gaze vpon that sanctimonious tree The holy Crosse O sacred Worthinesse That beares the fruit of Immortalitie And with a greedy appetite doth eie This Crucifix this Christ that 's nailde thereon This God this man this our redemption Not soâ—…m'd in mettle or with curious paint Nor hallowed with earthen sanctitie We estimate not much a woodden Saint Nor can a Painter learne the mysterie To make a Christ or giue diuinitie Thus then of all I would be vnderstood This Crucifix nor mettle paint nor wood But very Christ which with a faithfull eie This sonne of Grace reuiews with good affection In euery part he earnestly doth prie For sacred bloud which is the soules refection For without bloud we seale not our election Now giue him wordes or else we doe him wrong To giue him much Desire and not a Tongue ¶ Sacred he saith most glorious most diuine Thou Word that mad'st thou Christ that sav'dst all Thou Sonne that euerlastingly dost shine Coequall God and consubstantiall Thou Gate of mercy way to life Eternall O sith thou giv'st me sorrow for my sinne Open thy Mercy gate and let me in Thou art that Foode and ever-liuing Spring Whereof who tastes shall neuer thirst againe O I am thirst with my much sorrowing Euen as the parched land that gaspes for raine Do not thy heauenly droppings then detaine If that my soule this holy water want What thriueth it I set I sowe or plant But want I cannot if I but desire it Thy mercy doth preuent my forwardnesse Thou giuest grace before wee can require it If in our hearts there be but willingnesse Thou com'st vnto vs ere we can expresse What we determine In this scarce one Of mortall rase loues imitation This and tenne thousand testaments of Loue T'vnworthy men are daily multiplide Which might their blunted vnderstandings moue To Loue and Honor whom they crucified Their King and Sauiour Iesus is denied For euer be it hatefull in the Iewes To choose a villaine and the Iust refuse Pilate thou canst not wash in Innocence Nor Cayphas how er'e in holy place You give a monstrous sinne a faire pretence Your greatnes cannot countenance the case Both Prince and Prelate and the vulgar base Conspire in one These discords can agree To plot and practise this conspiracie Traitors hold off your blacke and treasonous handes Touch not his pure and neuer-tainted flesh Villaines your King must he be lockt in bands How prodigall you be in wickednesse To buffet binde and whippe his sacred flesh Let me my sinfull body interpose The sinne was mine let me beare off the blowes See how his bloud spirts from their cruell stripes O sacred blood O sacred body bleeding These Iewes haue lesse compassion than their whippes To spâ—…ll that blood which is the holy feeding Of blessed soules O cruelty exceeding Traitors you little know one drop of blood Would be enough to doe all sinners good Sweete Iesâ—… may thy seruant begge this grace To be a vessell to receiue this spilling The earth my Lord 's a farre vnworthy place A place of bloud a slaughter-house of killing Sith I haue woundes O Iesu be thou willing That some of this these Iewes shed on the ground I may reserue to cure a mortall wound In this aray their God our Christ they bring Vnto the place of execution His enemies entitle him a King Yet that is done in their derision The Stage is Calueriâ—… they act vpon A place of Skulles the morall may be this We are but rotten bones without his blisse Looke as a Pyrate roauing at the Seas When by aduenture hitting on a prise Doth first vpon their stoage make a sease Then on their victor'd liues doth tyrannise These hel-houndes so their envie exercise First they doe strippe our Sauiour of his cloathing Then of his life and thus they leaue him nothing Is it not wonder this rebellious rout Trauells in sweat to worke their fatall woe See with what painefulnesse they goe about This horred act herein they are not slowe That to a worke of Grace could neuer goe They dragge they binde they naâ—…le they fasten on Our holy life but their damnation Betweene two malefactors they did place him In scorne of his most perfect innocence These Theeues there set of purpose to disgrace him Yet did these Varlets faile in their pretence Their neerenesse could not giâ—…e him their offence For that is said to be the vertuous meane That on each hand hath neighbour'd the extreame Now they haue reared vp this Crucifix See how their resting time they entertaine Some vinegre and gall togither mix Others deride and all of them disdaine In scorne they call him Lord and Soueraigne The souldiers that aboue the rest doe raue Doe cast the Dice who should his garment haue My Lord is now in other businesse Building the frame of mans saluation These drops of bloud and water doe expresse His inward griefe he giues a demonstration Of torment that exceedeth all relation For he that would bring merit vnto man Must suffer more then any other can O what is man whome thou regardest so A stayned cloath a beautie withered Yet did my Lord his greatnesse humble so As he inuests our Nature that was dead He brings againe what erst was perished Now by his Bloud and euer by his Grace He makes vs worthie that before were base What though they heape iniquitie on sinne He layeth not his sauing worke away He helpeth most when they most torture him To giue vs life he doth his owne defray Lord Christ thou didst for thy tormentors pray Father forgiue them thus thy innocence Forgiue them gratious Father their offence The horror of this act did blind the Sunne Remoue the Earth the holy Temple rend Dead bodies from their Sepulchers did runne And preach to many how these Iewes offend All things reprou'd and nothing did commend The Sunne the Earth the Temple and the Graue Haue more of Grace then these Tormentors haue The Sunne doth hide his euer-burning face Abhorring to suruey their damned fact The Earth did shame it as her owne disgrace Because vpon her body they did act The Graues disclaime and dis-alowe the fact The holy Temple doth it selfe diuide Because a holier they haue crucifide Now giue me breath O sacred breathing spirit With faithfull affectation to applie This Death this Christ this compotence of merit Vnto my soule that in it selfe would die If not supported by the hand of Mercie How helpeth it the hurt-man to be sound Vnlesse the Salue be plasterd to the wound And as the holy Prophet that did spread His liuing body on the liuelesse corse And so brought backe the spirit vanished And made a contract where there was diuorse So when our soules are mantled with this crosse That life of Grace we erst had lost with sinning Hath then a second time in vs beginning And to make sit for good digestion This bread of life we must the loafe diuide Our faithfull soules in morsels
A Crucifixe OR A Meditation vpon Repentance and The holie Passion Written by CHRISTOPHER LEVER Nocet indulgentia nobis AT LONDON Printed by V. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be sold at his shop at the great south doore of Paules 1607. To the Reader THe Writings of Men as they are divers so are they diuersly affected yet euer in this inequalitie that mo to the bad than to the better be disposed The reason is corruption in Iudgement dulnesse of Vnderstanding blindenesse in Election and a deprauednesse in the whole frame of Nature whereof it commeth that many deceiue themselues in their choise neglecting what is of neerest consideration yet embrace that with strong appetite which is most pernitious and pestilent I write not this to offend any one but to remember all for I had rather profite than please and to giue friendly admonishment is better than silence That great Apostle Saint Paule defired to knowe nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified and dooth detest to reioyce in aught saue in the Crosse and sufferings of his Lorde and Maister A lesson woorthy so great a Doctour and worth our immitation This is that one thing which is onely necessary whereof who hath true knowledge hath all knowledge This Crosse this Crucifix and this Passion I present thee gentle Reader not in their exact formes for that exceedes the power of Mortalitie but in a little resemblance wishing thee to reade not for Mirth but for Matter and with holy Paul faithfully to apply to thy soule the glorie and reioycings of the holy Passion Farewell To the most reuerend father in God RICHARD by Diuine prouidence Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of England My singular good Lord and Patron RIght Reuerend Lord There is a disease in the Natures of men most powerful in the vulgar and base multitude to mis-interpret yet to interpret all mens proceedings Therefore the best cause doth most neede protection lest otherwise it receiue wrong in their iniurious and false constructions For this particular the frame and disposition is my owne and therefore I willingly submitte that to a mercifull Iudgement The Subject is not mine but Gods being extract from sacred Authorities and therefore of it selfe able to resist all opposition Here-hence I deriue my comfort that the worthinesse of the Subject may giue supplyment to my verse that wants woorth and that in the opinion of good men I shall be thought to haue done more in giuing a religious matter this poore forme than others that with much industry and arte haue painted the deformed face of profane and idle Inuentions The reasons my good Lord that moue me to this dedication are these First the many testimonies I haue of your Lordships gratious respecting me which earnestly presse me to returne this little demonstration of thankes where I haue receiued so much fauor Next your Lordships trauell to continue the body of Religion vnited or rather to make vp the rent and diuision Wherein God hath made you prosperous giuing you spirite to enterprise and victory to finish a care of that religious importance And because this Crucifix I present is a Meditation of the sufferings and death of Christ represented to vs in the ceremony of the Crosse in the holy vse whereof your Lordshippe hath fortunately trauelled I haue therfore thought this Dedication of right to belong vnto your Grace assuring my selfe that where the Shadow there the Substance where the Figure there the Trueth and where the Crosse there the Christ shall finde gratious and glad acceptance The which with all respects of duety and humblenesse I offer vnto your Lordship beseeching God to giue you to support the reputation of Learning helpfull to both the States of Church and kingdom and after this life perpetuity with the holy Angells and Saints Your Graces in all duety and seruice CHRISTOPHER LEVER A CRVCIFIX OR A Meditation vpon Repentance and the holy Passion THere is a griefe which farre exceedes the skill Of many learned spirits to define And this deriued is from doing ill Yet doth it rectifie and much refine The blurred Image of that power diuine Which in our purer soules at our creation Made vs beloued and of estimation Such is the terrour of a wounded Soule Stretched vpon the painefull racke of try all Presented with that blacke accusing scroule The register of sinne the Lords espiall Authorities that ne'r admit deniall For when our Conscience doth display our sinne Then true affected griefe doth first beginne It were in vaine I labour'd to expresse The just proportion and the qualitie Of horred griefe nor what amazednesse Attends this court of lawe and equitie The Soule must here implead impietie Against the Soule The Iudge that here preceedeth Against himselfe himselfe the law impleadeth 〈◊〉 that haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your sinnes 〈◊〉 bath d your 〈◊〉 in your repentanâ—…â—…eares 〈◊〉 when your reformation first beginnes 〈◊〉 â—…ur 〈◊〉 harts tell me what feares 〈◊〉 horrednesse remorsefull conscience beares 〈◊〉 rather doe confesse as doth my verse There is no power of words can it reherse The Father Iudge that sits his Sonne to trie Cannot resist the torture of his minde When he denounceth sentence thou must die Examples may be fitted to this kinde But to resemble ours no like we finde For here the Iudge that giues the dying word Condemnes himselfe euen of his owne accord The eye condemnes the sight the sight the eye The power of speach our much offending tongue All qualities their instruments envie And say their aptnesse to offence and wrong Impels the sence the weaker by the strong Is captâ—…uate And sinne that hath the reynes The common wealth in man to sinne constraines Like as that Bull Perillus fram'd of brasse To be a wond'rous instrument of woe Within whose wombe when the offendor was In brutish sort he as a Bull did lowe The organe of the beast did cause it so Right so our bodies beastlie by our sinne Doe bestifie the soule that liues within In opposition to this formall plea The body to the soule againe replyeth The state of sinne hath his estate in thee Our soules without sinne in our bodies dyeth Nature to liuelesse things all act denyeth For as the Ayre is mooued with the wind So are our subject bodies by the mind Who euer yet accus'd the murderous knife As actor of that horrible effect The agent must be somewhat that hath life It is the liuing hand that doth direct The mortall blade Nor is there had respect To instrumentall causes of offending For in the agent guilt hath his depending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of hoâ—… contention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himselfe diuide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which judâ—…ment hath descride 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the conscience anght can hide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 state of wretchednesse doth dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them my verse 〈◊〉 tell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 cup of pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in nothing but expending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fall his treasure
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shame with much commending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your 〈◊〉 liues shall ne're haue ending 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remembrance of repentant teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inlarge your feares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where death is eminent 〈◊〉 bubble of this life cannot secure thee There is an after-state most permanent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in honour oâ—… in death assure thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to honour now to die mure thee 〈◊〉 he whose life will mortifie no sinne 〈◊〉 finde the gate of Mercie shut to him Thy life is truely by resemblance said To be a shadowe shadoâ—…es from the Sun Deriued be for sure there is no shade Where â—…haebus doth not guild our horizon So we may say the pride of life is done When as the Sunne of Glorie shall denie To giue the beames of his resplendent Eye Change your corrupt opinions of delight Sometime delight in teares in bitter woe To launce and cut oft heales the wounded Knight If we to heauen we must as Pilgrims goe It is a Christian pleasure to doe so For he that doth appoint al times for pleasure To his repentance can admit no leisure Were it that he that over-loads the sense In surffetting the much forbidden tree Could with the habite of his sinnes dispense Whilst he might view his soules enormitie And with the judgement of Discretions eie Sentence his vaine exorbitant delight And all his pleasures that doe sinne invite Then might he see the powre of much offending The little powre of him that so offendeth That warre of soules that never can have ending Where sinne in opposition death intendeth To him that prodigall in sinne expendeth His very selfe and like a traitor thiefe In his owne treason makes himselfe a chiefe Who ever sawe a Generall in Armes Whenas the day determineth the warre To be imprison'd in the treacherous armes Of such as neerest to his person are Vnto himselfe may make a like compare For such are we when our delightfull pleasure Vpon our soules like traitors make a seasure 〈◊〉 like as when the man reported borned 〈◊〉 chased by the seruants of his pleasure 〈◊〉 â—…hen by monstrous sinne we are deformed 〈◊〉 finde offensiue what we held our treasure 〈◊〉 â—…ame affects like dogges doe make a seasure 〈◊〉 â—…on our soules and like the hunted Deere 〈◊〉 our loud yelping sinnes we stand in feere When we can truelie thus suruey our sinne Our state of death our death in our offending The warre intestine that we haue within 〈◊〉 infinite of griefe thereof depending 〈◊〉 little power we haue of our amending When this we know we know our stat 's not well 〈◊〉 doth the sicke that heares his passing bell â—…hen in the ballance of suspence we say Our little hope the mountaine of our care The scale of seare by much doth ouer sway Our owne assurances that nothings are 〈◊〉 makes this sicke man of his health despaire And were it not that grace did vs auaile We should not stand the triall of the scaile 〈◊〉 had I neede a new to inuocate That all sufficient to direct my verse My selfe much sinfull cannot sinne relate Whose largenesse disâ—…inables my rehearse O giue me power to beautifie the hearse Of Penitence which then is said to die When men liue most in their securitie If euer thing of greatest admiration Could draw the vulgar eye for to admire it Then let the subject of this poore relation Be powerfull in their harts that shall desire it It is a heauenly act for to inspire it For though our penance be a crabbed tree Yet is the fruit of rare proprietie Suppose thy selfe araigned at the barre Laden with fetters of thine owne offence Thy crying sinnes thy aduerse Lawyers are The Diuell doth his action here commence And for his witnesse hath thy conscience Suppose this court-house in thy soule to be Thy selfe to plead thy selfe to answere thee That part which best remembers plaies the Clarke Who when the word of silence is proclaim'd Intreates that great assemblie well to marke Th'inditement of that Traytor who asham'd Stands at the barre of death and being nam'd Holdes vp his guilty hand The Clarke then readeth Those treasons which my vtterance much exceedeth Yet as I may This I suppose was said Traytor thou art more ancient in thy sinne Then in thy dayes It cannot be denai'd But when thy first fore-father did beginne To listen to his wifes solliciting Thou in him then didst with him giue consent To further that his treasonous intent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patents did produce thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy soule more blinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to execuse thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…n â—…y minde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodie canâ—…t thou finde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fathers generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not giues it limitation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 so doe thy sinnes augment 〈◊〉 they ouâ—…â—…trip thy time in forwardnesse â—…or long before thy childishnes be spent Thou wilâ—… be aged in thy wickednesse Childrens first aptitudes doe well expresse Whether the progresse of their liues intend For like beginning often hath like end What though thy Parents in their prouidence Couet to better thee by education Yet is their trauell but a vaine expence Thy time of youth will giue an intimation How much vnlike thou art thy first creation Neuer could any precepts from the wise Er'e rectifie a mans infirmities Thus dost thou make gradation in thy sinne Till thou attaine the vtmost step of life And like Report when it doth first beginne Is then the least yet when it waxeth rife It doth inlarge it selfe So sinfull life By custome and continuance in sinning Men are much worse then in their first beginning For when their time doth bring them to that state That makes a man the strength of nature then Doth their injurious parts corroborate The length of yeares doth euer giue to man Habilitie in wickednesse and whan Depraued man hath meanes of doing ill He makes them serue his much depraued will Like as the neighbour Riuers to the Sea Cannot support vpon their shallowe backes The huge proportion of an Argosie Because the little currant water lackes Yet when the Sea that all resistance wrackes Shall fill the emptie channell with his Tide The greatest vessell with great ease may glide 〈◊〉 are the first vnable yeares of man 〈◊〉 â—…eake â—…n moouing the huge bulke of sinne 〈◊〉 when the â—…ide of yeares approcheth than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more impudent in their committing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ceiue the mightiest vessels in 〈◊〉 haâ—…bour in their little streame of Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…nd shall cut their little twine 〈◊〉 a wondrous taske to make relation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grieuance in particular 〈◊〉 â—…nes of bloud of wanton agitation 〈◊〉 â—…inite in euerie kind they are Hearts may suppose but Speech cannot declare For when that man in Nature is most strong He is most powrefull then in doing wrong See if thy time grow aged with expence Of many yeares be lesse in thy offending Tâ—…me is the giuer of experience Old age will preach to youth their youthes offending â—…et â—…outhful sinnes in youth
judgement must be just Denounceth sentence of our condemnation Traytor thy flesh shall first returne to dust The matter of thy first formation Thy Soule transported to that strange vexation Whereas the soules of damned doe beginne To act the wofull parts of tragike Sinne. This is the law and thus we sentence thee Our power extends not for to moderate This court is Iustice Iustice we decree The seate of Mercie is predominate And liues in God he that did first create Thy Innocence To him thou must appeale If this our Condemnation thou repeale ¶ Thus farre the law Now to our worke of Grace To wash this Moore and giue him Innocence To reobtaine what â—…r'st he did deface Integritie To cancell his offence In lieu whereof to giue him excellence To make that glorious that before was base Doubt those that list It is a worke of Grace Of Grace me thinkes th'vngratious will replie I rob Gods Image of his worthinesse Because to sinfull man I doe denie Innatiue power to worke his holinesse Will you O men deceiued I confesse That God will share the glory of his name With men whose liues dishonour most the same Here is the world in great dispute and strife Whence doth arise this penitentiall fire That purgeth Sinne and rectifies the life Some will deriue it from their owne desire Others the blessed Angels doe inspire Some in their Friends and many in theiâ—… Priest In Errour all in God they place it least When God did giue a spirit vnto man He did but gently breathe it in his flesh But if he once call backe the same againe He speaketh loud and groanes with painefulnesse Adam and Lazarus doe well expresse That he that can determine sinfull strife Doth somewhat more than he that gaue vs life It were a well deseruing worke to set The kirnell that 's a prisoner in the shell Which when the Sunne doth warme and heauens wet Receiues a life yet doth it farre excell In curious Art to make that prosper well Which like a rotten member of a tree For fewell fit for Grace vnfit to be Me thinkes I heare the Mutinous repine And blame the hard construction of my verse And to the fire condemne this discipline Or wish my recantation to reuerse The doome I censure on this vniuerse Thus these repiners God should wrong our spirits To giue vs Lawes and take away our Merâ—… Thus may your earthen vessels make dispute And aske how hap the Potter made them so Doe you not know that God is absolute Nor giues a reason for his doing so Shall God out of himselfe for wisedome goe How dar'st thou argument with God maintaine Being his vassaile he thy Soueraigne To make it best thus I compare thy state Like to a Candle wel prepar'd for light The reason why I thus doe estimate Is thy Discourse thy Reason and Delight To vnderstand each cause But the insight Of that which neerest doth concerne thy minde In this thou art not sighted but starke blinde Suppose ten thousand torches in the night They giue no light vnlesse thou giue them fire So is thy Reason and thy judgements sight Blind in it selfe if Grace giue not desire It is the God of Spirits doth inspire Thy soule with Grace For when it wants his light It is more blacke then is the darkest night And in this darknesse this our man of Griefe Whome we proportion is in darknesse placed Within himselfe he cannot finde reliefe What was diuine in him is now defaced The pride of his deseruings is disgraced And when a man in this dejection lyeth He wastes in sorrow and in teares he dyeth And die he must in his repentant teares Before his reformation can beginne The graine must die before the blade appeares New birth is gotten by the death of sinne When thus we die our spirit that 's within Respires a life that neuer will deceiue vs Whereof nor Time nor Enuie can bereaâ—…e vs. The manner how This out of my report When man is ouer-charged with the cares Arising from the judgement of this Court. And when within himselfe he much despaires The holy Spirit then to him repaires And brings his Pardon testified good With this subscription IESVS writ in blood And thus this sacred instrument of life Poore man we adde not to thy heauinesse To speake in anger or contentious strife Mercie is only in our businesse We come to make thy much affliction lesse And offer to thy neere despairing spirit The Psalme of Mercie Mercie best can merit See here the booke of Life I do present thee Wherein thou maist Eternitie behold Thou canst not reade before thou first repent thee Thou must first know thy selfe and then vnfold This sacred volume The Spirit then doth hold Before the darkned spirits of his eye A Representment how his Christ did die Said I a representment and no more It is much more then in my wordes can be My soule conceits a verie Christ before Spreading his sacred bodie on the Tree Me thinkes his verie torments I doe see This Crucifix is that most sacred booke Wherein each happy Spirit needes must looke And this the holy Ghost presents the eye And bids vs reade our penitentiall verse If we can Clarkely reade this mystery He promiseth our judgement for to trauerse And all our condemnation to reuerse But Sinne alas so darkned hath the minde As in this holy learning we are blinde Like when th'vnlearned Fellon hath his booke Without a Prompter he no letter readeth Although with much desire he thereon looke Euen so our Soules as much vnlearned needeth The help of that sweete comfort that proceedeth For if that God assist vs not the better We vnderstand no sence no word nor letter In this condition this our man of sinne Cannot reade mercie in these misteries Before Gods holy spirit doe beginne To cleanse the soule of his impieties To moue the hart and cleere the darkned eyes When once this grace in vs hath but a being In holy secrets we haue perfect seeing The leaprous man to heale his filthinesse Must seauen times water his contagious skinne Is holy water of that worthinesse Then with repentant teares let vs beginne To wash the leaprous body of our sinne Seauen times is nothing multiply thy seauen We must wash cleane ere we can enter heauen This is our first degree of holinesse Which at the first as all beginnings are Little in trueth but large in hopefulnesse He that beginnes this sorrow with a teare Vnto a better worke doth but prepare And when in vs this grace hath but beginning We liue to hope and die vnto our sinning Take for an instance him whom we proport No more of sinne but now the childe of Grace As he wastes teares his benefits resort The bad thrust out the betters haue the place What was delightfull now he doth deface When thus he hath a new begotten minde His eyes are open that before were blinde No sooner open but with eagernesse They