many chalenges many and so useth to commend her selfe often unto her beloved Kisse thou also the Lord O my soule lest at any time he be angry and thou perish in the way Who will give thee unto me O Lord O let me find thee and I will kisse not my hands or any thing my hands can touch but even thee O Lord. Let the tumultuous flesh be silent let the phansies of earth and water of ayre and of the vault of heaven hold their peace let dreams and imaginary revelations bee still let every tongue every signe and whatsoever is acted in a trice be quiet say nothing to thy selfe O my soule passe by thy selfe and have no thought upon thy selfe but upon my God For he is truly all my hope and trust For in God and our Lord Jesus Christ most sweet most bountifull and most pitifull is every of our portions our bloud and flesh the lover doth as much as possible desire to be one with the thing beloved and therefore they cling together and glew as it were their bodies in one and they strive to make of both their soules but one by the conjunction of kisses Thou O Jesus my love thou my desire thou my thought thou my hope thou my wish I would I could alwayes cleave unto thee Would to God that where thou my portion doest raigne there I may at least be a subject and where thou my blood doest rule there I may obey and where thou my flesh art glorified I may not bee there confounded I am indeed a sinner but yet I distrust not of the communion of grace and if my sinnes doe forbid it yet my substance requireth it if mine owne offences exclude me the fellowship of my nature drives mee not back for God is not so great an enemie that hee should not love his owne flesh his members and bowels I might indeed despaire by reason of my too too many sinnes and offences my infinite faults and negligences which I have committed and which I daily and without ceasing doe act in heart mouth and worke and by all wayes that humane frailtie can offend except thou haddest kissed me except O Word thou haddest beene made flesh except thou shouldest dwell in me Let reason here be silent and let faith speak the things are true which I say for thy Spirit hath revealed them unto me yet are they so profound that I cannot pierce into them they are so high that my abjectnesse will not suffer me to reach them I will adore them in silence and admire in my adoration And thy miraculous incarnation shall clense my spotted conception Let not reason conceive that which thy overshadowing doth work so that my Salvation may be firme sure and unshaken CONTEMP c. 14. Of Christs Nativitie THat which none ever saw now all the world beholds that which none ever heard now all the world doth heare God the Sonne of God undergoes the shame of our humane nature and takes upon him the reproachfull principles of our earthly originall he lyes in a manger to whom Angels doe yeeld their service he suffers himselfe to be wrapped in swadling cloathes who gives cloathing to the heavens no ambition seene in his house a bare couch in a stable and his Mother lodged in hay such an Inne doth the worlds Creator make choice of these were the dainties of the holy Virgins child-bed ragges in stead of purple for silke and princely trimming nothing but plaine hemmes hee that was before the foundation of the world was laid borne from the heart of his Father who had Alpha and Omega for his surname the beginning and the close of all things which were or are or shall be hereafter now in the end of the determined time put on the shape of a servant and is borne of a poore Virgin Let the vault of heaven sing let every Angell sing let all that belong to vertue sing to the praises of God let no tongue be silent and let every voyce for ever and ever sound forth his praises Old-age and youth quires of Infants troopes of matrons and virgins the simple maydens with tunable voyces let them with chast consorts chaunt forth his praises let every age acknowledge that the reward of our life is come after the bondage of our sharpe enemie Whence is this that not the Mother of our Lord but that the very Lord himselfe comes unto us How great is he that is given to mee hee is the Angell of peace the Lambe of God the Benefactour of all the horne of salvation the Bruiser of the Serpents head the Governour of Israel he is the desire of the Gentiles the guide of our life and the expectation of the Nations He is the Son of the most High the branch of Jesse the humble Caller of mankind he is our Intercessour he is our Righteousnesse he is our Deliverer hee is our Mediatour hee is our Nourisher hee is our Helper He is the Prince of Peace he is the great Prophet the Restorer of our quiet he is our Redeemer Hee is our Reconciler he is King of Sion a Saviour an Expiatory Sacrifice he is the heavenly Bridegroome the Expeller of sadnesse he is the Word made flesh the most ample Present the heavenly Zelote he is all things Let the bright heaven thunder let the glad earth personate let yawning hell mourne but let mankind keepe a Jubily we groaped in darknesse and were blinded and covered in a most thick night he proceedeth out of the darknesse and night that expelleth these mists of ignorance and night of sinnes Our nature is not now strange to God since that in it even in Christ our Mediatour the fulnesse of the Godhead doth now dwell for the Virgins womb was made choice of for the Lord of heaven and earth to spring in nor was that blessed masse the Sonne of God incarnate for her onely but that of his fulnesse all wee might be made pertakers God did not onely make mee but hee made many things for me seeing that the Word is made flesh for me and dwelleth in us he is become one flesh with me that he might make mee one Spirit with him Christ would become that which man is that man might become what God is it is impossible for mee to understand the secret of his Nativity My understanding failes my voice nay not mine only but even the voice of the Angels is stopped it is above Powers above Cherubin and Seraphin and above all sense I therefore lay my hand upon my mouth I may not search after these so high mysteries It may bee knowne that he was borne It is not to bee disputed how hee was borne it is rashnesse to enquire after this This is an unutterable Birth who shall declare it An Angell shewes it the Vertue overshadowes the Spirit assists the Virgin beleeves a Virgin brings forth and yet continues a Virgin who doth not admire the Word is born an Infant 8c length is acknowledged to be
shall Sun or heat fall on us because thou dost governe us and leadest us to the fountaines of waters and shalt wipe away all teares from our eyes thou shalt make us drunk with the plenteousnesse of thy house and refresh us with the streames of thy pleasure O Lord as the hart desireth the fountaines of water so longeth my soule after thee O Lord my soule hath thirsted after God the living fountaine when shall I come and appeare before the face of God O Lord when shall I worthily call to mind thy mercyes thy praises which are farre above all things which thou hast given me and exceeding the multitude of the goods of my house which thou hast bestowed upon mee according to the multitude of thy mercyes CONTEMP 21. c. Of Christs sixt word uttered upon the Crosse THou hast performed all and every of those things which thou knewest necessary to recover our salvation most willingly and with all thy heart And therefore thy sixt word was not it shall be finished as thou diddest say in thy journey to Jerusalem behold we goe up to Jerusalem and all things shall be fulfilled which are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man for hee shall be delivered up to the Gentiles shall bee mocked shall be scourged and spitt upon and after they have scourged him they shall put him to death But hee saies it is finished whatsoever the wicked nation could invent to exasperate thy torments is finished thou truly diddest foretell the houre and power of darkenesse and the time of thy crucifying I have finished sayest thou the work which thou gavest me to doe but that was another work namely the work of Preaching the Gospell as thou thy selfe doest intimate unto mee when thou addest I have manifested thy name unto men this work which thou sayest is finished is the work of suffering for mankind the work of drinking off the cup of the passion which thy father hath given thee thou hast now drunk it all off so that there remaines nothing but that thou give up the ghost the power which was given the apostate Angels and the filthy rabble of wicked men is finished thy pilgrimage wherein thou wentest out from thy father and diddest come into the world is finished wherein thou wast upon the earth like a husbandman and a travailer the mortality of thy humanity is at an end every prophecy which the prophets had foretold concerning thy life or death is finished the greatest sacrifice of all sacrifices is finished that upon which all the sacrifices of the old covenant as types and shaddows did reflect for by one oblation thou hast for ever made perfect those that are sanctified and art become the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth Now the variety of carnall sacrifices ceasing thou fulfillest all those distinctions of beasts by once offering up of thy body and blood thou hast O Lord drawne all things unto thy selfe for by rending the vaile of the temple the Sanctum Sanctorum departed from the unworthy high Preists that the figure might bee turned into a truth the prophecy into a manifestation and the Law into a Gospell O cleane O unspotted sacrifice whose Altar was the Crosse which the viler it was before Christ overcame it so much the more famous and noble did it afterwards become the fire thereof that consumes the burnt offering and perfecteth the sacrifice is this immeasurable charity which like a furnace exceedingly heated did burne in thy heart O Jesus which the many waters of thy sufferings could not extinguish O Jesus my redeemer my mercy my Saviour I praise thee I give thanks unto thee though farre unproportionable to thy benefits though very voyd of devotion though leane in comparison of that fatnesse which thy most sweet affection towards us doth require in them yet my soule doth pay unto thee what thanks shee is able not such as shee knowes are due unto thee from mee Thou hope of my heart thou vertue of my soule let thy most powerfull worth perfect that which my most chill weaknesse doth endeavour my life thou end of my intention though I have not loved thee so much as I ought to love thee yet doe I at least desire to love thee as much as I ought O Jesus let this word alwayes stick in my memory It is finished When sinne and damnation shall band themselves against mee wrastling with the pangs of death and shall present unto mee my ugly life made deformed by my sinnes let me be able then to say the sacrifice for my sinnes is finished For thou art the Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Thou hast not redeemed me with corruptible silver and gold but with thy most precious blood as it were of an unspotted undefiled lamb When the law shall accuse me and shall exact punishment let me say each tittle of it is accomplished For when the fulnes of time was come God sent his Son made under the Law that he might redeem those which were under the Law and that we also might receive the adoption of children When death shall infest and terrifie me let me say thy power is determined thou art conquered by my Lord who hath spoiled thee of thy power hath taken out thy sting and purged out thy poyson that death may be to me a sweet repose great gaine a dismission in peace a recalling from evils a momentary hiding me till wrath is past and till heaven gates be opned for me When kindred friends and acquaintance shall at the time of my departure bewaile my going hence and compasse my bed with groanes and teares let me say my course is finished the appointed time is past the period is fixed which we cannot passe the glasse is runne the houre of freedome drawes neare here my misery makes a stand and the haven I make to is neare where all teares shall be wiped away behold I leave unto you a Fulfiller of all good and an asswager and ender of all evill hee shall comfort you if you flie unto him hee shall keepe and defend you to whom I recommend my soule and to whom I recommend you the beloved of my soule for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 22. Of the seventh and last word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse ALthough Lord Jesus Christ great is thy humility great thy abasement and great is thy affliction that thou seemest scarce a man but a worm yet in thy seventh and last word before thou gavest up the ghost tho-shewedst thy selfe not a man only but even set above the reach of mans power for when thou wast about to breathe out thy most holy Spirit thou criedst out Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Ah what a mournfull lamentable sad and miserable silence is there when mournfull lamentable sad and miserable man is commanded to breathe forth his soule how silent faint and how dead as it were are all things before death our death-bed takes
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
were likewise many that were called Saviours as Othniel Ehud and others but these were onely deliverers of the body and did onely for a time deliver the people from their outward enemies and did for a while keep them free from the spoylers of this world but this my Jesus is the true Saviour for he not onely frees and preserveth his people from outward enemies but from spirituall subtilties in high places Sometimes indeed he delivers us to outward enemies nor is he presently Jesus or a Saviour he sends amongst us warre plague haile cold poverty disgrace diseases captivity bondage but it is for our eternall salvation He is also a faithfull Jesus nor suffers he any one to be tempted above his strength but giveth our temptations such a measure that we may endure them and although our Jesus doth seeme too cruelly and too long to leave us in these externall evils and to lay too heavie a burden upon us that we are in feare to be overcharged to yeeld and to faile under it yet let us expect the comming of our Jesus wwhich will be in a fit season My Jesus best knoweth our strength and how much we can beare and as the pilot doth diligently take care that the ship be not over-fraighted or fall into any fearfull danger so my Iesus doth weigh and ballance our abilities before he layes any crosse upon us that it may not exceed them Thinke alwayes O my soule upon Iesus because thou hast alwayes need of thy Iesus If thy sinnes do vex thee and Satan doth paint them forth and set them before thee that he may perswade thee they are more in number than can be forgiven that they be larger than heaven and earth for magnitude call upon thy Iesus and make Satan thy laughing-stocke Iesus is my Saviour who hath delivered me from my sins and hath taken them upon himselfe he is become for me and all the world a ransome a sacrifice a reconciliation And because it appeares that he is not conquered but is truly a Saviour they must needs be sinners indeed and not feighned sinners that he doth save for this sentence can never be recalled Christ is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world If the feare of death doth presse thee and if Satan endeavour to dishearten thee with the expectation thereof and doth portrait the figure of death before thee in a most bloody horrible manner and repeats unto thee the threats which God denounces against sinners and the vengeance which he reserves for them protect thy selfe with the Name of Iesus and oppose it to the terrors of death Why should I feare death that I should feare the paines thereof when as my Iesus as himselfe doth teach us hath slaine my death O death I will be thy death Doth Satan strive to make thee sad himselfe being punished and overwhelmed with everlasting woe desiring to draw others into his company pronounce thou therefore but the Name of Iesus with beliefe and he vanisheth away for hee is therefore a Iesus because he hath ransomed thee from the curse of thy sinnes and hath reconciled thee to the everlasting Father that thou mightest for ever rejoyce with him Why then art thou sad What ever befals thee let the Name of Iesus still come into thy heart and betweene thy lips that the force thereof may asswage all afflictions Nothing is more sweetly sung nothing is heard more pleasingly than Iesus the Sonne of God No kinde of sin is so great but the Name of Iesus is above it O thou therefore pleasant Name of Iesus a delightfull Name a comfortable Name O Lord Iesus if I have done that for which thou mayest damne me yet hast not thou lost that whereby thou mightest save me O most mercifull Iesus O most sweet Iesus O most gracious Iesus O Iesu Iesu O Iesus the salvation of those that trust in thee O Iesus the salvation of those that beleeve in thee O Iesus the salvation of those that flie unto thee O sweet Iesu the remission of all our sinnes O Iesu for thy holy Name sake save me that I perish not O Iesus have mercy upon me while there is a time for mercy and condemne me not in the time of thy judgement Iesus Christ have mercy upon me for this thy Names sake doe unto mee according to this thy Name looke on me miserable wretch invoking thy Name it is true my soule hath deserved damnation and my repentance is no satisfaction but it is certaine that thy mercy is farre exceeding all my offences give me therefore for thy Names sake that mercy O my Iesus for thou savest thy people freely by faith alone without all merit of works onely for thy Names sake onely by the power of thy Name onely by the blood of thy body whereby thou diddest appease thy Father and obtainedst redemption and therefore dost thou save thy people freely and not for their works that our soules might be sure of redemption it could not be sure if thou shouldest not save us but for the merit of our works for either we have no merits by manifestly sinning against the Law of God or we have not merits enough because our works are imperfect which can by no meanes satisfie Gods Law therefore that our consciences may be sure of the forgivenesse of sinnes it is needfull that thou be a Iesus gratis unto me who seeing thou art true and constant in thy promises it cannot be that I can be deceived if I trust in thy Name O most bountifull Iesus O Iesu my most sweet Lord keep me in this faith and confidence even to the end let thy last word upon the crosse be my last word in this life and when I can speak no more heare my last desire Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou God of truth and God of my salvation thou even thou hast redeemed me O little Jesus I onely require thee comfort my soule thou best of Babes draw mee O draw me after thee by thy sweet favour thou Prince of Glory Lead me O thou our true salvation to thine owne Countrey after thine own victory wherein praise be unto thee for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 16. Of Christ's and of our Circumcision BEhold my eyes your Jesus my soule consider thy Christ the knife is taken in hand and the Sonne of the most High is drawn away to be wounded stay knife from touching the Innocent let the Synagogue spare the innocent send him away thou Circumcisor without touching him but my Jesus why wouldst thou be so circūcised be so wounded spill thy most tender blood Why doest thou so hasten O Lord to the shedding of thy milky blood it is my salvation which makes thee thus to hasten but why didst thou submit thy self to be circumcised which art the Lord of the Law nay the Law-giver himselfe was it to confirme the Circumcision that thou haddest long before ordained to be rightly observed even till
thy comming and that the old Religion should not seeme utterly rejected or that thou mightest save the Iewes by receiving of Circumcision as thou didst the Gentiles by Baptism that is wert thou to save them by the powring forth of the purified dew or was it that thou mightest keepe fulfill and establish all the Law What need I to reckon up many things thou wast circumcised for the cause that thou wast borne and for which thou didst suffer none of all this was for thy selfe but all was for thy Elect for mee for all that cleave unto thee that thou mightest pay for us those debts even thou that didst owe nothing thy selfe and mightest free us from our owne and from the offences of others O most loving Jesus I adhere to thee doe thou everlastingly stick to me I have runne into debt doe thou pay them I beseech thee by that pretious blood which thou wast willing to shed for sinners in thy most holy Circumcision and afterwards most abundantly to powre out for them in thy most bitter passion that thou mightest wash away all mine iniquities looke upon me most humbly petitioning and often calling upon thy holy Name cause me O Lord readily to submit my selfe to thy Lawes I learne from thy selfe my Lord to obey thy Lawes and to obey thee not by constraint but by free consent for this is the true obedience of the humane nature when it subjects its will readily to the will of God and when by working it perfecteth the good will it hath received with a willing liberty without any constraint Give me O Lord the Circumcision of the heart which is that the cloud of errour being taken away to acknowledge the Creator God the Father and his Sonne Christ by whom he hath created all things that the truth of God might be fulfilled grant that I may cut off and cast out of my heart all uncleannesse of thoughts and impuritie of my senses For the Gospell hath not enjoyned cutting away of the Prepuce but the circumcision of the heart and that by the Sword of the Spirit wee should cut away all petulancie as well of our members as of our affections this Circumcision is not in my power succour my weaknesse O Lord and assist me that I may doe that which thou hast promised by thy faithfull servant Moses the Lord shall circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed that thou mayest love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule I am present O Lord as thou hast commanded by thy faithfull servant Jeremy Be circumcised to the Lord and take away the fore-skinne of your hearts that my wrath break not forth like fire Give me that which Saint Paul speaks concerning me Thou art circumcised with a Circumcision which is made without hands if thou put off the body of sins by the Circumcision of Christ The Iewes circumcised but one member of the body grant O Lord that I may circumcise all my members The heart of man is wicked it must therefore be circumcised and the Sword of the Spirit is to be unsheathed for it and this is the preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which if any one receiveth into his heart by faith first his sinnes shall not be imputed to him but he shall be accompted just for Christs sake then the holy Ghost shall bee given unto him by whose power it shall come to passe that the reliques of sinne shall not raigne in his mortall body but hee shall fit his members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God Stirre me up O Lord and strengthen me that I may circumcise my eyes that they behold no vanitie nor defile themselves with privie adulteries Thou hast commanded this O Lord if thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee Stirre me up O Lord and strengthen mee that I may circumcise my hands that they be not enraged and shed innocent blood for thou hast commanded this O Lord if thy right hand offend thee cut it off Stirre me up and strengthen me O Lord that I may circumcise my feet that they goe not in the way of sinners and that they haste not to doe evill so putting off the old man and putting on the new I shall become a new creature and shall possesse the inheritance of thy Kingdome O Christ I shall enjoy the societie of the citizens of heaven the quire of Angels singing Hymnes unto thee and the sweet fellowship of all thy blessed ones Thus thou shalt speak O Christ to thy Father I will that those thou hast given me may now be with me that they may behold my glory which I had with thee before the world was made O when wilt thou speake this O Lord O when shall I heare this CONTEMP c. 17. Of the passion of Christ DOest thou ascend for me to Ierusalem that all things might be accomplished which are written by the Prophets that thou mightest be exposed for a scorne to the Gentiles that thou mightest be scourged that thou mightest be spit upon that thou mightest be fastned to the Crosse thou who art the God of glory the God of life safety the chiefe best and Omnipotent most mercifull most just most secret most present most beautifull most strong stable incomprehensible God invisible yet seeing all things immutable yet changing all things immortall illocable interminable unbounded without ending inestimable unutterable fearfull and terrible to be honoured and reverenced venerable and renowned never new nor ever waxing old and innovating all things For me who am deep darknesse miserable earth the sonne of wrath a vessell fitted for reproach begotten in uncleannesse living in misery that must die in extremity a vessell taken from a dunghill a shell of corruption full of filth and horror blinde poore naked subject to many wants and wretched and mortall as I am ignorant when I came in or when I must goe out of the world whose dayes passe like a shadow whose life vanisheth like the shadow of the Moone a mad mans phansie as the blossome upon the tree blowes and forthwith is rotten now flourisheth and by by is dried up whose life is a fraile and fading life that the more it continues the more it decreaseth the farther we proceed in it the nearer it approacheth to death What shall I thinke what shall I say what hast thou commited O most sweet Saviour that thou shouldest be thus judged what hast thou done O my most loving Saviour that thou shouldest be handled so rudely what is thy wickednesse what thy offence what the cause of thy death what the occasion of thy condemning I am the stripe of thy paine the offence for which thou art slaine I am the desert of thy death the wickednesse revenged upon thee I am the spleene of thy passion and the labour of thy torments O the greatnes and foulnesse of my sinnes Out of the consideration of the remedy I value the measure of my
danger and so is the esteeme of the medicine as is the heaping up of my griefe and feare O the sweetnesse and greatnesse of thy love although O Lord my God the world was placed in the middest of mischiefe and is full of misery yet sentest thou thy blessed Sonne into the world for us and for this diddest thou send him into the world that he being sold might ransome us being put to death might restore us to life might honour us by suffering disgrace and might adopt us for his sonnes If I would reckon up what he suffered for most miserable man what voice would suffice me for it what eares would not be weary to heare it for he was no sooner borne but his blood was spilt in the circumcision he was scarcely circumcised but forthwith was he designed to the slaughter he no sooner professed his doctrine openly but he was called the impious blasphemous and raging stirrer up of the people even by them whose God he had alwayes beene after a peculiar manner I doe every where behold misery calamity disgraces reproaches griefes poverty wearinesse sadnesse hunger thirst that he seemes but onely to have finished in his passion what he had continually suffered in the whole course of his life After that the Son coeternall and consubstantiall with his Father the Omnipotent Patron of the Church ordained for a judge of the quicke and the dead had fervently powred forth those prayers which he had conceived for mans salvation wherin he at the point of death more especially recommēded to his Father that deare pledge his Church for whose sake he suffered not onely valiantly but most willingly and freely not a drop but streames of blood to flow from his five wounds Walking with his disciples beyond the brook that tooke it's name from the shady vale the traitour meets him with an armed troope of servants and officers his neighbours flie from him his Disciples retire a friend and companion saluting the innocent betrayes him for a malefactour but it was the same whom before O cruell mischiefe hee had sold for a little money and for a base price his hands are tyed his armes are bound thus tyed and bound is he led away and the most deare young man that a little before leaned upon his most holy bosome followes after and Peter also but a farre off and with great feare none of the rest are present those whom he had loved whom he had full fed whom he had taken care of whom he had healed doe not so much as looke backe upon him they all forsake him that never forsooke any man he is made an unhappy spectacle in the house called Pratorium his shamefast body is made naked that off-spring of the most pure Virgin and was scourged even to death by those beastly Serjeants ordained to scourge malefactors they are instant both with words and stripes and drunk no lesse with blood than wine they binde him to a pillar they load him with stripes they multiply strokes upon strokes the place did ring with their smart blowes streames of bloud issue from his torne body and now there is scarce the resemblance of a body to be seene throughout him Behold the man saith Pilate And here lift up thy eyes O my soule and looke stedfastly upon the face of the Lord thy God leave awhile all thy vanities to which thou hast all thy life addicted thy selfe and if thou canst collect for one moment all thy thoughts and bestow them this day upon thy Saviour Behold the man behold a man of sorrow behold him that is beautifull above the sonnes of men ruddy chosen out of thousands whose haire is as the palme branches blacke as the ravens whose eyes are like the doves eyes by the fountaines of waters which are washed with milke whose lips distill the choisest myrrh like the lillies behold then it now raines nothing but blood his haire cleaves together with blood his head pierced with thornes doth dart forth blood his nostrils bruised with the strokes of the fist have besmeared his face with swart blood and which is most miserable of all being tyed bound he hath not wherewith to wipe of his blood he hath not I say wherewith to wipe away his blood forcing as it were from all parts of his body Behold the man This is that face which the heavens cannot behold and hell dares not behold this is he that now keeps silence whose voice is heard in the clouds whose thunder daunteth the courages of men with his fearful claps Behold the man behold the Lord of all things stands in want amidst all those things which he doth possesse he standeth bound who frees all he stands wounded that heales all Behold the man for thy cause O man stands he before the judge before us all doth he stand for us all he stands without a garment he stands robbed that no wound of his body might be hid from the beholders Learn O man out of these things which he suffered for thee what account Christ made of thee to the end by how much the viler thou art for whom he suffered by so much the dearer thy Christ may be unto thee Learne O man to avoid those things which may offend thy God Behold with how much sweat with what labour with what griefe he stood that he the Son of God might reconcile thee to his Father I have said many things yet if thou considerest the rest they are very few for the officers adde reproach to his punishments while they cloath his body with a purple garment made more purple with his most innocent bloud They fasten a prickly crown made of stiffe thornes upon his reverend head they salute him for a King and strike their King over the face and they blow upon the glasse of Angels with the worst sort of mixed stincks even the stench of their breaths corrupted by surfeting and mingled with spittle and by and by when they come to Calvary the prophane wretches doe prepare themselves for the butchery and lay upon his fainting body that most accursed punishment of the Crosse his most innocent hands are fastened with nailes which never did wrong to any but had wrought salvation for all men his most holy feet are fastened with an iron band wretch that I am they must be joyned together that had been exercised in so frequent travell for mine and for the salvation of all men His eyes swim in blood those two that were wont to be the lights of the good but lightning to the wicked his pure mouth is silent from which had rained honey combes his tongue is tyed which with its very silence convinces the cruelty of the parricides heaven was afraid of this spectacle and in it its mourning weed bewailes its Creatour the Lord of the Starres it withdrew it selfe within a sudden darknesse as ashamed of so great a wickednesse the Angels groane the Citizens of heaven breake forth into teares O face of man harder than
possession of us when the Sunnes last shadow flyes from us and enraged death sharpens his Dart to strike thorow our breast But thou O Lord dost witnesse thy power even in death it selfe not onely by crying out at the last gaspe but also by shaking the earth by cleaving the rocks opening the graves rending the vaile of the Temple The Centurion himselfe being a man conversing with the members of the Church but beleeving out of the Church confessed from hence and said This man was indeed the Sonne of God But the last word thou utteredst in thy mortality is diligently to be noted and seriously to be weighed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit This was thy last word Ah would to God it might bee also mine and I trust Lord it shall be so and God I hope will heare it for thou hast obtained this for me because thou hast both prayed for me upon the Crosse and hast as my chiefe high Priest suffered all things nor didst thou commend thine own Spirit alone unto thy Father but mine also and of all the faithfull who are members of thy body thou hast bound my soule together with thine owne in the bundle of life and hast delivered it into the hands of the Almighty O how doe the words pierce my soule and spirit which thou utteredst before thou didst passe that deadly way and in which thou didst most devoutly speake unto thy Father I pray for them I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me for they are thine Holy Father keepe them in thy name whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are one preserve them from the world sanctifie them in thy truth I pray not only for these but for those also who shall beleeve in me through their word that they may all be one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent mee and I have given them the glory which thou gavest mee that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast given me because thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world What father can more earnestly recommend a son what mother a daughter or what brother his brother to anothers care than thou O Son of the living God hast recommended us to thy Father Thy Father doth heare us his degenerate adopted sonnes how much rather will he heare thee his Sonne obedient even to the death and his issue begotten of his owne substance from all eternity yea he hath already heard him Can saith he even he thy Father a woman forget her owne childe that she should not have compassion upon the sonne of her owne wombe Though she should be so forgetfull yet will not I forget thee behold I have graven thee upon my hands Thou also O Christ my Saviour sayest My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternall life and they shall not perish for ever and no man shall snatch them out of my hands My Father who gave me them is greater than all and none can take them out of my Fathers hands Resting upon these thine attracting sentences I may be startled at the remembrance of death but I shall not be dismayed because I shall also bee mindfull of thy promises merits and intercessions When at length by thy permission a sharpe sicknesse shall weaken my sinewes and shall gnaw and feed upon my bloodlesse and halfe rotten skinne when my face shall bee bedewed with a cold sweat and I shall be moistned with the drops of death when my wan lips shal be widowed of their rednesse and a sad murmure shall be heard from the horrid noise of the gnashing teeth when my Sunne shall be darkened by my funerall clouds and death shall involve my head in everlasting darknesse yet thou Son of righteousnesse shalt shine cleare unto me thou shalt furnish my soule wrastling and triumphing by the vertue of thy Spirit with thine owne word Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit CONTEMP c. 23. Of the opening of Christs side COme hither come hither O my soule behold him hanging on the Crosse ascend ascend O my soule and pluck out the nailes from his hands and feet wherewith hee is fastened to the Crosse Thou needst no ladder it is devotion it is faith which elevates and lifts thee up thither O miserable spectacle O lamentable carcasse how ill-favourdly in what an ugly manner art thou butchered They could not glut their malice upon him while he lived they insult also upon him being dead and goare him with a speare whence blood and water did flow most holy Symbols of thy two Sacraments Who is he O Lord that hath overcome the world but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Sonne of God This is that Jesus Christ that came by water and blood not by water alone but by water and blood Thou camest unto us in water in Baptisme thou camest to us in blood in the holy Supper this is that double testimony that we are reconciled to the Father by thee and that wee are washed and purged from our sinnes thou wast very much besotted and soiled yet wast thou lovely to thy Father because thou becamest obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse thou art also most lovely to mee whilst I dive into thy side and into thy wounds not with the eyes of my body with Thomas but with the eyes of faith which are the instruments of life the perspective glasse of the world to come when I see I am freed from death by the death of my Lord and my God When I locke on the immense and love without bounds love without end the love that wee want understanding to conceive and our reason waxeth darke to apprehend For I have sinned and thou hast suffered yea I who have sinned have suffered in thee our flesh was so joyned to the Deitie so as that which was to die everlastingly for sinne became dead in another for us and we neither felt grief nor death yet were we in like manner restored to life for as Christ put upon him our flesh in the wombe so he dyed our death upon the Crosse For whatsoever the God made man did suffer he suffered for man from whom hee can now no more be severed than from his other Nature with which he united this to the end he might save it O great clemencie O unspeakable clemencie O bounty that cannot be expressed with words of mans eloquence God who is for ever blessed is first made man and at length is made a curse
and placed above death and Satan O Jesu my Lord O Christ my Captaine thy name be glorified because thou hast given me a blessed name denominated from thine owne name Let thy praise be daily borne in my mouth because thou art daily born in my heart that I may be born againe in thee and may live to thee and with thee For no man is rightly called a Christian that is not conformed as much as may be to Christ in his manners and he beares this name in vaine that doth not at all imitate Christ For what doth it profit thee to be called what thou art not and to usurpe another mans name If any take pleasure to be a Christian let him carry about him what belongeth to a Christian and then he may worthily take upon him the name of a Christian but he doth those things which belong to true Christianity who shewes mercy to all that is not moved by any wrong done to him that is as sensible of anothers griefe as of his owne that makes not the poore strangers at his table that is not magnified amongst men that hee may be gloried before God and his Angels who contemnes earthly things that he may obtaine heavenly things that doth not suffer the poore to be here oppressed who helpeth those that are in distresse who is moved to weepe by other mens tears as S. Paul did for who is weake saith he and I am not weake Grant unto me O Christ most mercifully that am the least and most unworthy of all Christians that I may doe these things with all my power and may persevere in the desire thereof and that I may not halt slip or utterly fall off for not the beginning but the ending well is required in a Christian let that therefore be most blessed unto me O my Saviour Amen CONTEMP c. 34. Of necessary rules to lead a godly life concerning the thoughts of man MAns life is a middle life between the life of Angels and the life of sinners if a man live after the flesh he is compared to the beasts if he live after the Spirit he is made a companion for the Angels Now that thou maist walke in the straitest path thou must consider of thy thoughts examine thy words and weigh thy actions As touching thy thoughts give no time or place to sinnes but as soone as they appeare in the blade before they can take root plucke them up Breake in time the Basilisks egges that none of them prove a serpent dash the Babilonish brats against the stones while they be young Fall not often into the same sin but abridge the custome of sinning and sin not without doubt as if thou neither fearest God nor man Propose not to thy selfe those things in thy thoughts which are either unprofitable or impossible Be not wise too high Thinke the world and worldy things to be but vaine that thou doe not over-value them Be alwayes mindfull of death that thou feare it not too much when it comes unto thee call to minde the last judgement that thou maist appeare there with an undaunted courage remember hell to avoid it and blessednes that thou maist enter into it Learn forthwith therforemore more to know thine owne misery which ariseth from unbeleefe and the transgression of Gods holy Commandements Renounce therefore unbeleefe and strive to keepe all his precepts Knock at the gate of the mercies of heaven by the merit of Christ and so humble thy selfe as if thou wert to obtaine those mercies without his merits What is the most abject creature in the world let it not trouble thee to answer thy selfe It is I by reason of my sinnes And againe if it be demanded of thee what is the most pretious treasure upon the earth let it not trouble thee to answer with thy selfe the blood and merits of my Lord Jesus Christ by which I am cleansed from my sinnes and have salvation purchased for me Above all abhorre to sinne willingly and with a deliberate resolution for to have true faith and to sinne voluntarily can no more agree together than fire and water or the lambe and the wolfe Be a true faithfull and sincere servant of Jesus Christ not onely in the publick assemblies where Gods word is preached and the Sacraments administred but in the rest of thy life by flying evill and doing of good But if by reason of the infirmity of thy flesh thou hast committed any sinne loath it betimes and destroy it by speedy and serious repentance Pray onely unto God whilst thy conscience rests in prayer to him sinne withers and nothing is sweet to thee besides vertue and goodnesse Catch not too much at popular applause which is very inconstant and though thou think thy merits have deserved to be taken notice of by those that passe by thee and that thou oughtest to be respected of the good yet use it moderately and discreetly that it doe thee not more hurt than hatred and contempt He is truly wise that neither too greedily hunts after the peoples favour nor too much despises it Seeke especially for a quiet minde and be content with thy present condition It is no harmfull thing that some evil is mixed with the good things of this life that God bestowes upon us God deales gently with thee as with his Son therefore despaire not God doth also chasten thee be not thou impatient lay hold on the golden meane search for things necessary but not for superfluities and alwayes have an eye to Gods will that thine owne will doe not oppresse thee he is happie that can lie hid in this life and is known to none but God and himselfe A certaine man was wont to say As often as I have been amongst men I still returned the lesse man from them It is an easier thing to lye hid at home than to keepe himselfe well abroad he therefore that intends to obtain inward and spirituall gifts he must with Jesus decline the throng no man can safely be seene but he that is willingly concealed the better sort of men in the estimation of others have often been in great hazard by reason of their too much confidence Thence is it that it is more profitable to many not altogether to be void of temptations but to be often assaulted that they be not too secure that they be not puffed up with pride nor that they too licentiously leane to exteriour delights O what a good conscience would hee alwayes possesse that would never seeke after transitory mirth nor busie himselfe with the world O how would hee prune off all vaine care and only meditate of saving and divine things and place all his hope in God and what peace and quiet would he enjoy Let the want of nothing but of Gods grace much trouble thee desire Gods grace and thou shalt obtaine it and let not the scarcity of outward things too much afflict thee If Satan reproach thee with thy wants consider with thy selfe
inheritance yet O my Father thou hast not lost the heart of a Father though I have fallen from thee my Father yet wilt not thou fall from me or cease to be my Father that word never failed As I live I will not the death of a sinner but that hee may bee converted and live And although my sins be innumerable and my wounds may seeme incurable yet art not thou ignorant of a way to cure me confirme therefore and fulfill thy promises wash me effectually with the blood of thy Son that as to me his death prove not in vaine I am as well a part of his flesh and he a part of mine as Peter David or Paul he is as well to me an Emmanuel as to any other Hee bare the sins of the whole world and therefore hee bore mine also Looke back therefore look back therefore O Lord upon this lost sheepe regard thy creature nor contend with him in thy fury whom thou hast made with thy hands take care O Lord of the soule which thou hast redeemed I come creeping to thee wounded with many wounds but thou most experienced Physitian of soules and Maâ—â—er of the diseased canst heale them all I come being blinded but thou canst enlighten me I come dead unto thee but thou canst give me life I come full of leprosie but thou canst cleanse me Sprinkle me with Hysop and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than snow O my God the God of my life thy mercy is greater than my sins thy clemencie exceeds all my iniquities Thou canst forgiue more O Lord than I can offend thy mercies are bottomlesse and numberlesse but as many as my sins are and as great as they are they are neither bottomlesse nor numberlesse Take me out therefore and deliver mee forgive mee my great injustice take away my stony and hard heart and create in me a soft and a cleane heart that even in this life I may give thee thanks let me by my faith and good example bring sinners to thee and let me glorifie thee and celebrate thee for these and other thy innumerable blessings for evermore Amen my God be it so even so be it my Lord Jesus Christ CONTEMP c. 38. Of the greatnesse and foulnesse of our sinnes and of the Confession of them I Am affraid of my rashnesse when I consider with my selfe what a Majestie I have offended with my sins when I consider how benigne and wonderfull a Father I have forsaken I detest mine owne ingratitude when I consider from how happie a libertie of spirit into how miserable servitude I have cast my selfe I condemne mine owne madnesse and am wholly displeasing to my selfe nor have any other object before my eyes but hell and desperation namely that doth terrifie my conscience by Gods inevitable Justice I am to be consumed like rottennesse sin is rottennesse indeed for it destroyes the beauty of the soule the sweet savour of a good name the worth of grace the relish of glory it is truly durt being wallowed therein we become abominable to honest men the good Angels and the just God It is truely smoak that foretels us that hell-fire is not farre from it and doth drive away the heavenly Dove It is indeed the Devils taverne in which for the price of soules hee sels the world the wine of pleasure it is the dart with which our soule is pierced thorow and is deprived of all vigour and life It is true sicknesse because it leaves us no health in our flesh nor from the presence of Gods wrath grants us any quietnesse in our bones It is truly a Sea for it swels over our head and easily swalloweth up our whole body It is truly a burden because a sinner is most burdened therewith and is even pressed downe unto hell it selfe But whither shall I goe where shall I withdraw my selfe Ah! be mercifull unto me O take pitie upon mee according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy compassions wash away mine iniquities Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight behold I am begotten in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceived me I have gone astray like a sheepe that perisheth seeke out thy lost sheep O Lord remember not the faults and transgressions of my youth O Lord who understands his owne sins Cleanse me from my secret offences Enter not into judgement with thy servant because no man living can be justified before thee Remember O Lord thy mercies and compassions which have been of old Remember me according to thy mercies even for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. O Lord be mercifull unto mine offences make thy mercies wonderfull thou who savest those that trust in thee Turne not thy face from me nor cast away thy servant in displeasure for in death no man remembreth thee nor shall any praise thee in the grave What profit is in my bloud when I descend into corruption Shall dust give praise unto thee or set forth thy truth Regard and heare me O God lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Set not thy mercies farre from me for thy mercy and truth doe alwayes preserve in thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded Amen CONTEMP c. 39. Of Gods readinesse to forgive sinnes and our thankesgiving for the forgivenesse of them WHo can despaire of pardon from him who doth so often in the writings of the Prophets of his owne accord invite sinners to repentance crying out That he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he should bee converted and live How ready is also his pardon to them that repent he hath inculcated unto us by his only begotten Son in many of his Parables as of the groat that was lost and found againe the strayed sheepe brought back upon the shoulders but more plainly by that of the prodigall sonne whose very image I am No man O God is so ready to sinne but thou art far more ready in thy good time to pardon our sinnes O pitifull and mercifull Lord slow to anger and very pitifull He strives not with us for ever neither is he alwayes wrath with us Because as the heaven is higher than the earth so hath he made his mercies to prevaile over me As farre as the East is distant from the West so far hath he set my sins from me As a father taketh pity upon his sonne so hath the Lord taken pity upon me he hath washed me from my iniquity he hath clensed me from my sins he knows whereof we be made he remembers we are but dust Why art thou sad ô my soule and why art thou troubled returne ô my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath done thee good He hath delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven and whose offences are covered Blessed is the man unto whom the
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
short breadth narrownesse heigth lownesse and depth shallownesse there light is found that shines not the Word an Infant thirsting for water hūgring after bread O Nativity honorable to the world in its unpolluted holinesse lovely to men by the greatnesse of the benefit bestowed inscrutable also to the Angels by the depth of the sacred Mystery and admirable in all these things by the speciall excellency of the newnesse thereof even so that there hath not bin seene the like before it nor can there be seen any such to follow it Ah what was the cause of Christs comming and Birth what but to save sinners Take away sicknesse take away wounds and there will bee no use for medicines Therefore the great Physitian came from heaven because men lay sicke in all places all the stocke of mankind was lost by the sinne of one in whom all were and therefore came one without sinne that might save all that were in their sinnes for not our merits but our sinnes drew him from heaven It is a thing becomming our faithfull soules Christian breasts beleeving minds that we celebrate the comming of our Lord with all devoutnesse and that we meditate of his Birth being delighted wirh so great a consolation and amased with so excellent a Dignity and enflamed with so great a love It is a worthy thing my brethren that we sing forth glory to the Trinity in unity and to God the Divine and begotten off-spring and also to the Spirit proceeding from them both O Jesu thou that wouldest be borne an Infant make mee become little in mine owne sight and that I may not too much desire high things Thou which diddest proceed from the wombe of a most chaste Virgin be thou also borne in my chaste heart which is purified by thee Thou who wert born in the town of Bethlehem that is the house of bread and wast sought and found by the Shepherds joyne mee often with thy Shepherds and furnish mee with the heavenly bread and so thy Nativity shall for ever satisfie me The heaven was opened when thou wast borne open heaven also unto me when the dayes of this my earthly birth and pilgrimage are ended that I may see and glorifie thee Angels accompanied the Shepherds that went to thee joyne them also to my company that I be not cast headlong into a by-way or desire any thing besides thee the brightnesse of the Lord did shine upon those that did desire to be neere thee I would that I might bee alwayes present with thee and be illuminated by thy Light that I rush not into darksome fens or be involved in filth and pernitious darknesse They granted thee no roome in the Inne O make choyce of a place in my heart let my heart be thy manger and thy swadling bands wherewith thou wert swathed that I may for ever remaine inclosed within thy wounds and within thy mercy and my soule shall magnifie thee O Lord and my spirit shall rejoyce in God my Saviour I will call out with those lowd crying and fiery inhabitants of heaven Glory bee to God on high on earth peace good will towards men now is wrought salvation and power and the Kingdome of our God and the power of his Christ Thou art worthy O Lord our God to receive Glory and Honour and Power Ah Lord when shall this come to passe when wilt thou bestow this upon mee CONTEMP c. 15. Of the name Jesus WHat sound is this that flies to mine eares it is a name that parents gave not neither did the circucising Priest bestow it but an Angell brought it from heaven and God that it should be brought and declared unto us commanded saying His name is Jesus how pleasant delightfull and forcible a name O how this name doth comfort my soule Jesus is a God of giving men salvation which is expounded a Saviour or saving for this reason of the name was given when before he was to be borne by the Virgin it was said Thou shalt call his name Jesus because hee shall save his people from their sinnes God hath now manifested his salvation all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God hee hath opened himselfe in the earth and salvation and righteousnesse have been fruitfull My God thou makest us safe in the Lord our God thou hast given us a light of the Gentiles which is our salvation even to the ends of the earth Let us therefore rejoyce in God our Saviour say to the Daughter of Sion behold salvation approacheth The other names of the Messiah are taken from the effects of his salvation and doe onely signifie either the beginning or middle or onely the end of salvation but this name Jesus the whole proceeding thereof for it doth sufficiently containe and expresse the beginning middle and end thereof and doth include all other things also within it The Angels adore and the devils doe tremble at this name and men receive it for their salvations This name is glorious in the preaching of it being thought upon doth nourish us called upon doth mollifie and anoint us not in the letters of it but by its spirit and life Whence could there have beene in all the world so great and so sodaine a light of faith but by the preaching of the name of Jesus Hath not God called us in the light of this name into his admirable light to such as are so enlightned and doe see light by his light Paul speaketh deservedly You were sometimes darknesse but now are you light in the Lord. And the name of Jesus is not onely a light but it is also food art not thou as often refreshed as thou dost think upon it What doth so much fatten the soule as the thought of that name What doth so much repaire the decayed senses It strengthens our vertues it quickens good and honest manners it cherisheth chaste affections all meat is dry that is not moistned with this oyle is unsavoury not seasoned with this salt If thou writest to mee I relish it not if thou leave out Jesus Jesus is honey in the mouth harmony in the eare gladnesse and physicke for the heart Is any of us sad let Jesus come into the heart and thence let him flow into our mouths and behold at the rising of the light of that name every cloud is expelled and the cleare light returnes Doth any slip into sinne doth he haste even to the halter of death by his despaire doth he not by invocation of this name of life forthwith respire to life Surely there have beene many others who have had the name of Jesus for the name of Ioshuah that led the Israelites through Jordan into the land of Canaan is the same name with Jesus The son of Syrach is called Iesus and Iesus is mentioned in Zachary but these men beare the name without the thing or if they wrought any safety they performed it by the power and helpe of this my Jesus There
a flint that with dry eyes canst read this story O heart of man harder than an Adamant that these things cannot penetrate O fierce and steely heart of man that considers not these things Thy Saviour being weary and overcharged under so great a burden cries and cals out and in his soule cals upon us My people what have I done unto thee or how have I beene troublesome unto thee answer me I have beene no Usurer nor hath any thorow the earth taken use for me yet all doe curse me God hath shut me up with the wicked and hath delivered me to the hands of the wicked Many calves have compassed me about fat buls have besieged me They opened their mouths upon me as it were a raging and roaring Lion I am powred out like water and all my bones are scattered abroad my heart in the middest of my bosome is like melting wax my strength is dried up like a potsheard and my tongue cleaveth to my gums and thou hast brought me into the dust of death He cryed he called out but there was none that would heare he is led without the city to the place made infamous for the punishing of the wicked therein as unto a publick separate place that he might not pollute any man by his contagion which the adjoyning inhabitants gave a name from the dead mens souls which lay scattered every where abroad within it The Captaine of the heavenly hostes led forth in the sight of men and Angels to be fastened between heaven and earth unto the accursed Crosse to be refreshed with vinegar he is wounded he is slaine he is thrust thorow with a speare what current of language can sufficiently unfold this misery but thls remembrance of such stupendious things requires rather the teares of the faithfull than the Orators eloquence O who shall give water to my head and a fountaine of teares to mine eyes that I may weepe night and day I will weepe with strong teares I will make drunke my cheeks with my teares the righteous perish and there is none that taketh it to heart the Lord of heaven gives up the ghost and there is not one that thinks it concernes him any thing Raise up thy selfe O my soule and weary thy selfe in meditating upon the passion of thy Lord no time is more happily spent than that which the devout soule imployeth upon the passion O wonderfull condition of his censure and unutterable disposition of a mystery the unjust doth offend and the righteous is punished the guilty transgresseth and God is chastised the impious sinneth and the righteous is condemned the good suffereth that which the wicked deserveth that which the servant is indebted the Master doth pay Whither O whither thou Sonne of God doth thy humility descend how farre hath thy love beene inflamed how farre did thy love reach and how farre did thy pitty eâ—tend O Lord Jesus Christ governe and guide me by thy Spirit that my soule being pricked by thy visitation may crucifie its flesh with the sins and lusts thereof O Lord Jesus I onely put my trust in thy passion and death O Lord Iesus Christ who hast witnessed that thy delight is to be with the sonnes of men thou who becamest man for man in the later age be mindfull of all thy premeditations and inward griefe which from the beginning of thy conception thou diddest endure in thy humane nature but chiefly in the instant time of thy most saving passion fore-ordained from all eternity in thy divine heart Remember the sadnesse and bitternesse which thy soule was possessed with as thou diddest testifie when thou saidst My soule is heavie even to death and when in thy last Supper thou diddest deliver thy Body and Blood to thy Disciples when thou washedst their feet and when sweetly comforting them thou didst foretell thy neare approaching passion Remember the feare anguish and griefe which thou didst endure thorow all thy tender body before thy suffering upon the Crosse When after thy troubled prayer thou diddest sweat that bloody sweat when thou wast delivered by thine owne Disciple taken by thy chosen people accused by false wi nesses unjustly sentenced by three severall Iudges in the holy City when at the time of the Passeover in the florishing time of thy youth being innocent thou wast condemned wast delivered wast spitted on thine owne cloaths pulled off and others put upon thee thou wast buffetted thy face and eyes were covered when thou wast bound to the Crosse and crowned with thornes O most sweet Jesus give me I beseech thee for the memory of thy paines and passion true contrition and confession and also remission of all my sins before my death and in my death grant me comfort and consolation of spirit and after death grant me salvation and glory Amen CONTEMP c. 18. Of the first and second word of our Lord spoken upon the Crosse O My soule one of thy faithfull servants sadly and mournfully cryes out concerning Job what a pageant of triumph hath God made of the Devill in that man what an ensigne of his glory hath he erected from his enemie when he did with great patience cleanse away the uncleane flowing matter of his sores when sportingly hee did call back the wormes that crawled forth from his sores to the same holes and feeding places of his worme-eaten flesh But how much hath thy Saviour out-gone him in constancie of mind and an unshaken patience he in the last necessitie in the pangs of death in the paines of hell sorsaken and made exceeding sad by his angry God failes not in the courage of his mind he shewed no signe that his heart departed from the path of righteousnesse but as he began so continues be to love mankind Heare the words that he utters from the chaire of his crosse they were few but great profitable and worthy never to depart out of a Christians heart as long as he hath his vitall breath Thus he speaks Father forgive them they know not what they doe Oh thy supereminent love O Lord thou prayest not O Lord that they might be punished who afflicted and crucified thee but that they might enjoy the merit of thy passion and be saved Thou so aboundest in thy love that forgetfull of thy most exquisite sufferings thou thinkest on nothing but the reconciling of sinners O incomparable humanitie of unspeakable mercy with what gentle and friendly eyes dost thou locke upon me from the Altar of the Crosse how can any man despaire seeing we have so diligent so faithfull so loving and so zealous an intercessour Where are you trembling sinners where are you affrighted conseiences doe you delight to see the heart of your Lord to overflow with grace Come and behold his Crosse Come come see his heart mounting into his tongue and begging pardon for your sins Iesus my God I am also present amongst sinners amongst those that crucifie thee looke on me and receive me my sins my sins were those
sharpe nailes which pierced and fastned thy feet and hooked them to the Crosse O Iesus have mercy upon me and intercede for mee to thy heavenly Father intercede for me to day this houre this moment that he may pardon me my sins In the second place he said Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise How milde O Lord how courteous art thou to sinners thy delight is amongst the sonnes of men even in thy strongest and most unutterable torments Thou wast hanged betweene a most wicked paire of theeves thou stretchest forth thy hand that one of them might take hold of it and that thou mightest draw him to thee with it and gather him to thee as a hen gathereth her young ones under her wings How pleasing is the society to thee when a sinner joynes himselfe to thee and if they will with what affection dost thou receive and heale them The Theefe on the left-hand thinking reproachfully of thee doth revile and blaspheme thee most virulently therefore thy sorrowes sweat labour drops of blood streams of blood prayers and intercession could nothing profit him the Theefe on the right-hand having a zealous opinion of thee acknowledgeth thee and though he cannot with his hands yet doth hee embrace thee with a contrite and devout heart he begges a great thing of thee and obtaines the greatest he begges for a favourable remembrance of him and he obtains eternall gladnesse O example of true and wonderful repentance For what is true repentance what but that which is sorrowfull for offences confesseth them and hath recourse to Christ their Deliverer by a stedfaâ—â— faith but it is miraculous because then at length Christ is acknowledged the expiation of his sin when his most sick soule doth meditate the forsaking of the habitation of his body and the Redeemer himselfe is in suffering the last and most horrid punishment O Christ my Lord and my God grant that I also may bewaile and confesse my sinnes and aske thee pardon for them and alwayes weigh with my selfe thy merits grant that I may doe this with the Theefe but that I may not put off my desire of thee to the last period of my life as many doe who naughtily excuse their most wicked procrastination by the example of the Theefe Let me not come to that hardnesse of heart that the late gained salvation of the converted Theefe should make me more carelesse nor let me say my conscience tortures me not my life shall not trouble me because I see the Theefe had all his sinnes pardoned in a moment Consider ô my soule thou guest and companion of my body not so much the concise confession and faith of the Theefe but the earnest devotion and mournfull time wherein the Apostles themselves did wander and forsake their Master then imitate the faith and zeale of the Theefe and at last promise to thy selfe his salvation Now that unplacable enemie of our soules tries to leade thee into this security that in the fatall houre of death he may thrust thee head-long into infernall destruction It is impossible to be spoken how many are circumvented and damned by the shadow of this deceitfull hope he deceives himselfe and makes a sport of his damnation whosoever seekes not for the mercie of God but at the houre of his death they are abominable to God that sinne with a hope that it will be time enough to be converted to God in their old age The Theefe that at this time did so miraculously apply Christs death to himselfe had not formerly put off his repentance for he had never before heard of the doctrine of Christ therefore in this minute of an houre in this twinckling of an eye make mee pray unto thee and convert thee unto me lest securely promising my selfe salvation I fall from my salvation Grant that being converted I may be charitable to my neighbour and take care for his conversion and salvation as the penitent Theefe did admonish the impenitent Theefe and did labour to bring him unto thee Ah my Lord remember me also in thy Kingdome if thou wilt at least think me worthy to be remembred and cast a gratious eye upon mee and I shall have enough because I am sure of thy power and wisdome and I am confident of thy pitie and charitie Ah suffer me to be with thee in Paradise where is the soules happinesse and the beautifull vision of God I cannot be well without thee nor can any ill be with thee CONTEMP c. 19. Of the third and fourth word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse WHo are they O Lord Jesus Christ who not onely followed thee to the Crosse but doe also abide under thy Crosse Who are they not only spectators of thy most cruell punishment but exposed also to the cruell torment of their eyes and soules It is Christs Mother the crowne of Virgins it is Mary thy Mother it is John thy kinsman it is thy most loving Disciple who leaned upon his Masters brest when he was at supper him whom thy soule loved a sword doth pierce their soules thornes and needles doe pricke their eyes whilst they see thee stretched upon the Crosse with all thy sinewes torne all bloody even springing forth with blood thou hast taught me by those thy distressed beholders made wet with showres of teares that thy most deare children are most neare to the Crosse those whom thou dost most fervently love they are most grievously and most often made subject to the Crosse There cannot bee a true Church that cannot bee miserable thou thy selfe dost drinke to her in the cup of affliction which if she refuse or loath it she is a bastard We ought to be like thee let us be contented that we may be as our Master whosoever desires to be above his Master is proud and not worthy of his Master we are a burning bush which is burnt but not consumed we are a citie besieged but not taken we are the Moone labouring under an eclipse but not perpetually losing her light wee are the Arke of Noah exposed to the Flood yet not over whelmed with it we are the woman in travell whom the dragon pursues but yet kills her not we are the lilly amongst the thornes and yet wee wither not thy most cruell torments O Lord could not so farre afflict and torture thee but that thou haddest a care of thine but that thou wouldest speak to thy mother and to thy disciple for thy third word upon the crosse was uttered to them behold thy Sonne behold thy Mother Me thinks O Lord I see into thy bowells into the depth of thy thoughts thou complainest the sorrowes of death have compassed mee about but yet that sword doth no lesse break and wound my heart which hath with unspeakable torment peirced thy soule most sweet mother I behold also thee most loving yong man the most inimate of my friends most sweet desciple I behold thy groanes and sighes for the losse
and make all his praises to be heard O Lord my God thou art exceedingly exalted thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as it were with a garment Ioseph was thrust into a most noysome darknesse of a prison but the third yeere was hee taken thence and made the great commander over all Aegypt Christ was put in the bowells of the earth but the third day he came out thence alive and was made governour of heaven and earth Moses was cast forth into the river being shut into an Arke of bulrushes but was presently drawne from thence and made the people of Israels Captaine and deliverer Christ Jesus was shut into the tomb but was in good time raised thence and designed for a Saviour unto all men The bush in the wildernesse did burne but was not consumed by the fire Jesus burned upon the Crosse and was exposed to the flames of Gods wrath and the assaults of Satan but this fire was put out and now the beames of his fatherly favour shine forth Aarons rod was withered but it flourished againe all Christs bones were dryed by his passion but vigour returned to them from the grave Josuah trampled the five Kings that were brought unto him under his feet and hung them upon five trees Jesus Christ trampled upon our five enemies the world satan sinne death and the grave and carried away most great spoyles and set up glorious trophyes of his victory Sampson was taken in Gaza but hee plucked up the gates of the City and escaped Christ Jesus was taken of death but not kept and having conquered death hee triumphed David overthrew Goliah the Philistims champion with a sling Christ with his blood overthrew and vanquished the devill the leader and captaine of the wicked We blesse thee famous Saviour we laud thee most invincible captaine we reverence thee most triumphant victour arise make haste my soule and come away now winter's past the storme is over and gone the flowers deck our feilds the spring is come the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land the figgtree is budded the flourishing vines send forth a sweet savour arise make haste my soule and come away it is no time for sloth but to make speed it is no time to sleepe but to awake it is no time to weepe but to rejoyce it is no time to complaine but to bee glad wee have beene too indulgent to sadnesse wee have shed teares enough let sadnesse depart let mirth returne the time of the passion is past the time of the resurrection is come all anxiety must fly away when the message sent by the Angell is heard all greife of heart must vanish when the Gospell is received hee is risen hee is risen whom his friend betrayed whom the company of his disciples forsook whom Peter denied whom the Priests delivered up whom the serjeants smot whom the high Priests mocked whom the Iudges condemned whom the hangmen put to death whom the souldiers pierced whom the accursed burden of our sinns did oppresse whom the wrath due to our sinns had tormented hee is risen the Lord our God is risen our brother is risen who hath in his sepulcher buried all our iniquities and by his resurrection hath brought forth for us freedome and salvation Confesse unto the Lord and call upon his name set forth his works amongst the Gentiles sing unto him sing psalmes unto him declare all his wonderfull works This is the day wherein hath fallen what ever lifted up the head against the Lord for the Lord himselfe after hee had drunk of the brock in the way exalted his own head and brake to peeces the heads of his adversaries this is the day wherein hell was overthrowne and the abhominable Kingdome of Satan conquered the devill bound the old dragon spoyled death disabled and the miserable Christian people freed Remember the wonderfull things of the Lord which hee hath done his marvailes and the judgements of his mouth who shall set forth the power of the Lord and make all his praises to be heard this is the day wherein did vanish away the snares of the serpent of paradise which hee layd for the seede of the woman they vanished away and the head of the serpent was cleft in sunder and the enmity betwixt mankinde and the serpents brood brake forth into extreamity of deeds This is the day wherein the second Adam from heaven awaked out of sleepe and received his only beloved and married her to himselfe blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou hast been wonderfully magnified thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as with a garment rejoyce in the Lord O my soule this ought to be the solemnity above all solemnities wherein Christ the Lord by his divine power arose from death 〈…〉 as before handled like a 〈…〉 theefe this day is better than tha◠wherein the world did first appeare For that was created for mans labour this was made for his rest that deserved death this frees him from the feare of death the light of that day is buried in darknesse the brightnesse of this day doth even enlighten the graves to conclude the dead see not the light of that day but the light of this day hath even showne forth to the dead let us therefore rejoyce in this day which both shines about the living and quickneth the dead and illuminates those who are to come Let all the world exult with joy for it is meet that as every creature did lament with mournfull teares the death of their Creator and did follow the hearse of him that was put to death upon the Crosse in the dark funerals of the night so they should now joyfully receive him triumphantly returning in his resurrection from the dead And thou also my soule rowse thy selfe from the sleepe of sinne that thou crucifie him not againe after his resurrection awake if thou be asleepe and rise from the dead when the Lord arose from the tabernacle the campe removed and all the people followed to day is the Lord of life and death risen from the grave thou must not lie snorting but follow him by thy fervent devotion the old leaven must be purged out the leaven of malice and wickednesse wee must feed on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity I am willing O God but not able thou who hast given mee grace to hate the way of the flesh and studies of this age vouchsafe that I may never set foot in that way nor ever be deceived by these inventions Lord Jesus Holy Iesus Good Iesus if thou wilt I shall be able for it is thy will that makes mee able will therefore I may have ability and will I may bring this good work to perfection Thou who did'st vouchfafe to dye for our sinns and to rise againe for our justification I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection to raise me from the grave of all my sinnes and offences
to weepe and soften my hard and stony heart Teach me O Lord to doe thy will because thou art my God Give me O Lord a heart that may stand in awe of thee a minde to love thee an understanding to know thee eares to hearken to thee eyes to see thee Take pity upon me O God take pity upon me and looke downe upon me from the holy throne of thy Majesty Lord Jesus give concord to thy Ministers peace and quietnesse to Princes that judge righteously repentance unto those that live unjustly I beseech thee O Lord for the holy universall Church for the Clergy and Layety for all Christian Governours and all that beleeve in thy Name that labour in thy holy Word that they may obtaine perseverance in good works Grant O Lord eternall King unto young men chastity to those of riper yeares holinesse and unto all innocency pardon to the repentant succour to the Orphans and Widowes to the poore protection to the travellers a happy returne comfort to them that mourne eternall rest to the faithfull a safe haven to those that rove upon the sea to the better sort of Christians that they may persevere in goodnesse to the weaker sort that they may grow better to them that commit wickednesse and still offend thee that they speedily correct their wayes with me a miserable sinner O most sweet and most mercifull Lord Jesus Christ thou Son of the living God thou Redeemer of the world that art amongst us all and in all things be mercifull to me a sinner Amen CONTEMP c. 43. Of ending the day religiously AS nights and dayes have their returnes so let the thought and celebration of Gods mercy have their returnes in thy heart For therefore are the vicissitudes of light and darknesse granted us that there might be an interchangeable restoring of labour and rest and that each of them might have its fit and appointed time If God would have made the Sunne to stand still there must have beene a perpetuall day Also if the starres had had no motion who can doubt but their must have beene an everlasting night but he gave them motion that there might be changes of nights and dayes and such various motions that there might be mutuall vicissitudes of light and darknesse in which alternate spaces of labour and of rest might appeare unto us Blesse the Lord O my soule that hath appointed the Moone for its determinate seasons and the Sunne to know her going downe that it may be night wherein all beasts of the forrest steale abroad the young Lions roaring after their prey doe seeke their food and when the Sunne ariseth they retire themselves and lay themselves downe in their dens but man goeth forth to his worke and his tillage untill the evening How ample O God are thy works how wisely hast thou made them all how full is the earth of thy possessions Consider well O man what thy work and labour hath beene this day If thy endevours have beene honest ascribe them to God if thou hast learned any good impute it to God but if thou hast done any evill and hast offended either God or thy neighbour humbly crave pardon for it nor sleepe the sleepe of oblivion or security with thy sinnes upon thee That is an accursed and darksome night in which thou goest to bed without reconciling thy selfe unto God Cast up thy reckoning and wipe out thy scores being to account with thy God and if thou finde thy account faire which alas seldome or never fals out give praises to the Lord but if it appeare soule cast thy selfe groveling at the feet of thy Lord and implore his unspeakable mercy that if thou wert even this night to be called to his judgement seat thou mightest by it be excused If thou have moved any man to anger and indignation desire his pardon nor let the Sunne set under this troubled cloud If he forgive thee beware afterwards but if he refuse thee pardon faile not earnestly to begge of God forgivenesse of thy offence And thou doe that willingly to another that thou wouldest have another doe to thee Revenge not thine owne quarrell for God hath reserved vengeance to himselfe Surely he must needs be accounted very bold that dares wrest Gods sword out of his hand The Heathens were wont to doe this when the day was ended and they retired themselves to their rest they asked their soule what wound of it was that day healed what vice it had resisted in what part it was growne better Let anger cease and it will be more temperate let thy soule know that she must daily come before her Judge What shouldest thou that art a Christian thinke of is not thy soule also a secret searcher and censurer of thee she knowes thy manner she retires into the closet of her thoughts and sees what she hath secretly wished for O heavenly Lord to whose bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite kindnesse we owe all things that hast given the most cleare light of the day as well to the bad as to the good to undertake the works of their calling and hast lovingly afforded us the friendly silence of the night to refresh the strength of our bodies and to wipe out the cares of the minde I beseech thee that those things which I have this day committed either through humane negligence or inbred malice may for thy unspeakable mercies sake be forgiven me and vouchsafe unto me also that this night by thy blessing may be happy unto me and thou being my pure keeper and protector I may be free in it from the nightly illusions of the devill that my sleepe make both my body and soule more cheerfull the next day to serve thee And because in this life there is not an houre wherein we can assure our selves from the cōming of that evening when thou shalt come and the dead be raised at the sounding of thy holy Angels trumpet I beseech thee that thou wilt enlighten the eyes of my soule that my faith may not bee extinguished and I sleepe in everlasting death but that I may rest in thee in whom even the dead do live who livest and raignest for ever more Amen CONTEMP c. 44. Of Death the last Judgement Hell and Happinesse IN all thy words remember thy last things and thou shalt never sin no artificiall medicine nor any doctrine doth so overcome pride so conquer malice so quench lust or so trample upon the vanities of this world as the remembrance of our last things What are those our last things let others here dispute what they be but let the godly weigh the matter diligently with themselves thy Death the last Judgement the glory of Heaven the paines of Hell these are the things thou must meditate of What comes more suddenly and when we lesse think of it than Death We die daily for part of our life is daily diminished and even while we encrease doth our life grow lesse the time that passeth away
is lost we even divide this very day we now enjoy betweene death and our selves Wretched man why disposest thou not of thy selfe every houre Think thou mayest now die because thou knowest thou must die call to mind that the time is comming upon the wings wherein thy eyes must sinke into thy head the veines of thy body shall be crackt in pieces and thy heart shall be cleft with sorrow remember thine owne frailtie remember the miserable estate of thy pilgrimage call to mind in the bitternesse of thy soule thy yeares past and the dangers of mans life Amidst the most uncertaine things of man yet is death most certaine yet what is found more uncertaine than the houre of death it takes no pitie upon want it reverenceth not riches and to conclude it spareth neither wisdome manners nor age this only is the difference that death standeth at the old mans doore and for the young man he lyes in ambush every one therefore ought well to feare this last day because every one in the day of Judgement shall be judged for such as he shall be found at his day of death Upon this only moment of our life depends eternity that hath no end What is more terrible than judgement and what can bee imagined more intolerable than hell What will a man feare if hee feare not these things if horrour seize not on him and if dread doe not cause him to tremble O man if thou have lost the shame which belongs to so noble a creature if thou bee not sensible of the sorrows of affliction which is also a property that belongs to mortall creatures yet lose not at least thy feare Feare therefore O man because in death thou must be parted from all the good things of this thy body and the sweet marriage knot of thy united soule and body must be cut in sunder by this most bitter divorce Feare because in that terrible Judgement thou must stand before him into whose hands it is a most fearfull thing to fall even before such an Examiner from whom nothing can be hid if iniquitie be found in thee thou must be banished the society of blisse and glory and bee severed from the number of the blessed Feare because in hell thou must be exposed to insufferable and everlasting torments and receive thy portion with the devill and his angels even in the everlasting fire prepared for them Dost thou not yet feare the face of the Judge which is even terrible to the angelicall Powers Dost not thou tremble at the wrath of that powerfull One at his angry countenance and his sharp words Art thou not affraid of the teeth of the infernall beast of the belly of hell of those yellings fore-runners of our devourings Are we not yet affraid of the gnawing worme scorching flames smoak and vapour brimstone and stormie tempests O! who shall give water to my head and a fountaine of teares unto mine eyes that by my weeping I may prevent that weeping and gnashing of teeth and those hard bands of hands and feet and that weight of oppressing fettering burning and yet not consuming chaines and that I may come to thee my Lord and my God Yet if any be so cursedly obdurate so fierce and steely that hee cannot be troubled with the feare of ill yet who can be so madde and senselesse that he will not be touched with the desire of good things There are laid up endlesse good things for them that make a godly end even things which the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive which God hath prepared for those that love him those things the preparer and worker whereof is God What things must they be thinkest thou The eye hath not seene them because they are not colour the eare hath not heard them for they are not a sound nor hath it entred into mans heart to conceive them because the heart of man must ascend unto them Why labour I then to make my tongue to utter that which my heart cannot conceive which is to be beleeved and not to be beheld nay it is not onely invisible but also unspeakable O Lord Jesus Christ when that most perilous moment approacheth wherein I shall enter into the way of immortality then give mee a quiet and pleasing repose that in the true acknowledgement and confession of thy grace I may yeeld up my spirit and my poore soule with peace and gladnesse and may deliver it into thy hands Neither let mee bee long tormented as I have a thousand times deserved and that I may enjoy peace on the earth in my body and may watch and be made coheire of the resurrection to life of all the beleevers that I may praise and glorifie thee with gladnesse and may give thee thanks for evermore for all the innumerable blessings which thou hast bestowed upon mee through the whole space of my pilgrimage Call me not to an account for my old scores and remember not the sins of my youth but be mercifull unto me according to thy great mercies and sustaine me in a firme faith and comfort even to my last gaspe that neither sinne death or the divell doe me any hurt nor that my own flesh make me impatient but that I may enter in unto thee that I may dwell with thee and may remaine with thee for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 45. Of Eternity IS it this that divideth the entrailes parteth the bowels woundeth the heart tyes the tongue shutteth the lips distracteth the senses and overwhelmes all our members with feare Rivers slow from our eyes our cheekes are watered with teares and all this torrent hath its originall from this one word a terrible word by the force and threates whereof feare and anguish are bred in us a word that no day no voice shall determine no starre-light shall shadow no constellation shall darken a word that melts the marrow and softens breakes and even minces the heart and bones though harder than the Adamant or Marble This word is Eternity a word of longer continuance than the Heavens more terrible than thunder and lightning or any tempest whatsoever It is Eternity that hath neither pause measure nor end and drives on the minds of men as it were with goades and spurs and pricks so that they search not after mutable or transitory things This word hath moved many to pluck of their glittering crownes from their ayery heads and to despise the lofty bayes and made them let fall their towring plumes and putting on a courser habit to contemplate higher and more divine things This word doth wholely possesse me nor suffers me to enjoy any encrease of content it infuses into my most disquieted soule care feare and griefe O end most remote from any end ô time without time O yeare and no yeare O number not to bee summed up of any Descend descend my soule to hell not to mix thy selfe with flames but to avoid
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