The sixth point that we have to contemplate upon in the holy passion, is the conveniency of the mystery of our Redemption: to wit, how convenient a mean this was which almighty God chose whereby to work the salvation of man, and to heal and cure him of his miseries. This manner of contemplation serveth to illuminate the understanding, to confirm it more firmly in the faith of this mystery, and to lift up the heart of man into a great admiration of the goodness, and wisdom of almighty God, who chose so wonderful and convenient a mean to heal our miseries, and to relieve our necessities.
This is so copious and so plentiful a matter to meditate upon, that certainly if a man should continue thinking upon it until the end of the world he should always find new reasons of the conveniency of this holy mystery, and new causes to induce him to lift up his spirt more and more in admiration of the high wisdom and providence of almighty God herein. But because this volume would be to great in case I should treat of this matter at large: I will therefore at this present only shew the order and foundation of this consideration, to the intent that the devout and religious soul may hereby have a way opened unto her to prosecute all the rest.
Wherefore it is to be noted, that if we will see what proportion and conveniency a mean hath with his end, it is necessary to make a comparison between the same mean, and the end, and the greater helps that the mean hath towards the attaining of the end, the more proper and convenient is the mean for the same end. As for example: If we will examine whether a medicine be convenient for a disease, we must consider the accidents of the disease, and the properties and virtues of the medicine: and when we have seen what proportion there is between the one, and the other, we may then judge whether the medicine be convenient for the same disease or not. And even in like manner is it in this case: for whereas it is evident unto us, that the passion and blood of our Savior Jesus Christ is a general medicine for all the miseries and necessities of man, if we will try the conveniency of this medicine, we must make a long comparison between the medicine, and the disease: and in case we be able to search and examine well both the one, and the other, we shall certainly find, that this medicine is so fit and convenient for the curing of this disease, and of all the branches, and accidents of the same, as if the medicine had been only instituted for the curing of each defect in the disease: the which undoubtedly is a matter able to bring a man that should consider of it attentively into a great astonishment, and admiration. If thou be not fully persuaded herein, tell me then I pray thee, what satisfaction could be offered more sufficient for payment of the common debts of mankind, than the most precious blood which the son of almighty God shed for us upon the Cross? To cure also the wounds of our pride, covetousness, ingratitude, pleasures, delights, and the love of ourselves, with all other evils which proceed thereof, what thing could be more convenient, than God upon a Cross? Likewise to give us knowledge of the goodness, and mercy of almighty God, to enkindle us more in the love of him, to strengthen more our confidence, and to awake more our forgetfulness, and unthankfulness, what thing could be more convenient, than God upon a Cross? Moreover, to enrich a man with merits, to exalt him unto greater honor, to enkindle his spirit in devotion, to comfort him in his tribulations, to succor him in his temptations, to help him in his labors, to encourage him unto great enterprises, and finally to give a perfect example of all virtues, what thing could be more convenient, than Jesus Christ upon the cross? And to comprehend all in one word, if the Evangelical life be well considered, it is nothing else, but only a continual cross: and so consequently, what thing could be more convenient to direct a kind of life which is altogether a cross, than an other cross?
And if thou be yet desirous to understand this conveniency more evidently, consider attentively what thing a Christian life is, (for the leading of a Christian life is the end of all the travails and pains of our Savior Christ,) and the same consideration will declare very plainly unto thee, what conveniency there is between this mean, and this end. A Christian life (taking it in his full perfection) is not such a kind of life as the Christians use to live at this day in the world: but such a life as our Savior Christ lived, and such a life as his disciples lived, whose pains, labors, and miseries were so great, that one of them saith thus of them: We are become a spectacle unto God, unto Angels, and unto men. For truly so great are our pains, and miseries, and in such wise are we reviled and persecuted of the world, that (as though we were wild beasts baited at a stake) we are specially looked upon, not only of men, and of Angels, but also of almighty God himself. And afterwards he saith thus: Until this present hour we do sustain hunger, thirst, nakedness, and blows, and have not so much as a den wherein to hide ourselves. We go from place to place, and we gain the bread that we eat with our own hands. They curse us, and we bless them: They persecute us, and we suffer them: They blaspheme us, and we pray for them: To conclude, in such wise are we turmoiled and contemned of the world, as if we were the very dust, and dirt, that they tread underneath their feet: And as though we were most wicked, and abominable men, the world is fully persuaded, that nothing can be more acceptable unto almighty God, than to procure our death, and condemnation.
This is (my dear brother) a Christian life. This very Christian life did the Prophets live, and so did also the Martyrs, the Confessors, and those blessed holy Monks that lived in the primitive Church in the wilderness. To be short, this Christian life did all the Saints live. And this Christian life the Apostle describeth very plainly in his Epistle to the Hebrews in these words: The saints were mocked, scourged, apprehended, imprisoned, stoned, sawed in pieces, tempted, and put to death with the sword: They went in this world appareled in sheeps and goats skins, very poor, needy, and afflicted, of whom the world was not worthy: They live in wilderness, and in solitary places, apart from the company of men, and had none other habitation, but the dens and clefts of the earth. This is indeed the perfection of the Christian life, which the gospel teacheth us, and which our Savior Christ came to bring into the world. This Christian life if it be well considered is a continual cross, and death of the whole man, to the intent that after he is thus mortified and annihilated he may be able, and disposed to be transformed into God. For like as there can not be generation without corruption, (forsomuch as that thing which is must perish, to the end that that may be made which is not,) even so this spiritual regeneration and transformation of man into God can not be made, unless the old man do first die, that so by death and corruption of the old man he may be transformed into God. Whereupon it plainly ensueth, that all the Evangelical life is nothing else (as we have said) but death, and a cross. And therefore what thing can be more convenient to direct such a kind of life as is altogether a continual cross, than an other cross: And if there be nothing more apt to and convenient to engender a fire, than an other fire, and if every thing be most apt to engender a thing like unto itself, what thing can be more proportionable and convenient to engender a cross, than an other cross? Undoubtedly so it is: and therefore there is nothing of greater force to encourage and strengthen at this day all holy Catholic men, and women, to suffer pains, unjustice, wrongs, poverty, subjection, discipline, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness, and to be short, all the troubles, calamities, afflictions, persecutions, imprisonment, torments, and miseries of this world, and all the austerity of the Evangelical life, than to fix their eyes upon the cross. Out of this school of the cross came the Martyrs. In this school learned also the Apostles. And this school hath likewise taught and strengthened the virgins, the Confessors, the holy Monks, and to conclude, all the Saints, to live a holy austere kind of life. And it was the cross that hath accompanied and comforted them in all their labors, troubles, pains, afflictions, and persecutions.
Now when the devout soul findeth so many kinds of fruits in this tree of life for all times, and for all necessities, she can not but wonder at the high wisdom of that sovereign master, that hath found out such an excellent mean for our remedy: and she is also provoked thereby to acknowledge the unspeakable goodness of so merciful a father, who being able to have holpen and remedied man with his only will, chose rather to put himself to so great pains, and dishonors, to the intent that man might be more honored and more holpen by this mean, than by any other.
These be the six principal ways to meditate upon the holy passion: and the order that may commonly be used in meditating upon them, is to begin at the first, to wit, to consider the most grievous pains which our Savior suffered for us, (the which consideration is as it were the very foundation of all the others) and from that consideration we may go forwards immediately unto all the rest, according as the very course of meditation will open unto us the way, and especially the grace of the holy Ghost, who is the principal teacher of these exercises. For as we have declared before, when we have considered the passing great pains which our Savior suffered for us, we may then immediately proceed forwards, and consider the greatness of our sins, and which caused him to suffer so many grievous pains, and torments: and withal the passing greatness of this benefit of our redemption, in that almighty God would vouchsafe for the love of us to suffer such extreme pains: And we may likewise consider the highness of the goodness, and mercy of almighty God, who for the great love he bare unto us abased himself so far forth, as to suffer so many reproachful contempts, villainies, and miseries: And above all this we may consider how great examples of virtues our Savior Christ hath given unto us herein: to wit of patience, obedience, charity, humility, meekness, constancy, and of all other virtues, whereof we have hitherto treated.
Howbeit, although it be a very convenient order of meditating upon this holy mystery to pass orderly by degrees through all these foresaid considerations, and so to proceed in order from one consideration to an other, even to the last: yet is it not needful for a man (so often as he meditateth upon this holy mystery) to go in this precise manner through them all, (for many times he shall not have sufficient time for the same,) but let him content himself in his meditation with that consideration, wherein he shall find most spiritual taste, and liking: Forsomuch as in these exercises we must have respect not to the great quantity of the matter that is meditated upon, but to the great devotion wherewith it is done.
OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION 