that by the sweet assistance of thy holy Spirit wee may increase in continuall innocencie and day by day more and more bee adorned with the flowers of vertue alwaies growing vp in the knowledge of thy excellencie that wee may receiue a blessing at thy hand to spread and flourish bringing forth good fruits of a quiet conscience and sweete smelling sauours of a pure zeale and charitable deuotion euen for Iesus Christs sake Amen 78. A Prayer in Summer EVer-mouing time O mercifull Father deliuereth according to thy behests in their due seasons the foure quarters of the yeare and from thy bountie we receiue their timely fruits the Spring hath alreadie discharged and vnloaded himselfe bestowing with a full hand the small store he hath beene entrusted withall leauing great hope of plentie and aboundance Prosper it O Lord and bring it along to maturitie and ripenesse for now that blessed and great Light which thou madest to rule the day sheadeth his influence and comfort to all things mouing vpon the earth The Hills leape and are ioyfull the Flouds clap their hands and all creatures growe buxome and liuely hauing a feeling and sense of thy blessing Grant vnto vs O Father of all goodnesse that we bee not more insensible then the beasts but that wee may giue thee honour and glorie in the acknowledgement of thy innumerable and vnmatchable benefits for whose onely seruice the Earth is thus gayly apparelled the Trees thus plentifully enriched and the wombe of the earth great with assured expectation of a happie deliuerie Let not O Lord the violent burning of the Sunne ioyned with the locking vp thy heauenly Conduits parch it and dry it to nothing profitable nor the remisnesse or slackenesse ioyned with an ouer-flowe of waters leaue it raw and vnseruiceable but giue euerie fruit O Lord maturity and perfection that we may ioyfully receiue the blessing of it and prayse thee the bestower and giuer Amen 79. A Prayer to bee sayd in Autumne THou hast showred O Lord fulnesse and perfection vpon the fruites of the earth and euerie growing thing laboureth with a happie increase the rancke grasse boweth itselfe to the Mowers hand the heauie loaden Trees acknowledging homage offer themselues to be gathered and the fulnesse of the Vine yeeldeth his iuice without the wine-presse the ripe hanging eares listen for a Sythe and all the works of thy hand which thou hast planted heere for the seruice of man acknowledge thy command and are readie to bee tasted All these O Lord obedient to thy will in the course of nature answere the ends of their creation onely wee miserable creatures following our sences and the lusts of the flesh refuse thy holy inspirations and seduced by Satan oppose our selues against thy reuealed will New mould vs O Lord and breake our stubborne and stony hearts that the seeds of thy Gospell may take deepe roote in vs and bring forth the fruits of a liuely faith constant hope and burning charitie to thy Honour and our owne saluation Amen 80. A Prayer to bee said in Winter THE yeere is waxen old as a garment and all the fresh colours which beautified the face of the earth are withered and decayed the Sun with-holdeth his influence the heauens their brightnes and the day his comfort taken from him by the vncomfortable hand of desolate Night The Trees haue lost their Ornament the Fields their rayment and all beasts and cattell their vigour and liuelihood Man himselfe is discomforted in the poorenesse and barrennesse and the vnprouident man who hath not laid vp nor taken from the fruitfulnesse of Summer growes desperate certaine of nothing but perishing The Season affoording no worke nor the day any continuance the lately broad-leaued branches no shelter nor the fields any sustenance Grant vs O mercifull Father warned by the example of his extreme and vnredeemable miseries to labour in the Haruest and lay vp of our well-gotten store against the vncomfortable day of sicknesse or latest Age when weakenesse and naturall infirmities giue vs no time or thought to get in new prouision and our vncharitablenesse to our selues take from vs the charitie of others hardening their hearts against vs Giue vs grace to watch and labour continually supplying our Lamps daily with holy Oyle lest at the dead of night we be called on and being vnprouided be left behind or wander in the darkenesse astray and comming late be shut out for euer and euer from all happinesse and blessednesse confined to a place where there is nothing to be heard but perpetuall howling and gnashing of Teeth Amen 81. A Prayer in Aduersitie and Affliction LET not my enemies O Lord triumph ouer mee nor the hand of the oppressor preuaile against mee Bee neere vnto me in the day of trouble and say vnto my soule I am thy helper thou which mercifully redeemedst Ioseph from the hands of his brethren who causelesly sought his life and turnedst their hate to his glorie and promotion deliuering him from the lust of his Masters wife and her wilye accusation Thou which rescuedst thy people Israel by a mightie hand and strong arme from the tyrannie of Pharaoh and the vnequall Taxes of the hard Egyptians Thou which gauest Iacob grace in the sight of his brother Esau boyling against him and threatning fire and destruction planting a sure shield before thy beloued seruant Dauid to keepe him safe from the inuasion of the terrible Goliah and a wise guard to preuent the plots of subtill Saul proclaiming Susanna innocent contagiously spotted by the poysonous breath of the fore-sworne Elders Thou which raisedst thy glory from the three Children condemned and throwne into the Furnace whose fire and extreme heate came forth and eate vp the Feeders yet spared and against his nature sindged not the garments of thy seruants walking and singing euerlasting and glorious Hymnes of thy Deitie in the midst of it Thou which neuer forsakest any of thy seruants in their torments and persecutions giuing them either an vnconquered patience to suffer or a glorious courage to ouercome all the temptations which hell can fasten Bee pleased Almighty euer-liuing and onely powerfull Iehouah to be neere thy seruant in these his afflictions and troubles and to stand by him in this day of his tryal lest he fall confounded and sinke vnder the heauy burden of his tyrannous oppressions Want O Lord in the lowest degree hath incompassed me Shame and Ignominy in the highest degree haue set me round about Slanders oppose themselues against me and beare me downe face to face and ill tongues in secret at my back oppresse me my friends are fled my acquaintance hath forsaken me and my kindred deresting my pouerty deny my Allyance Where can I then plant my hope Where should I else seeke for refuge and harbour then of so mercifull and all-louing a Father and who vpon sub-mission disdaineth not his basest and most riotous son who came into the world to bee a Father to the fatherlesse an eye
hauing no piece of Earth to abide with safetie in Doest thou value thy selfe aboue thy Maker and canst wish a share in his Glories but to be no partner with him in his Troubles O blessed Sauiour is it not thy owne saying that who will enioy thee must take vp his Crosse and follow thee How strictly liued thy fore-runner how imprisoned how died how poorely and dangerously thy followers glorifying thee in hunger in stripes in death Crowne me O Lord in this life with Thornes that I may hereafter receiue a Crowne of Glorie Let me be here imprisoned scourged and reuiled so I may be hereafter released acknowledged and receiued And graunt most mercifull and louing Redeemer that as thou didst in thy Godhead shew vs the fraileties of Man in thy Suffering so thou wouldst in our Manhood shew vs the power of thy Godhead manfully to resist and ouercome all feare of Dangers nay Death it selfe which Satan and our weake flesh painteth out so horrible to vs that cowardly flying the Combate wee may lose the promised Reward Strengthen vs O Lord and be vnto vs a sure shield in the day of Battaile Let the Angels fight for vs and shew themselues mightie in the destruction of our enemies Let them be scattered as Chaffe before the Wind and not be able to stand in opposition with thy seruants who put their trust in thee Let them O Lord be ruined and confounded that wish euill to them that feare thee and desire to be perfect imitators of thy life and doctrine that wee remaining Conquerors may prayse and glorifie thee the giuer of all Victorie Amen 24. A Prayer against Pride DId Almightie God who is iealous of his Honour throw downe the Heauens for their Presumption and thinkest thou fond Man he will exalt base Earth for his Pride Doth he pull downe the mightie and the loftie and aduance the humble and meeke and darest thou yet reare vp thy proud head in his presence Was not the great King Nabuchadonozor turned for his arrogancie into a Beast for that in the shape of a Man hee liued like a Beast And did not the Wormes feede vpon Herod vn-coffind and aliue because he did proudly aduance himselfe of his naturall gifts and graces Who dare contend with the Almightie which darteth Lightning and holdeth Thunder Or what canst thou boast of presumptuous flesh that is thine owne Thy soule is heauenly thy bodie earthly both from God the one inspired the other fashioned in the Wombe lent thee for a season and to be recalled at his pleasure Why doest thou therefore lay vp Honours and Preferments for many yeeres Why doest thou pursue and search for glorious Armes and Titles forgetting thy Father Adam because a Gardener and deriuing thy Pedigree from some great and Noble Conqueror hauing not certainely so much time here as the Herald must necessarily require to perfect thy gawdie Coat For this Night may God say vnto thee O foole thy soule shall be taken from thee Let me not therefore O mercifull Father come vnprepared like the foolish Virgins and be shut out hauing ouer-slept my houre Giue me grace to repent whilest there is time for in Death who acknowledge thee or who findeth pardon in Hell Graunt that I may seriously ponder and consider thy manifold and manifest benefites that I may with all humilitie and thankfulnesse prayse and glorifie the giuer Lay before me the haynousnesse and multitude of my offences that strucken downe with shame and sorrow I may fall at thy feet and with the abundance of my teares wash away the stayne and guilt of my aspiring soule Let the greedinesse of my Ambition satisfie it selfe in seruing of thee being the highest Honour the Earth can glorie of and when it euidently perceiues how little of his owne it is able to bring to discharge those offices which are necessarily required my towring thoughts will fall and breake their owne necke Endue me O Lord with spirituall knowledge and vnderstanding to retyre into my selfe and take a suruey of my owne soule how shee is garnished how decked with what vertues adorned with what heauenly gifts and graces apparrelled and let me be confounded and ashamed to find her the Mistresse and Queene of this frayle and corrupted bodie naked or worse apparrelled and to imploy all my studie and endeuours to garnish and set out her seruant Let selfe-basenesse O Lord attained by a certaine knowledge of my weakenesse and vnworthinesse banish away all selfe-affection vainely gotten by a false conceit of my owne graces Health vigour strength and lustinesse of bodie thou giuest and takest away at thy pleasure by sicknesse hunger wants and torments Proportion and Beautie but thy all-making Hand who can to the life fashion which are spoyled and defaced by Age the necessarie seruant of Time and Decrepitnesse the diligent follower of Age Be it therefore farre from me to glorie but in the Crosse of my Sauiour Iesus Christ Let me take pride in his Sufferings and boast of his Wounds whose precious bloud hath conquered Hell and Sinne leading Captiuitie captiue and redeeming the lost Sheepe reducing them againe to their louing and carefull Shepheard who will recall them wandering vphold them sliding and saue them eternally from the rauening Wolfe which goeth about roaring to seeke who he may deuoure 25. A Prayer against the concupiscence of the flesh WHo shall enter into thy Tabernacle O Lord Hee that hath vndefiled hands and a pure heart sanctified and vnpolluted members as worthie Vessels to receiue the holy Ghost The house must be cleane swept by Confession purified and perfumed by good purposes and prayers before it can be made a fit habitation for our Lord and Sauiour Those be the sweet-smelling sauors which laid vpon the Altar of our heart enflamed and set on fire by perfect Charitie are acceptable Sacrifices vnto him Were not the people O Lord commanded by thy Seruant and Prophet Moses to put off their shooes because the ground whereon they trod was holy How shall they enter then before thee whose feet are swift to defile their neighbours Bed whose hands haue beene employed in rauishing young Virgins and whose tongues haue spent all their force and Oratorie to corrupt and betray honest thoughts to wicked and loose desires Didst thou so seuerely rebuke and punish thy Seruant Dauid a man as the Scripture testifieth according to thy owne heart for one Transgression that neither his Contrition Penance Fasting Almes-deedes could diuert or turne away thy Anger And shall I miserable and leprous sinner who haue all my life worne my heart in my eyes lusting after euery obiect hope to escape thy furie What Woman haue I not coueted What Complexion hath not beene the fuell of my lewd thoughts Pardon O mercifull Lord and Sauiour an humble and penitent sinner who confesseth and acknowledgeth his hainous sinnes and offences and much sorroweth and lamenteth to haue mis-imployed his time and bodie in the lasciuious acts and concupiscences of the
my daily and haynous offences breed in mee a loathing and horrid detestation of all my sinnes that I may flye from them and shun the wayes and occasions which leade vnto them being stricken with an extraordinary sorrow and compunction for hauing dared to offend a Lord of such height and glory and ouercome with shame and ingratitude repent the iniuries offered to so louing and carefull a Master who hath shed his Bloud to saue so vnprofitable a seruant that being by feruent charity reconciled vnto him I may in the day of terrour lawfully claime part of him and being shrowded vnder his wings escape the malice and fury of my accusers euen for thy blessed names sake which shall in that time of trouble bee a sure defence to all thy Chosen 31. A Prayer for Chastity O Almightie and blessed Lord and Sauiour the glorie of thy Father the brightnesse and spotlesse sinceritie of Men who delightest and visitest thy cleane and vnpolluted members sanctifie O Lord and purifie mee that I may not bee a shame and reproach to so immaculary and chaste a Head that I may appeare a sonne some way worthy so holy and heauenly a Father Mortifie and kill in me the loose and powerfull desires of the flesh which borne in me are kindled and inflamed by the diuell and my owne frailtie Fixe my eyes O Lord vpon thy immortall glorious and neuer-fading beautie that I may contemne and despise all earthly and transitorie paintings Strike me in loue wlth the excellencie of vertue that my heart strongly and wholly taken with so faire and worthily beloued a perfection there may be no roome left for Folly and Idlenesse the wel-springs of wanton affection Busie mee O Lord about the day of Iudgement and my Account the torments of hell and their euerlastingnesse that all my study and labour may bee how to auoide them and blesse thee that hast not left me to the world and corrupted tyrannie of man but mercifully laid thy hand vpon me and conducted me to the meanes of my saluation 32. A Prayer in Iournying O Mercifully louing Lord which gouernedst and defendedst thy people Israel from all the vniust oppression and mercilesse fury of their enemies guiding them in all their wayes and trauailes and graciously visitedst thy seruant Iacob in his way and powredst thy blessing on him bee neere at this time to thy vnworthy and sinfull seruant and blesse mee I beseech thee in this my trauell and iourney from any violence of sinne or outward Spoylers and Robbers Prosper O Lord and bring to good end as it shall please thee the businesse I trauell and wander about and vouchsafe to direct mee in it that I do that which shall bee to thy glory and my owne behoofe and profite euen for Iesus Christ his sake Amen 33. A Prayer to bee vsed in any storme of Lightning and Thunder O Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath Heauen and earth are full of the Maiestie of thy glorie the flouds lift vp their voyce and speake thy wonders the Heauens flie before thy Anger and the vnnaturally mouing Earth trembleth at thy Voyce All which ordained for the vse of Man vpon thy word prooue their scourge and punishment The fire from aboue at the cry of the Prophet eateth vp his Scorners the Sea rageth and deuoureth the people and Chariots of the Egyptians yea the earth gapeth and buryeth men aliue at thy command Preserue vs gentle and infinitely louing Father from this violent and dreadfull storme which raised for our sins threatneth our destruction Put out the lightning O Lord and dissolue the horrid and fearefull stone lest it pash thy people to ashes and we be seene no more Cast thine eye vpon the Merites and Passion of our Sauiour and let his Bloud come betweene thy Iustice and our guilt that we may reioyce and lift vp our voyces with the holy Prophet Dauid I will not feare though the earth bee mooued and throwne into the heart of the Sea for the Almightie is our refuge and strength and helpeth vs in all our trouble Praised be the name of the Lord. 34. A Prayer or Meditation concerning the benefits after Creation COnsider O my soule with reuerence and thanksgiuing how Almightie God placed thee heere of his owne bountie and noblenesse not for any need hee had of thy helpe or seruice but to bestow vpon thee his grace and therefore hath hee enriched thee with vnderstanding to know him remembrance to be mindefull of him will to loue him imagination to represent his benefits vnto thy thoughts eyes to behold the wonders of his workes and a tongue to praise him Wherefore being created and set in the world for this intention reiect and cast away all actions which prooue contrary to this end For alas what did I busie my thoughts vpon O my God when I placed them not vpon thee What was I mindefull of when I forgot thee What did I loue when I did not loue thee Aye me I should haue fed my soule with the veritie and I haue fil'd it with vanitie and haue serued the world which was not made but to serue mee I defie you vtterly O vaine cogitations and vnprofitable fancies I abhorre and abiure you O detestable and friuolous Imaginations I renounce you vnfaithfull and disloyall loues miserable and lost seruices vngratefull gratifications cumbersome and vnpleasing pleasures And thou O my God and my Lord thou shalt bee for the time to come the onely obiect of my thoughts and I will neuer more apply my spirit to any cogitations which may be offensiue or disliking to thee My memorie all the dayes of my life shall be filled with consideration of thy excessiue goodnesse so louingly declared in my behalfe thou shalt be the deliciousnesse of my heart the sweetnesse of my affections Hence therefore from my sight for euer all vaine and idle pastimes whereunto I haue vainely applyed my mind all gamesome and toying exercises in which I fondly spent my dayes and all loose and idle affections which entangled my heart shall henceforth bee a horrour vnto my thoughts because thou hast made me O Lord for thy selfe to enioy euerlastingly the immensitie of thy glorie O when shall it bee that I shall bee worthie and when shall I praise thee according to thy desert and my dutie I offer vnto thee O my deare Creatour all these good affections and holy resolutions with all my heart and all my soule and beseech thee O God to accept these my desires and vowes and to giue my soule thy holy blessing that shee may faithfully accomplish them through the merites of the Bloud of thy blessed Sonne our Sauiour shed for me vpon the Crosse 35. A Prayer against vaine Attire DOth it beseeme mee most mercifull and blessed Redeemer to bee decked and attired in rich and sumptuous Garments when the scornefull and disdainefull Iewes apparell thee in a coate of folly to bee laught at and contemned of the people Doe Iewels and
and dangerous diseases Did not the Powers of heauen and earth acknowledge thee and God himselfe by crowning thee with the Holy Ghost confirme thee for his Wel-beloued Did not the great Goddesse Nature goe back and alter at thy command Did not the water turne into wine vpon thy word The winde bannish it selfe and appeare no more and the fury and rage of the waues lye still and grumbled not When thou wast in presence was not hell affrighted and the deuils themselues astonished crying out on thy Omnipotencie and desiring leaue and sufferance Was not the frame of the world shaked the Sunne muffled in clouds the Temple deuided the graues of the dead of themselues opened and yeelded vp their bodies which in diuers apparitions were seene wandring in the Streetes to Behold their Lord and Master their Creator and Moouer thus in himselfe diuided by his afflictions shaked muffled with sorrow and his heart opened yeelding all ioy and comfort and yet miserable man vnmooued knowing and seeing more stony then the Temple and senselesse as the graues vnderstood not pittyed not felt not the pangs and torments which our Sauiour here suffered Could not all thy benefites O deare and onely fauourable Lord bind their sauage hearts nor all thy miracles mollifie their malice nor thy well-ordered and innocent life saue thee from a shamefull and inglorious Death Consider O my soule that the stones wept whilst the Iewes reioyced the Sunne of heauen put out his eye whilst the sonnes of men constantly stared vpon his dreadfull massacre and for certainty acknowledge that the mis-beliefe and persecution of sinners more terrified this blessed Lord then all his torments and vnspeakeable sufferings Art thou moued with pittie and taken with compassion at the story of a weake and old father vndone by his riotous sonne hauing his lands extended his goods seized on himselfe thrown forth of doores and exposed poore and comfortlesse to the mercy of the Streete and fauour of the open Aire hauing no annuity left but the charity of well-deuoted people And is not thy vnderstanding crackt thy memory lost thy will broken ouerwhelmed with desperate griefe and raging sorrow to Behold this Man the onely begotten Son of the euerliuing GOD buffeted for thy wildenesse spit vpon for thy blasphemies reuiled for thy barbarousnesse abased for thy pride laughed at and contemned for thy folly scourged for thy lasciuiousnesse rifled and turned out of all for thy ryot and dissolution not circumuented and drawne in by subtiltie but carefully and most louingly not enduring the hard imprisonment cruell handling and euerlasting bondage of his beloued children came from his Palace enriched with all pleasures and plentie left his honour and laid aside his glory and offered himselfe vp into the hands of his cruell and vnmercifull enemies for the deliuery and redemption of his altogether vnworthy miserable condemned and forsaken people O vnspeakeable charitie and loue without example vnimitable vnmatchable Man vnable to requite it vnworthy to deserue it and without his voluntarie and free proffer vnequall to haue requested it Dare a low and contemned Vassall for whoredome and periury runne into the contempt and censure of the Lawes approach the Maiestie of his King entreating him to bee branded and scourged for him It were mercie vnexpected to pardon him but if hee should discend from his glittering Throne disrobing himselfe of all his royall and glorious ornaments and in his owne person satisfie the rigour and iustice of the Law for his poore and miserable subiect would not his goodnesse and bountie flie faster then the Sunne And further would not all men admire and bee enamored with his vertue in loue with his compassion and rauished with his great charity but how would this poore man bee inflamed towards him With what fire of deuotion would he praise him With what longing desires would he serue him With what humility and ioy would hee obey him Behold the Man O my soule that hath out-done this similitude bettered the example of this supposition for thee dust and ashes poore worme and slime of the earth who wast nothing but by him art nothing without him and shouldst be happy to returne to nothing but for him And yet behold a sight of more wonder and astonishment then to see the glory of heauen thus abased the purity of Angels thus defiled vnpittying man taken with a deadnesse all ouer of goodnesse hath no feeling of his owne desperate extremity or his Lords infinite mercy and meanes vndertaken for his recouery The blessed Apostle and follower of our Lord S. Peter who first of all confest his Omnipotency and greatnesse and first of all in his frailty denyed to haue knowne any such Man hearing him speake of these things which should happen to him tooke him aside and as the Scripture saith rebuked him saying Thou shalt not suffer these things to be done vnto thee If the report of the Tragedie were so terrible how killing was the Spectacle And if the Storie that he should suffer these torments preuailed so with S. Peter ouercome with an affectionate pittie that hee rebuked his Lord how much ought the certaine knowledge mooue vs that hee hath suffered these cruel tyrannies for our redemption and the satisfaction of iustice It is a symptome in Physicke generally dislikt when the sicke party feeles not his owne weakenesse and a danger almost vnauoidable when hee findeth not that it is dangerous a lightning little before death or a nimblenesse and agilitie of a woman great the night before her trauell their estates being indeed almost vncureable that maymed they haue no need of curing Sinne easily getting to a height when he is not perceiued to grow The slie and subtill Serpent letting words of cheerefull loue fall off his tongue when poyson lies vnder it tempting loue guilded ouer his perswasiue pill with the apparencie of her owne excellency and profite forcing a beliefe that shee should bee as God and comming to Pilates wife in an apparition the night before the Lambe was sentenced and giuen vp to slaughter preuailed with her to moue her Husband to haue nothing to doe with that Iust man Beware O fraile and foolish mortalitie of this Hypocrite and deceiuer who laying beautifull colours ouer his mischieuous intentions perswadeth thee to haue nothing to doe with the Iust Man and rather not to beleeue that such things were suffered then to haue that horrour in thy conscience that they were suffered for thy sinnes and offences This infection was from him throwne on our first Parents which killed all their ioy of life degraded them from their excellencie and vnderstanding and banished them their earthly Paradise and from thence hereditarie to vs taking from vs the puritie and Innocencie of our Birth and so that vnlesse wee be regenerated and borne anew of water and the holy Ghost wee cannot enter into the Kingdome of heauen Thus languishing and labouring for eternall life our most blessed and mercifulliest Lord pittying our
desperate and death-like estate descended from heauen to cure vs and whereas hee might if it had pleased him haue come in all pompe and glory making himselfe King of the earth and finished our Redemption with the word of his mouth yet he to make it more auaileable to vs and tye vs with a greater obligation to lay hold of that which onely for our good was intended submitted himselfe to all kinde of torments shames and disgraces in the purchasing of our Pardon that wee might then willinglier and heartilier taken with the vnbounded loue of so excellent a Lord in our humble obedience make our selues partakers of it Behold this Man O my Soule his whole life beeing a continuall Passion the stubbornnesse and rebellion of the stiffe-necked People more wounding his noble heart then the thought of his succeeding torments which hee passionately expresses in his complaint ouer Ierusalem Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered you vnder my wings as the Hen doth her Chickens and ye would not mildly admonishing the soft-hearted women who in the way towards his death with teares lamented the ignobly barbarous vsage the regardlesse and cruell Iewes put vpon him wishing them to weepe for themselues not for him still testifying his sorrow for them aboue his owne suffering Let this O my soule be thy continuall meditation this the obiect of thy thoughts this the subiect of thy tongue Let all thy ayme and ambition be to purchase a little holy plot neere to this blessed place which thou maist sow with penitent and heart-sorrowing thoughts watering them aboundantly with vnfained and dayly teares in considering duly how the Lord of all Maiestie and glory was here mangled and torne for the sinnes and transgression of them some of whom shall at the last day be found feasting and making merry hauing no thought of that precious and vnvaluable Bloud was here mercifully shed for them A Meditation vpon the Resurrection IF the Angels reioyce more at the Conuersion of one sinner then in the holy conuersation of all the righteous and the carefull Shepheard hauing charge of many a flocke leaueth them all and with great diligence searcheth after one that is strayed returning home if he finde him bearing him on his back accounting himselfe lesse burdened through the lightnesse of his heart then when hee went empty forth What an vniuersall ioy what a height and fulnesse of comfort and consolation replenished Heauen and Earth and all the Powers of both to behold their Lord and Creator lately so mangled and cruelly torne he scarce retained the shape of Man this day rising in all brightnesse and glory from the Graue shining aboue Angels bearing the Saluation of all the world on his Immortall shoulders If the Sunne before withdrew himselfe as ashamed to be a beholder when hee could not bee a remedier of so horrible a cruelty with a mourning vaile muffling his moueable beauty is it not to bee beleeued that hee riseth early this day fresh as a Bride-groome putting on all his light and glory to meete and reioyce with his Creator and Maker from whom he borroweth his splendour and brightnesse The day of his Passion the Graues sent forth their bodies who met and frighted many in the holy Citie The day of his Resurrection the heauens sent forth their Angels who with tunes of ioy and holy acclamations gladded the hearts of all the earths Inhabitants The time of his Passion Saint Peter for feare denyed him to bee his Lord. The time of his Resurrection his guard for feare confessed him to be their Lord Insensible things at his Passion witnessed against the hardnesse of the Iewes in expressing their owne sorrow and at the time of his Resurrection the same things witnessed against the misbeliefe of the Iewes in confessing his omnipotencie This day was God glorified the Angels highly pleased and Man infinitely exalted At thy Birth the earth enioyed a secure peace in it selfe But at thy Resurrection the earth enioyed peace from Heauen not man with man but God with man not for a momentarie safety but eternall happinesse not onely for sauing vs from hostilitie but for infinite and innumerable benefites certaine and lasting on his behalfe neuer to bee broken without our faithlesnesse and treason In thy life time thou vndertookest for God with men ratifying it vnder thine owne hand confirming it with many miracles and sealing it with thy bloud At thy death thou vndertookest for man with God and at thy Resurrection gauest thy selfe a Pledge for performance what liuing soule hath so past the bounds of all modestie not to bee all ouer-fired with blushes in a thought of violating this holy league what sad issue of Cain so stony and barbarously minded hath the Diuel laid vp for mischiefe to be the Actor of so horrid a Tragedy The Serpentine and Crocodile-like act of Iudas in betraying his Masters life is not so high in wickednes as their back-sliding which breake his eternall word to be Master of which hee freely laid downe his life yet Iudas despaired brought backe the pieces and hanged himselfe What calme and deathfull securitie the fore-runner of imminent ruine as Numnesse before a dying Palsey hath so possessed the bewitched sonnes of Adam not to thinke of their desperate estate What inchanting Syren hath with her cunning diuision set an euerlasting discord in our vncertaine resolutions What voluptuous Circe hath transformed our hearts in the shapes of men making vs carry the mindes of Beasts sensible of nothing but what pleaseth the sence following onely Nature yet most vnnaturall for in her lusts we bury all our disposition to goodnesse Wherein doe we employ that admirable and excelling ornament of seeing but in searching after vanities and idle pleasures returning it home loaden with voluptuousnes and sin wherin our eares but in listning after nouelties leasings stuffing them with wandring stories and lasciuious merriments Wherein our taste but in palliating gluttony and drunkennes surfeiting it with mis-called wines and meates which ryot hastning the intentiō hath yet vnnamed Wherin our feeling but in those enormities and wickednesses which take away all feeling of God and goodnes leauing no touch of a Christian hardly of a Man When do we stay our selues vnlesse gorged and then imploy all our study and care to set a quicke edge on our dulled appetites and procure fresh and new desires In this circle we wander and weary out our daies In this Labyrinth we intangle our selues carelesse of thy grace which onely can returne vs. This is our life these our actions Thus wee runne contrarie to the end of our Creation Thus we lose the inestimable benefit of our Redemption Thus are Christs torments become our tormentors and his Passion our persecution whilest wee not looking on it die for euer For as hee hath mercifully proclaimed his Pardon and sacrificed himselfe for all those rebellious subiects that will come in and take the benefit of it yeelding homage and obedience to his heauenly Father so those obstinate and runnagate traitors who cōfident in their strength confirmed by their multitude or seduced by example stand out in that wilful refusall of offred grace shall in the Day of Tryal receiue their iustly deserued Condemnation Retire therefore into thy selfe foolish mortalitie and with great and serious aduice take a suruay of thy owne estate Let neither selfe loue flatter thee that things are not so bad as they appeare or childish feare in trēbling at thy cure make thee slight thy Disease euer remembring the sore must needs be mortall wherein the remedy is so dangerous in which a little delay is eternall death Search therefore sodainely and throughly lest onely pampering vp proud flesh thy malady fester and growe incurable when euery dressing rebounds woe vpon thy heart that thou feelest an inward compunction and pricking it is an infallible Symptome of a likely amendment thou must forbeare all inflaming drinke and high foode vnquiet and distempered thoughts idle much talke vsing spare and thrifty dyet inward and continuall meditation so to abate the strengthener and feeder of thy sicknes that hauing by good and holy meanes made a perfect and lasting cure thou mayst reioyce in Spirit FINIS