are to our Saviour and how far yet from his Vertue of Meekness If we feel within our selves any bitterness or aversion towards our Neighbours or are backward in releiving the necessities of our poor Brethren when we are able if upon spying a little Fault in them instead of pitying and compassionating him we are forward to reprove him and apt to harbour hard Thoughts of him we have great Reason to think we are not yet become true lovers of our Neighbours or Disciples of Jesus But let not those be discouraged that are still very far from the perfection of his Vertues and yet find to their great trouble much opposition of their corrupt Nature and strong Temptations to the contrary for so long as they do not deliberately consent to them but strive against them to their utmost they may hope they are in a fair way in time to the attaining of it For tho' the Victory come on but slowly yet if they persevere in Fighting with their Enemies in acknowledging their Imperfections and Weakness and humbling themselves before God for them they shall infallibly come at last to the desired conquests of themselves and a true conformity with their dear Lord Jesus To this end they should often be laying hold of his Strength and raising themselves up to the contemplation of his divine Countenance and of the glorious Vertues and Graces shining in his Person and Actions in the several occasions of his doing or suffering the Will of his heavenly Father and from thence fetch every time fresh Vigour and stronger Motives to their desires and resolutions in following him and purifying themselves from all things that offend him And lest at any time they should lose Courage in approaching to him either by reason of their often failings or their former Ingratitude or perhaps out of aw to his Majesty or fear of their Indisposition to come into his Presence let them consider his gracious Invitations every where dispersed in the New Testament as this Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy Laden and I will give you Rest And in another place his provoking them to come to him John 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life with many other such kind Expressions We have also the same loving Saviour who so freely conversed with Sinners and died for their sakes at the Right Hand of God with all the Vertue of his Merits to intercede with him on our behalf and is not only able but delights to bestow upon us if we will but come to him for it all manner of good Things that are essential to our true Happiness which is our Sanctification John 16.23 For whatsoever says he you shall ask the Father in my Name I will give it you Mat. 7.7 Ask and ye shall receive seek ye shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Mat. 7.11 And if ye being evil says he know how to give good Gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give good Things Or as it is in another Evangelist Luk. 11.13 The Holy Spirit to them that ask it Let us therefore who are so kindly invited go often and boldly to the Throne of Grace to beg his Holy Spirit with earnest entreaties in all our spiritual Wants and Necessities Let us fear nothing Have we sinned Let us return to him again We are his Sheep and he is our Shepherd and if we have straied let us hasten again into his Fold for he calls us and will be glad to find us there We are his Friends let us converse with him familiarly that we may partake more and more of the glory of his divine Nature to be fitted and qualified for his Company eternally in Heaven O what Happiness What Joy What Honour Rom. 8.35 Let nothing therefore in this World be able to hinder or separate us from the Love of Christ Neither Tribulation nor Distress nor Persecution nor any Difficulties we can meet with after this prospect of his Love and our Happiness in the knowledge of it No sure let every one of us say now nothing but Christ my Love is fixed upon Christ I cannot I will not for any thing take it off again I can have now no pleasure in this World but in and with my dear Saviour Jesus I will therefore now henceforward converse with none else All shall know now and bear witness by my Conversation my Sweetness my Meekness my Patience in bearing Injuries that I have been with Jesus and that I delight to have none for my Companions in this Werld but him and his Friends Now am I fully resolved to apply my self to the imitation of his Vertues and to become his true Disciple indeed too long have I been ungrateful to so merciful a Saviour and kind a Benefactor too much time have I spent in the vanities and fooleries of this World Luk. 15.18.19 I will therefore now arise and go to my Father and say to him Father I have sinned against Heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy Son I do not so much as deserve the lowest place in thy Houshold make me so happy if thou pleasest as to become one of thy hired Servants I am wholly purposed to leave all that 's displeasing to thee and from henceforwards to serve thee all the Days Hours and Moments of my Life whom I tast now and see to be so Gracious and Good With such Holy Resolutions as these should every devout Christian strengthen and confirm himself that hath been considering the effects of our Saviour's Love at the time of his Passion that they may rise again with him to newness of Life and continuing close and faithful to him in the denyal of themselves and in the forsaking the Pleasures and Vanities of this World may be made partakers of the inconceivable comforts of the Holy Ghost here in his due time and the incomprehensible manifestations and communications of the Sacred Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost in the World to come To whom be all Praise and Glory for ever and ever Amen Meditations and Ejaculations on the Life and Passion of our Saviour JESVS CHRIST The Incarnation of Jesus PRaise Honour and Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who for my Sake hast vouchsafed to come down from the Royal Seats and from the Mellifluous Bosom of thy Divine Father into this Valley of Misery and to be incarnated and made Man by the Holy Ghost in the most chaste Womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary Make my Heart I beseech thee thy Dwelling-place adorn it replenish it with Spiritual Gifts and wholly possess it O that I were able by profound Humility to unite my self to thee and with an ardent Affection to receive thee and after having received thee to retain thee with me for ever O that I were so fastned to thee that I might never depart or turn away my Mind from thee The Birth of Jesus Praise
whose Death the Sun withdrew his Light the Veil of the Temple rent in sunder and the Monuments opened O Son of Righteousness permit not I beseech thee the Beams of thy Grace at any time to forsake me But let them continually enlighten the inmost parts of my Soul Withdraw wholly from me the Veil of Hipocrisy And shake the Earth of my Soul with wholesome Repentance Rend my Stony Heart That being wholly renewed I may contemn all things transitory and love only that which is Eternal Jesus's Side pierced Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who wouldst that thy Side should be opened with a Souldiers Lance And out of it pour out Blood and Water to revive and wash our Souls Thou wouldst O my best Beloved that thy most sacred Heart should be wounded for me O that it might please thee to make a most deep Wound in my Heart with the Lance of thy Love And unite it to thy most sacred Heart in such manner that I may have no power to will any thing but that which thou wiltest Bring in O my Lord bring in my Soul through the Wound of thy Side into the Bosom of thy Charity and Treasure-house of thy Divinity Praise Honour and Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus that sufferedst all that the Malice of Men or Devils could devise Behold with as much Devotion as possibly I can I admire the Five principal Wounds of thy sacred Body which are the glorious Seales of my Reconciliation and Salvation I humbly desire to abide and be hid in them and so by that means be secure from all Evil. Jesus taken down from the Cross and buried All Love all Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who being with great Lamentation of thy Friends taken down from the Cross wouldst be anointed with precious Ointments wrapt in a winding Sheet and buried where no Man was buried before Bury I beseech thee all my Senses all my Forces and all my Affections in thee That being joined to thee through an efficacious Love I may become insensible in respect of all other things Jesus descending into Hell O Blessed Jesus who hast vanquished the power of the Devil and didst in Soul descend into Hell there to make known thy Conquest Let the vertue of thy Passion and of thy Blood descend now I beseech thee upon my Parents Kinsfolks Friends Benefactors and all Christian People to deliver them from the slavery of Sin and all the power of the Enemy Jesus arising out of the Grave All Love all Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who like a Conqueror with glorious Triumph didst arise out of thy closed Sepulchre And revested with thy lovely Countenance didst replenish thy Friends with new Joy and Gladness Grant O Lord that leaving the old Paths of my vitious Conversation I may walk in newness of Life And seek and savour those things which are above in Heaven and not those things which are here upon Earth To the end that when thou my Life shalt appear at the last Day I may appear with thee in Glory Amen Jesus ascending into Heaven Praise Honour and Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who forty Days after thy Resurrection didst gloriously ascend into Heaven in the sight of thy Disciples where thou sittest at the right Hand of thy Father Blessed for ever O that my Soul might always Languish on Earth and ascend and aspire towards Heaven May Hunger and Thirst always after thee Jesus sending the Holy Ghost All Love all Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who didst give thy Holy Ghost to thy Disciples persevering in the practice of thy holy Precepts and joining together with one Mind in Prayer And didst send them to Teach all Nations throughout the whole World Cleanse I beseech thee the interiour of my Heart Enable me I beseech thee to forsake all deny my self take up my Cross and follow thee Give me with a stedfast Resolution and constancy of Mind that being a true Disciple of thine and disengaged from all worldly and vain Desires the Holy Ghost may in due time according to thy Promise descend upon my Soul and make it an Habitation fit for his continual Residence Replenish me with the special Gifts of his Grace till I be totally changed and sanctifyed both in Soul and Body O my Lord and merciful Saviour thou seest how weak and frail I am vouchsafe therefore I beseech thee an extraordinary Assistance of thy Holy Spirit to Comfort and Strengthen me in this my Pilgramage that I may withstand and overcome all Difficulties and Temptations and at last come safe to my Journeys end Jesus coming as a Judge at the last day All Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus who coming as a Judge at the last day wilt render unto every one according to his Works either Punishment or Reward O my most merciful Lord God grant that according to thy Will I may so innocently pass the Course of this miserable Life That my Soul departing out of the Prison of my Body I may be vested with thy Merits and Vertues And be received into thy everlasting Joy And with all the Saints I may bless and praise thee for ever All Love all Glory be to thee O Blessed Jesus whom I have most grievously offended all the days of my Life Alas I have never ceased to be ungrateful to thee resisting thy Grace in divers Manners and always adding new Faults unto my former Behold O my only Refuge look upon me the very Out-cast of all Creatures bringing with me nothing but bundles of Sin I prostrate my self at the Feet of thy Mercy and humbly implore Pardon and Remission Pardon I beseech thee and save me for thy Name 's sake For I believe and am assured that no Sins are so grievous and heinous but by the Merits of thy most Sacred Passion may be forgiven and washed away Amen Certain amorous Speeches of the Soul to her self to inflame her Desires after Jesus O My Soul when wilt thou be ready to follow the Humility of thy Lord Jesus When shall the Example of his Patience Shine in thee When wilt thou be wholly free from Passions and vitious Affections When wilt thou peaceably and gently endure all Injuries Tryals and Afflictions When wilt thou truly and perfectly love thy Saviour When wilt thou be pure simple and resigned before him How long will it be e're thou be hindred no more from his charming Imbraces O that thou didst fervently love thy God! O that thou couldst inseparably cleave unto thy chiefest good O my Soul where is thy Love where is thy Treasure where is thy Desire where is all thy Good where is thy God when shalt thou most happily enjoy him If thou hast Sinned and art wounded behold thy Redeemer behold thy Physician is ready to own thee Perhaps thou art afraid because he is thy Judge but take Heart for he who is thy Judge is thy Advocate and Intercessor His Mercy is infinitely greater than thine
Iniquity is or can be Thy Saviour and thy God is most Compassionate most Tender and Gentle and wholly Amiable and wholly Desirable and loveth all things that he hath Created Let not thine Imperfections discourage thee too much for thy God does not despise thee because thou art frail and infirm but loveth the exceedingly because thou desirest and labourest to be more perfect and to be a Disciple of his dear Son Jesus Arise therefore O my Soul arise out of the Dust forsake the Puddle of this World How long wilt thou take Pleasure in Vanity How long wilt thou set up thy Rest among the Anxieties and Torments of this Life How long wilt thou sleep securely so near Destruction Return now unto the Lord thy God and give thy self up wholly to him for he expecteth thee Make hast do not delay any longer for he is ready to receive thee Joyn thy self to Jesus enclose thy self in him in the Merits of his Passion and he cannot deny thee Alas O my Soul how ungrateful hast thou been to so gracious a God He has promised those things to thee which neither Eye has seen nor Ear heard nor has it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive O my Soul if it were necessary daily to suffer Torments yea to endure Hell it self for a long time together that we might see Christ in his Glory and be joyned in Fellowship with the Saints in his Heavenly City were it not worth while to sustain all manner of Misery to be made partakers of so great a Good so great a Felicity Love him then love him of whom thou are beloved Love him who has first loved thee and who is the Fountain from whence thy Love flows O my Soul sigh ardently and aspire fervently to that glorious City so highly spoken of Heaven and Earth and all Creatures do continually exhort thee to love thy God Fear not therefore O my Soul nor be ashamed or disquieted or troubled hope thou in God who will be the help of thy Countenance Draw near to him and be enlightned that thy Face may not be ashamed The sweet and amiable Jesus is present with thee be therefore ready to embrace him and with reverence and love attend unto him Short Representations of the Sufferings of Jesus taken out of the Prophecies of the Old Testament being another View of his Love O My most loving Saviour who being the Brightness of thy Father's Glory and express Image of his Person didst humble thy self and take upon thee the Form of a Servant how shall I express my love to thee sufficiently admire and praise thee Thou wast Poor and in Labour from thy Youth thou stretchedst out thy Hand all the day to a faithless Generation All we like Sheep have gone astray and the Lord laid on thee the Iniquities of us all Truly thou hast borne our Griefs and carry'd our Sorrows yet we did esteem thee stricken smitten of God and afflicted Thy Lovers and thy Neigbours stood looking upon thy trouble and thy Kinsmen stood afar off even he that did eat Bread with thee lift up his Heel against thee Thou the Breath of our Nostrils the anointed of the Lord wast taken in their Pits Thou gavest thy Cheek to him that smote thee thou wert filled with Reproaches False Witness rose up against thee they laid to thy Charge things that thou knewest not yet thou heldst thy Peace wast Silent wast Patient Thou gavest thy Back to the Smiters and thy Cheeks to them that pulled off the Hair Thou didst not hide thy Face from Shame and Spitting The Plowers Plowed upon thy Back and made long Furrows Thou wert brought as a Lamb to the Slaughter and as a Sheep before his sheerers is dumb so thou openest not thy Mouth The Kings of the Earth stood up and the Rulers took Counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed Thine Enemies beheld thee with a terrible Countenance and they that were mad upon thee were sworn together against thee They questioned thee with Reproaches and Torments and condemned thee to a cruel Death Remember O Lord thy Affliction and Misery the Wormwood and the Gall. They pierced thy Hands and thy Feet they might tell all thy Bones They stood stareing and looking upon thee they divided thy Garments amongst them and cast Lots upon thy Vesture They gave thee Gall to Eat and when thou wast thirsty they gave thee Vinegar to Drink The Lord hath made thee the offscouring and refuse in the midst of thy People and thou wast numbred among the Transgressors All they that passed by the way clapped their Hands at thee thine Enemies hissed and wagged their Heads at thee They said we have swallowed him up behold this is the Day we looked for we have found it we have seen it Thou didst deliver thy Soul to Death thou wert cut off from the Land of the Living for the Transgression of thy People wast thou smitten Thy Soul went down into the Lake and they laid a Stone upon thee O what great Troubles how many and how evil did thy Father shew thee and yet did he return and quicken thee and brought thee from the depth of the Earth Thou ascendest up on high thou leadst Captivity Captive and gavest Gifts unto Men even to thine Enemies that the Lord God might dwell among them Behold how thou hast loved me thy love was strong as Death What couldst thou have done more for thy Vineyard which thou hast not done and wherein couldst thou have commended thy Love more to us to suffer so much for us even while we were Sinners and rebellious against thee What shall I render unto the Lord for all these benefits that he hath done unto me Let Heaven and Earth praise thee and all that therein is for Praise becometh thee O thou hope of Israel and his Saviour in the Day of his Calamity Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive Power and Riches and Wisdom and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing For thou wast slain and hast redeemed us unto God by thy Blood out of every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People Be mindful of thy Word unto thy Servant wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust Thou hast said that if I be lifted up I will draw all men after me Behold thou art exalted above the Heavens O Lord draw me after thee and let me run after the adour of thy Ointments FINIS