Meditation For Tuesday Morning On The Prayer Of Our Savior In The Garden And Upon His Apprehension


Meditation for this day (when thou hast made the sign of the Cross, and prepared thy self hereunto) thou haft to meditate upon theſe points: to wit: upon the prayer of our Savior in the Garden: and upon his apprehension. 

THE TEXT OF THE HOLY EVANGELIST

When Supper was done, Christ went with his disciples into a garden which is called Gethsemane. And he said unto them. Sit here, whilst I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. And he began to be in great fear, and heaviness.And he said unto them. My soul is heavy even unto death. Tarry here, and watch with me. And so he went a little further from them, where he cast himself down prostrate on the earth, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying. O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. This done, he came to his Disciples , and found them a sleep. And he said to Peter: what could ye not watch with me one hour? watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit is ready, but the flesh is weak. Again he went away the second time, and made the same prayer saying. O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, but that I must needs drink it, thy will be done. And he came the second time, and found his Disciples asleep: for their eyes were heavy. So he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the ſame words. And then reappeared an angel to him from heaven, comforting him. And being in agony, he prayed more at length. And his sweat was like drops of blood, trickling down to the ground. Then he came to his Diſciples, and ſaid unto them. Sleep from hence forth, and take your rest. Behold the hour is at hand, and the son of man shall be delivered into the hands of sinners. Arise, let us go, behold he is at hand, that ſhall betray me. And whiles he yet spake, lo, Judas one of the twelve came, and with him a great multitude, with swords, and staves, and torches, and lanterns, being sent from the high priests, and elders of the people.Now he that betrayed him, had given them a token : saying: whom ſo ever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hands on him. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said: hail master, and kissed him. Then Jesus said unto him. Friend, wherefore art thou come? And Simon Peter drew out his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. This servant was called Malcus. Then Jesus ſaid unto Peter: put up thy sword into the scabbard. The cup that my Father hath given me, wilt thou not, that I drink it? And he touched the ear, and forthwith made it whole. At that time Jesus ſaid to the high priests, and to the officers of . temple, and to the elders, that ca- me unto him. Ye be come out, as it were against at thief, with swords and staves. I sat daily among you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness. Then the soldiers, and the captain, and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bond him, and led him away, to Annas first (for he was father in law to Caiphas, who was the high priest for for that year. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. 

MEDITATIONS UPON THESE POINTS OF THE  TEXT 

THAT doest thou o my soul what thinkest thou? It is no time now to sleep: Come with me I pray thee into the garden is of Gethsemane, id there shalt thou hear, and see great mysteries. There shalt thou see, joy stroken with sadness: fortitude waxen afraid: strength discomfited: majesty and omnipotence confounded: greatness, and mightiness, very narrowly straitened: and glory it self obscured, and darkened. 

Consider now first, how after that supper (which was so full of mystery) was ended, ..." our savior went with his disciples unto the mount Olivet, to make his prayer, before he would enter into the combat of his passion all trous fion: to give us thereby to understand, that bles and . in all troubles, and temptations of this life, ...” - ’ of this life: we muſt always have recourse unto prayer, ... iſ Meditation for have recourse to Prayer, as to a holy as it were to an holy ancker, by vertu where- of, the burden of tribulation ſhall either be taken quite away from vs: or else we shall ha- ancker and ue ſtrength given us to be able to beare it: refuge. S. Gregorie. which is a farre greater grace. For (as S. Gregorie saith) our Lord doth us a greater benefit, when he giveth  us force, and strength, to be able to ſuſteine troubles, and temptations, then when he taketh the same troubles and temptations away from vs. 

Our Savior took with him (to accompany him in this way) three of his beſt beloved Disciples: to wit: S. Peter: S. James, and S. John: which three a little before, had been witnesses of his glorious transfiguration. And this he did,that the very same perſons might ſee, what a far different ſhape he took now upon him, for the love of men, from that glorious shape, wherein he had ſhewed himself unto them at his transfiguration. And because they should understand, that the inward troubles, and agony of his soul, were no less then those, that began to be discovered outwardly, he spake unto them thoſe sorrowful words. My ſºule is hea- uſe even unto death: tarrie me here, and watch with me. That very God, and true man, that man that far excellethe both our humane nature, and all thinges created, whoſe de alinge,and conference, was with the verie bre- ſte of the highe Deitie it ſelfe, with whom onclic he communicated his ſecretes, is now fallen

Tebſdale morninge. 5 fallen into ſo º:, and Hair: that he is contented togeue part of his paines wnto his creatures, and to require of the theire companic:ſaying: tarrieme here, and batch bith me. O treaſure of heauenfo perfet felicities who hath browght thee o Lord wnto ſuch a narrowe ſtraight who hath driuen thee to fecke at other mens gates? who hath cauſed thee to become a beggar, euen of thine owne creatures? who hath done all this, but onely the verie greate loue, thou haſt to make them riche. Tell me o moſt ſweete and mercifull redee- mer; wherefore art thou now ſo much afrai- de of death , which before thou diddeſt ſo much deſire: ſcinge the fulfilling of the deſire, is a cauſe rather of ioye, then of feare? Were- lie the Martirs had neither the fortitude, nor yet the grace, that thou haſt. They had one- lie a little, portion, which thou (beinge the fountaine of grace) diddeſtimpart vnto them: and yet they with that onelie ſmale quan- titie of grace, entred verie cheerfullie into the combat of there martirdomes, and atchei- ued the vićtorie. And art thou (o Lord) bein- ge the geuer of ſtrength and grace, ſad and fearfull now, euen before the battell begin- ne? Aſſuredlie (o Lord) this thy feare, is not thyne, but myne: as likewiſe the ſtrength,and fortitude of thy Martirs, was not theires, but thyne. The feare that thou haſt, commeth of that, thou haſt of vs, and the ſtrength and The veric cauſe both of Chriſtes feare, and of the for- titude of the Mar- tyrs.

Meditation for Gemeſis 2. and fortitude that the martyrs had, came of that, they had receiued of thee. The weake- nes of my humane nature is diſcouered in that God was afraide : and the ſtrengthe of thy godhead is ſhowed in the fortitude of man. So that this feare is myne, and that fortitude is thyne. And therefore thy repro- che is mync, and my praiſe is thyne. There was taken a ribbe bone out of the ſide of our forefather Adam, to forme a woman thereof: and in ſteede of the bone, that was taken awaie ; there was put weake and fechle fleſhe. Now what elles is ſignified hereby, but that the euerlaſtinge father tooke from thee, beinge our ſecond Adam, the for- ce and ſtrengthe of grace: to place the ſame in thy ſpouſe the Catholick Church: and tooke from her the feeble fleſhc,and weake- nes, to place it in thee 3 by meanes whereof thy ſpouſe remayned ſtronge, and thou wea- ke: ſhe ſtronge, by reaſon of thy ſtrength;and thou weake, by reaſon of her weakenes.Thou haſt herein (o heauenlie Lord) beſtowed a dowble benefit vpon vs, in that thou haſt vouchſaffed, not onelie to clothe vs with thee, but euen alſo to clothe thy ſelfe with vs. For theſe two ſo ſinguler benefittes the angelles praiſe thee for euermore, for that thou haſt bene no niggarde in communica- tinge thy benefittes vnto vs, nor yet diſdayned to take vpon thee our miſeries. Now when I conſider theſe thinges (o Lord) what ells ſhould

Teleſdaie morninge. 55 ſhould I do, but ſeinge my ºft, as it were lo- den with thy mercies, gloric in thee, and ſeinge thee to be likewiſe repleniſhed with my miſeries for my ſake, . compaſſion vpon thee? For the one I will reioyce, and be glad, and for the other I will ſorrowe, and lament. And ſo with ioye and lamentation together, I will ſinge and bewaile the miſte- rie of thy moſt dolorous paſſion, and I will ſtudic continuallie in that booke of Ezechiell recºid... the contentes whereofare ſonges, and lamen- tations. When our ſauiour had ſpoken theſe words he departed from his diſciples a ſtones caſt, where lyenge proſtrat vpon the grounde, he begane his praier with verie great reuerence: ſayinge, o father, if it be poſſible, let thi. ºf: Matth 16. paſſe from me, hobbeit not as I bill, but as thou bilt. and after he had made this praier three times, at the third time, he was in ſuch a great agonie, that he beganne to weat euen droppes of bloud, which ranne downe all a longe his ſacred bodie, and trickeled downe The cauſe, to the grownd. of our Sa- Conſider now attentiuelie, in what a dolo- uiours grea rous caſe our ſauiour was, and how there we- ºgº - and ſwca- re then repreſented vnto him, all the cruell tinge drop- Paynes and tormentes he had to ſuffer, euen gº of P as thowgh they had bene then preſentlie in bloud,whi- doinge before his cies, all which he apprehen-Ishºya. ded after a moſt perfer maner in his moſt ex- ... cellent imagination, eache one in ſuch ſort, as ºn. gar- Luce.11.

Meditation fºr they were prepared for his bodie, which was certeinlie more tender, and dclicate, then euer anie other bodie was in the whole worlde. He ſet alſo at that time before his eies, all the ſynnes of the worlde, for which he ſhould ſuffer, and withall the greate vnthankfulnes and ingratitude of ſo manic ſoules,as (he kne- we)would neuer acknowledge this his ſinguler benefit, nor further and helpe themſelues with this moſt pretious,and ſo coſtlie remedie.The- ſe thinges being profoundelie wayed, and conſidered by our ſauiour at this time, his ſou- le was vexed in ſuch ſort, and his ſenſes,and moſt tender fleſhe, were ſo wounderfullie troubled, that all the forces, and elementes of his bodie were diſtempered, and his bleſ- ſed fleſhe opened on euerie ſide, and gaue place to the bloude, that it might paſſe and diſtille throwgh all partes of his bodie in verie great aboundance , and ſtreame downe to the grownde. Now if the fleſhe ſuffered ſuche greuous paynes with the one- lie remembrance, and imagination, of that which as then was to come, in what a dolefull caſe then, trow ye, was his ſoule, that ſuffered thoſe paynes euen direétlie in itſelfe. In other men we ſee, when they are diſ- quieted with anie ſuddaine, and great angui- ſhe, the bloude vſeth commonlic to haue re- courſe vnto the hart, leauinge the other mem- bers of the bodie colde and deſtitute of theire ſtrégthe, to comfort the moſt principall mem- ber.

Teleſdaie morninge. 36 ber. But our ſweete Sauiour Chriſt contra- our sa- riewiſe,(becauſe he would ſuffer without anie uiour ſuf. maner of comfort, thereby to make our re-jº. demption more aboundant,) ſuch was his paſ- ;" ſingloue towardes vs, that he would not ad- without nº ſo much, as that little releefe and com- anie maner fort of nature. of comfor- Beholde our ſweete ſauiour now in this do- “ lorous agonie, and conſider not onelie the paynefull anguiſhes, and greifes of his ſoule, but alſo the forme of his ſacred, and reue- ICnt Countenance. The ſweate is wont to haue his moſt chee- fe; and principall recourſe to the forehead, and to the face. If then the bloud iſſued out through all the bodie of our Sauiour,in ſuch ſorte, that it trickeled downe to the verie earthe: in what plight then was that goodlie cleare forehead thinkeyou, that geueth light to the verie light it ſelfe? And how was . face beraied, which is ſo reuerenced of the heauens, beinge as it was all in droppes, and couered ouer with a blouddie ſwear. If ſuch as be kinde and louinge, are wont when they come to viſit theire frendes, being ficke, and in danger of death, to beholde theire coun- tenance aduiſedlie, and to marke the colour, and other accidentes, that proceed of the di- ſeaſe, tell me o my ſoule, that beholdeſt the face of our ſweete ſauiour, what thinkeſt thou, when thou beholdeſt in the ſame ſuch wonderfull, ſtrange, and deadlic ſignes? What

Meditation for Our ſynnes were the verie cauſe of our Sa- uiours louddye ſweatc. ainfull fittes and dolorous greifes, are thoſe ike to be hereafter, if in the verie beginninge of the diſeaſe, he ſuffer ſuch a great agonie? In what dolorous panges is he like to be, when he ſhall feele thoſe moſt greuous paynes, and cruell tormentes themſelues, if in the onelie thinkinge of them, he ſweateth cuen drop- pes of bloude: If thou be not moucd to take compaſſion of our ſweete ſauiour, ſcinge him in this dolefull caſe for thy ſake: If now when he ſweateth droppes of bloud throug- hout all his bodie, thou canſt not ſheede anie teares from thyne cies , thinke verclic with thy ſelfe, that thou haſt a veric harde and ſtonic hart:and if thou canſt not weepe for want of loue towardes him, yet at the leaſt wee- pe for the multitude of thy ſinnes; forſomuch as they were the verie cauſe of this his ago- nie, and greife. ow the tornmentors doe not whippe him: néïther "doe the ſouldiars crow- ne him with thornes : It is not now the nai- les, nor the thornes, that do cauſe the bloud to guſhe out of his bodie at this time: but it is thy verie ſynnes and offences: thoſe are the thornes that doe pricke him: thoſe are the tormentors that doe torment him: thoſe aſc the heauie burden, that cauſe him to flyeat this ſo ſträge and wonderfull blouddye ſweat. O my ſweete ſauiour, and redeemer, how deerlie haſt thou bought my ſaluation, and redemption: O my true Adam, that art com- me out of paradice for my ſynnes, and labou- reſt

- Teleſdaie morninge. reſt here in earth with thy blouddie ſweat,to of our Sa- get the bread that I muſt feede vpon. uioursago- Conſider alſo in this place, on the one "º º: ſide, the great agonie, and watchinge of our sº Sauiour Chriſt, and on the other, the ſownde our ſalua- and deepe ſleepinge of his diſciples: and thoution, whi- ſhalt ſee here repreſented a great miſtcrie. º For trulie there is nothinge more to be lamen- . it is ted in the worlde, then to ſee how careles and . negligent men be in there liues, and how little accompt they make of a matter of ſo great importance, as is theire owne ſaluation.What thinge is more to be bewayled, then to ſee men ſo careles in ſuch waightie afaires? Now if thou Wilt winderſtand both the one, and the other, conſider in this matter, the doinges of our ſauiour, and withall the doinges of his diſciples. Sce how our ſauiour, applieng his minde earneſtlie to this buſines of our redem- ption, is in ſuch a great care, and agonie the- rewith, that it maketh him to ſweate euen droppes of bloude: and ſee on the other ſide, how his diſciples do lie a longe on the grownd, and are ſo heauie a ſleepe, that neither thei- remaiſters rebukynge of them, nor theire ill fauoured Åd harde lodginge on the bare groſſ- de, nor yet the obſcure and darcke dewie night, are able to awake them out of theire heauie and drowſie ſleepe. Note alſo of what importance the ſaluation of mankindeis, fith it is able, to make him to ſweate droppes of bloude, by whoſe power the heauens are ſu- H

Meditation for ſteined. And conſider on the other ſide, how little accompt men themſelues make of thei- re owne ſaluation,fith at ſuch time as almigh- tie God himſelfe, is ſo carefull, and watchfull for them; they are in a deepe heauie ſleepe, and vºterlie careles thereof. Aſſuredlie, nothin- ge could more liuely expreſſe both the one and the other, than the conſideration of the- ſe two pointes, being ſo ſtrange as they are. For if almightic God do take ſo great care about the affaires of others, howe happeneth it, that the verie perſons themſelues, to whom cuen the charge and traucille of the affaires apperteineth, (together with the profit, com- moditie, loſſe and damage of the ſame)do liuc with ſuch careleſnes,and negligence therinf By this ſame care of our Sauiour, and care- leſnes of his diſciples, thou maiſt vnderſtand, how trewlie this Lorde is our father, and how. he hath indeede towardes vs the verie bowel- les,and hart of a true,and louinge father. How often times chaunceth it trowe ye, that the daughter ſleepeth verie ſowndlie and quietlic, when her father watcheth all the night, carc- kinge and carynge for her releefc and proui- ſion. And cuen ſo doth this our moſt louinge and mercifull father for vs, whiles we be ſo- heauie a ſleepe, and areytterlie careles of our owne ſaluation, as by this example is liuclic ſet out before our eies, in that he continueth all the night watchinge, and ſweatinge, and in great agonie to take order for the redóption, he intended to beſtowevgon vs.



HOW OUR SAVIOR WAS APPREHENDED. 
II. 

CONSIDER moreover, how when our Savior had finished his prayer, Judas that counterfeit, and false friend of his, came thither with that hellish company, where renouncing the office of an Apostle, he became now the very principal ringleader and Captain of Satan's army. Consider how without all shame he pressed, and set himself even the very foremost, before all the rest of his malicious rowte: and coming to his good master, sold him with a kiss of most traitorous, and deceitful friendship. It is certainly a great mystery, that a man should be sold for money, but yet it is much more miserable if he is sold of his friends, and of such, as to whom he hath been greatly beneficial before. Now our sweet Savior Christ is sold of him, whom he had made not only his disciple, but also his Apoſtle: yea, he is sold of him by deceit and plain treason, he is sold of him to most cruel merchants, that covet (you may be sure) nothing else of him, but only his blood and life, to satisfy their greedy hunger. But for what price trow ye, is he ſold? the baseness and smallness of the price, increase the greatness and malice of the injury. Tell me, O Judas, thou naughty traitor, at what price do thou set the Lord of all creatures At thirty pence. O what a vile and slender price is this, for a Lord of such majesty. Certainly, a very beast in the shambles is commonly sold for more. And do thou o traitor, sell for so small a Price, almighty God himself: He set not thee at so small a price, for so much as he buys thee, with his own most precious blood. O what a great price and estimation was that of man, and how base an estimation and Price was this of God: God is sold for thirty pence, and man is bought even with the very precious blood of almighty God himself. 

At the ſame time, our savior said unto them that came to laic hands upon him: Ye become out, as it bere ageinſt a theife, buth ſibor- des and ſheeres, and I sat daily emange you teaching in the temple, and ye neuer laid handes vpon me, but this is your hobre, and the pober ofaar- kenes. This is ſuerlie a miſterie of great admi- ration. For what thinge is more to be wonde- red at, then to ſee the verie ſonne of almigh- tie God to take vpon him the Image and ſha- pe, not onelic of a ſinner, but cuen alſo of a outp: condemned perſon? This (ſayethe he is jobr juvas hobre, and the potber of darkenes.The which wor-giuen vp desgeue vs to vnderſtande, that from that ti- to the por me, that moſt innocent lambe was geuen vp ... the into the power of the princes of darckenes, i. it. which are the devils, to the intent that by tyme of his meanes of theire members, and cruell mini- apprehen: ſters they might execute upon him, all the fu- . rious tormentes and cruelties they could de- º: uiſe. And like as holy Job, was by the per- coſt. miſſion of almightie God geuen vp into the Iob 1. power of Sathan, that he might use upon him all the crueltie, he would, this onelic excep- ted,that he ſhould not bereiue him of his i. even so was there power given to the princes of darkness, without anic exception, ei- ther of life, or death, that they might fullie extende vpon that ſacred humanitic all theire Luc.11. Math, 16. - H iij Meditation for Zach.3, Pſalm.15. Pſalm.8. furic and rage to the vºtermoſt they cowld. Hereof roſe thoſe deſpightfull tauntes: thoſe ſlaunderous and reprochfull wordes, ſuch as the like were neuer harde before that tyme, wherewith the devil pretended to ſatisfie his wnſatiable rancre and malice, to revenge his injuries, and to cast that bleſled soul down into some kind of impatiencie, if it had been possible. Almighty God (ſaith the Prophet Zacharie) ſhewed Ieſus the highe priest unto me, apparelled with a ſpotted garmente, and Sathan ſtoode at his right hande, readie pre- pared to speak against him. But our Savior answered for his part, saying: I did albaies ſet Godlefore mine eses, who ſandeth at my right hand, that I be not removed. 

Conſider then now o my ſoule, how much that highe and diuine maicſtic abaſed himſelfe for thy ſake, ſithence he vowcheſaffed to co- me to the laſt extremitie of all miſtries,which is to be geuen vp to the power of deuilles.And becauſe this was the paine, that was due to thy ſynnes, it pleaſed him to put euen him- ſelf to this paine, that thou mighteſt remaine quite and free from the ſame.O holie Prophet, why doeſt thou wonder,to ſee almightie God, become inferior to his angells; thou haſt now farre greater cauſe to wonder, to ſee him geuen vp into the power of deuilles. Vndowtedlie both the heauens, and the earthe, trembled, and quaked, at this ſo paſſinge great humilitie, and charitic of our Sauiour.So ſoone as theſe -- - - - - - - wordes Tenſdaiemorninge. 6o wordes were ſpoken, foorthWith all that hel- lifhe rowte, and malitiouſe rable of rauenin- ge Wolues aſſaulted this moſt meeke and in- nocent lambe, and ſome verie furiouſlye ha- led him this waic, and ſome that Waie, cache one to the vºtermoſt of his power. O how vn- gentlie did they handle him? How vncour- teouſlie ſpake they vnto him: How manic blo- wes and buffettesgaue they him? What a vile clamorous cryingc and ſhowtinge made they ouer him, euen as conquerors vſe to doe,when they haue obteined there praie. They laye holde vpon thoſe holie handes (which not longe before had wrought ſo manie Wonder- full myracles) and doebynde them verie har- de, and faſt, with certaine roughe, and knot- tie cordes: and that in ſuch ſorte, that they gawle the ſkinne of his armes, and make the verie bloude to ſpringe out. Our ſauiour be- inge thus bounde, they leade him openlie throwgh the highe common ſtreates, with great deſpite, and ignominie. O what a ſtran- ge and wonderfull ſight is this; Conſider now with thy ſelfe what thou wouldeſt thinke, if thou kneweſt ſome man of great awthoritie, and worthines, and ſhouldeſt ſee him led opé- lie by the officers throwghe the commó ſtree- tes, with an haulter tyed about his necke, his handes manicled and faſtbounde, in a great hurlye burlye, and concourſe of people, with great claſſhinge and noiſe of men of armes, and ſouldiars gardinge him: Imagine (Iſaic) H iiij Meditation for with thy ſelfe, what thou wouldeſt thinke in this caſe; and then lift vp thine cies, and be- holde this Lorde, worthie of ſo greate reue- rence,and honor, that had wrought ſuch won- ders in that lande, that had preached ſuch di- uine ſermons cmongc them, whom all the fic- ke and impotent perſons, did honor and re- uerence, and befought to hauc remcdic for all there diſcaſes, and greifſcs. Conſider now,how they leade him, as onc depryucd of all aw tho- ritic, and put to open ſhamc: partlie goinge, and partlichalcd forwardes, and enforced to haſten his paſe: not in ſuch wiſe, as became a man of his grauitie, and perſonage, but as it liked the outragious furic of his vnmercifull ennemies, and the deſire thcy had to pleaſu- re the Pharaſies,who had ſo great a léginge to hauc that praic within there grypes. Conſider our ſauiour well, how he gocth in this dole- full waie, abandoncé of his owne diſciples; accompanied with his cnn.cmics: his paſe ha- ſtencq and diſordered: his breathc in a maner gone: his colour changcd: his face chafed, and inflamed, by reaſon of his ſo quicke, and ha- ſtic paſſage. And yet in all this cuill entreatin- ge of his perſon, beholde the modeſt beha- lauiour of his countenáce, the comelyc graui- tie of his eics, and that diuine reſemblance which in the middeſt of all the diſcourteſies in the worlde coulde neuer be obſcured. Aſcen- de alſo yet a little higher, and conſider diligen- tlie what he is,whom thou ſeeſt thus led, and carica Tebſdaie morninge. 61 caried awaye, with ſuch great contumelie and diſhonor. This is he, that is the worde of the father: the euerlaſtinge wiſe.dome: the infinite vertu: the cheeſe goodnes: the perfet felicitie: the true glorie; and the cleare fountaine of all beawtic. Conſider then, how for thy ſalua- tion and redemption, vertu is here tyed with bandes: innocécie apprehéded: wiſdome flow- ted, ...id law ghed to ſcorne:honor contemned: gloric tormented:and the clearewelſpringe of all bewtic trowbled with weepinge, and ſor- T rowe. If Helic the preiſt felt ſuch an inward I, Rºg. 4. greiffe, when the Arcke of the teſtament was taken, that beinge aſtoniſhed therewith, he fell from the ſeate, wherevpon he ſat, and bra- ke his necke,and forthwith gaue vp the Ghoſt? How owght a Chriſtian ſoule to be greiued, when he ſeeth the arcke of all the treaſures of the Wiſedome of almightic God, led, and ta- ken in the poſſeſſion of ſuch vnmercifull and cruell enncrimics? The heauens and earthe Pſalm.68. praiſe him therefore, and all that is in them, for he hath harde the cries of the poore, and hath not deſpiſed the ſorowfull bewailinges of his afflićted, that were in captiuitie, but was content to be taken captiue himſelfe, to deliuer them out of theire thraldome,and to ſet them at libertie.

MEDITATIONS FOR OF THOSE THAT DO SPIRITUALLY BIND THE HANDS OF OUR SAVIOR CHRIST 

I I I

WHEREFORE (o most gentle, and sweet savior) since it was thy blessed will, and pleasure, to be bound, to the intent,thou might by thy bands loose us, and deliver us from our captivity: I most húblie beseech thee, even by the bowels of thy tender mercy, that caused thee to abase thy self after this sort, that thou wilt not suffer me to commit any such great wickedness, as to bind thy hands, as the Jews did. 

For it is not the Jews only, that doebin- de thy hands, but whoſoeuer maketh resistance against thy holy inspirations, and will not go whither thou wilt gwyde,and conduct him, but refuſeth to accept that grace, which sheſ, g- thoudoeſt moſt mercifully offer unto him. 

That man likewiſe bind thy hands, ſcidale to that geueth any ſcandalous offence unto his his neigh- neighbor, and by his evil example, and nowgh- ... tie cownſell, withdraweth him from his godlic i: i. purpoſes, and ſo hinder the good work, that thou did begin to work in him. 

The mistrustful, and incredulous persons also, do bind O Lord the hands of thy liberality, and clemency. For like as confidence open the hands of thy grace: even so doth incredulity, and mistrustful close them thé vp,and bind thé: according to the saying of the Evangelist, that thou could not do many virtues, and miracles in thy country, by reason of the incredulity of the inhabitants therein. 

Moreover, the ungrateful, and negligent persons, do bind thy hands o Lord, and doe put an impediment to let the working of thy grace: the one, becauſe they render not thanks unto thee, for the grace, they have The vnreccaued: and the other,becauſe they will not grateful. use the grace, that is given unto them,but doe and negli. kepe it idell, and unoccupied, without takin- #. ... geanic benefit, or commodity of the ſame. ...ie 

Last of all, those that become vainglorious, Christs and proud, by reason of the graces, thou hands. has given them, doe alſo moſt ſtrongelic bind thy hands. For by this offence they make themselves altogether unworthy of thy race. wherefore it is not reaſon, that thou should contincwe to be beneficial unto such perſons,as take occaſion thereof;to become more vain: neither is it ſemelie, that thou should bestow the treaſures of thy grace upon ſuch a one, as yield not to thee again the tribute of glory: but doth rather like a traitor, and robber, wax insolent, and vaunting, with the ſame, and usurp to himself the right, and p." of glory, that appertain unto thee alone: 

I might say also, O Lord, that those talkers, and prattlers, that kept not secret such consolations, and spiritual feelings, as thou give them, do likewise bind thy hands: for like as wise, and discrete men, will not communicate their secrets any more unto them, whom they have found unfaithful in publishing them abroad: even so doest thou also many times leave, to make those persons partakers of thy secrets, who without any cause do publish, and reveal them to others, and take occasion thereby, to make themselves more vain.

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