Fasciculus myrrhæ. Or a briefe treatise of our Lord and Sauiours passion. Written by the R. Fa. I. F. of the Society of Iesus

CHAP. XVI. Of Christs second Speach on the Crosse, vttered to his holy Mother and beloued Disciple.

IT was wisely no doubt by our Creatour, & conueniently or∣dayned, that the Blessed Vir∣gin should with her Sonne in his sufferings be conioyned: that as our two earthly Progenitours, had sinfully concurred to con∣demne vs; so likewise our hea∣uenly new Parents should be graciously combined, to saue vs: yet in a different manner.

For as Eue our old Mothers fault, procured not our condem∣nation, but by drawing her hus∣band thereinto, she miserably occasioned it: so Mary (whome for being mother to Christ we may well call our new Parent) wrought not our redemption, by

her sufferings, but concurred with her sonne, happly vnto it.

Eue sensually delighted her∣selfe, in behoulding, plucking, & tasting the forbidden fruit, ioy∣ing to see her husband likewise eate it; and therfore, to satify in a sort for her sinfull content∣ments, Mary, as a new Mother, was contrarily ordayned, to behould the blessed fruit of her wombe, fastned to the tree of the Crosse, and with painefull tor∣ments, killed theron, to her vn∣speakable affliction.

The Euangelists do not tell vs that this Blessed mother of our heauenly Redeemer, was present at any of her sonnes torments, ex∣cept his crucifixion: yet may we probably ghesse her to haue ben a sad spectatour of all such, as were publikely on him inflicted, and in his paynefull iourney to

Mount Caluary, one, & the chie∣fest of his dolefull attendants: where when other friends stood a farre of from him, as he had cō∣playned by his Prophet; she vn∣der the very armes of his Crosse, in presence (so nigh as she could) and patience, vnited her selfe with him, whilst sorrowes shar∣pest sword, which Simeon had foretould her, entred deeply in∣to her soule, and made her feele therin, by a most aflictiue & ten∣der compassion, her sonnes bo∣dily woundings, and torments.

Who the whilst, is not sayd, to haue falne into soūdings, out∣cryes, and passionate behauiours, as Paynters vnder the Crosse are wont foolishly to expresse her: but contrarily, that she stood si∣lently, and patiently neere him, opening (as it were) her breast, with an heroicall fortitude, to

the deadlyest stroakes, which griefe could lay theron; as being thereunto by her dying diuine Sonne supernaturally assisted, to offer, no doubt, mysteriously, that great Sacrifice with him: as S. John was ordayned to be there also present, that as an eye-wit∣nesse, he might authentically in his Ghospell, record the payne∣full order of his Lords suffe∣rings vnto vs.

Christ prayed on his Crosse, first for his enemies, because they stood in greatst need of his Cha∣rity towards them: and next, he cast his eyes and hart on his Mo∣ther and Disciple, as on two friends dearest of all others vnto him, saying to her, first, as chie∣fest of the two, and most meriting his compassion: Woman, behould thy Sonne: and then to him: Be∣hould thy Mother. He called her

not Mother, lest by so naming her he might haue caused his spitgh∣full aduersaries, vnfittingly to haue abused her: and noting her perchance withall, to haue been that victorious woman contrary to Eue, in her graces, and orday∣ned by him (her Sonne) to crush Sathans head, and vtterly to van∣quish him.

He commended her therefore as a mother to S. John, that he might in his Lords place, as a lo∣uing child honour, and respect her; happy in so gracious an a∣doption, wherein his deare Mai∣ster was pleased, doubbly to a∣dopt and make him his Brother; not only by his Father, but by his mother also, as a holy Author affirmeth.

Fayre Rachael [Gen. 35.] is said to haue had two sonnes, the one called Ioseph, as being the

child of her prosperity, and in∣creasing; the other named Benoni by her, the sonne of her sorrow, because she dyed in his painefull byrth: so this sacred Virgin may be said to haue had two Sonnes, the first ioy fully for herselfe and mankind by her conceaued; the other in her killing griefes was as Benoni, a sonne of sorrow, to her graciously bequeathed, who in the extasies of his mind, and high graces receaued (as Dauid in Psalm. 67. mysteriously calleth him) proued a Beniamin after∣wards amōgst the Apostles, gra∣ced aboue the rest, by leauing on his bosome in his last supper, and hauing had his mother recom∣mended vnto him.

Neither had S. John this hap∣pines alone, but after him also o∣ther holy soules were ordayned to haue a share in this heauenly

adoption, to be honoured in his honour, and blessed in his bles∣singes, not for him alone, but for vs also, by our most louing and liberall Lord, graciously prepa∣red; who had nothing so deare, and proper to himselfe, which he hath not for our good been wil∣ling to communicate vnto vs.

His Father (for example) he hath made ours, his merits, his kingdom: and his mother lastly for a heauenly Parent, he bequea∣thed vnto vs, who by being vni∣ted with her Sonne, in his payne∣full purchase of graces for vs, merited from him, a gracious power, to performe Motherly offices, and obtayne heauenly blessings abundantly, for her de∣uout children, and seruants.