shew too deep Humility b Psal 95.6 Intreating for Assistance the most High In greatest Troubles God might be obey'd And they bear well that Humbly beg his Aid But sad's their State under God's heavy Hand Who are too proud to Fall too weak to Stand His angry Storms their Stubborn Hearts confound But nobly spare what lie's upon the Ground X. a Mat. 26 47. Joh. 18.3 In vain O Judas does thy Treason bring Souldi'ers to lead thy Lord to Suffering b Luk. 2.15 That heave'nly Host which did attend his Birth c Mat. 26.53 He might command for his Life-Guard on Earth d Mat. 16.21 But He will suffer and have no Defence More hurtfull to thee than his e Mat. 27.4 Innocence Weaker than f Jud. 15 14. Samson's all thy Cords wou'd prove Were He not held by stronger g Hos 11.4 Bands of Love XI Cowardly Wretch ' midst all thy a Mat. 26 47. Staves and Swords How dost thou b Joh. 18.6 tremble at thy Master's Words A guilty Soul like Adam's make's thee fear When thou c Gen. 3.8 9 10. God's Voice dost in the Garden hear XII Osten does Satan by a wicked Heart To the worst use the best of things pervert a Mat. 26.48 Mar. 14 44. That same is He take him whom I shall kiss No sign Apostate coud'st thou choose but This Doubly at once thy Soul does guilty prove Traytor to God and Traytor unto Love Did'st thou resolve to make all sure by This Most sacred Pledge of Mankind's chastest Bliss The less suspici'on it does still create With signs of Love to ruin those we hate The wit of Woman Agrippina prov'd In pois'oning Claudius with the Meat he lov'd And Henry the 7th Emperour next to Judas Rome her Monk may boast Who Murder'd Henry with the very Host XIII a Mat. 26.36 56. Is this the boasted kindness to your Friend Is this remaining faithful to the End b Pro. 17.17 Love is most helpfull in Adversity a Sam. 16.17 They shou'd not name it that forsake and flie Must we believe then such Professors ran c Jer. 17.9 What more deceitful than the Heart of Man False World on thee no more will I depend No more expect in thee a constant Friend Trusting to thee is leaning on a Reed That let 's us sink down in our greatest need XIV Dear Lord one need not any a Matt. 26.68 Prophet be To tell the Man that Smote and wounded Thee b Isa 53.4 5. Thy Soul was griev'd thy Body bruis'd by me For me did'st Thou put on Mortality And for ungrateful me did'st Bleed and c Rom 5.8 die XV. What braver Resolution cou'd He make a Luk 22 33. Than for his God the world for to forsake Lord may we alway thus prepared be To go to Prison and to Death with Thee 'T is Glorious dying in such Company b Rom 8 17. 2 Tim 2.12 For if we Suffer we shall Reign with Thee XVI A Woman may be Satan's Instrument But Man is weakest when he gives Consent When we behold a Mat 26.69 Luk 22.54 55 56 57. Peter's inglori'ous Fall Urg'd by a Damsel in the High-Priest's Hall We see how vainly Man presum's to stand When Heaven deny's him a supporting Hand But when this does impow'r the smallest Stone b 1 Sam 17.45 49. A bold Goliath is by It ore'thrown c Eph 6.11 12 18. 'T is Prayer not d 1 Sam 17.8 9 10. Boasting that must arm the Soul And bravely Satan's fierce Assaults controul Thoughts of our selves too great of others small Are oft forerunners of a dismal Fall Big things we talk when Danger 's not in view But as it shew's it sell our Fears renew How stoutly some take Castles in the Air Who poorly at one real Siege despair But when Presumpti'on meets an overthrow By Peter's Fall his Courage was improv'd Who more deny'd his Lord and who more e Joh 21.15 16 17 18 19. lov'd XVII We often promise to our selves great Joy a Matt 27 3 4 5. In things that most our inward Peace destroy Some seeming Pleasure Judas might obtain b 1 Tim 6.9 But see the Bloody end of Bloody Gain Soon is his Mony grown so troublesome He cast's it down and does at once become A witness Judge and Executioner And a base Death to ' uneasy Life prefer So Judas clos'd his Treache'rous Villany And so all Traytors do deserve to die On this unhappy wretch think all such Men As for this World wou'd sell their Lord agen The lightest ill-got Riches will appear A Load to heavy for their Souls to bear XVIII a Mat 4. to 11. 2 Cor 2.11 By what delightful way 's does Satan win Our full consent to any damning Sin But when the b Heb 11.25 Joh 20.5 short-liv'd Joys of Sin are past To c Rom 6.21 Dan. 12.2 shame he leaves our guilty Souls at last We vainly throw the fault on d Gen 3.13 Him and e Gen 3.12 Men f Mat 7.4 Jam. 1.14 Both rightly charge it on our selves agen g Lam 3.29 Eze 14.10 And since we' are wicked by our own Consent 'T is just that we shou'd bear the Punishment XIX No wonder that Chief-Priests and Scribes are bent a Luk 23 10 So vehemently ' gainst the Innocent b Joh. 8.44 Like Children they their Father imitate c Gen 3. to 7. Who ruin'd Man in his most perfect state The Devil most endeavours to destroy d Matt 3.16 17. Matt. 4.1 When we Gods choicest Blessings do enjoy e Matt. 27.18 Envy 's that Canker-worm which still devour's The ripest Fruit and feed's on fairest Flowers XX. How pow'rfull are the Charms of wordly Gain a Joh. 19.13 16. Iâ— reconcile's Men unto ev'ry Reign A Monarch's Favour make's them Sentence give Against the Just and let the Guilty live They freely vio'late the most sacred Thing Condemn eve'n God rather than b 2 King 5.1 18. lose the King If only such base methods recommend No honest Christian can be Caesar's Friend XXI Pilate what Folly is' t to a Matt. 27.24 wash and then b 26. Deliver up thy Lord to bloody Men c 1 Joh 1.7 Thy Soul might have been cleansed by his Blood d Mat. 27.11 Had'st thou clear'd him when he before thee stood e Joh 19.12 13 16. But tim'rous Judge now thou do'st wash in vain Seas can't wipe off thy Soul so deep a Stain XXII a Mat. 27.25 His Blood on Vs and on our Children rest What Tongue has a more heavy Curse exprest No Blood of Man was e're so loud before b Luk. 19.43 44. Rom 11.20 21 22. Plagues it has call'd and still it calls for more Unhappy Men beyond Redress undone Without c Col. 1.14 Heb. 9.12 22. Christ's Blood there 's no Remission For you
SEASONABLE THOUGHTS IN PASSION-WEEK By J.S. 1. Cor. 9.22 I am made all things to all men that I may save some Dr. Jam. Gardiner Whoever a true Worshipper wou'd be Was taught his Duty first by Poesie Mr. G Herbert A Verse may find him who a Sermon flies And turn Delight into a Sacrifice DVBLIN Printed by Joseph Ray on Colledg Green and are to be sold by the Book sellers in Dublin 1691. THE ARGUMENT a Joh. 12.23.27 1 Pet. 1.20 Matt. 26.45 Joh. 17.1 Acts. 4.28 Luk. 22.22 The Hour is come in which God long Design'd His only Son shou'd die to save Mankind The Hour in which Heave'n b Gen. 3.15 openly Decreed On Adam's * Grego happy Fall the Woman's Seed Shou'd bruise the Serpents Head that wondrous Hour Both of the' c Joh. 10.18 Almighty's and the d Luk. 22 53. Devil's Pow'r Is come e Matt. 4. to 11. Luk. 22.3 the Devil assault's then vanquish'd lies f Isa 53.7 Matt. 26.52 53.54 Phil. 2.7 8. God-man Submit's awhile and silent dies g Rom 6.9 10 Revel 1.18 But then does an Eternal Conque'rour rise SEASONABLE THOUGHTS IN PASSION-WEEK I. 'T Is strange Chief Priests Scribes such Fools shou'd be To a Luk. 22 2. dread Man more than the Divinity b Luk 19.47 48 Mar 11 18. With some Pretence they Plot to kill the Heir Because they did the' admiring People fear Altho' their bloody close Hypocrisy c Heb. 4.13 Lay naked unto God's All-seeing Eye So we while worldly Int'erest does disswade From sin unwillingly are honest made A Childe does more our loosest Thoughts controul Than God d Gen. 1.26 27 who made and can e Mat. 10 28. destroy the Soul II. a Mat. 26 15. What will ye give Judas what Question 's this b Matt. 16 26. What shou'd man take for everlasting Bliss For Toys the Indi'ans give their common Gold But Thou for Thirty Pieces God hast Sold Pagans in such a fond Exchange may be Judg'd to act wisely when compar'd with Thee With Cov'etous Hearts what cannot Silver do Christ it buys from them and gets Heaven too III. When the worlds Savi'our freely condescend's a Luk 22.14 To make mean Fishermen his choicest Friends How can we without Joy and Wonder see Such kind Complyance of Humility It can't disgrace men in the Highest State The Son of God himself to b Joh. 12.26 13 15. Matr. 11 29 imitate Yet Mortals as they rich and higher grow With c Psal 73.6 Pro. 13 23. Jam. 2.3 Scornfull Eyes look down on all below d Luk. 16.21 22. Dogs feed within but Christi'ans at their Door As if we ' had better be Vn-man'd than Poor e Pro. 14 20 19 4. We value men for what they do possess f Act 20.35 Pro. 12.26 But God esteems them most for Holiness IV. a Matt. 26.47 A Murd'ering Band O Judas can'st thou Head And without trembling b Matt. 26.20.26 take the Sacred Bread Life's Food to thee is into Poyson curst Eat it thou may'st c Mat. 27.3 drink too Repent and d Act. 1.18 Mat. 27.5 Burst And then in everlasting Burnings Thirst e Luk. 16.24 To Abraham in vain for ever pray For one cool Drop thy Torments to allay Conscience awake at last will make Thee own f Matt. 27.4 'T was I betray'd the Lord 't was I alone Damn'd Hypocrite who did'st thy Wit employ g Iob. 1 29. 1. Pet 1.19 The Spetless Lawb of Ged for to destroy How did'st thou act two Parts to gain that end A real Traytor and a seeming Friend Yet be Apostle still and teach us all How to prevent our own by thy sad Fall Lest when we 're rais'd to any higher Place Our Fall shou'd be expos'd to-more disgrace Teach us h Luk. 14.16 17. 1 Cor. 5.8 when Christ invite's us to his Feasts All way to come and come i 1 Cor. 11. 27 28 29. prepared Guests With Souls from Cove'tous Thoughts and Malice free Still to receive the Holy Mystery From Thee we learn when Sin gain 's any Part Satan takes Courage to assault the Heart As when the outward Walls are beaten down A Conqu'erour enters and destroy's the Town V. a Gen. 22.1 Almighty God when he resolv'd to prove And signalize the b Gal. 3.9 Faithfull Abra'ham's Love Oblig'd him after all that he had done To c Gen. 22.2 offer his belov'd his only Son A Son the sorrow at whose Death might be Great as the d Gen. 21.6 7 8. Joy of his Nativity e Gen. 22. from 3. to 10. Yet Abra'ham God's and Isa'ac Abra'ham's will In that severe Injunction did fulfill And when a Savi'our God from Heaven sent He prov'd his Love by his own f Gen. 22.12 Argument g Heb. 11.17 Abra'ham's Intent'ion was his Sacrifice But Christ's can't be receiv'd unless he dies Yet he thus pay's the duty of a Son h Luk. 22.42 O Father not my will but thine be done True Love does with the hardest Terms comply Making us pleas'd to live and free to die Christ's Love bore all untill It overcame A i Isa 53.3 4. Life of sorrow and a k Heb. 12.2 Death of Shame VI. One Place at diff'erent times the Scene may be Of great Unhappiness and Felicity a Gen. 3. Man in the Garden Heaven forfeited b Ioh. 18.1 Mart. 26.36 There to regain it c Lâ—k 22.44 Act 20.28 God his Blood did shed d Mut. 26 37. There first his Soul with sorrow was opprest e Ioh. 19.41 42. There from his Toils he in the Grave did rest In flow'ry Walks then we shou'd meditate On Adam's Sin and on our Savio'ur's Fate In them tho' we 2 Kin. 21.15 with Joseph cannot have Our Tomb we may think daily on our Grave VII If deep Concern to overloaded Eyes Life's great Restorer balmy sleep denies Sure a Isa 63.3.5 God ordain'd none shou'd Christ's Burden bear That none the Glory of his Death might share Since all your Grief had not suffici'ent Powe'r To b Matt. 26.38.40 45. keep your Eyes a wake for him one Hour The Hour is come his Soul'â— with Grief opprest Sleep on Disciples now and take your Rest VIII To servent Pray'er how great an Enemy Are Crowds of Busi'ness and of Company Well therefore are we ' instructed what to do By our Lord's a Matt. 6 6. Doctrine and his b Luk. 22.42 Practice too When thou wou'd'st Pray from all the world be gone And in thy Closet meet thy God alone Who number 's c Psal 56.8 Isa 38.5 ev'ry Tear and ev'ry secret d Psal 38.9.102.20 Groan IX See how the Lord of Life Prepare's to die a Luk. 22.44 Earnestly Praying in an Agony When sufferings approach by slow degrees 'T is the best way to meet them on our Knees Sinners can't
Salvation what can now procure Who have done all to make Damnati'on sure Turning to Poison Heaven's onely Cure XXIII How chearful Simon shou'd thy Looks appear a Luk. 23.26 When with thy Savi'our thou the Cross dost bear Afflicti'ons surely can't too heavy be When God himself does share the Load with Thee Suff'rings are lighten'd by good Company XXIV Complain not Simon of a Load so light Our Lord a Luk. 22.44 Sweat Blood under a greater weight To b Joh. 19.17 Matt. 27.32 carry on the Cross but Part of th' way Is all the Burden Souldiers on thee lay But till our Lord thro' Life's last Scene has gone Our heavi'er Sins God makes him c Isa 53.4 bear d Isa 63.3 5. alone XXV a 2 Sam. 1.24 If Isra'els Daughter 's mourn'd their mighty Saul b 1 Sam. 31.3 4. 2 Cor. 5.14 15. Who by Himself more than his Foes did fall How shou'd we weep for him who Di'd for All. c Jer. 9.1 Psal 38.18 O let our Eyes with pen'itent Tears or'eflow For all those Sins which brought him down so low From Heav'n to Eâ—rth then to the Grave and Hell d Matt. 26.38 Filling his Soul with Grief unspeakable e Tit. 1.16 Since e'vry Sinner does his Lord deny f Luk. 22.62 With peter too let all weep bitterly Such as neglect the present g 2 Cor. 6.2 Graci'ous State Shall be condemn'd to foolish h Heb 12.17 Esau's Fate Seeking the Blessing when it was too late i Matt. 5.4 Jam 4.9 What Lents of Mourning then shou'd Sinners keep k Luk. 13.28 That they in Hell in vain may never weep XXVI a Luk 23.33 Joh. 19.17 See how the Cross ascend's Mount Calvary In this All great Ones of the Earth may see That in their Height secure they shou'd not grow Since Troubles reach the High as well as low XXVII How long O Lord have I neglected Thee How long slipt ev'ry opportunity Yet now at last incline me to embrace The tender offers of thy saving Grace And when I must lay down Mortality In thy great Mercy a Luk. 23.32 40 42 43. Lord remember me In that sad moment comfortably say Thy Soul shall be in Paradice to day But oh how can I hope for to One Of that bright Throng which shall surround thy Throne When thou dread Judge hast that great sentence given Which shall divide mankind 'twixt Hell Heav'en What share in Bliss can one expect to have Who has not joyn'd with Heaven himself to save I see my Sins in srightful Order set As they shall stand when all the world are met When awak'd Consci'ence open's wide the Book I cover'd all with shame at ev'ry Look Behold as well as Tears will let me see In each full Page my own Iniquity I see fair written with a Faithful Pen Sins against God my self and other Men And then my Tears more strongly stream agen Good God! how Mise'rable will be my Fate Unless thy Mercy as my Sins be great Beyond all sad Examples is my Fall Thou hast my Soul in Sin out done them all Yet think upon the pardon'd Prodigal When he on bended knees confess'd his Sin With Joy and Feasting he was taken in May I then ease my labou'ring Heart once more With this soft Thought that Mercy may restore A thing so lost and so undone as I So ev'ry way involv'd in Misery Mercy the Antidote against despair Mercy the peni'tent Sinner's constant Pray'r Mercy the grateful Song of all the Bless'd Who now thr'o Mercy are of Heaven possess'd XXVIII How strangely Lord do thy great Suffe'rings make Inani'mate a Met. 27.51 Rocks 'to rend and Earth to quake Yet it 's more strange the Jews shou'd not repent Their b Eze. 11.19.36 26. Hearts of harder stone will not relent XXIX Has the a 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52 Arch-Angel's Trump call'd up the Dead That many Saints forsake their quiet Bed 'T is sure too soon but when their Savi'our dies As if they wou'd make way for Him b Mat. 27.52 they rise Graves Open as if ev'ry one wou'd have Their Lord choose It for his embalmed Grave And by their Bodies rising now in Haste c 1 Thes 4.13 14.15 16. Joh. 6.20 They shew what He will do for all at last XXX Is the World still a place of Grief and Pain To which the Saints do thus come back again It seems It is they make so short a stay Just a Mat. 27.53 see their Friends and hasten then away As if they came onely to let us know b Rom 8.10 Rev. 6.9 10 11. Souls live above whilst Bodies c 1 Thes 4.14.15 sleep below So rising Waves advance unto the Shore Salute run back and then are seen no more XXXI When from a Luk. 1.48 A Blessed Mother's b 1.35 hallow'd Womb The infant Savi'our of the World was come Heav'n with a c 2.9 Glori'ous new created Ray Made Night more fair and chearful than the day But when he di'd the d 23.44 45. Sun withdrew his Light And day became more dismal than the Night XXXII Let no Man wonder at the Mourning Sun As if the work of Nature were undone When Its great God a Matt. 27.46 the Brightness of his Face Vail's from his dearest Son in his disgrace Never before has he forsaken been Fclipse so full of wonder ne'r was seen Kind Savio'ur that wou'd bear so strange a Night That we might live in an b Joh. 8.12 Col 1.12 eternal Light Enjoying still the c 1 Cor 13.14 Rev. 21.23 24. Mat 5.8 Beatific Sight XXXIII a Joh. 19.25 Luk. 23 27 49. With flowing Eyes well might the Mother see Her guiltless Son hang on the b Deut. 21.22 23. Gal. 3.13 Cursed Tree From Her alone he took Mortality Had her too watchful Eyes but lost their sight When c Mar. 15.33 the whole Earth was overspread with Night The burden of her Grief had been more light If David when he saw his Absalem d 2 Sam. 18.9 10.14.15 33. 2 Sam. 19.4 To the sad close of a Rebellion come Did all his Joys and Royal Robes lay by And freely vent his Grief in Secresie What Tongue of Man can speak what Pen can write This Mothers e Luk 2.35 great concern at such a sight Yet Grief may guess how by f Joh. 19.25 the Cross she stood Shedding her Tears as fast as Christ shed Blood Lamenting thus art thou for ever gone O sweetest Jesus O my Son my Son Against the Jews she cou'd not but complain Are all his Wonders all his Cares in vain Did he in Love g Luk. 19.41 42. weep for your suture state And does your Malice still fresh Grief create Wilt thou unfortunate Jerusalem So kind a Lord to greater Pains condemn But unto you his Grief in vain I tell The very h Mat.