unto us invisible things by things visible thou art the sun O my God but my weake eyes cannot looke stedfastly upon thy most resplendant light except a cloud be interposed if I will try the strength of my eyes farther I may easily be blind if I will soare higher I may be in danger to bee burnt to ashes Let me alwayes beare in mind that which one of thy Saints was wont seriously to ruminate upon I am a man and understand not Gods secrets I dare not search after them and therefore I am affraid even to make an essay upon them because it is a kinde of sacrilegious rashnesse to desire to know more than is permitted unto me In thy Tabernacle I see the Arke of thy Covenant besides the Arke I see the Mercy-seat I see Manna in the Arke and those rocky leafes and Volume of stone wherein the Law was written published amiddest thunders amiddest lightnings amiddest the horrid sounds of heavenly trumpets amiddest the deadly savour of the ambient ayre amiddest the poles of heaven bellowing with these sacred noises amiddest those fires mists and clouds replenished with the holy Deity O my God how many mysteries do here lie hid that I would I might understand mee thinks I see Christ in all these things for hee is the true Mercy-seat who alone hath done away the sinnes of the whole world by the onely sacrifice of his passion and hath made thee a God propitious unto us Hee was represented by that golden peece of workmanship wherein thou diddest promise that thou wouldest dwell and hearken unto those that should call upon thee for thou lovedst us also in him thy beloved one and in him art mercifull unto us Hee defends his Church as that golden tent did cover the Arke and did hide the Law which was laid up in it from the face of God that dwelt above it that hee should not according to the rigour thereof take notice of our sinnes or enter into judgement with us Thou thy selfe my God hast promised him unto mee that he might be a sacrifice for me in his owne blood Thou hast made him a propitiation both for mine and for the sinnes of the whole world O Christ my reconciler my place of refuge O my hope redeeme mee and reconcile mee that I lose thee not and bee forced to beare the wrath of my everlasting Father for ever He is the true Arke for as the Arke was made of pure gold and the neatest wood so my Redeemer God and Man is consubstantiall of the most high Godhead and the most perfect humanity The Tables were put in the Arke because my Redeemer hath in him the perfect fulfilling of the Law by whose benefits apprehended by faith our disobedience becomes unhurtfull unto us What more sweet than Manna And what more wholesome than Christ the bread of heaven which whosoever by faith shall eat shall never bee bitten with hunger but nourished for ever by an unspeakable happinesse I also find Aarons rod sometimes dry sometimes flourishing the rod of Jesse the tree of life Christ my Redeemer with suffring upon the crosse gives up the ghost forthwith returns to life and flourisheth without end O the riches of the wisdome and understanding which thy Book affords them that love and hearken unto thee O Christ be thou my Propitiatory if the infernall tempter shall accuse mee bee thou my Arke where I may bee hid when sinne doth tyranously grow cruel against me be thou my staffe whereon I may leane when I shall enter the vale of death bee thou my Manna wherewith I may bee continually refreshed after death in thine everlasting Kingdome CONTEMP c. 13. Of the Conception of Christ O What humility O what a desire to save me hadst thou O Christ my Saviour there was no truth in my mouth my throat was an open sepulchre I have dealt deceitfully with my tongue and my spirit is not pure and thou that art the very mouth of truth the throat of sweetnesse the tongue of virtue my most unspotted Saviour and free from all contagion of sinne dost kisse mee with the kisses of thy mouth O blessed kisse and to bee wondred at for its admirable value in which one mouth makes not an impression upon another but God and Man are united together With what else shall I compare thy incarnation but to a kisse a kisse a token of peace and reconciliation and by thy incarnation was peace and reconciliation restored to the world O what a blessed day is that when thwarting thy paths I receive a kisse from thy offended mouth in stead of a deserved reproofe as thy Spouse the Church cries out burning with impatient love shee cryes out Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth with a desire kindled from the promises and benefits of Christ she beseeches the Messiah might be sent unto her that she might heare him speaking and behold him instructing her in his flesh shee requires him to descend and to bee united to the humanity Consider the Church O my soule who having of a long time had a promise of her Lords comming from the mouth of the Prophets and having beene a great while in suspence raiseth her selfe from the body abandoning luxury and carnall pleasures and delights and disroabing her selfe of the care of secular vanities doth wish for the infusion of the divine presence and grace of the saving Word and how is shee tortured and afflicted that hee comes so late wounded as it were with love not able longer to endure his delay turning to the Father shee beseecheth him that he will send God the Word unto her I will not have him speak by Moses nor by the Prophets no let him take my body upon him let him kisse me in the flesh Follow my soule thou which art a part of that most happy assembly follow the example of that groaning Church and think on nothing more love cherish vow unto and expect nothing more than thy Messias See I beseech you and consider the familiar and friendly communication of those soules sighing in the flesh with the heavenly powers they rejoyce in those kisses they aske for what they desire yet they name not him they love because they doubt not but that hee knowes them with whom they have been accustomed so often to converse withall therefore they say not let this or that particular kisse me but only let him kisse us as Mary Magdalen did not expresse his name whom she sought but only said to him she thought had been the Gardner Sir if thou hast taken him What him she utters it not because she thought that must needs be manifest to all which could not for one moment depart out of her heart neither doth that betrothed Virgin desire one kisse burning continually with chaste love and impatient of delayes but she askes for many kisses that her desires may bee satiate For she that loves is not content with the parcimony of one kisse but requires
Lord imputeth not sin Rejoyce in the Lord ô ye righteous for praise becommeth the Just taste and see for the Lord is sweet Blessed is the man that hopeth in him Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who is mercifull to all thy iniquities and healeth all thy infirmities who hath redeemed thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with mercy and pity His goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for evermore I desire and beseech thee ô God by the death of thine owne son give me thy Spirit to purifie my heart and with his grace to strengthen me that by mine own unadvisednesse I fall not thither whence by thy mercy I have been called Create in me ô God a new heart and renew a firme spirit within me restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit Wash mee daily by pardoning my daily offences translate me from the fennes of this age and the mud of this present life to the excellent kingdome of thy glory where is neither scab nor blindnesse nor doth any one suffer any uncleane issue of blood nor is any one uncleane where is no farther need of a lavacre thy glorious body being joyned unto our body Thou must needs fulfill thy promise made and both finish and confirme the good worke thou hast begun in me through Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen CONTEMP c. 40. Of the worthy preparation to the holy Sacrament I Will make an entrance unto the Altar of God even to the God that maketh my youth rejoyce Laying aside the garments of my inveterate iniquity I will renew my youth like an Eagle and hasten to approach that heavenly banquet A plentifull and delicate banquet is prepared which is a medicine to the sicke a way to those that wander a banquet that comforteth the weake delights those that are in health cures sicknesse preserves health a banquet that makes a man more pliant to reproofe more patient to labour more zealous to love more wise to warinesse more ready to obedience more devout to thanksgiving a banquet by which our daily sinnes are forgiven the powers of Satan expelled strength given to undertake even martyrdome it selfe finally a banquet by which all good things are brought unto thee because a man partaking of it doth even become the same thing he receives This banquet compared with Ahasuerus his banquet relisheth farre above it compare it with the table spread in the Wildernesse for the children of Israel and it refresheth thee far more For though that Table contained in it the figure of this our Eucharist when God rained downe Manna for our Fathers in the Wildernesse and they were daily fed with food from heaven and men did eat Angels bread yet they that did eat that bread did die but this living bread that is set before thee in this costly banquet did come from heaven and hath given life to the world That Manna came from heaven this from above the heavens That being reserved to the next day was full of worms this is free from all corruption whosoever shall religiously taste thereof shall not see corruption That was given the Fathers after their passage over the red sea where the Egyptians were drowned and the Israelites were delivered so this heavenly Manna can profit none but the regenerate That corporall bread sustained the ancient people in their passage thorow the Wildernesse to the Land of promise this heavenly food sustaines the faithfull of these times in their passage to heaven Moses was Master of their Table and here Christ is ready at hand who hath furnished this Table and blessed it For it is not man that makes the bread and wine set on this Table to be the body and blood of Christ but Christ himselfe that is crucified for us words are uttered by the Priests mouth but the things set before thee are consecrated by the power of Christ who used these words unto his Disciples This is my Bodie this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you It is Christ in whom doth dwell all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily who is the power of God unto whom is given all power in heaven and earth Hee when hee was to put an end to the Ceremonies of the Law would prepare for himselfe the Passeover and before he would be condemned to death and be nailed to the Crosse he was pleased according to the solemnitie to celebrate the Passeover the roasted lambe unleavened bread and sowre herbs When this Supper was so prepared amidst these sacramentall dainties both the old and also the new institutions offered themselves to him and having eaten the Lambe that the old tradition did set before them This great Master sets before his Disciples a meat not to be consumed nor are here the people invited to a banquet made exquisite both by cost and paines but the nourishment of immortality is given them differing from common food keeping the forme of a corporeall substance but by the invisible efficacie of the divine power working in us and proving Gods especiall presence accompanying it Come hither yee faithfull soules refresh and recollect your selves cheere and fill your selves joyne in one by your faith your remembrance of Christ with the application of his merits with hearty thanksgiving for your deliverance made through his blood receive the pledge testimony and assurance of your holy communion and fellowship with Christ your Head and by him with the Father and the Holy Ghost also encrease cherish comfort and hold fast the faith of the remission of your sins your faith is imperfect perfect it not only by the hearing of the Word preached but by using this holy Supper the Word offers but this Supper applies Christ unto us Encourage your selves to the studie of good works How too often are we hindred stopt and grow stupid in performing this work Here Christ keepes us company in exhibiting unto us his bodie and blood hee doth daily more and more mortifie in us the body of sinne and beginne in us the newnesse of a spirituall life performe each to other the offices of concord peace and love for we eat the same flesh we drink the same blood we are nourished with the same food we are refreshed with the same drink we are made one body under the same head but who hath ever seene the members of one and the same body to disagree to strive jarre or contend Cast out rancour pluck up hatred purge out the old leaven The faithfull under the Gospell must not be made of leaven The holy Banquet requires pure and sincere mindes The sweet savour that comes from Christs scorching upon the Crosse doth concoct all crudities of our carnall senses and doth harden and settle the affections of the minde nor let there bee any spot in the Sacrament of
which the Prophet said A new name shall be given thee which the mouth of the Lord shall bestow on thee We have changed our accursed name because God hath given us a new name Take heed to your selves take heed who ever you be that you despise none of the faithfull that you disesteeme or reproach them not though he seeme most miserable most abject and most afflicted for let his misery or affliction be as great as may be yet is he the Almighty Gods Anointed the Prophet of the most holy the Priest of the most High yea he is himselfe a king of most great Majesty Yee are Prophets O Christians therefore let the Word of God dwell plentifully in you with all wisdome teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymnes and spirituall songs singing unto the Lord with grace in your hearts Ye are Priests ye Christians therefore I beseech you my brethren by the mercies of God that you give up your bodies a living and a holy sacrifice and acceptable to God by your reasonable service of him and be not fashioned like this world but be yee changed through the renewing of your mindes that ye may discerne what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God Ye are Kings O Christians be not therefore servants of sin or be subject to the boyling affections of the flesh but mortifie your sinnes tame your lusts nor prostitute your dignity to a most base and impure servitude Extoll your Christ because all your eminencie all your worth all your grace and all your glory proceedeth from him As the rivers do flow from the sea and flow back againe into the same so let your eminency dignity grace and glory be directed disposed of and referred to the authour and giver thereof Call upon Christ O ye Christians because though you be anointed yet may that ointment be overwhelmed defiled and wiped off by the filth of your sinnes and the durt of your corruptions ye carry heavenly gifts in brittle vessels pray that they be not broken and your graces spilt pray that no wind may extinguish your flame that your oyle faile you not and yee be left in darknesse with the foolish virgins Love your Christ yee Christians because he is anointed that you might be anointed because he is a King that hath all the inhabitants of the earth for his subjects because he is a Priest that hath expiated all the sinnes of the whole world because he is a Prophet that doth instruct all the ignorant doth enforme them and teacheth them the right way to life Love Christ you Christians because the most apparant manifestation of a thankfull mind consisteth not in words but works not in promises but in obedience But to the end you may more fully consider your dignity the birth of a Christian is to be weighed God is his Father in heaven the Church is his mother upon the earth The Word of God to be heard and seene is the seed that is the Word preached this is the administration of the Sacraments Yee are borne againe not of corruptible seed but incorruptible by the Word of God that lives and abideth for evermore The Father of lights hath begotten you by the Word of his truth The Churches are the wombe where the seed of the heavenly Word is scattered and in which the eternall Father and our mother the Church doe meet together The heart of man is the matter of this generation the privation is the mortification of the old Adam the forme is the vivification it selfe whence doth arise the assent of the understanding and confidence of the will that the sonne of wrath may become the sonne of grace the blinde may see the deafe may heare the dumbe may speake the lame walke the leaper be cleansed and life may be restored to the dead The time of this formation is when a Christian doth more and more profit in knowledge of the understanding and holinesse in the heart the carrying in the wombe is when in our whole life by meanes of the vessels of the wombe and navell that is by the ministers of the Word he attracteth to himselfe the milke of saving knowledge from the two breasts of the Church the Law and the Gospell and as an Embrion lives in the wombe so he lives in the Word Hee is a brute creature and more silly than a beast that doth not admire that a childe in the wombe should be preserved alive in so darke a prison in so uncleane streights among so many filths corruptions excrements wrapped in filmes and crowded by the bowels but it is farre more to be wondred at that any Christian should be supported amidst so many griefes paines torments snares and calamities For about the wombe wherein we are carried the World cries I will slay him the Flesh cries I will infect him the Devill cries I will deceive him Wee must there lie hid where there is much malice where is little wisdome where all things are viscous and slimie all things hid in darknesse and beset with snares where the soules are in danger the bodies are afflicted where all things are vanity and vexation of Spirit and yet for all this we live and are preserved we live and are not killed we are nourished and not in want we are carried in the wombe and are not abortive we are sustained and are in want of nothing The Embrion in the mothers wombe lives a hidden life he lives indeed in the world but is not seene with the eyes of any he sends forth his breath but scarce draws any in we also Embrions of regeneration lead a hidden life For though we live in the kingdome of heaven yet our glory and desireable life doth not as yet make any great shew we yet behold not the light of eternall blessednesse we yet draw not the aire of the region of Paradise we yet eat not the Angelicall Manna we yet drinke not of the heavenly liquour but have as it were but a light taste of al these things and we have scarce any sensible breathing of these things But the houre is at hand and the time will come that it shall be made manifest what we shall be wherein we shall beginne and never end this glorious light this life not of hope but of the things hoped for even the life of vision We shal begin this life when we die for then begin we to be borne to the true light when we first put off our mortality For the true birth day of Christians is their day of death In death they do begin to live through death they enter into life as the infant lies sighing at the port of the wombe expecting his passage and though he be even at deaths threshold yet is he conveyed into the haven of life O living death of Christians O Christian sonne of God brother of Christ companion of the Angels Lord of the world partaker of the divine nature O Christian exalted above sin and the law
mouth I view the letters graven with the finger of God the learning people and teaching God and that there is as it were but one schoole of heaven and earth mixed of men and Angels For so it is written that when Moses had reported to the Lord the peoples words the Lord said unto him Now will I come to thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear me speake to thee And behold a while after they began to heare thunders and lightnings and thicke clouds began to cover the mountains And again He did descend upon the top of Mount Sinah And afterwards he spake with Moses all of them seeing that the Pillar of the Cloud did rest at the doore of the Tabernacle and they stood and worshipped in their Tent doors Thou didst speak O Lord to Moses face to face as one friend useth to doe with another O what a care hast thou of thy creature man thou God that affordst and performest these so great things for him making vile man partaker of thy Word and as it were admitting him to the fellowship of thy holy company opening thy hands full of immortall riches nourishing him with the cup of Nectar and feeding him with heavenly food What greater care I beseech thee couldest thou performe in that thy government or what greater affection couldest thou use that whereas they were but in the action of this present life they did notwithstanding then enjoy a representation of their future blisse Nor let any man here murmure that thou hadst this care of mankinde heretofore but that thou now hast it not Whence shall I beleeve this repining doth proceed by chance because we are not daily fed with Manna as they were although we reap from our fields most plentifull Wheat-harvests or is it because wee catch not Quailes flying as it were into our hands whereas we devour all kinde of birds of cattell and beasts or because we doe not with open mouthes receive the waters springing from the rockes whereas wee drench our Tavernes with the juice of the grapes Somthing I adde more that we our selves who thinke that God did then take care of them and do suppose that God doth now neglect us if wee could exchange our present blessings for theirs which are past wee would utterly refuse to wish to bee in their Condition For we would not lose the things wee now have that wee might possesse the things which they then used Not that wee have better things than that Nation then had but because even they who were fed by the daily ministery of heaven and of God himselfe did preferre the old gluttony of their bellies before the present good things they received beeing sad with the calling to minde of their carnall meates and falling sicke for the filthy love of leeks and oyons not that these things which they formerly used were better but because even as we now do so did they then they loathed the things they had and desired the things they had not We doe rather extol the things that were then than the things which now are not that we had alwayes rather have them if we might choose but because this is an usuall fault that mans soule is incident to to desire the things are absent and for other mens things to please us better than our owne and for ours to please others more than the things they doe enjoy so fastidious are we most miserable men that we are not worthy to live much lesse of life with the good things appertaining to it But what ere thou givest or deniest thou art alwayes a Father and dost never forsake a sonne that trusts and hopes in thee Give if thou wilt but onely five loaves and two fishes a handfull of meale a little oyle in a pitcher a few shreds and branches of trees and no more I will boast of the care thou hast of mee O my God in thee will I boast my heavenly Father who takest me up nor can I receive disquietnesse from thee for ever Thou wilt say to my soul I am thy salvation no good thing shall be diminished to them that seeke thee they shall not bee confounded in the evill day and in a time of famine they shall have enough Although I fall I shall not bee dashed to peeces because thou settest to thine hand I never saw the just man forsaken nor his seed begging their bread I will seeke thee O Lord and thou shalt heare mee and shalt snatch mee out of all my troubles being poore I will call unto thee and thou shalt save mee from all my cares those that feare thee cannot truly suffer want Thou wilt command that the meale in the vessell faile not that the oyle in the pitcher decrease not because I have need of all these things I will first seeke the Kingdome of God and other things shall be added unto me It is so far from thee my God and Lord that thou shouldest forsake thine that thou makest even dogs to helpe and give them ease I will expect thee O Lord I will play the Man I will suffer thine hand O Lord and my heart shall receive comfort let my father and mother forsake mee thou Lord shalt take mee up O God thou shalt be my helpe nor wilt thou despise me O God my salvation Thou shalt set me upon a rock thou shalt hide me in thy Tabernacle in the time of afflictions thou shalt hide me in the depth of thy Tabernacle in the time of affliction that I may see thy goodnesse in the land of the living CONTEMP c. 12. Of the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel Of the Cloud wherein Gods especiall presence was manifested Of the Mercy-seat Of the Arke Of the Manna and Of Aarons rod. I Creepe before thy Tabernacle my God I cōsider how thou didst appear to thy people I find many terrible things but yet comfortable also thou wrappest thy selfe in a Cloud yet is not thy Majesty the lesse resplendent it is so great that thou affrightest and art feared like a consuming fire and how shall I beleeve that an Intellect severed from all mixtion of mortality most excellent most wife and most holy a spirit piercing through all things and intent even to each particular part of the Universe which doth as it were to the strings of a most exquisite Harpe modulate the song of vanishing things in a most pleasing variety a Spirit unbegotten immortall everlasting that is onely a place yea a world able to conteyne it selfe and the greatest world of wisdome of holinesse of understanding of reason of life of formes to whom intelligible nature it selfe doth breath forth and ceases not to frame and render praises can be cloathed in a cloud yet thou cloathest thy selfe with a cloud that thou mightest then exhibit thy selfe according to the time of faith not as thou art a God but as men might endure to behold thee Thou teachest us spirituall things by corporall things and dost demonstrate
the holy Church but pure simplicity and innocencie of life in one house the holy Catholique Church Christ is offered to the faithfull departing out of Aegypt being cleansed in their affections by his blood in their passage in the red Sea O Jesu Christ our omnipotent Lord God thou Fountaine of life and immortalitie thou Creator of every visible and invisible thing that art the eternall Son of the everlasting Father who of thy abundant goodnesse in the last times didst take our flesh upon thee and wast delivered and crucified for us sinfull and unthankful creatures thou by thine owne blood hast restored our nature corrupted by sin and givest me thy flesh for my food But thou art a fire and consumest those that be unworthy destroy me not my Maker rather come into the union of my members into all my sinewes into my reines into my heart burne up the sting of my sinnes cleanse my soule sanctifie my minde enlighten my five senses glew me firmely to thy selfe in love alwayes protect and defend mee preserve mee from every word and work that may hurt my soule purge cleanse and direct me adorne instruct and make mee famous make mee the temple of thy Spirit only and not the habitation of sinne that being made thy house by the entrance of thy holy Communion all impiety and all evill may fly from mee Let thy holy body be made everlasting Bread unto mee Mercifull Lord let thy precious blood become a remedy of sundry diseases unto me fearfull and wicked wretch that I am defiled with absurd works I am unworthy of thy pure body and heavenly blood O Christ doe thou make me worthy to be partaker of thee give me O Christ the drops of teares to wash my filthy heart that having a pure conscience I may come in faith and feare to receive thy heavenly gifts O most mercifull Saviour let thy unspotted body and divine blood be made unto mee the participation of thy holy Spirit eternall life and a change of my sufferings and miseries Heale the wounds of my soule O Lord and sanctifie me through-out and make mee unworthy wretch worthy to be partaker of thy mysticall divine Supper be it unto thy most vile servant as thou hast promised and remaine in mee as thou hast said For behold I eat thy divine body and doe drink thy blood Thou Word of God and God him selfe let the flame of thy body enlighten me that am all obscurity and let thy blood be also a purgation to my corrupted soule Sanctifie my understanding soule heart and body O my Saviour and make it worthy O Lord to come to these fearfull mysteries without being condemned I shall obtaine new effects and will receive the increase of thy grace and preservation of my life by the participation of thy mysteries O Christ O holy Word of God God himselfe sanctifie mee throughly that am comming to thy divine mysteries Despise mee not O Christ when I receive the bread which is thy body and whilst wretch that I am I am made partaker of thy most pure and fearfull mysteries that they prove not condemnation unto me But let them be unto me O Christ eternall and everlasting life O Christ thou Fountaine of goodnesse let the receiving of thy immortall mysteries become light and life unto me and cause the avoyding of vitious affections and the encrease of heavenly vertues in me O thou only Goodnesse that I may glorifie thee Amen CONTEMP c. 41. Of those things which are to be meditated upon after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Supper LEt thy servant speak thine owne Word in thy eares that thou be not angry with thy servant O Lord my King Thou hast slaine thy Sacrifices thou hast mingled thy wine and prepared thy Table thou hast sent forth thy maydens that they might invite to thy tower of defence that if there were any little one he might come unto thee Thou hast said Goe forth yee daughters of Sion and behold your King crowned with the Crowne wherewith his mother begirt his head in the day of his betrothing in the day of the gladnesse of his heart Thou hast said O Lord unto thy servant Go out quickly into the wayes and streets of the citie and bring in hither both the poore and the weak both the lame and the blind and compell them to come in that my house may bee full I being called came and saw was led in and tasted thou turnedst not thy selfe away from thy servant nor saidst thou Thou shalt not see my face Thou hast shewed thy selfe unto me my Comforter I beheld thee thou Light of mine eyes I felt the joy of spirit and was touched with gladnesse of heart Thou didst prepare great things for me O my Delight and sweet content O Lord my God my Life and sole Glory of my soule I have found thee out O thou Desire of my heart I have held thee fast O thou Love of my soule O let me retaine thee thou Life of my soule I will love thee O Lord my Strength my Castle my Refuge and my Deliverer Let me love thee my God the Tower of my might and my pleasing hope in all my tribulations I will enbrace thee who art that Good without which nothing can be good I will enjoy thee the Best without whom nothing is best I will exalt thee my God and King and will blesse thy Name for ever and ever every day will I praise thee and blesse thy Name for ever and ever The Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised and of his greatnesse there is no end Generation from generation shall praise thy works and shall declare thy power shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holinesse and shall tell of thy wonderfull works They shal break forth in remembrance of thy abundant sweetnesse and shall exult in thy righteousnesse O mercifull and pitifull Lord patient and full of compassion the Lord is sweet to all and his mercies are over all his works All thy works O Lord do praise thee and thy Saints doe blesse thee they speak of the glory of thy Kingdome and tell of thy power for thou art my true and living God my great King my guide to my Countrey my true light my holy sweetnesse my true life my excellent wisdome my pure simplicity my peacefull concord my safe protection my good portion my everlasting safety my great mercy my strongest patience my unspotted Sacrifice my holy Redemption my firme hope my perfect Charity my true Resurrection my life eternall my most happie ever enduring exultation and most blessed vision Thou my God wast pleased for no merits of mine but onely by vouchsafing me thy mercies to satisfie thy unworthy servant with the precious body and blood of thy Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ What manner of food What drink was this O the memoriall of the Lords death What shall I repay unto the Lord for all that he hath bestowed upon me O know