Meditations collected and ordered for the vse of the English colledge of Lisbo by the svperiovrs of the same colledge.

THE EIGHTH MEDITATION. Hovv our Sauiour is crovvned vvith Thornes.

1. COnsider first, the vnsatiable fury of these ministers of hell: one vvould haue thought the past scourging a sufficient punishment for innocency: but now they vvill crowne him for King forsooth; neuer vvas a cruelty so barbarous heard of: they hale him into the Praetorium, the Pallace, or Court of Audience, Conuocant totam cohortem; they call together the vvhole band; violently strip him againe of all his clothes; set him on a bench or stoole; throw about him some purple ragge; twist a wreath of long, hard and sharpe thornes; clap it on his sacred head; put in his hand for scepter

a cane or reed; bow their knees before him with a scornefull, Aue Rex Iudaeorum, Egredi∣mini filiae Sion; Haile King of the levves Goe fortth ye daughters of Sion. all Christian soules; Et vi∣••dete Regem vestrum in diademate, quo coronauit eum mater sua, and see your King in the Diademe vvhervvith his mother, that is the Synagogue, In die desponsationis suae, hath crovvned him in the day of his despousing, with his Spouse the Church. But, vvhat can vvee first admire? what first lament? the Deuills monstruous inhumani∣ty, or our Iesus his prodigious charity and pa∣tience? the ripping vp of his former vvounds? the renewing of his nakednes? the piercing of the pointed thornes into the middle of his brai∣nes? or the scoffes, ieeres and shouts, vvith vvhich they treated him? let euery one conceiue and bewaile, what he can, and yet all together shall neuer reach vnto the thou sandth part of vvhat here passed.

Conclude as thou hopest one day to see him in his glorie, and to adore him there vvith the foure and twenty Seniours, not to forsake or neglect him now: accompany him vvith com∣passion and imitation; be not one of those, Qui regnare cum Christo volunt, non pati: who would reigne, but not suffer vvith Christ: but heare S. Bernard; Non decet sub spinato capite membra esse mollia & delicata: Soft and delicate members becomes not a head, crovvned vvith thorness: suf∣fer as he doth, if thou meane or hope to reigne with him.

2. Consider secondly at leasure, and imprint in thy soule the image and Idea of thy dearest Lord, seated on this throne of scorne; and see, vvhether exceedeth in cruelty, his torment or ignominy: being placed on some bench or foot∣stoole amidst a vvhole troope of souldiers; his face full of shame and consusion; his eyes swim∣ming in teares for all the vvorld; an old ragged cloake ouer his shoulders, rubbing his green wounds, vvithout couering his nakednes from shame and colo; a crowne of piercing thornes on his head; guesse at this torment, by the touch of a pin or needle on the temples or sinews of thy head, if thou dare not pierce it deeper; a reed in his hand for scepter, vvith vvhich euer & anon they presse and beate downe the thornes into his head; Et percutiebant caput cius arundine; And they smote his head vvith a reede. Where∣vvith the bloud came trickling downe afresh on his face and neck: his enemies saluting him by turnes vvith scoffes, buffets & spitting againe in his face; vvhich before being more beautifull than the sunne, vvas now all bruised, bloudy, defiled vvith spit and durt: and he, his hands being tied, not able to vvipe or ease him selfe: vvhen thou hast viewed him vvell in this sort, then turne thy eyes vpward, and see how he sits in heauen Ad dexteram Patris, adorantibus An∣gelis; Adored by Angels at the right hand of his Father; and hauing compared these two ex∣tremes.

Conclude to adore him, loue and praise him,

as much here In Praetorio Pilati, In Palats pal∣lace, as there, In Palatio Caeli; in the court of heauen; for, Quantò pro me vilior, tantò mihi charior. The more vile he hath made him∣selfe appeare for me, the dearer is he to me: Lend him also a few teares of compassion, lest thou proue more stony & vnhumane than these barbarous souldiers, or the furious Jewes.

3. Consider thirdly, how Pilate, confident now that the rage of the Iewes would be al∣layed; and their malice glutted at such a specta∣cle, led him forth by the hand as he vvas, and from some eminent place shewing him to the people sayd, Ecce homo; behold the man, you so much feared vvould rise vvith the Kingdome, trouble and captiuate you all: feare him no more for such, but rather take pity of him, as of a man of your owne country, flesh and bloud. But they; Crucifige, crucifige eum: Crucifie, cru∣cifie him: ô cry of hellish fiends and not of men! Take him you, quoth Pilate, and crucifie him; Ego enim non inuenio in eo causam: For I find noe cause in him: Wherefore say and doe, vvhat you vvill, I am resolued to set him free: vvhereat they cryed out vvith open throats; Si hunc dimit∣tis, non es amicus Caesaris. If thou release this man thou art not Caesars friend. What now poore Pi∣late? vvhat vvilt thou novv doe? if thou free the most innocent Sonne of God, thou shalt be no more Cesar's friend vvho can conceiue some∣vvhat of that griefe, vvhich pierced the heart of our dear est Sauiour, to see himselfe so banded

against by his ovvne but most obdurate & vvret∣chedly vngratefull people? hovv he pleaded also vnto them his Ecce homo; loe the man; promised and sent vnto them by his Eternall Father, to re∣deeme and teach them the vvay to saluation: he vvho hath done so many miracles, cured all their diseased, and preached vnto them the vvord of life &c.

Conclude thou also vvith tvvo Ecce homo's; loe the man's; the one to God the Father, repre∣senting vnto him this his disfigured Sonne, that looking fast vpon his passion and merits, he may vievv thee vvith mercy: the other to thy afflicted Sauiour, that for the sad case, his loue hath put him in, he vvill looke vpon thy vveak∣nes cure thy vvounds made by sinne, and giue thee strength to imitate his sufferings: take heed of a Ievvish obduratenesse; take heed, thy sinnes cry not against him a nevv Crucifige, Cru∣cifie him.