to him that thou wilt not conuerse be familiar with him For thy SAVIOVR did not pray for his enemies vpon condition or in part hee prayed absolutely for all and for all offences of euery one GOD also is so noble in pardoning that hee cannot forgiue one sinne either alone or in part hee neuer pardoneth to halfes he cannot but either wholly pardon or wholly punish If any one sinne be vnpardoned the sinner must be charged with all O gentle IESV thou didst absolutely pray for all sinners and therewith offer thy blood as a sufficient ransome for all sinnes For all sinnes might bee numbred but thy precious blood could not be valued And it was not onely absolutely that thou diddest pray to thy Father but also that hee would presently forgiue thou wouldest not giue day it must bee foorthwith remission must bee granted without intermission Thou wert then neere the point of thy death but thou wouldest not die vntill pardon was granted thou wouldest not make paiment of all thy blood vntill thou hadst thy bargaine in hand vntill peace were composed betweene GOD and Man Thou art not like many worldly Parents who leaue small inheritances to their children intangled many times with debts suits or other incumbrances but for the heauenly inheritance which thou hast giuen vs thou hast made ready payment cleared all reckonings remooued all difficulties and charges and concluded perfect peace with thy Father before thy death saying vnto him FORGIVE and that presently O my Father for euen now is the time arriued to forgiue This is the houre of sacrifice the day of satisfaction the day of remission I am euen now readie to lay downe my life and I make now my last petition my last suit to thee shall bee this FATHER forgiue O heauenly FATHER as thou louest thy Sonne so hold him no longer in torments for I must not die vntill thou forgiue Neither did hee pray to the Father to forgiue the sinnes only which then had been committed but simply to forgiue euen those sinnes also which afterward should be committed For his persecuters had not then satisfied themselues with blasphemies and scornes they had not then offered him a spunge dipped in vineger they had not then opened his side with a speare they had not then feasted their eyes with sight of his dead bodie and yet he prayed as well for these as for all the cruelties which before they had done Yea for all sinnes not onely past and present but to ensue hee powred foorth this prayer Father forgiue Teaching vs thereby not onely readily to remit all wrongs receiued but to stand resolued nothing to regard whatsoeuer iniuries shall afterwards bee offered and to make diligent search that no secret desire of reuenge doe secretly rankle and fester in our soules But O meeke IESV O the hope of my soule what is the reason that thou doest pray to thy Father to forgiue Hadst thou not power in thy selfe to pardon sinnes Couldest not thou as easily giue as aske One word from thy selfe might haue serued the turne wherefore then didst thou intreate thy Father to forgiue O my soules solace was it to declare thy selfe to bee a perfect Priest in furnishing thy sacrifice with prayer for a Priest did offer not onely sacrifice but prayer hee was not onely a sacrificer but an intercessour for the people Or was it to shew that thou madest greater reckoning of the iniurie done to thy Fathers glorie then of the violence vsed against thine owne life Or lastly was it to manifest that thou wert so intentiue to the redemption of the world that thou wert not offended with any thing they did that thou tookest all in good part that thou didst not esteeme them malefactors to thee but benefactors to all the world regarding more the good that the world was redeemed then the hurt that thou didst die As if in other words thou hadst said FATHER These men haue broken thy Law discredited thy truth violated thy Temple blasphemed thy Name and therefore thou art hee who must forgiue them I haue no cause to forgiue because I am nothing grieued I am well pleased with my death I esteeme my life well bestowed seeing by this meanes the world is redeemed and heauen furnished with new glorious guests When losephs brethren feared that hee would reuenge their violence hee sayd vnto them When ye thought euill against me GOD disposed it to good that hee might bring to passe as it is this day and saue much people aliue Feare not therefore I will nourish you and your children Much more truely may our SAVIOVR say to those who crucified him You entended much euill against me but loe all is turned to my glory and to the good of many You thought by taking away my life to extinguish my power but loe I liue and haue all power in heauen and vpon earth There neuer was nor can bee done a more wicked act then the taking away of my life and yet neuer did so much good follow any act namely the saluation of much people aliue And now feare not my reuenge I haue prayed to the Father for you I haue obtained your pardon I haue obtained not onelie that you be not charged with the euill but that you may enioy the benefit of my death Which example if thou wilt follow O my soule If thou wilt regard more the good then the euil which ensueth euery action if thou wilt which is a property of GOD draw good out of euill thou shalt neuer hate any enemie but rather loue him for the good that hee worketh A great mans son will wel endure to be taught and reproued by his schoolmaster But there is no better schoolemaster then an enemie who beareth an eie ouer thy actions and wil be nimble to reprooue thy faults If thou wouldest liue warilie and in good order pray to GOD to send thee an enemie and thou shalt need no schoolemaster hee will spare thee that stipend An enemie is the bridle a friend is the couer of sinne Friends puffe vs vp but enemies humble vs and make vs vigilant and wise Hee who hateth his enemie striketh one that is sicke killeth a dying man Triacle is made of poison Take the malice of thy enemie temper it with loue to him and with the works of charitie towards him and thou makest an excellent preseruatiue for thy soule THEM BVT O gracious Sauiour who were they for whom thou diddest pray what them didst thou meane what them wouldest thou haue forgiuen were they thy cruell crucifiers wherefore then diddest thou not terme them bloodsuckers paricides sacrilegious hangmen or whatsoeuer other name either cruelty or impiety could deserue For two especiall causes One to instruct vs that wee abstaine from reprochfull speeches The other to declare that he esteemed no man to bee his enemy Vndoubtedly the Sonne of GOD did not accompt his executioners for his enemies but for his friends for his brethren
for his owne flesh and blood and therefore hee preached vnto them during his life and at his death prayed for them They hated him indeed but in so doing they hated the most louing friend they had in the world one who could not bee angrie with thē whose loue could not be either withdrawne or abated from working their good In case he disliked any thing they did it was not in regard of himselfe but of his FATHER and therefore he prayed his FATHER to forgiue them He who was nothing offended with iniuries against himselfe as regardlesse both of torment and scorne was most sensible of the iniuries and despite which reached to his FATHER not to haue them punished but forgiuen Also he vsed the generall word them not onely for them who were the present actors of his death but for all them besides who by their sins gaue cause to his death And thou O my soule art included in this prayer whose sinnes also are included in the cause of his death Thou hast thy part in his prayer thy part in his remission especially if thou adioyne thy prayer with his For if his prayer was profitable to them who neither prayed with him nor intreated him to pray for them it will bee profitable for thee in case thou doest both For verily his prayer was profitable to those who desired no pardon who did absolutely refuse it For how could they desire to bee pardoned who would not acknowledge that they did offend who cast all the blame vpon IESVS who held him to haue deserued worse then he suffered Those excommunicate Iewes were so farre out of their wits that they did not onely forbeare to aske pardon for their offence but repelled pardon so much as they could being not onely not sorrowfull for the mischiefes they did but grieued because they could doe no more They were not content to goe without pardon but they demanded vengeance for that which they did His blood be vpon vs and vpon our children O sottish Synagogue wherefore doest thou desire that the blood of CHRIST appointed to redeeme thee should bee turned to condemne thee O vnfortunate Iewes O cursed people if the Sonne of GOD had allowed your demand But hee appealed from it hee would not consent to your reprobate request he would in no case consent that his blood should be shed against you but for you You called vpon you the most cruell curse that could bee his blood be vpon vs but he encountred it with his mercifull prayer Father forgiue them It hath beene often seene that a man will not hurt his enemy that he will pardon him if hee repent but who but IESVS did pardon them who would not be pardoned who despised pardon who would not pardon him by whom they were to be pardoned who would pardon Barrabbas a murtherer among them but not IESVS who came to saue them O infinite goodnesse what wit is able either to acknowledge or apprehend such exceeding loue Thou diddest cleanse those who would be vnclean thou diddest set those at liberty who would be in restraint thou didst vnburthen those who would bee ouercharged thou didst saue those who would bee damned O my soules safetie If thou didst pardon those who desired no pardon wilt thou not pardon him who with sorrow and teares entreateth thy pardon Thou didst meet them who came to apprehend thee meet me then O good IESV who come to intreat thee Thou diddest defend thy cruell tormentors who scorned thy defence who acknowledged no fault defend him I beesech thee who flieth to thy defence who is much displeased that euer hee did offend I am not yet amended I confesse but it grieueth me that I am not amended and with teares I entreat thee that I may amend Create in mee a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within me O great GOD the heart which I brought from my mothers wombe is so vncleane that I dare not offer it to thee it dares not appeare in thy presence It is polluted with many foule sins it is loaden both with delights and cares of this world But create in mee a cleane heart fit to receiue thee infuse into it a right spirit fit both to loue and to praise thee O gracious GOD giue mee a new spirit for mine is olde and vnpleasant giue mee a cleane heart for mine is impure If thou doest not this if I bee not so changed no prayer of mine shall euer be heard FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY doe BVt O mighty Redeemer was it not sufficient either that thou didst pardon their sinnes or that thou diddest both absolutely and earnestly intreat thy Father to pardon but thou must also plead their cause before him Oh! how great was the worke of the Redemption of the world far greater then was the worke of creation The reason is plaine Because there is not so great a distance betweene nothing and nature as betweene sinne and grace For as grace is exceedingly aboue nature so is sinne exceedingly beneath nothing Nothing giues no offence but sinne offendeth infinitely And therefore GOD produced all things out of nothing only by his word but to reduce sinners to grace all these great actions were required To teach vs thereby no lesse to abhor sinne then we would abhor thus cruelly to intreate our SAVIOVR thus carelesly to put him to all these performances againe O fountaine of Loue Albeit all power is giuen thee both in heauen and vpon earth ye twouldest not thou heere susteine the office of a Iudge Albeit these intolerable both iniuries and indignities were heaped vpon thee yet wouldest not thou beare the part of an accuser but thou wouldest bee a Mediatour Now to a Mediatour two offices do properly pertaine either to present supplication or to make some defence The one our SAVIOVR did in saying Father forgiue them the other when he added for they know not what they doe By the first hee was an Intercessour by the second a Patron or Aduocate by both a most perfect Mediatour The Iewes before had sought after many accusations against IESVS but could find none and now innocent IESVS seeketh how to excuse them And verily this sinne was of so high quality and nature that besides ignorance nothing could bee brought either for excuse or for extenuation thereof And yet it seemed that their ignorance was not onely grosse and supine but voluntarily affected euen as if a man should willingly couer his eyes because hee will not see who it is whom hee intendeth to smite or kill But assuredly they knew not either what good they did to CHRIST or what euill to themselues They knew well enough what euil they did but they knew not what euil they did thereby deserue But where art thou O my soule In what estate esteemest thou thy selfe whensoeuer thou doest voluntarily aduenture to sin what shall thy SAVIOVR say for thy excuse For it seemeth that thou art in worse case then
his vnspotted feet struck through with rough and rigid nayles and enable mee by the fastning of them to the Crosse to run constantly the way of thy commandements Obserue O eternal Father thy deare Sonne in the fairest flourish of his age how his necke bowed his head declined how his whole countenance was deformed Behold how his starry eies are sunke and set in his head how his nose growth sharp his lippes pale his eiebrowes hard his cheekes shrunke and wane behold his breast swolne his side bloody his bowels drie his armes and legges stiffe Beholde his whole body resolued into death Behold my Priest who need not bee sprinkled or sanctified with other blood but gloriously glistereth in his owne Behold my pleasing and perfect sacrifice odoriferous and acceptable to thee Behold my Aduocate whome I haue directed to plead my cause before thee Heare him I pray thee and regard the defence that hourely hee maketh for me Grant O pitifull FATHER that I may alwayes haue him for my Aduocate whom by no merit of mine but by thy pure grace thou hast giuen for my Redeemer O omnipotent FATHER of my LORD what I could find most precious most highly to bee esteemed I haue deuoutly presented to thee Compose thy selfe now to dispose thy grace and mercy towardes mee And albeit I am vnworthy of thy rich fauours in regard of my merits yet remember thy mercies remember thy promises remember the inestimable merits of my Redeemer remember what hee hath done and what he hath suffered euen from his Cratch to his Crosse not for himselfe but for me All which I heere offer to thee most gentle FATHER as a sacrifice for my sinnes and for all my necessities for whatsoeuer I require of thee it is in his name and for his sake it is for the loue thou bearest to him and for the loue that hee beareth to thee Thou hast promised to honour fathers in their sons and sonnes for their fathers O fauourable LORD honor now thy onely Sonne by doing good to moe for the loue thou bearest to him For he is my FATHER my second Adam and I am his sonne albeit vndutifull yet because in trueth I am his sonne for the loue thou bearest to him be fauourable to mee For assuredly he hath payd for mee much more then I owe. No offence can bee so grieuous for which his sorrowes his sufferings his obedience and aboue all his profuse loue hath not amply satisfied which his large riuers of blood cannot wash away which may not bee drowned and deuoured in his death O heauenly FATHER there is nothing in my selfe which I dare presume to present vnto thee For what can proceed from this carion which is not noisome what fruit canst thou expect from this earth which thou hast cursed from the beginning but thornes and briers And therfore I offer this my SAVIOVR and Redeemer thy most blessed Son and the vnmeasurable loue whereby thou didst send him into the world apparelled with my flesh to free mee thereby from eternall death Beseeching thee to accept his humble and feruent prayers for my dry and dull deuotions Accept his teares for the torrent of teares which I should powre foorth but by reason of the hardnesse of my heart I cannot Accept his incomprehensible dolours and torments which thou onelie perfectly knowest for the sorrow contritiō which I am bound to performe Lastly accept his sharpe and penurious life with all his trauailes and exercises of vertue accept his cruell death and all his passions as a sacrifice to thy glorious Maiesty for all the euill workes which I haue done and for all the good workes which I should haue done Feede mee with his flesh inebriate me with his blood let his griefe enter into my soule that I may bee resolued wholly into his loue Away all forraine loues away with the multitude of worldly phantasies and dreames let me be crucified with him to the world let me so die with him that my life may bee layde vp in thy diuine treasury Thy Apostle compareth all worldlie things to dung and may bee likened to the swallowes dung which fell vpon the eyes of Tobias and made him blinde For we cannot see spirituall things so long as our eyes are daubed with this dung The rich haue wanted and suffer hunger but they who feare the LORD want no good thing The things of this world doe not fill but inflate euen as the Prophet sayd of Ephraim Hee feedeth on winde They are like sharpe liquors which doe not satisfie but prouoke hunger They are like salt water to quench thirst or oyle to extinguish fire O my life O desire of my soule hide mee from the world obscure me from the fawning fauours thereof and take me into the secret retreits of thy bosome to dwel One thing is necessary and that doe I desire My beloued is one My CHRIST IESVS my GOD my spouse is one and my only loue O heauenly FATHER let nothing be sweet nothing sauourie vnto mee let nothing affect mee but onely IESVS CHRIST Let him bee wholly mine and I wholly his Let mee neither loue nor know any thing but him and him crucified To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honor and prayse for euer Amen Praise and Glory and Wisedome Strength Dominion Riches and Power bee vnto our GOD for euermore Amen FINIS LONDON Printed by IOHN BILL M.DC.XXIII Christs trauailing vp the Mount His stripping His nailing Psal. 71. How he was strained Psal. 21. The Crosse erected Numb 21. Exod. 29. Leuit. 23. With whom he was crucified Asoliloquie * Bind him hand and foote and cast him into vtter darkenesse Heb. 5. 7. His praying Ezek. 22. His Pleading * And now brethren I know that through ignorance yee did it as did also your Rulers Act. 3. 17. Obiect Answ. The condition of Caluary changed Iohn 4. The great mercies of GOD. The patience and loue of CHRIST The true Mediator Ezek. 22. Who prayed To whom For whom Where When. How In what manner Heb. 5. His strong crying His teares How offensiue sinne is Attention in prayer Whose sinnes we must lament Oculi mei defecerunt prae lachrymis With how many mouthes CHRIST craued forgiuenesse Psal. 130. Not conditionally but absolutely Presently For all sinnes past present and to come Wherefore he prayed to his Father to forgiue and did not forgiue them himselfe Gen. vlt. Our Sauiour would not bee A iudge An accuser But a Mediatour Two offices of a Mediatour Noe defence for the lewes but ignorance The grossenesse of their ignorance Ignorance cannot be alleadged for vs. Yet some defences may Gen. 27. All sinners are ignorant The loue of CHRIST It is not CHRISTS will that wee forbeare to weepe A new example Prophesies fulfilled Isa. 53. Psal 109. The charity of CHRIST How far to loue our enemies The loue of GOD ioyned with the loue of our neighbour Not so hard to loue as to hate A troublesome neighbour must be loued Matth. 3. Heb. 5. How GOD often answereth The effectuall answere of the Father GOD doth not absolutely compell Christs prayer more powerfull for sinners then for himselfe All things present to GOD. Christ still crucified An oblation No want if we haue Christ. A prayer The greater our offences are the greater is GODS glory in pardoning And wherefore A perfect peace-maker A great holy day Luk. 2. 14. Ioh. 12. 27. The great peace of the world concluded How the Diuell eyeth contentious persons By hating others wee loose GODS loue A short Prayer Phil. 3. Diuites eguerunt Psal. 34. Hos. 12. Cant. 6. Cant. 6.