let the time come I pray thee let that blessed time come wherein I may see that with my inward eyes which now I beleeue by faith which now I enioy by hope and apprehend a farre off And that I may embrace that with mine armes and kisse that with my ioyfull lips which I now long to haue with such thirstie desires as will neuer be satisfied vntill they be wholy possessed of it and that I be swallowed vp in the deepe Sea of thine infinite goodnesse oh my Sauiour and my God But praise thou oh my Soule my God my Sauiour and magnifie his Name For it is holy replenished with store of most holy delights whose quantitie is stinted with no measure nor qualitie subiect to any mutability Oh how good how sweet art thou Lord Iesus to the soule that seeketh thee Oh Iesus the Redeemer of those which were lost the Sauiour of those which are redeemed the hope of the banished the strength of those that are troubled the libertie of a Spirit afflicted with bondage the comfortable solace and sweet refreshing of a sorrowfull Soule which sheddeth teares and sendeth forth sweat while it runneth after thee the Crowne of the Tryumphing the onely reward and ioy of all celestiall Citizens the most plentifull Fountaine of all Graces the glorious Sonne of the highest God and also the highest God Roman 3.25 Matth. 9.12 Zach. 13.1 Psal 16.5 Iohn 10.7.9 Let all things praise thee which are in Heauen aboue and which are in Earth beneath Thou art great and thy name is wonderfull Oh exceeding glory of the high God and most pure brightnesse of eternall light oh life quickening euery life oh light illuminating euery light and preseruing them in eternall brightnesse A thousand thousands of glistering lights are before the Throne of thy Diuinity for euer Oh eternall and vnaccessible substance the most cleere sweet streame of a Fountaine hidden from the eyes of all mortall Creatures whose water is without beginning profunditie without any bottome depth without any end amplitude vnsearchable purity vncorruptible The heart of the highest God hath sent thee out from his bottomlesse deepenesse life hath sent forth life light hath sent forth light the Eternall hath sent forth the Eternall the incomprehensible hath sent forth the incomprehensible and coequall to himselfe in all things all of vs receiue from thy fulnesse For thou a most plentifull Fountaine doest send out from thy Treasures a precious Riuer of euery good thing of thy seauen-folde Graces vvith vvhose pleasant sweetnesse thou dost vouchsafe to sweeten the saltnesse of the salt Sea of our infirmities A riuer of the oyle of gladnesse a riuer of pure Wine a riuer of fierie courage The holy spirit the comforter is poured forth from thee and the Father into the World equall to both filling all things contayning all things the Spirit proceeding from thee proceeding from the Father one Spirit proceeding from both vniting both to wit the vnseparable connexion the glewe of perfect Vnion the Cyment that can neuer be dissolued the euerlasting knot of eternall coniunction of both and peace passing all vnderstanding This is the flood oh Lord of abounding and exceeding pleasure wherewith thou doest water continually that pleasant and glorious Citie Ierusalem which is aboue so that the furrowes thereof are filled with the streames of eternall delight Where the bright and glistering Organs sound out sweet songs of continuall reioycing whose melody exceedeth in sweetnesse neuer ceaseth but hath an euerlasting continuance With the sweet drops of this pleasant riuer the thirsty iawes of thy banished people oh Lord doe waite continually to bee refreshed by thee Suffer oh Lord the whelpes to drinke vp the droppes that fall from the Table of their Masters Let the Heauens send downe from aboue the comfortable deaw and let the clouds poure forth a gracious rayne oh Lord of that righteous Spirit vvhich thou diddest cause to streame downe vpon the famous first fruits of thy people an euident demonstration of our future tryumphing With the heauenly distillation of those fierie drops we pray thee oh Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to purge renew illuminate enflame to make ioyfull confirme and vnite the harts of them which beleeue in thee that they may be one sauour one thing require and apprehend one thing with one minde that they may see and laud thee the GOD of Gods in Sion Glory thanks-giuing honour and dominion be ascribed to the inseparable Trinitie now and for euer AMEN Daemona non armis sed morte subegit Iesus The Authors deprecation or Petition for himselfe DEliuer mee from mine enemies oh my God and from them which hate mee because of their multitude I dread them and because of their might I am too weake to encounter them And I which euen vntill this day haue liued against my selfe vvill euen now begin through thy grace to liue to my selfe For we ought to liue so here in this World that when the body shall be deuoured of the Wormes in the graue the soule may reioyce with the Saints in Heauen We ought to seeke after the heauenly Ierusalem The Spirit is to bee directed towards that place to which it shall goe and wee ought to make hast thither where wee may alwaies liue and neuer stand any more in feare of our loue If we so deerely loue and highly esteeme this sliding fickle and fraile life in which wee liue vvith toyle labour and yet by eating drinking and sleeping can scant satisfie the necessities of the flesh and supply her daily wants wee ought farre dearer to esteeme and feruently to desire to attaine to eternall life in the Hauen of rest where we shall sustaine no labour where is alwaies the chiefest pleasure greatest happinesse happy liberty and endlesse blessednesse where men shall be like vnto the Angels of God and the righteous shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father How wonderfully and gloriously doest thou thinke that the soules of the iust shall excell in brightnesse when as the light of their bodies shall equall the splendour of the Sunne when as his golden beames doe shine clearest There shall be no sadnesse no pensiuenesse no paine no feare there shall be no labour no death but perpetuall health dwelleth there and abideth for euer there breedeth no spitefull malice no miserie of the flesh no dolefull calamitie There is no grieuous sicknesse no pinching want no carefull necessitie There is no hunger no thirst no colde no heate no wearisomnesse of Fasting no temptation of the enemie neither is there any will to sinne nor facultie to offend but ioy and gladnesse ouer-spreadeth all reioycing and exultation possesseth all Men there also associated with the Angels and freed from all fleshly infirmitie shall remaine and continue for euer There shall be infinite pleasure euerlasting blessednesse in which whosoeuer shall once be happily inuested hee shall surely and securely liue possessed with it for euer There shall be quiet rest from our toyling and tyring labours perpetuall peace vvithout any dreadfull feare of our enemies delightfull pleasantnesse proceeding from flourishing and continuall newnesse securitie arising from Eternitie delectablenesse and sweetnesse flowing from the glorious vision of GOD our omnipotent Creatour And who doth not hourely long and daily desire to dwell and remaine in this heauenly Paradise and celestiall Pallace of true and euerlasting pleasure both in regard of that perpetuall peace delightfull pleasantnesse neuer-decaying eternity and also in respect of the glorious Vision and sight of God who shall replenish vs with infinite ioy and immeasurable gladnesse No man shall be there a Pilgrime and Stranger but whosoeuer shall be admitted as vvorthy to come and enter into this celestiall City they shall dwell there for euer in their owne Country secure from all feare of any dreadfull danger alwayes ioyfull alwayes satisfied with the most delightfull sight of GOD their Creator And by how much the greater obedience any one shall performe towards God heere by so much the more bountifull reward hee shall receiue of him there and by how much the more entierly and deerely he shall long after God by so much the neerer hee shall approach vnto him and see him vvhom so exceedingly hee coueteth to view and desireth to behold To this Kingdome bring mee oh God by the merits of thy Sonne Christ IESVS FINIS
attempt by anie force to rescue thee out of the hands of thy cruell foes thou diddest disclose vnto thy faithfull Disciples the dangerous daies that were to come and tell them of the bitter afflictions which were to ensue and that they should be like Sheepe scattered without a Shepheard But it was not that they should arme their bodies with weapons but their heads and soules with patience So indeed the loue of thy Apostle was full of zeale but yet it was barren void of knowledge who had beene often forewarned that thou shouldest suffer a cruell and shamefull death to fulfill the scripture and do the will of thy Father Wherefore oh my most mercifull Iesus so inflame my heart with thy loue that I may freelie confesse it with my mouth and so performe it with my heart that I may not onely be prepared to loose my libertie but to forgoe my life for the name of my Lord Iesus who is blessed for euer A Meditation how the Lord Iesus taken and bound was led to Annas his house where he was buffeted and how all his Disciples fied from him Iohn 18.13 MED VIII To a Ioh. 18.15 Annas first is Christ in b Io. 18.12.20 fetters lead From thence to c Iohn 18.24 Caiaphas where he beaten is And d Mat. 26.67 Marke 18.22 scourg'd and mockt spit on and almost dead All which h'endur'd to bring vs vnto blisse SO soone as false-hearted Iudas had saluted his faithfull Master Iesus with a deadlie kisse the hard-hearted Souldiers laid violent hands vpon my kinde Sauiour and did cruellie binde him Oh vngentle cords oh cruell hands and cursed hearts that did binde my Lord Iesus Come hither therefore oh my Soule and with inward sorrow of heart and with weeping eies lament with tender compassion for the currishnesse in words and crueltie in deedes vsed against thy mercifull Sauiour which patientlie suffered so manie bitter words and cruell blowes for thee and thy sinnes for it was now the houre of darknesse and they beganne to act with their mercilesse hands that which was conceiued in their malicious mindes reuiling him with blasphemous speeches and afflicting his precious bodie with deadlie blowes And thus they neuer ceased all that night long both with their venemous tongues and villanous hands to torment my meeke and patient Iesus Tell mee my sweet Sauiour vvhat vvere the contumelious words what were the outragious deedes which thou didst suffer of those dogged Souldiers vvhen they had laid their tormenting hands vpon thee For truely the wicked rose vp against thee and the Sinagogue of the mightie they sought thy life and set not God before their eyes They compassed thee about like Bees and burnt with furie against thee like fire among the Thornes Oh let some spectacle of their barbarous crueltie be presented vnto mee that mine eyes may waxe dim with weeping that my heart may be wounded with sorrow all my senses afflicted with mourning for my guiltie conscience doth tell mee that my sinnes were as fewell to kindle their rage and mine iniquities like wood to maintaine the fire of their furie Behold Oh my Soule vvith attentiue deuotion of minde and with store of teares flowing from thine eyes how furiously they rush vpon thy louing Sauiour and how cruelly with their bloudie hands they torture and vexe his blessed body One tuggeth him by his garment another haleth him by the armes one taketh holde of his necke another pulleth him by the haire and least he should get from them they binde him and drag him like an vntamed Bull to the shambles Oh most meeke Lambe Oh most milde sheepe how currishlie how cruelly art thou handled like a wicked theefe Yea was euer any common theefe so inhumanely and shamefully vsed although his life vvas odious and his deedes neuer so desperate Some hale him on this side some thrust him on that side some buffet him on the face others thumpe him on the backe After they haue reuiled and railed against him with most opprobrious words they passe from diuellish words to deadlie blowes so that they neuer cease by word nor deede to grieue and vexe mine innocent Iesus but imployed all the faculties of their minde and all the forces of their bodie to doe him all hurt who neuer meant them any harme I am not able to tell thee my sorrowfull soule one halfe of the odious words nor one moitie of the horrible deedes which those damned wretches vsed against thy harmelesse and louing Sauiour my tongue doth falter for griefe and my speech doth faile mee for sorrow for all of them bitterlie cursing him and cruellie beating him void of all mercie and raging with hellish furie they hale him like a most innocent Lambe to the slaughter And amongst all that cursed crew there was none so soft-hearted that either would pittie the woefull case or speake in the cause of my gracious Lord. Oh how should mine eies haue beene watered with teares and my heart haue beene wounded with sorrow to haue seene my mercifull Iesus so vnmercifullie abused so ignominiouslie and hatefullie misused whiles they hurrie him in their madnesse and hale him in their furie towards Hierusalem who went as an innocent Lambe among a company of deuouring Wolues not once opening his mouth to reproue them for their barbarous crueltie but did willingly sustaine the extremitie of their malice with a patient minde sometime haled by one and sometime thrust forward by another thinking the time long till they might bring him where they would haue him so greedy was their desire to doe a bad deede and they made such post-hast to hasten the death of the Lord of life Oh my most sweet Iesu what hast thou done What hast thou deserued that thou shouldest endure the sting of their malice and abide the tempest of their madnesse Verilie my Lord thou didst neuer offend them in thought but thy exceeding loue did moue thee to suffer all things with patience that thou mightst redeeme mee a most wretched sinner all others that with a contrite hart a broken spirit sue vnto thee for grace hauing an assured hope in thy blessed word and confidently beleeuing in thy gracious promises I am that wofull man which haue beene the occasion of thy torments and the cause of thy grieuous Passion The wicked man hath sinned and the righteous is punished The guilty hath trespassed and the innocent is tormented The vngodly hath offended and the godly man is condemned Oh my most louing Lord I haue eaten a sowre grape and thy teeth are set on edge I haue committed the trespasse and thou hast suffered the punishment Blush therefore oh my soule for shame smite thy heart for sorrow let thine eyes be dissolued into teares and sacrifice thy selfe vpon the Altar of true repentance because thou hast beene so forgetfully vngratefull towards thy louing IESVS for his maruellous kindnesse and so excessiuely vnmindfull of his excellent loue Oh my good Iesu what shall
vouchsafe to die for the loue of me Wherefore haue the sparks of my loue lien so long couered in the embers Or rather why are they almost extinguished Oh what seuere punishment should I take of my selfe for my monstrous ingratitude How is my tongue able to vtter one word yea one sillable of a word to excuse the coldnesse of my loue How may I blush nay how may my face be confounded with shame vvhich am so vvayward and vnwilling to suffer any little affliction for thy sake who endured so many extreame torments for my sinne I lie on feather-beds couered vvarme vvith cloathes and thou didst lie naked nailed to a woodden Crosse and that in the time of colde weather vvhen others doe vvarme themselues at a fire If my head begin to ake I lay it downe vpon a soft pillow to ease my paine lessen my griefe But thou oh my louing Lord hast not so much as a bolster of straw vvhereon thou mightest lay thy dying head pierced with sharpe thornes and bleeding vvith many wounds When I am sicke my friends about mee bestirre themselues to ease my diseased body and to reuiue my fainting spirits But alas my sweet Sauiour there vvas none about thee at the houre of thy pittifull and painefull death vvhich vvould proffer thee any kinde deede no not so much as a comfortable word They offer thee bitter vvine mixed with mirrhe and mingled with Gall. But although thy thirst was great caused by the extremitie of thy paines and immoderate effusion of thy blood yet vvhen thou hadst tasted of it thou didst refuse to drinke of their bitter potion How hard were their harts yea how dead without any feeling of common compassion that could giue vnto my sweet Sauiour no better then such a bitter Potion Such was the succour that they would afford thee at the houre of thy death This was the best Cordiall they would giue thee a little before the parting of thy breath What iust occasion hadst thou my mercifull Redeemer yea what admirable patience hadst thou that thou didst not bitterly inueigh against the bloudie Gentiles and vnbeleeuing Iewes who were so maliciously madded and bloudily minded against thee that all vvhich they sought and all which they wrought was to augment thy sorrow But whilst their hearts were inflamed with malice against thee and their hands labouring to crucifie thee thou wert so farre from accusing them for their sauadge cruelty that thou didst pray vnto thy heauenly Father that hee would remit and forgiue their iniquity saying Father pardon them because they know not what they doe Luk. 23.34 And this oh my sweet Christ vvas the first vvords vvhich thou spakest vpon thy bitter Crosse Indeede they knew thee not for their eyes were blinded that they could not see and their hearts were hardned that they could not vnderstand Heere maist thou meditate oh my soule with exceeding comfort vpon the wonderfull patience admirable mercy sweet words of thy louing Sauiour who was not so much grieued with paine of his owne afflictions as hee was earnest to pray for the remission of their sinnes Hee did not once open his mouth to make any iust Apologie for his owne innocencie nor to denounce any deserued malediction No not one bitter vvord against them for their dogged cruelty But in the extremest pangs of his bitter Passion his tender heart was moued vvith pittifull compassion towards them he opened the fountaine of his mercy that the sweet streames of his Benediction might flow vpon them Hee blessed them that cursed him hee shewed them a true token of his entire loue for their cruell hate he prayed for them as if they had been his dearest friends when indeed they were his deadly foes How should my feeble tongue like a trumpet oh my bountifull Iesu sound forth the wonderfull worthinesse of thy surmounting mercy How should mine vnable and barren hart conceiue the dignitie of thine vncomparable meeknesse How should the weake sight of my darke vnderstanding pierce into the hidden mysteries of thy gratious mildnesse vvhich surpasseth all vnderstanding How affable and ineffable is the sweetnesse of thy charitable prayer how bottomlesse is the depth of thy clemencie how vnexhaustible is the treasure of thy benignitie How large and spacious yea how infinit are the bounds of thy mercie For with what tranquility of minde with what piety and pittie of heart with what sweet milde and perswasiue words didst thou sue for their pardon vvho now were breathing out nothing else but curses against thee vvith their malicious tongues and euen now acting the extremity of their Tyrannie against thee with their bloudie hands Thou wert not discouraged by their iniuries thou wert not hardned with their reproches thou didst not rebuke them for their euill words thou didst not check them for their wicked deeds thou didst seeke to salue their soares who gaue thee deadly wounds thou diddest make intercession for their life who cruelly put thee to death thou wert full of pitty towards them whose hearts were empty of all compassion towards thee Oh with what wonderfull mildnes of mind with what great deuotion of spirit in what abundance of loue didst thou cry Father forgiue them Oh wonderfull worke of thy worthy mercy oh rare and memorable example of exceeding pitty oh perfect patterne of excellent charity oh let me poore wretched sinner taste the sweetnes of this hony reuiue my dying heart with this cordiall compassion relieue my sicke soule with this comfortable confection Cry out so for me my sweet Lord and kinde Mediator commend my wofull case and pleade my cause vnto thy Father saying Father forgiue him For in truth I know not what I do loue of the world hath blinded mine eyes desire of carnall pleasures is rooted in my heart and all manner of wanton vanities are rife in my minde I runne headlong in the broad way of destruction I cannot finde the narrow path which leadeth to Saluation Open mine eyes oh Lord that I may see to walke in thy wayes and direct my feet that I may tread in thy pathes Teach mee to follow the patterne of thy excellent patience so that I may not wish well onely to my dearest friends which dearely loue mee but also pray for my cruell enemies who deadly hate mee But alas how soone am I displeased how long is it before I will forgiue if I be once offended I am prone with enuious Cain to stain my hands with horrible murder I long for a day with rough Esau wherein I may slay my innocent brother I oftentimes fall out with my friend for a crosse word so that oftentimes in requitall I seeke to doe him a mischieuous deed I thinke my selfe the worse when I see him Oh how doe I disdaine to speake vnto him Teach mee to learne this hard lesson of patience purge the seed of malice out of my mind mellow the ground of my heart vvith the deaw of thy graces that it may not onely be
Repentance arme me with strong confidence in thy mercie against desperation AMEN A Meditation how Iesus was sent vnto Pilate MED XI Like an offender Iesus Christ is a Mat. 27.2 bound And b Mark 15.1 sent to Pilate Pilate doth confesse That Christ is c Math. 27.24 guiltles Nothing could be found To proue that Christ their d Luk. 23.14 law did ere transgresse NOw let vs returne from weeping Peter to meditate vpon my louing Iesus who remained all night in the house of Cayphas where hee was scorned with opprobrious words and buffeted and beaten with cruell blowes no man spake in his cause no man pleaded his case hee sustained their iniuries with meekenesse hee did beare their intollerable reproches with mildnesse Now in the morning my innocent Iesus was brought before the high Priest and others who sat in counsell to examine him as a pernicious traytor not worthie to liue but worthie of a most cruell death And after they had reuiled him with proud words and haled him too and fro with cruell hands they cried out in their madnes and roared out in their furie he is worthie of death let him be led bound vnto Pilate that hee may pronounce iudgment against him to die a most shamefull cruell death Oh how was my sweet Sauiour molested for my sake how was his soule afflicted for my sinnes I was the cause that thou vvert conuented before the counsell of the high Priest and my sinnes did send thee to Pilate Oh let mee weepe in the morning when I awake out of sleepe and make my bed to swimme with teares when I lie downe to rest because I haue beene delighted with that as my chiefest felicitie which caused thee to abide the bitternesse of all their crueltie and vvill be the cause of mine owne endlesse miserie vnlesse my wounds be healed and my sores salued with the pretious balme of thy sauing mercie Teach me oh Lord to suffer any affliction for thy sake with alacritie and to sustaine the malice of persecution with cheerefull humility which shal be by Sathan raised against me or by his instruments inflicted vpon me for thy cause Let the patterne of thy perfect humilitie be alwayes placed before mine eyes let the memorie of thy patience neuer depart out of my minde Oh ye vvicked Iewes Oh ye false accusers oh ye lying caluminators oh ye periured wretches How maliciously how vniustly how spitefully how impudently doe yee accuse my Lord ye raile vpon him as if hee were a most damnable traytor ye reuile and curse him as if hee had complotted some horrible treason or inuented some notable mischiefe when as his hands were neuer stained with any euill action nor his heart tainted with any wicked cogitation his words were nothing but verity and truth and there was no guile to be found in his mouth who alone is good the author of goodnesse and the fountaine of euerlasting happines Tell me ye deceitfull and spitefull accusers what euill hath he done what vvicked deed hath he committed Enquire of them vvhom hee deliuered from the vncleane spirits vvherewith they were miserably tormented aske the blinde vvhom hee had made to see demand of the deafe whom he made to heare aske the Leapers whom he clensed and the dead persons whom hee reuiued let them answere your false accusations and ouerthrow the forged testimonies of your criminall obiections Are ye so vvilfull that ye will not acknowledge his mercy are ye so blinde that ye cannot see his miracles If an vngodly man can performe such mercifull deedes then you may iustly accuse him as a vvicked doer and condemne him as a dangerous malefactor Thou seest my soule vvhat cause thou hast to vvater thy cheekes vvith continuall teares and to ouerwhelme thy hart in deepe streams of vvofull sorrow vvhen thou dost thinke vpon the afflictions of thy blessed Sauiour and meditate on the cursed torments executed by the cruell Iewes against thy innocent Iesus Was there euer any Traitor so execrable to men for his bloodie deeds or any vile wretch so odious for his vitious life vvhich sustained so many opprobrious vvords scornfull derisions bitter taunts and grieuous torments as the furious Iewes inflicted vpon my mercifull Iesus Oh my blessed Sauiour and louing Redeemer what did moue thee to sustaine such a heauie burthen of afflictions what was the cause that thou didst submit thy selfe to so many miseries I know my most gratious Lord it did flow from the fountaine of thy vnmeasurable loue in tendring the wofull estate of me a most wretched sinner and because thou vvert moued with the bowels of compassion towards mee a most forlorne and miserable creature Thy exceeding loue vvas the cause of thy admirable humilitie and thy vnspeakeable mercie the soueraigne medicine to cure my miserie Therefore grant me my humble and lowly Iesus vvhich am thy poore and most vnworthy seruant that I may suffer any contempt vvith humilitie for thy cause endure any vile reproach vvith alacritie for thy sake esteeming it my chiefest honour to be scorned for thy loue and accounting my selfe most happie vvhen I suffer any persecution for thy holy name Possesse my heart vvith true humilitie that my thoughts may not thirst after vaine glorie nor mine affections hunt after worldly honour For I know oh Lord that thou doest resist the proud and that thou giuest grace to the humble Iames. 4.6 Pro. 15.25 and I know oh Lord that hee vvhich desireth to ascend to the place of euerlasting glorie must ascend vnto it by the steps of humility Therefore thou vvhich art onely able teach mee that I may be truly humbled so that my minde may not swell vvith pride in time of my prosperitie nor any ambitious thoughts find any harbour in my heart in the time of my peaceable tranquility that I may sing vvith the sweet singer Dauid It is good for mee that thou hast humbled me And that I may more easily learne to leuell my thoughts by the rule of humility inflame my heart vvith thy loue for if my heart be incensed and kindled with thy loue my desires will be ready to performe thy wil and I shall be chearefull to walke in thy vvayes vvhich doest teach mee to be lowly in minde and humble in heart A Meditation how Pilate caused Iesus to be scourged and hovv aftervvard he pronounced sentence of death against him MED XII Though Pilates mouth did Iesus a Luke 21.4.14 iustifie And Pilates b Mat. 27.19 wife the like did testifie Yet c Mat. 15.15 scourg'd he is therewith not pleas'd they crie His bloud on d Mat. 27.25 vs and ours him crucifie VVHen Pilate had strictly examined my innocent Iesus and could finde no cause why the cruell Iewes should so grieuously accuse him but knew that they had deliuered him for enuie and did spite him for malice he was vvilling to haue set Iesus at liberty but the furious Iewes did so greedily thirst after his
mollifie those harts which are full fraughted with crueltie thinke oh my soule thou doest heare Pilate that vniust and wrongfull iudge vttering these or the like words vnto the muttering Iewes Behold I bring him forth vnto you that yee may know I can finde no cause to pronounce iudgement against him but because yee pretend some matter Behold how I haue punished the man to calme the tumults of your enraged mindes Looke vpon him vvith your eyes see how miserable vvofull base and contemptible he appeareth in your sight You need not stand in feare that he will seeke to rule ouer you as a king you may see his power is too weake to compasse a kingdome you may see how bitterly hee hath bene scourged scoffed at by the people scorned of the multitude rudely haled and roughly handled by the Souldiers you need not dread him as a man dangerous to the State though he had a mind yet he hath no might to raise vp any tempest of sedition Wherefore ye may now set him at libertie after hee hath beene scourged without any feare of perill and let him goe without any dread of danger But consider heere my soule that although vniust Pilate contrarie to equitie of law testimony of his owne conscience and sentence of his owne mouth had extreamely punished my louing Sauiour and had authorised his basest officers to vse him at their pleasure and to abuse him in their iesting humour And although their taunts were bitter without meane their derisions intollerable without any sparke of modesty and their torments excessiue without measure yet none of them nor all of them could once delay the fury of the hasty executioner nor allay the heat and fiery hatred of the enuious cruell Iewes kindled in their burning breast without cause against my innocent Iesus but although they saw him so deformed so ignominiously disgraced and grieuously afflicted yet it could not satiate no it could not so much as slake the thirst of their bloudy mindes they were so farre transported beyond the limits of reason in their chollericke moode and fretting without measure to see his life prolonged the space of a moment that they exclaimed in their madnesse Crucifie him crucifie him his very breath is odious vnto vs If thou let him goe thou art not Caesars friend Ioh. 19.12 Oh ye peruerse and peeuish nation Oh yee wicked and viperous generation was it not enough to haue stopped your clamorous mouthes to haue mollified your flinty hearts and to haue stayed your bloudy hands when yee sawe my meeke and kinde Sauiour so cruelly scourged currishly scorned and pittifully tormented as though he had bene a man dangerous to your state and a pernitious foe to your countrie But although all those insupportable iniuries and opprobrious indignities were contrarie to all pietie and without any pitty inflicted vpon him when as by the testimonie of Pilate a sterne seuere Iudge he was pronounced to bee innocent and cleare from all offences Ioh. 19.6 yet ye supposed that al those torments were too little and nothing too much vvhich was vniustly done to that innocent Lambe who opened not his mouth once to murmure or mutter against his cruell persecutors Here hast thou cause oh my soule to admire the vnspeakeable mildnesse of my Iesus and to stand amazed at the implacable crueltie of the Iewes When Pilate perceiued that his words could not preuaile to slake the flame of their enuious mindes but rather added more fuell to their boyling furie and that delay of his death did so mad vexe their confused thoghts that they would not be quieted before they had shed his innocent blood then he willing to satisfie their franticke humor and to shew himselfe a friend vnto Caesar presumed against the contradiction and care of his owne conscience to pronounce sentence of death yea of a most vile and shamefull death against the innocent Lambe my louing Lord Iesus Neuerthelesse he would make a fayre shew to the world that he did acquit him in his heart although hee condemned him vvith his mouth And taking water hee washed his hands before the people saying I am innocent from the blood of this iust man looke ye vnto it Mat 27.24 Then all the people cryed out aloud with open mouthes and bloody mindes His blood be vpon vs and our children Mat. 27.25 And indeede at last they found the wofull effect of their bloudie vvish they felt the smart of their bloudie desire though then in the heat of their furie they dreaded no danger nor dreamed on the day of their sorrow wherein their Citie was filled with slaughtered bodies and the channels of their streets streamed with bloud Although my tender hearted Sauiour had fore-told them of their wofull desolation and vvith weeping teares fore-warned them of their dolefull destruction but they stopped their eares and would not heare his voice flattering themselues in their deceitfull securitie and laughed at his vvords in the faire dayes of their prosperity But here cease a while my sorrowfull soule to meditate on the malicious madnesse of the bloud-thirstie Iewes vvhose clamorous voices could not be pacified before the corrupted Iudge cursed Pilate had condemned my deare and innocent Iesus and consider the hainous and hatefull condition of Pilates sinne and view the wofull horrour of his vvretched soule who for feare of Caesar and fauour of the people did contrary to the knowledge of his conscience and custome of law pronounce sentence of death against my poore Iesus who neuer meant hurt nor thought any euill Tell me thou vvicked Iudge how couldest thou pretend any shadow to couer thy sinne where couldst thou think to find a place of refuge for thy guilty soule Didst thou more dread the displeasure of the people then the horrour of a guiltie conscience diddest thou stand in more awe of mortall men then of the Eternall God didst thou more regard to protest thy selfe a friend vnto Caesar vvho although he vvere a great King was but a feeble creature than thou hadst care to discharge thine office to God thine omnipotent Creator Tell me did not thy heart ake and all thy body tremble so soone as wrongfull iudgement had passed out of thy lippes against my innocent Sauiour Wert thou not tormented vvith the sting of thy vvounded conscience Or vvert thou depriued of all thy senses so soone as thou haddest vttered that vvrongfull sentence Thou didst know that the Iewes had deliuered him of enuie Matth. 27.28 and wouldst thou be an instrument to satisfie their wicked malice Thou wert ordained a Iudge to execute Iustice and to giue righteous iudgement wherefore how horrible was thy sinne how wofull was the state of thy guilty soule when thou hadst condemned my innocent Iesus Bitter and sweet vvater doth not flowe out of the selfe-same fountaine yet thou vvith the selfe-same mouth didst iustifie my Sauiour as an innocent person and by and by vvith the selfe-same mouth condemne him as an hainous malefactor How odious
Weepe for thy selfe bewaile thy sinnes lament thy transgressions for they indeed were the tyrants that compelled thee to beare so heauy a Crosse they vrged thee to abide the penalty of so bitter a curse Touch my heart oh Lord touch my heart with the sting of a serious and restlesse compunction that I may no longer lye lulled a sleepe in the lap of careles security fetter my feet that I may runne no more in the broad way of iniquitie Mannacle my hands that they may be deteined from cruell and impious actions Snaffle the vnbrideled motions of my minde that it may be restrained from all idle scelerous and wicked cogitations keepe the doore of my lips and hedge in my tongue that it may not run without the bounds of reason Stop the passage of mine eares when they are allured to listen to any loose or lewd discourses Dispell and disperse the thicke clowdes of blindnesse from mine eyes take away the grosse scales that darken my sight so that now I may see the vgly and deformed shape of my sinnes that I may cease to loue them begin to dislike and to loath them which caused my Sauiour to endure the heauy wrath of his Father which lay so heauie vpon his soule and body that the weight of it pressed blood out of his veines mingled vvith water Luke 22.44 so ponderous was the burden of our iniquity so dolorous was the extremity of his bitter agonie for neuer was there sorrow like vnto this sorrow Let my sweetest musicke be continuall mourning let my songs of ioy be turned into wofull lamentations let it be all my pleasant melody to muse on the miserie of my soule and multitude of my sins which made thee discend from the highest heauens and will throw me downe to the lowest hell vvhere the firie lake burneth that shal neuer be extinguished whose flames is so fierce that it cannot be greater by any augmentation neither is it subiect to any diminution If all the torments vvhich bloody Tyrants haue inuented could be inflicted vpon me at one time and my body vvere able to feele the paines of all them at once yet all of them vvould not be so horrible as one sparkle of this terrible fire it needeth no fuell to nourish the flame as it selfe neuer is wasted so nothing iniected into it is euer consumed No tongue is able to expresse the horrible pangs of the damned soules which are tormented in this euerlasting and vnquenchable fire Let the horror of it be fresh in my memory and the meditation imprinted in my thoughts so that my hands may tremble and shake for feare and my whole body quiuer and quake vvith terror of it when any euill imagination is hatched in my heart or any wicked deed should be acted with my hands that I may be terrified from nourishing sinne within my bosome that layd so heauy a Crosse vpon thy shoulders yet vvhen feare hath cast me downe let the gentle hand of thy mercy raise mee vp so that in my last deadly agony I may still lift vp my heart and hands towards the seat of thy mercy and though remembrance of my haynous transgressions do present nothing vnto mee but cause of feare and terrour yet al my vnfained repentance cause me to taste of thy infinite loue and boundles mercy Teach me oh my sweet Sauiour to follow thee with fearefulnes to the place of execution and to take vp my Crosse with alacrity on my shoulders But if thou wilt haue mee to follow thee oh my most gratious Lord then draw mee after thee For vnlesse thy Father and thou doe draw me I am not able to follow thee Iohn 6.44 I see mine owne infirmity I feele the defects of my great imbicility the cup of affliction is bitter vnto my taste if it doe but once touch my lips I am ready to refuse it I will none of it I am loth to feele any paine I couet nothing but wanton pleasure Oh how doe I begin to storme if I be but crossed with an vnkind word much lesse am I able to beare the crosse of a malitious deed How is my minde troubled the temper of my senses distempered if any thing fall out crosse to mine expectation or contrary to my desire so that oftentimes my mouth is filled with cursing my heart with grudging and all my words sauour of nothing else but bitter repining I am willing to be thy disciple my blessed Sauior so long as I may dwell in peace and reape a plentifull haruest of prosperitie but alas I am weary of thy company if I feele but a little blast of aduersitie teach me oh my sweet Iesu and I shal learne if thou be my schoolemaister to know that it is the lot of those which will be trained vp in thy schoole to be vnder the rodde of correction and that none are worthy thy to receiue a Crowne vnlesse they be willing to take vp thy Crosse those that belong vnto sweet spices which send forth alwayes the most odoriferous smell when they are brayed and brused in the morter they are like vnto stones which must be hammered hewed and squared before they can be fit for the building of thy holy Temple yea they are like vnto gold mixed with much drosse and can haue no glory before they be fined and refined seauen times yea seauenty times seauen times in the fire of affliction Arme thou my hart with christian fortitude my minde with constant patience oh thou which art mine omnipotent Redeemer that no torment may be so great no affliction so grieuous no miserie so vnmeasurable but I may couragiously suffer it to publish the glory of thy name and constantly endure it to manifest the fidelitie of thy loue Teach me so to carrie thy Crosse in my heart and let the remembrance of it be so deepely imprinted in my minde that I may daily crucifie my carnall concupiscence wanton vanities and worldly desires Oh let my soule be so rauished with ioy by the sweet meditation of thy mercie and all my senses so well pleased and ioyfully delighted with the odoriferous sent of thy loue that I may seeke nothing thinke of nothing so much or speake of any thing so often as of my crucified CHRIST who onely of his free mercy and gratious bountie died a most vile painefull and ignominious death for mee a most vvretched miserable and desperate sinner that by his pretious bloud and blessed though bitter PASSION I might be made partaker of Euerlasting Saluation Graunt mee oh my sweet CHRIST some taste of it here vpon earth that I may patiently waite for the full fruition of it hereafter in HEAVEN Amen A Meditation declaring the bitter and cruell crucifying of our Lord Iesus Christ performed on Mount Caluarie MED XIIII View here the wounds of Christ vpon the a Luk. 23.33 Crosse His head his hands his feet also his b Ioh. 19.33 side Bleeding amaine Consider eke the losse c Luk.
23.46 Of his deere life What more could he d Ioh. 19.30 abide NOw blessed Iesus and my beloued Sauiour is come vnto Mount Caluarie where he was to make the last period of all his humane miserie by suffering a most bloudie vile and violent death being cruelly nayled to that Crosse which of late lay so heauie vpon his shoulders that his whole body did shake and tremble vnder the burthen Oh blessed Mountaine happy for thy dignitie happy for thy fertilitie because it pleased the Lord Christ to suffer vpon thee But who shall ascend vp to the Hill of the Lord where the Lord Iesus is crucified Truly he that hath innocent hands and a cleane heart He vvhich loueth the Lord Iesus with all his heart with all his soule with all his strength hee shall ascend vp to his Mountaine and shall be crucified vvith the Lord Iesus Hee which hath crucified his flesh and the concupiscence thereof shall be crucified and suffer with his beloued Iesus I desire to be crucified with thee oh my most sweet Iesu I long to suffer on the crosse with thee that I may be crowned by thee but I know that first it is needefull for mee that the world be crucified vnto mee and I vnto the vvorld Gal. 6.14 But now let vs see oh my sorrowfull soule how my innocent Iesus was vsed by the rough-handed and cruell hearted tormentor when he vvas come to the place of execution vvhere malefactors did suffer grieuous punishment for their hainous offences First hauing exiled all compassion and pittie from their heart they lay hold vpon him with their bloudie and polluted hands and then they hastily rob and disroabe him of his garments before a rude multitude of the basest and meanest of the people yea they strip him starke naked that hee might appeare more vile and contemptible in their eyes Here hast thou good cause and iust occasion my perplexed soule to ouer-flowe thy cheekes afresh vvith a flood of teares and to dilate and open thy heart that thy heauie groanes and sorrowfull sighes may haue their free passage when thou seest thy louing Iesus stripped naked by the hands of such dogged and cruell tormentors exposed to the eyes of the pittilesse people and extreame coldnesse and roughnesse of the weather Oh how was the beauty of thy excellent composed body obscured with spots of bloud how was the pure-white colour of thy skin made blacke and blew with bitter blowes my most beautifull Iesu Oh how spitefull and vnappeasable was their indignation how bitter was the miserie how great yea exceeding great was the ignominie of thy grieuous passion my louing Christ my mercifull Iesu For so sharp was the edge of their cruelty so eager was the malice of their hearts and inhumanitie of their hands against thee that thou art layde naked vpon the Crosse vvhen as such extremitie was not vsed but to most wicked vile and abiect persons who for their notorious crimes deserued no pittie such was their damnable impietie But vvhat a spring of bitter teares might arise in the vveeping eyes of thy sad and mourning Mother vvhat sword of sorrow did pierce her tender heart vvhen she saw her deerely-louing and deerely beloued Sonne so roughly disrobed of his cloathes and nakedly exposed to the view of the rude base and common people vvho came not with relenting hearts to shew any signe of sorrow at the execution of such bloudie crueltie but rather to solace themselues and to laugh deride and raile vpon thee in this extreamest miserie Now when those cruell tormentors had speedily turned my innocent Iesus out of his cloathes they layde his naked body vpon the Crosse and first they nailed his innocent hands and after his blessed feet with long strong nailes So that the streames of bloud spouting out of his veines changed the hew of his Crosse into a crimson colour Oh what grieuous paine what horrible tortures did those wicked vvretches procure to my blessed Sauiour Oh vvhat infernall furie had incensed their bloudie mindes what diuellish madnesse enraged their hearts so farre to degenerate from the ciuill nature of men into the sauage nature of beasts Oh spectacle full of sorrow oh sight full of ruth how grieuous vvould that pittifull sight haue beene to mine eyes when the very Meditation of it doth so deepely wound my heart Though I know that the immaculate Lambe was sacrificed on this woodden Altar that he might wash and cleanse my polluted soule with his pretious bloud take away the foule staines of my defiled flesh and by suffering so vile a death on the Crosse to deliuer me from a bitter curse due vnto mee for my great and grieuous sinnes Yet needes must mine eyes haue melted like Ice into teares my heart haue beene consumed with sobs and all my bowels pained with compassion if I had beene a wofull beholder of his dolefull Passion vnlesse mine eyes had beene more drie then a flint my heart more hard then iron and my bowels composed of brasse But indeede vvhat riuers of streaming teares should water my cheeks what heauy groanes and lamentable sighes should sound out of the bottome of my heart How should all mine affections be drowned in the vvaues of afflictions when I contemplate the hidious deformities of my vgly sinnes and seriously meditate on the cruell tyrannie of my trayterous transgressions which indeed were nothing else but cruell hands and a hard hammer to driue the iron-nailes into thy blessed hands and innocent feet and to crash their tender bones into pieces Wound my soule oh my sweet Iesu pierce my heart that it may streame forth blood let nothing but mournfull sighes be pleasant vnto my vveeping eyes let nothing but voices of horror and lamentation be delightfull vnto my dolefull eares so that all my senses may be true mourners to bewaile the crueltie of my sinnes and to shew some tokens of true repentance for the multitude of my transgressions which so pittifully wounded thy sacred body and so grieuously vexed thy righteous soule Crucifie my heart that it may die to wicked cogitations Crucifie my hands that they may haue no power to commit euill actions Crucifie mine eyes that they may want light in taking delight to gaze vpon vvorldly vanities Crucifie mine eares that they may be dull and depriued of hearing when they should listen to fruitlesse and friuolous words vnsauorie speeches lasciuious and wanton discourses Crucifie my tongue that it may haue no motion to vtter any opposite thing to the pure Law of my God or hurtfull to the commoditie of those which are godly and good Crucifie my Taste that it may not be allured with the wanton enticements of delicate meates nor so ouercome with the baytes of pleasant wine that the eyes of my vnderstanding be darke vvith the fumes of gluttony or my soule be polluted or my body defiled with filthie adulterie Crucifie the olde man sinne that hath beene my Tenant so long and hath had his habitation in
neither dispaire with the heauy burden of my sinnes nor presume without feare to transgresse the bounds of thy holy law that although I haue runne long the wilde race of vnbrideled iniquitie yet at last I may returne home vnto thee out of the way of impietie vvith this faithfull and true repenting offender and be a companion vvith him in thy Paradice of euerlasting felicitie A Meditation concerning the lamentation of the Virgine MARY beholding her Sonne lifted vp vpon the Crosse standing by it accompanied with Iohn the Euangelist and Mary Magdalene MED XVI The blessed Virgin a Iohn 9.25 standing by the Crosse Of Christ our Lord Behold thy b Ibid. 26. Sonne sayd he Vnto his Mother Oh most grieuous losse That he must die who from all c Luke 23.14 faults was free NOw turne thy thoughts Oh my sorrowfull soule from the blasphemous reproches scornfull derisions and malicious slanders of the wicked Iewes insulting against my innocent IESVS And now thou hast heard how bountifull thy Sauiour was vnto the penitent Theefe that was sorrowfull for his owne iniquity and couragious to iustifie my mercifull Redeemer for his vnspotted innocency Meditate a while on the Lamentation of his blessed Mother whose heart was wounded with sorrow to see her Sonne so cruelly tormented when hee had neuer offended in word nor imagined any euill in thought How sharpe was the sting of dolour to wound her heart how intollerable was the griefe that did trouble her minde when shee saw his body bleeding with so many wounds before her wofull eyes and heard their bitter words and diuelish reproches cast out against him in the audience of her dolefull eares As shee had cause to reioyce at his blessed Birth so now shee had good occasion to mourne for his cruell death For though no doubt she was annointed with oyle of graces aboue her fellowes yet we may not thinke shee vvas quite exempted from the passions of a woman or void of the tender affections of a Mother when shee saw the harmlesse head of her louing and beloued Son bleeding with a Crowne of Thornes his innocent hands and blessed feete fastened to the Crosse with iron nailes Certainely shee knew that his Conception vvas so sanctified by the holy Ghost in her wombe that his most blessed body vvas alwaies free from the infection of impiety and his flesh neuer tainted vvith the corruption of iniquitie But yet shee knew hee did not suffer without sense of his paines and although he was endued with a supernaturall patience yet shee knew that he felt the pangs of his bitter Passion subiect by his humane nature to many infirmities as we are yet euer hauing a pure heart and cleane hands from the spots of sinne vvherewith our soules are polluted our bodies continually infected Wherefore thinke oh my soule that as her afflictions were grieuous so her lamentation vvas great suppose that thou doest see her with her face discolored with palenesse discouering her motherly sorrow to thy outward eies and that thou didst heare her mournefull tongue telling this dolefull tale to thy attentiue eares vvhich should cause thee to be a partner with her in her woe and sigh for thy sinnes which vvere the cause of her sorrow to see her beloued Sonne so cruelly crucified by the Gentiles and so disdainfully derided by the Iewes Thinke I say that thou doest see her vvatering her eyes vvith store of teares vttering these or the like words with her sorrowfull lips to her dearely beloued Son which words should draw out teares from thine eyes and driue out groanes from thy hart which shee pronounced with a dolefull accent in this or the like manner Oh what medicine be it neuer so soueraigne can asswage the rigour of my malady what salue be it neuer so precious can heale the wounds of my bleeding heart vvhat vvords be they neuer so comfortable can cheare vp my dolefull minde when I see thee my beloued Sonne so cruelly tormented and so ignominiously taunted Alas for me poore wretch thy sorrowfull Mother How intollerable is the paine how grieuous is the punishment that is inflicted vpon thee Thy death is not so bitter vnto mee and yet how loath I am to forgoe thee as these cruell torments which I see doe torture thy innocent body and doe greatly augment the sorrow of my perplexed minde As thy blessed life was the cause of my chiefest felicity so will thy bitter death be the beginning of my miserie Who shall afford mee comfort in the time of my calamity who shall giue me counsell who shall be my succour in the time of my necessitie vvhen I am separated from thee How shall I spend the daies with sorrowing and passe through the teadious nights with mourning But thou oh my GOD omnipotent vvhich art his eternall Father vvho canst not shut thine eies of compassion from thine afflicted Sonne comfort mee his sorrowfull Mother Thou seest the wounds of his body thou knowest the sorrowes of my heart and because thou art a Father of mercies and a GOD of all consolation looke downe vpon me out of thy holy Sanctuarie and as thou hast proued me to be thy faithfull Handmaide so let the sweetnesse of thy Fatherly loue temper the bitternesse of my griefe that although I be depriued from the humane societie of my Sonne yet the vvings of thy prouidence may still ouershadow mee and thy omnipotent arme safely protect me But as the Virgine Marie did bewaile the cruell and bloudie death of her innocent Sonne so Marie Magdalene vvith many teares gushing out of her eyes began to lament the wofull case of him her louing Master on this or such like manner Oh my deere Master oh my gracious Lord oh my blessed and bountifull benefactor I cannot liue without thy louing company I cannot abide without thy amiable Societie What tongue though it speake neuer so dolefull can truly relate my sorrow What vvords be they neuer so rhetoricall can ease my inward griefe vvhen I see I shall be separated from so louing and so kinde a Master Oh how tyrannous are the torments wherewith the bloudy tormentors doe torment thine afflicted body How sharpe are the arrowes of their malice vvherewith they vvound thy righteous soule How grieuous is the sight of their cruell deedes vnto mine eyes How odious are their dogged words vnto mine eares Yet my constant loue vnto thee will not giue mee leaue to leaue thee though it be a death vnto mee to see thy calamity so long as mine eyes may behold thee The sight of the bitter pangs of thy Passion doth affright me with horrour The signes of thy approaching death doth confound my senses with continuall terror I see thy head which I annointed with pretious oyntment cruelly pierced with Thornes pittifully bleedihg with many wounds I see thy harmlesse hands pierced with iron nayles and thy innocent feete stained vvith bloud which I bathed with the teares of mine eyes and vviped vvith the
should all my sences be afflicted with mourning vvhen my minde doth contemplate the wounds of thy body and meditate the sorrow of thy soule afflicted with the deadly pangs of thy bitter passion vvhich inflamed thy heart with excessiue heat and dried vp the moysture of thy bowels with immoderate thirst And how should mine eyes swell with weeping and my hart be wearied with groning to bewaile my sinnes which so sharpened the hearts of the Gentiles vvith the eagernesse of crueltie and so shortned the hands of the Iewes vvith the malice of impietie that they reteined no sparke of pitty in their hearts nor would extend their hands to giue thee any comfortable refreshing in thy greatest extreamity But as their hearts and bowels were filled with sharpe sower and malicious humors so they giue thee a sowre and bitter drinke compounded of Gall and Vinegar Oh nefarious horrible impiety oh detestable cruelty of the perfidious Iewes to be so stony-harted as not to afford so much as a draught of cold water to my dying Iesus vvho is able to giue water of life which shall so plentifully satisfie the longing desire of those that drinke of it that they shall neuer after be molested vvith thirst nor haue any necessity to drinke Oh would I had beene there my bountifull Iesu that my vveeping eyes might haue afforded thee store of water to haue slaked thy drinesse and quenched thy thirst Oh how extreame vvas the griefe of thy tender-hearted Mother Oh how sorrowfull vvas the sadnes of Iohn thy louing Disciple who loued thee so tenderly was beloued of thee so intirely Oh how dolorous was the lamentation of Mary Magdalene mourning for thee her kinde distressed Master who had forgiuen her many sinnes because shee had shewed thee much loue Who all did behold thee with their wofull eyes and did heare thee with their doleful eares complaine that thou wert dry and thirsty and no doubt but they did all wish with sighes desire with heauy groanes that they had beene able but alas they might not be suffred to giue thee some comfortable refreshing When the Diuell our ancient enemy did tempt thee in the Wildernesse thou wert pinched with hunger at thy death thou wert parched with thirst thy moysture dryed vp like a pot-shard and thy tongue cleauing to the rooffe of thy mouth Now what are these naturall wants and weak infirmities found in thy body but strong arguments vnto vs of thy true man-hood and true testimonies of thy humane nature that we might know that although thou wert indued with exceeding patience yet that thou being man wert subiect to our passions but as thy sacred Conception was free from all carnall corruption so thy pure Life was alwaies free from all sinnefull infection Thou hadst great cause my louing Sauiour to be molested with drinesse and grieued with thirst when as thy body was distempered with watching brused with cruell blowes and thy bloud exhausted with thy bleeding wounds yet such as was the inhumanity such was the cruelty of the pittilesse Iewes that in this extremitie they would not afford thee a cuppe of colde water But is it credible yea is it possible that my Sauior should be afflicted vvith thirst at his death who hath tolde vs and it is true that hee hath told vs that he hath the water of life Tell me my bountifull Iesu how was thy moisture consumed what caused thy thirst art thou not hee which cryed If any man thirst let him come to me drinke Ioh. 7.37 art thou able to satisfie others that are thirsty and art thou thy selfe oppressed with thirst art not thou he my louing Sauiour which said to the woman of Samaria that thou hadst the water of life that hee vvhich should drinke of this water should neuer thirst any more but that it should be a well of water in him springing vp vnto euerlasting life Thy speech my Sauiour is veritie and thy words are truth thou hast the water of life thou art able and as thou art able so thou art most willing to refresh our thirsty soules vvith this blessed vvater if vvee will resort to drinke of thy pure and Christall fountaine I will come vnto thee my sweet Iesu that thou mayest satisfie my soule vvith thine euerlasting bread and quench my thirst with this Water of life for my soule thirsteth after God which is a liuing Fountaine I will cry vnto thee the Lord my God my Sauiour my protector and I will say I thirst I thirst my bountifull Iesu Oh that I might haue but so much as a little taste of this Caelestiall water Oh how doe I long to drinke of this fountaine quench thou my thirst oh my sweet Iesu with this liuing Water for thou onely art able to quench my thirst because vvith thee there is the fountaine of life And graunt that my soule may still thirst with such a longing after thy loue that it may make haste to these waters of comfort Oh how dangerous and deadly were my malady how vnsufferable were my misery how damnable were my state how desperate were my case if I should not drink of this heauenly Fountaine But as the spring of these blessed and wholesome waters doth euer flowe and as thy vnstinted bounty oh my mercifull Sauiour euer aboundeth so thou doest neuer deny any thirsty soule to drinke of this liuing water Wherefore let the feruency of thy loue so inflame my soule that it may thirst and thirsting may runne vnto thee to be refreshed with this comfortable water I know oh my blessed Redeemer that thou wert not onely afflicted with thirst in thy body but that thou wert more affected with thirst in thy spirit Heare thou oh my thirsty soule the sweet word of thy Sauiour Oh with what exceeding mercy is it replenished with what inestimable Charity is it vttered He saith I thirst but he saith not I am pained grieued or afflicted And what dost thou thirst for so much oh my louing Lord Thou dost not thirst so much for wine which is pressed out of the grapes of the Vine or for water which floweth out of the Riuer but thy thirst is my saluation thy meat is my redemption Thou doest thirst for my faith my saluation my ioy this spirituall thirst did more affect thy soule then any naturall or humane thirst could afflict thy body Therefore thirst thou oh my soule after thy louing and merciful Sauiour as the thirsty Hart desireth the water Oh how canst thou but thirst after him who hath thirsteth so much after thee Let all things be they neuer so sower be pleasant vnto thee for his sake let all things be they neuer so bitter be most sweet vnto thee for his loue Refuse not to drinke of the bitter cup of affliction for his cause and hee will not faile to refresh thee in the time of thy calamitie his hand shall be stretched out to deliuer thee in thy necessitie Grant me my Lord that I may
offer vnto thee the wine of my true deuotion vvith the Mirrhe of mortification and gall of hearty contrition But as it might be dolefull vnto thee my soule to heare thy louing Iesus cry out Sitio I thirst so let it be ioyfull vnto thee to heare him take his farewel with Consummatum est It is finished Ioh. 19.30 Oh let the Meditation of this word be more sweet vnto me then the hony vvhich Sampson found in the carkasse of the Lyon vvhen he was hungry Iudg. 14 8. and more delectable vnto mee then the vvater vvhich hee found in the Iawbone of the Asse vvhen he vvas thirsty Iudg. 15.19 For now had my blessed Redeemer fulfilled the sacred decrees of the holy Scriptures concerning my saluation and appeased the wrath of his Father kindled against me for my sinnes Now he had cancelled the Obligation of my infinite debt and not vvith siluer and gold but with his owne most pretious blood purchased my Redemption And by his death conquered death hell and the deuill Oh happy death that hath redeemed mee to eternall life Oh glorious victory although my Sauiour obtained it so dearely Therefore let mee not be carelesse to sell that so cheape which my Sauiour hath bought so deare Let mee consecrate my soule and body wholly to him for they are his owne he hath dearely bought them Direct my spirit oh Lord by the leuell of thy perfect word let the meditation of my heart be day and night in thy sacred law that I may offer vp vnto thee daily the calues of my vnfained lippes speaking of thy meruailous kindnesse early in the morning and telling of thy manifold mercies late in the euening send downe a gratious raine of thy holy Spirit into the furrowes of my heart that the memory of thine innumerable benefits may perpetually flourish in my minde and thine euerlasting praises euermore sound in my mouth for thou alone art my Redeemer oh Lord God of my saluation A Meditation how CHRIST gaue vp the Ghost and of the wonders which were seene at his death MED XIX Strange a Mar. 15.38 wonders at our Sauiours death were wrought The graues did b Matt. 27.51 open and the dead came forth The Temple rent in c Luke 23.45 twaine Dumbe creatures sought T' expresse to blinded d Luk. 19.40 Iewes their makers worth LIft vp thine eyes oh my soule and behold how the countenance of thy Sauiour is couered with a deadly palenesse his sight beginneth to faile and his heart to faint yet a little before the departure of his soule and in his greatest pangs hee cryed out with a lowd voyce as if he had felt no paine saying Father into thy hands I commend my spirit and vvhen he had said thus bowing downe his head and closing his eyes he gaue vp the Ghost Luke 23.46 Now so soone as his blessed soule was dissolued from his breathlesse body the vaile of the Temple vvas rent into two peeces from the top the bottome the earth did quake the stones were rent the graues opened and many bodies of the Saints which slept arose out of their graues came into the holy Citie and appeared to many Awake thou now oh my soule lie no longer snorting in the bed of carelesse security vvhat wilt thou say what wilt thou doe oh my soule Thou seest that the earth trembleth quaketh that the stones doe cleaue in pieces and that the beholders are all amazed at the death of the Lord Iesus Oh! why art thou so senselesse oh my soule and as it were dead without motion at the recordation of the death and meditation of the Passion of thy Sauiour Oh let the sinnefull vaile of the Temples of thy head rend into peeces which couereth the eyes of thy vnderstanding let thy earthly body tremble with horror and thy stony heart cleaue in sunder with terror of thine impietie and now arise thou out of the graue of thine iniquitie let thine eyes waste and consume away with weeping and let thy heart melt away with sighing that thou mayest shew some signes of sorrow for thy sinnes and some tokens of true repentance for thy transgressions which caused the bitter Passion and procured the cruell death of thy innocent IESVS and cry out vvith the astonished Centurion Verely this man was righteous Hee was the Sonne of GOD Mat. 17. Lift vp thy hands crie out with a faithfull heart Oh my gratious Lord my sweet Sauiour and louing Redeemer how terrible were my trespasses how haynous were my transgressions that nothing but thy pretious blood could wash out the staines of mine iniquitie and nothing but thy death deliuer me out of the chaines of euerlasting captiuitie What shall I doe to gratulate the greatnes of thy loue how shall I perfectly rellish the goodnesse of thy mercy how shall I throughly tast the sweetnesse of thy compassion For how doth thy loue exceede in greatnesse how doth mercy abound in goodnes and how doth thy compassion excel in sweetnes that thou being the true and naturall Sonne of God shouldst be made man that we being sinnefull men should be made the sons of God yea when vvee were thine enemies vessels of sinne and vassals of Sathan And that thou being man shouldest be made subiect to the same passions to the same affections to the same afflictions that we are yea obnoxious to death to pay our debt but yet thy life was neuer infected with any sinfull action no not so much as affected with any euill cogitation Oh my kinde Iesu Oh thou innocent Lambe Oh my most louing Lord by how much the more I consider thy calamity by how much the more I ruminate thy mercy by so much the more cause I finde to be faithfully affected towards thee for the greatnes of thy loue and to be afflicted with thee for thy grieuous torments Oh let me behold in my serious meditation and see with the eye of mine vnderstanding how thy most sacred body is brused vvith cruell blowes thy tender flesh mangled with bleeding wounds thy venerable head perfored and pierced with a Crowne of pricking thornes thy beautifull forehead spotted and thy comely haire knotted with coniealed blood thy nosthrils offended vvith stinking spittle and thy blessed mouth distasted with gall and vinegar thy most bright eyes obscured with a vaile thy amiable face buffeted with fists and defiled with dust thy chast eares filled with reproaches thy naked body scourged with whips thy vveary shoulders shrinking and thy weake knees failing vnder the heauy burthen of the crosse thy most holy hands pierced thy blessed feet bored with sharpe iron nailes thy blessed side opened and thy heart wounded with a speare Oh let the remembrance of thy grieuous torments my louing Iesu let the memory of thy bleeding wounds and scornefull reproaches wound my heart with vvofull compunction and pierce into my hardened bowels that they may relent vvith tender compassion that I may feele some sense of painefull sorrow for thy