figure of Tobias, and declared to the purpose.  
EXentera hunc piscem, & cor eius & fell & iecur repone tibi, Tobias 6 chap. The Angel Raphael spoke these words unto young Tobias, as if he would say; Cry not, nor be not afraid of this fish, but take him out of the water, flay him, cut him in the middle, and take out his heart, his gall, and liver, and keep it all for thyself, because it is all very medicinable to cure a sick man. The story of Tobias is very well known to the learned in Scripture. When he sent his young son Tobias to Rages a town of the Medes, for the recovering of ten marks of silver which he had lent his friend Gabelus, when he was captive in Babylon, and when young Tobias came to the river Tigris, to wash his feet, there came forth a very great fish to the bank side toward him, with such boldness, as if he would have eaten and swallowed him up, before that he could fly from him. When the Angel saw the fierceness of this fish, and the great fear that the youth was stroke into, he began to encourage him, saying: Fear not the fish, because the fish ought rather to be afraid of thee, and therefore it is necessary that thou do by him that which he would have done to thee, because another cannot recover health before this fish be killed. Tobias took heart by the encouragement of the Angel, and fastening on the fish by the gills, drew him out of the water, and stripped him, and took out his heart, and his gall, and his liver, as the Angel his master had commanded him to do. Now that Tobias fear was past, when the fish was dead and drawn, he said unto his Angel: Tell me brother Azarias, to what purpose thou didst command me to keep the fishes heart, gall, and liver, and didst not bid me eat at all of him. To this the Angel answered, Thou must understand, my son Tobias, that this thy journey, and this chance which hath befallen unto thee, wanteth not a great mystery, as hereafter it shall appear. But for the present, let it suffice thee to know, that the meat of this fish is good for travailers to eat of, and the heart good to cast out devils, and the gall good to heal the blind, and the liver sovereign for to cure other external diseases. There are presented unto us many deep mysteries in this figure, if it may please God to give me the knowledge to expound them; for in it is set forth the wonderful death which the son of God suffered, and the inspeakable fruit and benefit which we receive by it. Here is to be understood, who Tobias is which taketh the journey, what the fish is which put him into a fright, what garbage he took from him, what skin he stripped him of, what is the flesh which he broiled, what is the heart which he took out of him, what the liver, and what the gall which he kept. Although we speak but a word on every word, yet this seemeth to be a figure full of great secrets. To come then to the point, who is Tobias who goeth to recover his father's goods, but only all mankind, who goeth every day a journey, to recover the grace which his father Adam lost? Dum sumus in seculo, peregrinamur ad dominum, saith the Apostle, As long as we live in this mortal world, no man can say that he hath a dwelling place, or neighbour, but only, that he is a pilgrim and a wayfaring man, and the end of our journey and pilgrimage is, to seek for the grace which our first father lost us, and the glory which our eternal father promised us. Then we say a man is a pilgrim when he maketh no abode any where, but goeth on, and stayeth no longer in a place than he can get necessaries for his journey. If we ask a man what he doth, it is an ordinary answer to say, that he either playeth, or doth his business, or some such like, which in truth is not so, but his better answer is to say, that he wasteth and consumeth himself, and that he is a dying; for a man's life goeth away in playing and labouring. Seneca saith, Doth not thy life, thinkest thou, go away, seeing that every hour thy life is an hour shorter, and every day a day shorter? Saint Augustine upon the Apostles words saith, If a man be asked how old he is, or what years he hath, he is wont to answer either thirty, or forty, or such like; which is clean contrary unto that which he should answer: for he should not say he hath so many years, but that he wanteth so many years: for if he have any years at all, it be those which he looketh for; for as for those which are past, they are now none of his. The Philosopher saith, that De tempore non habemus nisi Nunc, Whereby he meaneth, that we have no time but the present moment, because that the time past is already gone, and the time to come is uncertain. Cicero de senectute saith, What hath a man that hath lived an hundred years, but only time lost, a grieved heart, a weary body, small help, a loathing life, a vading credit, and death at his gates? O how well the Apostle saith, As long as we be in this world, Peregrinamur ad dominum, seeing that by how much the more we increase in age, so much the more we decrease in life. And to say the truth, to die young, or to die old, is nothing else but to come to our Inn betimes or late. Remigius saith, The Apostle doth call us pilgrims and strangers with great reason, because he seethe, that we have no goods in this world, which are proper to ourselves: for if every man would leave that which were another bodies, for a certain he should be left very naked. For saith Alchimius the Philosopher, if the sheep should take thy garments from thee, the kine thy shoes, the worms thy silk, the earth thy linen, the vines thy wine, the corn thy bread, the trees their fruit, the fountains their waters; tell me I pray thee, of thyself, and by thyself, what shouldst thou have, what shouldest thou be worth or what shouldest thou be able to do? Horace saith to this purpose, Be not proud like a lion, nor exasperate thyself like an ounce: for if every one would take from thy house & person that which is his, there would be no living creature more base than thou, seeing that thou hast neither industry to maintain thyself, nor weapons to defend thyself. We have said all this, to prove that if Tobias was a pilgrim, we are also pilgrims. But alas alas, he is accompanied with the good Angel who keepeth him, and we compassed with a thousand enemies which besiege us. Do not we, trow you, take our voyage beset with a thousand perils, and hindered with as many troubles, considering that the devil doth tempt us, the flesh molest and provoke us, the world deceive us, friends fail us, our heart sorroweth, our health decayeth, and our life daily shorteneth? The figure saith, that as Tobias went on his journey, the fish came to the bank to swallow him up, whereof in the end he received more profit than fear, insomuch that by the same fish, of which he thought he should have been devoured, his father received remedy. What was that great fish, of which Tobias thought he should have been devoured, but only the son of the eternal God when he came to redeem the world? The fish was bred in the bottom of the river, and the son of God was borne in the bosom of the eternal Father; and how deep soever the river Tigris was, yet the sea of the divine essence is far more deeper. Augustine in his book of the Trinity saith, Wilt thou see how much more deeper the eternity of the Father and of his son is, than the sea? For it is possible to empty the sea for all his greatness, but for the secrets of the holy Trinity, it is impossible fully to understand. The fish coming out of the water drove young Tobias into a great fear, but Christ caused a greater fear when he came into the world, seeing the Angels bowed themselves, the kings adored him, the stars were changed, the jews were moved, and the devils were aseard. The fear which the fish put Tobias in, continued but half an hour, but the fear which Christ put the world in, dureth until this day: for being afeard and amazed, the jews and Pagans cannot yet persuade themselves, that Christ should be the God whom they should believe in, and the Lord which shall judge them. When that fish went out of the river to the bank, of two which were there present, the one which was the Angel knew him, & the other, which was Tobias was afeard: and even so in like manner when the son of God came down from heaven unto the earth, the Synagogue was scandalised, and the church received him, in so much that according unto old Simeons' prophecy, this divine fish came to the shore of the world, for the resurrection of the good, and the scandal of the wicked. Praeparavit dominus piscem grandem ut deglutiret jonam, saith the holy Scripture, jonas 2. As if he would say, At the very instant when the cruel Mariners did cast the Prophet jonas into the bottom of the sea, immediately our Lord prepared a great fish, which swallowed him alive, and which kept him in his bowels safe and sound. As before we met with Tobias and his fish, so now we have light upon jonas and his fish, whereof the one was greatly afeard, and the other swallowed up, by reason whereof we must seek out some secret in them, and discover some mystery in the expounding of them. Whose figure doth jonas represent, but only the good and godly, and who were the Mariners which threw him into the sea but only wicked men? Then the Mariners do cast jonas into the sea, when the wicked do persecute and cast down the good, because there is no greater torment to a naughty man, than to hear a good man praised in his presence. Of all those which were in that ship only jonas was a holy and virtuous man, as it doth plainly appear, because there was no one which spoke against the throwing of him into the sea, but were all of one opinion in that fact: for albeit naughty men be sometime at variance among themselves, yet in doing of mischief they easily agree in one. O in what greater danger good men's fame and credit is in, among the wicked, than their lives and goods in the deep seas which is plainly seen in that, that men did cast the holy Prophet jonas from them, and the waters did receive him into them, Origen upon holy job saith, What should become of the good, if God had no care over them? What would not naughty men venture to do with their small shame & less conscience, if their power should stretch as far as their malice? If thou wilt see, my brother, the care that God hath to keep thee, if thou have a care to serve him, thou shalt see it in the holy Prophet jonas, in that our Lord had prepared long before a fish to save him, than the Mariners had determined to drown him. The fish which did save the Prophet jonas, did not put him by him, nor on him, nor under him, but within him, and so kept him so warily in his entrails, that neither the fish durst kill him, nor the waters drown him. O that thy goodness is infinite, & thy charity very great, my good jesus, seeing that thou dost acquit all those which the world doth condemn, love those which the world hateth, receive those which he casteth off, foster those which he suffereth to perish, and givest honour unto all those which the world doth dishonour. Aymon upon jonas saith, The Prophet jonas slept in the lowest part of the ship, & the Mariners did cast him into the bottom of the sea, & the Whale kept him in the secretest part of his bowels; I mean by this, that Christ doth put us in the daintiest part of his bowels: for it is his property to keep those in his heart, which love him from the heart. S. Jerome saith, If thou do put Christ in thy eyes to look upon him, he doth put thee in his to look upon thee; If thou place him in thy ears to hear him, he doth place thee in his to hear thee; if thou have him in thy tongue to praise him, he hath thee in his to honour thee; if thou put him in thy heart to love him, he doth put thee in his to love thee; insomuch that where thou dost put Christ, Christ doth also in the same place put thee. Upon those words of the Psalm, jacta cogitatum tuum in domine, S. Basil saith. Yield thyself, my brother, yield thyself to the will of God, go whither he will direct thee, do that which he commandeth thee, give him that which he asketh of thee, believe him in that which he telleth thee: for as he preserved the Prophet jonas in the Whale's belly, so he will preserve thee in the dangers of this life. By this which happened unto the Prophet jonas, it is very evident, that three is nothing firm & stable but that which God doth sustain, nor nothing sure but that which God doth keep, seeing that that holy Prophet was dry among the waters, found comfort in danger, a remedy against death, and profit in his enemy. Did he not find a remedy against death, and profit in his enemy, seeing the water did not only not drown him, nor the huge and great fish kill him, but was in the Whale's belly with as great contentment and delight, as a Prince is in his royal palace? We have spoken all this, because no man should omit to do his duty, or go with the truth, as far as he can, for fear of temptation, or jealousy of naughty persons; because our Lord who delivered Tobias that the fish should not devour him, and jonas from the sea that it should not drown him, will also deliver thee from temptations which follow thee, & from the enemies which persecute thee.   

CHAP. VI Here the Author followeth the figure which he touched before, which is declared well to the purpose: and there is brought also a prophesy of jeremy.  
Apprehend branchiam eius, & trahe eum ad te: quod cum fecisset, traxit eum in siccum, Tobias 6. chapter, These are the words which the Angel Raphael spoke unto young Tobias, as if he would say; I have told thee already, that thou shouldest not fear this fish, but rather as he came unto thee, so thou shouldest go and meet him, and apprehend him by the head, and pull out his gills, all which I would not tell thee, unless I thought it convenient for thee. Although Tobias did not then know the Angel for to be an Angel, but thought him to be another man like himself, yet notwithstanding he gave credit unto his speech, and accepted of his counsel, so that Tobias did immediately kill and paunch the fish upon the sand, which thought to eat him in the water. We do in this place advertise the curious Reader, that he shall not be able to understand this chapter, if he do not read the chapter afore going, because this figure of Tobias was there begun, and from thence is cited. To continue then this figure, the text saith, that Tobias did sit upon the fish, and took him by the sins near unto the head, and by the gills in the throat, and drew him to the sand, & there did cut off his head and strip him, and took out his heart & liver, and kept his gall for himself, and did eat part of him, and salted the rest for his journey. Who is Tobias but the judaical people? What was the fierce sea but the passion of Christ? And what was the great fish but the same Christ? And what was the sand where the fish was paunched, but the high Mount of Calvary where Christ was put to death? Tobias did greatiustice upon that unhappy fish, when he panched him on the sands; but the Synagogue did far greater cruelties upon Christ when they took Christ's life away on the Mount of Calvary: for if Tobias did kill the fish, it was because the Angel which kept him did so command him, but if the Synagogue did put Christ to death, it was done of mere envy and malice. For the better understanding of this place, it is here to be noted, that it was done by a continual miracle, that Christ did never suffer his most holy soul to communicate and impart her glory unto his body, because that if he had not hindered that, his body had not been passable at all. It was for no other cause but Propter nostram salutë, that our great Redeemer suffered the death upon the cross as if he had been a sinner. Candolfus saith, Christ sometimes gave place, that the glory of his soul should redound and fall upon the members of his body, as it happened in the hill Thabor, by reason whereof his precious flesh was so tender in suffering, and so passing desirous to return to the fruition of the same glory, that the absence and delay of that divine and heavenly comfort did bring Christ most grievous torment. Upon those words of the Psalm, Abyssus abyssum invocat. Saint Basil saith, for as much as the soul of the son of God was full of glory, and his precious body loaden with grievous pain and anguish, O how oftentimes the depth of his travails and griefs did fervently desire and sigh after the depth of his comfort and consolation, the which his eternal Father would not impart unto him until he had ended the redemption of the world. O great goodness, O infinite charity! who but thou, O my good jesus, was hungry with bread in his hand, thirsty with water in his mouth, naked with garments in his chests, sad and afflicted with glory in his soul? Upon those words, Tristis est anima mea. S. Barnard saith, It is no marvel if my soul be sorrowful, and full of anguish, because the hour of my glory and felicity is not yet come: but in thee O good jesus, why should thy flesh be so wearied? And why should thy soul be comfortless, seeing that thou carriest with thee all the glory which is in heaven or in earth. Vbertinus upon this place saith, The Redeemer of the world being in the agony of death, and very near the end of his life, remembering himself of that heavenly comfort and divine influence, which from the glory of his soul was wont to be imparted to his precious body, spoke this word Sitio, as if he would say, O how great the thirst is which I suffer in this last hour, and terrible agony, to wit, of that influence and heavenly comfort, which was wont to be imparted from my own soul unto my own flesh, because this death and passion which my own Father doth lay upon this my weak flesh, is not only grievous, but doth also exceed all other human punishment. The great thirst that Christ suffered upon the cross, and the cooling water which he desired, was not the water of the fountain of the hill Lybanus, nor yet that which ran in the river Silo, but that heavenly consolation which the glory of his soul was want to cause in him, for that other human thirst could not so much grieve him, considering how near he was to the end of his life. We have used all this discourse to extol the word of the figure which saith, Et traxit piscem in siccum, It is to be understood, that young Tobias did kill the fish upon the sand, which would have killed him in the water. When, thinkest thou, did Tobias draw the fish upon dry land, but when the eternal Father did leave his blessed son upon the cross without any human consolation? O how dry was that dry tree upon which the heavenly fish hanged, who having been brought up in the deep sea of the divine essence, had not there so much as one drop of water to drink. What can be pitied more in this life, than for a fish having been brought up in the water, yet afterward to die for want of water? Tobias fish was hard by the water side, and yet died with thirst, and Christ's flesh was coupled with his holy soul, and died also with thirst, because the eternal Father to give us drink of his water of heaven, killed his own only son with thirst, and brought him to die upon the sands of this world. If Tobias should not have drawn the fish to the land, he could not have mastered him: if Christ had not become man, neither could he have died, for howsoever it be natural for us to die, yet it is much more natural for God always to live. What meaneth it that the self same fish of whom Tobias thought he should have been devoured, lay dead afterward at his feet, but that, that God which all the powers of heaven did fear and tremble at, we see now meek & gentle, & hanged upon the tree? When God was nothing but God, & in his own divine essence being, all the world did fear him and tremble, but after that he came upon our sandy humanity, & set foot upon the dryness of this world, he who before made others afeard, was himself afraid, and he who before did throw down others, fell himself, and he who before enriched others became poor, and he who gave all comfort wept himself, and he who killed before died. Desertum faciam mare eius & siccabo venum eius, said God by the Prophet jeremy, chap. 51. as if he would say. I will make all his sea as drie and without water, as desert and solitary mountains are wont to be, and I will cut off all the veins and streams of his depth, because there shall flow no water at any end. These words must curiously be expounded: for God to say, that the sea shall be as dry as a solitary mountain, and that he will cut off all the veins of his course throughout all the world, seemeth to be a new speech, and a thing that was never seen to be believed. Leaving the letter, & speaking according unto the sense of these words, the eternal Father doth forewarn his precious son, that he will not only deal with him like one which will not he are him, nor give him any comfort, but also, that he will cut off all occasions, whereby hec may any way receive comfort; in so much that to make the sea become a desert, is to make of God a true man, and to cut off the veins of the sea, is to cut off all heavenly consolation. What other thing was that deep sea, but only the divine essence? And what else was it to make a dry desert of the raging sea, but to make him who was the eternal God a true man? God said by the mouth of his Prophet, Desertum faciammare eius, speaking of his son; and as he did prophecy, so he did accomplish it: for when he hanged upon the altar of the cross, he never made answer to any petition which he made him, nor yet to quench his thirst gave him so much as one cup of water. What a strange thing is this, O eternal Father, what a strange thing is this? For thy bastard & abortive children thou didst drawwater out of the lively rock, & for thy lawful son hast thou not so much as one drop? When Agar & her son. Ishmael were ready to perish with thirst in the mountains of Bersabee near unto the Mount Lybanus, using thy infinite power thou didst make of the dry desert great abundance of water; & why then dost thou make unto thy son of an abundant sea a dry desert? thou didst send meat to the Prophet Daniel when he was cast unto the Lions, although no man did demand it at thy hards, & wilt thou not give thy precious son a little water at such great entreaty? Considering that when the famine was at Samaria, thou didst command the Crows to carry the Prophet Helias food, and the river Carith to give him drink, why dost thou not help thy own son, whom thou hast engendered of thy own substance, with a little water, in this his extreme thirst? Considering that thou didst turn the sour waters of Marath to be sweet, because those cursed people should drink of them, why wilt thou give thy precious son neither of the sweet nor sour? O what great increasing of torments to Christ are framed in the figure of Tobias, joined with the prophesy of jeremy, seeing the one did draw the fish to the dry land, and the other made a desert of the sea! for upon that dry tree of the cross, Christ was exceeding dry, seeing he could not obtain a little water to drink of, and he was also in a great desert, seeing that he found not so much as one friend to comfort himself with. The fourth mystery which the figure containeth is, that Tobias did open the fish, and took out his gall and his heart; both which did him & his afterwards great good, the one for his own marriage, and the other to cure his father's blindness. It is greatly to be noted, that in all that fish, Tobias found nothing which was not worthy of the keeping, commodious and profitable in curing & saverous in eating. The best that ever hath been, or shall be in the world, was the Creator and Redeemer of the world, whose words were holy, whose doctrine was profitable, whose works were marvelous, and whose bowels were most loving. What did Tobias unto that fish, that the jews did not unto Christ? If the fish was drawn out of the river, so was Christ from the people; if the fish was put upon dry land, so was Christ carried unto the Mount of Calvary; if the fish was stripped, so was Christ whipped; if the fishes throat was cut, Christ was also crucified; if the fish was opened, so was Christ pierced with a spear; if the fish was cast into the fire, so was Christ also cast into the sepulchre. This which we have said is but a little in respect of that which we will say, and that is, that the holy catholic Church hath drawn out this blessed fishes gall, with the which he cureth us, and heart with the which he loveth us, and liver with the which he pardoneth us, & bowels with which he doth cherish us. O good jesus, O my soul's health, who hath ever had or who ever shall have a more loving heart than thou to love us, or so sound a liver to pardon us, or so profitable a gall to cure us, or such tender bowels to cherish us? What wilt thou deny me now, or what wilt thou not now give me, O my good jesus, seeing that for to show thy clernency and mercy upon me, thou art hanged upon a dry tree, made a dead fish, opened, drawn and bowelled for my sake? What love can be compared unto thy love, seeing that for that which touched me, and not for any thing that belonged to thee, thou didst consent that they should open thy heart, and didst permit them to rend and tear thy bowels? What am I able to give thee, O good jesus, what can I give thee, unless it be my heart which is filthy for thine which is clean, my rotten liver for thy whole one, my bitter gall for thy sweet one, and my wicked and hurtful bowels for thy most loving ones? Which are the greatest relics which are this day in heaven or earth, but the heart, liver, and bowels, which Christ left unto his church? O how happy should he be who should have such relics in his custody! for having thy heart in custody, how couldst thou choose but love me, and having thy bowels in keeping, how wouldst thou but pardon me? How is it possible, O my good jesus, how is it possible that there should be any evil thing in thee, when as the church hath thy precious gall for a relic? Since the beginning of the world there hath never been any such thing seen or heard, that is, that among the relics which the church doth account for the best, the gall is one of the most precious, because that without that bitter gall, neither the world could have been redeemed, nor the Prince thereof have been overcome. What is the gall which the church keepeth in her treasure, but only the bitter passion which Christ suffered? The richest jewel which the Synagogue had, was the Manna which came from heaven, & the greatest treasure which the church hath, is the gall and passion of Christ. Betwixt which two what great difference there is, it is easily perceived, because that the profit & commodity of our gall doth continue until this day, & will continue for ever; but the memory of that old Manna is already lost. O glorious gall, O happy gall, which thou good Lord didst leave unto thy catholic church! for if it did kill thee, it did make me whole, if it gave thee pain it gave me glory, if it was gall unto thee, it was honey to me, & if thou didst end thy life with it, yet my soul was redeemed with it. Christ's passion was bitter gall unto Christ, and yet Christ's death was a sweet gall for the redeeming of all the world: for if unto him there fell travel & pain, yet unto us there fell rest & quietness, if it fell to his lot to suffer, yet it fell to us to rejoice & be glad, if the sour fell unto him, the sweet fell unto us, in so much that he chose the gall for himself, and left the honey for us. juravit patribus dare terrans fluentem lact & melle, said the Prophet Moses Exod. 13; As if he would say, You shall well remember, O ye children of Israel, how you did agree with our Lord, & he with you, & that both of you by oath, that you should never serve any other Lord but him, and that he would give you a land which should flow milk and honey. Notwithstanding this oath, the children of Israel were such naughty perjures, that our Lord determined not to give them a land which should flow honey, but which should bring them forth gaul, seeing he made it batten for to sow in, rugged and rough to travel in, unhealthful to dwell in, weak in defence, dry to drink in, and very poor to maintain itself. God did make a far better agreement with his Church, than with the Synagogue: for he did not send us a land which should bring forth honey but gall, and therefore he commanded us to do works which should be very unpleasant and unsavoury unto sensuality, although very conformable and very profitable. Christ did drink bitter galls, and gave us of the same to drink: for when he was poor, he commanded us to be poor also, he was persecuted, and commanded us to suffer persecution, he pardoned his injuries, and commanded us to pardon ours; he suffered death being without fault, and charged us to suffer it being in fault: all which things are as unsavoury and bitter to accomplish, as honey is sweet in eating. O what bitter gauls our Saviour doth command us to eat, when he saith, The way is straight which leadeth unto life! but he turneth these bitter galls into sweet honeycombs, when he saith, My yoke is sweet: for if the way unto heaven be bitter, yet it is made very sweet, by going in Christ's company. The yoke of the world doth make us believe that he is of honey, and yet he is but of gall; and contrariwise the yoke of Christ doth threaten us, that he is of honey: for immediately as we bow our heads to carry him, Christ putteth himself on the other side to help us.   

CHAP. VII. Of a new thirst which King David had, which was a thirst not to drink, but to save himself.  
Sitivit anima mea, ad doum fontem viwm. Psalm 41. These words king David uttered, showing a new thirst which he had, and thereupon maketh a new petition, as if he would say; O what a great thirst my sorrowful soul endureth, and how she desireth to drink of the fountain of the water of life: for if she cannot obtain to drink of it, she can do no less but die with thirst. The renowned king David in very tender words, doth show us a new kind of thirst, and a manner of drinking which was never before seen, and a quality of a water which was never discovered before, & a name of a fountain never before heard of. First he saith, that he endureth thirst, secondly, that the thirst is in his soul, thirdly, that his thirst is of the water of the fountain, four, that the fountain is of water of life; and lastly, it is called a divine fountain. It is necessary, that we first examine, what thirst David speaketh of, and what water he desireth to drink of: for as there are many kinds of waters, and many sorts of such as are thirsty, so there is also many kinds of thirst, and many things wherewith to quench the same. If Euripides do not deceive us, corporal thirst is caused of the hear of the liver, or of the inflaming of choler, or of eating salt things, so that indeed true thirst is nothing else but overmuch heat, and want of moisture. With this corporal thirst the people of Israel was troubled in the wilderness, and David when he desired the water of Bethleem, and the captain Sisara when he fled from the battle, and also Samson when there gushed out water unto him out of an asses jaw bone. King Artaxerxes also was troubled with this thirst, when flying from the battle, he was glad of water at a poor man's hands. And this thirst is very common and wearisome, and costly, if it be to be quenched with wine, and dangerous unto those which give themselves to drink too much of it. The thirst which the poor Israelites suffered in the wilderness, and the water which they drank out of the ro●k, did cost them very dearly; for at the same time they drank and wept. It did cost the poor captain Sisarah very dearly also, when he did ask the Prophetess Deborah for drink: for at the same time she gave him a cup of milk to drink, and put a pogge in his temples to kill him with. When great king David thirsted after the water of the cistern near unto Bethleem, although his servants did bring him of it, he would not drink of it, nor durst not taste it. This material thirst, which doth weary and molest us daily, is such, that there is no wine in the world, which can wholly quench it, nor any water that can so coal it, but it will come again. Which is easily perceived; for if we drink at dinner, we drink better at supper, and the more a man doth drink, the more he may, and although we kill our thirst for a time, yet it is not fully taken away. To come then unto our purpose, is this the thirst which the Prophet speaketh of, and whereof he complaineth? This should not be his thirst, this should not be his anxiety, nor yet his complaint, nor that which he so fervently desired: for being as he was, so mighty and great a king, he wanted neither noble wines to drink of, nor dainty waters to recreate himself withal. There were three cisterns of water in jerusalem; the one at the gate called Salinaria, where all those of the city drank of, the other hard by the Mount Zion, where those drank which were out of the city, & the other at the gate of the Temple, where the flesh which was sacrificed was washed. Seeing then that there were so many cisterns in jerusalem, who could hinder David of them, or let him for drinking of that cold water? If he would not drink of these waters, because they were standing, had he not the river jordane hard by? Had he not hard by the flood Cedron, which came from the Mount Lybanus? If he desired water of the well, in Zion he had it; if fountain water, in Bethleem he had it; if wine made of grapes, in Larude he had it; if liquor made of dates, it was brought out of Egypt: so that if his thirst had been like unto ours, he had more means to quench it, than that thirst which he suffered. This is not the thirst which molested him, nor the grief which troubled him: for if the thirst which he endured had proceeded from the heat of the liver, or of eating of salt meats, it is not to be thought that he would have enregistered it in holy Psalms. O renowned Prince and mighty king, wilt thou not tell what thy thirst was of? If you will know after what I thirsted, where my grief lay, and what the pain was which I endured, I let you understand, Quòd sitivit anima mea ad deum fontem viwm; and the meaning this, O sorrowful man that I am and comfortless, seeing that the thirst which I endure proceedeth not of a corrupted liver, for mine is sound & whole, nor of burnt choler, for there is no such thing in me: my thirst is then not that which the body suffereth, but that which my sorrowful soul endureth. The thirst which I suffer, and the dryness which I abide is so hard to be extinguished, that no living creature is able to take it from me, nor any water to quench it. O happy is the soul which thirsteth after nothing, but after our Lord! for look what the thirst is which the soul hath, such is the water which she seeketh to mitigate it with. O that this is a divine sentence which the Prophet doth utter unto us in this place! whereby we are plainly taught, that the thirst of the soul is far different from the thirst of the body, and that the thirst of the spirit is one, and that of the flesh another, that of the just man one, and that of the sinner another, and the heavenly thirst one, and the human another. Whereby is the thirst of the body quenched, but by drinking? And with what is the thirst of the soul slackened, but by contemplation? And with what is the thirst of the spirit killed, but by serving God? And with what is the thirst of the world eased, but by following the world? And what doth the just thirst after, but grace in this world, and glory in the other? And what thirst hath the wicked, but to procure all means he can the cockering of himself? The human thirst is of human things, and the heavenly thirst is of heavenly things; and thereupon it is, that what our intention is which we have in our hearts, such is the thirst which we suffer in this world. If our principal intent be to be greater in the world, all our thirst is to climb higher, if to be richer, than our thirst is in gathering goods together, insomuch that such as our thoughts are, such are the lives we lead. Tell me, I pray thee, what doth the proud man hunt after, but to be of great authority, what doth the envious man shoot at, but to throw down another, what doth the furious man intent, but how to revenge upon his enemy, what doth the glutton follow but dainties for the belly? This is the thirst which the wicked do suffer; and that which cannot be spoken without tears is, that their life is sooner at an end, than the thirst of their wickedness is quenched. S. Augustine upon the Psalms saith, In great sinners and obstinate hearts, although the proud man do die, yet pride dieth not, although the envious man die, yet envy dieth not, although the covetous man die, yet covetousness dieth not, although the carnal man do die, yet his carnality dieth not, insomuch that the vicious man is dead, before that his vice is at an end. Why, thinkest thou, do we say that the vicious man is dead before his vice is at an end, but because that if the time, in the which he sinned, be ended and passed, yet his desire of further sinning is not ended. S. jerom saith, In damned & unfortunate persons, their torments are therefore infinite, because their desires of sinning were also infinite, because our Lord doth make greater reckoning of that which the heart doth desire, than of that which the hands do work. S. Basil upon the Psalms saith, O how much more dangerous is the thirst which a naughty man's heart doth suffer, than that which the body doth endure! because this is assuaged with a cup of cold water, but the thirst of the heart is mitigated by adding sin unto sin; and thereupon it is, that if the thirsty man take pleasure in drinking, the great sinner taketh far more in offending. Let me be no more credited, if I were not told of one which had not left only one vice untried, nor let pass one day wherein he had not sinned. What shall we think of him, but that if he had always lived, he would always have sinned? What a remediless thirst should he have after sin, and what a friend should he be of wicked persons, who left no sin which he proved not, nor no day wherein he offended not? The rich covetous man which was in hell, did not complain of the fire which did burn him, nor of the cold which pinched him, nor of the hunger which he endured, but of the great thirst which tormented him, and therefore asked no other favour of Abraham, but that he would cool and refresh his tongue with a drop of water: it was the just judgement of God, that seeing he had no other thirst in this world, but of wealth, authority, and power, and treasure, that he should have an excessive thirst in the other, not of wealth and authority, but of a bare cup of water. Lo thus you have seen it proved, how the punishment followeth the offence, and how one thirst succeed another. But alas alas, the thirst of this world hath an end, but the thirst of the other world shall dure always without end.   

CHAP. VIII. God complaineth that we forsake him for vile & base things: and doth compare us unto old pools.  
ME dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, & foderunt sibi eisternas dissipatas, quae continere aquas non valent. These words God spoke by the Prophet jeremy in the second chapter, as if he would say, My people of Israel have run into two great inconveniences; that is, they have forsaken me, who am the fountain of the lively water, and have made for themselves to drink in, cisterns and pools which cannot hold water in them. Although the Apostle do say, that our Lord is profound in his judgements, yet in those things which touch the profit of his creatures, he is plain and easy: for if he be well pleased, he doth presently show it, and if he be angry, he doth immediately complain. When Abraham had ended the sacrifice of his son Isaac, our Lord did immediately thank him for it, and when king David had ended his adultery with Bersabee, he complained out of hand: for our Lord is so far without dissimulation and malice, that he doth neither feign himself to be content, nor deny himself to be angry. What more would we have God to do for us, than like a good Lord, be thankful for that which we do in his service, and like a good friend admonish us of that which we should do for him, and like a pitiful Father correct us when we do any thing against him? Our Lord then doth here complain, not only for that we do forsake and leave him, but also for what vile and base things we do it, whereby we show how little we do account of him, and how greatly we do injury him, seeing that no man doth use to change his master, unless it be for his further profit. If it were so, that as we do leave one man for another, so we should leave one God to dwell with a better, it were a thing to be borne withal, but seeing that there is but one true God, how is it possible to meet with a better God, or yet any so good? What other thing is it to forsake God for the creature, but to leave the kernel for the shell, the fruit for the rind, the rose for the thorn, the flower for the bran, and the fountain for the stream? Therefore like an angry Lord, and a man greatly injuried, God complaineth and saith, Me dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, for there can be no greater madness in the world, than to leave the Creator for the creature, the Lord for the servant, the just for the sinner, and the righteous for the unjust, and that which is everlasting for that which is transitory. Our Lord in this place as it were jesting and mocking us, doth call all our works cisterns which cannot hold water, that is, that we are cisterns or pools which let out all waters, because we be not well glued and fastened. O how our Lord hath shamed us in these words, and embased us in saying by the Prophet jeremy, that all our works are nothing but old broken cisterns, and puddles wherein there is nothing commonly but reeds and duckeweed, dirt & mire, stinking waer, and venomous adders. Our Lord doth compare us with great reason unto that which he doth name, and doth scorn and mock us fitly by it, because the sins which are in our souls, are far worse than those filth which are found in standing puddles. What is there in an old puddle, that is not in my soul? What are all my works but a little mire, whose property is to trouble the water, & hold them fast which enter into it. O how unhappy we be, seeing we stick so fast in worldly things, that we cannot get out, and so bemire ourselves in vain things, that we can never make ourselves clean, insomuch that there escapeth no man which is not either defiled with sin, or wet with infamy. Our works are also compared unto duckweed in standing puddles, whose property is, to fill the water, and give it an evil savour. O wretched and unhappy that I am, seeing I do no more good in the catholic church than that weed doth in the water, which is easily seen, seeing I offend and hurt others with my evil example, and that which is worst of all, I possess the room of a good one. Thou and I, I and thou, my brother, wherein do we serve God, or wherein do we benefit the church, unless it be in furthering the bad, and persecuting the good, and cherishing and pampering our bodies, and in eating the bread of the little ones? Dost not thou eat the bread of the little ones, when as if a Moor or a Pagan had received so many favours as thou hast at God's hands, he would have served him more than thou hast done, and offended him much less? What doth the duckweed serve for in pools, but to hide and secure frogs, and in what do I serve Christ in, but because all kind of sin should rest in my heart? What sin did ever knock at my door, unto which I have not presently opened? Woe be unto me, woe be unto me, what do I say that I answered presently, when sin called at my door, seeing that very oft before it doth call at my door, I go up and down seeking it from house to house? Our works are also like unto standing puddle, whose property is to be troubled and thick to look into, and very stinking to drink. When our Lord saith by the Prophet Esaias, Auferte malum cogitationum vestrarum ab oculis meis, how should he not detest our works, seeing he saith, that all that we do think of doth stink? Anselmus saith, If we will have God accept of that which we do, it is necessary that all that be clean which we think of, for God doth not so much look unto that which we be, as unto that which we would be if we could. O my soul, O my heart, what is in me that hath a good savour, and what is in thee which doth not stink? Doth not my body stink with the evil works which I do, my flesh with sloth, my mouth with lies, my life with covetousness, and my heart with malice. S. Barnard saith, According unto the time which I have lived, and according unto the small profit which I have done, I am partly weary of my life, and partly afeard to die: for if I behold my flesh, it is now stinking with years, and if I look unto my conditions, they are also rusty with age. All my works are so unpleasant and corrupt, and my conditions so stinking, that it is more tolerable to smell a dead carcase with my nose, than unto thee O my God, to smell this filthy heart of mine. Our works are also like unto the frogs which are bred in puddles, whose property is to make the water loathsome, and offend our ears with their croaking. S. Barnard upon the Canticles saith, Look how beautiful a thing it is to see a soul when she is in the state of grace, so deformed a thing it is to see her when she is darkened with sin; for in the one estate God is never satisfied in looking upon her, and in the other he will never hear her. The properties of frogs are these, they are evil favoured to look upon, loathsome to touch, unpleasant to hear, and monstrous to eat of: for if it be well marked, they have no scales like a fish, nor feathers like a bird. Origen talking of the frogs of Egypt saith, A frog and worse than a frog is that soul, which in the fountain of his goodness doth not bathe herself; because we may well say of such a soul, that she is evil favoured in respect of her sin, loathsome in respect of her punishment, and not to be suffered in respect of her infamy. The quality of the frog is to croak night & day, & it is the condition of a naughty man always to complain, because it is one of the infelicities which naughty men endure in this life, that they complain of all things, and live discontented with themselves. It is also to be weighed, that how well soever the stones of a pool be joined, yet the water doth woose between them unless they be well mortered together, because that the property of the water is to moisten that which it toucheth, and seek always where it may find a place to issue out. What thinkest thou is the clay and mortar with the which a holy soul is fastened together, but only Gods holy grace? Irenaeus in an Homily saith, What doth it avail us to have in the pool of our soul, the virtue of humility, the goodness of patience, the wealth of alms giving, and the perfection of abstinence, if there want the clay and pitch of charity to keep them together? S. Ambrose upon Beati immaculati saith, Let us not cast away ourselves, and grieve because our Lord will not impart his graces unto us, but because we know not how to keep them when we have them, because there is required greater virtue to keep that which is gotten, than to recover that which was lost. O what great reason our Lord hath to say and complain of all the good turns that he doth us, and of all the favours which he doth bestow upon us▪ for we cast them all into an old puddle, where we have nothing but the dirt of covetousness, the frogs of vainglory, the reeds and duckeweeds of hypocrisy, and the tod-poole of lechery.   

CHAP. IX. How the son of God did not refuse to drink gall and vinegar, although he knew it would kill him.  
QVis poterit gustare, quod gustatum adfert mortem? Holy job spoke these words in his sixth chapter, As if he would say, What man is he which so much hateth himself, or who hath so corrupt a taste, or who is so weary of his life, that he dare drink or taste of any liquor which he knoweth will presently make him yield up the ghost? These words are full of matter, and contain deep mysteries in them. For as they were prophesied by holy job, so they were fulfilled by the son of God, when as on the altar of the cross he tasted a cup of such bitter poison, that in tasting of it his life went presently out of his body. The Philosopher in his second book De generatione saith, That the life of a reasonable man doth consist in the perfection of the radical or natural moisture, and in the conservation of natural heat; and that is the only reason why nature doth desire meat and drink of us; for by eating and drinking that humour is always preserved. We see oftentimes men of ninety or a hundred years die, and yet never complain of any grief, and the reason is, because that that natural moisture was ended in them, and their natural heat was extinguished in them, and therefore we may say of such that their life did rather end, than that they died. Now that we must eat & drink of necessity, which of these two is most agreeable unto nature, and which less grievous? If Aristotle do not deceive us in his book De secretis secretorum, this question was debated before Alexander the great, and in his presence thoroughly disputed on, because that at the table of that mighty prince no man was admitted to speak but his captains which sustained his wars, or Philosophers which governed his house. The conclusion which those learned men gave was, that it was far more pleasing and agreeable unto man's nature to drink than to eat, and their reason was, because that drink doth assuage the thirst, which is a very troublesome & offensive thing to suffer, and that it hath neither need of a knife to cut it, nor teeth to chew it, Vltimum refugium naturae est potus, said the Philosopoher, as if he should say, The last refuge that nature doth give to sustain us withal, is the strength to drink, which is easily perceived in those which are sick, whereof we see some, partly by reason of their long infirmity, partly by reason of their old age, lose their sight, some their hearing, some their smelling, some their eating, and yet none lose their drinking. What old man have we seen in our days in the world who hath not been able to drink a cup of wine? Dioscorus an old Physician saith, that of what age or condition a man be, he is easilier comforted with drink than meat. And therefore seeing that is more necessary for me to drink than to eat, in times past when meats at certain times were forbid, they did not limit their cups in drinking: for look how much a man is recreated and refreshed when he drinketh at his pleasure, so much he is tormented and afflicted when endureth thirst; and thereupon the Philosopher saith in his book De somno & vigilia, That there is no torment equal unto that, when a man is denied his drink, and kept from sleep. Plutarch saith, That the great tyrant Dennis gave his enemies no other torment, but much salt meat to eat, and no drink to drink, and made them labour hard, and not permit them to sleep. Cicero in an Epistle saith, That nature is a great enemy to three things, that is, of grief and sorrow, because it wasteth the bones, of great weakness, and of great thirst, with the which choler is inflamed. To come then unto our purpose, if to suffer thirst and want sleep be two great torments, who was more tormented with these than Christ was? For if we talk of his sleep, we know well that he had not slept from the last night which he slept in Bethania, and if we talk when he drank from the time that he celebrated his last supper, he never drunk drop of water. Barnard saith, Considering the hunger which he had suffered, the torments which were given him, the blood which they drew from him, the journey which he went, dost thou not think that my good jesus had great cause to want sleep, and be very thirsty? Cassiodorus saith, Why wilt thou, O my good Lord, why wilt thou have me to occupy my pen in showing how thirsty thou wast upon the cross, and how much sleep thou didst want, considering that there was no kind of punishment which was not experimented upon thee? Anselmus saith, Who but thou, O my good jesus, who but thou, didst suffer in the manger cold, in Egypt banishment, on the way weariness, in the palace scorning and mocking, on the cross thirst, in thy honour infamy, and in thy person death? There were as Barnard saith five torments, which did most of all afflict Christ upon the cross, that is to say, the stripes of the whip which did open his shoulders, the nails which pierced his hands, the thorns which tore his Temples, the spittle which the hangmen did spit at him, and the thirst which did burn his bowels. We must take great compassion of the thirst which Christ suffered upon the cross, and we are to wonder at the remedy which they gave him for it: for in steed of water they gave him gall mingled with myrrh, and instead of wine pure vinegar. If we marvel that Christ took these cruel drinks, we are much more to marvel to see that Christ himself with his own mouth did ask for them: for if he had not said Sitio, I am a thirst, no man durst have given him gall and wine mingled with myrrh. Chrisostom saith, Christ saw those cups of goule and vinegar from the cross in the jews hands, and he knew very well that their desire was to give him of that drink, and yet notwithstanding he said aloud Sitio, I am a thirst, to the end that they might have time and place to reach him that drink. Hilarius saith, When the maker of the world said unto the jews Sitio, it was to tell them plainly, that they should give it him with their own hands, although he knew well what they would give him, because that the great thirst which he had, and the gall and vinegar which the Synagogue gave him did signify a greater matter, and induced us unto a greater mystery than any man thought of. As it were in a maze and astonished with that that Christ did, holy I●b spoke that which he spoke when he said, Quis poterit gustare, quod gustatum adfert mortem? The meaning of these words is this: What man is there in such a desperate taking, or so far out of love with himself, which dare taste of a drink with the which he knoweth that he shall die presently? The son of God did so immediately after die upon the cross, that in ending his draft of gall and vinegar, he began out of hand to yield up his ghost. If old Historiographers do not deceive us, Socrates among the Athenienses, Midonius among the Lacedæmonians, ●rias among the Thebans, Escarrus among the Romans, by drinking of poison ended their lives, not because that their desire was to drink of that poison, but because their enemies through force caused them to do it. God forbidden that my pen should write such blasphemy, of my good jesus, unto whom no man offered gall and vinegar, no man entreated him unto it, no man forced him to take it, but he of his own will said Sitio, I am a thirst and drie: for if he would have dissembled his thirst, and held his tongue, they would never have given him that detestable drink. Isidorus saith, What man, or what Angel is able to reach unto this secret, that is, that the son of God being then to give up his last breath, yet should say, that he thirsted after a cup of water? Why dost thou say so late Sitio, and ask either for wine or water? for seeing that thou art even at the last farewell of thy life, it cannot otherwise be, but as thou art a drinking, thy soul must departed from thee. It had been a far lesser trouble and grief, to have endured thirst half a quarter of an hour which Christ had to live, than have suffered the thorns which bored through his head, and all the rest of the torments which he had passed through that day, but that his pleasure was to suffer them all, and complain of his thirst only, because the thorns were only a torment; but his thirst signified a mystery unto his Church. There is a mystery in Christ's being a thirst, there is a mystery in that that he manifested it, there is a mystery in that they gave him wine mingled with mire, and another in that they mixed it with gall, there is a mystery in that they offered it him in a reed, and giving him it with Isope containeth a mystery, and in that he tasted of it and did not drink it there is also a mystery contained. If it be diligently looked into, the mystery of the Sacrament where Christ communicated with his disciples excepted, and the Sermon with the which he did comfort them, and the prayer which he made when he did sweat blood also excepted, there is no mystery written with so many circumstances, as this of the thirst which Christ suffered, & whereof he complained. And therefore mark with great heed all that the holy Scripture writeth of Christ's thirstines; because that with how many more circumstances a thing is uttered in Scripture, to so many more weightier considerations it doth invite us.   

CHAP. X. How the Synagogue could give Christ nothing to drink but rotten dregs.  
PArum est mihi ut suscites faeces Israel: dedi te in lucem gentium, ut sis salus mea usque ad extremum terrae, Esay 48. These words are uttered by the eternal Father, speaking with his only son, when he sent him into the world, and they are as if he would say: being my only begotten son, & taking upon thee so hard an enterprise, as is the redeeming of the world, thou shouldst be content to restore the house of jacob only, and the dregs of Israel, because the end why I send thee into the world is, to give light unto all the Gentiles, and redeem all the whole world. There are brought in in that communication, the Father which speaketh, the son unto whom he speaketh, the Synagogue of whom he speaketh, and the end why he is sent, and also the great importance of the journey, seeing that by the means thereof he will lighten the blindness of the Gentiles, and strain the dregs of the jews. And when he saith, Vt sis salus mea, our Lord doth highly extol the love which he beareth us, seeing that as when one man doth commend an important affair unto another, the Father saith here unto his son, that it toucheth his own safety and life, that a full & general redemption be made of all men, not excluding any one at all. When the father saith unto his son, Dedi te in lucem gentium ut sis salus mea, what will he say, but that it is most agreeable unto his clemency, & that he holdeth it for a point of his honour, that all enter in and be comprehended under his general redemption, the wine and the dregs, the good and the bad, the Gentile and the jew, the quick and the dead. The Father who doth commend unto his son the grounds and dregs, doth he not more earnestssy commend clean and holy things? In God's shop, the lees which he casteth abroad are better than all the wine that the devil keepeth together. I mean, that one whom our Lord hath humbled and brought low, is better than all those which the devil hath lifted up. And because that our Lords calling of the jews lees and dregs of Israel, seemeth to be a scandalous & injurious speech, it is necessary for us to declare how these dregs took their foundation: for it is not possible for us to expound the holy Scripture as we should, unless we do first understand the letter. For the better understanding of this which the Prophet Esay saith, that which Boetius saith in his first book of Comfort maketh much for our purpose, that is, Quòd infaelicissimum genus infortunij est, hominem fuisse faelicem, and his meaning is, that there is no greater disaster or infelicity in the world, than for a man to have been on the top of felicity, and then to be thrown down; because such one doth nothing else but sigh after the honour which he hath lost, & never ceaseth bewailing the infamy which he hath gotten. When holy job thought with himself, & called to mind the time when he was rich and of great estimation, and very healthful of body, and then saw himself upon a dunghill wiping worms off his own body, what grief of mind should oppress him, and what a sea of thoughts weary him? When our Lord degraded and put out of their kingdoms Nabuchodonoser and Antiochus, if we look well unto it, we shall perceive, that the tears which they wept, and the griefs which they complained on, were rather to think of the honours which they had lost, than of the punishment which they presently endured. Cleopatra queen of Egypt, Brias' captain of the Greeks, and stout Hannibal of the Carthaginenses, and the Consul Cato among the Romans, slew themselves with their own hands after that adverse fortune had taken away their honours. What will not a shamefast man do, what will he not suffer, what will he not settle himself unto, after he seethe himself disgraced and fallen from his honour? Seneca in his book of Clemency saith, If all men were of my opinion, there should be more compassion taken on him who falleth from his estate, than of him who loseth his wits: because that he who is become a fool, doth not remember that ever he was wise; but the disgraced man and he who is trodden down, doth always bewail his infortunate mishap. To come then unto our purpose, there was never nation so much made of at God's hands, as the people of Israel was, because he called them his loving son, his peculiar people, his chosen vineyard, his enclosed orchard, and Commonwealth whom he most of all affected. He went for their sakes into Egypt, he opened them the red sea, he gave them Manna from heaven, he gave them Angels to keep them, Priests to guide them, duk●es to defend them, countries to inhabit, and great riches to joy in. What did he not give them if they asked it, and what did he deny them if they requested it, seeing that in the day time he made them a shadow of a cloud, and in the night gave them light with a pillar of fire? All these privileges dured no longer than Abraham, Isaac and jacob lived, and the rest of the fathers, and with them all familiarity died. Tertullian saith, That as long as there were holy men among the jews, they were well-beloved of God; but when the people of Israel went worse and worse, our Lord did forget them, and had no care at all over them. For as the church saith, Sicut to colimus, ita nos visita, Is it much that God should be careless in doing of us good, if we grow cold in his service? S. Augustine saith in an Homily, When the son of God came into the world to take flesh upon him, the Synagogue had fallen into decay long before, which they shall easily see to be true, who will diligently read the Scriptures. For the Prophet Malachias doth call her soot, jeremy dross, Baruch a putrefied worm, Ezechiel a moth, Amos a wild vine, Abdias smoke, Osee a sink: for as he was wont to invent names to honour thee, so now he seeketh names of infamy to discredit thee. And like unto one who is angry and discontented, God calleth his people of Israel dregs and sink, and soot, and smoke: for as the jews grew more and more in sins, so God punished them more and more, and quipped, and taunted them with new names. What greater injury could he do to them, or what greater reproach could he use towards them than call them filthy dregs and rotten lees? Fulgentius in a Sermon saith, According unto the prophecy of Esayas, Can you, O you Israelites, deny me that there is any thing left of your Priesthood, of your royal sceptre, of your rich temple, of your ancient kingdom, of your famous people, but the lees which smell, and the dregs which stink? Christ found very stinking dregs, in all the jewish Priesthood, seeing we read of it in the books of the Maccabees, that they gave not the room of the high Bishop unto him who best deserved it, but unto him who bought it for most money. The son of God found very rotten dregs in the royal sceptre of juda, considering that it was usurped of the Romans, and tyrannised by Herod's. Christ found filthy grounds in all the Scriptures, seeing that the Rabines had falsified them, and interpreted them according unto their own meaning. Christ found the Hebrew tongue stained in lees and dregs; and the reason was, because that as the unfortunate jews had been captives in diverse parts, so they spoke diverse languages. Was not the Synagogue now become stinking and filthy dregs, seeing that there was no vice in the world which was not found in her? In the Princes Christ found pride, in the Priest's envy, in the pharisees hypocrisy, in the old men malice, in the young men ignorance, & in the popular and vulgar sort covetousness.   

CHAP. XI. How the Synagogue gave Christ that to drink that she herself was, that is gall, and that which she had, that is vinegar.  
ECce ignis & ligna: ubi est victima holocausti? Genesis 22. These lamentable speeches passed betwixt the Father and the son, the son and the Father, in manner of a dialogue, the one ask and the other answering. The case was then this, that when Abraham had brought his son Isaac from among the people, and being gone up to the hill with his hands bound, the wood set on a heap, and the fire kindled, and the sword drawn to sacrifice his son, he said unto his Father; behold father, here is the wood and the fire made, where is the beast which shall be sacrificed? To this demand the sorrowful Father answered this, Dominus providebit sibi victimam holocausti, sili mi; as if he would say, Take thou no care my son, take no care? for the Lord will provide a sacrifice which shall be more acceptable unto him, than all the sacrifices of the world. This prophecy, which the Patriarch Abraham uttereth, is so excellent & high, that although many have read it, yet very few understand it: for although it be short in words, yet the mysteries which it containeth are many. What meaneth this, O old Abraham, what meaneth this? God doth command thee to kill and burn, and sacrifice and offer thy own son, and dost thou prophesy that our Lord will provide for a sacrifice far better than this which thou dost bring? O high mystery & divine Sacrament! for the holy man having his son in a readiness to be sacrificed, the wood prepared to cast him into, the fire made to burn him, the sword drawn to kill him, and a commandment from God to offer him, yet carelessly saith, that the Lord will provide another sacrifice. Abraham doth not speak here with the Synagogue his mother (for, for her the sacrificing of Isaac was prepared, which was the figure of a sacrifice) but he spoke with our mother the holy catholic church, for whom God would provide another new sacrifice, which was Christ crucified, in whom all the sacrifices of the law were to end, and the Sacraments of the church take their beginning. Because all men might know that Abraham did not speak of the sacrifice of Isaac's son, but of the sacrifice of Christ which was to come, our Lord said not, that he had already provided a sacrifice, but that he would provide; neither did he say that he would provide it for another, but for himself; neither that he would provide many, but one; neither that he would indifferently provide for any, but a killed sacrifice laid whole on the altar. Theophilus upon the Apostle saith, That in all the old Testament, there was no sacrifice so excellent, nor so strange, nor so costly, as that of Abraham & Isaac his son. And seeing that Abraham the maker of that sacrifice doth prophecy that there shall be another sacrifice which shall excel his, why do not you, O you jews, receive Christ as a true sacrifice? Neither did Abraham say that he would provide many sacrifices but only one: for if we mark it well, it was the poor Synagogue which was loaden with many sacrifices, and believed in many Christ's, and offered many Holocausts; but the holy church hath but one sacrifice, believeth but in one Christ, and doth offer but one Holocaust. Neither doth Abraham say that the Lord would provide a sacrifice for any other but for himself, seeing he saith, Dominus providebit sibi: for until the very instant and hour that his son was crucified on the cross, he was never pleased nor pacified, for the offence which was done unto him. Neither did Abraham say that he would provide indifferently any sacrifice, but specially that sacrifice which was called Holocaustum, because that in all other sacrifices there remained always one part for the priest to eat of, & another for him which offered it for to take away. But it was not so in that sacrifice which they called Holocaustum, because that in it all the whole beast was quartered & cut in pieces & burnt, & so being made ashes was wholly offered unto God. Was it not, think you, an Holocaust, & a great Holocaust which Christ offered, seeing there was no spot in it whereby it should be cast away, nor any member in his body which was not tormented? To come then unto our purpose, it is to be noted, that we have made all this discourse to prove that in the mystery of this word Sitio which end, because that the jews did but borrow them until our Lord should provide them a sacrifice, which by Abraham he promised unto all the world. Isidorus upon Genesis saith, The sacrifice which God promised to send into the world, aught to be worthy of him unto whom it was offered, and profitable unto him who did offer it; which could not be by dead calves, and the blood of goats, and unpleasant liquors, nor yet with bloody hands. How was it possible that the sacrifices of time past should please the Lord, or profit the sinner which did offer them, seeing their altars did seem rather butchers shambles, than temples of Priests? Rabanus saith, Abraham's sacrifice was profitable unto himself, and hurtful unto his son, seeing he should there have lost his life; and because we may know that this is true, the Lord did ordain that Abraham's sword should only threaten his son Isaac, and afterward kill the son of God. Our Lord seeing what small benefit should be gotten by the death of that child, & what grief it would cause unto this old Father, although he gave him licence to draw his sword, yet he did not consent that it should come near the child; the which our Lord would never have hindered, if the death of that child could have been sufficient to redeem all the world. God the Father was older than Abraham, and loved his son better than Abraham did his: yet notwithstanding all this, seeing that in that only sacrifice did consist man's salvation, he consented that they should take his life from him. Esichius upon Leviticus saith, That that which Abraham did, was only good unto himself alone, because he did accomplish that which was commanded him; but when he said that the Lord would provide a sacrifice unto himself, that was profitable unto all the world, considering that by that prophecy we were warranted and made sure, that we should be redeemed by the son of God. Origen saith, That it is much to be noted, how that all the sacrifices of the old law did proceed from two things only, that is, from the beasts which they did kill, and the fruit which they plucked from trees. Of their beasts they did offer the head and feet unto the Lord, the call, the flesh, and the entrails, and of trees incense, storax, fruit, grapes, aloes, myrrh, oil, and sweet odours. And God was not content only, that every man should offer what pleased himself, but only of that which God in the law commanded, that is, of beasts that they should offer the greatest, of fruits the best, of perfumes the sweetest, of mettales the richest, of liquors the most excellent. If we believe the Philosopher in his book De animalibus, The first thing that is engendered is the heart, and the last the gall: & when a beast dieth it is contrary; for the first thing that corrupteth is the gall, and the heart the last thing that dieth. The Commentator saith, That as the gall is the last thing that is engendered in man so it is also the most filthiest and basest thing that is in him. Of all liquors the wine is the most precious, and contrary no liquor worse than the dregs of sour corrupted wine. Dost thou think, my brother, that we have traveled in vain in proving unto thee, that the gall is the worst part of the beast, and putrefied dregs the worst of liquors? The end why we have spoken all this is, because that when the Redeemer of the world was dead with thirst upon the altar of the cross, they gave him these two things to drink, that is bitter gall, which is the last and worst part of the beast, and dregs and vinegar which is the worst of all liquors. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, The purest, clearest, and cleanest of the Synagogue was already ended and gone, and turned into vinegar and lees, by reason whereof they gave Christ nothing to drink but gall & vinegar, giving us thereby to understand, that they did not give him only that which they had in the Synagogue, but also that which themselves were. For what was all the Synagogue but sour vinegar, and bitter gall? It was not without a high mystery that they offered that which they did to Christ upon the cross: for as the gall is the last and the vildest thing that is in the beast, so the Synagogue was now at an end, and at the worst of all her life, in so much that she was become nothing else but a gall of malice, and also vinegar of covetousness. Saint Jerome saith, Even as vinegar hath been good wine, because it was gathered of the best of the vine, so the people of the jews were sometimes good, because they had good men among them; in so much that there is no other meaning in that they gave Christ wine mingled with mire, and sour vinegar to drink, but that the people were now corrupted, and scarce one good man left among them. How came this hap among you, O you jews, that all the wine of your vessels is become sour vinegar, and all the honey of your hives turned into bitter gall? Then your wine began to turn into vinegar, when you would not receive Christ for your Redeemer, and then all your honey turned into gall, when you did defame his doctrine and bereave him of his life. The Synagogue striketh great pity into my heart, to see that in time passed they did offer unto their God sacrifices, Holocausts, and offerings, and afterward gall and vinegar, and dregs, by which cursed and wicked offering, they took away their maker's life, & brought their Commonwealth unto an end.   

CHAP. XII. How that the thirst that Christ had upon the cross, was not so much for drink, as to desire to suffer more for us.  
EXpergefactus lassus adhuc sitit, & anima eius vacua est, Esay, chap. 29. The Prophet Esay uttereth these words, speaking in general of the great travails and most grievous thirst which the son of God suffered in particular: and it is as if he would say, The great Messiah waked out of his sleep, like unto a man who had escaped out of a lithargy, or some drowsy disease, & when he beheld the state of his soul, he found that she was empty. For the Prophet to say that the son of God slept upon the cross, and that after he waked and was weary, and found his heart empty, seemeth a strange and a doubtful thing unto pitiful ears. For if it be true that he suffered, how was it possible that he slept; and if he slept, how could it be that he suffered? What is more strange unto torment than sleep, and what a greater enemy to sleep than torment? Considering that the son of God hanged upon the altar of the cross, his feet bare, his hands torn, his side pierced, his sinews wrested, and his bones put out of joint, how could it be that he should sleep or take any rest at all? He who should hang upon the cross as Christ did, that is, weary, wasted, bloody, nailed, and one joint drawn from another, would he not have greater ability and inclination to complain, than desire of sleep? The Prophet uttereth four things in this prophecy, the first, that Christ did awake out of a sleep and dream which he slept, the second, that he awaked weary, the third, that he awaked thirsty, the fourth, that he found his heart empty. Of all these four things, the one doth make us most of all to marvel: for to say that Christ was weary I believe it, to say that he was a thirst I agree unto it, and that he wanted all comfort I do also admit. But to say that he slept, there is that which maketh me to wonder, because his eternal Father did not send him thither to sleep, but to redeem all the world. It is much to be noted in this place, that the famous Augustine saith against Manichaeus. Saepè, imo saepissimè in sacris literis circumstantiae scripturarum declarant Scripturam, as if he would say, It happeneth oftentimes, that when the Scripture is dark and obscure, that the circumstances before going and coming after do declare and explain the same Scripture, and one Prophet doth declare another, and one text another. This then being so, it is convenient for us to find out in Scripture some kind of sleep, and by that we may conjecture and guess at the manner of sleeping which the son of God slept upon the cross, and also we shall know, when, how, and wherefore Christ did awake out of his sleep. Excitatus est tanquam dormiens dominus, & tanquam potens crapulatus vino, saith the Prophet David, Psalm 77. as if he would say, Our Lord did awake out of his dream like a man that is sleeping, and he rose out of that dream like a man full of power, and like unto one who had drunk wine. It is a verified truth in our Christian faith, that God is a pure spirit, and a substance not compounded but simple, which hath no flesh which may putrefy, nor bones which may be broken, nor hunger which may cause him to eat, nor stomach to digest with, nor vapours to ascend and provoke him to sleep, nor years to make him old. If it be true that there is no time which can make God old, nor meat which can force him to sleep, is it not also true, that his sleep is otherwise to be understood than ours, and that he awaketh in another manner than we do? When the Philosopher saith, That sleep is the image of death, what else doth he mean, but that a man which sleepeth, is nothing else but an image of a dead man? Mark well the conditions of a dead man, and thou shalt find the same in one which sleepeth: for he who is in his bed asleep, and he who is in his grave can neither speak, nor hear, nor understand those which call upon them, nor feel those which touch them, nor offend those which abuse them, nor complain on those which blaspheme them, nor revenge on those which hurt them. Who will not say that our Lord doth not sleep this kind of sleep, seeing we see that in naughty men he doth dissemble their ambition, the blasphemies which they speak, the adulteries which they commit, the incests they go about, and the malice which they think? What is sleep in a man but to have all his members at rest? And what else is sleeping in our Lord, but the suspending of his vengeance and punishment? The wicked men think, that because our Lord doth suffer them to live in the world, and not punish them, that therefore he is asleep, & that he hath no care over the things of this world; which is an error without all doubt: for they must know, if they know it not, that that which we call in a man sleeping, is called in God dissembling. Upon those words of the Prophet, Dormitaverunt omnes, S. Ambrose saith, Our Lord doth wink at the naughtiness of wicked men, not because he hath a desire that they should sin, but because he hopeth that they should amend, which if they do not, the Lord awaketh for their wickedness, and layeth his heavy hand over them. When is our Lord seen to awake out of his sleep but when he layeth his hand over the naughty man, & doth chastise him for his error? Even as when one will give another a great blow, the higher he doth lift his hand, the greater stroke he doth give him, in the self same sort, the longer time our Lord doth stay and wait for the wicked, the more rigorously and with lesser pity he doth punish him. Whereof, thinkest thou, doth it proceed, that God doth awake to punish thy sin, but because he doth see thee sleep so long time in sin? Isidorus saith, Wilt thou see curious reader, that our Lords casting himself to sleep, is nothing else but to dissemble at our faults, and that to awake is nothing else in him but to begin to punish thy sin; thou mayest perceive it by that, that as the Prophet had said, Excitatus est tanquam dormiens, he added immediately, Etpercussit eos in pectora eorum. What other thing doth the Prophet say unto us by these words, but that at the self same time, hour, and moment, that the Lord did awake out of his sleep, he did put his rigorous hand over the Princes of the Gentiles. Look well unto it, my brother, look well unto it, and be not deceived, and if thou think that our Lord is asleep, & hath no regard of thy doings, take thou heed for it is the temptation of the devil, and that none of the least with the which he doth deceive the world: for thou wilt one day think that the Lord is careless, and he will send some grievous punishment upon thee. And thou art now to understand, that there are so many in thy house which will awake him, as thou hast faults and sins in thy soul. In the house of our Lord, who is the waker of his clemency, but only our amendment, and who is the waker of his justice but only our offence? Upon those words of the Psalm, Ecce non dormitabit, S. Barnard saith, As the enemy which doth impugn Israel, Non aormitabit neque dormiet, so the Lord who defendeth Israel, Neque dormitabit neque dormiet, and if it seem that his clemency is asleep, when he doth favour us, it is because we should live better, and if it seemeth that he doth defer his justice, it is because we should amend. What should isaiah more unto thee, but look what works thou dost, such wakers of God thou hast. If thou be good, thou dost awake him to do thee good, if thou be nought, thou dost awake him to do thee hurt: because that in the sight of our Lord the fault crieth for punishment, and goodness asketh reward. joining then mystery unto mystery, and Sacrament unto Sacrament, now that we have declared how God slept in the old Testament, it is reason that we declare also how his son did sleep and awake upon the cross, seeing that there is no less to be wondered at in the sleeping of the son, than there was to be spoken of in the sleeping of the Father. For to think that the son of God did sleep upon the cross, as one that is weary and in health is wont to do were a vanity, and also an heresy, for giving him as they did gall to eat, and vinegar to drink, there were more reason that his stomach should be ready to overturn, rather than his head have any inclination to sleep. When Esay saith, Expergefactus lassus, he speaketh nor of material sleep, but of spiritual, and if he say that Christ did awake, his powers within him without doubt did not awake, because they were broken with torments but those powers did awake which lie hidden within him. And although the Apostle do say, Quòd ex ipso, & in ipso, & per ipsum sunt omnia, to wit, of him, in him, and by him all things are, yet there are six principal things above the rest in him. These six are, his essence, his power, his wisdom, his human flesh, his patience, and his clemency, and of these six excellences and graces, three of them slept, when the son of God suffered, and the other three always watched. His pure and divine essence slept upon the cross, seeing he did not show himself by it to be an absolute God, for if he had showed himself to have been only God and not man, he could never have died upon the cross. His high and eternal wisdom slept upon the cross in his passion, seeing that he never answered unto any injurious word, were it never so grievous against him. Esichius saith, Christ did suffer that to be done by him on the cross, that a sheep doth by himself in the butchery, for if the son of God should have shown before Pilate and Herod any spark of his wisdom, the jews had never been able to have put him to death. His unspeakable and incomparable power did also sleep in his passion upon the cross, not revenging at all on his enemies, for if it would have pleased him to have used it, in less than a moment, hell would have swallowed them all alive. Now that we have told what three powers slept with Christ on the cross, it is also convenient for us to show what three they were which watched with him the same time. His tender flesh did not sleep at the time of his passion upon the cross, which was not one moment at ease, nor an instant without torment. How was it possible that Christ should not be but awake on the cross, seeing that there was no vain in his holybody which did not bleed, nor no part of his flesh which was not bruised, and beaten black and blue? His incomparable patience did watch and not sleep upon the cross, the which our blessed jesus did never lose, seeing that he never spoke injurious word unto his enemies, nor never showed them an angry countenance? Augustine saith, All devout persons ought to follow Christ in the virtue of suffering, for besides that the virtue of patience is meritotious before God, she is also an occasion of great quietness in man's life. Christ's divine and loving clemency did also watch, and not sleep in his passion, the which he did show when he pardoned his enemies, and prayed for his malefactors. O infinite goodness, O unspeakable pity, O my good jesus, for if we should grant that all the other virtues should have slept on the cross, yet thy clemency would never have given over watching, for it is far easier for the son to lose his light, than for thee not to forgive and pardon. Plutarch in his Apothegms saith, That the Emperor Titus on a time gave a great sigh and said, Diem amisimus amici, as if he would say, It is not reason that this day should be reckoned among the days of my life, seeing that I have done no good, nor used any liberality in it. This speech was spread throughout all the world, & much commended of the Philosophers, and worthy of so high a Prince. That which the Emperor Titus spoke of his frankness, Christ might far better have spoken of his infinite clemency, for if the Emperor did let no day pass in the which he did not some good, neither did Christ let slip any hour or moment wherein he did not pardon some offence. And because the Prophet saith that the son of God did not only sleep, but also that he did awake, let us now see how these three powers did awake in Christ, and when, and for what cause. His incomparable & divine essence did rise and awake when he spoke that terrible word at the time that his soul was drawn out of him, and thereupon as it were in a trance and a maze, the great Centurion said of Christ, That this was the son of the true God. Christ did also awake his high wisdom upon the cross when he spoke those seven words in the last hour of his death, in the which there is contained more profound, and deep science and knowledge, than is in all human Philosophy or knowledge. Christ did also awake his incomparable power, when he made the sun to be darkened, the earth to tremble and quake, the graves to open, and the dead to rise again. Who doth doubt, but that the son of God doth show in these wonderful marvels, the highness of his power, the depth of his essence, and the greatness of his wisdom, and the valour of his person? O my good jesus, O the light of my soul! how unlike thou art unto the children of vanity and lightness, who do show their essence, and yet are nothing; show their power, and yet can do nothing; show their wisdom, and yet do know nothing.   

CHAP. XIII. Where he goeth forward with the figure mentioned before.  
ADhue sitit expergifactus, saith Esay in the place before named, as if he would say, When the redeemer of the world did awake upon the cross, he did awake very dry and thirsty, which was so great a thirst, that it continueth until this day: it is most certain that when a man doth suffer many griefs at one time, that he speaketh of that which grieveth him most, and pointeth with his hand where his greatest pain lieth. The anguishs which Christ suffered in his mind were innumerable, and the griefs which he endured in his body were intolerable, and that which is most of all to be marveled at is, that his torments being so many and so sharp as they were, yet he complained of none of them on the cross, but only of the thirst which he endured. Saint Barnard saith, O good jesus, O redeemer of my soul, having so many things to complain on, dost thou only complain of thirst? Thy shoulders are naked and whipped, thy hands broken, thy head bleeding, thy flesh bruised, and yet dost thou complain on nothing, but of the thirst which troubleth thee, and of want of water? Dost thou complain that thou art thirsty, and not that thou art bloody? hast thou not greater want of thy blood, than of water? Seeing the blood which runneth from thy head, doth bathe thy face, & wet thy tongue, why dost thou ask again for water? For a quarter of an hour that thou hast to live, dost thou complain that thou wantest water? O that the thirst which I suffer saith Christ, is not to drink wine or water, but to see your amendment, and carry you with me to my glory, for seeing that I am now taking my journey to heaven. I have a great thirst to take my elect with me. The thirst which I have, & the dryness which I endure, is not so much to drink any liquor, as to redeem you and save you, and reconcile you with my Father, and therefore if thou have no pity on me, yet at the least take some on thyself. O that I had rather, that thou hadst some pity on thyself, than on me, because it is a greater grief to see thee lost, than to see myself suffer. S. Augustine saith, Thou didst add unto all thy anguishes, this word Sitio, showing thereby such a great thirst, and representing outwardly the exceeding love that thou didst bear me inwardly, and unspeakable charity, which caused thee to make but small account of all that thou didst suffer in respect of that desire which thou hadst to suffer. And he saith further, O my good jesus, I know well that thy thirst is not for thyself, but for me, and this thy anguish is for no other cause, but for the salvation of my soul: and when thou sayest that thou hast a desire to drink, that is as much to say, as to suffer more for me, in so much that the care that thou hast over me is so great, that by means thereof thou dost wholly forget thyself. What meaneth this O redeemer of my soul, what meaneth this? Thy joints being loosed one from another, thy eyes broken, thy mother having her farewell, and having complained on thy Father, dost thou say anew I am a thirst? What pity may be compared unto this, or what goodness equal unto this Oredeemer of my soul. We see by this word Sitio, that death was sufficient to take all thy dolours and griefs from thee, and yet that it was not enough to cut off the love which thou hadst to redeem us. Who is able to say truly, that thy love did end upon the cross, considering that for the love of thy elect thou didst yet thirst after more griefs and anguishes? All this Saint Augustine spoke. Chrisostome saith, When the eternal word said upon the cross, I am a thirst, I do not believe that he did so much ask for water to drink, as he did ask for time of his Father to suffer more grief and torment. For as the candle when it is going out doth cast the greatest light, so Christ the more his death drew near, the more his love and charity doth kindle towards us. Remigius upon Saint Matthew saith, Although the divine providence did reduce all the travails of his life unto three years, and that also he brought all the torments of the cross unto three hours, yet it is not to be believed, that Christ his infinite charity was contented with this short time, and therefore I think for my own part, that the thirst which he showed upon the tree was not so much to drink of any water of the river, as to declare and make manifest his love unto the world. Fulgentius in a Sermon saith, The son of God did think, that seeing his Father had not given him charity by weight, so he should not give him torment by measure, by reason whereof he cried aloud on the cross Sitio, to let us understand by this thirst, that seeing the gifts which he received had no end, that the torments likewise which he received should not be limited.   

CHAP. XIIII. Of the cruelty and ingratitude that the jews used in giving Christ gall and vinegar, and how he satisfied for every sin in particular.  
DEderunt in escam meam fell, & in siti mea potaverunt me aceto, saith Christ by the Prophet, as if he would say, Being upon the altar of the cross full of torments, loaden with griefs, compassed with enemies. I had scarcely spoken the word Sitio, but they gave me gall to eat, and vinegar to drink. There is much matter to be spoken upon this, that is, what drink they gave him when they gave it him, where they gave it him, why they gave it him, in what they gave it him, and how quickly they gave it him. The drink which they gave him was gall and vinegar, the place where was upon the cross, the time was when he was yielding up the ghost, the cause why was to help him to die, they gave it him in a reed and a sponge, and that presently when he had thirst; so that all these circumstances do aggravate the fault in them. We find that the devil made two banquets in this world, the one in the terrestrial paradise unto our Father, where he gave him the fruit of the tree to eat; the other to Christ in the desert, where he invited him to stones of the field, the which might have been ground, sifted and so mingled, that they might have been eaten. The jews gave Christ worse meat, than the devil offered him in the desert, for they gave him gall to eat, and vinegar to drink, which are bitter and sour, horrible in taste, and mortal in eating. For as the Philosopher saith, The truest love is the love of children, the smell of smells is of bread, the savour of savours is of salt, the sweetest of all sweets is of honey, and the bitterest of all bitters is of gall. For what is there under heaven sweeter than honey, or more bitter than gall? For what stomach is there in the world so strong, who after a cup of gall and vinegar would not either burst or die? Rabanus upon S. Luke saith, If the jews had remembered that his Father gave them fresh water in the desert to drink of, and bread from heaven to eat of, and that his son likewise gave five thousand of them fish their fill, and bread until they left off it, they would not have given him gall to eat and vinegar to drink. Damascenus saith, That it is proper to naughty men to be very sparing in matters of virtue, and in matters of vice very lavish, which doth easily appear in Christ, for he ask for nothing but drink, they gave him also somewhat to eat. Anselmus saith, That the abundance of malice, and the want of conscience made the jews put that bitter gall to Christ's mouth, which other men do loath to touch. The jews did also show the depth of their wicked, naughtiness in giving Christ that horrible drink, being as he was so near death upon the cross, because that all men are wont in that extremity, be they friends or enemies, to help him who is in torment to die well, and no man in that hour dare to trouble or vex him. Origen saith, That it is a custom among savage and barbarous men, that such as were enemies in their life time, do reconcile themselves, and pardon one another in death, Because as Plato saith, Death alone doth end all travail and all anger. This general rule failed only in the jews, as men which were more barbarous and inhuman than all other, who at the very time that Christ was yielding up his spirit, did spit upon him, blasphemed him with their tongues, hated him with their hearts, & tormented him with gall and vinegar. King David and king Saul were mortal enemies, but when the Philistims had slain Saul in the hills of Gelboe, they saw David weep bitterly for him, and caused him to be buried with great care and diligence. All writers do affirm, that there were not greater enemies in all Greece than Demosthenes the Philosopher, and Eschines the Orator, but when Eschines understood in Rhodes that Demosthenes his enemy was dead in Athens, he did not only weep many tears for him, but did also bestow sumptuous funerals upon him. The great hatred and wars which were betwixt julius Caesar and Pempeius the great, are known unto all the world, yet nevertheless when pitiful Caesar had Pompeius' head in his hands, he spoke many pitiful words in his favour, and shed many tears over his head. Cyrillus upon S. john saith, That there was never read of the like hatred as the jews bore Christ, seeing that although they saw his breath going out of his body, yet they gave him gall to eat, and vinegar to drink, because that as they had tormented his outward members with torments, they might also poison his inward bowels with grief and pain. S. Cyprian saith, It is not credible that the wicked jews had men's hearts in them, but the hearts of some mad dogs, seeing that the more the son of God did draw near unto death, the more they did wax cruel, because that the end why they gave him gall and vinegar, was because he should die sooner and also raging. If as it did please Christ only to taste of that drink, it had been his will to have drunk it all, considering how there was no blood left in his veins, and also his weakness at that time, it is no doubt but it would have shortened his life, and put him to a more painful death. O that this doctor said very well, that they had not men's hearts in them, for otherwise, considering the extremity they saw him in, they could not have done less than have given him some wine to drink, or water to refresh him, or used some words of comfort. O pitiful case, and unspeakable cruelty, seeing that at the hour of thy death, thou hadst no friend to encourage thee, no drop of water to refresh thee, but only a little gall for thy breakfast, and a little vinegar to dry thy mouth with. Let not me use then any delicate meats, and let all superfluous diet be far from me, for seeing my God and Lord doth neither eat nor drink but gall and vinegar, from evening to evening, how dare I far daintily at set meals? How dare I look for death, seeking a thousand dainties every hour, and change a thousand meats every day? Seeing that thou, O my good jesus, hadst thy mouth poisoned with gaul, and wet with vinegar? O sacred mouth, O holy tongue, who is so wicked, as to dare bathe that mouth with gall and vinegar, having preached with the same so many Sermons, given so many holy lessons, taught so many people, and done so many miracles? You should put gall and vinegar, O ye cursed jews, upon this my mouth, which is never opened but to deceive, and upon my tongue which can do nothing but lie, for as for that of your Creator and our Redeemer, what sinew was there that he did not tell you of, and what virtue is there that he did not teach you? Saint Barnard saith, O what great difference there is betwixt mouth and mouth, tongue and tongue? For man's tongue said unto Pilate, crucifige eum, & Christ's tongue said unto his Father, Nesciunt quid faciunt. In so much, that the people's whole drift was to induce Pilate to kill him, and Christ's whole intention was, to persuade his Father to forgive them. Vbertinus saith, Should not Christ have had better reason to have given the people gaul and vinegar, seeing they accused him openly, than they to Christ, considering that with tears he did excuse them? Quid ultra debui vineae meae quod non feci? Said Christ to the Prophet Esaya●, as if he would say, O my chosen vine, O my dear Synagogue, what didst thou ask of me that I did not give thee, or what could I do for thee that I have not done? These words are deeply to be considered of, seeing that by them our Lord doth call the Synagogue to a reckoning, like unto one friend which chideth with another, who with intention not to break off their friendship, will try out where the fault lieth. And to the same purpose God spoke by the Prophet jeremy, when he said, judicium contraham tecum, as if he would say, I will O Israel, that thou and I, and I and thou, sit down to judge, and take an arbitrator betwixt us, to the end, that both parts being hard, he may judge what small reason thou hast to offend me, & what great cause I have to complain on thee. O infinite goodness, O unspeakable clemency of thee my great God, what creature can justly say, that thou hast condemned him without justice, seeing thou dost first sit down to verify thy justice? O unto how many may God justly say at this day, what can I do more for thee than I have done, and wherein canst thou offend me more than thou hast offended me? O good jesus, O light and glory of my soul, what shouldest thou do more for me than create me, or what couldst thou do more for me than redeem me? Thy goodness and my wickedness do strive before thy face, and thy grace and my offence, thy bounty and my ungratefulness, thy mercy and mine obstinacy, thy pardon and my sin: in so much, that I never cease to sin, and thou never to dissemble it. But to speak more particularly, it is to be considered, that our God was not contented to redeem all of us in general, but he did also satisfy for our sins in particular, laying upon himself a particular pain which should answer unto our particular offence. Christ satisfied for the sin of pride when he took man's flesh upon him, unto which humility there can no virtue of any Saint be compared, because he made himself of God a man, of eternal temporal, of one that was immortal mortal. Barnard saith, That of all those which were proud, Lucifer was the greatest, of all gluttons Adam, of all Traitors judas, of all patiented men job, and of all humble men Christ exceeded all. Christ satisfied for fornication by his circumcision, and thereupon it is, that because the sin of lechery is that sin, into which men do easiliest and most oftenest fall into, our Lord's pleasure was to redeem it with his precious blood. Christ satisfied for the sin of envy with his incomparable poverty, which he so straightly kept, that he had neither house to dwell in, nor a penny to spend, nor wealth to live by. S. Jerome saith, That the end of Christ's poverty was, to withdraw from himself things necessary, because we should leave off things superfluous: for if a Christian have any thing in his house which is superfluous, he doth possess it all as stolen from the poor. Christ satisfied for gluttony by his continual fasting all his life time, and oftentimes suffering great hunger; which is easily seen, because that after his fast in the desert he was greatly a hungered: and also when he and his disciples did eat ears of corn in the field. S. Barnard saith, Christ had such a great fervour to preach by day, and did contemplate so continually by night, that although he had meat, yet he did scarce remember to eat it. Christ satisfied for the sin of anger with his continual patience, which patience of his was so perfect that he never knew how to revenge an injury, nor never use towards any man an injurious word. In patientia vestra possedebilis animarum vectrarum, said Christ to his disciples, Luke 25. As if he would say, The merit and reward of patience is so great that it maketh him who hath it, lord over his own soul. Many possess their ears by not hearing of backbiting, and other possess their eyes, not seeing of vain things, and others possess their hands by keeping them from stealing, & others their tongues by keeping them from blasphemy, but of all these which I have spoken off, doth Christ say that any of them doth possess his soul, but only he who hath patience? What doth it avail us to be lords of our feet, hands, and ears, if the devil do possess our souls? What is it to be lord and master over a man's own soul, but wholly to subdue his own sensuality? Ambrose upon S. Luke saith, He only hath his will in subjection, who in travail and vexation hath great patience. Christ doth say very well, that you shall possess your souls in your patience. Seeing that patience is the virtue which doth confirm friends, reconcile enemies, cut off passions, and maketh our he arts mild and gentle. Lo than thou seest it proved, how the son of God was not content to redeem all the world in general, but that he did in particular as it were satisfy for every sin, disburdening every man of a particular fault, and casting upon himself a general pain.   

CHAP. XV. Here there is brought a figure of David, and declared to the purpose.  
OSi quis mihi daret potum aqua de cisterna, quae est juxta portum Bethleem. 2. Reg. 23. king David being in the field of the giants, and fight with the Philistims in summer time, and wearied with the heat of the sun, and wanting water, gave a great sigh, and uttered these words: O who would give me now a cup of water of the cistern which is near unto the gate of Bethleem, where I was wont to recreate myself when I was a young man, and take my fill in drinking of the water. David's sigh being heard, and his great desire of drinking perceived, three young men which were his servants, determined to arm themselves, and go to Bethelem for water, maugre the enemies, with a resolution to bring some, or die in the place. And as they had sworn so they did accomplish it, and going through the enemy's camp striking and killing, the end was, that they shed more blood in going, than they brought water in coming again. In the letter of this figure, there are two things to be noted, that is, that good king David did not sigh, nor desire saverous wine to make him drunk with, but for a pot of water to refresh himself with. Whereof we may take an example, that we may better overcome our invisible enemies with abstinence than with abundance and plenty. Yet so it was, that notwithstanding the great thirst which David had, he would not drink one drop of that water, saying that God forbidden that he should drink of that water which was gotten with the deaths of so many men, and was bought with so much blood. Every man may take an example to himself by this, that no man should carry any thing to his house gotten with an evil conscience, or by the prejudice of another, for we see nothing more common than that men for greediness of another man's do not only lose that which was their own by inheritance, but that also which of other men's they had gotten. Leaving the letter, and coming to the spiritual meaning, it doth well appear, that Christ is the son of David, and that David is the father of Christ, seeing the one was thirsty in the field, and the other on the Mount of Calvary, the one sighting, & the other sufiering, the one compassed with enemies, and the other hanging between thieves, the one to drink a cup of cold water, and the other to redeem mankind. How far greater the thirst was which the son of God had, than that which David had, it is easily seen in that, that David did manifest his thirst with words only, and the son of God with words and tears: whereupon we may infer, that his true thirst was not so much to drink water of the cisterns, as to save sinful souls. O that the thirst which Christ suffered was of a far more higher degree than David's thirst, for David did but sigh for water, but the son of God did not sigh but did suffer death to redeem our souls, and David did quench his thirst with the prejudice of other men's blood, but the son of God did not kill his, but with his own blood. Christ had not so good friends on the Mount of Calvary, as David had in his camp, because David's servants brought him water to refresh him withal, and Christ's enemies gave him gall & vinegar to taste of. Super vulnera mea addiderunt dolorem, said the Prophet David speaking in the person of Christ, as if he would say, The greatest travail and grief which I feel now is, that besides the words & dolours which the jews gave me in crucifying me, sinners have now added another dolour unto my former dolours, which doth grieve me more than all the others did. The dolours which Christ suffered in his passion, his wounds and thorns caused them, but the dolour which he now complaineth of, our sins do cause. And he hath great reason to complain more of this than of the others, because the wounds which they gave him and the nails and thorns which tormented him dured but one day, but the grief which our offences do cause in him do every hour offend him. Saint Augustine saith, If there were no fault in us, there should be no wounds in Christ, and thereupon it riseth, that we wound him more in his entrails with our offences, than the jews did with their nails. But some man may say that Christ doth not so much complain by the Prophet of his wounds, as of a grief and dolour which they added above all dolours, and therefore it is convenient that we declare what this dolour is, and how far it reacheth. For the better understanding of this point we must note, that over and above all the sins which we commit we do add a new one unto them, which is as it were a counterpoise against every sin, the which causeth the sin to be more grievous and lesser hope of amendment in us. What is this new sin but the pleasure which we take to have sinned, & the desire which we have to sin again? And because we may not seem to speak at random, we will give of every one an example. If the proud man would be content to be proud only, it would be but half a fault, but alas he saith that he is nothing proud at all, if we regard his great desert, by reason whereof he desireth to be of greater power and authority and ability to bestow more than he doth. If the angry and impatient man would be content to chide only, to brave it, and murmur, it might pass; but alas he doth add fault upon a fault, that is, he hath a very great thirst & a desire to injury and molest his enemies, take their lives from them, & also to ransack and spoil their goods. If the covetous man could be content with that which were necessary, and with somewhat more, it were tolerable; but alas, like a naughty Christian he heapeth sin upon sin, for besides that he is not content to save bread and drink, yet he never ceafeth day nor night to hoard up all he can. If the carnal man would be content once to attain his desire, and that which his sensuality requireth, it might be dissembled; but alas he hath such a great thirst to enjoy all he seethe, that if it were in his power, he would leave no virgin undefloured, no married woman not defamed, nor any widow not deceived. If the slothful man would be content himself not to go in the cold in the Winter, nor into the head in Summer, but would eat without any labour of his own, and sleep in his bed without care, we would not much care if he did it; but alas, he hath such a great desire of ease, and is such an enemy to labour, that he desireth nothing, but that his neighbours should take pain, because he might eat, and that all they should watch because he might sleep. If the glutton would be content to eat till he were fill, and sometimes until he belked, we would not so much regard it; but alas he hath such a great desire to eat daily of exquisite meats, and drink wines of great price, that if it were possible, there should be no fish in the sea which he would not eat of, nor no meat on earth which he would not taste. Lo than this is the dolour which Christ complaineth on, when he saith, Super vulnera mea addiderunt dolorem, which did so much grieve him that he felt none more, for Saint Augustine saith, That God doth not look what we be, but what we desire to be. What greater wickedness, or what greater naughtiness can there be in the world than not to be content to be nought, but to desire to be more nought. Cassiodorus saith, That the offences which we commit are the wounds which we give Christ, and the dolour which we add unto these wounds, is the desire which we have to sin more and more. This cursed desire and wicked thirst of adding sin unto sin, is also paid for and satisfied for the just which come unto our Lord when he said aloud on the cross, that he had a desire to suffer more, as the wicked had to sin more. O infinite goodness, O unspeakable clemency, who had ever so great a thirst to enjoy our sins, as thou my good jesus hadst to suffer torment? Who until this day had ever a desire to become worse and worse, but our Lord had a greater desire to make him better and better? Who had ever a greater thirst to increase his vices, than Christ had to make us very virtuous? O my soul, O my heart, do you not see that your thirst of sinning more and more is cured with his thirst of suffering, and that your thirst of heaping one sin upon another, is quenched by Christ's thirst of adding one pain unto another? Quod facis fac citius, said Christ to judas in the night of the last supper, joh. 13, as if he would say, Seeing that thou wast so shameless as to sell me yesterday, and art determined to deliver me this night unto my enemies, make an end of thy supper and rise from thence, and do that which thou wilt do quickly, because that the end of thy perdition shall be the beginning of my redemption. O sorrowful speech, O heavy word which Christ spoke unto the unhappy disciple, because that thereby he is permitted to do what he would, as though he should give him licence utterly to destroy himself, and that there should be no hope of his amendment. What other meaning had those words which our holy master spoke unto the reprobate disciple, that is, Do that which thou hast to do with speed; but to declare by those words, that he had forsaken him, and that he will defend him no more with his holy hand? and yet in this lamentable speech, Christ used great clemency toward judas, for when he said, Do speedily that which thou wilt do; it was to say, deliver me quickly, and die thou quickly: for how much the older thou dost grow in years, by so much the more thou wilt grow in offences. God of his mercy keep us from this licence or permission, for it is a great sign that this man is already foreseen to be damned, whom our Lord doth permit to begin to be nought presently. Our Lord doth never give this licence to a Christian religious soul, but when the flesh doth move him, or sensuality disquiet him, he taketh away the occasions of falling, and gives him new desires to strengthen him with. Woe be unto him unto whom our Lord saith as he did to judas, Quod facis fac cito, that is, that he may do that which sensuality doth lead him unto, & accomplish that which the devil persuadeth, for the greatest malediction that God doth put upon any man, is, to suffer to put that in execution which sensuality requireth. Remigius saith, That the devil is so great a friend unto his friends, and hath so great care of pleasing them, that they have no sooner thought of a sin, but he doth presently lay open the way to commit it. Damascen saith also, That when a man desireth to be worse than he is, the devil is by and by so busy, that he doth agree that which did disagree, and join that which was far asunder, openeth that which was shut, lighteneth that which was dark, maketh that easy which was most hard, and giveth that, that was not to be hoped for. This being true, as true it is, what will not a naughty man do, what will he not venture on, yea and what will he not attain unto, having so good a tutor and help as the devil? If a good man would do any good work, he findeth a thousand stumbling blocks to hinder him: and contrariwise, if a naughty man will commit any naughty fact, he shall find as many helps for the performance of it, and the reason is, because our Lord doth seem to forget his, because they should merit the more, but the devil doth always favour his, because he will incite them to sin. We have spoken all this, by reason of the gall and vinegar which the jews gave Christ, for it is a wonder to think with what speed they sought it out, & what diligence they used in giving him it, for surely if the Scripture did not assure us of it, it would seem but a dream to say that they should have all things so readily & at hand as they gave him. Is it not a thing much to be wondered at, that the jews being out of the town, and in open field, as soon as he had said Sitio, that they should presently have at that place, sour vinegar, bitter myrrh, poisoned gall, unsavoury isope, and a sponge to drink it in, and a reed to reach it him? If a man should have gone into the town to seek all these six things, he would have been six hours a getting them: For he must have gone to the butchery for the gall, to the Apothecary for the myrrh, to another place for the vinegar, to a shop for the sponge, to a garden for Isope, and to the river for a reed. But when Christ said upon the cross, I am a thirst, they did not stay six hours to seek these things, but they did reach them him presently all at once, kept, and hidden ready for him: for if his soul would not have forsaken him with the torment of the nails, she would have forsaken him by the force of that drink.  
The same leave that Christ gave judas, it seemeth that he gave it also unto the jews, that is, that they should do by him what they would, and how they would, and as speedily as they would, which liberty they used with the advantage, seeing that in short space they watched him with their eyes, dogged him with their feet, laid hold on him with their hands, blasphemed him with their tongues, hated him with their hearts, and ended his life with their drinks. The naughty jews went to the Mount of Calvary, and there went also old joseph and Nichodemus, but their intentions were far different the one from the other, the holy men carried pincers with them to pull out the nails, ladders to take him down from the cross, ointments to anoint him with, a sheet to wind him in, and a shroud to bury him in. Non sic, impij non sic, The wicked did not go so, but to go their stations on good Friday, and meditate on the Mount of Calvary, they carried under their cloaks in one pot the vinegar, in another bladder the gall, in a box the myrrh, & in a cloth the Isope, in one hand the sponge, & in another the reed. Tell me I pray thee, what inward minds these wicked jews had, seeing they did show such outward shows of their pilgrimages. Of these bitter travails and unsavoury liquors, we may gather certain lessons, worthy to be known, and profitable to be kept in memory. We must above all things take heed that we do not offer unto our Lord any liquor which is not pure, clear, and clean, or mixed, for here upon earth men refuse mixed liquors, because they do corrupt the stomach. Cibus simplex est utilissimus homini, compositus autemperniciosus, saith Pliny, as if he would say, The body is best maintained with uncompound meats, because that compound meats are dangerous for the body. The like condition is to be observed in the soul, the which doth detest dissembled manners, & abhor doubling in conditions, for being as she is a most simple justice, she cannot endure to be furred with malice. Hilarius saith, I will say that he doth offer unto Christ, his understanding mingled with vinegar, who occupieth his thought more on another than God: I will say that he doth offer his memory mixed with myrrh, who troubleth his memory with nothing but how he may lead his life without disquietness: I will say that he doth offer his will mingled with gaul, who forgetteth his creature and serveth worldly things: he doth offer his heart unto Christ mingled with bitter Isope, who at the same time will live at ease, and yet serve our Lord: & he doth offer unto Christ a good work put upon a reed, who doth it for no other end but for vainglory: and he offereth Christ his life soaken with a sponge, who doth all that he doth of hypocrisy. Finally, we say that those do offer unto Christ drinks of bitterness, who in belief are Christians, and in works Pagans.   

CHAP. XVI. That the church of Christ hath great abundance of spiritual waters, which are his grace and the gifts of the holy ghost: and of the fire which Christ came to put in the world, which is the love of God; and of the profit that this love of God doth in the soul.  
HAurietis aquas in gaudio, de fontibus salvatoris, Esay 12. chapter. The Prophet Esay spoke these words, speaking unto good Christians of the Catholic church, and of the great good that Christ will do in her: and they are as if he would say, When the Messiah promised in the law, shall come into the world, all such as were dry and thirsty shall receive great joy, with great abundance of waters to refresh and recreate their persons. The Prophet doth promise four things in this place, that is, that they shall not draw water but waters, not out of one well or fountain, but fountains, not by force but willingly, not out of every well, but of the fountain of our Saviour. Agar wanted the fountain, how much more fountains? the children of Israel found water, but sour: the Patriarch jacal found sweet water, but he had great strife in getting it. They brought king David water, but it was of a cistern, insomuch that the Synagogue was so poor, that she could not get a cup of clean water. The catholic church may hold herself very happy and rich, seeing that God hath promised her abundance of waters clear and clean, flowing from the fountain of her Saviour and Redeemer. It is much to be noted, and also to be marveled at, to see that our Redeemer jesus Christ said upon the cross, Siti●, and yet saith that he hath waters and fountains to refresh and quench the thirst of all the world. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? Hast thou not one drop of water for thyself to drink of, and yet dost thou invite all the world to drink of thy fountains? It doth well appear O my good jesus, that thou hast all that good for me, and keepest all travails unto thyself, seeing that of thy sweet water thou dost invite all men to drink, but the gall and vinegar thou dost give no man to taste. What are the fountains that thou wouldst have us drink of, but thy holy wounds with the which we were redeemed? O sacred fountains, O holy wounds, which are so delectable to behold, and so sweet to taste, that the Angels are desirous to drink of them, and all creatures are willing to bathe themselves in them. They are fountains which always flow, they are waters which always run, & what do they flow but blood & water, & whither do they flow but to the Catholic church? Holy jesus did give us much more than Esay did promise us, for Esay did promise us nothing but waters, but he gave us afterwards waters of his bowels, & blond of his veins. O good jesus, O holy fountain, from whence but from the fountain of thy bowels did the water flow to wash our spots, and from whence but from thy precious veins did the blood run to redeem our offences? It is gathered in scripture, that the waters of Rasim were most swift, the waters of jorda. troubled, the waters of Bethleem were pools and standing, the waters of Marath were bitter, the waters of Siloe were sour: The waters of thy wounds O my Redeemer, are not of these qualities, for they are safe to sail in, clean to behold, sweet to taste, and profitable to keep. What meaneth he to say that you shall draw waters In gaudio, but that as we were redeemed with his great love and will, so we should serve him with great joy and mirth? He doth draw waters of the fountains of Christ with joy and mi●th, who doth serve him with good will; and he doth draw blood out of Christ's wounds with sorrow and grief, who doth serve him with an evil will, whose service is neither acceptable to God, nor profitable unto him which doth it: for as our Lord doth give nothing which he doth give, but with joy and mirth, so he will not that any man serve him, but with pure affection and entire good will. With what great love the son of God hath redeemed us, and with what a lively will he will be served, we may gather by his own doctrine, and see it in his own loving words. Ignem veni mittere in terram & quid v●lo nisi ut accendatur, Luke. 12. This high word no man could say, but he only who was the word of the eternal Father, and the meaning is this, If thou wilt know why I came down from heaven, understand thou that it was for no other cause, but to burn and set all the world on fire, and therefore I bring this light with me, because it may burn day & night, and that thou mayest blow it that it go not out. Christ speaketh to the same purpose in another place, when he saith, Non venipacem mittere sed gladium, as if he should say, Let no man think that I came into the world, to give it peace and quietness, but to put a gallows and asword in it: the gallows to do justice on the wicked, and the sword to martirize the good. These words are worthy of the noting, and also to be feared of all mortal men, for having created the world, what meaneth he to say that he came into the world but to put it all to fire and blood? What man is there this day in the world so noble in birth, or so rich in wealth, but if he proclaim publicly, that he will burn both man and woman, but they will presently lay hands on him, & bind him hand & foot, or condemn him for want of discretion? What can be more stranger, or what invention may be like unto that, for our Lord to tell us. & also warn us, that he hath brought nothing else with him but a firebrand to burn, and a sharp sword to cut our throats? Upon those words, Non veni mittere pacem sed gladium, S. Augustine saith, If we will well understand, that which Christ saith in this place, we should not only not be scandalised at it, but also highly thank him for it: for to say the truth, with that fire he doth sear our dead flesh, and with that knife he doth let out our corrupt blood. Beda upon the Apostle saith. What is the sire which Christ brought from heaven into the world but his exceeding great love? The quality of this high fire is, to heat and not burn, to give light and not hurt, to burn and not consume, to putrefy and not waste, to warm and not to grieve. O good jesus, and light of my soul, what sensuality can overcome me, or what tentation can throw me down, if at the coals of thy fire I warm myself, and give myself light with the flame of thy love? What can he do, what is in him, or what regard is there of him in this life, who doth not warm himself at the fire of thy love? What made S. Andrew go cheerfully and singing to be crucified, but the fire of the love which burned in him? What made S. Agnes go more joyfully to martyrdom than a new married spouse to bed, but the fire of thy divine love which shined in her? What made those stones seem unto S. Steven honey comoes, but that holy love which burned in his soul? Iguis erat & calefaciebat se. O what a difference there is betwixt the fire which Christ brought down from heaven, and the fire which Cayphas hath in his palace. For S. Peter warming himself at it, of a Christian became a Pagan, & S. Paul warming himself at Christ's fire, of a Pagan became a Christian. God send me of Christ's fire, seeing it doth make me know him, and God keep Cayphas fire from me, seeing it doth make me deny him. For if S. Peter had not warmed himself at Cayphas fire, the wench would not have importuned him, nor he denied Christ, not have lost the confession of the catholic faith. The Evangelist saith that, Petrus calefaciebat se, that is, That Peter did warm himself at the fire, but he saith not that the fire was able to take his cold from him, and therefore the fire which the world hath for her worldlings is such, that they are but few which warm themselves at it, but many which wax cold by it. S. Peter being from the fire said unto Christ, Tecum paravi iam in mortem me, and by the fire he said, Non novi heminem, in so much that being at supper with Christ he did burn, and being at Cayphas fire he was a cold. The son of God then seeing that there was not below in the world heat which could recreate, nor fire which could burn, nor light which could comfort, nor flame which could give light, nor any thing which might content, he brought from heaven with him the fire of his holy love, with the which we should all be inflamed, all lightened, and all contented. The son of God would never have said, I came to put fire on earth, if he had seen that there had been the true fire of his love upon the earth, but seeing that the fire of the world doth burn and not heat, hurt and give no light, waist and not burn, grieve and not cheer, burn and not purify, smoke and not shine, he remembered to bring a fire which should heat all the world. Woe be unto him which will not warm himself at this fire, and woe be to him who will not receive light at the flames of his love, because that the only perfection of our salvation doth consist in offering ourselves to God, and in loving him with all our heart. It is much to be noted, that Christ brought at one time fire to burn, & a sword to cut men's throats, seeing he saith, Ignem veni mittere in terram, and also, Non veni pacem mittere sed gladium, to let us understand, that he brought fire with him, with the which his elect should serve him with love, & a sword of the which the imperfect should have fear. He burneth with lively flames who serveth God with love: and his throat is cut who serveth God with fear, and not with love. Whereupon it is, that in the ark of No there were many little rooms, and in the house of God many dwelling places, so also in the Catholic church there are divers manners of serving of God, he doth serve God much better who serveth him with love, than he who followeth him for fear: but in fine so as we do not offend our Lord, be it with love, or be it with fear, let us always serve him. He is happy who suffereth his throat to be cut with the knife of fear, but he is very happy who goeth to warm himself at the fire of his love: for the fear may be so great, that he may err in that which he taketh in hand, but he who loveth him much cannot err in that which he doth. According unto Ovid, he cannot err who loveth a good thing, nor there can be no error where there is perfect love. Cyrillus saith, If the Synagogue did highly esteem of the sword with the which David did cut the Giant Goliath throat, we which be Christians ought much more to esteem of the fire of love with the which Christ did redeem us, because it was his love only which gave us the hope of his glory, and over our death the victory. Leo saith in a Sermon, If they ask the son of God what he brought from heaven, he will say love; if they ask him what Art he knoweth, he will say love, if they ask him what he is, he will say divine love, if they ask him what he would have us to do for him, he will say nothing but love him. Basil saith, O what great difference there is betwixt the serving of God, and serving of the world; for the world would have us serve him with our person, flatter him with our tongue, give him of our wealth, and also venture for him our souls: but the son of God is far from ask any of these things of us, for he seeketh no more of us, but that we answer the love which he doth bear us, and be grateful for the benefits which he doth bestow upon us. Si obtuleris primitias frugum tuarum domino de spicis adhuc virentibus torrebis eas igui. God spoke these worder unto Moses, and then commanded Moses to proclaim them before all the people, as if he would say, When the Summer shall come, and the harvest draw near, if the ears of the first fruits which they offer unto God should be green and not dry, see thou dry them first in the fire, before that thou offer them in the temple. Isidorus saith, The giver of the law to command that they should offer the first fruits of all their harnestes, and to command them that they should not offer them up green but dry, and to command that they should not be dried in the sun but at the fire, and that they should be thoroughly dried but not burned, the Scripture would never have set down this so particularly, unless there had been some mystery contained under it. Origen upon Exod. saith, That because in holy writ there is no blot to scrapeout, nor no letter to be added, we must so interpret that which God speaketh, & that which the law ordaineth, that without wresting of the letter we may apply it unto our learning. What other thing is it to offer unto God the first fruits of our corn, but to present before him all our desires? who dare begin any heroical work who doth not first consult with God, & commend it unto him? unless they had first craved the favour of the God jupiter, the Gentiles durst not so much as write a letter: & darest thou which art a Christian, not ask for God's grace, enterprise any thing? he stealeth his first fruits from God, who taketh any thing in hand, & not recommend himself unto God, & he payeth his first fruits unto our Lord, who without his holy grace beginneth nothing, for it is he only who will guide our works in his service, & he who will direct them to our profit. Chrisostom saith upon S. Luke, for God to ask the first fruits of that which we cut in the field, is to ask of us that we love him with all our hearts: for that which is not begun under him, and in his holy name will end afterward by the hands of the devil. He doth pay our Lord his first fruits, who when he riseth out of his bed doth commend himself unto our Lord, & offer unto him all that which he will do that day, and he stealeth his first fruits from our Lord, who neither careth for to serve God, nor to say any one prayer, but as soon as he riseth beginneth to lie and cousin. He payeth our Lords first fruits, who of four and twenty hours which are in the day, bestoweth one in thinking upon him, and he stealeth from God the first fruits, who hath neither regard of his soul, nor thinketh upon God at any hour. It is also to be weighed, that our Lord is not contented with his first fruits of green corn unless it be offered up dried at the fire, to give us knowledge, that all that we do is nothing worth, if we do not warm ourselves at the fire of his love. What is all that worth which I do, or what am I worth which do it, if I do it not for God? He doth offer up all his ears of his corn dried, who doth all his works for God, and he doth offer them green, who doth them not but only for men, whom we do assure, that for those God will never pay, nor yet men be thankful. What other thing be the green ears and not ripe, but all our weak and human actions? green, and hard, and unseasoned are all our works, and therefore we have need of the heat of fire to dry them, because God doth never accept that which is offered, if he who doth offer it be not accepted. He offereth unto our Lord green ears, who hath no patience in travels: for as the value of gold is known in the goldsmiths melting pot, so is a good Christian known in tribulation. He is a green Christian who doth interpret the Gospel according unto his own will, and he is a very green religious man who striveth against his superior: because that the true servant of our Lord should have no will of his own, nor desire authority, nor dare to possess any thing proper. Then we will say that the ear is dry, when it goeth easily out of the straw: then we will say that a man is perfect, when he is weaned from all covetous and worldly things. Thou art very green my brother, if with thy humility there be mingled any ambition, with thy charity any envy, with thy poverty any covetousness, with thy chastity any wantonness, and with thy honesty any hypocrisy, by reason whereof thou must draw near unto the heavenly fire, until thou hast cast this dream from thee. It is a great sign that the block which lieth smoking in the sire, is not thoroughly dry, and the religious person which yet tasteth of the world, is not well grounded in religion; because the true servant of our Lord hath his heart as dead to the world for Christ's sake, as a man's body is dead which lieth buried in the grave.   
The end of the fift word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the Cross.   

Here beginneth the sixth word which Christ spoke upon the cross, that is, Consummatum est, uz. All is now finished and at an end.  

CHAP. I. Here there are put divers understandings of this speech:  
cum accepisset jesus acetum dixit Consummatum est. This is the sixth word which the Redeemer of the world spoke at the hour of his death on the altar of the cross, and it is as if he would say, As he ended to take and taste of the gall and vinegar which they had given him in the sponge, and offered him upon a reed, he said Consummatumest, that is. That all is now accomplished and made perfect, seeing the redemption of the world is ended, & the malice of the Synagogue fulfilled. If we look curiously unto it, we shall find these words true, Consummatum est, and few in number, but yet the mysteries enclosed in them very many, because we are assured by those words by his holy mouth, that we are pardoned of the eternal Father, that is, that satisfaction is now ended, and that we are now by his precious son redeemed. Being a rule of the Philosopher, Quod omnia quae fiunt fiunt propter finem. If Christ had not spoken these words Consummatum est, we should not have known so plainly, & of his own mouth, whether all mankind was fully redeemed, or whether there remained any mystery of holy scripture to be accomplished. But seeing the son of God said Consummatum est, we may stand upon a sure ground, that there is neither any works of our redemption vnaccomplished, nor any one tittle of Scripture not fulfilled. O what a great comfort it is to human nature, that Christ had said, Consummatum est, by his own holy mouth. For David, jeremy, Esay, Daniel, Ezechiel, durst never say, that sin was at an end, but only that it should have an end in the time of the Messiah; the which as it was by them prophesied, so it was by Christ fulfilled. Septuaginta hebdomedae abbreviatae sunt super populum tuum & super urbem sanctam tuam ut consummatur prevaricatio, etc., The Angel Gabriel spoke these words to the Prophet Daniel, chap. 9 as if he should say, Seventy weeks hence, which shall be accomplished four hundred and seven and twenty years hence, the holy of all holies shall be anointed, justice shall be perfect, noughtiness shall be blotted out, and sin ended. Compare thou now, O curious reader, the prophecy of Finem accipiet peccatum, with Consummatum est, which Christ spoke, and thou shalt plainly see how it is said only of the son of God, that he shall redeem us, and how he doth assure us that he hath already redeemed us. S. Augustine saith. Who was able to say that sin is at an end, but only he who died to end sin? It is here to be noted what is said, who speaketh it, where he speaketh it, and in what meeting he spoke it, and for what mystery he spoke it. That which is spoken is, Consummatum est, he who spoke it is Christ, the place where, is the cross, the time was even as he was yielding up the ghost, the cause why, was for the comfort of all his church: for of all the seven words which Christ spoke upon the cross, there is none which maketh so much for our purpose, as Consummutum est. In the first word which was. Father forgive them, what interest had the church in it, seeing that Christ spoke it only for the pardon of the Synagogue? In the second, which was, Lord remember me; what had the church in it, seeing it was spoken by the thief which suffered by Christ? In the third which was, Behold thy mother; what part hath the church therein, seeing he spoke it only unto the disciple which was there present, and to his mother which wept by him? In the fourth, which was, Why hast thou forsaken me; what hath the church therein, seeing he speaketh only unto his Father, and complaineth of his Father unto his Father? In the fift, which is, I am a thirst; what part hath the church therein, seeing that thereby he doth show the exceeding great thirst which he sustaineth for the torments which he suffereth? In the seventh word which is, Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit; what part hath the church therein, seeing the son goeth out of the world, and commendeth his spirit unto his Father? If we have any part of all the seven words, it is in Consummatum est, in giving us knowledge by his own mouth of the perfection and end of the old la, and of our full redemption, seeing he spoke then unto us only, and forth end of all our sins, which were at one time redeemed even as Christ did end his life, and gave up his blessed ghost. O profound mystery, O unspeakable secret, and never heard of before, in Consummatum est, seeing that it is nothing else to say Consummatum est, but to give notice unto all the world, that the church is now begun, and the Synagogue cast down, the Scripture fulfilled, & his life ended. His precious blood is ended, the which is so drawn out, that there remained no one drop in his veins, for he came with a determination into the world, fully to accomplish all the love which he bore us, and to shed for us all the blood which he possessed. That is Consummated which I came into the world for, and my father's commandment is also accomplished for whom I came into the world, to manifest his holy name: for so I have done: and if I came to lighten the world & to preach, I have preached and given it light. The grief of my body is ended, the torments of my members, the persecutions of my enemies, the weariness of my bones, the multitude of my travels are all at an end. All that which the Prophecies prophesied, all that which the patriarchs signified, all that which the holy men desired, and all that which our Fathers craved of God, is finished and consummate. The riches of the Temple, the highness of the kingdom, the rigour of the law, the pureness of priesthood, and the honour of the people is at an end. The hatred of the jews, the envy of the pharisees, the hypocrisy of the Saducees, the malice of the Scribes, is fully at an end. What was ever seen that Christ began, which he brought not in the end to full perfection? We are those which do hardly begin any good thing, and if we do begin it, scarce bring it to the middle, and if we bring it to the middle we never end it. The son of God is he only who beginneth all things when he will, continueth them as he ought, and finisheth them as he lusteth. When Christ went to jerusalem to suffer, he said unto his disciples. Ecce ascendimus Hierosolimam, & consummabuntur omnia quae scripta sunt de me, and when he prayed over the supper, he said, Opus consummavi quod dedisti mihi, and on the altar of the cross, he said also, Consummatum est, giving us to understand by that speech, that like unto a man he doth give that which he is commanded, pay that which he doth owe, and accomplish that which he doth promise. S. Cyprian saith, Much greater, O my good jesus, much greater is the taking of the torments, which thou hast endured, than the wasting of the grace which we have lost; and far greater is thy pain than our fault, and thy offering than our offence: and therefore thou dost say, Consummatum est, because that now the fault of the servant is ended with the death of the son. Anselmus saith, O how truly thou dost say, O my good jesus, Consummatum est, for having thy eyes broken as thou hast, thy shoulders opened, thy hands piersed, and the world redeemed, what doth there remain to end, seeing that thou art at an end. Damascen saith, When upon the cross, the son of God saith, Consummatum est, If he would have used the rigour of his justice, as he did use his accustomed clemency, had it think you have been much, that all the world should have ended with him, seeing the Lord ended and died there which did create it. Remigius saith, O bill of payment, O precious money, O sure account, O acquittance of God, which thou dost give us, O good jesus, when thou dost say, Consummatum est, seeing that thou dost assure us by that speech, that the bond & obligation which the devil had over our human nature is paid by thee, and canceled and blotted our, and also cast into dust & ashes. Five thousand years and more we were bound to hell, and subject unto the devil, but the son of God going to the cross to die, he unbound us from the service of the Devil, and as he went by little and little towards his end, the obligation went wearing away, in so much that with this speech Consummatum est, the soul went out of his body, and sin took his end in us. O high Lord, O great redeemer, when thou sayest, Consummatum est, what is that which doth not end, seeing that thy life doth end? God's human life doth end, death to hell, sin to the world, idolatry to gentility, ceremonies to the law, and figures to the Scripture. Pope Leo saith, by this word Consummatum est, was ended, the reproach of the cross, the banishment from heaven, the power of the devil, the treason of the disciple, the denying of Peter, the sentence of Pilate, the indignation of the people, the life of the son, and the comfort of the mother. O comfortless mother, O virgin borne without the like, what grief did thy sorrowful heart feel, when thou heardest thy son say that his life was ended, thou continuing as thou didst without thy son? What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this? With this speech Consummatum est, the pain endeth to those which languished in desiring thee, the offence of the wicked ceaseth, the blood of thy veins drieth up, and yet do not the tears of thy mother's eyes end? With this speech of Consummatum est, All is finished, dost thou dry the tears of those which have offended thee their fill, and dost thou make no reckoning of thy blessed mother, who unto the cross hath followed thee? If under that speech do enter all whom thou hast created, why dost thou leave out thy mother of whom thou wast borne? Most blessed mother of God certainly is not left out, because that here on the cross is finished and accomplished the quietness of her heart, the light of her eyes, the contentment of her entrails, the end of her desires, the rest of her will, the life of her soul, and the hope of her glory.   

CHAP. II. Against disordered eaters and drinkers, and how Christ was a greater martyr than any other, and there is declared a prophesy of Esayas.  
QVando hora voscendi fuerit, veni huc & intinge buccellam tuam in aceto. Ruth. 2. chapter, Honourable old Booz spoke these words unto the honourable and virtuous woman Ruth, when she went with her workmen to gather the ears of corn for to maintain herself and her mother in law, as if he should say, When the hour of dinner is come, thou shalt come where my people lay the table, where thou mayst eat of that that there is, with a piece of bread wet in vinegar. This labourer Booz, and this woman Ruth were great grandfathers to king David, because they begat Obed, and Obed begat jesse, & jesse begat David, in so much that although they were simple country people, yet they deserved to be counted in Christ's line, and be great grandfathers unto King David. If we look curiously unto this letter of the text Booz toucheth four things in it, that he doth invite Ruth, that he doth invite her at dinner time, and that to bread alone, and to wet it in vinegar. This is another kind of banquet than that which the Emperor Vitellius made to certain Ambassadors of Persia, of which Plutarch saith, That if they had bound themselves to give them another dinner like unto their supper, he doubteth whether all the treasure of Rome would have sufficed to have done it. This is another banquet than that of Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra, wherein he and she did spend so many precious stones beaten into powder, and such a great sum of riches, that in the opinion of writers, another Asia might have been bought with it. This was another kind of banquet than that which king Assuerus made to the nobles of his kingdom, in the which for the space of an hundred and fourscore days, there was neither stint in eating, nor measure in drinking. By these examples it is manifest that profane men do invite like unto profane men, and virtuous & good men like unto virtuous men. Such a one seemeth to be this good man Booz, who going in the field, and reaping in summer time, doth not entreat any to breakfast but to dinner, and hath nothing to eat but a slice of bread dipped in vinegar. And this good labourer Booz the better to show his temperancy, and his great abstinency, did not say unto Ruth that she should wet all the bread in the vinegar, but a slice only, the which being hard, he bid her rather wet it to make it soft, than that she should have any great dainty of it. The holy Scripture reciteth this story for the praise of those which are past, and confusion of those which are present, I mean of those which the Apostle speaketh of, whose God is their belly, who rather follow Epicure in eating, than Christ in living. Of all the vices which man's nature is subject unto, there is none that groweth so fast as gluttony, because that in times past all men did keep such a mean in eating, and sobriety in drinking, that there was overmuch meat, and searsity of eaters, but alas now a days there are store of eaters, and want of meats. Vidi monstrum a natura, hominem bis saturum in die, said Plato when he returned from Sicily unto Asia, as if he should say, The thing which maketh me most of all to wonder at in Scicilia, is that I saw a man a monster in nature, because he filled his belly twice every day in eating. O if Plato should come in this our time, how much more would he be scandalised at us than he was to see Dennis the Tyrant fill his belly twice a day, for intemperate men are not content now adays to dine and sup, unless they have also their breakfast and drinking. Let those take example of Booz who will give good example, who did not invite Ruth to breakfast & drinking, but to dinner, seeing that he saith, Veni huc hora vescendi, because that the servant of our Lord should not eat when sensuality doth crave it, but when reason requireth it. Booz did not entreat his well-beloved Ruth to dainty dishes or to precious wines, but only unto a piece of hard bread moistened in vinegar; because that immoderate eating and disordinate drinking doth destroy the memory, dull the understanding, waste the natural heat, stop the stomach, weaken the feeling, disable the person, offend the conscience, & consume a man's goods and substance. Neither did Booz invite Ruth to eat of that bread as much as she would, nor taste of that vinegar as much as she could, but only one slice once dipped in the vinegar; to give us to understand, that all that which savoureth of delicacy and daintiness should be far from a religious man. The letter left a side, and coming to the sense, we have thought good to bring in the figure of vinegar, to search out the reason and cause why the son of God took vinegar for the last torment of his martyrdom, and why in having end to taste of it, he gave up the ghost. Replevit me amaritudinibus & inebriavit me absynthio, The Prophet jeremy spoke these words in his Lamentations, in the name of the redeemer of the world, as if it were in complaining of the Synagogue, and saith, In payment of the great benefits which I have done thee O my Synagogue, thou hast filled me with bitterness, & made me drunk with the juice of wormwood. If there should be no mystery contained under these words, the text would seem to be contrary to itself, for if his body be full of bitterness, how could her contain any more juice of wormwood, and if he could receive more, how then was he full? For the understanding of this, you must understand that as Christ was more than an Angel, so he had more innocency than an Angel; and as he was more than a Prophet, so he had more knowledge than a Prophet; & as he was more than a prince, so he had more power than a Prince; and as he was more than a saint, so he had more perfection in him than saints; and also because he was a greater Martyr than all other Martyrs, he did suffer more martyrdom than any other Martyr. Origen upon job saith, That by reason that the son of God was more than man, because he was both God and man, he knew more than a man, he could do more than a man, he did more than a man, he suffered more than a man, and endured more than any man; for the griefs which passed through his heart, and the torments which his members suffered, what tongue is able to rehearse them, how much more what body is able to suffer them? Every martyr may say with jeremy, He hath filled me with bitterness; because they were tormented with so many torments: but the son of God only can say, And he hath made me drunk with absynth: that is to wit, over & beside that he suffered all that other martyrs did suffer, he did suffer another new kind of martyrdom, which did exceed all other martyrdoms of man. All the holy and chosen men of our Lord have drunk a thousand draughts of very bitter martyrdom, but the son of God only did drink Absynth, because there was no heaviness which did not possess his heart, nor no dolour which did not oppress his members. Saint Ambrose saith, All the words which Christ spoke we may believe, but all the excellent works that he did, we be not able to imitate; because that besides the common strength which bodies are wont to have, he took more to be able to suffer those torments, for the flesh of the son of God was so tender and delicate of itself, that if he should not have added force unto his own force, and strength unto his own strength, it could not have been but he should have died very young, or else never have been able to have suffered so high a martyrdom. What was Christ's meaning then, when he said Inebriavit me absynthio, But that he only drunk that drink of absynth, seeing that he alone did suffer more torments than all the Martyrs. Christ is not contented to say, that he drunk much of that drink, but that he drunk it all, to let us thereby understand, that as no man can be drunk but with pure wine, so the son of God was he who suffered pure martyrdom without any ease at all. No man ever drank of pure martyrdom as Christ did, for all other martyrs, if they suffered in some of their members, they did not in others, and if they suffered in body, they suffered not in spirit, and if they suffered in spirit, they had some comfort in it, insomuch that the comfort which God gave them was greater than the martyrdom which they suffered. Upon those words of the Psalm, Extraneus sum fratribus meis, Basil saith, Christ was a stranger and separated from his brothers, the other martyrs his companions, because that in his bitter passion he was less comforted and more tormented than any of them. Like unto a man overloaden with reproach and infamy, and full of torment, Christ said upon the cross, Deus, Deus, meus quare me dereliquisti? The which complaint he would never have used, if his father had comforted him as he did other Martyrs. Speaking the more particularly, Christ in tasting gall and vinegar, said immediately Consummatum est, to let us thereby understand, that in that bitter drink was ended the cure of the sweet taste which Adam had in eating the apple. The figure doth very well answer unto the thing figured, and the hurt unto the remedy, in that, that as that entered in by the mouth in which Adam sinned, so by Christ's mouth entered in the remedy of that sin; & as sin began in a sweet apple, so it should end in sour vinegar. Hard by the wood Adam committed the offence, & on the wood Christ redeemed the sin; in sweetness our hurt began, and in bitterness began our good and remedy. Adam in eating of that which liked him died, and Christ tasting of that which was bitter gave up his ghost. Because the truth should answer unto the figure, the spirit unto the letter, and the secret unto the mystery, & the fault to the pain, the son of God's pleasure was, that his last torment should be with sharp vinegar, because that with that drink should be cured the grievousness of our sin. Ad anunciandum mansuet is misit me, ut mederer contritis cord, & predicarem captivis indulgentia & clausis apersionem, Esay, 61. These are the words of the redeemer of the world spoken by the mouth of the Prophet Esayas, declaring by them his meaning why he came from heaven into the world, saying, The cause why I came into the world, was to preach unto the meek, to cure the diseased, to tell captives that they should be delivered, and denounce to all that are bound that they shall be now loosed. The redeemer of the world reciteth four causes why he came into the world; that is, to preach unto the good, to cure the diseased, to redeem captives, and lose prisoners. These four things are so high to be enterprised, and so hard to be achieved, that none but Christ in the world was able to do it. It may be, that some man be able to preach, but he cannot cure, and if he can cure infirmities, yet he is not of power to redeem captives, & if he be of power to redeem captives, yet he hath no authority to let go prisoners: insomuch that there is no man in the world so valorous, but doth want the performance of one of these four things, only the son of God hath all, seethe all, understandeth all, knoweth all, and can do all. And thereupon it happeneth, that man doth not perform that which he taketh in hand, because he cannot, but Christ not because he cannot, but because he will not. Esaias saith, That Christ came first to preach to the humble & meek, & not to the proud, to let us thereby understand, that the meek & gentle would believe him, and the proud and foolish mock at his life and doctrine. He saith secondly, that he came to cure and heal him who had his heart broken, and not those who had no repentance of their naughtiness, to let us thereby understand, that the shedding of his precious blood should have no virtue nor efficacy in those which never amend, but in such as of their wickedness do repent. Thirdly he saith, that Christ came into the world to redeem captives out of captivity: wherein thou sayst most truly O my good jesus, because there was no sin in the world which thou didst not pay for, nor no sinner whom thou didst not redeem. Fourthly, he saith, that Christ came into the world to deliver prisoners out of jail, and loose them out of prison: wherein he saith also most truly, for he did deliver all men from the thraldom of the devil, and redeem sinners who were captives. O glorious incarnation, O blessed coming, O happy ●ourney that that was which Christ made from heaven to the earth, seeing the exercises wherein he occupied himself, and the office which he took upon him were such, that the Angels knew not how to do them, nor all the men in the world undertake them. Upon these words, Vt mederer cord contritis, S. Augustine saith, Magnus venit medicus, quia magnus ubique iacebat egrotus, as if he should say, agreeable to the words of Esayas, There came from high heaven a very great Physician, because that in every corner of the earth there lay a sick body. What Physician was there ever in the world who brought such medicines as Christ did, or kept such an order in curing us? the order which Physicians prescribe, is, that first they ordain a diet for the patiented, to extenuate the humours, than they procure him some sweat to expel ventosities, than they let him blood to correct the matter, and then they give him a purgation to rid and empty him of all that is superfluous and hurtful in him. The Physician doth all this, giving a receipt in a paper, and sending it to the Apothecary, and ministering it to the patiented; in so much that the physicians cure is in the pulse which he doth handle, and receipt which he ordaineth. When good jesus saith by Esayas, Veni ut mederer contritis corda, although he observed this order in curing the diseased, yet he observed it not in administering his medicines. For the swearing bleeding, and purging, which the diseased should have received, our benign jesus took upon him when he was in health. Dost thou not think that he kept a diet, when he did fast not only forty days, but considering that all his holy life was a longer diet? Dost thou not think that he sweat all our sins, when in his agony in the garden his blood did run by all his pores? Dost thou not think that he bled all the corruption of our sins, when he did scarce leave a drop of blood in all his veins? Dost thou not think that he purged the corruption and perdition of all the world, when he took the purgation of gall and sour vinegar? Not without a high mystery then, and a profound Sacrament, he said upon the cross, Consummatum est, as he ended to take that purgation, giving us thereby to understand, that the diseased man was purged, let blood, sweat, and was healed, and that there was nothing else to be done in him, if he did not fall again by fault.   

CHAP. III. Of the greatness of the son of God, and how all things have weight and measure, and number, saving only the humanity of Christ.  
COnsummatus factus est, & obtemperantibus sibi causa salutis aeternae. Hebrews 5. The Apostle speaketh these words, talking with the jews of the high perfections which were in Christ, as if he should say, This son of God which I preach unto you, was very perfect in himself, and was cause that all such as did believe in him, should attain to everlasting life and salvation by him. There are some which be neither good to themselves nor unto others; and there are some which be good to others, and not good to themselves; and there are other who are good to themselves and all others, and of these the son of God was, seeing the Apostle saith, That he was Consummatus, to wit, that the son of God is good in all perfection, and to all good men very profitable. Under these few words the Apostle comprehendeth many grave sentences, that is, he will call us to memory who the son of God is, & therefore he saith, Quod consummatus factus est, & also what profit we receive by his coming, and therefore he saith, Quod fuit causa salutis aeterna. These two things are not of such small quality, but that under them all the holy scriptures are comprehended. For having said what Christ is, and what he hath done in the world, there is nothing more to be sought for in all the Gospel. Because Christ did say on the cross Consummaetum est, and because the Apostle S. Paul doth say of Christ, Consummatum factus est, it is convenient for us to turn again to these words, because we may see in them how great Christ's omnipotency is, unto the which no poor creature is able to reach unto. To speak of the greatness and omnipotency of God, is to go about to take the heavens with our hands, or measure the earth by handy breads, or the sea by ounces. Cum inceperit hora tunc finiet, said the wise man, as if he would say, The greatness of God is so high to reach unto, so inscrutable to understand, so invisible to see, so omnipotent to comprehend, that when we think that we are come to an end of understanding it, than we are but at the beginning of searching it. Holket upon these words saith, What would the wise man say, [that when we should make an end, than we should begin] but that if we will speak of the greatness of God, either that we never begin to magnify it, or never end to praise it. S. Augustine in his fourth book De Trinitate, saith, The cause why the mysteries of God do make all the world afeard is, not because God is one, but Trinus, and that he is one the jew is easily convinced, and the Moor also to believe it, but that God is Trinus and one, as he is, none doth believe it but the Christian. And he saith further, that which God doth make us wonder at in his divinity, Christ doth in his humanity, for if he had but one thing alone in him, we should dare to speak of his greatness, but having three things in him which are, divinity, flesh, and soul, and that all three are brought & reduced to one divine person, the understanding will be weary to think of it, & the tongue dumb to rehearse it. Omnia fecit deus in numero pondere, & mensura, saith the wise man, as if he should say, Our Lord is so certain in all that he doth, and so wary in all that he taketh in hand, that be they never so many he numbereth them all, be they never so great he weigheth them, and be they never so broad he measureth them, so that in the house of God there is number, weight, and measure. The most sacred humanity of the son of God cometh not under this reckoning, for being as it is united unto the word, it is so perfect and adorned with such high merit, that there is no number to count it, nor wait to weigh it, nor yet yard to measure it. As concerning the first, Christ's humanity wanteth this which we have said of number, seeing he is but one person, and according to the Philosopher, no unity is a number, but the beginning of number. Upon those words of the Prophet, Tu solus cog novisti novissima & antiqua, S. Basil saith, Alone and not accompanied with any, the son of God is united to the word, and in his holy governance no man sitteth with him, nor no man doth bear him company in that high principality; for as in that he is God, he hath being by his own proper production, so in that, that he is man he is first created, and of all things created, he is the beginning of number. Upon those words, Omnia per ipsum facta sunt, Irenaeus saith, Even as all things were made by Christ, in that that he was God, so they were made by him in that that he was man, because he was the first thing which God intended in the creation, to create all things for him, as unto him who should be heir of all: by reason whereof we own unto the son of God, not only our redemption, but also our creation; for if it had not been by him, and for him, God would have created nothing: for the means being taken away, the end was also taken away. Touching the second, the humanity of the word wanteth weight, & he cannot be weighed, for all the Saints being put in one balance, and the son of God in another, it would be that, that a drop of water is in respect of all the water which is in the world. Who is he which can be weighed with Christ, or be compared with the least of his merits? If before his sight the heavens be not clean, how dare any saints be weighed with him? Concerning the third, the humanity of the word cannot be measured, because that the grace which was given to him alone was so much, that neither in heaven, nor in earth there is found any measure for it. How can there be found any measure in the son of God, seeing that it is he with the which is measured all human and Angelical nature? We may gather of that which we have said, that seeing Christ hath removed from himself, number, weight, and measure, yet that it is a folly and a rashness to think to find an end in his greatness. We speak all this, because that considering that there is two natures in Christ, one divine, and the other human, we will not talk immediately of his divine essence, but of his human, as it is compared to the divine, and so we shall understand somewhat of Christ, although we cannot comprehend all that doth belong unto him. Suscepit de manu demini duplicia, saith the Prophet Esayas, chap. 40. speaking of that which the eternal Father had given his only son, as if he should say, All other creatures received single favours, and only the son of God received them double, for all other besides himself were nothing but bare men, but he was man and God, & God and man. Duplicia suscepit de manu domini, because he was more than that which he seemed to be, and he was more than that which was hidden, because his divinity was hid, and his humanity did appear, and to his divinity was united his humanity. He received two gifts of our Lord, seeing that under that earth is hidden a precious pearl, and under that rough covering is enclosed the heavenly cloth of gold. He received double favour at our Lords hands, seeing that under the penitent weed we shall find the great king of Ninivy, and under those dead skins, we shall find the good Patriarch jacob alive. He received two things at our Lords hands, for if we take away the covering, we shall see all the divine essence, and if we break the vail of the Temple, we shall know the height and the purest part of the heaven. He received two singularities of our Lord, seeing he alone and no other is at one time a traveler and at his journeys end, at one time with the superior portion enjoyeth, and with the inferior suffereth. He received two gifts, seeing it was given to him and to no other, to be passable and impassable, visible and invisible, mortal and immortal, temporal and eternal. Suscepit de manu domini duplicia, seeing it was given unto him alone to be the end of the unhappy Synagogue, and the beginning of the catholic church, and to be him who doth inflict punishment upon the bad, and giveth glory unto the good. Behold then how Christ's humanity is a perfect image & a high resemblance, such as is not to be found neither in heaven nor upon earth, because it is made to the lively likeness of God, and because it is always like his mould and type which is the Word. Hilarius in his second book of the Trinity saith, Even as a glorious body united unto a glorious soul, is as it were spiritual, and hath spiritual conditions, so the humanity of the divine word being united unto God, hath the same conditions and qualities, as he unto whom he is united. Damascen in his sentences saith, As it was commanded that all should be given to the noble dame judith which did belong to Holofernes, seeing that she had overcome him, so unto the man Christ it was given and attributed, that all that should be said of him, which was said of the Word, seeing that he did also overcome the devil. And because we may the better see what conformity there is betwixt the humanity and the divinity, we will speak one word upon every word of that which S. john did put in the beginning of his holy Gospel, speaking of the eternal Word. In the beginning was the Word, saith S. john, speaking of the eternal generation of the son of God. Wherein he giveth us to understand, that that eternal word hath his being by the first internal emanation of the Father, seeing that he proceedeth of him by the way of understanding, which is the first emanation, and before the will, seeing it is presupposed. That which we say of the divinity, we may also say of the humanity, seeing that it was in the beginning of God, by an Hypostatical union in the word, and by an excellency of perfection above all that which God created. And the word was with God, saith also S. john, as if he should say, Because thou mayest see that the person of the Father is not the person of the son, nor the person of the son the person of the Father, if I have said, that In the beginning was the word, I say now that near unto God was the same word, in so much that that which is near unto me is without all doubt distinguished from me. The humanity is so near unto the divinity, that it is one person with it, and thereupon it is, that as in the Father and in the son there is but one essence although they be two persons, so in the word of God, and in the humanity of Christ, although there be two natures, there is but one person; and this divine, and not human. S. john saith further, And God was the Word, which may also be said of the humanity well understood, as of the divinity, by the high communication of divine and human qualities which are in Christ, because there are many things in Christ by grace, which are in God by nature. Upon those words. In quo habitat omnis plenitudo divinitatis, S. Ambrose saith, The divinity of the word doth dwell so perfectly in the humanity of Christ, that because that is so nearly united and deified which is contained, it taketh the name of that which containeth it: and he saith further, Quod factum est in ips● vita erat. The which he speaketh, because that being (as he is God) the fountain of all life, and that of his only will doth proceed all life, it is certain that all that should be in him should be life. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, As all things in God shall be called life, because they are accompanied and joined in him, so in his holy humanity, all things are life, because there are united in him all the goodness of glory and grace. As all that which is made in the word is life, & all that which is out of it is death, so all that which is wrought in Christ for his honour and glory is life, and all that which is not done in him and by him is all death. S. john goeth forward and saith, And the life was the light of men, which he speaketh for the light of reason, which he did imprint in the souls, which were blind by sin, the which blindness was remedied with the light of the humanity of Christ, the which although it do not shine like unto the most simple divine light, yet it was sufficient to lighten all human nature: and he addeth further, That the light doth shine in darkness, Et tenebrae eum non comprehenderunt, which words may be no less verified of the humanity of Christ than of the divinity of the word. Hilarius upon those words saith, In respect of the divine clearness all other creatures may be called darkness, because it is impossible that the divine should not always shine, but the human hath every hour need of light. God doth shine in the darkness of our sins, seeing that none but he can forgive them: and in this point it is no other thing to say, Tenebrae eum non comprehenderunt, but that his most great mercy cannot be made empty. S. Barnard in a Sermon saith, God is mighty in forgiving sins, but he is most mighty in forgiving those which are often committed, wherein is showed his infinite mercy, seeing that he is not comprehended by them, nor limited in pardoning them, but he doth pardon them when he will, how he will, and unto whom he will. In that that he is man, Christ hath also darkness where he may shine, that is to wit, all pure creatures be they never so holy and chosen, seeing that of themselves they have no light at all, if they do not receive it of the son of God. S. Jerome saith, The perfection and light of Christ is so great, that being compared unto that which other Saints have, it seemeth that it maketh them somewhat unperfect, which is to be understood, not because there is any want in them, but because there is a great abundance of excellency. Irenaus in a Sermon saith, Although God took from the spirit of Moses to give unto those elders which should be judges with him, yet notwithstanding Moses continued wiser than they: so it is in Christ, from whom how much grace so ever the holy men do take, or have taken, yet they did never draw his grace dry, nor at any time compared themselves with him. We have used all this long discourse to prove how well the Apostle said of Christ, Quod Consummatus factus est, seeing that by these words it doth appear, that he had all perfections in him, and by his Consummatus est, which he spoke upon the cross, that all our wickedness is now finished and at an end.   

CHAP. FOUR Herein is entreated of the greatness and wealth of salomon's temple, and how that in the sacred and holy temple of Christ's humanity, the holy ghost hath bestowed greater workmanship, riches, and spiritual gifts, than were in the temple which Solomon did build.  
Edificavit Salomon domum domini, & consummavit eam. 3. Reg. chap. 6. that is, King Solomon builded a house for our Lord, & he made such speed in the building of it, that he never ceased until he had finished it. Origen upon this place saith, The love which God beareth mankind is so great, that it pleased him to make himself a neighbour and an inhabitant of this world, and therefore he would have Solomon build an house here upon earth, where he might with ease communicate with every person. And because that this material temple was a figure of the true temple which was Christ, and because the Scripture saith of the one, Quod consummavit eam, and Christ also saith of his Consummatum est, we will first tell you how magnificent Solomon was in building of his, and then we will declare unto you how liberal the holy Ghost was in framing that of Christ. The case thn●estandeth thus, that in the year four hundred and fourscore after that the jews went our of Egypt, and in the fourth year after that Solomon inherited the kingdom, in the second month of that year, which was in April, the building of the Temple began, and was finished in all perfection in the seventh year. There were always busied in the working of that temple a hundred fifty and three thousand and six hundred workmen, and all this in time of peace, for otherwise in time of war, it might have been that some should have builded, and others defended. Of this great number of workmen, fourscore thousand brought stones out of the mountains, and seuen●y thousand carried burdens on their shoulders, and the three thousand and six hundred were as it were overseers and commanders: The vassals of the king of Tyrus are not comprehended under this number, who did cut wood on the Mount Lybanus, and yet they were many in number, as it may appear in that Solomon did send them at one time twenty thousand load of corn, and twenty thousand of barley, and twenty thousand quintales of oil, and forty thousand measures of wine. Neither are there included in this number the Mariners which brought timber, nor the engravers which engraved images, nor the goldsmiths which wrought in silver, which were a great number, seeing that the metal which they wrought was much. The Scripture maketh no mention of the silver that was spent there, but he saith only that there was such abundance of it in Salomone house, as there are stones on the earth. What shall we say of the gold that was spent there, which would seem incredible to all the world? Before that king David died, he left three thousand measures of gold for the building of the Temple, which he offered of his own, and not of that which he had taken in war. All the nobles of the Realm did offer also for the building of that holy edifice five thousand measures of gold, besides others metals of latin, copper, and tin, whereof there is no weight laid down, because the quantity of it exceedeth number. What riches was spent there may be easily gathered in that, that the Temple was all covered with gold from the top unto the bottom, & that not of plain gold like a painted table, but curiously cut & kerned. In this proud building, this word gilding is seldom used, but this word clad with gold, and interlaced with gold, and covered with gold is oft spoken, and therefore that which Solomon did of pure gold, is more than now adays is wont to be gilded. The Gloss saith, That the floor of the greatest place, which they called Sancta, and the floor of the lesser, which they called Sancta sanctorum, were both paved with fine gold, and all this for the reverence of the ark, whereby so much the more every thing was more precious, by how much the nearer it was unto it. For the service of this Temple there were appointed twenty and four thousand Priests, of the great tribe of Levi, whose charge was to paunch the beasts, offer sacrifice, light the lamps, and kindle the fire. For to keep the gates of the Temple, there were appointed four thousand porters, and for to sing the Psalms which David made, and those which Solomon made, there were chosen other four thousand, whose office was also to play on instruments of music. If the building which Solomon made was proud and stately, so was also the first sacrifice which he offered, for he killed and offered unto our Lord on one day twenty and two thousand beeves, and a hundred and twenty thousand sheep. Now that we have spoken of the pomp, glory, and riches of that famous temple, we will tell you in what all this great treasure did end, and thereby it may be perceived how vain and brittle all worldly glory is, and especially that which is founded upon riches. It is a thing much to be wondered at, and worthily to be noted, that when the Sancta was not rich, and when the great city of jerusalem was poor, with their poverty they did overcome all their enemies, and afterward with their wealth they were overcome by them. David was poorer than Solomon, and Saul was poorer than David, and yet for all their poverty they had more victories over their enemies then Solomon and Roboam his son in their times, whose riches & treasures did exceed the treasures of their predecessors. Men think that the remedy against misery & poverty, doth consist in getting much wealth and riches, and in having abundance of all things; the which thing to think is a great vanity, and a dangerous thing to get, for we see many, who thinking to bring wealth and riches to their house, bring death, war, and dissension to it: and because we may not seek far for examples, let us look upon the jews with their treasures, and if we weigh the matter well, we shall find for a truth that misery & poverty is not remedied with riches, and that the captain of misery is peace, and the companion of riches is misery. No longer after the death of Solomon but five years, Sesach king of Egypt did send to jerusalem seventy thousand horsemen, and twice as many footmen, and a thousand two hundred Wagons for carriages, and took jerusalem and rob the Temple, and spoiled king Roboams' palace: insomuch that the Temple was not so long a sacking as it was a building. The king of Babylon did send his army to judea, who used the matter so well, that he took the city, and rob the Temple, and led the king of judea prisoner to Babilonia, and no man was able to resist him or hurt him. After this great mischief came the king of the Chaldeans, who killed the young men, took the women captive, set fire on their towers, burned the sanctuary, & took the people prisoners, and rob the treasure. The wars which the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Babylonians had with the Hebrews, were not because they did hold them for their enemies, but only to rob their treasures: nsomuch that against the poor Israelites made greater wars their own riches, than all other barbarous nations. Let the literal conclusion be, that we may say truly of the Temple of Solomon, Quod Consummatum est, seeing that the Temple is at an end, Solomon which made it, the people where it was made, the riches with the which it was made, and the sacrifices for the which it was made. Of all this we may gather, that God doth not give us riches, because we should love them, but because we should benefit ourselves by them, & serve him with them: but alas that which God doth give us to serve him withal, we do turn to our own pleasures and delights. Dominus in templo sancto suo, dominus in caelo sedes eius, saith the Psal. 10. as if he would say, The places where our Lord doth most of all abide are in the heavens where he hath his seat, and in the holy Temple where he hath his dwelling place. Because we should not think that the Temple which he here speaketh of is the Temple of Solomon in jerusalem, or of Dian. in Antiochia, or of Pantheus in Rome. God said not that he dwelled in every Temple, but he added holy, and also his For in the Temple where God must dwell there must be no sin, nor any else with him. The Temple which Solomon made was very rich, and although it was a Temple, it followeth not that it was holy, for if it had been, and those also which made it, they would not have killed within it the great Prophet Zachary hard by the altar, nor they would not have placed the Idol As●aroth in it upon the altar, nor they would not have consented that Pompeius should have made a stable for his horses hard by the altar which was dedicated unto divine sacrifices. Neither was that Temple holy in respect of the Priests and ministers which were in it, for if it had been holy they would not have had birds at the gate to sell, nor banks for Usurers, nor Christ would not have rebuked them, nor they put Christ to death. Neither was that Temple holy in respect of the sacrifices, seeing that they were not sufficient to take away sins: and if there was any profit in them, it was not by reason of the sacrifice which was there offered, but in respect of the merits of those which did offer them. Neither will we say that salomon's Temple was holy by reason of the matter whereof it was made, because that true and sincere holiness is not in gold, silver, timber, & stone, whereof it was made, but in the Christian and glorious Temple which is there assembled and gathered together. It followeth then of that which is spoken, that God doth not abide every where, & where every man lusteth, but where our Lord will make his dwelling place must be a Temple, and that a holy Temple, and his own Temple, or else he will dwell with none. Where or who is the true Temple where God dwelleth, but the most sacred humanity of the son of God? We shall call his deified body a Temple, and a holy Temple, and his own Temple: because of him and of no other, God said at the river of jordan, This is my well-beloved son. This holy Temple was builded not by the hands of Solomon the peaceable, but by the hands and industry of the Holy-ghost, in whose framing and fashioning as Solomon spent seven years, so the Holy-ghost did endue his with his seven gifts. This our Temple is far more richer than salomon's was, for if his was covered with gold, so ours is covered with divine love: and the difference betwixt those two may easily be known, by the difference that is betwixt a simple gilter, and a great lover. In salomon's Temple, the things of gold were so measured, & those of wood so leveled, that when they were laid down, there was no Axe nor hamber heard: When the Holy-ghost did frame the Temple of the most sacred humanity of Christ in the womb of the blessed Virgin Mary, he framed it so just, and made it in all perfection so exquisite, that there was there no axe of sin, nor hamber of the devil. The windows of that temple were broader within than without, to signify unto us that the love which Christ had secretly in his entrails was far greater and brother than the wounds were which he suffered for us: and although that at the beginning he doth lead his a strait and narrow way, yet after that they do taste of his heavenly love he maketh all things broad and large unto them. In this holy Temple of Christ, we must offer pure gold and excellent silver, which we do then, when in heart we believe him, and with our mouth confess him. There must also be offered latten, copper, and brass, by which we may understand the virtue of patience, for as those metals do suffer many blows, and serve to many uses, so the virtue of patience doth suffer many injuries, and maketh many men virtuous. It is fit for us to offer there a jacinth stone, which is of the colour of heaven to signify thereby unto us, that all our works & desires should be directed to attain heaven, because that is in heaven which we do believe on earth; there he dwelleth whom we preach here; and that is recompensed there which we suffer here. We should offer also in the lively Temple of that blessed humility, scarlet well coloured and fine: whereby is understood the memory which we ought to have of his holy passion, the which if it was troublesome for him to suffer, is most profitable for us to contemplate. O how happy should he be of whom it might be said, thy hairs are like unto the scarlet of the king died in the gutters. What are the hears but my thoughts? and what are the gutters but his precious wounds? and what is the coloured scarlet but his most precious flesh, died in his own precious blood? O who could be worthy to wash in this blood the hears of his thoughts, every day a little time, for seeing them of that colour, they would presently be acceptable to Christ. Thou shouldest offer also in this most holy Temple scarlet twice died, that is, love doubled: & if thou wilt know what love doubled is, we tell thee that it is the love of God, and the love of thy neighbour. He offereth scarlet twice died, who doth the works of charity unto his neighbour, and giveth no evil speech unto any man: and he doth also offer scarlet twice died who offereth his soul unto God, and part of his goods unto his neighbour in necessity. God did also command fine white linen to be offered unto him, whereby a chaste and a clean conversation is understood, because there is nothing in this world in greater danger than the fame of a virtuous person. Fly then my brother, fly the occasions of the world, and trust not so much as thyself, for how much the finer the third of thy fame is, the sooner it will be broken & spotted, if thou have not a viligant care over it. God commanded likewise that they should offer him in his Temple timber of the wood Cethin, because it was incorruptible, whereby are understood all perfect works and well finished, and this he noteth, that if in virtuous works we have not great constancy and peseverance, the worm doth consume them like as they do timber. God doth also command that they should offer in his Temple goats hear, if they had nothing else, nor no other riches, and thereupon the Lord may offer what he will, and man what he can. What other thing are the goats hear which thou art to offer unto him, but only our sharp and austere works with the which we are to serve him? With a vile and base and rough covering, cloth of gold and fine silk is kept, and with a severe life fame is conserved and a clean conscience, because that dainty meats and curious apparel are not to be used among perfect men. O how happy he should be who might say with Christ, Consummatum est, that is, that he followed our Lord until the last hour as he might, and offered unto him that which he had.   

CHAP. V How that all the mysteries and prophecies which God had prophesied of him were most highly fulfilled in Christ in jerusalem.  
ECce ascendimus Hierosolimam, & consummabuntur omnia quae scripta sunt de filio hominis, Luke 18. Christ spoke these words unto his disciples in the last journey that he made with them in this life, and it as if he would say, Behold we go up into the great city of jerusalem, where all the prophecies shall be fulfilled which are written of me, and where the son of the virgin shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, shall be scorned, and spit upon, whipped and put to death, and after three days they shall see him risen again. Before all things it is principally to be noted, that wheresoever this adverb (Ecce) is put, there is always signified some great mystery as in Esayas, Ecce, Behold a virgin shall bring forth: in the incarnation, Ecce, Behold the handmaid of the Lord: in the transfiguration, Ecce, Behold a white cloud: in the temptation, Ecce, Behold the Angels shall minister unto him: and in his resurrection, Ecce, behold an earthquake. The things which Christ spoke unto them in this place were so high, and the mystery so great which he discovereth unto them, that they could not only not understand it, but they were also afeared and began to tremble to hear it: for they thought it a violent thing that they should martyr a holy man, and they thought it a very strange thing that any man should rise again. Theophilus upon S. Matthew saith, That it is much to be noted, that in all other journeys which Christ made, it is always said that he went in the company of his disciples, this one excepted, where he saith, that he went before them, to declare the great joy that he had, to see that he went to die and suffer passion for those whom he meant to redeem and save. The difference betwixt those which take in hand any journey is this, that he who goeth with greatest joy goeth always foremost, because he would soonest come to the end: and so it fell out here, for Christ having a greater desire of our redemption and salvation than the Apostles had, made most haste on the way. Secretum meum mihi, secretum meum mihi, said God by Esayas chap. 24. as if he would say, From the beginning of the world in the depth of the eternity, I have kept close a secret which no man knoweth. O infinite good, O high Trinity, what is this secret, and from whom dost thou hide it? If there be more than one secret, why dost thou call it two? and if there be but one, why dost thou say twice, My secret to myself, My secret to myself? He doth twice iterate this word Secret, because there be two mysteries, and yet calleth them in the singular number, because they are but of one Christ, in whom they were accomplished, and for whose cause they were unto the world revealed. What greater secret, or what greater mystery, or what higher Sacrament could there be in the world, than for Christ to tell his disciples, that being God he should die, & being man he should rise again? And it was not without a great mystery that Christ would draw his disciples from the people, draw them to the way, and talk with them in secret, letting them understand by these circumstances, that that which he would tell them should be a great secret, seeing that he did not tell it then but in great secret. Chrisostome upon S. Matthew saith, All the glory of God and all the salvation of the Gentiles consisteth in the death which Christ died, and in the blood which for all the world he shed: and therefore because the mystery was so high & so strange, he would not discover it but unto those of his holy college, and unto them also in great secret. It was a high mystery to say, That being God he should die; and it was also as strange to say, That he who was man should rise again: and he would not reveal it unto the people, because they should not be scandalised, but revealed it to those of his holy college for their benefit, because that the most preciousest treasures are always kept in the best and surest chests. It is not then without cause that the text saith, Assumpsit eos secretò, to let us thereby understand, that we should not reveal high secrets to all men, nor yet hide them from some men. Now that Christ hath drawn his disciples into the field, and lead them somewhat beside the way, the text saith, that he spoke secretly unto them, saying, Behold we go up to jerusalem: as if he should say, My children & my brethren, I will open a secret unto you, such as you have never heard before, that is, that we draw now near unto jerusalem, where I am to suffer, and now the time is come when I must suffer, & the death which they will give shall be such as my Father hath ordained, and which in the Scripture is prophesied, and which by me is accepted. And because our Lord here saith that he must die in jerusalem and not else where, the prophesy of the Psalm is to be considered, 73. which saith, Deus autem rex noster ante secula operatus est salutem in medie terrae. His meaning is, Our God and our king hath determined to redeem the world in a place which is in the middle of the world. If we read Ptholome in his tables, and believe Strabo in his book of the situation of the world, they will say that the situation of the city of jerusalem is in the middle of the earth, and that that precisely is the navel and centre of the world. According unto the prophesy alleged Christ dying in jerusalem, he died in the middle of the world, because that jerusalem hath on the South side the kingdom of Egypt, on the East side the kingdom of Arabia, and on the West side the Mediteran●an sea doth compass it, and one the North side the kingdom of Syria. Basill the great saith upon the Psalms, There could nothing be more fit and convenient, than that he who was the mean and mediator that God should pardon our sin, should die as he did in the middle of the world: for if he should have died in the East or in the West, they would have thought that they had been redeemed, & that all the rest had continued condemned. By reason whereof, our Redeemer of the world would die in the midst of all men, seeing that he suffered for all men. Barnard in an Epistle saith, When the Prophet saith, that our Lord hath wrought our salvation in the middle of the earth, he meaneth that he loveth the mean very much, & hateth extremes: for he doth aswell hate the extreme of fasting, as overmuch eating; and he hateth as well extreme poverty as too much wealth; and he hateth as well too great baseness of mind as extreme pride; and he hateth as well extreme ignorance as overmuch eloquence. Cyprian saith, In this thou mayest see what an enemy Christ is to extreamties, and how little he favoureth such as use them, in that, that for to give us an example, that in all things we should cleave to the mean, and fly the extremes, his will was to die in the middle of all the world. We must note also, that Christ saith, Ecce ascendimus, for by this he showeth that he goeth not to his death forced or constrained by any, but of his own love: the which infinite love as it brought him from heaven to take flesh, so it doth lead him to die on the cross. When the son of God saith unto his Disciples, Behold we go up to jerusalem, this is no speech of a malefactor, but of a great Redeemer, because the wicked man never saith unto his friends, I go to die, but look they carry or lead me to receive justice. O high mystery, O divine Sacrament, who ever heard that such a man as Christ was, young, healthful, free, and just, of his own proper will should say unto his Disciples, Behold I go to jerusalem to die: as if he would say, Behold I go to be merry and to great joy. Aymon saith, What saith he else when he saith, Behold we go up to jerusalem, but make it known unto the rulers of the church, that he goeth to die before his information be drawn, before the sergeants do take him, before the hangmen do keep him, and before that the judge hath given sentence on him. Rabanus upon this place saith, When Christ saith unto his Disciples, Behold we go up to jerusalem: it is as if he would say, Behold and mark well, that when you shall see me hanged upon the cross like unto a malefactor, do not think that I am only a man, for if to die be the condition of a man, yet to die willingly is the property of God alone. He who is a pure man dieth although he would not, but he who is God and man dieth when he will: and such was the son of God, who took death when he would, and took again his life when it pleased him. Remigius in a certain Homily saith, In this speech of, [Behold we go up to jerusalem] the son of God doth show two things unto us, that is, That he goeth to die; and that he goeth to suffer that death of his own accord: so that we own him for two debts, the one for the blood which he shed, and the other for the love with the which he shed it. Cyrillus saith also, If as Christ said, Behold I go to jerusalem to die of my own voluntary will, he should have said, Behold they draw me to be iusticied by force; we should have been bound unto him for the martyrdom which he suffered, & not for the will with the which he suffered. But seeing he saith plainly that he goeth of his own voluntary will, to the butchery of the Mount of Calvary to be executed; it is certain, that if we own him much for that he did suffer, we own him much more for the love with the which he did suffer. S. Jerome saith likewise in this speech of Ecce ascendimus, our great shepherd doth admonish all other shepherds, that when necessity doth so require, they should not oppose themselves against any tyrant if they would put them to death, but also offer themselves to death for the salvation of their flock: because there is no higher degree of martyrdom, than to die for the saving of his neighbour. Simon de Gassia saith, For the son of God to say unto his disciples, Behold I go to die, and not, They carry me to kill me; was to let them understand, that to the Christian religion, & profession of the Gospel we should not be drawn by force, but go willingly, because our Lord doth not so much regard the feet with the which we seek him, as he doth behold out intentions with which we love him. And Christ saith further, Et consummabuntur omnia quae scripta sunt de me, as if he would say, The cause why I go to jerusalem is because all things which are written of me by the Prophets may be fulfilled and accomplished. Origen saith, All things which were written of Christ are brought unto three things, and all those to be fulfilled by him, to wit, that which he should do, that which he should suffer, and the reward which he should have, aswell for that which he did in his life, as for that which he suffered at his death. That which Christ did, was to plant the church: that which he suffered, was a most cruel death: & the reward which he received, was his glorious resurrection: insomuch that in his holy life, in his dreadful death and passion, and glorious resurrection, all the holy Scripture is contained. These two speeches which Christ spoke do very well agree, that is, that which he saith here Consummabuntur omnia, and the other which he uttered upon the cross Consummatum est. For in that, that he died and rose again, all was fulfilled that was written of him. But speaking more particularly, Christ saith, that in entering into jerusalem, he should be delivered unto the Gentiles, and that he should be mocked with injurious words, and spit upon with gross spittle, and whipped with much discipline, and that he should also be crucified and put to death with great nails. Who ever saw or heard the like unto this, that they should unload such a heap of injuries, and such a multitude of torments upon so tender a body, and so just a person? Dedit percutientibus se maxillam, & saturabitur opprebrijs, saith jeremy, chap. 3. Speaking of Christ's injuries, as if he should say, The redeemer of the world will be so patiented in his travails, and so obedient unto his persecutors, that he himself will offer his cheek to be buffeted, and he will put himself before them, because they should fill him with injuries. How well so ever jeremy did prophesy this, yet Christ did fulfil it better, seeing that he offered unto his enemies not only his cheek that they might buffet it, but also all his holy body that they might kill it. What meaneth this O good jesus, what meaneth this, The Prophet Elias did she from the city of jerusalem, because Queen jezabel should not cut off his head, and dost thou go to jerusalem, where thou knowest that they will deprive thee of thy life? Great king David fled from the city of jerusalem, and went out of it, because he would be no more persecuted of king Saul, and dost thou go to jerusalem to be crucified? In this point sure thou art not David's son, nor Helias companion, for if they fly from jerusalem to save their lives, thou goest to jerusalem to offer thyself to death. If thy death had been a common death, it might have been born with, but seeing that it was more grievous to suffer the circumstances of thy death, than death itself, what necessity constrained thee, or what charity moved thee why thou shouldest not have fled with thy Father David, or absented thee with the Prophet Ely? It is a thing worthy to be noted, that Christ putteth it for the greatest point of his martyrdom that he should be injuried, and also that he should be scorned and mocked. By which complaint he doth let us understand, that the son of God did grieve more at the injurious words which they spoke unto him, than at the lashes and discipline which they gave him. jeremy doth not say that Christ should be filled in his passion with stripes flagellis, but opprobrijs, revilings and injuries, and the reason is, because stripes & lashes pass no further than the shoulders, but injuries entered unto the entrails. Who is he in the world which will not be more grieved at an injurious word, than with the point of a spear? jeremy maketh no reckoning of the thorns, nor of the nails, nor of the lashes, but only of the injuries which Christ suffered, seeing that he saith, Saturabitur opprobrijs, because he passed through those torments but one day, but he suffered injuries and blasphemies every day. In these words of Ieremies, He shall be filled with injuries: he signified unto us, the cruelty of his torments and the multitude of his injuries: for as he who is full, hath no more place in his stomach to fill, so there was no torment which to the son of God they left ungiven, nor no injury unspoken. For what torments were there which they gave him not, or what injuries could there be spoken which they uttered not. Hugo de sancto victore upon jeremy saith, Because the son of God would declare that he was the justest of all others, and of all martyrs the greatest martyr, he said that he should be filled with injuries and revilings: because that in all other martyrs, they did lay hands with no other intention, but to martyr them, but in Christ they laid hands to kill him, & tongues to injury him. S. Jerome on this place saith, jeremy saith very well of Christ, Quod saturabitur opprobrijs: for we do not read of any Martyr, that he was martyred with tongues, but with hands, the son of God alone is he, whose life they took away with their hands, and fame with their tongues. Isichius upon Leviticus saith, With great reason, the Prophet jeremy saith of Christ, That he should be filled with injuries: seeing we see, that in his holy passion, liars do sell the truth, fools mock wisdom, the guilty whip innocency, the wretched spit upon glory, and the dead kill life. S. Barnard in a sermon of the passion saith, What heart is able to endure it, or what fingers able to write it, to see that the liberty of captives is sold, the glory of Angels scorned and mocked, the morning star of the world spit at, the Lord of all scourged & whipped, and he who is the rewarder of travels murdered? S. Ambrose upon S. Luke saith, Of Christ only, & of no other jeremy saith, Quod saturabitur opprobrijs: seeing that he was sold like a malefactor, mocked like a fool, spit at like a vile person, whipped like a thief, and put to death like a traitor. S. Hilary in an Homily saith, According unto the prophesy of jeremy, the son of God shall be filled with injuries, seeing that he is sold of the Symoniacles, mocked of hypocrites, whipped of tyrants, spit at by blasphemers, and put to death by heretics. Let our conclusion then be, that not without a high mystery, nor profound sacrament, Christ before he should suffer, said these words of Consummabuntur, and in the end of his suffering, Consummatum est, to let us understand, that at one time Christ's life did end: and if we be such as we ought to be our faults.   

CHAP. VI Here he entreateth of that high prayer which Christ made upon the table, saying, Pater sancte non pro mundo rogo, sed pro illis ut serves eos a malo. In which prayer if he obtained constancy and stoutness for his Apostles, yet he forgot not the weak saying, Non rogo ut tollas eos a mundo.  
PAter sancte claritatem quam tu dedisti mihi dedi eyes, ut sint Consummati in unum, I●h. 17. These words are spoken by the mouth of the son of God, praying unto his Father, after he had made a sermon before supper, the highest and longest that ever he preached in all his life time, as if he should say, O my holy, eternal, mighty and blessed Father, that which I entreat and request of thee in this last hour is, that seeing I have given to my Disciples part of the light and science which thou hast given me, thou wouldst also give them grace to be perfect in that kind of perfection as thou are wont to make perfect the elect. By occasion of those words which Christ spoke upon the cross, that is, Consummatum est, and by reason of that other which he spoke, praying unto his Father, Consummati sunt, it shall be necessary for us to declare in this place what that is which the redeemer of the world spoke in his prayer, and what the Scripture saith of it. It is here to be noted, who he is which prayeth, where he prayeth, when he prayeth, and how he prayeth, and for whom he prayeth, & what he prayeth: for oftentimes in Scripture the circumstances how a thing is done, makes it either weighty or very weighty. He who prayeth is Christ; the place where, is the p●r●or; the time, is at supper; how, is with lifting up his eyes; the things which he prayeth, are very high; they for whom, are his disciples. In this high prayer Christ spoke dainty words, most grave sentences, very secret mysteries, very necessary advises, and very profitable counsels; by reason whereof, it is convenient to read them with attention, and note them with devotion. Christ then saith in the beginning of his prayer, Pater sancte serva eos in nomine tuo qui tui sunt, & pro eye rogo & non pro mundo, as if he should say, My holy and blessed father, that which I ask of thee for these thy children and my disciples, is, that thou deliver them from sin, & keep them in thy service, seeing that they be my brothers by nature, and thy children by grace: and if I ask any thing of thee it is not for those which are of the world, but for those which thou dost keep under thy safeguard. O sweet words for the good, and sorrowful for the bad, seeing that by them are divided and separated the perfect from the foreseen, the elect from the reprobate, God's friends from the children of perdition, and also the neighbours of heaven from the lovers of the world. Howsoever Christ our redeemer prayed from the heart for those which he loved from the heart, yet he set this word Sancte Pater before his prayer, because it is a very natural thing, that this word Pater, maketh a father attentive to here the child, and maketh his eyes tender to behold him, and his heart gentle to love him, and openeth his entrails that he can deny him nothing. What sweeter words can come to a father's ears, than to hear his son call him father? As a son well-beloved and tendered, once Christ calleth his father my father, another time just father, & another time Lord and father, sometimes holy father, and sometimes father and nothing else, so that such as his prayer was, such was the name which he gave him. It is not then here without a mystery, that he calleth him Pater sancte, because he who prayed in this prayer was most holy, he to whom he prayed was holy, that which he prayed were holy things, the place where he prayed was a holy place, and he for whom he prayed was his holy college. What dost thou ask O good jesus, what dost thou ask? Pardon for my sheep, that God would deliver them from Wolves, pardon for my disciples, that God would keep them from the devil, pardon for my elect that God would separate them from sin, and pardon for my friends that God would take them up into heaven. As thou art going thy journey to the cross, at the point of death, in the evening of thy agony, and when they come to apprehend thy person, among so many things which thou dost ask of thy Father, dost thou ask nothing for thyself? O heavenly care, O unspeakable love, O charity never heard of before, such as thine is O creator of my soul towards all mankind, seeing that in such a dismal day, in such a narrow straight as thou art in, thou hast cause sufficient to crave of thy father for thyself, saving only that to remember me thou dost forget thyself. And Christ saith that he doth ask for such as are his, that is, for those which in the depth of his eternity are predestinated, and are in the number of the elect, to the end that they may be one thing in the father, as the father and the son are one thing. Let the curious reader mark in this place, that this abverbe Sicut doth not in this place make an equality betwixt God and man, but only a resemblance, and a likeness for unlike, the which because Arrias would not understand, became to be an infamous heretic. When Christ said Sint unum in me, his meaning was this, That which I ask of thee (O heavenvly Father) is, that as those of my college be thy children and my brethren by grace, I am thy only begotten son by nature. Saint Augustine upon this place saith, As the father and the son are one, and the same thing, not only by equality of substance, but also for equality of will, so the disciples are one thing with Christ, not by nature, but by a bond of love and fellowship. And he addeth further, that because the perfection of a just man is no other thing but the participation which he hath with the divine likeness, we are good in so many degrees, in how many we draw near to the likeness of God. Christ saith plainly for whom he prayeth seeing he saith, Quia tui sunt; and also for whom he doth not pray, seeing he saith, That he doth not ask for the world: so that those be participant of his prayer which do serve Christ, and he excludeth those which follow the world. O how happy those be which follow Christ, and which love Christ, and serve Christ, because they only be partakers of his prayer, the which love and service every man should prove in himself, not in the words which he speaketh of Christ, but in the works which he doth for his service. Chrisostome saith, We should be afeard very much my brethren, that Christ did not say, I pray unto thee father for those who call themselves thine, but only for those which are thine, because there are many now adays in the church of God who are baptized, & call themselves Christians, and do go to church, who when they are gone from thence, are proud, envious, covetous, carnal and blasphemers; of which we may say, that they call themselves of Christ, but they be not of Christ. For such beasts as these, Christ doth not pray, nor such naughty men as these have no part in Christ's prayer, not because Christ's holy prayer doth not reach unto all, but because they remain out of it because they continue in their sins. Cyrillus upon Saint john saith, Why dost thou ask for thy disciples, for if they be thy Fathers, thou hast no need, and if they be not his what hast thou to do with them? That which I ask for them is, that as they are his by faith, they may be his also by charity, for it would little avail them to be constant in faith if they should not be also fervent in love. Remigius saith, There is no doubt but the son of God was never asked by any, nor importuned by any, nor suborned by any to pray for those of his college, but of himself, he moved himself to pray, and commend them to his Father, giving us thereby to understand, what great care he hath to look unto us, if we be not careless to serve him. But how should not that other part make us afeard & astonished, when Christ said [I pray not for the world] seeing he excludeth from his prayer all vain light worldlings, which are all worthily shut out of his church, seeing they would not follow his doctrine. When the son of God saith, Non rogo pro mundo, he saith that he doth not pray for the proud man, he saith that he doth not pray for the envious man, for the fleshly man, for the covetous man, for the blasphemer, for unto such persons their paradise is their vices, and hell God's commandments. How (saith Christ) shall I ask for the world, seeing I am not known of any neighbour in it? Rupertus upon S. john saith, Seeing that Christ saith, I do not ask for the world, let every man mark what life he leadeth, for thereby he may see what part he hath in Christ's prayer, for the rewarder of virtues is Christ, and the paymaster of vices is the devil. Tell me I pray thee why the son of God should pray for them which are blinded in the world, and whose glory is this wicked world, seeing the captain and ringleader of such is the devil? S. Augustine upon S. john saith, Why doth the son of God say in his prayer [I do not entreat for the world] but because the transgressor of the precept is he who committeth the sin, and he who committeth the sin is the lover of the world, and the lover of the world is the servant of the devil, and the servant of the devil is a neighbour and inhabitant of hell. Bonaventure in the life of Christ saith, When the devil goeth about to make me sin, and when the flesh goeth about to overcome me, and when the world goeth about to pamper and make much of me, I presently do call to mind that speech of Christ, I pray not for the world; and that, Rise to judgement; and that, Go into everlasting fire. Although these three enemies are strong to overcome, yet these are three mighty arrows to shoot at them: for if we remember, I do not pray the father for the world, Rise to judgement, Go into everlasting fire; who dare commit a sin, nor yet take his sleep by night? Christ saith further, Non pro eis tantum rogo, sed pro eis qui crediturisunt in me, as if he should say, O my holy and blessed Father, behold that my church must be very much increased, and must dure unto the world's end, by reason whereof, I do not ask thee only for these which sit at my table, but also for all those which will believe in me hereafter. And he saith further, Non rogo ut tollas eos de mundo, sed ut serves eos a malo, as if he should say, Although my elect be not of the world, nor have no part in the world, and the world hate them, yet I do not ask thee that thou wouldst take them out of the world, but that thou wouldst deliver them from all evil. Speaking literally, our Lord asketh here of his Father, that he would not take all his Disciples so soon out of the world, partly because they be not well grounded in matters of perfection, and partly because the Gentiles should be lightened by them: & if they should have died with Christ, all the world should have been unconverted. Theophilus saith, When the son of God saith unto his Father, I do not crave of thee that thou wouldst take them out of this world, but that thou wouldst keep them from evil, above all things I say, that blessed be that mouth which spoke that, & blessed be they for whom he spoke it, seeing thereby we be certified, that how bad so ever we be, our Lord doth labour always to bring us to his service. Mark then the infinite goodness and charity of our Lord, who when he had said, I do not ask for the world, saith presently, I do not desire that thou wouldst take them out of the world. The which words he spoke immediately after the other, because we should not be bold to sin, trusting unto God's mercy, and yet if we do chance to fall, that we should not persevere and despair. To say that Christ should not entreat for the world, it is a dreadful speech, and yet to pray that he should not spoil the world of the good, is a speech of great comfort: for seeing that he would not have the world without good ones, it is a sign that he would that by them we should be converted. When the Lord would drown all the world with a flood, he did first put Noah in safety; and when he would send fire upon Sodom and Gomorra, he placed Lot upon a high hill; and when he would punish the murmurers in the desert, he commanded Moses and Aaron to go out to the field: so that it is a great sign that God is angry with some when he taketh the good out of their company. Unhappy judas immediately after he had departed out of that holy college, hanged himself; and it happened otherwise in S. Peter, whom although Christ suffered to fall, yet he did not abandon him and put him out of his sight, for as soon as he had committed the fault Christ presently looked him in the face. judas was a disciple, and S. Peter was a disciple, judas did sin, and S. Peter did sin, the one did sell Christ, & the other did deny Christ, judas was damned, and S. Peter saved, and the reason was, because Christ was where Peter sinned, and would not be where judas did hang himself. In the two great captivities of Babylon, there were many just men carried away captive among the wicked, as Thobias, Daniel, and Esdras, and Abdias, all which our Lord did send thither, not because they had committed any sin against him, but for the consolation and remedy of some sinners. What should become of sinners and naughty persons, if our Lord should take away all good men from amongst them? In the merit of the good and virtuous, God doth sustain us which are sinners; for otherwise, because we are Gods enemies the son would not shine upon us, nor the heaven would not rain upon us, the air would move itself, and the earth open, and wild beasts would devour us, and the devils would kill us. Gregory saith, That sinners may have great hope when our Lord doth not draw the just from among them, for in not separating the good from the bad, it is a token that by the merits and hands of those good men, he will draw us from that which is nought, and lead us to that which is good. Ambrose saith, In those words which Christ spoke [I ask not for the world] he doth threaten us with his justice: and in the other speech of, [Non tollas eos de mundo] he doth flatter us with his mercy, seeing that in the one he setteth away the obstinate from obtaining of mercy, and in the other he giveth hope unto the weak, that they shall have part in his clemency. I beseech thee then O my good jesus, I beseech thee, that thou wouldst not separate me from among the good, or else put not the good from me, for if I should not be good for conscience, at the least I should be for shame. It is also much to be noted, that our Lord doth not entreat his Father, that he would not take the good out of the world, but that he would keep them from all peril and danger: in so much that in his most high prayer he doth neither forget the weak, nor be careless of the good, because for sinners he prayeth that they be not forsaken of the good, and for the just he prayeth, that they be not overmaistered by sinners. If it be true that Saint Gregory saith, Deus qui nos in tantis periculis, and that the Apostle saith, Periculum in mari, periculum in terra, and also the Prophet, Hoc mare magnum & speciosum, why doth not the son of God pray that his Father would deliver us from more than one danger, seeing there are so many in the world? It seemeth that there should be some great evil in the world, seeing that Christ maketh mention of it and of no other, as so it is truly, for if that evil had not come into the world, there should have been no hell in the other. Irenaeus saith, As in heaven there is one holy one above all holy ones, which is God, and in hell there is one evil above all evils which is the devil, so there is in the world one naughty thing which passeth all the rest which is sin. Tell me I pray thee what naughtiness would there be in the world, if in the world there were no sin? Hunger and cold, thirst and weariness, we do unjustly call evils or naughty things, because they are not nought of themselves, but only the relics of that great evil, for if we had not known what thing sin had been, neither should we have known what hunger and cold had meant. For to deliver us from this great evil Christ doth teach us to pray, when we say, Sed libera nos a malo, and so Christ in his prayer saith, Non rogo ut tollas eos de mundo, sed ut liberes eos de malo. So that we are to crave nothing else of our Lord, but that he would deliver us from sin, and guide us in his service. What dost thou ask thy Father O my good jesus for thy elect, what dost thou ask for thy well-beloved disciples? I do not ask riches for them, for that is a frail thing; I do not ask honour for them, for that is a vain thing; nor life, for that is transitory; nor ease, because there is none in this world; I ask only that thou wouldst deliver them from sin, for my disciples cannot possess greater riches than to have their hearts clear from sins. Christ addeth further in his prayer and saith, Non pro eis tantum rogo, sed pro eis qui credituri sunt in me, as if he should say, I do not pray only (O my Father) for these which eat at my table, but for all those which will hereafter enter into my church; because that thou being in me by nature, and I being with them by grace, they may be perfect in one perfect charity. Christ made his prayer in very good order, for first he prayed for himself, then for his Disciples, then for weak sinners, and in the end for all those which were to come. If Christ should have prayed only for those which sat at his table, what should have become of all those which should afterward be borne in his catholic church? Chrisostome saith, That Christ prayed for the quick and for the dead, for the present and for the absent, for those which were already born, & for those which should afterward be born, insomuch that all the favours which. God doth for us at this day, Christ did merit for us by his life and blood, and obtained them with his prayer. S. Augustine saith, In the merit of those words which Christ spoke in his prayer, Non tantum pro eis rogo, we which are now in his church have as great part in the merits of this life in the bestowing of his blood, and in the perfection of his prayer, as his disciples which were with him then at his table. O glorious speech, O blessed prayer which Christ used when he said, I do not pray for them only, but for those which shall hereafter believe in me, although we had never seen him, nor done him any service at all, nor deserved any love at his hands, yet he prayed with as great affection for us as for those which sat at his table. Rabanus saith, Because the son of God was the founder of the church, he prayed unto his father for those of his church, not forgetting nor excluding any one: by reason whereof, we shall ask with great confidence those things which belong to the salvation of our soul, for seeing he doth pray to his Father for those things which are fit for us, it is to be believed, that he will not deny us of that which himself possesseth. Theophilus saith, Mark well that Christ doth not pray here for those which believe that there is a God, but only for those which do believe in God. The Pagan doth believe that there is a God, the devil doth know well that to be true which God saith, but only the good Christian doth believe in God, because he doth that which God doth command him. There be many which believe that there is a God as the Pagan doth, and believe God as the devil doth, but they do not believe in God as the good Christian doth: for the Apostle saith, that our faith is not known by the words which we speak, but in the good works which we do. Christ doth conclude & saith, Vt omnes sint Consummati in unum, that is, he entreateth his Father, that all those which be at his table, and all those which shall after succeed in his catholic church may end in one faith, in one baptism, in one love, and in one charity.   

CHAP. VII. Herein he entreateth of the variety, and diversity of names of the sacrifices of the old Testament, and of the excellency of the sacrifice of the new Testament.  
SI oblatio tua fuerit de sartagine, similae conspersum oleo, & absquefermento, divides, eam, minutatim, & fund super eum oleum, levit. 2. chap. God spoke these words to holy Moses, giving him order how the Priests should be appointed, and how the sacrifices should be offered, as if he would say, If any Hebrew will offer unto God any fruit to be fried in a frying pan, the flower must be kned with oil, and without leaven, and after it is well fried, and oil sprinkled upon it, and cut into very small pieces, so offered unto Aaron, to be offered upon the altar. Before we come to expound these mysteries, we must show the cause why our Lord would busy and occupy the people of the jews, in such strange rites, in such new sacrifices, and in so many ceremonies, being as he was, so grave a Lord, and so mighty a God. Stapulensis in the first of Leviticus saith, That for three causes God commanded the jews, to offer so many small sacrifices, and made with so many ceremonies. The first is, that because the jews had been brought up in Egypt, where all were idolaters, and they given to Idolatry, the Lord would that they should offer those sacrifices unto him, and not to the gods of the Gentiles. The second reason is, that because under those sacrifices he would declare and figure the true sacrifice which should come into the world which was his precious son. The third reason is, that being occupied in that multitude of sacrifices they should have no time to bestow in committing of other sins, because the foundation of all wickedness is accursed idleness. It is also to be noted, that there was seven kinds of sacrifices in the old law, unto the which all other were reduced, although they seemed to be infinite. The first sacrifice was called Holocaustum, which was the greatest and most sumptuoust of all, because it was offered unto our Lord without any other respect: the second was called Pacificum because it was offered in time of war, partly because our Lord should give them peace in their times, and partly because he should give them victory against their enemies. The third was called propitiatory which was offered in time of great dearth or pestilence, and the end of it was because our Lord should withdraw his hand from over them, and take that plague from them. The fourth was called Pontificat, which was offered for the sins of the priest of the Temple, and the end of it was, because they did hold it certain, that if the Priest were loaden with sins, that the Lord at his hands would not accept the sacrifices. The fift was called regal, which was offered for the sins which the king had committed, and the end of it was, because the Lord should pardon the sins which he had committed, & lighten him to govern well his Commonwealth. The sixth was called Common, which was offered for the sins of all the people of Israel, & the end of it was, that the Lord should take them under his protection, & look upon that people. The seventh was called Particular, & this was offered for every particular person, and the end of it was, that God should pardon him for that which was past, & give him grace to amend hereafter. All these sacrifices differed in the beasts which were offered in them, & in the ceremonies with the which they were offered: and in one thing they all agreed, that is, that there could no sacrifice be made for the remission of any sin, unless the blood of one clean beast were shed. The Apostle said not without great cause, Non fit sanguinis effusio sed remissio, because no man could be made clean of a fault in the old law but by the death of some beast. Origen saith, It is certain that every beast doth rather live by his blood, than by his flesh, or members, or bones which he goeth with, for when he leaveth bleeding, he leaveth breathing. Although it be true, that in recompense of the least fault, we are bound to offer our life for it, yet God in the old law was content with the life of a dead beast, in recompense of the life which that jew did owe him. O how happy we be which fight under the name of Christ, because the parishioners of the synagogue did offer the blood of dead beasts, but the faithful Christians offer nothing but the blood of the son of the living God; insomuch that we have no necessity to offer our lives in recompense of our offences, because the life of one was sufficient to make clean all the faults of the world. S. Paul could not praise Christ's buying of us better, than to say, Emptiestis pretio magno, giving us thereby to understand, that with the blood of his veins he had bought our lives, and also taken away our offences. For to have pardoned a jew of his fault, it was necessary every time that he had sinned, to kill a beast: but in Christ's holy law one death took away all deaths, one life did buy all lives, and one pain took away all pains and offences. When the Apostle calleth Christ, Hostiam viventem, he wanteth not a deep secret and a profound mystery, because that in the old law they called Hostian, the sacrifice which was offered against those which were enemies, & they offered nothing but dead sacrifices, because the beast which they did offer was neither called sacrifice, nor Hostia, until his life had been taken from him. The son of God gave the name of Hostia a sacrifice when he died, and the name of life when he rose again, and therefore we may very well call him a lively sacrifice, a holy sacrifice, a pure sacrifice, and holy bread, seeing that he is the sacrifice and Hostie which giveth life unto all, and is the holiest sacrifice of all other, and the purest, and the cleanest bread of all others. Anima cum obtulerit oblationem sacrificij domino similae erit eius oblatio & fundet super eam oleum, & ponet thus, Leuit. 2. God spoke these words unto Moses, because he should tell them the people of Israel, as if he should say, If any will offer any sacrifice which shall be acceptable unto me, offer me it of the purest flower mingled with oil, and therewithal he shall add a little frankincense. If we do curiously look unto it, of three things only our Lord requireth an offering of us, that is pure flower, good oil, and sweet incense; the which things are easy to be found, light to offer, and not costly to buy. S. Ambrose saith, In this we may see what a great desire our Lord hath to pardon the sins which we commit against him, in that he himself doth teach us what sacrifices we should offer unto him. What is understood by that fine sifted flower, but that most sacred humanity of the son of God? This holy flower was so sifted and putrefied, that all the Angels which shall come to see it, and all the men in the world which shall come to cleanse it, shall not find in that sacred humanity one small grite of original sin, nor on spot of mortal sin, nor one little dust of any other small sin. Of this most pure flower Christ did knead the sacramental bread in his last supper, which he left us in the church, which doth differ far from that which mother Eve did leave her children, because that in eating of that we do sin, and receiving of this we do live. What is the incense which God commanded us to offer with the flower in his Temple, but the divinity which is joined with the humanity in Christ? Until the gate of the Temple the flower was carried by itself, and the incense by itself, but being brought to the gate of the Temple, the one was incorporated with the other: which mystery was most notably accomplished in the coming of Christ, because that so far asunder was mankind which was here upon earth, from the divinity which was in heaven, but the son of God coming into the world, immediately God with man, and man with God became one. What is the oil with the which God commanded the flower and incense to be tempered, but that which in the blessed Trinity we call the holy-ghost? The conjunction & bond of love betwixt the Father and the son, and he who did incorporate the flower with the incense, was no other but the holy-ghost, for so said the prophesy, Vnxit te deus, deus tuus eleo letetia, and so said the Angel unto the virgin when he said, Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te. That which the Prophet called oil, the Angel afterward did call the holy-ghost: insomuch that the cake which God demanded of flower, oil, and incense, was nothing else but the humanity of him which was made by the father, and by the son, and by the holy-ghost. A cake so well seasoned, a sacrifice so highly well made, which of the saints would not offer, and which of the Angels would not adore? The sacrifice which God did demand in times past, was not that which the Synagogue did offer, but that which the catholic church doth now offer, for they did offer him dow wet in vinegar, and foustie oil, and most sharp incense, but the sacrifice which we do now offer him is the humanity and divinity of Christ, united and put together by the hands of the holy-ghost. It is no reason that the Christian and devour reader should be ignorant why God commanded but a part of the flower to be offered, but all the incense. To put a measure in the flower was to say, that the humanity of itself was limited and had an end, and to put no measure in the frankincense was to say, that in the divinity there is neither beginning nor end, which is most true, because the works which the son of God did were limited and circumscribed in that, that he was man, but being kneaded with the oil of the holy-ghost, he made them infinite in value and weight. To come then to our first purpose, the text saith, si oblatio tua fuerit de sartagine simile conspersa oleo, & absque fermento, divides eam minutatim, & fundas super came oleum, as if he should say, The fritter which thou shalt offer unto me, shall be made of the flower of the meal, without leaven, kned with very good oil, and then being well pricked, thou shalt sprinkle it over with new oil. If there should be no mystery hidden under this judaical sacrifice, we might have occasion to think that our Lord were a glutton, and given to variety of meats, seeing that in the beginning of this chapter he asked of them fritters or cake dressed with good oil, and now again a cake made of the flower of wheat, and that without leaven, small broken, and fried in a frying pan in very hot oil. Of this high and new sacrifice, what is the flower but the humanity which suffered, what the oil but the love with the which he died, and what the frying pan but the cross where he died? To say that God the Father did ask for a cake made in a frying pan, and to say that the cross of his son was the frying pan, and that the fine flower of his precious flesh was fried in that frying-pan, and that the oil with the which it was fried was the love with the which he redeemed us, is no unreverent speech to use; neither is there any errorin affirming it, seeing we he certain that there is no word written in holy Scripture which is not full of high mystery. The property of the frying-pan is, being put upon the fire the fire doth not waste him nor melt him as he doth many other things, and beside: he maketh those meats which are cold, hard, and not to be eaten; hot, soft, and very savourous. What was the death and passion of our redeemer jesus Christ, but a frying pan put to the fire? The sacred humanity of Christ being put in the frying-pan of the cross, notwithstanding all the torments which they gave him, and all the injuries and reproaches which they spoke against him they never diminished any part of his virtue, for although for the space of three days his soul was separated from his body, yet they divide not his Deity from his soul, nor from his body. Isichius upon Leviticus saith, Before that the son of God was fried in the frying pan of the cross, his flesh was so raw that it could not be eaten, but after that the fire of his passion did season it us and fry it, there is nothing in heaven more saverous, nor nothing on the earth more profitable. Cyrillus in another sense saith, There were four things in this sacrifice, fire, the pan, oil, and flower: These four things were found in the passion of Christ, that is, the fire which the jews kindled to the end he should dieithe frying pan, was the cross which they sought out where he should die: and the oil, the love and charity with the which he died there for to redeem the world: and the flower, his most sacred flesh which there was fried. O glorious sacrifice, O eternal meat, that thou art O son of the living God, seeing that fried and hot, and seasoned, thou didst give thyself in the frieng pan of the cross, to the end that all men might eat thee, and none excused from serving thee. When the son of God said, Nisi manducaveritis carnem filii hominis, his Disciples being scandalised, Abierunt retrorsum & dixerunt, durus est hic sermo. But after that, that most sacred flesh was seasoned & fried in the frying pan of the cross, it was soft & sweer to taste of, saverous to eat, and profitable to be taken. Sume tibi sartaginem ferream, & ponas eam murum ferreum, inter te & eivitatem, said God by the Prophet Ezechiel, chap. 4, as if he should say, Go thy way out of the city, and thou shalt put a frieng pan of iron between thee and the city, because thou mayest neither see her, nor she hurt thee. Who ever saw or heard the like, that the Lord should command the Prophet to fight with a frying pan, and defend himself behind the same? Tell me O Ezechiel, what hurt couldst thou do with a frying pan, seeing it hath no point, or how couldst thou defend thyself under it, considering that it will scarce cover thy head? If thou wilt go to fight take a lance with thee, and if thou wilt go to defend thyself from thy enemies take thy Target, because the frying pan is fit for the kitchen than the war, and better to dress meat with than to fight. O glorious cross, O holy frying pan, where the flesh of my God was fried, where his blood was shed, where his charity was inflamed, where our fault was melted, and where his life was ended. The frying pan of the Synagogue was neither good for wars nor profitable for peace: But thou holy cross and happy frying pan wast he, with the which the devil was overcome, God pacified, the world redeemed, and the heaven opened. What thing can I put betwixt thee and me O good jesus, but this precious cross & frying pan where thou didst end thy life, that my sin might not come unto thee, nor thy punishment pass to me. Do thou not think my brother, do thou not think, that God commanded the Prophet to put between him and the city a frying pan, for any good that it would do him, but for that which the frying pan signified: for thereby was signified the cross and the crucified, which should be a mediator between God and the world. O sweet jesus, O my soul's delight, where but in the frying pan of thy dolours and griefs, and where but in the oil of thy charity and love, didst thou end consume and fry my enormous sins? Where but in the frying pan of the cross, where thou saiedst, Consummatum est, giving us to understand by that last speech, that there thou hadst ended and made a full account of our sin and thy anger, of our perdition and thy passion, of our ignorance and thy life?   

CHAP. VIII. Wherein is declared a figure when Moses did anoint the altar seven times with one finger, and how that unction was a figure of Christ, and fully accomplished in his most sacred humanity.  
DIgito suo unxit Moses altar septies oleo unctionis, this is written in the 40 chapter of Exodus, as if he should say, In the same day that Moses did institute his brother Aaron bishop, and ordained also his children Priests, he did anoint the great altar seven times, and that with one finger, and did consecrate it with oil. Cyrillus upon this place saith, That although all the holy Scripture be full of mysteries, yet there is greatest attention to be given when it speaketh of the altar, or of a Priest, because that, that mystery cannot be handled, and not talk of the mysteries of Christ. If we do look into the words of the text, we shall find that that which is anointed is the altar, that with the which it is ointed is holy oil, and the manner how is with one finger only, and that seven times; and that which was further ointed were all the ornaments of the altar. These were the qualities of the altar, near unto it were the holy breads, before it burned lamps, on the side of it they did put the candlesticks, on the top of it the offered sacrifices, at the foot of it they shed the blood, behind it were the people, over against it was the vail, upon it was the Cherubin, about it were the curtains. This altar was made of wood which would not rot, there could come none to it but the Priests, they could not go up to it by steps nor stairs, night and day lamps burned there, & other fire which should not be put out. Although the altar of the Synagogue had many privileges, and great freedoms, yet it had a counterpoise with it, which was, that upon it they slew all the beasts which they did offer unto God, & therefore it was sometimes so bloody & so loaden with flies, that it seemed rather a board in the butchery to cut flesh on, than an altar of the church. Who is the true altar, & the holy altar, and the clean altar, but only the son of the living God? Origen saith, In the Temple of the Synagogue the altar was one thing, and the Priest another, & another thing that which they offered; but in the altar of the church, the altar where they offer, and the Priest which doth offer, and the sacrifice which is offered, and he unto whom it is offered is one and the same thing. Leo in a Sermon of our Lord's Supper saith, In this high supper and in this holy altar, the son of God is the ultar, and the meat, and he who inviteth, and he who is invited, he who eateth, and is eaten, he who anointeth, and is anointed, he who offereth and is offered. What pre-eminences had the altar of the old Synagogue, which are not greater in the Catholic church? Their altar was of the wood of the Mount Lybanus, & ours of the most sacred humanity of Christ; theirs was of wood which would not corrupt, and ours of flesh which cannot sin; theirs was made bloody with other blood than their own, and ours is washed with his own blood; upon theirs they did kill beasts, upon ours they forgive us our offences; to theirs there could none go up but the Priests of the temple, but unto ours all the sinners of the world may come unto; in theirs there burned a fire of light which must every hour be kindled and put together, but in ours there burneth the fire of his love and charity which can never be extinguished. O holy altar, O glorious altar of the cross, in which there is offered not dead beasts, but men's sins, not to prove them but to pardon them, where our weak services are offered, not because thou wouldst praise them O Lord, but because thou wouldst accept them, and where also the merits of thy holy son are offered, not for his own sake who was without sin, but for ours who can do nothing but sin. The altar of the Synagogue had no step nor stair, because the common sort did believe nothing in God but his essence, but to the altar of our catholic church, which is a congregation of the faithful, they go up by three steps, because we believe in one essence & three persons. The text also saith, that the altar of the synagogue was anointed with one finger only: who shall we say that this finger is but the self-same holy ghost? Hilarius de Trinitate saith, In all the Trinity there is but one arm, & that is the Father, of whom the Prophet saith, Et brachium meum comfortavit eum, neither is there any more but one hand which is the son, of whom also the Prophet saith, Filius meuses tuego hody genui te, nor there is in all the Trinity but one finger of whom the scripture saith, Digitus dei hic est. In the unctions & creations of us there are many fingers occupied, that is, my great grandfather begat my grandfather, and my grandfather my father, & my father begat me, & I begat my son, and my son begat my nephew: but in the generation of Christ there was applied one only finger, which was the person of the holy-ghost. August in a sermon saith, Seeing that he which doth beget is one, and he who is begotten is one, and she who doth bring forth is one, and he for whom he is borne is one, which is the world; why should there have been more than one finger, which was the Holy-ghost? The text saith further, that the altar was not anointed once only, but seven times a row. What is meant that Christ was anointed seven times a row, but only that all the seven gifts of the holy-ghost were bestowed upon him? It is to be noted, that in all the sacrifices which they made of kine, sheep, and goats, and pigeons, the altar was always anointed with blood, saving when they ordained Aaron a priest, at what time they did anoint it with oil alone, the which was not done without a mystery. The reason then is this, that because all their sacrifices were done to take away the jews sins, the which were to be taken away with shedding of blood, Quia sine sanguinis effusione non fit remissio, saith the Apostle, there was no need of effusion of blood in the sacrifice which did only represent Christ, because in him there was no sin at all. Why should they have anointed with blood the altar of the humanity of Christ, considering that not only there was no sin in him, but in him all the sins of the world were to be taken away? If the curious Reader would deeply understand this high figure let him turn Moses' name into the Father, and Aaron's name into Christ, and the altar into humanity, and the name of anointing into gift, and blood into the water of baptism, & the finger into the holy-ghost, and then he shall truly find, how well the truth doth answer unto the figure, and the letter to the spirit. The text saith further in the same chapter. Vnxit altare cum omnisuppellectili, as if he should say, After that Moses had made an end of anointing the altar with holy oil, he did also anoint all things that did belong to the altar, that is, ewars, basins, candlesticks, towels, hooks, chafindishes. Let no man think it to be a jest, that God commanded to anoint with holy oil, not only the altar, but also all things which did appettaine to the altar, because that by this is discovered one of the greatest privileges that Christ had, which no man did ever but he enjoy in the world. What should it mean that at the altar of the Synagogue there remained nothing which was not anointed with oil, but that there was nothing in the humanity of the word which was not fully replenished with the holy-ghost? Why is Christ called Sanctus sanctorum, but because his holy unction was more holy than that of all the other saints? When the church doth wash her creatures in baptism, she doth with water wash, and as it were only there anoint souls which were defiled with original sin, the which souls are made so clean & pure with that unction, that if they should departed presently out of this life, they should immediately by God's favour go to glory. O unhappy that we be, for although they wash & anoint our soul in baptism, yet there remaineth our memory to be anointed, seeing that we forget God; there remaineth our understanding to be anointed, seeing we think of other things than of God; there remaineth our will to be anointed, seeing that we put our love on other things besides God; & also our heart remaineth to be anointed, seeing we give it to another than to god. What shall we say of our poor body, seeing there is no part or member of it which is anointed? seeing my eyes can see nothing but vanity, my ears hear nothing but lightness, my tongue nothing but lie, my members commit sin, & my hands theft? what shall I say of such a body, is he not rather rotten than anointed? when the Apostle S. Paul said with weeping tears, alas & woe be unto me unhappy & unfortunate man, who will deliver me from the servitude of this body? would he have spoken such pitiful words if the powers of his body had been anointed with holy oil of love & charity? the church like a pitiful mother doth anoint us with the wholesome water of baptism when we be born, & afterward she doth wash and anoint us with love & charity when she doth give us grace to love god & forgive our neighbours: the first unction is to help us that we do not sin, & the second to make us clean of all that which we have already sinned. O what small need Christ hath to be so many times anointed, nor by the church helped; for from the first instant of his incarnation was anointed, not only the altar of his most holy humanity, to enjoy presently the divine essence, but also all the members of his holy body were anointed, because they might never sin, nor never be separated from God. The figure of anointing the altar with all the furniture was spoke of none but of Christ, nor fulfilled in none but in Christ alone, because it doth easily appear, that as the holy ghost left no part in his soul nor body, which he did not sanctify and make holy, so there was no power in his soul nor body, which to our benefit he did not employ. We may better say of Christ than of Moses, he doth anoint the altar, Cum omni suppellectile, seeing that with his feet he visited the altars of the Temples, with his hands cured the sick, with his tongue preached to the people, and with his heart forgave sinners.   
The end of the fift word which Christ our redeemer spoke upon the altar of the Cross.   

These four chapters are all which the Author left, made upon the seventh word which Christ spoke upon the cross, that is, In manus tuus, etc. For whilst that he was a making it, it pleased our Lord to take him out of this life.  

CHAP. I. How God is the only and true comforter, and how he was Deus ultionum to the Synagogue, and is to the church Pater misericordiarum.  
BEnedictus deus & pater domini nostri jesu Christi, pater misericordiarum, & deus totius consolationis, qui consolatur nos in omni tribulatione nostra. These are the words of the Apostle, speaking of the goodness and mercy of our Lord God, as if he should say, Blessed and praised be the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, who is the father of all mercies and God of all comfort, and who is the true consolation of all our tribulations. With a high style and lofty words the Apostle doth extol the greatness and power of God in calling him Father, and Father of mercies; and God, and the God of consolations: and above all that, he keepeth them not for himself only, but doth secure us with them in all our tribulations. O how happy is the Apostle who uttereth these words, and how blessed we Christians for whom he spoke them, and how blessed is Christ, by whose merits they were spoken? What graver sentences, or sweeter words could be spoken, seeing that by them he maketh himself, of God, our Father; of a judge, our advocate; of a Lord, our brother; of a revenger, merciful; of him which was cruel, gentle & meek; of him which could not be spoken with, most affable; and of one which was invisible, treatable. Thou mayst have pity on me, and I have pity on thee, and I can comfort thee, & thou canst comfort me, but to have pity on all, who can do it but only the father of mercies? and comfort all men, who is able to do it but only the father of all consolations? If I be sick one may cure me, if I be naked another can clothe me, if I be sad a friend can somewhat comfort me, but tell me I pray thee, who is able to help me in all tribulation and distress, but only our Lord who doth comfort us in all our tribulations? Who saith by the Psalm, Cum ipso sum in tribulatione, & of whom speaketh the Apostle, Quod consolatur nos in omni tribulatione: of who was he ever called whom he did not help? The father of our Lord jesus Christ is he, who in calling upon him, doth open; in speaking to him, doth answer; who being demanded any just thing, doth grant it. By pieces & by patches, and by crowns men can give us of their pleasures, and the world his delights: only he who is the God of all comfort can comfort us in our distresses, and secure us in our necessities. It is much to be noted, that the Apostle doth not say the God of consolation, but the Lord of all consolation: whereof we may infer, that all comfort which doth not come of him is dissolute or feigned, or imperfect. We should have great pity on those men which say, Let us go sport ourselves at the water, let us go walk in a garden, who seem rather to play the Idolaters then to recreate themselves, seeing they put all their felicity and case in seeing a green meadow in the running of the river, in flourishing trees, and to sit in a banqueting house. Seneca in an Epistle saith, Let no man think that consolation doth consist in that which we see with our eyes, or hear with our ears, or touch with our hands, or smell with our nose, but only in that which the heart desireth: for no man can be at rest, if his heart have not contentment. With variety of meats the taste is recreated, the sight rejoiceth in fair sights, the hearing is delighted with sweet music, the smell is pleased with aromatical perfumes, and the feeling ioieth in soft things; but what shall the pool heart do, which neither taketh taste in meats, nor pleasure in music, nor delight in that which it seethe, nor contentment in that which it smelleth? what other thing saith the church when she saith, Sursum cord, but that we should lift up our hearts unto God, seeing that there is no perfect consolation for them below in the world. All wicked men would bid God much good do it him with his glory, if they could find any perfect case upon earth for their hearts, but because they cannot find it, be he never so bade he sighteth to go to heaven. We say all this, because the Apostle saying, that he is the God of all consolation, how can any man have any consolation in this life, unless he give it him who is the God of all consolation? How great soever a lord Hector was in Troy, & how great soever Alexander was in Asia, and how mighty soever Caesar was in Rome; notwithstanding Christ was greater in his church: because all those Princes were such over their cities only, but the son of God is the God of all consolations. What greater pleasure then to give pleasure to whom thou lovest, what greater contentment then to give contentment to whom thou likest? Our Lord kept this treasure for himself alone, and reserved this signory for himself, that is, Quod sit deus totius consolationis, and thereupon it is, that if he will not show that which he can do, and impart among us that which he hath, no just man should live contentedly, nor any Angel happily. If as one is lord of many possessions and inheritances, he were also of many pleasures and consolations, what would we not give for them, what would we not bestow to attain unto them, and unto what would we not put ourselves to take them? All mortal men go after their pleasures, and hunt for delight, but alas they seek them in the house of the God of travels which is the world, and forsake the Lord of consolations which is God, and therefore they go astray in that which they seek, and go discomforted in that which they desire. Barnard in a sermon saith, O what a great comfort it is to the good, that they have him for their God and Lord who is the God and Lord of all consolations: for it is not to be believed, that being the God of all comforts, that he doth not impart some of them unto his; and especially, seeing that he doth not discomfort those which offend him, who will not believe but he will comfort those which serve him? When the Apostle saith that our God is the God of all consolations, and not only that, but also the father of mercies, we have great cause to love him, and to be thankful unto him, seeing that not long before he called himself the God of revenge, as now he doth call himself the Father of mercies. S. Ambrose saith, What greater news could we hear, or what could he give us for a greater reward, then for our Lord to give himself unto us for our father, his son for our brother, the holy-ghost for our master, his church for our mother, the Sacraments for a medicine, his death for a pardon, & his blood for our redemption? Isichius upon Leviticus saith, Mark the depth of the Scripture, and thou shalt see that when he speaketh of mercies, it doth not call God, Deus misericordiarum, The God of mercy, but Pater misericordiarum, the Father of mercies; and when it talketh of justice, it doth not call him Pater ultionum, but Deus ultionum, The God of revenge, because it is the office of God to punish, and the duty of the father to pardon. The Prophets did oft use this word Deus, God, and helped themselves little with this word Pater, Father; and Christ contrariwise, did oft benefit himself with this word Pater, Father, and seldom with this name Deus, God: giving us thereby to understand, that the time of justice was now ended, and that the time of mercy was come.  
Isidorus De summo bono, saith, O eternal goodness, and depth of all wisdom, why should I distrust in thy great clemency, being that thou art my Father, and Father of all mercy? Let the Pagans distrust in thee who believe thee not, let the wicked distrust in thee who serve thee not, for I will hope in thee with those which serve thee and love thee: For although I cannot wholly serve thee, I labour as much as I can not to offend thee.  
Anselmus upon the Apostle saith, After I heard thee say, O my good jesus, Pater ignosce illis; and the Apostle say, Pater misericordiarum, Although my naughty life make me afraid, yet thy great mercy cometh immediately to my mind, for the same day that thou didst make thyself man, thou didst change thy name, from the God of Revenge, into the Father of Mercies. O glorious and happy change, that is, the changing the name of God into the name of Father, and the name of a Revenger into the name of a Defender, the name of justice into the name of Mercy, the name of a Creator into the name of a Redeemer, all which thou didst change when thou wast made man, and didst suffer on the cross for me.  
Saint Augustine upon the Apostles words saith, Tell me O good jesus, tell me O great Redeemer, after thou hadst changed the name of Deus ultionum into the name of Pater misericordiarum, what didst thou see so hard that thou didst not bring to pass, or what sin didst thou see so enormous that thou didst not pardon? In calling thyself the Father of mercies thou didst forgive Matthew his exchanges, Marry Magdalene her vanities, the Samaritane her Adulteries, the good thief his theft, and the fisherman Peter his denying of thee, the Apostles forsaking of thee, and thy enemies putting thee to death. Irenaeus saith, Seeing that the time of Deus ultionum is past, and that the time of Pater misericordiarum is come, have mercy on me, O great God of Israel, have mercy on me: and when shall this be, but when thou wilt give me strength to serve and praise thee, and endue me with grace to save me? O Father of mercies, O the God of all consolation, when shall my soul hear for herself, Pater ignosce illi, as the wicked Synagogue did hear thee say, Father forgive them? What doth it avail me, that thou hast pardoned those which did then put thee to death, if thou do not also now forgive us which most wickedly offend thee? Children for children, sinners for sinners, there is as great reason that thou shouldest pardon those of thy holy church as those of the Synagogue, for if they were children of the God of revenge who did put thee to death then, they are also children of the Father of mercies, who do offend thee now.  
Saint Augustine in his Confessions saith: O Father of mercies and God of all comfort, if it be true that I was with those which took thy life from thee upon the cross, why shouldest thou not as well forgive me my fault, as thou didst then theirs?  
Unto thee O eternal Father, I say Mea culpa, and unto thee O holy son I confess my offence, in that, that if I was not with judas when he sold thee, yet I was with the wicked and ungrateful jews when they did crucify thee: for if they did fasten thee on the cross with nails, I did there crucify thee with my sins. Anselmus in his Meditations saith, O good jesus, O the bliss of my soul, who carried thee to the cross, but the love which thou hadst to redeem us? And what tormented thee but thy dolours? And what took thy life from thee but my sins? And by whom have I life but by thy merits? O Father of mercies, if it be true, that for my demerits thou didst lose thy life, and that by thy great merits I recovered my soul, dost thou not think that thou hast much in my faults to pardon, & in my soul to redress and amend? Barnard saith, O creator of all things, O redeemer of all sins, unto thee O my God I offer myself, and before thee O my Lord I present myself, not such a one as thou didst leave me when thou didst create me, but such as one as thou foundest me when thou redeemedst me. What a one didst thou leave me but made to thy image and semblance? and what a one didst thou find me but with my innocency lost, and loaden with sin? O father of mercies pardon me, seeing that I am a work of thy own hands, pardon me seeing that I am one of thy children, and seeing I say unto thee upon my knees, Tibi soli peccavi, it is reason that thou answer me (O my God) with Miscriatur tui.   

CHAP. II. Of the difference that is betwixt David's testament, and Christ's testament, seeing the one commandeth to revenge other men's injuries, and the other pardoneth his own death.  
NOn deduces canitieses eius pacifice ad inferos, 3. Reg. chap. 2. King David being in the last point of his life, commanded his son and heir apparent, Solomon, to be called unto him unto whom he spoke these words, Thou rememberest my son Solomon, when my servant and capraine joab did slay captain Abner and Amasias who were servants unto king Saul, the which offence because I cannot revenge in my life, the charge shll be laid upon thee, to see that he go not quietly to his grave: and David said further unto him, Thou shalt also remember, that when I fled from thy brother and my son Absalon, my enemy Simei came against me, and followed me all the field over, cursing me and casting stones at me; Look unto it like a wise and a discreet man, and that he depart not in peace out of this world. That which David commanded his son Solomon to do, was not commanded to one who was deaf, for if he did command him to kill two, he did kill three or four, that is, the infant Abdonias, the captain joab, Simei, and the Priest Abiathar. In all his kingdom David had no captain which had done him so great service, nor no servant which had loved him better than old joab, yet nevertheless, he had more respect to revenge the injuries done to others, than unto their services past. If David had not been well-beloved, and by Scripture commended, his Testament should much have scandalised us, seeing that at the time of his death when men forbidden injuries, he commandeth by his Testament to take away men's lives. It is to be believed, that he being so acceptable to God as he was, that he had consulted with God, for otherwise being in so narrow a strait as he was in, it was more than time for him to prepare himself to confess his sins, than to command the death of his enemies. O how unlike David's Testament is unto Christ's, for David commanded in his to revenge other men's deaths, but jesus Christ our Redeemer commanded his own proper death to be pardoned. How happy we be which be the inheritors of Christ, and how unhappy they be which be the successors of David, which is easily seen by their Testaments, for David's soul goeth out of his body, saying, Filine ignoscas illis, and Christ yieldeth his last breath, saying, Pater ignosce illis, What similitude is in this, when the one commandeth to slay joab, who never once touched so much as his garment, and the son of God willeth to forgive those which took away his life? How would David forgive his own death, seeing he commandeth to revenge another man's? wilt thou see the difference betwixt the charity of the one, and the goodness of the other? Thou mayest see it in that, that king David would not pardon joab and Simei, whose sins were so old that they were forgotten: and meek jesus did pardon the jews, whose wickedness was new and fresh. How wouldst thou have the wounds of him who pardoneth, more fresher, and the wickedness of those which are pardoned more newer, but to have them at the same time crucifying as he is pardoning. Aymon saith, Much good may David's Testament do him, which he made being anointed, for I will hold with that which Christ made when he was crucified, for the one seeketh out those which are culpable to kill, and the other seeketh out faults to pardon. Saint Augustine upon our Lords words saith, O how much better it is to fall into the hands of God then into the hands of men, which is easily seen in the death of king David, and in the death of the son of God, where the one commandeth to slay his own servants, and the other willeth pardon to his cruel enemies. Hugo de sancte victore saith, I do not envy king Solomon for the kingdom which king David his father left him, nor for his will which he commanded him to accomplish, because he left him the heir of his kingdom with such a condition, that when he should give the last gasp, the other should presently begin to murder and kill. In the same day and in the same hour that good king David died, as the captain joab was in the Temple a praying, kind Solomon sent immediately to slay him, insomuch that before they could put David in his grave, they took away poor joabs life. O my good jesus, the conditions of thy Testament be not like unto these, seeing that in the last farewell on the altar of the cross, thou didst not command thy successors to revenge, but to forgive, nor to take away men's lives, but to pardon injuries, so that as the Synagogue was a house of buying and selling, so thou madest thy church a house of pardon. Christ himself did whip those who bought and sold in the Temple, and the self-same son of God did pardon those whom he found in his house of pardon: whereof we may infer, that he is no inhabitant of his house, who dareth revenge an injury. Christ did show himself to be the son of David, in being meek as he was, but he showed it not in being vindicative as he was, for when he died upon the cross, he did not leave in all the world any one sin to forgive, nor any injury for his heirs to revenge. If as David did command to revenge the misdemeanour which his servants did him, Christ should have commanded to revenge the sins which the jews committed against him, it had not been possible to have been done, because the sinners had too many sins, and the tormentors wanted torments.   

CHAP. III. Of the difference betwixt the blood of Abel and the blood of Christ, and how unlike their cries unto God are.  
ACcessistis ad sanguinis aspersionem, melius loquentem quam Abel, saith the Apostle writing unto the Hebrews, chap. 9, as if he should say, We are very happy which believe in Christ, and receive his gospel, seeing we be redeemed by his death, and bought with his precious blood. And because thou mayest the better esteem of the price of this blood, know thou that it crieth before the eternal father better than the blood of Abel, because that cried justice, justice, and the blood of the son of God crieth Mercy, Mercy. S. Jerome saith, The Apostle doth highly set forth the blood of Christ, whose sovereign price and high merit he would not compare with the other bloods of the old Testament, but with the blood of the first just man that ever was in the world, the blood of the holiest saint that is in heaven. Origen saith, The Apostle should have done Christ great injury, if he should have compared his blood with the blood of calves and goats of the old Testament, because the blood of those beasts did serve to no other purpose but to defile the stairs, and to take away their lives: but the blood of the son of God doth wash and make clean offences, and save our souls. The first blood with the which God was offended, was the blood of Abel; and the first blood with which God was pleased, was the blood of Christ; and that which is most to be wondered at is, that the blood of Abel did benefit but himself alone, but the blood of Christ did profit all the world. S. Ambrose saith, What blood can be compared unto the blood of Christ? for the blood of Abel did stir up, and not appease, seeing that thereby he lost his life, and his brother his soul: The blood which thou didst shed for me O sweet jesus, did not stir up, but appease, because it did pacify the father's anger, took away thy own life, and redeemed my soul. Anselmus saith, The blood of Abel is blood, and the blood of Christ is blood, the one the blood of a just man, and so likewise the other; that was shed by envy, and this shed through envy: But the difference was, that the blood of Abel cried from the earth, and the blood of the son of God prayed from the cross. Weigh well this speech, Clamabat ad me de terra, and also that, Melius loquentem quam Abel, and thereby thou shalt perceive how the blood of Abel doth cry for vengeance upon his brother Cain, and the blood of the son of God doth pray for mercy for all the world. Consider well of this word Melius loquentem, that is, that the blood of Christ should have been but of small profit, if he should have died for none but for those of that time. The Apostle doth not say, that the blood of Christ did then speak only, but that it doth speak now, and will speak until the world's end, and thereupon it is, that we do represent this blood every day, and offer it in our prayers: for otherwise, as there is no day in which we do not commit some sin against him, so there should no day pass in which we should not suffer some punishment. Saint Basil saith, His offence is very great which committeth a fault, if he do not immediately help himself with the blood of Christ, for if it be frozen for Pagans and Heretics, yet it is fresh and hot for Christians and sinners. It is also to be marked, that the Apostle saith not Accessistit ad sanguinis effusionem, but ad sanguinis aspersionem, which speech he used not for the wicked Synagogue, but for the holy mother church, because the Synagogue was in the time of shedding of blood, but the holy church came to the sprinkling & gathering of it together. O how happy we Christians be, and how unhappy the jews were, seeing that they came Ad sanguinis effusionem, to the shedding of blood, and we christian's Ad sanguinis aspersionem, so that they shed the blood of the son of God & did not gather it up, & we gather it and did not shed it. S. Augustine upon S. john saith, By this speech of Aspersionem sanguinis, the Apostle doth let us understand, that the blood of Abel had no other force than to be shed upon the earth, but with the blood of the son of God all the catholic church was as it were with Isope sprinkled, so that all the blood of the Synagogue was but shed & cast on the ground, but the blood of Christ was shed, & imparted amongst us. Cyrillus upon Leuit. saith, The church was at the sprinkling of blood, but the synagogue at the effusion of blood, seeing that of the blood of the Synagogue there was no drop gathered, & of the blood of the church there was no drop lost. S. Barnard saith, As for the blood of Abel let it be lost, but as for the blood of the son of God, it is not lawful that any should be lost. And he goeth gathering it drop by drop, who by little & little doth imitate Christ's life, he doth gather one drop who doth imitate him in one virtue, & he doth imitate him in two drops who doth follow him in two, & he doth gather many drops who doth bestow himself in the getting of many virtues, insomuch that as on the cross he gave it in recompense of wickedness, so he doth now give it in exchange of virtues.   

CHAP. FOUR Where Christ complaineth on the Christian man's soul, because she was ungrateful for the benefit of her creation and redemption.  
Wlnerasti cor meum seror mea, vulnerasti cor meum sponsa mea, in uno oculorum tuorum, & in uno crine colli tui. Cant. 4. as if he should say, Thou hast wounded my heart, O my sister, thou hast pierced my heart, O my spouse, and the cause of my captivity was, because thou didst behold me with one of thy eyes, and because I did behold one of thy hairs. Origen upon these words saith, Such sweet words and such pitiful complaints as these are, from whence should they proceed but from a man sorely grieved, & with heavenly love greatly inflamed? The loving words which Christ speaketh unto the soul, and the anxiety and grief which the soul uttereth unto Christ, who can better declare than the soul which is familiar with Christ? Such deep reasons, such pitiful wounds, such true complaints, and griefs so lamentably uttered, as these are which are contained under these words, how is it possible for my pen to write, or my heart to taste of? How sweet our Lord is to the soul which seeketh him, and how delightful unto the soul which calleth upon him, and how pleasant unto the soul which doth keep him, is so high a language, that none is able to understand, but only that soul which doth deserve to taste of the same. First of all it is here to be noted, why Christ doth call a holy soul once sister, and another time spouse: for if she be a sister she cannot be a spouse, and if she be a spouse she cannot be a sister. The mystery of this secret is, that she is called spouse because of the faith which she took of Christ, and she is called sister, because of the flesh which Christ took, in so much that Christ is our bridegroom in that, that he is our Creator, and he is our brother in that, that he is our Redeemer. Twice the bridegroom complaineth to have been wounded of his bride, saying, Thou hast wounded my heart my sister, thou hast wounded my heart my spouse: for in respect of two loves he hath compassion on her, and in respect of two loves he suffered for her, that is, for having made her to his likeness and semblance, and for having redeemed her with his blood. For Christ to say twice. Thou hast wounded me, thou hast wounded me; is to say, thou hast been unthankful for the favour I did to create thee, and thou hast been ungrateful for the benefit which I did thee in redeeming thee: insomuch that to be unthankful unto Christ for these two benefits, is to wound Christ's heart with two deep wounds. S. Barnard upon the Canticles saith, Note well that Christ doth not say [thou hast broken my head] but [thou hast pierced my heart] to let us thereby understand, that all the offences which we commit against him, and also all the services which we do for him, do reach until his heart, as he doth love us with the heart. Anselmus to this purpose saith, Our Lord doth jest with no man, nor will not be jested at by any man, and thereupon he loveth us with all his heart if we be in state of grace, and hateth us with his heart if we be in his disgrace. By reason whereof, there is no offence which we do commit against his Majesty, which goeth not to his heart, nor there is no service which we do to him, but he doth keep it in his heart. Origen saith, The cause why the bridegroom doth complain upon the bride, and not the bride against the bridegroom is, because the soul hath no cause to complain upon God, and God hath scarce no cause to be pleased with the soul. The bridegroom complaineth that the bride woundeth him in the heart, because that one heart cannot be hurt but of another heart, because that that cannot be called a fault, but that which doth determinately proceed from the will. Then thy heart doth pierce and wound Christ's heart, when reason doth teach thee that thou shouldest not sin, and yet notwithstanding thy will doth determine to sin, whereof God doth not so much hold himself injuried of that which thou dost, as of the heart and will with the which thou dost it. Thou dost so many times wound Christ as thou dost consent unto sin, and therefore he saith that thou hast wounded his heart, because his injuries and offences proceeded from thy heart. It is much to be noted, that he saith not, thou hast killed my heart, but thou hast wounded my heart: for seeing that we see some die only because his heart is moved & stirred, it should be greater reason that they should die having their heart wounded. If a grief of the heart be hardly cured, how shall that heart be healed which is wounded? If it be so, that all the wounds in the heart are mortal, and not to be cured, why doth Christ say that his lover had wounded his heart, & not confess that he had killed him? By this is known the difference betwixt offending God and offending man, for a man dieth with every wound because he will never forgive and pardon, but holy jesus doth not complain that they kill him, but only that they wound him. Giving us thereby to understand, that at the same instant when a soul doth repent her of her offences, he doth hold himself satisfied for that fault. What should become of us, if Christ should say that we do kill him as he saith that we do wound him? What other thing were it to take Christ's life away, but to sin without hope of mercy? God speaking with the Angel saith, Interfecisti cor meum, and speaking with man saith only, Vulnerasti cor meum, because the sin of the Angel had no remission, but the sin of man obtaineth every day pardon. O good jesus, O creator of my soul, how much are we bound unto thee in saying, that we do wound thee, and not that we do kill thee, because that by this high speech thou dost let us understand, that the wounds which we give thee in the heart, and the offences which we commit against thee, are as easily cured as they are easily amended. Let no man despair, let no man be discomforted in thinking that he shall not be pardoned, and that there is no remedy for his offences; seeing that the son of God doth confess, that we have not wholly slain him, but only wounded him: of which wounds he than beginneth to be cured when we begin to amend. O infinite goodness, O great charity of thine, O my good jesus, tell me I pray thee, what didst thou see in my sinful soul, that thou shouldest trust the weapons in her hands which she may wound thee with, and also the medicines with the which she may cure thee? what are the weapons with the which she doth wound thee, but the faults which she doth commit against thee? And what is the medicine with the which she doth cure thee, but only the amendment of her own life? Christ saith further, that the weapon with the which the bride did wound him was one of her eyes which she had in her head, and with one of her hairs which hanged at her throat, so that her eyes served her for arrows, and her hair for bindings. Origen upon this place saith, O how tender the heart is which is wounded with the only sight of an eye, and what small force and strength he hath who is bound with a hair. The heart which is touched of our Lord, although he be stronger than Samson, and lighter than Asael, yet in loving of God and tasting of God's holy love, it is easily taken, and suffereth himself to be bound without resistance. We have two eyes in our head to see with, and we have two eyes in our souls to love with, whereof the one is the eye of love, and the other is the eye of fear, and when our Lord saith that we look upon him with one eye, he saith that sometimes we serve him with fear, and sometimes with love. Men of high perfection do look upon him with the eye of love, and men of lesser perfection with the eye of fear, and the difference is, that with the sight of the one there is no alteration at all, and with the sight of the other she is presently delighted. What can there be in the world more sweeter to the taste, or wherein our soul may receive greater recreation, than to fix all our intention to behold and look upon God, and serve him with all our heart. When do we look upon him with one eye only, but when for love we serve him, and not for fear? What can Christ speak more tenderly unto our soul, or what more sweeter words can his holy mouth utter unto the soul, than to say that she had wounded him with one eye, and tied him fast with one hair? O infinite love of thine my Creator and Redeemer, tell me I pray thee if thou be so easily satisfied with a soul that doth but once behold thee, what wilt thou do by her which doth behold thee every day, and serve thee all her life time? S. Barnard saith, He doth bind God with one hair who thinketh on God and nothing else, and he doth wound him with the sight of one eye, who loveth him and no other, so that it lieth in our own hands to serve Christ and attain unto his bliss and felicity.  
Trino & uni laus.   
FINIS.