HOLY weeke.
The Iewes accuse him to Pilate the Gentil: 4. who seeking earnestly to deliuer him, specially
after that Herod sent him backe, 17. they not only preferre the murderer Barabbas, but also crie,
CRVCIFIGE: 26. In the way to Caluarie he foretelleth the women that lamented vpon him, the horrible
destruction of their Hierusalem. 32. Vpon the crosse he is between two theeues, 40. but euen there
confessed of the other theefe, 44. and after his death (because of the great miracles concurring) also
of the Centurion, 48. yea and of the whole multitude. 50. And finally he is buried
honourably.
1.
⋮
GOOD friday.
*
Mat. 27,1. 11.
Mark 15,1.
Iohn 18,17.
AND al the multitude of them rising vp, led him to Pilate.
2. And they began to accuse him, saying: We haue found this man subuerting our
Nation, & prohibiting to giue tributes to Cæsar, and saying that he is Christ the King.
3. And Pilate asked him, saying: Art thou the King of the Iewes? But he answering
said: Thou sayest.
4. And Pilate said to the cheefe Priests and multitudes: I find no cause in this man.
5. But they were more earnest, saying: He stirreth the people teaching throughout al
Iewrie, beginning from Galilee euen hither.
6. But Pilate hearing Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee.
7. And when he vnderstood that he was of Herods iurisdiction, he sent him backe to
Herod, who was also himself at Hierusalem in those daies.
8. And Herod seeing Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ, was very glad, for he was desirous of a long time
to see him, for because he heard many things of him: and he hoped to see some signe wrought by
him.
9. And he asked him in many wordes. But he answered him nothing.
10. And there stood the cheefe Priests and the Scribes constantly accusing him.
11. And Herod with his armie set him at naught: and he mocked him, putting on him
a white garment, and sent him back to Pilate.
12. And Herod and Pilate were made freindes that day. For before they were enemies
one to another.
13. And Pilate calling together the cheefe Priests and Magistrates, and the people,
14. said to them: You haue presented vnto me this man, as auerting the people, and
behold I examining him before you, haue found no cause in this man of those things, wherein you
accuse him.
15. No, nor Herod neither. For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthie of
death is done to him.
16. I wil chasten him therfore and dimisse him.
17. And he of necessitie had to release vnto them vpon the feast day, one.
18. But the whole multitude together cried out, saying: Dispatch him, and release
vs Barabbas.
19. Who was for a certaine sedition made in the citie and murder, cast into prison.
20. And Pilate againe spake to them, desirious to release Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ.
21. But they cried againe, saying: Crucifie, crucifie him.
22. And he the third time said to them: Why, what euil hath this man done? I find no
cause of death in him. I wil correct him therfore & let him goe.
23. But they were instant with loud voices requiring that he might be crucified. And
their voices preuailed.
24. And Pilate adiudged their petition to be done.
25. And he released vnto them him that for murder and sedition had been cast into
prison, whom they demanded: but Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ he deliuered to their pleasure.
26. And when they led him, they tooke one Simon of Cyrene comming from the countrie:
and they laid the Crosse vpon him to carie after Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ.
27. And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women which bewailed
and lamented him.
28. But Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ turning to them, said: Daughters of Hierusalem, weepe not
vpon me, but weepe vpon your selues, and vpon your children.
29. For behold the daies shal come, wherein they wil say: Blessed are the barren,
and the wombes that haue not borne, & the pappes that haue not giuen suck.
30.
*
Osee 10,6.
Then shal they begin to say to the mountaines, Fal vpon vs: and to the hilles,
Couer vs.
31. For if in the greene wood they doe these things, in the drie what shal be done?
32. And there were led also other two malefactours with him, to be executed.
33. And after they came to the place which is called Caluarie, there they crucified
him: and the theeues, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said: Father, forgiue them, for they know not what they doe.
But they deuiding his garments, did cast lots.
35. And the people stoof
✟
'expecting'.
beholding, and the Princes with them derided him, saying:
Others he hath saued, let him saue himself, if this be Christ, the elect of God.
36. And the souldiars also mocked him comming to him, and offering him vinegre,
37. saying: If thou be the King of the Iewes, saue thy self.
38. And there was also a superscription written ouer him in Greeke, and Latine, and
Hebrew letters: Tʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴇᴡᴇꜱ.
39. And one of those theeues that were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be
Christ, saue thy self, and vs.
40. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither doest thou feare God,
where as thou art in the same damnation?
41. And we indeed iustly, for we receiue worthie of our doings: but this man hath
done no euil.
42. And he said to Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy
Kingdom.
43. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ said to him: Amen I say to thee; this day thou shalt be with
me in Paradise.
44. And it was almost the sixt houre: and there was made darkenesse vpon the
whole earth vntil the ninth houre.
45. And the
✟
This eclipse was seene and wondred at as a thing aboue nature, of Dionysius Areopagita at
Thebes, when he was yet a Pagan. Dionys. ep. ad Policarp & ep. ad Appollophanem.
sunne was darkened; and the veile of the Temple was rent in the middes.
46. And Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ crying with a loud voice, said:
*
Psa. 30,6.
Father, into thy handes I
commend my Spirit. And saying this, he faue vp the ghost.
47. And the Centurion seeing that which was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed
this man was iust.
48. And al the multitude of them that were present together at the sight, and saw
the things that were done, returned knocking their breasts.
49. And al his acquaintance stood a far off, and the women that had followed him
from Galilee, seeing these things.
50.
*
Mat. 27,57.
Mark 15,43.
Iohn 19,38.
And behold a man named Ioseph, which was a Senatour, a good man and a iust.
51. He had not consented to their counsel and doings, of Arimathæa a citie of Iewrie,
who also himself expected the Kingdom of God.
52. This man came to Pilate, and asked the body of Iᴇꜱᴠꜱ.
53. And taking it downe, wrapped it in sindon, and laid him in a monument hewed
of stone, wherein neuer yet any man had been laid.
54. And it was the day of Parasceue, and the Sabboth drew neere.
55. And the women that were come with him from Galilee, following after
saw the
monument, and how his body was laid.
56. And returning they prepared spices and ointments: and on the Sabboth they rested
according to the commandement.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. XXIII.
34. Forgiue them.)
A perfect example of charitie in our Sauiour praying for his crucifiers, which the
first martyr S. Steuen did follow, Act. 7: and the prayers of both were heard:
Christs prayer taking effect in the Centurion and others, Steuens in Paul.
43. In Paradise.)
The good theefe.
Thou maist not hereupon differre thy conuersion or amendement, presuming of grace at
the last houre of thy life, not looke to haue saluation by faith and confession of Christ
without good workes, nor to goe straight to Heauen without satisfaction, penance, or
punishment for thy former sinnes and life il spent; nor chalenge securitie and certaine
knowledge of thy saluation. For this good theeues case is not common but a rare example
of mercie and prerogatiue. But for the first point, learne only not to despaire, though
thou hast been il to the last moment of thy life.
Pardon of due pennance and satisfaction.
For the second, that faith, hope, and charitie, repentance, and good wil be sufficient,
and good workes not required, where for want of time and opportunitie they cannot be had.
For the third, that Christ gaue to this happy man for his zelous confession of him and
reprehending his fellow not only remission of his sinnes, but also by extraordinarie
grace, a pardon of al pennance and satisfaction due either in this life or the next for
the same: euen as the holy Church by his example and commission giueth pardons also to
some of her zelous children of al punishment due for their offenses, and such goe
straight to Heauen. Lastly, that euery one hath not a reuelation of his saluation as
this man had, and therfore can not be so sure as he was.
53. Wherein neuer.)
As in the wombe of Marie none was conceiued before nor after him, so in this monument
none was laid before nor after him: which prerogatiue (no doubt) was of Gods prouidence;
this Ioseph no lesse abstaining afterward to be buried in it, then the other Ioseph from
copulation with the mother of our Lord. S. Augustine.
55. Saw the monument.)
Visiting the Sepulcher, or Sepulchres.
These good women of great deuotion obserued the sepulchre for the honour of the holy
body. Whereupon the deuotion of faithful folke watching and visiting on Good-Friday
and easter eue the sepulchre made in euery Church for memorie of our Lords burial, is
exceeding good and godly, specially the B. Sacrament for more signification sake being
present in the same Sepulcher.