said unto him follow me Therefore as the fifth Apostle I fix him in this starry firmament He was of Bethsaida the City of Andrew and Peter and was no sooner called himselfe but hee went and found out Nathaneel and said unto him we have found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and the Prophets Iesus the Sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth A rare example of a godly minde that being converted labours to convert others and though he himselfe as some note was unlearned yet doth adventure to draw and allure the learned to the knowledge of Christ for some affirme that Nathaneel was a learned man and also this shewes that by weak meanes God can work great miracles and by the foolishness of preaching work faith in the heart which only saves a soule from eternall damnation After it is related by Iohn that the Greeks that came up to worship at the feast came to Philip and said Sir we would see that Iesus who told Andrew and they two told Iesus for it seems Philip durst not tell him alone lest Christ should aske him some question which he could not well answer as he had tried him before by this question when hee saw a great multitude about 5000 follow him into the wildernesse whence shall we buy bread that these may eat yet not long after he of himselfe shewed his own simplicity and ignorance for Christ having spoken of the knowledge of God the Father he interrupts him and bursts out with this question shew us thy Father and it sufficeth In the sixth of the Acts is related that he was chosen one of the seven Deacons in the eighth of the Acts is shewed how hee preached the word of God wrought wonders and healed divers diseases among the people in Samaria how he baptized Simon Magus and converted the Aethiopian Eunuch And in the 21 of the Acts it is declared that he had foure Daughters Virgins and Prophetesses and that Paul abode in his house at Cesarea Philippi for many dayes and some write that he was crucified at Hieropolis where he and his daughters were honourably buried Thus having described what I finde concerning the first of these Starres I should now shew the lustre of the second the ninth Apostle S. James Alpheus Brother to Simon and Jude and called the brother of the Lord for it was usuall with the Hâ—brewes to call their kinsmen brethren so Lot being the sonne of Haran Abrahams brother was by Abraham called brother Gen. 13. 8. And Iacob being the sonne of Rebecca Labans sister was called brother by Laban Gen. 20. 15. And so this Iames and Joses and Simon and Judas being the Virgin Maries sisters sonne was by the Iewes called Christs brethren in a scornefull manner Mat. 13. 55. And S. Paul in 1 Gal. 6. makes mention of this Apostle saying I saw none of the Apostles save Iames the brother of the Lord. He was by the Apostles chosen to be Bishop of Ierusalem for so saith an ancient Father Peter Iames and Iohn after the assumption of our Saviour though they were preferred by the Lord yet challenged not this prerogative to themselves but appointed Iames the Iust Bishop of Ierusalem He continued in the said See 30 years and wrote the Canonicall Epistle which beares his name And at the last wore the crowne of Martyrdome The story of whose life and death I find exquisiâ—ely written after this manner following Iames the brother of Christ took in hand the governement of the Church after the Apostles termed a just and a righteous man of all men from the time of our Saviour unto us for many other were called Iames besides him but this man was holy from his mothers wombe He dranke neither wine nor strong drink neither ate any creature wherein there was life He was neither shaven neither anointed neither did he use bath unto him alone was it lawfull to enter into the holy places he used no wollen vesture but wore a Sindone and alone frequented hee the Temple so that he was oft-times found prostrate on his knees praying for the sins of the people His knees were after the guise of a Camels knee benumm'd and bereft of the sense of feeling by reason of his continuall kneeling in supplication to God and petition for the people For the excellency of his righteousnesse he was called Iust and Oblias which soundeth by interpretation the bulwark or defence of the people in righteousnesse as prophesies do go of him When divers asked him touching the Heresies among the people which was the gate or doore of Iesu he answered the same to be the Saviour by whose meanes they beleeved Iesus to be the Christ but the foresaid heresies acknowledge neither resurrection nor the coÌ„ming of any Iudge which shall reward to every one according to his works for as many as beleeved they beleeved by meanes of Iames. When many of the Princes were perswaded there arose a tumult of the Iewes Scribes and Pharisees saying It is very dangerous lest the whole people looke after this Iesus as though hee were Christ and being gathered together they said to Iames we pray thee stay this people for they erre in Iesu as though hee were true Christ We pray thee perswade this people which frequent to the feast of the Passeover concerning Iesu for we all obey thee yea we and all the people testifie of thee that thou art just and respectest not the person of any man perswade therefore this multitude that they erre not in Iesu for the whole multitude and wee obey thee stand therefore upon the Pinnacle of the Temple that thou mayest be seene aloft and that thy word my be heard plainly of all the people for because of this Passeover all the Tribes are met together with the Gentiles The foresaid Scribes and Pharisees place Iames upon the Pinacle of the Temple and shouted unto him and said Thou just man at whose commandement we all are here in so much as this people is seduced after Iesus who was crucified declare unto us which is the way or doore of Jesus crucified And hee answered with a loud voice Why aske yee mee of Iesus the Son of Man when as he sitteth at the right hand of the great power in Heaven and shall come in the clouds of the Aire When as hee had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the testimony of Iames and said Hosanna in the highest to the Sonne of David then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves wee have done very ill in causing such a testimony of Iesus to be brought forth but let us climbe up and take him to the end the people being stricken with feare may renounce his faith And they shouted again saying O O and the Iust also is seduced and they fulfilled the Scripture which saith in Esay Let us remove the Just for hee is a stumbling block unto us wherefore they shall gnaw the buds of their owne workes They climbed up and threw Iustus
poison from the sweetest flowers But Bees draw Honey out of driest bowers I meane from bitterest things the honey flie Doth sucke much sweet Spiders in Roses lie Therefore though prying criticks prate their sill And thinke by envious words good deeds to spill And Momus-like to mocke to flout and jeere At me with envie ' cause I doe appeare In simple plainnesse yet I hope to be By wise Mecoenas lik't who out of me Though in my selfe I barren am and bare Will araw delicious and delightfull fare But what need I to feare detractors bent To none of those I hope I shall be sent Because my Authour will not have me prest In any print but what his Pen hath drest Except he be inforced thereunto Then what he would not that he must needs doe For he thinkes me unworthy to be showne To none but such as are ingenious knowne Cause as a Nosegay for his private use From famous Gardens he did me produce To give sweet sent and beautifie each part Of this rough worke and his affected heart And therefore if in Print you doe me see Blame not my Authour nor put fault in me The Pourtraiture of a Pious Man BEhold a Godly man that hath in heart True saving Faith Also in ev'ry part Of his affections is true and sincere Voide of hypocrisie and slavish feare From out his mouth doth gracious words proceed His eyes doe chiefly heav'nly objects heed His hands discharge his stewardships reckoning right His feet to walke in godly waies delight Heâ—'s mindfull of his death therefore his daies He takes account of how and in what waies He spends his time least that his godly light Should faintly blaze or be extinguisht quite And people doe delight to see his waies So full of good deeds to Gods glorious praise Yet is he humble for the good that he Doth doe he knowes to be a Gift most free Of Gods meere love and therefore doth despise The world the flesh and devill so the prize Of heav'nly blisse hâ— gaines that 's the Reward God gives the Saints for he doth most regard The pensive heart whose hope in Heav'n doth rest Thus is the man that 's truely Godly blest A preparatory prayer O Holy and everliving Lord God Infinite in Essence Glorious in Majesty terrible in Judgement and wonderfull in all thy waies how dare I a worme and no man of shallow judgment dull invention and brain-sick wit being as an Aery meteor in respect of those glorious starres men full-growne deepe judgements quicke inventions and ripe wits presume to write or speake of such holy mysteries in such unusuall tearmes as I here take in hand Certainely I must acknowledge it is thy onely worke in me and nothing in my unlearned selfe that hath induced me to undertake such a hard taske Therefore as thou hast thus graciously begun this worke in me so I hope and pray thou wilt magnifie thy power in my weakenesse and so strengthen and enable mee in the performance hereof that those who are more learned seeing and perusing this imperfect worke of mine may be induced to enforâ—e all their knowledge and skill to frame a more excellent worke to the praise of thy Name the â—difying of thy Church and salvation and consolation of thy chosen O Lord I pray Thee pardon and forgive aswell the errors and faults that I have committed in this Booke as all the grievous sinnes I have heretofore committed against thee from time to time in thought word and deed Give me I humbly beseech thee a true sight and feeling of them that the consideration therof may drive me to a serious hearty and timely Repentance for them O Lord increase my faith make it lively and operative in good workes for that purpose perfect thy love in me and my love to thy members make me now and ever thankefull for all blessings spirituall and temporall continually bestowed upon me and that for Jesus Christ his sake thy onely Sonne my alone Saviour to whome with Thee holy Father and thy blessed Spirit three Persons and one God be ascribed and given as most due is by me and all creatures all honour glory praise adoration obedience and thankesgiving from everlasting to everlasting Amen Let the words of my mouth and the Meditations of my heart be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Salomons Temple The figure of the Heauens and Elements 10 The first moveable Heavene 9 The Christaâ—ine Heaven 8 Leo * 4 ♋ Cancer * ♊ Gemini * 2 ♉ taurus * 1 ♈ Aries * 12 ♓ Pisâ—e * 11 â™’ Aqâ—*ar 10 ♑ Capri * 9 â™ Sagita * 8 â™ Scorp * 7 ♎ libra * 6 â™ virgo * 5 7 ♄ Saturne could and dry malevolent Lead 6 ♃ Iupiter hott and moyst Benevolent Tynne 5 ♂ Mars hott and dry Malevolent Iron 4 ☉ The sonne hott and dry Benevolent Gould 3 ♀ Venus Could and moist Benevolent copper 2 ☿ Mercury such as he is ioyned with Quick silver 1 ☾ The Moone could and moist Benevolent silver EARTH A generall Survey of this Annuall World THis insuing discourse may not unfitly bee compared unto the Temple of the Lord which King Solomon builded and would very well beseem the head and hand of such a workeman for finishing thereof for if he that was wisest that ever was or shall be did not disdaine to write of Trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hisop on the wal would never have thought it any disparagement to and for ought I know did write of all the works of God from the base Centre of this earthly Tabernâ—cle to the highest Mansion of the heavenly Spheares For I doe ingenuously confesse and humbly acknowledge that this worke rather requires the skilfull Pensill of a rare Apelles to draw to the life or the learned quill of an eloquent Cicero to demonstrate to the full than my unworthy illiterate Pen or dul invention to describe Yet having by Gods enablement upon my weak endevours framed this rare structure in my minde I could not rest satisfied till I had writ what I had so rudely formed And so I have beene bold to compare it to King Solomons Temple for as in that rare Fabrick there were three courts the Outward Middle and Sanctum Sanctorum so likewise in this worke I doe observe three kindes or Species of Meditations The first as the outward Court are Meditations of the foure seasons of the Yeare the foure Elements and their effects The second as the middle Temple are Meditations of the seven Planets on those dayes that commemorate the meritorious workes of our Saviour Christ And the third as Sanctum Sanctorum are Meditations of the starry Christalline and first moving heaven on divers festivall dayes in the yeare Now as in Solomons Temple there was a porch or gate where being entred you might discerne the spaciousnesse of the outward court and the decent behaviour of the people attending upon the royall High Priest
exercised therein by all to expresse and make manifest our profession before men Secondly in invocation to God that it would please him to send downe into my heart the messenger of his love the Holy Ghost to assure me by manifest signes and tokens set down in his Word that Christ is formed in my soule that the Lord of life rules in the triangle of my heart that the Sonne of God is conceived in my minde that so beleeving the truth of this dayes commemoration and finding in my heart the operation of this heavenly work I may now as the year begin to spring and grow in all pious and commendable qualities to the praise and glory of God the comfort of others and endlesse salvation of my owne soule Amen THE SUNNE Or A Meditation on the Nativity of Christ THus though ruggedly having finished the outward Court of this beautifull Fabrick I should now begin to garnish the Inner or Middle Temple and therein display the laborious actions of the glorious High Priest But when I considered the curious carvings rare Imbroyderings and rich materialls fit for such a building I stood at a stand not daring further to proceed considering my owne poverty and insufficiencie for the performance thereof especially in the very entrance the splendor of this radiant Sunne did so dazle the eye of my understanding that I was resolved to rest my selfe in the door of this Tabernacle for I doe humbly acknowledge that I am not inriched with the pure gold of divine learning nor the fine silk of sweet eloquence but yet I praise God for it I am indued with some confused notions as unhew'd timber ragged expressions as Badgers skins and rough invention as Camels haire which were of some use in the Tabernacle as well as gold purple silke and fine linnen therefore having laid the foundation of this worke and reared it up to the first story I would not be accounted a foolish builder to leave off in the middle of my worke so though I have not such elegant expressions and learned divisions as the learned yet I will assay to make a course peece of worke thereof And though I have not such Eagles eyes as to behold the Divinity of this glorious Sunne yet being covered with the vaile of humanity my tender weak eyes may looke upon him and see him as on this day to arise in the firmament of his Church as the Sun of righteousnesse with healing under his wings for Salvation sprung from on high this day hath visitedus Now as the Sunne I will here write of him in those usuall names by which the Sun is called which will lively demonstrate the comparative nature of either if my dark expressions do not too much ecclipse their lustre The naturall Sun is called by foure names Sol Apollo Phoebus and Titan. First he is called Sol because he appeares alone All other lights vanish at his presence There is but one Sun in the Firmament so likewise Christ is the only begotten Sonne of God by eternall generation others are the sons of God by adoption He the holy one of God even holinesse it selfe in the abstract others are holy by donation in the concrete He the onely Saviour of mankinde no salvation but by him he the only intercessor and mediator between God and man excluding Saints and Angels He the light that came into the world without whom is darknesse In briefe he is the only King that governs defends protects the Saints the only Priest that offered himselfe a Sacrifice for the redemption of mankinde and the only Prophet that shewes the way of salvation to his chosen so equivalent to Sol. Secondly the naturall Sunne is called Apollo the God of wisdome knowledge and learning He that was famous in his time for Musick Physick Poetry and Divination so in like manner Christ is the eternall wisdome of the Father the fountain of al heavenly knowledge the true Physitian of the soule the good Samaritan that binds up the broken hearted heals the afflicted spirit and mollifies the hard dispositions of mans depraved nature frozen in sinne and wickednesse he that only can make the sad heart rejoyce and make mercy the disconsolate soul whose soule-ravishing parables answers and doctrines were such as never man spake of whose Prophesies and divinations not one jot or tittle shall fall to the ground without their accomplishment so the true Prophet and so divine Apollo Thirdly the naturall Sunne is called Phoebus the spring of light the discoverer of all things and the expeller of darknesse so Christ is the true light which enlightneth every man that commeth into the world of his fulnesse we all receive the light of grace he is the searcher of the heart the tryer of our spirits he knows our thoughts long before nothing is hid from his sight he shewes the vanity of the world the deceitfulnesse of riches the shame of pleasure the folly of sport the danger of greatnesse inconstancy of honour and strickt account to be given for all At his presence all the grosse darknesse of mans ignorance vanishes he is the fountaine of knowledge for all the light that all mankinde ever had have or shall have is but as a spark to this Sun or as a drop to this Ocean so like Phoebus And lastly the Sun is called Titan for his burning heat parching nature and revenging qualities which he takes upon Grasse and graine in the scorching Summer so Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse in the hot Summer of the last judgement when he shall appeare in the clouds with power and great glory shall take vengeance upon his enemies and ease him of his adversaries Then shall he speake unto them in his wrath and vex them in his hot displeasure Then when his wrath shall be kindled and wax hot he shall wound even Kings in the day of his fury with a Scepter of Iron and break them in peeces like a potters vessell Then shall his enemies look upon him whom they have pierced and be confounded with shame and consumed for feare of his heavy displeasure for who is able to abide and stand before that consuming fire so in this respect as I conceive agreeable to Titan. Now having taken a view of this glorious Sun behold him to arise in the rags of our nature out of the cloudy undefiled bed of the blessed Virgin in this briefe story By consent of all writers both Pagan Jewish and Christian Iesus whom we beleeve and confesse to be the true Christ was borne the twenty fifth day of December Anno Mundi 4021 in the end of the forty one yeare of the reigne of the Emperour Octavius Caesar surnamed Augustus which was fifteene yeares before his reigne ended and in the thirty fourth yeare of Herods reigne in Jewry when the three famous Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Grecians was past over and ended and the Romans were entred into the fourth which was greater than any of the rest
never till then was the like done Gods providence secretly working in this that it might bee the more evident that this was the time of the Messtah In whom as in their common Lord and Head people of all Nations throughout the world are united in humble obedience to him their Soveraign For the rest of the Nativity of our blessed Saviour it is so learnedly and divinely written by Mr. Austin that my weake invention is not able in the least measure to imitate much lesse should this my dim candle shew any light before his bright Sun Therefore I shut up all with what I find written concerning the Manger in which Christ was laid which by consent of Antiquity was a place without the Citie hewen out of a Rock and called by the name of a Manger Saint Basil saith The Birth of Christ was a common Feast for all creatures Angels came singing the Stars run about the heavens the Magi are brought from the Gentiles and the earth receiveth him in a Cave Justin Martyr saith That because Joseph had no place to turne into Bethlehem hee went into a Cave neere thereunto Origen There is shewâ—d in Bethlehem a cave wherin Christ was born and in it a Manger Theo Wee shew no magnificent things but a Den a Manger and a poore Virgin Jerome writes of Paula that shee went into the Den of our Saviour the Virgins Inne And Brocardus who travelled thither saith It was on the East part of the Citie And had it not been without the Citie the Shepherds had not found him it being late at night and the City gates shut And some affirme that part of it remaines to be seen at this day cut out of rock not of marble but other stone as many mangers be in that country But whether it was an Inne or a Cave within or without the City it is not materiall yet this shewes the poverty of the Virgin and her Spouse that they were not able to make any great provision Now I will conclude this dayes Meditation with that divine Prayer of Doctor Featley's in these words Gratious Lord Iesus Christ the Son of God and Saviour of Man the Ioy of Angels and dread of devils the Jewes Messiah and the Gentiles Starre the Hope of the living and the Resurrection of the dead the the Way to al that come unto thee the Truth to all that know thee and the Life to all that beleeve in Thee Make good all thy glorious and gracious Titles unto mee Lord protect me Iesu save me Christ my annointed King rule me my annointed Priest sanctifie me my annointed Prophet reveile unto mee the secrets of thy Kingdom Oh Christ whose Name is an Oyntment powred out annoint me with the oyle of Gladnesse this day above others This is the day which the Lord hath made I will rejoyce and be glad in it nay I dare take the note higher and sing This is the day in which the Lord was made I will exult and triumph in it Thou which madest al dayes wert this day made of a woman and made under the Law From all eternity it was never heard that eternity entred into the Kalender of time supreme Majesty descended into the womb Immensity was comprehended Infinity bounded Vbiquity inclosed and the Deity incarnated Yet this day it was seene for this day the Word became flesh God became man and to effect this wonderfull mystery a Virgin became a Mother one deepe calleth upon another one miracle begetteth another the Sunne bringeth forth all other dayes but this day brought thee forth the Sunne of Righteousnesse If we set our voyces and instruments and heart-strings to the highest straine of joy at the birth of great Kings and Princes what ought I to doe at this day on which thou the King of heaven wast borne upon the earth At the marriage of great personages men give full scope to all manner of expressions of carnall joy even oftentimes to the very surfet of the senses with pleasure how then should I bee ravished with spirituall joy at this time when heaven and earth the divine nature and humane were maried The contract was in heaven before all times but the marriage was this day consummated in the undefiled bed of the Virgin Lord who this day camest downe to me draw me up to thee and give mee accesse with more confidence and boldnesse for now thou art become my Brother and Ally by blood The rayes of thy divine Majesty will not dazle the eyes of my soule they being now veiled with thy flesh This day thou didst unite thy selfe to me naturally and substantially and becamest truly flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone unite me to thee this day spiâ—itually and make me a true member of thy mysticall body that I may be flesh of thy flesh and bone of thy bone Lord thou didst this day participate of my humane nature make me this day participate by grace of thy divine so far as I am capable therof and impart and communicate unto me the merit of al thyactions and benefit of all thy sufferings in this thy nature O my Lord and my God who by assuming flesh unto thy divine person hast sanctified it and highly advanced it farre above all creatures keepe me from defiling my flesh with sinfull pollutions or abasing or inthralling it to Satan O Son of God who by this incarnate Nature becamest the Sonne of Man make me the sinfull son of man by Grace and Adoption to become the son of God And as thou this day according to the words of thine Angell wert borne to mee bee borne also in mee that from henceforth I live not but thou in me Let thy Spirit quicken me thy Flesh nourish me thy Wisedome guide me thy Grace sanctifie mâ— and thy Word instruct me Let the Holy Ghost of Whom thou wast conceived beget thee in me by the Immortall seed of thy Word Let my Faith conceive thee my Profession bring thee forth my Love embrace thee and Devotion entertaine and continually keepe thee with mee till thy second comming So come unto mee Lord Iesus come quickly Amen THE MOONE OR A Meditation on New-yeares day AFter you have taken a view of the Sacrifice prepared A Lambe slain from the beginning you may bee pleased to behold how the Priest begins to draw its blood with the sharpe knife of the Ceremonial Law as on this day which may very wel be compared to the Moon from her foure-fold nomination First shee is called Lucina or Luna because shee is a light which appears in the dark night so the Ceremoniall Law was as a Light in the night of ignorance when all the world was in darknesse God separated the Jewes to himselfe as David saith God hath given Lawes unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel hee hath not dealt so with any other nation neither have the Heathen knowledge of his Lawes Secondly the Moone is called Cynthia which was an high hill in Delos that
described by many famous and learned men I will only write the briefe story thereof as I find it in a book entitled Itinerarium totius Sacrae Scripturae in these words After that our blessed Saviour had eaten the Paschal Lamb according to the Law which was the fourth Passeover that he kept with his Disciples and in stead thereof had instituted and ordained the Sacrament of his blessed Body and Blood in that his last Supper which was about six or seven of the clocke in the evening upon Thursday the second day of April just at the beginning of the fourteenth day of the first moneth Abib or Nisan which began about the evening of this day he washed his Disciples feet and leaning upon the Table pointed out Judas that should betray him from the ninth houre to the tenth about the second watch of the night Iudas that Traytor went from his Disciples In the mean time Christ made that long Sermon recited only by Iohn 14. 15 16. and made that effectuall prayer Iohn 17. About the tenth houre after they had sung à Psalme Christ went over the brooke Kedron to the Garden of Gethsemane being somewhat more than halfe a mile there betweeen the houres of eleven and twelve hee sweat water and blood and prayed earnestly About twelve of the clock it being then midnight Christ was betrayed by Iudas who about three dayes before had sold him for thirty silverlings which was worth about three pound fifteene shillings From Gethsemane the Jews brought him bound to Jerusalem and about one of the clocke in the morning carried him to the house of Annas who was one of the chief Priests About two of the clocke they led him from thence to Caiaphas cheife Priest from three of the clocke till foure which was about the Cock's crowing Peter denyed Christ At the same time Caiaphas and all the Rulers of the people in Jerusalem would have condemned the Lord of Glory the Sonne of God At the same time also the servants and officers of the Priests beat him and mocked him About five of the clocke in he morning Christ was condemned by the whole consent of Synedrion of the Jewes All these things Christ suffered between Thursday and Friday And whereas the Jews according to the cōmandement of God begin their day in the evening therefore that night wherein our Saviour suffered all these things belonged to the fourteenth day of the month Abib so that just at the same time as the Feast of the Paschal Lambe was celebrated amongst the Jews Christ the Lamb of God was made a living sacrifice on the Crosse for the sins of man Thus we have observed the hours of the night so likewise let us observe the houres of the day Friday being the third day of April which as I have said began the evening before was the fourteenth day of the first month Abib or Nisan among the Jewes at six of the clock in the morning about Sunne rising of the same day our Saviour Jesus Christ was brought unto Pilate and Judas Iscariot hanged himselfe because he had betrayed innocent blood About seven of the clock in the same morning our Saviour was carried to Herod Antipas that cruell Tyrant who the yeare before had put Iohn Baptist to death where hee was disdainfully handled but Pilate and he were made friends At eight of the clock our Saviour returned to Pilate who propounded unto the Jewes because they were to have a capitall offender delivered unto them at the Feast of the Passeover whether they would have Jesus their King or Barabbas who had beene a murtherer let loose unto them But they condemned Jesus and chose Barabbas whose name signifies the son of the Multitude or a seditious man About nine of the clock in the morning which the Jewes commonly call the third houre of the day because it succeeded the morning and continued till noone our Saviour Christ was whipt and crowned with thornes About ten of the clock Pontius Pilat in the place called Gabbatha publiquely condemned Christ to be crucified and washed his hands in token of innocency Pontius signifies cruell and inhumane Pilat a man armed with a Roman dart Between ten and eleven our Saviour Christ carrying his Crosse was brought to the place called Golgotha About eleven of the clocke the third houre of the morning being not yet fully finished our Saviour Christ was fastened upon the Crosse where hee hung foure houres viz. from eleven till about three of the clocke in the afternoone And he spake before that supernaturall eclipse of the Sunne three memorable sayings First Father forgive them for they know not what they doe Secondly he said to his Mother Woman behold thy Sonne And to Iohn being converted Behold thy Mother Thirdly to the Theefe Verily I say unto thee this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise About twelve of the clocke in that meridian which the Jewes call the sixt houre that is the sixt houre from the rising of the Sun that supernaturall eclipse of the Sun happened of which you may reade in Dionysius the Areopagite and Eusebius About three of the clocke in the afternoone which the Jews call the ninth houre the Sun now beginning to receive his light our Saviour spake these foure sayings My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Secondly I thirst Thirdly when he had taken the spong he said It is finished and last of all crying out with a loud voice he said Futher into thy hands I commend my Spirit and so dyed At which time there were many wonderfull miracles wrought as you may reade Mat. 27. Mark 15. Luke 23. Iohn 19. About foure of the clock in the afternoone our blessed Saviour was pierced thorow with a lance and there issued out of his side water and blood About five of the clock which the Iewes call the eleventh houre of the day our Saviour Christ was buried by Ioseph of Arimathea and Nichodemus About the sixth houre there was an eclipse of the Moone which was naturall and not miraculous neither is it observed by any of the Evangelists Upon the fifteenth of the first month which answereth to the fourth of April being justly called the great and holy Sabbath of the Iewes for that Christ this day rested in the Sepulchre the Priests and Pharisees being partly joyfull because as they thought the disturber of the common peace and one that opposed their authority was dead and partly carefull how they might prevent his Resurrection went to Pilate and obtained of him a band of souldiers to watch the Sepulchre and to put his seale upon the stone Now as at the Birth of Christ I writ what I found concerning the manger in which Christ was laid when hee was borne so I thought it not amisse to set downe the description of the Sepulchre in which he was laid when he was dead as I finde it in the forenamed book in these words The sepulchre of Christ stood upon the west side of
nay of immortalitie if otherwise it turneth into deadly poyson for hee that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himselfe not discerning thâ— Lords body Now the only reason why I do compare the meritorious action of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus on this day to Jupiter who as the Poets feine him was Lord of Heaven and Earth is for that as he overcame the malicious and revengefull Titan and all those monstrous and cruell Giants his sonnes called the Titanes and victoriously triumphed over theÌ„ so likewise Christ the Lord of glory and King of Kings as on this day being then the fifth of Aprill and first day of the Jewish weeke having overcome the dreadfull and spitefull Serpent the old Dragon in the Revelation according as it was prophesied of him Gen. 3. 15. and all those fiends that follow him sinne death and hell according to another prophesie in Hosea and having by his divine power raised himself from death to life as David long agoe foretold that God would not leave his soule in hell nor suffer his holy one to see corruption but that according to another prophesie of Hosea in the person of the children of Israel After two dayes he will revive in the third day raise up that we may live in his sight which is the same with the Sybils in these words He shall end the necessity of death by three dayes sleepe and then returning from death to life againe he shall be the first that shall shew the beginning of the resurrection to his chosen for that by conquering death he shall bring us life And last of all having according to his own promise which he oft times made to his Disciples That as Ionas was three dayes and three nights in the whales belly so should he be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it up are his owne words in another place meaning the temple of his body And that the Sonne of man shall be delivered into the hands of men and they shall kill him but the third day he shall rise again in another place fast bound the Dragon in the bottomelesse pit and taking away the sting of death which is sinne gloriously triumphed over the enemies of mans salvation and rising out of the Sepulchre of death confounded the souldiers that were his guard with amazement caused the earth to quake and the Angels of God to descend from heaven to attend upon his triumphs did forty dayes walke upon the earth in this triumphant manner and made twelve apparitions to his Disciples and others The first was to Mary Magdalen alone Iohn 10. 14. The second to all the women together as they returned homewards Matth. 20. 9. The third was to Simon Peter alone about noone 1 Cor. 15. 5. Luke 24. 34. The fourth was in the afternoon to the two Disciples as they went to the Castle of Emaus which was some eight miles from Jerusalem the ones name was Cleophas and brother of Joseph who brought up our Saviour and the other as may be gathered by the circumstance of the story was Luke because he hath set it downe so exactly Luke 24. The fifth was after he returned invisibly from Emaus to Jerusalem where when the doores were all shut and his Disciples were assembled together for feare of the Jewes he came and stood in the midst of them Iohn 20 19. And all these apparitions were in one day which was called the first day of the weeke The sixth apparition was eight dayes after his resurrection being the twelth of Aprill to all his Disciples Thomas being then present and the doores shut That he might make evident that his omnipotency was not tyed to any secondary causes or hindred by the property of any naturall bodies which according to S. Austine was so much the more wonderfull because hee appeared unto them substantially and effectually not as a phantasma or shadow which vanisheth away and is without any corporâ—all substance but did eat and drink and suffered his body to be handled by his Disciples The seventh apparition was to Peter Thomas Nathaneel the sons of Zebedeus and other two Disciples as they were fishing upon the shore of Tiberias which stood 36 miles from Ierusalem Northward betweene Bethsaida and Capernaum Iohn 21. The eighth was to the eleven Apostles on Mount Tabor in Galilee The ninth was to more then five hundred brethren at one time as S. Paul witnesseth The tenth was to James the son of Alpheus for he had beene seene before by Iames the son of Zebedeus but the certaine time of these foure last apparitions is not set downe But on the fourteenth day of May which was forty dayes after his resurrection he appeared to all his Apostles Disciples and friends together on Mount Olivet And in their sight with great triumph and joy he ascended into Heaven And last of all after his ascension he appeared to S. Paul as himselfe relates Thus as Luke affirmeth he shewed himselfe alive by many arguments for the space of forty dayes together and reasoned with them of the kingdome of his father Why then should any man mistrust the testimony of these men which saw him ate with him dranke with him touched him and heard him speak and whose entire estate and welfare depended wholly of the certainety thereof For what comfort had it beene or consolation to those men to have devised of themselves those former apparitions what encouragement might they have taken in these dolefull times of desolation and affliction to have had among them the dead body of him on whose only life their universall hope and confidence depended The Scribes and Pharisees being astonished at the sudden news of his rising againe confirmed unto them by their owne souldiers that saw it found no other way to resist the fame thereof but only by saying as their posterity do at this day that his Disciples came by night and stole away his body while the souldiers slept But what likelyhood or possibility can there be in this for first it is evident to all the world that his Apostles themselves who were the heads of all the rest were so dismaied discomforted and dejected at that time as they durst not once goe out of the doore for which cause only those silly women who for their sex esteemed themselves more free from violence presumed alone to visit his Sepulchre which no one man durst doe for feare of the souldiers untill by those women they were informed that the foresaid band of souldiers were terrified and put to flight by Christs resurrection And then how was it likely that men so much amazed and overcome with feare should adventure to steale away a dead body from a guard of souldiers that kept it or if their hearts had served to adventure so great a danger what hope or probability had there beene of successe especially considering the said body lay in
that made the stout souldiers to bow their heads in humility the fruitlesse and barren Publican to bear the fruit of Charity and all the common people to cry out with an unanimous consent What shall we doe This is the Angell of the Lord sent as a Messenger before his face to prepare his wayes he that was borne after a supernatural manner lived an austere angelicall life clad in course and rough habite fed with spare diet And after one yeare in his ministerial office for testifying the truth to fulfill the wicked desires of a lewd struÌ„pet prompt by her bloody mother when hee was little more than one and thirty yeares of age by the commandement of cruel Herod was beheaded in the Tower of Macherus which was a Towne of Peraea beyond Jordan twenty miles from Jerusalem towards the East scituated on a high Mountain which Townes name being derived from Machera signifies a sword and Iohn dyed by a sword Thus was this light withdrawne this lampe extinguished and this star clouded But all this is so excellently performed by Mr. Austin that the lustre of his bright Sun hath eclipsed this my star which inforceth me to conclude as hee doth in the Collect of the Church saying Almighty God by whose providence thy servant Iohn Baptist was wonderfully borne and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching of Penance make me so to follow his doctrine and holy life that I may truly repent according to his preaching and after his example constantly speake the truth boldly rebuke vice and patiently suffer for the truths sake through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen On the Feast of Saint Matthew THe next light after the Baptist in the Evangelical firmament I place the first of the Evangelists for which it may be some of the upholders of the universall Bishops Soveraignty will cavill with me because I doe not set the prime Apostle S. Peter in the first place For though Saint Matthew was the first Writer yet it may bee said Saint Peter was the first Preacher after the Ascension of our Lord as is evident in the first and second of the Acts. And there hath been as glorious lights Preachers as Writers But yet for that the History of the Gospell is the foundation of all writing and preaching I will begin with Saint Matthew who wrote his Gospel before the other three as is evident by Revel 6. 1. For when Christ which is the Lamb there mentioned had opened the sealed doctrine of our redemption in the first yeare of his ministeriall office to the six and thirtieth yeare after his birth one of the foure Beasts which by interpretours is Matthew writes his Gospell in the Hebrew tongue and in the mighty stile of Gods thundring Spirit set out the same willing all Nations to come and see viz. approach and consider it About which time in accomplishment of the second verse Christ and his Apostles passe out and preach to all the testimony of the Gospell shooting the arrowes of zeale to pierce all godly hearts which is prefigured in him that sate on the white horse crowned with victory and triumphantly conquering and overcomming the world And that S. Matthew is one of the four beasts is evident for both Ezekiel in his first chapter and S. Iohn in his fourth makes mention that one of the beasts had a face like a man which by all interpreters is applyed to Matthew because hee begins his first face or leafe with the genealogie of Christ as he is man of the seed of David by the Virgin Mary And the Prophet Ezekiel writing in Hebrew to the Hebrewes saith the first face of one of the foure beasts was as the face of a man meaning S. Matthew wrote first in Hebrew But the Prophet S. John writing in Greeke to the Grecians saith the first beast had the face of a Lion meaning S. Marke who wrote first in Greek S. Matthew was the third whose Gospell when S. Iohn wrote his was translated out of Hebrew into Greek Another reason why S. Matthews Gospell is set first is because he being an Apostle was to give light and open the way to the rest as S. Iohns Gospell is set last because being an Apostle he might give authority and confirme the former two which were Disciples and writ their Gospell Saint Marke by the instruction and approbation of S. Peter and S. Luke by the authority of S. Paul Saint Matthew setting downe his owne story is so farre from flattery that he cals himselfe Matthew the Publican and tels how he was called to be an Apostle as he was sitting at the receipt of custome which text is excellently expounded in M. Austins divine Meditations And as some report it was in Caesarea Philippi where likewise Christ cured the woman afflicted with the bloody issue 12 yeares by the touch of the hemme of his garment It is likewise related that S. Matthew having writ his Gospel delivered it to Iames the Lords brother then Bishop of Jerusalem preached the Gospell in Aethiopia now called the Kingdome of Presbyter-Iohn and was entertained by the Eunuch Chamberlaine to the Quâ—ene Candace whereof there is mention in the Acts. He prevailed so much that Aeglippus the King of Aethiopia and his people came to baptisme But there reigned after him one Hyrtacus which hated the Apostle and commanded him to be runne through with a sword But some say he was runne through with a speare at Hierapolis in Parthia where he was honourably buried so that he did not only write the Testament of his Lord but for confirmation of the truth thereof sealed it with his blood What may be further writ concerning this blessed Apostle I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day as the Church hath set it in her Liturgy saying Almighty God which by thy blessed Sonne didst call Matthew from the receipt of custome to be an Apostle and Evangelist grant me grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches and to follow thy said son Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy holy Spirit three persons and one God now and for ever Amen On S. Markes-day THe next fundamentall light that appeared in the Evangelicall Sphere was S. Marke as appeares in the third and fourth verses of the sixth of the Revelation For when the second Beast or Gospell began to invite men to the perusall thereof then there went out another horse which was red and power was given to him that sate theron to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword which is thus paraphrased At that time proceeded tyrannous and bloody magistrates sitting in the seat of tyranny to whom power was given to persecute Gods Saints on earth and to deprive them of peace by causing all men to kill them abusing so the sword of Justice that God had given them And this was
of Christ that he was suffred to leane on Christs bosome when he was at Supper He his brother and Peter were permitted to see Christs Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and they three were taken from the rest to behold his Agony in the Garden Wherefore the Mother of John dreaming that Christ should bee a temporall King presuming so much upon the love which shee saw in Christ towards her children boldly asked That they might have the greatest honour viz. one to sit at the right hand and the other at the left in his Kingdome Yet though this is noted by Saint Matthew to be the Mothers desire Saint Marke relating the same story Chap. 10. 35. saith That it was the desire of Iames and Iohn for which the other Disciples disdained them two to shew that it was their ambition to solicite their Mother to make such a petition which Gospell though it touched Saint Iohn who then lived and had the perusall thereof never denyed it nor took it il but approved that the other two Evangelists to be true so sincere simple and without all art of flattery or rhetorical amplification was all their writings that they do not spare Christ himselfe whom they adore and acknowledge to bee their God and Saviour but shew the infirmities of his flesh as he was a man as his hunger and thirst his being weary and how hee wept his passions of feare anger love c. therefore much lesse would they favour the Apostles or themselves And last of all Christ upon the Crosse to expresse the great love that hee bare this Apostle called the blessed Virgin his Mother and him her sonne And from that day to her death she lived with him Presently after the feast of Pentecost when hee with the rest had received the holy Ghost he with Peter was cast into prison for healing the cripple Acts 4. And a while after he with Peter was sent by the Apostles to preach the Word of God in Samaria Act. 8. Foure yeares after the death of the Virgin Mary he was present at the Apostolicall Councell in Jerusalem Now Iames his brother who was called the elder was beheaded two yeares before for this Councell was celebrated in the presence of Iames the younger Peter Iohn Paul and Barnabas c. about sixteen yeares after the Resurrection of Christ and fourteen after the Conversion of Paul Gal. 2. Act. 15. After the death of Paul he governed the Churches of Asia minor where he wrote his Gospell And in the 86. year of his age being cast into a vessell of boyling oyle and comming out unhurt by the command of Domitian the Emperour he was banished into the I le of Pathmos where he wrote his Revelation to the seven Churches in Asia It is related of him that hee turned certain peeces of wood into gold and stones by the sea side into Margrits to satisfie the desire of two whom he perswaded to renounce their riches and after they repenting that for worldly treasure they had lost heaven changed them into the same substance againe That he raised up a widow and a young man from death to life That he drunke poyson and it hurt him not and raised up two to life which had drunk the same before and that he called a young man to repentance that was captaine of theeves After the death of Domitian he came to Ephesus whâ—re as Saint Austin relates he caused his grave to be made and in the presence of divers went in alive and being no sooner in and to their seeming dead they covered him which kind of Rest saith he was rather tearmed a sleepe than death for that the earth of the grave bubbleth or boyleth up after the manner of a Well by reason of John resting therein and breathing a signe of his slumbering therein And thus he dyed when hee was as some relate an hundred and twenty years old others say ninety nine and some ninetie one the truth of all which I leave to the diligâ—nt search of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Mercifull Lord I beseech thee to cast the bright beames of light upon thy Church that it being lightned by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint Iohn may attaine to thy everlasting Gifts through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Saint Peters day HAving made a briefe relation of the lives and deaths of the foure Evangelists who writ the Gospell of our Lord and Saviour Now I should set forth the glorious lustre of those Stars which were equall and some before them in the order of Apostleship The first in order is Simon whose surname was Peter the son of Iona of Bethsaida in Galilee The order of his precedency is noted by three Evangelists in four places where all the Apostles are nominated viz. Matth. 10. Mark 3. Luke 6. and Act. 1. But whether he were the first that was called to be an Apostle or no I cannot certainly determine for though Saint Matthew and Marke make relation that hee with his brother Andrew were first called yet Saint Iohn affirmes that two of Iohn's disciples followed Christ of which one was Andrew who went and told his brother Simon that he had found the Messias But whether he were first or second that was called to the Apostleship I leave to the learned The Evangelists make more mention of him than of any one Apostle besides as first they shew that Christ comming to his house healed his wives mother of a fever Then they shew how ready he was to walke on the sea at the command of Christ and yet because of a little tempest his strong courage failed him and he ready to sincke Then againe his noble confession that hee made of Christ for which Christ so highly commended him but presently after they shew his carnall feare for which Christ checked him Then they shew Christs love to him in making choise of him and the two sonnes of Zebedeus to be spectators of his glorious transfiguration and bitter agony in the Garden and in the first they say hee spake hee knew not what being overcome with joy and in the second they shew his carelesnesse for which Christ checked him by name because hee could not watch one houre Then they shew how inquisitive he was to aske questions how oft shall I forgive my brother in one place dost thou wash my feet in another and what shall this man doe in a third c. And last of al before his PassioÌ„ they declare his strong resolution Though all men foâ—sake thee yet will not I. And yet presently after they shew how basely hee denied his Lord Christ All the particular relations that the Evangelists make of this Apostle are so many that it would make a little volume to make rehearâ—all of them And I have intended brevitâ— Therefore will I make a short story of his life after the Passion of Christ as it is related in the Acts and other Authors After the
Ascention of Christ he made the first Oration to the eleven for the choice of an Apostle in the place of Iudas And after the feast of Pentecost he made the first Sermon by which 3000 souls were added to the Church After that he healed the lame man at the Temple gate for which he and Iohn were brought before the Councell Then is shewed in the fifth of the Acts how God by him punished the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira After is declared how he was sent by the Apostles with Iohn to preach in Samaria where for ought I know he withstood Simon Magus and not at Rome as some affirme In the sixth yeare after the Resurrection of Christ he went to Lidda and cured Aeneas who had bin sick of the Palsey eight yeares From thence he went to Ioppa raised Tabitha from death And in the seventh yeare after the Resurrection he came to Cesarea Strato where he preached the Gospell to Cornelius the Centurion and baptized him and his whole family In the eleventh yeare after the Resurrection hee was cast into prison and set at liberty by an Angell About five yeares after he was at the councell of the Apostles in Jerusalem And the yeare following went into Antioch of which place he was the first Bishop and the Disciples there the first Christians and being at Babylon writ his first Epistle to the strangers that dwelt in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Yet it is reported in Ecclesiasticall histories that Peter came from Antioch to withstand Simon Magus at Rome and there kept the Chaire 25 yeares 12 under Claudius and 13 under Nero. He opposed Simon Magus once in restoring a Noble man to life and another time when hee was going to flye into the Aire Peter brought him down with his wings headlong to the ground by which fall his legs and joynts were broken and he thereupon dyed But there are divers of the learned that affirme that Peter never came to Rome at all as may be gathered out of those five Epistles which S. Paul writ from Rome being there a Prisoner and in the conclusion of them names all his friends but never makes mention of Peter in any one of them which were written about the fifth yeare of the reigne of Nero. And when he writes to the Romans which was the second yeare of Nero hee never makes mention of any salutation to Peter which if he had beene then Bishop of that place he would not have omitted And if ever Peter were at Rome at all he came thither after the last imprisonment of S. Paul and a few dayes before his martyrdome but whether it was that he was martyred at Rome by the command of Nero or at Ierusalem by the appointment of King Agrippa or as some say at Babylon it is not materiall But certaine it is that hee was crowned with the wreath of martyrdome and was crucified with his head downeward and his feet upward which death hee chose because he confessed himselfe to be unworthy to suffer in the same manner and forme as his Lord suffered And it is reported by some when his wife was led to suffer martyrdome as he hung upon the crosse others say as hee went out of doores he greatly rejoyced and encouraged her calling her by name saying Be of good comfort and remember the Lord Iesus The truth of all which stories I leave to the consideration of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day Almighty God which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ hast given many excellent gifts to thy Apostle S. Peter and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock Make I beseech thee all Bishops and Pastors diligently to follow the same to preach thy holy word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the crowne of everlasting glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saint Andrew SAint Matthew and Saint Luke place this Apostle next to his Brother S. Peter because as some affirme they were first called to the Apostleship Yet this blessed starre for many other rare graces related of him by the Evangelists and other authors may well have precedency before others First for his earnest desire to draw other men to the knowledge of Christ for when he heard it of Iohn the Baptist he presently called his Brother Simon Iohn 1 40. After when the Grecians desired to see Christ he with Philip made him acquainted therewith and last of all he spent much labour time in preaching Christ to the barbarous Scythians Saxons and other Aethiopians Secondly for his ready willingnesse to follow Christ and be his Disciple for as Iesus passed by the Sea of Galilee he saw him with his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers And he no sooner called them but they left their nets and presently followed him And lastly for his constant perseverance in the ministeriall office he deserved this priority of place for having a long time preached the Gospell to divers barbarous nations was threatned by Aegeas King of the Edessians that if he would not surcease preaching Christ he should be crucified as his Lord was on the crosse To whom hee gave this answer and boldly said That he would not have preached the honour and glory of the crosse if he had feared the crosse And seeing the crosse afarre off with a lively and cheerefull countenance said O crosse most welcome and long looked for with a willing minde joyfully and desirously I come to thee being the Scholler of him who did hang on thee because I have beene ever thy lover and coveted to imbrace thee so being crucified gave up the ghost fell a sleepe and was buried in Patris a City in Achaia And this is all the description that my search in Antiquity can make of this starre The further amplification thereof I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy Apostle Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant that I being called by thy holy word may forth with give over my selfe to follow thy holy Commandement through the same Iesus Christ my Lord. S. Philip and Iames. THe reason as I conceive why the lustre of these two starres are by the order of the Church conjoyned together on this day is because they and S. Peter only are not displaced in their order by all the Evangelists for Peter is the first Philip the fifth and Iames the ninth in the nomination of them together And as it is very plaine that Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedeus were the foure Apostles that were first called so it is likewise conspicuous that Philip was the fift for the twice two brethren were called in one day as Matthew Mark note but Philip was called the day after as S. Iohn saith expresly the day following Iesus found Philip and
downe head-long saying let us stone Iames Iustus and they began to throw stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead but remembring himselfe fell on his knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wot not what they doe And as they were a stoning him one of the Priests the son of Rechab the son of Charabim whose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out cease what doe you this Just man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a Fullers club with which they pounce and purge their cloathes struck Iustus on the head and brained him and so he suffered martyrdome whom they buried in that place His Pillar or Picture as yet remaineth hard by the Temple graven thus This man was a true witnesse both to the Jewes and Gentiles that Iesus was Christ And Vespasianus immediately having over-runne Judea subdued the Jews And these things saith Iosephus happened unto the Jewes in way of revenging the death of Iames the Iust which was the brother of Iesus whom they call Christ for the Jews slew him when he was a very just man With whom I conclude this dayes Meditation with the Prayer for the day saying Almighty God whom truely to know is everlasting life grant mee perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way the truth and the life as thou hast taught Saint Philip and other Apostles through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saint Bartholomew THree Evangelists in their nomination of all the Apostles note S. Bâ—rtholomew the sixth only S. Luke in the Acts names him the seventh and Thomas the sixth Therefore I in this place will follow both and swimme with the streame and against it for with the Gospellers I set him on the sixth Apostolicall day but with S. Luke I remember him as the seventh Apostle By some he is thought to be Nathaneel because as I said before he is three times named with Philip who first called Nathaneel unto Christ others say that he was Nephew to the King of Syria and shew some reason for it But whether he was the one or the other or neither It is reported that hee suffred martyrdome as well as the rest of the Apostles and preached the Word of God to the barbarous Indians where he continued a long time and translated the Gospel of Saint Matthew into their language Where it was preserved many yeares yet having sincerely preached the Word of God and wrought many miraculous works among them was at the last as some relate beaten to death with cudgels others say that hee was crucified and flein alive and some affirme that hee was beheaded at the command of Polemus King of India But these differences are thus reconciled The first day of this Apostles martyrdome he was beaten with cudgels the next day he was crucified and fleine alive as hee was fastned to the crosse and last of all while breath remained he was beheaded But because the Spirit of God by the Evangelists doth only name him with the rest of the Apostles without any other addition or story And for that Mr. Austins sun hath so learnedly shined on this day I am inforced to conclude with the Collect for the day saying O Almighty and everlasting God which hast given grace to thy Apostle Bartholomew truely to beleeve and preach thy Word Grant I beseech thee unto thy Church both to love that hee beleeved and to preach that hee taught through Christ our Lord. Amen Saint THOMAS THe eighth Apostolicall Star by Marke and Luke so gloriously shines in Mr. Austins Meditations that I am perswaded my dim taper can give but little light Yet what I find by the Church Historians concerning him I wil adventure to set down here in this place for his immortall memory as I have done in the rest of the Apostles leaving the further consideration thereof unto others It is reported by Eusebius and others that this Apostle after the Ascension of Christ sent his Brother Thaddeus one of the seventy disciples unto Agbarus King of Edessa according as Christ by his letter had promised the said King Where the said Thaddeus cured the King of his disease and many of the people of their infirmities working many great signes and wonders and converting many from their Idolatry to the knowledge of Christ And this Apostle as Dorotheus witnesseth preached the Gospell of the Lord to the Parthians Medes and Persians Caramans Hircans Bactrians and Magicians And after much labour in his ministeriall office was slaine by an Idoll Priest with a dart which they call a speare or javelin But as others say at the Heathen Kings commandement foure souldiers run him thorow with darts at Callamina a City in India where hee was honourably buried Concerning his incredulity it is divinely commented on by Master Austin Therefore I conclude with the Prayer for the day saying Almighty and everlasting God which for more confirmation of the Faith didst suffer thy Apostle Thomas to be doubtfull in thy Sons Resurrection grant me so perfectly and without all doubt to beleeve in thy Son Jesus Christ that my faith in thy sight may never be reproved And that for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all honour c. Saint JAMES THe ninth Apostle is S. James Alpheus and because I will not alter the name I will fix Saint James the son of Zebedeus a fisherman and Brother of Iohn in this place Hee it was that with Peter and his Brother the beloved Disciple had the prerogative to see the glorious Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and the bitter agony of our blessed Saviour in the Garden of Gethsemani had not drowsinesse and sleep withheld them and under Claudius the Emperor an Dom. 36. as I receive it from the Ancient Herod Agrippa being then King of Iudaea who persecuting the Church of God beheaded James with the sword Of this Apostle I read this story That the man that accused him when hee saw that Iames would willingly suffer martyrdome was therwith so moved that he voluntarily confessed himselfe to bee a Christian for which hee was adjudged to be slaine with the Apostle and by the way going to receive the crowne of their martyrdome he requested the Apostle to pardon him who after hee had pawsed a little upon the matter turning unto him answered Peace be unto thee brother and kissed him So they were both beheaded together And this is all the description that I can finde of this Apostolicall Star Therefore I conclude with the Prayer for the day saying Grant O most mercifull God that as thine holy Apostle S. Iames leaving his father and all that hee had without delay was obedient to the calling of thy Sonne Jesus Christ and followed him so I forsaking all worldly and carnall affections may be evermore ready to follow thy Commandements S. Simon and Iude. THese are the holy brethren the Gemini in this Apostolicall Zodiak for as some
write they and Iames the younger were the sonnes of Mary Cleophas and Alpheus Of the first which is Simon called by Luke Zelotes and by Matthew and Marke Simon the Canaanite Dorotheus maks this short story that he preached Christ throughout Mauritania and Affrick the lesse at length was crucified at Britannia where he was buried but others affirme him to be that Disciple which was called Cleophas and was one of the two that Christ met going to Emaus and according to Dorotheus one of the 70 Disciples who succeeded his brother Iames in the Bishoprick of Ierusalem After he had preached Christ in divers places being 120 yeares of age he was by some Hereticks accused to be lineally descended of the stock of David a Christian unto Atticus the Consull under Trajan the Emperour for which he was cruelly scourged so that his persecutors wondred that a man so old could endure so much torment and at last was crucified And so according to the opinion of some he dyed at Bethania neer Ierusalem and not in this Isle of Britan as others would have it neither as others that say he and his brother Iudas were slaine together by a tumult of people in Suanyr a City of Persidis For Iude whom S. Matthew cals Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus and S. Marke termes him only Thaddeus wrote the Epistle which beares his name where he termes himselfe as Luke in his Gospell and Acts of the Apostles doth the Brother of Iames. But whether hee was that Thaddeus which S. Thomas sent to cure King Agbarus I am not able to determine yet it is very likely that it was this Judas For the learned do write that he preached to the Edesseans and throughout Mesopotamia and was slaine at Berytus where in the time of Agbarus King of Edessa he was honourably buried But whether this be true or false I only take it as a historicall description of this starre as I doe of the rest and leave the further search thereof to the learned concluding with the collect for the day saying Almighty God which hast builded thy congregation upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the head Corner stone grant me so to be joyned together in unity of Spirit by their doctrine that I may be made a holy temple acceptable unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. S. Matthias WHile Christ was in his ministeriall Office Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne seemed to beare the lustre of an Apostolick starre followed Christ was numbred with the twelve and was intrusted with the bag of which he was so good a steward and saving a husband that he was very unwilling that any thing should fall out or passe beside the same for any charitable or pious use as appeares plainly by the text Iohn 12. and so covetous was he of money that he betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver And Christ knew what he said when he uttâ—red those words that he had chosen twelve and one was a devill for it is reported of this Iudas that he slew his father maried with his mother and betrayed his Master and in the end hanged himselfe and falling downe his bowels gushed out But he ought to have no place in this Apostolick Zodiake except as an Airy Comet or signe of wonderment and caution to feare us from following his steps Therefore instead of him Matthias one of the 70 Disciples was chosen by lot cast betweene him and Ioseph called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus This Apostle first preached the Gospel in Macedonia then in Aethiopia about the haven called Hyssus and the River Phasis unto barbarous nations and ravenous of flesh He dyed at Sebastopolis where he was also buried neer the Temple of Sol. But others write that he afterwards came into Iudaea where the Iewes stoned him and beheaded him with an axe after the Roman manner Therefore I conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which in the place of the traitor Iudas didst choose thy faithfull servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles grant that thy Church being alway preserved from false Apostles may be ordered and guided by faithfull and true Pastors through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen S. Stephen HAving thus briefly described the lustre of the twelve Apostles and three prime starres annexed unto them I should in the last place shew the lustre of three other famous lights that bare them company And the first is the Protomartyr S. Stephen who was ordeined the first of the seven approved men that were chosen Deacons for they through prayer and imposition of the Apostles hands for the publick administration of the Church affaires were joyned with Stephen and he as the ringleader of all the rest as soone as hee was ordeined as though he was appointed for this purpose was stoned unto death of them that slew the Lord. And for this cause as the first triumphing martyr of Christ according to his name he beareth a Crowne A Crowne of grace full of faith and power and filled with the Holy Ghost A Crowne of Martyrdome and in the midst of a showre of stones grace broke out of his lips in a heavenly prayer for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And a Crowne of glory having in this life time received the first fruits of a glorified body his face did shine as it had beene the face of an Angell and the first fruits of a glorified soule in the vision of the blessed Trinity for he saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at his right hand Wherefore I will pray to God to fill me with the Spirit of grace that I may love mine enemies and pray for them that persecute and despitefully use me after the example of this blessed Martyr that having received a Crown of grace here on earth in this life I may for ever weare a Crowne of glory in the Kingdome of Heaven Amen S. Paul ALthough our Astronomers in their Almanacks note not this Saint in golden or red letters as they doe the former and although our Church hath not expresly observed a festivall day to be kept holy in memory of him yet I hold it not fit that I should exclude him out of this starry heaven for he was as glorious a light as ever shined in the Firmament of the Church and as himselfe confesseth was not inferiour to the chiefe of the Apostles neither hath our Church quite excluded him out of her Liturgie for there is an Epistle and Gospell with a Collect appointed for this day And to shew that he was a chosen vessell a glorious starre he was called to his Apostleship after a wonderfull manner for he was cast downe to the earth and a light shone about him and he heard a voice from Heaven became three dayes blind till Ananias laid his hand upon him He was as himselfe relates of the Tribe of Benjamin and as others report he was borne in a
towne of Iewry called Giscalis which Towne being taken of the Romans he and his parents fled to Tharsis a Towne in Cilicia but he himselfe confessed that he was borne in Tarsus after he was sent to Ierusalem and brought up at the feet of Gamaliel of whom you may reade in Acts 5. 34. and Acts 22. 3. Some say that after he was the Disciple of Simeon the Just who took Christ in his armes and blessed him and being but a young man he was one of those that kept the garments of the martyr S. Stephen who was martyred in the yeare of Christs nativity 35. About the same time he was made an Inquisitor for private heresies and became a cruell persecutor of the Gospell the next yeare he went to Damascus where by the way he was converted and of a persecutor was made a glorious confessor and was baptized of Ananias in Damascus He confounded Elimas the Sorcerer and one Sergius Paulus Proconsul of Cyprus to the faith of Christ of whom as some say he took the name of Paul for after that he is called no more Saul In the 25 yeare after the Passion of Christ which was An. Dom. â—8 when Festus ruled in Iewry he was sent bound to Rome And in the 14 yeare of Nero thâ— same day that Peter was crucified though not the same yeare as some write he was beheaded at Rome and buried in the way that goeth to Ostia Anno Domini 60. He wrote nine Epistles to seven Churches and foure to three of his Disciples but it is doubtfull whether he wrote the Epistle to the Hebrewes or no. Now were I able to write of all this blessed Apostles labours and travels from Ierusalem to Illyricum Italy and Spaine I should then show you how he was persecuted from City to City how he was beaten with rods here how he was stoned with stones there how he laboured with his hands in one place how he fasted and prayed in another And as himselfe confesseth in the 2 Cor. 11. That he was in labours more abundant than any of the rest in stripes above measure in prison more plenteously in death oft of the Iewes five times received I forty stripes save one I was thrice beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrice shipwrack night and day have I beene in the sea in journying often in perils of waters in perils of robbers in perils of my owne nation in periâ—s among the Genâ—iles in perils in the city in perils in the wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watching often in fastings often in cold and in nakednesse beside the things which were outward I am incombred daily and have the care of all the Churches but I knowing my own insufficiency for the performing of such a worke conclude with the Collect for the day saying God which hast taught all the world through the preaching of thy Apostle S. Paul grant I beseech thee that I who have his wonderfull conversion in remembrance may follow and fulfill thy holy doctrine that hee taught through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen S. Barnabe THis is that Ioses who was of the Apostles also called Barnabas which is by interpretation the Sonne of Consolation being a Levite of the countrey of Cyprus whereas he had land sold it and brought the money and laid it down at the Apostles feet whose praise is in the 11 Acts 24 verse that he was a good man and full of the Holy Ghost and faith and much people in Antioch where they were called the first Christians by his powerfull preaching joyned themselves unto the Lord. This was Pauls yoke-fellow who by the commandement of the Lord were joyned together Acts 13. 3. And their names are no lesse then twelve times coupled together in three Chapters viz. from the 12 to the latter end of the 15 Chapter of the Acts where the relation of the division that was betweene them is set downe I reade that he first preached the Word of God in Rome but was afterward made Bishop of Millaine and at the last had a rope tyed about his neck was therewith drawne to the stake where he was burned to ashes and so dyed a noble Martyr as many other starres in this firmament did as the Phenix by death gained life eternall Therefore I conclude with the Collect for this day saying Lord Almighty who hast indued thy holy Apostle Barnabas with singular gifts of the Holy Ghost let me never be destitute of thy manifold gifts nor yet of grace to use them alway to thy honour and glory through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen S. Michael the Arch-Angell IN this place according to my intention at the beginning I should show the glorious Cherubins that look towards the Mercy Seat in Salomons Temple under the Metaphor of the Chrystalline Heaven but as in all the rest so in this likewise I finde my selfe farre unable to performe such a hard task though my minde is willing yet my skill is weak But the reason why I compare this day to the Chrystallin heaven is conspicuous because as Chrystall is of a pure bright and cleare substance so the glorious Angels of whom S. Michael the Arch-Angell is one of the most eminent for whose memoriall the Church hath appointed this Festivall are pure sublime and heavenly creatures created as some affirme with the light which is nearest their nature being one of the three invisibles which never any mortall eye is able to behold in their simple existence to wit God Angels and the soules of men for they are void of all corporeall substance But what substance they are of we are ignorant And as we do not know their nature so we cannot tell their number yet some have observed that there are nine orders of them in three Hierarchies opposed against nine orders of evill Angels In the first order are Seraphin Cherubin and throns opposed by Pseudothei spiritusmendacii and Vasa iniquitatis In the second Hierarchy are Dominations Potestates and Virtates opposed against ultores soelerum Prestigiatores and Aëreae Potestates In the third Hierarchy are Principatus Archangeli Angeli opposed against Furiae Criminatores and Tentatores From Angels we receive power to receive and declare the will of God from Archangels to rule all creatures put under us from Principalities to subdue all we ought to rule from Vertues to obtaine the reward we strive for from powers helpe against our enemies from dominations to subdue our owne bodies from Thrones to collect and settle our memories on eternall objects from Cherubin light to apprehend heavenly things And lastly from Seraphin ardent Affection whereby we cleave to God but to leave these curious speculations of the schooles These heavenly creatures whether they be of these names orders and operations or not as is hard to prove were most certainely in the beginning made to this end viz. for the glory of God and good of man And although