It is true that my conscience doth merit damnation and that my repentance doth not suffice for satisfaction But it is certaine that thy exceeding mercie doth surpasse all my vile iniquitie Therefore good Sauiour spare that of which thou art the Saluation yea thou that desirest not the death of a sinner Spare oh spare my sinfull soule for it being vtterly dismayed flieth from thy terrifying Iustice to thy comforting mercie that because the reward of her virginitie being corrupted oh heart-wounding sorrow is vnrecouerable the punishment of hatefull Fornication to her repenting at least may not be vneuitable because it is not a thing impossible to thy omnipotencie neither vnseemely to thy Iustice nor vnaccustomable to thy mercie Both because thou art good and because thy infinite mercie endureth for euer Which art blessed vvorld without end Amen A Meditation of S. Bernard concerning the Passion of Iesus Christ Diuided into twentie and one Sections SECTION I. LEt vs vvho are true Christians graced with so noble a name so high a stile and so glorious a title honour and celebrate with true sorrowfull relenting repenting harts the Funerall Obsequies of our noble Lord Iesus of Nazareth that meeke spotlesse innocent and harmelesse Lambe who did not so much as open his mouth being vnder the hand of the Shearer malitiously accused odiously reuiled innocently and wrongfully condemned of the furious and bloody Iewes extreamely tortured spitefully disdained shamefully spetted vpon and lastly cruelly crucified by the barbarous and brutish Gentiles It is an exployt full of honour full of renowne it is most healthfull and wholsome for our sickly soules that we Christians dayned worthie of such a gracious and honourable Name should reuerently adore louingly embrace valiantly imitate the weake infirmities scornefull disgraces base pouerty painefull labours sore and sorrowfull agonies the deadly pangs of the bitter Passion of our louing Redeemer and sweet Sauiour Christ Iesus the righteous For these are the powerfull instruments and most strong weapons by which the omnipotent vertue and the infinite inuestigable and vnsearchable wisedome of God hath mightily and wonderfully effected and wrought the restauration and renouation of the decayed World the eternall Saluation of vs men yea of vs most miserable and wretched men and the endlesse and vtter destruction of Hell Death and the Diuell Heb. 2.14 Luke 1.71 And in the working of this great worke and admirable misterie of our Saluation the Lord Christ was made lesser then the Angels that he might make vs equall with the Angels hee descended from his Throne of glory that hee might deliuer vs from ignominie Heb. 2 9. Hee being Lord of Lords tooke vpon him the shape of a seruant that he might make vs honourable hee willingly dispossessed himselfe of all his Royalties that he might eternally possesse vs with the euerlasting treasure and full inheritance of his heauenly Kingdome 2 Cor. 8.9 And who is hee if hee could tast his infinite kindnesse but alas who is able to sound the bottomlesse depth of this more then meruailous yea miraculous loue but vvould willingly forsake his goodly earthly possessions leaue all his worldly honours and dignities subiect euery moment to decay and vanity as soone gone as they are gotten disroabe the stout Bride of her gay and gorgious apparell and strip her naked from all her borrowed feathers cloath himselfe vvith the sackcloath of lowly humility cut off his curled lockes and sprinkle his head with ashes that he might truly humble prostrate and debase himselfe cast downe his high lookes curbe his proud aspiring and vntamed thoughts for Christ Iesus his meeke and mercifull Sauiour vvho came downe from Heauen out of the bosome of his Father being coeternall and coequall with him in euerlasting glorie leauing the ioyfull societie of blessed Angels aboue to conuerse here below amongst cursed men nay to abide and patiently to beare the curses and bitter taunts of blasphemous and fiery-minded men SECTION II. THis Lord Christ was tyrannically tortured cruelly crucified for our yea rather for my sins and hath sweetned his bitter crosse to all that zealously loue him faithfully beleeue in him Hee died a most shamefull cruell cursed death on the Crosse that he might deliuer vs from the curse of the condemning and killing Law and taken vs out of the iawes of the deuouring Lyon redeemed vs from Hell from infernall fire and euerlasting perdition Hee shed yea powred out his most precious blood spouting out the same from all the vaines of his pierced and martyred body that with his precious and soueraigne Balme he might salue all our deadly wounds and saue our dying soules He died and by his death killed death that we might liue eternally in him and by him And who may not amazedly admire the incomparable loue of so milde so mercifull and so potent a Sauiour Who cannot at least who ought not with rauished affections to loue and like ioyfull Simeon with both armes to imbrace so magnificent but for vs sinfull men and for our sakes made so humble and lowly and yet a most powerfull Redeemer The dulcet taste of vvhose loue doth farre exceede the Hony and the Hony-combe in sweetnesse And although the least drop of it be sufficient to fill all and euery part of an hungry soule yet it hath in it such a sauourie relish and an appetite procuring quality that the more the desirous soule eateth the more it coueteth the more it feedeth the more eagerly it longeth and thirsteth after it Why should we not patiently suffer and constantly endure whatsoeuer the inueterate malice of the Diuell can imagine against vs or the furious madnesse of vvicked men his wilfull Ministers can lay or impose vpon vs for Christ Iesus his cause for the honouring of his truly and honourable name and for our constant profession of a true Christian Faith Christ passed through the ignominie shame contempt of the Crosse to supernall dignity infinite Maiestie and endlesse glory all power authority was giuen vnto him for the aduancement of his euerlasting dominion both in heauen aboue and in earth beneath by God his heauenly Father all the Angels Gods heauenly Heraulds with ioyfull humility melodious Harmony and with continuall laud and thankes-giuing doe worship and adore his incomprehensible exceeding-glorious and eternall Maiestie and at the honourable name of Iesus let euerie knee be bowed of things in Heauen aboue and things in the darkest Caues of Hell belowe Where is thy glory oh Christian Where is thy reioycing Where is thy boasting not in Nobilitie honour and riches but in the glorious name of thy crucified Lord thy eternall God and euerlasting Sauiour and in the gratious gracefull and sweet name of Christ which is a name aboue all names farre surpassing all Noble honourable and glorious earthly titles and the highest stile of vvorldly Maiestie And whosoeuer is blessed in this name shall be truly blessed here vpon earth and afterward shall be eternally happy in Heauen
haire of my head Oh how should I sufficiently bewaile the innocent death of my louing Iesus How doth my heart faint with sorrow and my senses faile me for griefe when I see the torments of his body and when I thinke vpon the affliction of his soule But alas the waues of sorrow doe stop the passage of my words my speech faileth and my voice fainteth for griefe Now thou hast heard my sorrowfull soule the lamentation of the Virgine Marie as a kinde Mother sorrowing for the death of her dearest Sonne and the pittifull mourning of Marie Magdalene sighing for the losse of so louing and kinde a Master Cease not thou to shed teares with thy weeping eyes and to sob vvith a broken and contrite heart for the cruell and shamefull death of thy louing Sauiour who died for thy hainous sinnes and suffered for thy horrible transgressions Grant me oh my most gratious Lord that my head may flowe with water and that mine eyes may be turned into a fountaine of teares For vvhere shall I goe to draw water but to the fountaine of my Sauiour Oh why should I cease to weepe for thy sake vvhen thou didst vveepe so often because of my sinnes Thou hast told me that they are happy and blessed that mourne for their sinnes and lament for their offences and that they shall be comforted in the day of their trouble and receiue consolation at the houre of their affliction Draw me oh Lord vnto thee that I may behold thee and take such hold of thee that thou maist neuer depart from me Receiue mee into the little number of thy louing and faithfull friends who would not leaue thee in thy extreamest miserie but did weepe and sigh to see thy calamitie so that being partaker with them of their sorrow by my meditation of thy bitter Passion suffered here vpon earth I may be made copartner with them of thine vnspeakeable ioyes in thy blessed Kingdome of heauen Oh let thine eares be open to the petition of my lips and let thy mercy grant the desire of my heart A Meditation concerning the obscuration and Eclipse of the Sunne about the ninth houre and of the fourth speech which the Lord spake on the Crosse MED XVII When Christ vpon the a Mar. 15.20 Crosse for vs was nail'd And that his Ghost was readie to b Mat. 27.50 depart The c Luk. 23.45 and Math. 27.45 Sun asham'd his splendant beames ore-vaild As blushing to behold so vile a part NOw call to minde my sinfull soule how the firmament was darkened the Sunne eclipsed and his beames obscured at the bitter Passion of thy Sauiour And meruaile not that the brightnesse of the Sunne vvas dimmed and that his golden beames did not shew forth their glorie vvhen as the Sonne of righteousnesse my innocent Iesus had his beautie obscured and his glory darkened with the clowdes of his grieuous and bitter Passion And if thou consider the cruelty of his enemies and the malice of his foes so virulent in the diuellish cogitations of their hearts and so violent in the bloudy actions of their hands thou maist thinke that the Sunne did as it vvere disdaine to afford them his comfortable heat or deny them his cheerefull light that so their eyes might be ouer-shadowed with darknesse as the light of their vnderstanding vvas obscured with malice But meditate not onely oh my soule on the horrible cruelty of the barbarous Gentiles and on the execrable spite of the bloudy Iewes and that their facts vvere so odious and their deedes so detestable that they seemed to depriue the Sunne of his splendant brightnes and to rob the earth of her chiefest comfort but more often thinke seriously of thy sins meditate sincerely of thy transgressions which darken the light of thy minde eclipse the beames of thy vnderstanding so that thou doest not see to tread in the path of harmelesse piety but doest wander beside it into the dangerous waies of damnable iniquity Wherefore let the light of thine eyes be obscured with weeping and thy heart ake with groaning as outward signes of thy inward sorrow as faithfull witnesses of thy serious and true repentance so that the bright beames of the comfortable loue of thy Redeemer may still enlighten thy heart and the light of his cheerefull countenance euermore shine vpon thee Oh let not the mistie vapours of my grosse offences my mercifull Sauiour so obscure the beames of thy mercy but that their gratious influence may still haue their powerfull operation in my minde and reuiue my dead heart with the liuely motions of feruent and true deuotion Let the vertue of thy Spirit so dispell and dispierce the thicke cloudes of my sinnes that my soule may be cherished vvith the heat of thy loue and see the brightnesse of thy glory But now cease thou my soule to behold the darkned Sun with thine amazed eyes and attend to thy voice of thy crying Sauiour with thine attentiue eares What mournefull tongue can vtter the sharpenesse of his agony vvhat thought can conceiue the greatnesse of his paine Oh how grieuous vvas the extreamity of his pangs vvhich made him lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and his earnest and loud voice vnto his Celestiall Father crying out in this wofull manner Eli Eli lammazabatani my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Oh how vehement was the wrath of thy angry Father against thee my mercifull Iesu my louing Sauiour how violent vvere the torments that vexed thy body How grieuous were the afflictions that pressed and perplexed thy minde groaning vnder the heauie burden of our sinnes imposed vpon thine innocent shoulders Indeede our haynous sinnes our horrible transgressions moued false-hearted Iudas to betray thee and induced the stubborne-minded Iewes to reiect thee they made thy Disciples to flye for feare and to leaue their louing Master in time of danger they compelled thy head to bee crowned vvith pricking thornes thy face to be defiled with spettle thy body to be scourged with vvhippes they pierced thy hands and nailed thy feete they were the hammer and nailes that fastned thee to the Crosse These caused thy Father to punish thee with the seuerity of his iustice that thou being innocent mightst make satisfaction for our trespasses suffering a shamefull and cruell death to finish the great worke of our redemption and to deliuer our bodies and soules from eternall destruction These made thy louing Father seeme to withdraw his cheerefull countenance from thee because thou didst appeare so deformed to his eyes and vgly in his sight hauing put on the filthy ragges of our iniquitie although hee did alwaies loue thee and could neuer leaue thee being alwaies beautifull vvith the true ornaments of thy owne integrity Oh how should mine eyes water my bed with flowing teares and my heart labour with continuall groanes to weepe for the cruelty of my sinnes and to lament for the tyrannie of my transgressions which vvere such cruell tormentors to
torture thy body and such furious tyrants to vexe thy soule how great oh my sweet Iesu are the tortures which thou doest patiently endure for my sake how painefull how shamefull and cursed vvas the death vvhich thou didst suffer for my sinnes the punishment was great wherewith thy body was afflicted the anguish was grieuous wherewith thy soule was affected the thornes vvere sharpe that wounded thy sacred head the whips were terrible that scourged thy naked body the nailes were painefull that entred through thy hands and pierced thy feete nothing but markes of cruelty appeared to thine eyes nothing but scornefull reproaches of thine enemies sounded in thy eares But as thy outward afflictions were vnspeakeable so thy inward sorrow was more intollerable vvhen thou didst thinke how forgetfull vvee vvould be of thy mercies and how vnthankfull we would be for thy benefits And as thou my most deare Iesu in the fiercest fittes of thine agonie and sorest pangs of thy Passion didst call and crie to thy heauenly Father for succour so teach mee to lift vp my deuout heart pure hands and a lowde voice towards the seat of mercy when any outward affliction doth pinch my body or any inward tribulation presse my soule teach me oh Lord in the stormie daies of my greatest persecutions to meditate on thy vvonted goodnesse and when my soule is most perplexed with the horror of my guilty conscience to thinke on the multitude of thy mercies But forsake mee not my sweet Iesu vvhen my strength faileth vphold mee when my feete begin to slide and raise mee vp vvhen I begin to fall thou doest neuer leaue them vvithout comfort in time of their trouble vvho come vnto thee vvith confidence of thy promises and faithfully craue thy succour Oh suffer not my soule to be cast downe vvith immoderate mourning or my mouth to be filled vvith murmuring when thy hand lieth heauie vpon mee Comfort my drouping heart with some taste of thy heauenly consolation vvhen either the sword of persecution doth vvound my body or sorrow for my sinnes doth afflict my minde Let mee remember that thy children are in this vvorld as the Israelites were in the Desart they shall haue many cruell foes abide hunger and thirst runne through many dangers and drinke of the bitter waters of Mara before they can come into heauenly Canaan and chaw the Wormewood of affliction before they can eate of the fruit of the tree of life more sweet then milke and more delicate then hony Let me remember that Abraham the Father of the faithfull was often afflicted that Iacob thy beloued was constrained to flye for feare of Esau his rough-handed and hard-harted brother and then vngently intreated and vniustly rewarded for his faithfull seruice by Laban his churlish Vnckle That Dauid thy chosen vvas often in danger of his life pursued and persecuted by furious Saul before he was aduanced to his Kingdome Oh let mee not forget the many miseries and bitter afflictions which tumbled in heapes vpon Iob thy faithfull seruant Let their patience calme the turbulent motions of my repining minde and let the remembrance of their deliuerance arme my hart with a confident and stedfast resolution that the eye of thy carefull prouidence neuer sleepeth nor slumbreth but continually watcheth ouer thy faithfull and beloued and that thine omnipotent arme is then stretched out to rid them out of perill vvhen they seeme to be in a desperate case past all hope and farthest from succour And let me know that affliction is the best hope that thy children may expect in this worldly Lotterie but yet let the anchor of my hope take such sure hold on thy promises in the time of my misery that I may alwaies be assured that thou art able and neuer vnwilling to cure my maladie if I call faithfully vpon thy name and waite thy appointed time with patience abiding constant in thy loue and confident in thy vvord Grant mee oh my Lord Iesus to crie out vnto thee in the daies of my trouble to craue thy strong aide in the houre of my tribulation O let mee drinke a deepe draught of the fountaine of thy mercie vvhen my poore heart is parched with thirst in this world of miserie Heare me from Heauen and let my voice sound in thine eares that I may receiue comfort when I am distressed helpe me vvhen I am oppressed and peace of conscience when my soule is afflicted that when I feele the sweet taste of thy mercy my lips may shew thy praise and my tongue declare thy glory saying With my voyce I cried vnto the Lord with my voyce I prayed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee A Meditation concerning the fift and sixt words which the Lord Iesus spake on the Crosse to wit I thirst and It is finished MED XVIII When Christ our Lord the a Zach. 13.1 fountaine of all blisse Had said I b Ioh. 19.28 thirst and that the houre was come That hee to Death must yeeld for our c Rom. 4.25 amisse He said It 's d Ioh. 19.30 finisht now and all is done HEere Oh my soule consider not onely the woes but mark the words of thy dying Iesus thou didst heare him cry vnto his heauenly Father with feruencie of his affection vttering the vehemencie of his affliction and now heare thy wofull Iesus speaking vnto the wilfull deafe-eard and dead-hearted Iewes saying I thirst And although enuie had so parched vp their hearts that they had no sap of relenting pittie yet let his words pierce so deepe into thy tender heart that it may be wounded vvith true compunction and stirre vp actiue and liuely motions of compassion vvithin thy bowels so often as thou dost thinke on his necessity and so often as thou dost meditate on his calamity but alas thou dost seldome or neuer meditate on his humane misery Oh what grieuous infirmities miseries distresses and calamities did our fraile assumed nature bring vpon thee my louing sweet and mercifull Iesu How many great and vnsupportable torments did our sinne yea my sinnes made thine by imputation compell thee to suffer What did cause thee to doe it my blessed Sauiour but the ardent feruour of thy exceeding loue What worthinesse of merit was there in vs as a motiue to mooue thee it was thine vnspeakeable mercy and nothing but thine inestimable mercy which did induce thee But canst thou oh my sorrowfull soule containe thy teares within the little caue of thine eyes and suppresse thy groanes and represse thy sighes within the hollow corners and cauernes of thy heart when thou doest thinke on the extreame thirst of thy louing Iesus and of the small compassion that was shewed vnto him by the vnmercifull Iewes wherefore cry out with the voyce of mourning and lament in thy crying say vnto thy beloued Iesus Oh my most louing Lord oh my most gracious Reconciler oh my most mercifull Redeemer how should my sad sorrowfull soule be afflicted with heauinesse how
Let vs glory reioyce and triumph in the blessed Name of our mighty Redeemer and giue all honour iurisdiction dominion and maiestie to our mercifull Sauiour vvhich hath done great meruailous and admirable things in vs and for vs exalt extoll and magnifie his glorious Name together with me and let our tongues tuned with one Harmonicall concord like Golden Trumpets sound forth his meritorious immeasurable still encreasing and neuer-diminishing praises saying wee adore and worship thee oh Christ King of Israel and also of all the Nations Prince and Monarch of Kings Lord of the Earth GOD of the Sabaoth the most powerfull power of GOD omnipotent Wee adore thee being the precious price of our Redemption the all-sufficient Sacrifice of our peace attonement and peaceable reconciliation which alone vvith the inestimable most pleasant and fragrant sweetnesse of thy odoriferous sauour hast moued and induced the Father of eternity which dwelleth and resideth in the highest Heauens to turne his eye of prouidence and compassion towards base vile and contemptible things vpon earth and hast reconciled and pacified him towards the sonnes of wrath Hell and damnation to enter a new couenant of grace with them to forgiue and forget all their rebellious trespasses and treacherous transgressions and to extend the tender bowels of his most desired and euer-vndeserued mercie towards them Wee ioyfully proclaime oh Christ the worthinesse of thy merrit the multitude of thy mercies and magnificence of thy commisseration we sound and eccho forth wee record the sacred memorie of thy eare-delighting and heart-pleasing sweetnesse Wee cleerely offer vnto thee oh Christ the Sacrifice of euerlasting praise and heartie thanksgiuing for the innumerable multitude and immeasurable magnitude of thy goodnesse vvhich thou hast vouchsafed shewed manifested and extended to vs as a wicked seede and gracelesse generation sonnes of wickednesse and heires of hell and damnation SECTION III. VVHen as yet oh gratious Lord we were thy cruell enemies by our treasonable practises and monstrous vngratefull vnkindnesse daily kindling thy consuming wrath against vs and when as deuouring death exercised his rage fury and dominion against all mortall flesh and vpon euery miserable creature to which all the seed of Adam was obnoxious and subiect tainted with the leporous infection of his first deadly transgression thou diddest kindly remember the most infallible vvord of thy infinite mercie when we were ready to be drowned and swallowed vp like proud hard-hearted Pharo in the bloody Sea of our swelling and ouer-flowing iniquities Thou diddest looke from thy holy and high habitation and cast downe the pittifull eye of thy sauing tender and mellow-hearted compassion vpon this vally streaming with riuers of teares showers of ceaselesse weeping and deluge of our ouer-flowing misery Thou sawest the heauie affliction afflicted condition imminent danger nay the instant destruction of thy distressed people and touched with a true-delicious sweetnesse of thy inward loue and bountifull charity did thinke ponder to medicine heale recure the deadly-diseased state and desperate condition of thy forlorne and languishing people Mat. 9.13 1 Tim. 15. moued incited towards them with amiable thoughts of a new perpetuall peace eternall redemption And thou being the onely and dearely beloued Son of God the very true God coeternall substantiall to God the Father the Holy-ghost enhabiting the light to vvhich no man may approach dazeling the eyes of euery mortall creature with the super-excellent lusture and gouerning all things vvith the creating vvord of thy omnipotent power thou hast not despised to subiect thy selfe to the close noysome prison of our base estate vvhere thou mightest tast and also swallow vp our miserie and so restore vs to glory It was enough oh sweet Sauiour to demonstrate thy incomprehensible and vnspeakeable mercie it was too little Oh thou mirrour of mercie to coole the ardent heat of thy burning loue It vvas not sufficient for thee our gratious Redeemer to appoint a Cherubin Seraphin or one of the Angels to consummate and finish the worke of our saluation thou thy selfe being king of kings and God of eternall glory hast vouchsafed to come to vs thy poore vassales and captiue creatures by the commandement of thy supernall Father Psal 40.8.9 Acts. 2.23 Whose vnlimited mercie bottomlesse bounty immutable loue wee now plentifully enioy in thee and hereafter shall ioyfully fully and euerlastingly possesse by thee Thou cam'st vnto vs I say not by changing the place but by yeelding thy presence vnto vs by the flesh Thou cam'st from the regall Throne of thy most high Glorie into an humble lowly and abiect Mayden in her owne eyes although indeede she was most honourable for her chast vertues and of the blood Royall by her Noble birth vvhose life vvas adorned with the pretious Iemme of vndefiled virginitie in vvhose sacred wombe the sole wonderfull and vnspeakeable power of the Holy-Ghost caused and effected thy sanctified and blessed conception and that thou shouldst so be borne in the very nature of true humanitie that the occasion and manner of thy pure Natiuitie should neither violate the Maiestie of Diuinitie in thee nor the integritie of vndefiled Virginitie in thy blessed Virgine-Mother Oh amiable Oh admirable fauour Thou being God of immeasurable glorie infinite power and most magnificent Maiestie hast not disdained nor despised to become a contemptible worme and to put vpon thee the ragged garment of our fraile and miserable nature Thou being God of all didst appeare as a fellow-seruant of seruants vnto all It was too little to satisfie thy louing affection and to quench the thirstie desire of thy loue towards vs to be a kinde Father vnto vs and a gratious Lord but thou hast vouchsafed to be our deere and vvelbeloued brother What minde is not ouer-ioyed with the delectable meditation of thy vvonderfull fauour What hart is not rauished with the sweet sent of thy admirable humilitie And what soule can euer be satisfied with the sweetnesse of thy exceeding mercie When all our obedience towards thee be it neuer so great or our praises be they neuer so many cannot paralel and equall the least iot of thy infinite goodnesse towards vs. SECTION IIII. ANd thou Lord of all things possessor of the highest heauens and sole Commander of the whole earth which hast no neede of any thing because the fowles of the ayre fishes of the Sea beasts of the field are all at thy prudent and prouident disposition yea the greatest worldly Monarch is but thy poore slaue and submissiue Vassall at the beginning of thy birth and first entrance into this transitorie world the sweetest ioyes whereof are soone sowred with sodaine misery and the chiefest treasures liable euery moment to wauering mutability thou diddest not abhorre to taste the bitter gall of pinching necessity and to feele the irksome discommodities of beggarly base and abiect pouertie so ill was thy entertainement so bad was thy welcome and vile vvas thy estimation amongst vngratefull men For as the
with an honourable triumph hath entred the heauens And behold he being crowned with glory and honour sitteth at the right hand of thy Maiestie who being our Aduocate maketh continuall intercession for vs that we being the children of wrath and disobedience by Nature may bee reconciled vnto thee for euer by the exceeding riches of thy grace For hee is flesh he is our brother Looke oh Lord vpon the amiable face of thy sweet Christ which became obedient vnto thee euen vnto death that thou being well pleased in beholding him mayest send downe the comfortable dewe of thy mercy vpon vs neither let his scarres depart for euer out of thy sight that thou mayest remember what a great satisfaction thou hast receiued of him for our sinnes I wish it might please thee to ballance the sinnes wherewith vvee haue deserued thy wrath and indignation together with the calamitie and sorrow which thy innocent Sonne hath suffered for vs. Certainely the waight of his heauy miserie vvill more then counterpoyse the waight of all our iniquities and it hath rather deserued that thou shouldest raine downe the sweet shewers of thy mercy vpon vs then that our sinnes haue demerited to kindle the fire of thy deuouring vvrath against vs that wee should vtterly be depriued of thy wonted clemency which should slake the fury of thine incensed ire and put out the flame of thy burning indignation But oh gratious and mercifull Father let euery tongue proclaime immortall thankes vnto thee and sound forth aloud thine eternall praises for the exceeding largenesse of thine immeasurable bounty vvhich hast not spared thine onely Sonne which was as deere and neere as thine owne heart vnto thee but hast deliuered him vp vnto death for vs all that we might haue him as a faithfull Aduocate and louing Mediatour before thee in Heauen And to thee oh Lord Iesus a most couragious and constant Louer and my gratious Redeemer what thankes be they neuer so many can I returne or what praises be they neuer so great may I vtter which might counteruaile the least iot of thy vvorthy merit when as I am but a base creature made of dust and shaped out of the clay whose breath is in my Nosthrils and I subiect euery moment to forgoe it although I commonly forget it and to returne againe into the wombe of the Earth from vvhence I vvas taken SECTION XIX FOR what oh sweet Sauiour shouldest thou haue done which thou hast not vvillingly done to finish the great worke of my saluation Thou hast diued and cast thy selfe ouer head and eares into the troublesome Ocean of thy stormy Passions that thou mightest draw mee wholly out aliue from those perillous Waters when the waues haue entered euen into thy Soule For thou diddest willingly subiect thy selfe to the paines of Death that thou mightest restore my soule vnto mee which I had so wilfully lost Luke 1.71 And now behold I am obliged vnto thee by a double debt because thou hast twise giuen mee my soule once by Creation and once by Redemption what haue I that I may more iustly giue thee then my soule But for thy precious soule vexed perplexed and troubled vvith so many and such heauy tribulations I finde not what recompence man can bee able to render vnto thee in any sort to gratifie the worthinesse of thy desert For if I should be able to giue thee Heauen and Earth and all their beautifull furniture and the glorious ornaments of them I could in no wise attaine the measure or discharge the infinite sum of such an euerlasting debt But that I may render both that which I owe and also that which is possible for mee is a matter wholly belonging to thy liberall bountie and must onely flowe from the sweet fountaine of thy beneficiall goodnesse Thou art to be loued oh Lord with all my heart vvith all my strength I must tread in thy path and follow thy steps vvhich hast endured all the extreamities of thy bitter Passions with exceeding patience and being Lord of life hast of thine owne accord vouchsafed to yeeld thy selfe vnto death to redeeme mee and all faithfull repentant sinners to the ioyes of eternall life And how shall that thing bee effected and wrought to mee but onely and wholy by thee through thy mightie power which is able to worke all things in Heauen aboue and in the Earth beneath Let my Soule cleaue vnto thee let it be vnited vnto thee with the bond of euerlasting loue because all the vertue and faculties of it depend onely vpon thee and because it must needs sinke into a bottomlesse pit of endles misery if it bee but a moment debarred from thy louing mercy And now oh Lord my gracious Redeemer I worship thee as true God I trust in thee I hope in thee I couet long to approach so neere vnto thee as the feeble wings of my mounting desires will carry me Let thy strong hand support my weakenesse Let the rich treasure of thy mercy supply the wants of mine infirmity Let the greatnesse of thine vnsearchable goodnesse neuer depart out of my remembrance Let a memoriall of thy bitter passion by which thou hast wrought mine euerlasting Saluation be perfectly written vvithin the palmes of my hands so that mine eyes may still be viewing it and let it be deepely ingrauen in my heart that mine inward thoughts and cogitations may euermore be meditating and musing vpon it Let thy Crowne of Thornes thy redde bloudy nailes thy pierced side thy grieuous vvounds thy precious bloud thy death and buriall bee euermore presented before the eyes of mine vnderstanding that I may vvater my Couch and make my bedde to swimme vvith teares of true sorrowfull repentance that I may duely and truely bewaile the multitude of my haynous sinnes vvhich haue beene like so many Iron-nayles to enter through thy harmelesse hands and innocent feete and like so many sharpe Speares to pierce thy blessed side to make thy wounded heart send forth plentifull streams of thy deere and precious bloud Lastly let the fresh remembrance of thy most glorious and victorious Resurrection and the blessed memory of thy triumphant Ascention comfort the fainting Spirits of my drooping soule with a sweet taste of ioy mittigate the sorrowes of my perplexed minde For in all these the sweet odour of life doth ascend vp into my nosthrils Raise thou oh Lord my spirit with their reuiuing odour from the death of sinne and out of the Graue of perpetuall darkenesse Touch my heart oh Christ that I may touch thee yea although it bee but the hemme of thy Garment that Vertue may come out of thee Matth. 14.32 Marke 6.56 Which may keepe me from the snares of Sathan and comfort me in the houre of tribulation so that the yoake of thy commaundements may be made easie vnto mee and the burthen of the Crosse which thou commandest mee to carry after thee may be light to my soule What am I a silly worme What is
let the time come I pray thee let that blessed time come wherein I may see that with my inward eyes which now I beleeue by faith which now I enioy by hope and apprehend a farre off And that I may embrace that with mine armes and kisse that with my ioyfull lips which I now long to haue with such thirstie desires as will neuer be satisfied vntill they be wholy possessed of it and that I be swallowed vp in the deepe Sea of thine infinite goodnesse oh my Sauiour and my God But praise thou oh my Soule my God my Sauiour and magnifie his Name For it is holy replenished with store of most holy delights whose quantitie is stinted with no measure nor qualitie subiect to any mutability Oh how good how sweet art thou Lord Iesus to the soule that seeketh thee Oh Iesus the Redeemer of those which were lost the Sauiour of those which are redeemed the hope of the banished the strength of those that are troubled the libertie of a Spirit afflicted with bondage the comfortable solace and sweet refreshing of a sorrowfull Soule which sheddeth teares and sendeth forth sweat while it runneth after thee the Crowne of the Tryumphing the onely reward and ioy of all celestiall Citizens the most plentifull Fountaine of all Graces the glorious Sonne of the highest God and also the highest God Roman 3.25 Matth. 9.12 Zach. 13.1 Psal 16.5 Iohn 10.7.9 Let all things praise thee which are in Heauen aboue and which are in Earth beneath Thou art great and thy name is wonderfull Oh exceeding glory of the high God and most pure brightnesse of eternall light oh life quickening euery life oh light illuminating euery light and preseruing them in eternall brightnesse A thousand thousands of glistering lights are before the Throne of thy Diuinity for euer Oh eternall and vnaccessible substance the most cleere sweet streame of a Fountaine hidden from the eyes of all mortall Creatures whose water is without beginning profunditie without any bottome depth without any end amplitude vnsearchable purity vncorruptible The heart of the highest God hath sent thee out from his bottomlesse deepenesse life hath sent forth life light hath sent forth light the Eternall hath sent forth the Eternall the incomprehensible hath sent forth the incomprehensible and coequall to himselfe in all things all of vs receiue from thy fulnesse For thou a most plentifull Fountaine doest send out from thy Treasures a precious Riuer of euery good thing of thy seauen-folde Graces vvith vvhose pleasant sweetnesse thou dost vouchsafe to sweeten the saltnesse of the salt Sea of our infirmities A riuer of the oyle of gladnesse a riuer of pure Wine a riuer of fierie courage The holy spirit the comforter is poured forth from thee and the Father into the World equall to both filling all things contayning all things the Spirit proceeding from thee proceeding from the Father one Spirit proceeding from both vniting both to wit the vnseparable connexion the glewe of perfect Vnion the Cyment that can neuer be dissolued the euerlasting knot of eternall coniunction of both and peace passing all vnderstanding This is the flood oh Lord of abounding and exceeding pleasure wherewith thou doest water continually that pleasant and glorious Citie Ierusalem which is aboue so that the furrowes thereof are filled with the streames of eternall delight Where the bright and glistering Organs sound out sweet songs of continuall reioycing whose melody exceedeth in sweetnesse neuer ceaseth but hath an euerlasting continuance With the sweet drops of this pleasant riuer the thirsty iawes of thy banished people oh Lord doe waite continually to bee refreshed by thee Suffer oh Lord the whelpes to drinke vp the droppes that fall from the Table of their Masters Let the Heauens send downe from aboue the comfortable deaw and let the clouds poure forth a gracious rayne oh Lord of that righteous Spirit vvhich thou diddest cause to streame downe vpon the famous first fruits of thy people an euident demonstration of our future tryumphing With the heauenly distillation of those fierie drops we pray thee oh Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to purge renew illuminate enflame to make ioyfull confirme and vnite the harts of them which beleeue in thee that they may be one sauour one thing require and apprehend one thing with one minde that they may see and laud thee the GOD of Gods in Sion Glory thanks-giuing honour and dominion be ascribed to the inseparable Trinitie now and for euer AMEN Daemona non armis sed morte subegit Iesus The Authors deprecation or Petition for himselfe DEliuer mee from mine enemies oh my God and from them which hate mee because of their multitude I dread them and because of their might I am too weake to encounter them And I which euen vntill this day haue liued against my selfe vvill euen now begin through thy grace to liue to my selfe For we ought to liue so here in this World that when the body shall be deuoured of the Wormes in the graue the soule may reioyce with the Saints in Heauen We ought to seeke after the heauenly Ierusalem The Spirit is to bee directed towards that place to which it shall goe and wee ought to make hast thither where wee may alwaies liue and neuer stand any more in feare of our loue If we so deerely loue and highly esteeme this sliding fickle and fraile life in which wee liue vvith toyle labour and yet by eating drinking and sleeping can scant satisfie the necessities of the flesh and supply her daily wants wee ought farre dearer to esteeme and feruently to desire to attaine to eternall life in the Hauen of rest where we shall sustaine no labour where is alwaies the chiefest pleasure greatest happinesse happy liberty and endlesse blessednesse where men shall be like vnto the Angels of God and the righteous shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father How wonderfully and gloriously doest thou thinke that the soules of the iust shall excell in brightnesse when as the light of their bodies shall equall the splendour of the Sunne when as his golden beames doe shine clearest There shall be no sadnesse no pensiuenesse no paine no feare there shall be no labour no death but perpetuall health dwelleth there and abideth for euer there breedeth no spitefull malice no miserie of the flesh no dolefull calamitie There is no grieuous sicknesse no pinching want no carefull necessitie There is no hunger no thirst no colde no heate no wearisomnesse of Fasting no temptation of the enemie neither is there any will to sinne nor facultie to offend but ioy and gladnesse ouer-spreadeth all reioycing and exultation possesseth all Men there also associated with the Angels and freed from all fleshly infirmitie shall remaine and continue for euer There shall be infinite pleasure euerlasting blessednesse in which whosoeuer shall once be happily inuested hee shall surely and securely liue possessed with it for euer There shall be quiet rest from our toyling and tyring labours perpetuall peace vvithout any dreadfull feare of our enemies delightfull pleasantnesse proceeding from flourishing and continuall newnesse securitie arising from Eternitie delectablenesse and sweetnesse flowing from the glorious vision of GOD our omnipotent Creatour And who doth not hourely long and daily desire to dwell and remaine in this heauenly Paradise and celestiall Pallace of true and euerlasting pleasure both in regard of that perpetuall peace delightfull pleasantnesse neuer-decaying eternity and also in respect of the glorious Vision and sight of God who shall replenish vs with infinite ioy and immeasurable gladnesse No man shall be there a Pilgrime and Stranger but whosoeuer shall be admitted as vvorthy to come and enter into this celestiall City they shall dwell there for euer in their owne Country secure from all feare of any dreadfull danger alwayes ioyfull alwayes satisfied with the most delightfull sight of GOD their Creator And by how much the greater obedience any one shall performe towards God heere by so much the more bountifull reward hee shall receiue of him there and by how much the more entierly and deerely he shall long after God by so much the neerer hee shall approach vnto him and see him vvhom so exceedingly hee coueteth to view and desireth to behold To this Kingdome bring mee oh God by the merits of thy Sonne Christ IESVS FINIS