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
redeemed and in thee no anger to bee appeased O good Father Charge me freely I say with thy stripes set them so surely and seuerely as thou wilt but suffer not my sufferings to bee vnfruitfull doe not double my griefe by causing me to lose the benefit of my grief For it would be a greater griefe to mee that these sinners should perish then are all the torments where with they teare mee euen as a louing mother sorroweth more at the losse of her childe then she did at her trauailes for his birth By suffering and by pardoning the redemption of the world must bee wrought and therefore pardon them O good Father For whom I suffer or else no redemption can follow And if the death which now I suffer if the life which now I offer bee not sufficient I will suffer another death I will offer another life I will doe anything O my good Father wholly to appease thee BVt if thou wilt not bee absolutely intreated yet forgiue them I beseech thee in regard of their ignorance For niether this people nor their Rulers doe dirâ—ctly know either who I am or what worke I haue in hand Whereby it followeth that they know not what they doe Blessed Father thou hast made mee wiser then my enemies For I know righâ— well what I am about to doe bâ—â— thou hast not suffered the diueâ— perfectly to know it much more is this vnskilful multitude inuolued in ignorance And therefore I am so farre from desiring reuenge that the more earnestly they endeauour with many torments to destroy mee the more earnest am I both in praying and pleading for their saluation For alas they are ignorant I pitie them with my heart and from my heart desire thee to bee intreated for them Giue them time and meanes to bee instructed open their vnderstanding to know mee and to know themselues but as the case now standeth forgiue them I pray thee for they know not what they doe And further seeing I am ioyfull in receiuing these harmes wherefore art thou displeased with those who doe them Seeing the party offended forgiue 〈◊〉 the wrong at whose suit will thy iustice prosecute What hath Iustice to doe when no man complaines Thou knowest right well that nothing can bee termed an iniurie which is not done against our will Seeing therefore I willingly suffer and that in obedience to thy will and appointment to performe a most necessary worke for the world remaine not thou displeased with those by whose hands my owne will is performed and this great worke accomplished BVT happily it may bee said that as this action in it selfe is the most heinous sin that euer was committed so are these in regard of themselues the most vnworthy to be forgiuen Be it so But O holy Father Do I die only for small offenders is not my death sufficient for all Doe I die for any other end but that all offenders may bee forgiuen And wilt not thou regard more my sufferings then any mans sinnes more my charitie in dying for my tormentors then their malice iu putting mee to death It is true indeed that if thou wilt punish them according to their demerits al the torments of hell are nothing neere sufficient but therefore it is better freely to forgiue them For as there was neuer sinne comparable to this so shalt thou neuer haue the like occasion to manifest thy mercy O my Father seeing my blood is shed by thy will imploy the same to the best effect let not any man be depriud of the benefit of that which is amply sufficient for all And fauour me also O father since I needs must die to make the best aduantage of my death to seâ— my life so well as I can And therefore pardon those I pray thee who torment me to death For the greater offenders thou pardonest for my sake the better I shall thinke my life employed and it nothing auaileth that I die for sinners if thou deniest to pardon sinners MEDITATIONS VPON THIS Prayer O PRECIOVS prayer fit onely to proceede from our All-mercifull Redeemer who as he taught vs to loue our enemies to pray for them that curse vs so heere by his example hee confirmed the same O meeke SAVIOVR what inflamed charity did sparkle in thy speeches how truely had the Iewes saide of thee before Neuer man spake as he speaketh For let all the prayers bee powred foorth that euer were made and wee shall find none parallell to this Many haue prayed for themselues many for their friends but who euer before in this sort prayed for his enemies Many haue forgiuen offences after they haue beene done when the paine is past and the offender happilie displeased at what hee did but whilest the mischiefe is in action and before it bee accomplished in the very height of madnesse and malice to see thee not onely forbeare to hate thy enemies but ardently to loue them to heare prayers for them flowing out of thy mouth with teares and groanes whilest thy blood was running out of thy veines to heare thee plead for them who wouldest not open thy mouth to speake for thy selfe What shall wee say but that pity and cruelty iniury and mercy anger and patience hate and loue did here meet and contend together O milde IESVS O the glory of my soule what humane iudgement yea what vnderstanding of Angels is able to apprehend that thou shouldest not only patiently endure but thus earnestly pray for thy mortall enemies Thy smart thy fainting the streames of blood which freshly flowed from thee might haue put thee in minde both of their malice and of their iniustice and yet wert thou wholly busied in procuring pardoÌ„ both for that for all their other sinnes O euerlasting goodnesse what a maruellous example hast thou giuen both of patience and of loue Thou didst release those who fastened thee plead for those who did accuse thee intreat for those who did reuile thee acquite and discharge those who are in hand to kill thee they will not returne into the City before thou art dead and thou wilt not die vntill thou hast obtayned their pardon O Redeemer of soules thou didst neuer either doe iniury to any or blame any for doing iniurie to thee All thy actions and words tended to teach vs patience pity humility gentlenesse and all other goodnesse Albeit thou haddest many enemies in this world yet didst thou neuer term any man enemy all were esteemed friendes because thou wert a true friend to all Thou hadst been formerly presented before the high Priest and Elders before Pilate and before Herode in whose presence for the most part thou wert silent but beeing presented before thy Father on the Crosse thou didst first open thy lippes to speake for thy tormentors O vnspeakable charity How inestimable was thy loue towards miserable man When thou wert accused before worldly Iudges thou wouldst not spend one word for thy selfe but wheÌ„ thou didst
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
they doe Our SAVIOVR would not lay downe his life vntill he had made a most perfect knot of amity and peace vntill he had reconciled man with GOD vntill he had reconciled his enemies with his friends For in that he intreated his Father to forgiue he commanded his friendes neuer to accuse For what iustice could bee required against those who were pardoned How should man be offended when GOD is appeased As he left them a passion to weepe so did hee enioyne them a compassion to forgiue O most happy and holy-day wherein the sonne praied the Father pardoned and men were reconciled And this was the peace O great Redeemer which was sweetly published by heauenly voices as by thy herehaults at the time of thy birth On earth peace good will among men This was the gift which in thy last Sermon thou didst leaue to thy Disciples Peace I giue vnto you And thus at thy death in praying for thy enemies thou didst seeme in this sort to speake to thy friends LOe my friends I am now concluding the great peace of the world I haue reconciled you to my Father I haue vnited you to my selfe and doe enioyne you to bee at amity with all men As I die in loue with all men so must all hate extinguish by my death among those that are mine Alasse what should beco0me of you and all mankinde If I should now die in displeasure or discontent Assuredly you should not then be reconciled to my Father you should not then bee vnited with me And verily so often you fall from this reconcilement so often you breake this vnion as you be at enmity with you brother When you are at mutuall contention your enemy the diuell in like fashion looketh on as an Eagle eyeth a Cock fighting or a Wolf the rude encountering of Rams intending to make you all his prey In case you fall into hatred together you thereby strike into variance with me O blessed Peace Maker who shall dare to take reuenge of light iniuries seeing thou didst pray for those who tormented thee to death Seeing thou madest no reckoning of the nailes which pierced thy handes and thy feete shall I make account of an angry or disgracefull word How shall I desperately dare to esteeme any man my enemy seeing thou wouldest bee a friend and brother to all Verily thus much may any man borrow of his owne weakest reason that by hating others I loose thy loue because I hate those whom thou louest and for whom thou ceasest not to pray O my soules health Leaue me not I beseech thee either out of thy prayer or out of the reconcilement which thou hast made seeing I can haue no benefit by the one but I must bee included in the other And seeing the sinnes wherof I desire to bee pardoned are infinitelie hatefull to thy Father let me not esteeme the iniuries intolerable which any man shall doe vnto me let me be no lesse vnwilling to reuenge the one then I would be to bee punished for the other Yea let me be no lesse carefull to pray for the offences of others against my selfe then I would bee to intreate pardon for my offences against thee A CONCLVDING Thankesgiuing Payer and oblation I Adore laud and glorifie thee O LORD IESV CHRIST I blesse thee and giue thee thankes O Sonne of the liuing GOD for that thou wouldest not onelie permit but submit thy sacred members to be thus cruelly both tormented and deformed for mee And now I lowly blesse and salute them all for the loue and honour which I am bound both to beare and to expresse towardes thee for this benefit I salute and kisse thy blessed feete which had trauailed many iourneys and at last waded to death for mee in thy blood leauing markes behinde them in what footstepps I should treade I salute thy knees which were often bowed to the earth in prayer and often wearied with trauaile for mee I salute thy blessed breast inwardly inflamed with loue and outwardlie deformed with knotty scourges Haile sacred side which was opened gentle and sweet heart which was pierced for mee with a speare Haile battered backe of my Redeemer plowed and furrowed with grieuous lashes Haile holy armes spread at the largest length to embrace all sinners and most bountiful hands in distributing the treasure of thy blood among them I salute thy glorious countenance defiled with spittings which thou hadst neither lust nor leisure to wipe away I salute thy mellifluous mouth and all thy instrumēts of speech which could not bee stopped by a spunge filled with vineger or by any othermeanes from praying for mee And you gentle eares filled for my sake with blasphemies and reproaches you amiable eyes which for mee haue powred forth many showers of teares I reuerently salute you I salute thy royall head most cruelly goared and gashed with thornes to adorne me with the crowne of glory Most meeke IESVS I salute thy whole body which was scorned scourged crucified which died and was buried for my saluation Haile rosie woūds and most precious bloode which was offered to thy Father for me Haile most noble soule of my SAVIOVR which was vilely vexed and crucified to death to procure for mee eternall life I confesse O louing LORD that since I was brought forth into this sinful world I haue brought forth a world of sin Therefore I beseech thee by the sufferings of thy most sacred members to clense all my members from the corruptions wherewith I haue clogged them and to sanctifie them with the merits of thy passion I beseech thee O LORD fauourably to forgiue mee what I haue done and liberally to giue mee what I could not deserue AND O most mercifull FATHER most mighty creator of heauen and of earth albeit I am of all sinners the most vnworthy yet doe I offer to thee the most precious death of thy onely sonne for all the sinnes that I haue done and for all the benefits that I desire Behold O most pitifull Father what impieties were dealt vpon thy most pious sonne for my sake Behold the torne coat of thy son Ioseph dropping with blood and see if thou knowlest it to bee his garment Verily he is fallen into the power of some wicked beast which thus hath torne it and trampled it in his blood and altogether deformed it with the filth of our sinnes O distributer of grace cast the eies of thy maiestie vpon the vnspeakable worke of thy mercy behold I pray thee who it is that thus hath suffered and fauourably regard him for whom he hath suffered Behold O glorious FATHER the members of thy sweet childe cruelly racked vpon the crosse and fauourably regard what my substance is See his bleeding hands nayled to the crosse and bee pleased to remit the bloody sinnes which my hands haue committed See his naked side pierced with a speare and renue me with the blessed fountaine which flowed out of that wound See
by fasting it afterward the body nayled thereto was grieuously shaken And so was the brasen serpent lift vp in the wildernesse so were the sacrifices offered to GOD accustomed to be lift on high And so was it fit that hee should bee lift vp who was appointed to be a mediator betweene GOD and man who was to reconcile heauen and earth together who was to cast about his eyes in seeking his lost sheep and vpon whom we all should set our eies And they would not crucifie him alone but between two theeues whereby their intention was to obscure his Name to defile his credit to make him in stead of Messias to bee reputed a prince of theeues But our Sauiour turned this to another end namely that hee died for sinners and that he hath discharged the price of their sinnes Doubtlesse he so loueth sinners that he did not onely conuerse with them during his life but died betweene them and will bee euer present among them to heare them to pray for them to pardon them when they call vpon him not onely during the time of their liues but vntill the last minute of their death Yea after death he will bee ready to receiue them being penitent into his glory THY SAVIOR being thus mounted vpō the Crosse and fastned hand foot for sacrificing of his life consider seriously O my soule what he did what he said in what thoughts he was busied First consider his vnspeakeable torments in that he was depriued of all comforts both externall from others and internall within himselfe If he stirred any part of his body his wounds were thereby made more grieuous If hee remained quiet besides that immobility is a terrible torment one of the torments of hel the very weight of his body did teare his wounds wider Then consider how in those extremities the first time he opened his lips the first voyce which his tongue did forme was in making intercession for his enemies Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe They mocked reuiled blasphemed but hee prayed the more they burned in hate the more was hee enflamed with loue Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and from the aboundance of his loue did this prayer proceed But thinke not O my soule that these were all the words which IESVS spake that this was all his prayer at large but rather a summary collection thereof For the Apostle saith that he di◠offer vp prayers supplications with strong crying and teares And therfore when he seemed silent when his voyce was not heard when happilie his lippes did not moue whilest the Iewes were busied some in tormenting and some in deriding him conceiue O my soule that thy sweet IESVS either as senceles or as regardles heereof was wholy attentiue in praying to his heauenly Father for them for thee and for all sinners And so his members being strongly streyned vpon the Crosse as the strings were on Dauids harpe hee made such tunable harmony as neuer before had been heard in the world sounding in this sort to the eare of his Fathers mercy HIS PRAYER EXTENDED O Most iust most mercifull most holy Father thou seest what a weighty worke I haue begun and now I am entred into two of my great offices The office of a Priest as well in offering my body for a sacrifice as in making supplications for the people and the office of an Aduocate in pleading the cause of sinners before thee In both these heare me I pray thee Heauenly Father load this bruised body of mine with thy stripes powre foorth the full measure of thy wrath vpon it I am ready to indure whatsoeuer charge it shall please thee to impose But forgiue them I beseech thee for whom I thus suffer Let mee not in this cruell maner lose my blood and lose them also for whom I expend it the price being paied suffer me I pray thee to enioy my purchase O my eternall Father In recompence of my obedience to thy will in recompence of my comming into the world to reconcile it to thee in recompence of all my trauailes ouer-paced in recompence of my present torments and death I intreat nothing of thee but that thou wilt pardon these mercilesse sinners I am well content that thou wouldest not yeelde to my naturall desire when I prayed for my selfe that this cup might passe from me but denie mee not I pray thee in praying for these For I esteeme the benefit greater that they be forgiuen then that this cup should haue passed from me I regard more the good that they liue eternally then I regard the hurt that for the present I die O my good Father there is a time to pardon and a time to punish but if euer there be a time to pardon it is now Euen now when I aske forgiuenes at the very end of my life now whilest my blood freshly runneth for forgiuenes whilest the sacrifice is in offring for which thou shouldest forgiue For now thou doest publikly proclaime thy pardō mercy truth iustice peace do now embrace and kisse kindly together Thou didst once forgiue the Israelites O my Father when Moses and Aaron offered a little incense for them and wilt thou not forgiue these for whom I wholly offer my selfe Thou didst once grant victory when Moses held vp his hands vnto thee and wilt thou nothing regard the stretching foorth of my bleeding hands Father I am come into the world I now suffer death in the world to appease thine anger but what profit will ensue of my comming and of my death if men should be still charged with thy hate If my death cannot appease thy wrath what then can doe it What then can make atonement betweene thee and sinners O my good Father when I came into the world by thy appointment when by thy appointment I vndertooke to die thou diddest promise that thy wrath should bee extinguished by my death that thy wrath and my life should determine together Wherefore to discharge thy promise and because my life is more precious to thee then thy wrath forgiue I pray thee and bee appeased Loe heere I set my selfe in the breach loe heere I enterpose betweene sinners and thee BVT O great Mediator wherfore doest thou so earnestly entreat for sinners What ease is this to thy torments what good to thy selfe In case thou wilt not reuenge thy wrongs yet wherefore doest thou not leaue them to thy fathers pleasure wherefore should not Iustice run her course The Law sayth Eie for eie hand for hand life for life And what auayleth it thee that these offendours must now be forgiuen O! YES I am well content O my Father that thou load me with thine anger in what measure thou thinkest fit but so as nothing may remaine vnreconciled to thee so as my redemption may not bee imperfect and maimed so as there may remaine in man no fault to bee
the solace of my soule who could be worthy to stand so neere thy Crosse as to see blood streame from thy flesh and teares from thy eyes to see thy blood mixed with teares to see that as with sweat and blood thou begannest thy passion so with teares and blood thou diddest conclude it What adamant heart would not breake what leaden eyes would not melt into teares what earthy spirit would not be moued as the whole earth was to see thy sacrifice sprinkled or rather imbrued with blood and thy prayers watered with teares to see thy teares beautified with blood and thy blood washed with teares to see thee at once to smite thy Fathers cares with thy prayers and to mollifie his heart with thy sighes and grones O blessed Redeemer Albeit thou didst pray to thy Father for the greatest matter that euer was demanded of him yet if thou hadst desired a greater thy blood was so abundant thy cries so strong thy teares so plentifull and the loue from whence they flowed so ardent that thy loue thy blood thy teares and thy cries must haue obtayned it O sinne How offensiue art thou to the heauenly Father how deepely dangerous to the state of our soules seeing this expiation was necessary to abolish thee seeing pardon for thee could not be obtayned but by these cruell sufferings by these bloody teares of our Reedemer And thou o my soule crie hideously when thou praiest to the Lord and weepe abundantly for thy sinnes sigh groane teare bloody teares from thy soule when thou askest forgiuenesse seeing thy Sauior thus cried and wept when hee made intercession for thee For what reason or iustice is it that thy Sauiour crie and weepe for thee and not thou for thy selfe Or if thou canst not weepe in thy prayers yet be earnest attentiue let not thy thoughts be either scattered or heauy and dull for if thou be not attētiue to make thy prayers the Lord will not bee attentiue to heare them Learne also to lament not onely for thy owne offences but for the sinnes and miseries of others euen as the Prophet Hieremie lamented for the calamity of his people when he sayd My eyes faile and are dimme with weeping For albeit true charity beginneth alwayes at our selues yet must it extend vnto all there is no truer token of true charity then when it doeth extend vnto all not onely in shewing compassion for their miseries but especially in crauing pardon for their sinnes Ioy at the good which happeneth to other men and greeue at their euill and so shalt thou make profit of euery mans conuersation OF THE SVBSTANCE OF THIS Prayer BVT proceed O my soule to the substance of this praier and obserue well euerie word therof for there is not one word therein that is not of weight FATHER FIRST he began with the sweet word FATHER Hee did not terme him LORD for that was a name of seuerity and iustice but FATHER which is a name of pity and mercy If he had sayd LORD forgiue them as Saint Stephen prayed afterward it might haue seemed that hee had referred their pardon to the curtesie and iudgement of iustice But FATHER is a name of compassion a name of the new Testament A name which by the blood and merits of our IESVS we may challenge to vse towardes hm That as he pleased to bee our brother so hee would thereby make vs the sonnes of his FATHER And therefore hee vsed the same worde in praying for vs which hee did in praying for himselfe For as he prayed for himselfe Father into thy hands I commit my spirit so he prayed for vs Father forgiue them As if he should haue said O my Father acknowledge me now for thy Sonne thy onely Sonne thy Sonne in whom thou art well pleased thy Sonne to whom thou wilt denie nothing for as I am obedient to thee as to my Father so I expect to bee heard of thee as thy Sonne Father I am therefore come into this world that sinners also should be receiued for thy sonnes and therefore heare mee now in praying for them If euer thou wilt heare them praying to thee in my Name heare now my owne prayer for them So deare a Sonne as I am to thee so acceptable let my prayer be to thee If thou hearest not the prayers of thy Sonne whose prayers then wilt thou heare If thou reiectest my prayers thou doest more torment mee then doth the Crosse. The Crosse I patiently endure to abolish a greater euill that is to appease thy wrath and to make sinners accepted for thy sonnes But fauour these torments of thy Sonne that they be not endured in vaine Fauour thy Sonne not to double his terments by denying him his charitable request Thou doest amply reward the trauailes which any man shall performe in thy seruice Now thy Sonne requireth no recompense for himselfe for all my trauailes for all my torments in obedience to thy will I require no other recompense but that thou wilt grant my request for miserable sinners FORGIVE BY this word our Lord discharged the office of a Priest in praying for the sins of the people for which hee cryed not onelie as a Priest but as a sacrifice which neuer demandeth free forgiuenesse but bringeth satisfaction with it And not only he cried with his mouth but his wounds cryed his blood cryed his defilements cryed his torments cryed al his members cryed Forgiue So many wounds as he receiued so many griefes as he endured so many mouthes hee opened with one voyce intreating Accept these sufferings for the sinnes of all men for wee doe pay thee whatsoeuer they owe. Wee giue thee blood and smarte for ransome life for satisfaction body and soule for sacrifice Let there now bee mercy with thee for this is a plenteous redemption It is a hard thing indeed which is demanded namely that a most indulgent Father should forgiue and forget the cruell death of his only Sonne his entirely beloued Sonne But the sonne himselfe demands it he demands it with his blood with his wounds with all his sufferings he demands it Not vnder any condition as hee prayed for himselfe in the garden If it be possible If thou wilt If it may be but positiuely and absolutely he prayeth thee to Forgiue His owne passion hee left to thy will but thy pardon hee doth absolutely intreat He put it to thy pleasure whether hee should die or no but he leaueth no consultation no choice for thy granting of forgiuenesse his prayer for forgiuenesse is so absolute as it may not be denied Hereby thou mayest learne O my soule that remission of sinnes and all diuine graces are to be desired of GOD without condition because this prayer is alwayes referred to the honour of GOD. Also that whensoeuer thou forgiuest thy enemies thou doe it absolutely without reseruation Neuer accompt it a Christian forgiuenes when it is with exception that thou wilt not speake
GOD and others also who stood by smote their breasts their hearts being smote before and returned into the city Afterwards at the Feast of Pentecost three thousand were conuerted at one Sermon and fiue thousand at another Also by merit and power of this prayer Saint Stephen was called Saint Paul conuerred Saint Matthew elected and generally all our prayers are heard all our sinnes remitted in case we repent Wherfore conceiue O my soule that GOD the Father answered his Sonne not by externall voyce but by tacite and internall consent in maner as followeth O My Sonne I see thy sufferings and I see the loue wherewith thou sufferest The loue wherewith thou so imbracest thy paines that it will not suffer thee to bee angry for thy paines the loue whereby thou art both ready and desirous to suffer more paines then thou doest Loe now I accept thy sacrifice burning in the bright flames of thy loue loe thy teares groanes sighes and cryes haue preuailed with me and obtained thy desire Loe my Sonne I grant thy petition I heere lay downe my wrath I shut the floodgates of my fury and open the fountaines of mercy to all I offer grace iustice remission of sinnes adoption to bee children aswell to those who thus rage against thee as to all other sinners in all ages and of all countreys whensoeuer they haue beene or shall be or wheresoeuer they are or howsoeuer they haue offended All this my son I freely grant by the merits of thy passion but so as they reiect not this mercy offered so as they but open their armes to embrace it But I will compell no man against his will For as when thou diddest open the eyes of the blinde it was their owne eyes whereby they did see so when the will of sinners is both enlightned and enabled by grace their proper will must then fall to worke And therefore let all sinners but resort vnto me let them with humility in themselues and faith in thee sue forth their pardon let them take out this my grant vnder seale of the Sacraments and we will bee all friends they shall be my sonnes and thy fellow heires in my kingdome of Heauen MEDITATIONS vpon the same O HOLY FATHER how great are thy mercies towards miserable sinners giue me thy grace both by vnderstanding to know and by loue to admire them How much more forcible was this prayer of thy sonne vpon the Crosse for sinners then was his prayer in the garden for himselfe When hee prayed in the garden prostrate on the ground bathed in a bloody sweate thrice for himselfe thou wouldest not heare him but when hee prayed on the Crosse for his mortall enemies thou diddest grant his prayer at the very first word O infinite goodnesse that had more pity on the miseries of sinners then on the flesh of thy only sonne And because to thy diuine eie nothing is past nothing to come but all things are present because with thee there is neither yesterday nor to morrow because thou neither foreseest things to come nor remembrest things past but beholdest all things with one act of thy diuine knowledge because things which are not only far off in regard of vs but happily are not are present to thee it followeth that thy sweet sonne still hangeth crucified before thee betweene heauen and earth still bleedeth and praieth for sinners Father forgiue them Forgiue thou I pray thee by vertue of this prayer the sinnes of thy suppliant which alas I haue almost forgotten but are all present before thee and cry to thee for iustice For if this powerfull prayer was heard for his professed and malicious enemies who neither desired nor regarded his prayer shall it not bee heard for those who ioyne with him both in prayer for forgiuenes and in teares to extinguish thy anger against them Heauenly Father I haue nothing of my owne which thou canst accept but I heere present to thee the merits and obedience of thy only Sonne all the labors and griefes which in this world hee endured for sinners For this is our stocke this is our treasure this is the inheritance which he hath giuen vs and wherof he hath made vs heires by his last will and testament and this is rightly ours Because it is no lesse ours which is freely giuen vs then that which wee purchase by our owne endeauours And O blessed SAVIOVR what can I want if I haue thee If I haue thee I haue my part in thy prayers in thy teares in thy blood in thy death in all the merits of thy sufferings and shall haue my part in thy glory Thou didst not only pray for sinners on the Crosse but continually praiest to thy Father for them that hee will vouchsafe to forgiue thē to impute their offences to thee and to impute thy righteousnesse to them O bowels of mercy cease not I beseech thee often to repeat this paryer to thy Father for mee Father forgiue him For because by sinning I often become thy enemie I often crucifie thee what should become of me if thou shouldest not often pray to thy Father to forgiue me And therefore O my sure Saluation so often as either by my owne infirmity or potency of my enemies I slippe into sinne so often say to thy Father for me Father forgiue this sinner Father for my sake bee not displeased with him And the greater my offences shall be the greater shall be thy glory in procuring my pardon For because of all attributes to GOD goodnesse after our manner of vnderstanding is the most excellent and that wherein hee glorieth most and that for which hee is most praysed both in heauen and vpon earth it followeth that the more goodnesse hee expresseth in any action the more glory he acquireth thereby And therefore as generally GOD hath not manifested so great goodnesse in anie worke not in all as in the worke of our Redemption wherein he both did and suffred so many things to make vs good as thereby in generall the passion of our SAVIOVR is so farre from being ignominious that all the workes of GOD layd together doe not beget to him so great glory so in particular the greater the sinnes are that thereby are remitted as they manifest the greater goodnesse so the glory which they rayse must be the greater IN WHOSE Presence this Prayer was made ALL this was done in the presence of his blessed Mother and of diuers of his dearest friends As calling them to be witnesses of this Generall pardon as calling them to be witnesses that as all were redeemed so all might bee pardoned by his death Teaching them also first to forgiue iniuries done personallie to themselues secondly that albeit they were permitted to weepe for his death yet they were not licenced either to seeke or to desire reuenge Lastly to enioyne them to ioyne with him in this charitable prayer Father forgiue them for they know not what
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.