To Behold Christ Crucified Is the Best Meditation

Truly, it may be most justly verified that to behold Christ crucified, in spirit, is the best meditation that can be. I certainly never knew mine own miseries and wretchedness so well ─ by book, admonition or learning ─ as I have done by looking into the spiritual book of the crucifix. I lament much I have passed so many years not regarding that divine book, but I judged and thought myself to be well instructed in the same; whereas now I am of this opinion: that if God would suffer me to live here a thousand years, and should study continually in the same divine book, I should not be filled with the contemplation thereof, neither hold I myself contented, but always have a great desire to learn and study more therein. I never knew mine own wickedness, neither lamented for my sins truly, until the time God inspired me with his grace that I looked in this book. Then I began to see perfectly that mine own power and strength could not help me, and that I was in the Lord’s hand, even as the clay is in the potter’s hand. Then I began to cry, and say: “Alas, Lord, that ever I have so wickedly offended thee; being to me from the beginning so gracious and so good a father, and most specially now hast declared and showed thy goodness unto me, when in the time I have done the most injury; to call me, and also to make me know and take thee for my saviour and redeemer.”

Such be the wonderful works of God: to call sinners to repentance, and to make them to take Christ, his well-beloved Son, for their saviour: this is the gift of God and of all Christians to be required and desired. For, except this great benefit of Christ crucified be felt and fixed surely in man’s heart, there can be no good work done acceptable before God. For in Christ is all fullness of the Godhead, and in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; even he is the water of life, whereof whosoever shall drink shall never more thirst, but it shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Saint Paul saith ‘there is no damnation to them that are in Christ, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’. Moreover, he saith: ‘If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, seeing we are reconciled, we shall be preserved by his death’.

It is no little or small benefit we have received by Christ, if we consider what he hath done for us ─ as I have perfectly declared heretofore. Wherefore I pray the Lord that this great benefit of Christ crucified may be steadfastly fixed and printed in all Christian hearts, that they may be true lovers of God and work as children, for love; and not as servants, compelled with threatenings or provoked with hire. The sincere and pure lovers of God do embrace Christ with such fervency of spirit that they rejoice in hope, be bold in danger, suffer in adversity, continue in prayer, bless their persecutors; further they be not wise in their own opinion, neither high minded in their prosperity, neither abashed in their adversity: but humble and gentle always, to all men. For they know by their faith they are members all of one body, and that they have possessed all one God, one faith, one baptism, one joy, and one salvation. If these pure and sincere lovers of God were thick sown there should not be so much contention and strife growing on the fields of our religion, as there is. Well, I shall pray to the Lord to take all contention and strife away, and that the sowers of sedition may have mind to cease their labour, or to sow it amongst the stones, and to have grace to sow gracious virtues where they may both root and bring forth fruit; with sending also a godly unity and concord amongst all Christians, that we may serve the Lord in true holiness of life.