Meditation For Wednesday Morning: meditate upon the presentation of our Savior before the bishops, and Judges.
WEDNESDAY IN THE MORNING
This day, (when thou hast made the sign of the Cross and prepared thy self hereunto,) thou hast to meditate upon the preſentation of our Savior before the bishops, and Judges.
- Firſt, before Annas.
- Secondly, before Caiphas.
- Third- lie, before Herode.
- Fourthly, before Pilate.
- And afterwards, how he was most cruelly whipped and scourged at the pillar.
TEXT OF HOLY EVANGELIST
When our Savior was brought before Annas the high priest, he demanded him of his Disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, and ſaid: I spake openly to the world, I ever taught openly in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort continually, and in secrete have I ſaid nothing why asks thou me? Ask them that heard me, what I said unto them. when he had ſpoken theſe words, one of the officers, that stood by, smote Jesus with his hand, saying, Answer thou thus the high priest: Jesus anſwered him. If I have evil spoken, beare witness of the evil: But if I have well spoken, why smite thou me.
And Annas sent him bound unto Caiphas,where the doctors of the law, and the ancients of the people were gathered together. And the high priest, and the Scribes, and the whole counsel, sought for false witness againſt Jesus, to put him to death, but found none, though many false witnesses came thither, but their witness agreed not together. But at the last, came two false witnesses, and said. This man said. I can destroy the temple of God, and build it up again in three days. Then the chief priest arose, and said to him: I conjure thee, in the name of the living God, that thou tell us, whither thou be Christ the son of God. Jesus said to him. Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say unto you. Hereafter shall ye see the son of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God, and come in the clouds of the heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying: He hath blasphemed, what need we any more witneſſes: Behold, ye have now heard his blaspheme. what think ye. They answered, and said, he is worthy to die. Then spat they in his face, and buffeted him, and others gave him blows on his face, saying. Areede O Christ, who is he, that smote thee.
The next day in the morning, the whole multitude of them arose, and led our savior unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying: we have found this man perverting the people, and forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar: saying: that he is the king Messiahs. And Pilate asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered him, and said: Thou said it. And when he was accused of the chief priests, and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him. Hear thou not, how many things they say against thee? But He answered him not to one word, insomuch that the president marveled greatly, Then said Pilate to the high priests, and to the people. I find no fault in this man. But they were more fierce, saying: He moved the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning at Galilee even to this place.
Now when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was of Galilee born. And when he knew he was of Herod's Jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also at Jerusalem in those days. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad. For he was deſirous to ſee him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him, and trusted to have seen some sign done by him. The high Priests and the Scribes stood forth, and accused him vehemently. And Herod with his men of War contemned and mocked him, and put a white garment upon him, and ſent him again to Pilate.
And by reason of the solemnity of the feast of Easter, the president was wont then of custom to deliver unto the people a prisoner, whom they demand. And there was at that time a notable malefactor in prison, called Barrabas. When they were then gathered altogether, Pilate say unto them: Whether of the two will ye that I let lose unto you, Barrabas, or Jesus, that is called Christ: And they answered: Not this man, but Barrabas. This Barrabas was cast into prison. Then said Pilate unto them: What shall I do then with Jesus, that is called Christ. They cried all: let him be crucified. Then Pilate took Jesus, and scourged him.
MEDITATIONS UPON THESE POINTS OF THE TEXT.
MEDITATIONS UPON THESE POINTS OF THE TEXT.
MANY things hast thou (O my soul) this day to contemplate,and consider. This day must thou accompany our Savior to many stations, unless thou intend to run away with his disciples: or else feeleſt thy feet over heavy to tread those paths, which our Savior vouchsafed to tread for thy ſake. This day is he brought five times before divers Judges, and for thy sake is evil entreated in each of their houses, and paieth that, which thou haſt deserved. In one house he is buffeted: in an other spitted upon: in an other mocked, and scorned : in an other whipped, and crowned with thorns, and condemned by an vniuſt sentence to a most cruel death. Conſ:- der whether theſe ſtations be not of force to breake and ryue thy hart, and to make thee to go barefoot with him, with the blood run- ningeabout thy feet. How our
Let vs goe then to the firſt ſtation, which Sauiour was in Annas howſe, and marcke there, how was led to whileſt our Sauiour anſwered veric courteouſ- ths, hºw” lic vnto the demaunde, that the Biſhoppe of the made vnto him concerninge his diſciples, Biſhoppe -- - - - .* and doćtrine, one of thoſe wicked º: IIldt that ſtoode thereby, gaue him a great blowe vpon the face,ſayeinge:Jºnſibereſt thou thus the Biſhoppe. Wnto whom our ſauiour veriegen- tlie anſwered: If I haue ſpoken euill, ſhebe me bherein , and if I haue ſpoken bell, Bhy frykeft thou me?
Conſider here now (Ö my ſowle) not one- lye the myldnes of this gentle anſwere, but al- ſo that diuine face, which beareth the print, and is chaunged verie red in colour with the force and violence of the blowe. Conſider al- ſo that moſt conſtant and modeſt looke of his clear eies, which were nothinge at all diſtem- pered in that ſo feirce and ſhamefull aſſault. Conſider withall that moſt holie ſowle, that was inwardlie ſo humble and readie to haue turned the other checke, if the nawghtic wret- ched caitiffe had required it. O curſed and vnfortunate hande, that durſt thus ſtryke and beraye that diuine face, before whoſe reue- rent aſpect the verie heauens doe ſtowpe, and bowel At whoſe maieſtie euen the Sera- phines and all thinges created do tremble. and quake! What ſaweſt thou in him, that thou ſhouldeſt thus be proucked to disfigu- re him, who is the liuelie Image of the glorie of the father? What moued thee to vſe this diſpitefull kinde of moſt villeynous reproche wnto him, who is the moſt bewtifull emonge all the ſonnes of men.
But this was not the laſt iniurie our Sa- uiour ſuffered that night: For from the howſe Ioam.18. Pſal. 44.3. How our Sauiour was led to I iijMeditation for the howſe of biſhop- pe Cai- Phas. I.Pet.1.12. A woulder- full cxam- ple of hu- militie, and patience in our Sa- ul Our. of Annas, they leade him to the howſe of the Biſſhoppe Caiphas, whither reaſon woulde that thou ſhouldeſt goe with him to kepc him companic; and there ſhalt thou ſee the ſonne of iuſtice darkened with an Eclipſe,and that diuine countenance defiled moſt vnre- uerentlie with ſpittell , which the Angelis deſire to beholde. For when our Sauiour was coniured in the name of the father to tell them what he was, he anſwered treulie vn- to their demaunde, as it was mcete he ſhoul- de: but thoſe wicked men that were ſo vº- terlie vnworthic to heare ſuch a highe and ex- cellét anſwere,beinge blinded with the bright- nes of ſo great light, aſſaulted him like mad dogges, and diſgorged vpon him all their malice, and furie. There each onc to the vtter- moſt of his power geucthe him buffettes, and ſtrokcs: There they ſpitte vpon that diuine face with theire diucliſhe mox thes: There they boodwinke his eics, and ſtrike him on the face, ſcoffinge and Icſtinge at him, ſaye- inge: Jºrcede, Bho hath ſmitten thre? O mer- uailous humilitie and paticnce of the ſonne of almightic God: O beawtie of the angclls: Was that a face to ſpit vpon Men vſe com- mólie when they are prouckcd to ſpit,to tour- ne awaie theirc face towardes the fowleſt cor- ner of the howſe: and is there not to be fown- de in all that pallace a fowler place to ſpit in, than thy face O ſweete Lorde: O carthe, and aſſhes, why doeſt thou not humble thy ſelfe at this ſo wounderfull example: How is it that there ſhoulde yet remayne in the worlde anic token of pryde, after this ſo great and meruai- !ous czample of humilitie: Almightic God holdeth his peace whileſt he is ſpitted vpon, and buffetted; the angellcs and all creatures holde theire handes, and reuenge not the in- iuries done vnto theire creator, beholdinge him thus contemned and reuyled with moſt diſpitefull reproche, and villanie:and yet thou beinge a poore ſcclic miſerable worme, tur- moileſt the worldc vp ſide downe, with mali- cious chydinge, brawlinge, and fightinge, in caſe thou be but touched in anie ſmalle poyn- te apperteyninge to thy eſtimatičf Why won- dereſt thou (6 man) to ſee Almightie God thus beaten, and euill entreated in the worldc: ſith the verie cauſe of his comminge was to cure the pryde of the worlde? If the ſharpe- nes of the medecine doe cauſe thee to won- der: conſider the greatnes of the wounde, and thou ſhalt ſee, that ſuch a wounde required ſo ſharpe a medccine as this was: eſpetiallie conſideringe that all this notwithſtandinge, the wounde is not yet whole. Thou wonder- eſt to ſee how almightic God hath humbled himſelfe: And I wonder to ſee thee (for all this example) ſo prowde and inſolent in all thy talke, dealinges, and behauiour, ſeinge almightie God hath ſo humbled himſelfe, to teache thee to be hāble.Thou wondereſt to ſee almightic God thus to abaſe himſelfe vnder T- I iii; the duſt of the earthe,and I wonder to ſee, that duſt and earthe for all this aduaunceth it ſclfe aboue the heauens, and woulde be honoured aboue almightic God himſelfe.
How is it then, that this ſo wonderfull ex- ample ſufficeth not to ſubdue the pryde of the worlde? The humilitie of Chriſt was ſufficient to ouercome thcharte of God, to procure his fauour, and to make him become gentle and mylde towardes vs. And ſhall it not ſuffice to ouercome thy harte, and to make it humble and meikcf.The angell ſaled to the Patriarcke Iacob: Thou ſhalt no more be called Iacob, but Iſrael ſhalbe thy name. For ſinge thou haſ bene mightie againſt God, how much more ſhalt thou be mightie Againſt men? If then the humilitie and melke- nes of our Sauiour Chriſt preuailed againſt the furie, and wrathe of almightie God: why doth it not preuaile againſt our pridc? If it we- re able to pacific and appeaſe ſo mightie a hart,as the hart of almightie God,beinge then angrie with vs, why doth it not alter and mol- lifie our ſtubborne hartes? Suerly I am at my wittes cnde, and verie much aſtoniſhed, yea it paſſeth my reaſon to conſider how this ſo great paticnce ouercommeth not thy anger, how this paſſinge great abaſinge aſwageth not thy pride, how theſe violent buffettes beate not downe thy preſumption, and how this deepe ſylence crnonge ſo manie iniuries is not of force to make thee leaue of thy quarrelin- ges, and troubleſome ſewtes in lawe, where- - - - with thou vexeſt and turmoyleſt thy neigh- boures about the vile mucke and tranſito- ric pelfe of this worldc. It is a mcruailous great wonder to ſee how almightie God would by mcanes of theſe ſo terrible iniurics ouerthrowe the kingdomc of our pride: and it is alſo greatlic to be meruailed at, that not- withſtandinge all this, there remaineth yet a freſhe liuelie memoric of Amelec vnder the heauens, and that to this daie the relikes of this wicked generation doe for all that remay- ne, and contincwe.
Now therefore 6 ſweete Ieſus I beſeech thee to cure in me with the cyample of thy great humilitie, the follie of my vaine arro- gancie, and pryde. And forſomuch as the greatnes of thy woundes doc geue me playnlie to vnderſtand, that I haue great necde of a helper, let it cuidently appeare by the opcra- tion of thy grace and remedic in mc, that I doe now preſentlic enioyc the bencfit of the ſame. 4 Reg. 15-
OF THE VEXATIONS AND TROUBLES OUR SAVIOR SUFFERED the night before his Paſion; and of the deny all of S. Peter. $. II. Nº
CONS1DER after this, what trou- tº bles our ſauiour ſuffered in that do- Tºlcrull night, when the ſouldiars that had him in cuſtodie, mocked and lawghed him to ſcorne (as S. Luke ſaieth,) and vſed as a mean to paſſe awaic the ſleepi- nes of the night to ſcoffe and ieſte at the Lor- de of maicſtie. Conſider now (6 my ſowle) how thy ſweete ſpowſe is ſet here as a marcke, to receiue all the ſtrokes and buffettes they could geue him. O cruell night! O vnquiet night, in which thou (O good Ieſus) tookeſt no reſt at all, neither did the ſouldiars repoſe them ſelues, but accomptcd it euen a paſtyme and recreation to vexe, and torment thee!The night was ordeined for this ende, that all crea- tures ſhoulde therein take theire reſt, and that the ſenſes and members that are wearied with the toyles and labours of the daie, might be refreſhed,and relieued: but theſe wicked men vſe it now as a fit tyme to tormente all thy members,and ſenſes,ſlrykinge thy bodie, affli- Čtinge thy ſowle, bindinge thy handes, buffet- tinge thy cheekes, ſpittinge in thy face, and lugginge thee by the eares, that at ſuch time as all members are wonte to take theire reſt, - all
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