OF THE PASSING GREAT PAINS,             

and torments, which our Savior Jesus Christ suffered in his most bitter passion.

        First, we must consider the passing great pains of our Savior Christ, to provoke ourselves by that consideration to take compassion of them, as reason it is that the members should take compassion of their head. Wherefore it is to be noted, that the pains which our Savior suffered in his bitter passion, were (as the holy fathers say) the greatest that ever were suffered in this world. This shall appear manifestly to be true, if we do consider five principal causes, from whence the passing greatness of these pains proceeded.

            The first cause was, the passing greatness of his charity, which made him desirous to redeem mankind most abundantly, and to satisfy most perfectly for the injuries, and offences, committed against the divine majesty. And because the greater pains he should suffer, the more perfectly he should accomplish both the one, and the other, (and he wanted not the forces of grace to bear as great a burthen as he would,) therefore he would that his pains should be passing great, that so likewise the satisfaction which he should make for our debt, and the work of our redemption might be also passing great.

            The second cause (which followeth hereof) was, that he suffered his pains without any manner of ease, or consolation. For (according to the reason before mentioned) he shut up from himself all the gates, whereby any manner of consolation might come unto him, either from heaven, or from earth: insomuch that he was content to be forsaken not only of his disciples, and friends, but also of his own father, yea, and of himself also: to the intent that so being destitute of all company, he might be burning in the furnace of his most grievous pains, and torments, without all manner of refreshing of any ease, or consolation whatsoever, that by any means might come unto him. And therefore he said in the Psalm: I am become as a man destitute of all help, I am left among the dead, notwithstanding that I alone am he that among the dead by right am free from sin, and from death. And in an other Psalm he saith: I am plunged in the bottom of waters, and of mire, and I find no place where to stay my feet. This is that forsaking, which our Savior signified upon the cross, when he said: My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me. For at that time his holy humanity was forsaken in the midst of the furious stream of his pains, and torments, and was left destitute of all things that might either withstand or mitigate the force and vehemency of them. This was figured in the law, by those two beasts, that were offered for the sins of the people, of the which the one was killed, and offered up in sacrifice, and the other departed away, and was sent into the wilderness, leaving her companion alone in the torments. The like was done in this heavenly sacrifice, where God and man was offered for the sins of the world, and the one of the two natures, to wit, the humanity, was sacrificed, and did suffer: but the other nature, to wit, the divinity, departed away, leaving her sister and companion all alone to suffer the torments. For albeit that (as concerning the bond of union) the divine nature never forsook the human nature which it had once taken, yet as touching the consolation and ease of the pains, and torments, (in the inferior part) it did wholly forsake the same. And therefore we see, that the Martyrs when they went to suffer death, shewed themselves very courageous, merry, and joyful, (as we read of St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Laurence, and of many others:) but our Savior being the very fountain of grace, and of strength (through whose virtue the Martyrs had such force, and courage, to be able to do that which they did,) trembled, and sweated even very drops of blood, when he went to suffer pains and torments for us. For in the martyrs the virtue of charity which redounded into the inferior forces of the soul caused them to have very great courage, and joy: But in our Savior Christ both these and all other influences were by special miracle suspended, that so he might drink the cup of his most bitter pains, pure, and without mixture of any manner of ease, or consolation.

            The third cause of his so grievous pains, was the tenderness of his complexion. For whereas his holy body was formed miraculously by the holy Ghost, and the things that are done by miracle be more perfect than those that be done by nature, (as St. Chrysostom declareth, speaking of the water, which was turned into wine at the marriage,) it followeth that our Saviors body was the most best complexioned, and most tender of all bodies that ever were, or shall be: insomuch as a holy father saith: That if there had been no external violence done unto our Saviors body, it would have endured a very great number of years, by reason of the perfection, and tenderness of the composition thereof.

            And not only the composition of his body, but also the matter thereof was very tender: forsomuch as the matter of it was wholly most pure virgins flesh, taken of the most pure and virginal bowels of our blessed Lady, without any other kind of mixture. And for this cause (as St. Bonaventure saith) his body was the more tender, and of a more perfect sense in feeling.

            The fourth cause of his so grievous pains, was the very kind of death which he suffered, with all the circumstances that happened in all the continuance of his passion: forsomuch as each one of them (if they be well considered) was a kind of martyrdom by itself. And that thou mayst more clearly perceive the same, begin even from the first entry of his passion until the end of it, and thou shalt find among others twelve most grievous pains, which our Savior there suffered: the which I will rehearse here very briefly, notwithstanding that in every one of them there is very much to be said, and considered.

            The first was, the agony in the garden, and that wonderful bloody sweat, which trickled down throughout all the parts of his body unto the earth, which was the most new and most strangest thing of all that ever hath happened in the world.          

            The second was, to be sold for so base a price of his own Apostle, and disciple, unto so cruel enemies.

            The third was, to be so often times carried through the common streets bound, and manacled, as if he had been a very thief.

            The fourth was, the punishment with whipping, and scourging, which besides that the lashes were very cruelly laid on him, and very many in number, it is not a punishment for a man of any credit, or honesty, but for bondslaves, vagabonds, and men of most vile and base condition.

            The fifth was, that most cruel invention of the crown of thorns, wherein were joined together both most grievous shame, and dishonor, and withal most grievous pain, and torment.

            The sixth was, those so manifold blasphemies, and sundry kinds of most villainous mockeries, injuries, and reproaches, which were joined with the torments: as to spit so often times in his face, as though he had been a blasphemer: to give him buffets, and blows, as if he had been a vagabond: to apparel him some times in white garments, and some times in red, as if he had been a fool: to hoodwink his eyes, and to jest at him, saying, Areed, who hath smitten thee, as if he had been a very dissard: to clothe him with a purple garment, to set a reed in his hand, to kneel on one knee before him, to smite him on the head with a reed, as if he had been a counterfeit king: and besides all this, to proclaim him through the common streets as a malefactor. Who ever saw so many kinds of reproachful injuries heaped together upon one man?

            The seventh was, that wonderful contempt, and despite, which was done unto him (being the son of almighty God,) when they compared him with Barrabas, and made less accompt of him, than of Barrabas. Insomuch as that Lord by whom all things were created, and in whom all things do live, and are preserved, was accompted more unprofitable, and more unworthy to live, than Barrabas an infamous malefactor.

            The eighth was, in that they enforced him to carry upon his shoulders, (which were all rent, and bruised,) the very same instrument of the cross, whereupon he should suffer death. The tormentors themselves (which are commonly the ministers of cruelty) do use to hide the eyes of them that are to be beheaded, that they may not see the instrument, that shall bereave them of their life: but here they do not only not use this kind of humanity towards our Savior, but they lay the same instrument of his death even upon his own shoulders, to the intent that his heart might first suffer the torment of the cross inwardly, before that his body should prove it outwardly.

            The ninth was, the very martyrdom of the cross: which is a most cruel kind of torment: for it is not a speedy kind of death, (as to be hanged, or beheaded) but very long, and lingering: and the wounds be in the most sensible parts of the body: to wit, in the feet, and hands, which are most full of veins, and sinews, which be the instruments of the feeling. Moreover, his pains were increased with the poise and weight of his own body, which always tended and swayed downward: and so it ever rented, and enlarged his wounds, and augmented the grief of his torments continually: and this caused his martyrdom to become so extremely grievous, that although he had no deadly wound, yet by reason of the passing greatness of his pains, his most holy soul departed out of his most precious body.

            The tenth was, that whereas our Savior was thus tormented upon the cross, and there became a very Sea of pains, and torments, yea, whereas he was in such a doleful case, that if we should see a very dog in the street so pitifully tormented it were able to break our hearts, yet all this notwithstanding his cruel enemies were so far of from taking any pity of compassion upon him, that even at that very time, they mocked, and scoffed at him, and wagged their heads, saying: Fie on thee, that destroyest the temple of God, and within three days buildest it again.

            The eleventh was, to have his most innocent mother present before his eyes at all these martyrdoms, knowing so well as he did, what a passing great grief it was unto her most innocent heart.

            The twelfth was such a cruelty, as the like was never seen: to wit, that whereas his most holy body was all void of blood, and all the fountains of his veins emptied, and his bowels dried up, by reason of the great abundance of blood which he had shed, when he requested a little water, they did not only not grant it unto him, but in steed thereof they gave him to drink Easell, and Gall.

            Now what thing could be more cruelly done than this? True it is, that that rich covetous man, which was tormented in hell had a drop of water denied him when he required it, but yet he had no gall given unto him. But here they do not only deny the son of almighty God the thing that he desired, but besides that, they increase his most grievous pains with an other new kind of torment.

            Every one of these points being considered severally by itself, will minister sufficient matter of very great grief and sorrow to any good Christian heart. And therefore whosoever is desirous to have an earnest and inward compassion of the pains of our Savior, let him go through every one of them, and make a station at each of them: and (be he never so hard hearted,) it is not almost possible, but that in some one or other of them he shall find very vehement motions to provoke him unto grief, and compassion.

            Howbeit, the pains of our Savior Christ are not thus ended: there be yet others without all comparison far greater than these, to wit, the pains of his blessed soul. For all these pains above-named, do for the most part appertain to the pains of the cross, wherein his body suffered outwardly: but besides this visible Cross, there was yet an other invisible cross, wherein his most holy soul was crucified within his body, having also four arms, and four nails, (which were four dolorous considerations) and these were a far greater torment unto him, than the very outward cross. For first of all, there were represented unto him all the sins of the world that were present, past, and to come, (for all which he suffered) and that so distinctly, as if they had been the sins but of one man alone. Now to him that bare such a passing great love and zeal unto the honor of his father, what an unspeakable grief was it, to behold such an infinite number of abominations, and offences, committed against so high a majesty? For it is certain, that the sins of one man alone were able to torment him more, than all the torments of the cross. The which being so, what a passing great grief would the sins of all men, and of all worlds cause unto him? Surely, there is no understanding able to comprehend the passing greatness of this grief.

            Secondly, there was also represented unto him the ungratitude and damnation of many men, and especially of many wicked Christians, which would never acknowledge this singular benefit, nor endeavor to profit and help themselves with this so great and so costly a remedy, as he there prepared for them. This was also a far greater torment unto him, than the torment of the cross. For it is a greater pain unto a laborer to be denied his day wages, and the fruit of his labor, than the very labor itself, albeit it were very great. And for this cause our Savior complained by his Prophet Isaias of this injury unto his father, saying: I said: In vain have I travailed: In vain, and without cause have I wasted my strength. And he complained of this ingratitude not only to his father, but also even unto men themselves by St. Bernard, saying: O man, consider what cruel torments I suffer for thy sake. There is no pain that tormenteth me so extremely as thy ingratitude doth: I call unto thee that do suffer death for thee: Behold the pains that do torment me: Behold the nails that do pierce through my hands, and feet: Behold the shameful reproaches, and despites, wherewith they dishonor me. And although the pain which I suffer outwardly be so passing great, yet is the pain far greater which I suffer inwardly, when I see thee so ungrateful and unkind towards me for the same.

            In like manner there was represented unto him the horrible sin of that miserable people of Jewry, and the terrible punishment that was prepared for them within a short time after, which undoubtedly was a greater grief, and torment unto him, that the cup of his bitter passion. For if the Prophet Jeremias signified, that the sin which the Jews committed in going about to kill him, grieved him much more than his own very death, what a grief would it be to our Savior, who had without all comparison far greater charity, and grace, than the Prophet Jeremias.

            There were moreover represented unto him the griefs, and doleful sword of sorrow, which pierced the heart of his blessed mother, when she saw him suffer between two thieves upon a cross, the which undoubtedly was so great a grief and pain unto him, as the love was great which he bare unto her, which love was inestimable: forsomuch as next unto the love of God, he loved her most of all creatures.

            Now these four considerations and griefs were as it were four arms of an other inward cross, wherewith his blessed soul was likewise crucified within his holy body. So that our Savior suffered that day the pains and torments of two crosses, the one visible, and the other invisible. Upon the one cross his body suffered outwardly, and upon the other his soul suffered much more inwardly. Now how passing great the grief was, which proceeded of these four considerations, there is no understanding able to comprehend it: and yet we may conjecture somewhat thereof, by that outward shew of his bloody sweat in the garden.

            Whosoever then shall attentively consider all these causes, shall clearly see how passing great the pains and torments of our Savior were, which is the intent of this first manner of meditating upon his most bitter passion. Howbeit, this must not be the final end of this exercise, but rather it must be used as a mean to come to other ends: to wit, to understand hereby what a passing great love he bare unto thee, that would suffer so much for thee: and what a great benefit he did unto thee, in buying thee with so dear a price: and how much thou art bound to do for him, who hath done, and suffered so much for thee: and above all this, how greatly thou oughtest to abhor thy sins, and be grieved with them, sith they were the cause of his so long and painful martyrdom. Now for these four ends, (whereof we will intreat in the chapters following) serveth this manner of contemplation. Whereby it appeareth, that this first manner of meditating (by way of taking compassion of the bitter pains of our Savior) is as it were a mean, or a ladder, unto all the others. And for this very cause St. Bonaventure made great accompt of this manner of meditation upon the passion: because it is sensibly seen, that this manner of meditation openeth the way unto all the other manners of meditating upon the same.

            And the same holy father saith, that for this purpose it shall be a great help also for us to take some discipline, which may cause some smart, and do no hurt to the body, that so by feeling of that so little pain of whipping, and scourging ourselves, we may the better lift up our spirit, to consider somewhat of the passing great pains, and torments, which the most tender body of our sweet Savior suffered for our sakes.