THREE MEDITATIONS Vpon these three places of Scripture 1 COR. 2.2 For I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified PSAL. 6.1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger c. PROV 3.11 12. My sonne despise not the chastisement of the Lord c. By IOHN BVLTEEL LONDON Printed by I. H. for Nathanael Newbery and are to be sold in Popes-head Alley at the signe of the Starre 1627. TO THE RIGHT Honorable the right vertuous and most truly Religious Lord Robert Earle of Warwicke Baron of Leeze c. Right Honourable IT is not without cause that the Apostle S. Paul did desire to know nothing but Christ crucified nor to glory in any thing but in his crosse because the knowledge of this is the substance and marrow of true knowledge for if we know Christ it is no matter though wee know nothing else but we know nothing if we know not Christ though we vnderstand all mysteries all knowledge which knowledge consisteth not in going on pilgrimage to the mount of Caluarie and beholding the place where Christ was crucified in Golgotha or to behold him in a wooden crucifix or in an image as the Papists do but as the Apostle saith to goe vnto him out of the campe not with bodily feet or with corporall eyes he is in heauen but with the feet of faith which represents things past as if they were present with spirituall eyes to behold his passion with compassion himselfe bearing his crosse and his crosse beares him he carrying the wood as Isaac wheron he was to be sacrificed as Noah carried on the Arke yea carrying the Arke to saue vs from the Floud of Gods wrath as Iacob bearing on his shoulder the ladder whereby we mount vp into heauen as Moses with the rod of his crosse ouercomming his enemies in the red sea of his bloud and sauing his people to behold the God of glory crucified betweene two theeues as the greatest sinner of all that hee might glorifie vs with Angels that diuine head at whose presence the very powers of heauen were wont to tremble that had heretofore a crowne of glory all to be crowned and pricked with a crowne of thornes That Angellike face defiled with the spittle of the Iewes bowing it his head to kisse vs. Those chrystall eyes once clearer than the Sunne beames bloudshed and cast ouer with the darknesse of death thirsting that he might shew his desire of our saluation his mouth so sweet full of Gall and Vinegar that he might satisfie for that deadly iuice which Adam sucked out of the forbidden fruit his hands and armes that framed and fashioned the heauens all bespred and distrained on the crosse on the left on the right side that hee might call all vnto him ready to embrace both Iew and Gentile naked but cloathed with charitie because of Adams nakednesse that we may bee cloathed with grace and glory his bloud gushing from him as the foure riuers of Paradise to water Gods Eden wash his Church with his bloud crying with feare that wee might cry in faith crying in the anguish of his soule in his feeling as if hee were left not of Angels or men that was but little but of God his Father crying My God my God why hast thou forsaken me At this voyce the earth trembled because it could not beare so great a burthen as the Crosse The Crosse trembled because it bare Christ Christ trembled and was in a bloudy sweat because he had so great so heauy and so insupportable a weight for first he bare our persons secondly hee bare our sinnes a great burden thirdly hee bare the floud of Gods anger and iustice powred on him for our sinnes At this most dreadfull cry which at once mooued all the powers of heauen and earth the Sun was eclipsed and that contrary to its course and custome which made a Heathen Philosopher to cry that either nature suffered or the world was at an end and mooued the Centurion to say Verily this was a iust man this was the Sonne of God the Sunne was eclipsed because it could not behold the Sonne of Righteousnesse not onely eclipsed with the interposition of the body of the earth of his humane nature but also eclipsed with the veile of his Passion yea the very stones were rent asunder and the graues were opened Euery creature saith S. Hierome suffereth with Christ at his suffering the Sunne is darkned the earth mooued the rockes cleaue asunder the veile of the Temple diuided the graues opened only miserable mansuffereth not with Christ for whom alone Christ suffered Lest therefore we shew our selues vnsensible vnthankfull and vnfaithfull let vs consider his passion with compassion with faith with admiration and as Saint Austin saith behold the wounds of patient Christ the bloud of him dying the price of our redemption consider what they are weigh them in the ballance of thy heart that hee may be wholly fixed in thy heart that was for thee wholly fastned on the crosse And in it consider the loue of God the Father the charity the humility the patience of God the Sonne who loued vs his enemies more than himselfe consider our sinnes and wounds which were healed by the precious balme of his bloud Consider Oman saith Bernard how great are those wounds for the curing of which the Lord Christ must needs bee wounded If these wounds had not beene deadly yea and to eternall death the Sonne of God would neuer haue died that he might cure them Besides we must crucifie our sinnes our members as Christ was crucified be crucified to the world the world crucified to vs he alone saith S. Hierom can glory in the crosse who takes it vp and followeth Christ who crucifieth his flesh his concupiscence So then we must crucifie our heart that it may die to wicked cogitations crucifie our hands so that they may haue no life to commit euill actions crucifie our eyes that they take no delight to gaze on worldly vanities crucifie our eares that they listen not to fruitlesse and friuolous words crucifie our tongue yea crucifie the old man that hath been a tenant so long and hath had his habitation in our bosome that he being dead hee may be carried to his graue that our soule may be infected no longer with his carnall impiety and that wee may no longer loue but loathe and for euer leaue his damnable company Besides the crucifying of the old man we must suffer and beare afflictions as pouerty crosses sicknesse temptations for what meruaile If God did afflict his Son for our sinnes if he afflict vs for our own and God had in the arke of the Couenant both Manna and the rod of Aaron shewing that as a Father hee nourisheth vs and as a Father hee chastiseth vs as his Sonnes and these afflictions are ensignes markes of his loue So saith Christ I reproue chastise those whom I loue So Iacob
away our sins And comprehends himselfe Hereby perceiue we the loue of God because hee hath laid downe his life for vs. And S. Paul saith k 1 Tim. 1.15 16. This is a faithfull saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners feareth not to adde with the same certainty of whom I am chiefe for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a patterne to them which should hereafter beleeue on him to life euerlasting The which he saith elsewhere l 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I haue committed vnto him against that day And it is that therefore properly which this great Apostle who did practise this knowledge in himselfe nameth to know Christ and himselfe crucified To know a thing is to know what it is it is to know it say the Schoolemen by its causes To know Christ crucified is to know that the eternall word the second person of the holy Trinity was made flesh in the fulnesse of time hath vndergone mans infirmities sinne excepted the reproach of the world in fine the death of the crosse But that sufficeth not hath vndergone I say all this by the eternall counsell of the Father with a voluntary obedience to redeeme mankinde sold vnder sinne lost in himselfe by himselfe to release the beleeuers those who imbrace him by a true faith from the paines of hell and make thē heires of life euerlasting Cerces this is a profound knowledge which comprehends all so that it is no meruaile that the Apostle will haue no other it is knowledge the knowledge of man yea the knowledge of God himselfe Hee that first among the Heathen said Know thy selfe was iudged the wisest most learned of all men And from thence the Philosophers haue propounded thousands of precepts Did they for all that goe further than to the skinne and the flesh did they teach them more than the cutting of the haire or paring of the nailes No truely therefore study thou me Christ crucified the eternall Sonne of God for man for his sinnes for thine owne sighing vnder the burden of sinne and of the curse and anger than followed it and crying to his Father in this agony Thou canst not chuse but enter from the contemplation of the horror of that death yea of his death into the consideration of the horror of sin yea of thy selfe so vile so enormous hainous that it could not ought not to be washed to be abolished but in and by the precious bloud of the Son of God A price infinite a crime therefore infinite man all crime And thence gathering thy spirits thou wilt descend into thy selfe consider thy selfe from top to toe from the body to the soule from the flesh to the spirit from sence to reason and consider the more nobler the parts the deeper the more mortall the wounds so that from this anatomy thou wilt be brought to acknowledge to protest with S. Paul that the whole vnderstanding the whole wisedome of the flesh of man considered in his nature is nought but death for m Rom. 8.7 the minding of the flesh that which in it seemeth to retaine most either of wholsomnesse or holinesse is enmity against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeed can be consequently thou wilt detest thy peruerse nature contest against it In this contention thou wilt torment thy selfe and be discouraged yea and cry out n Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death In a word thou wilt cast thy selfe groueling on the ground before the iustice of God to ery vnto him earnestly for mercy to vse violence to force him to it and then thanke him but I thanke God o Rom. 7.25 through Iesus Christ our Lord. And for what That p Rom. 8.1 there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus A necessary Science which thou couldest not haue learned in any booke but this not in the booke of nature the knowledge thereof puffeth vp but doth not fill as little in the booke of Ethicke morality that doth but palliate thy euill and so giues remedies which eate for a while but heale nor But by this Art which thou learnest thou comprehendest all thou apprehendest in one sole Christ crucified before thine eyes In his wounds learning yea feeling thine owne in his wounds both taking and applying the remedy of thine According to that of the Prophet q Isa 53.4 5. We did esteeme him brutish world stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded for our iniquities he was brused for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace was vpon him who makes atonement betweene God and vs giues peace to our consciences and with his stripes we are healed And therefore as hee giues vs here the root the bulke and body of this knowledge so elsewhere he shewes vs the branches r Rom. 7.18 20 23 I know that in mee that is in my body dwelleth no good thing euill present with me it dwelleth in me bringing me into captiuity to the law of sin which is in my members A knowledge deriued from the meditation of Christ crucified taken from the necessity whereby it forceth man to informe against himselfe from thence consequently to know and seeke the remedy thereof ſ Rom. 6.6 11. Wee know we that haue imbraced the crosse of Christ that our elde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth wee should not serue sinne that we should be displeased with it renounce it and our selues And therefore he saith Reckon yee also your selues to be dead indeed vnto sinne but aliue vnto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Corollaries and dependances of this first knowledge of Christ crucified for why was the Sonne of God crucified but for the sonnes of men Men sinners confected in sinne they themselues sinne Why such a remedy but for such a wound why descending from the highest heauens but to hale vs out of the bottomlesse pit Againe wee learne to know God better in Christ crucified than in all books than in whole nature Search narrowly and peruse diligently nature as Salomon did from the Cedar vnto the Hysope thou knowst nought r Rom. 1.20 but Gods greatnesse but his power yea examine fully all the parts of Philosophy thou knowest scarce his shadow On the contrary in this meditation thou entrest into his closet yea into his own nature There thou doest take notice to the full both of his infinite iustice and infinite mercy That in that he hates so much the euill sinne which is the true euill is so contrary to him that hee burnes it as the fire the stubble and because of it his creatures he cannot spare thē doth not abstaine from doing it But in as much as hee
the curing of the soule But O Lord our paine continueth and notwithstanding when thou doest afflict vs is it not to rowze in vs the sense of sinne Well but now I feele it Is it not to breake our hearts Behold my heart is broken softned soaked in teares before thee Is it not to bow vs to repentance Why O Lord I am displeased in my selfe and with my selfe hereafter will I doe nought but please thee will not please my selfe but in thee And therefore my God why doest thou continue thy blowes thy blowes that doe no more visit but trouble my soule thy blowes which seeme to hold no more of thy mercy but of thine anger thy blowes which cast mee into despaire O Lord how long thus this flesh speaketh O Lord pardon it and it seemeth vnto it that it hath well spoken and thereupon the Deuill displayes his arguments Seest thou not that hee hateth thee and will destroy thee That he is a hard and strict Creditour And vnto whom doest thou crie Who is too much diuerted to heare thee too farre to hearken vnto thee vnto whom cry how long who is aboue yeares ages and times with whom a thousand yeares is as one day thy longings and languishings are lesse to him than a moment Certainly O Lord for all that how high soeuer thou art the most lowliest and humblest doe attaine vnto thee how much retired soeuer thou seemest to bee thou art neuer farre from the hearts of the afflicted So is it also O Lord that thy eternity makes thee not ignorant of the time and though thou art voyd of passion thou art not exempted from compassion towards thine Thou hast measured the time vnto thy great and small creatures thou canst therefore succour euery one of them in due time Thou shuttest vp our teares in the bottles our bloud in thy saucers thou knowest therefore when the phlebotomie is sufficient thou knowest when the repentance is come to its full period and issue Yea O Lord thy Apostle saith that to haue compassion on men thou becamest man to saue vs in time thou hast subiected thy selfe O eternall God vnto time It is therefore O Lord this flesh that flattereth it selfe that nameth her cries of griefe cries of repentance her conuulsions conuersions the tossings and vnquiet stirrings the anguish and impatient turnings of the body a turning of the body and soule to thee Certes O Lord my flesh abuseth it selfe it is in vaine it is in vaine that it thinketh it can turne to thee without thee 4. Returne O Lord deliuer my soule O saue mee for thy mercies sake Behold me O Lord and I will behold thee Turne vnto me O God and I will turne to thee for certainly if thou doest not conuert me I cannot bee conuerted and then wilt thou conuert mee when thou turnest thine eie the eie of thy mercies towards me a miserable sinner My God it is said that thou seest what is done that thou maist iudge the world I demand not that seeing it is the sight of thy prouidence which seeth alike all things and all men when thou punishest man-kinde it is said that thou dost behold them thou commest down to see what it hath done I demand not O God this viewing it is the aspect of thy iustice On the contrary enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for hee knoweth that no man liuing shall be iustified before this sight And notwithstanding O my God I haue need that thou behold me and if thou beholdest me not I finde my selfe lost both in body and soule I finde my selfe ouerwhelmed with griefe and sinne with griefe by reason of sinne O Lord let it be that looke wherewith thou beholdest thine owne thine owne for whom how few soeuer they be thou preseruest this world whereby also thou absoluest and iustifiest thy children thy children whom thou hast withdrawne from the condition and condemnation of this peruerse generation And this is that aspect of thy mercie thy good eye of thy good grace when thou doest behold vs in the iustice of thy Welbeloued who is made vnto vs righteousnesse and iustice iustice which makes thy mercie iust who will not nor cannot shew mercie but in iustice O Lord with that eye of thy mercie thou wilt deliuer my soule and wilt saue me for then my soule shall dislike it selfe and shall returne wholly towards thee to finde there its good But againe certes not for any thing that this aspect of thy mercie findes in me worthy thereof but because of thy mercie because of thine owne selfe for what is thy mercie but thine owne selfe O Lord saue me by thy mercie that is to say I know that with what good eye soeuer thou mayest behold mee thou canst see nought in me that may inuite thee to pittie nothing on the contrarie that causeth thee not to withdraw thine eye from me or to inflame thee with anger and furie against me I know it O Lord and I feele it I feele it and grant mee by thy Spirit that I may bee more and more sensible thereof But O Lord our goodnesse did not moue thee to make vs it was thine neither since to make vs anew by thy Christ it was thy goodnesse it selfe Saue vs therefore in thy Christ euen by that bountie and that by vs and in vs this goodnesse may be acknowledged and thou glorified who hast begotten vs and renewed vs created and regenerated vs for thy glorie to render thy goodnesse glorious and famous on earth Saue vs for that selfe same glorie 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall giue thee thankes O Lord the sinnes wee confesse it which are in the soule are causes of the euils which we endure here on earth And therefore said I Deliuer my soule deliuer my soule that is to say Forgiue me my sinne for it is the slauerie of sinne that bindes it For if the Son makes vs not free if he bindes not the strong enemie who hath vs in hold how shall wee euer see our selues set free and when he shall haue made me free I am assured that euen this bodie of mine shall finde some ease For what meant he when as he healing one sicke of the palsie said to him Sonne thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee but this namely that for the obtaining of this remission I must approach neere vnto thee with the conuersion of life and this conuersion cannot I bring vnlesse thou giuest it mee neither draw neere vnto thee if thou doest not draw me Therefore haue I said with the Prophet Turne thou to me and deliuer my soule and saue me that is to say Turne thou to mee and I will turne to thee and when I shall returne to thee thou shalt forgiue me my sinnes and shalt deliuer mee from all my euils So Lord finding my selfe wholly lost in my selfe I seeke for all in thee I aske of thee the knowledge of my sinne contrition conuersion remission
and life and the life I say both of this body of this soule that I may owe and owe againe and againe all vnto thee and that I may glorifie thee both in bodie and soule O Lord it is the prayer which thy seruant hath else-where taughtime Psal 51.7 8. Purge mee with hyssope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Make me to heare ioy and gladnesse the ioyfull newes of the remission of my sinnes and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce this flesh which thou hast afflicted so much shall be made whole this spirit which thou hast humbled in this flesh shall giue thee thankes and glorie For O Lord suffer mee I beseech thee to speake vnto thee that am but dust and ashes When thou shalt haue reduced vs againe to ashes those ashes will they praise thee what honour canst thou haue of the dust and who of those that descend in silence into the graue shall giue thee thankes But O Lord restore vnto vs our life render to vs our health which is the life of our life and without the which life is but a shadow of life and our life shall be vnto thee a continuall Sacrifice vnto thee a perpetuall Canticle Restore it to vs O Lord and let vs render it to thy glorie Render it to vs and let vs consecrate it to thy victorie Restore it to vs to edifie thy people instruct the ignorant to direct those children which thou hast giuen vs before we die in the way of their saluation and of thy glorie And thou knowest O Lord whether wee pray thee not for this day and night And finally O God that all that is within vs and of vs with heart with voyce with action may meditate on thee praise thee serue thee and that not for some dayes but for many yeeres for O Lord I know that long life is giuen as a blessing vnto those that feare thee whose bones thou preseruest so that they are not broken whose liues are so deare vnto thee as the apple of thine eye yea whose death euen this same death which is but a passage vnto a better life is precious before thine eyes Now therefore O Lord haue wee not prayed enough seeing thou art so neere neere vnto the afflicted and I so much afflicted and shall it not bee from henceforth time for thee to withdraw me from this euill these ashes from the ashes this dust from the dust Behold 6. I am wearie with my groanings all the night make I my bed to swimme I water my couch with my teares 7. Mine eye is consumed because of griefe it waxeth old because of all mine enemies O Lord is it not then yet enough and what other conuersion doest thou require of me what hast thou not turned thee to me in earnest hast thou not beheld me with the eye of thy mercies seeing that my heart is melted into teares Otherwise O Lord who could haue drawen out these waters and riuers out of this rocke so many teares out of the hardnesse of my heart So Lord when thy seruant Peter had sinned against thee thou beheldest him and he wept hee wept in the bitternesse of his soule hee wept and withdrew himselfe from the persecutors O Lord grant vnto this stone that it may cast forth and shed in like manner not the teares of Esan but the teares of Peter and not lament the losse of the inheritance of this world but the withdrawing of thy fauour and then I may triumph with thy seruant Dauid Auant my flesh get you gone O Deuill backe O temptations depart from mee O yee tempters 8. Depart from me all yee workers of iniquitie for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping O Lord they said vnto me Vnto whom doest thou crie the Lord dwels farre from men there is a great gulfe betweene sinners and him and thou who art thou O Lord I haue found on the contrarie that thou art neere and surely very neere for thou hast not onely heard my crie but my sighes also I said I will hold my peace I will be dumbe I will not open my mouth for thou hast done it I held my peace and thou heardst my silence my sighes O Lord where couldest thou be but neere me where couldest thou bee but in me Certes O Lord there is nothing that is farther off from man than thy selfe from sinne than thy iustice therefore thou art said with good reason to be farre off from vs. But there is nothing also neerer to vs than thy selfe thy well-beloued Sonne who is one nature with vs one essence with thee who came downe to vs and hath filled the gulfe who was clothed with our flesh of whom we are flesh of his flesh It is in him O Lord that thou doest behold vs in him that thou art neere vnto vs in him that thou drawest neere vnto the greatest sinners For whom came the Physitian but for the sick for whom the ransome but for captiues and for whom hath righteousnesse beene made sinne but for sinners therefore depart from mee ye tempters for hee hath heard the voyce of my weeping Depart from me for 9. The Lord hath heard my supplication the Lord will receiue my prayer Happie therefore am I that haue God for my Aduocate and God for my Iudge God for my Creditour and God for my Suretie if God be for me who can be against me When he iustifieth who can condemne Behold O Lord they said Thou maist wait long enough time seemes nothing to him that is not subiect to it and doest thou thinke that hee will come down expressely from heauen to helpe thee Surely my flesh hath spoken as one of the foolish women speaketh hee that receiueth good at thy hand why not also euill Satan also hath endeuoured to surprize me with his sophistrie who can helpe vs better in time than hee that hath made both vs and time Behold O Lord thy seruant hath no sooner sighed in his heart but thou answerest hee hath no sooner made his request but thou grantest it hath no sooner prayed but thou lendest a gentle eare vnto it O Lord let my supplication bee answered as it was vnto Dauid the confession of my sinne answered in the remission thereof the paine of my bodie in health the affliction of my Spirit in consolation And 10. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed let them returne and be ashamed suddenly They haue said O Lord where is his God let them see thee they haue said in vaine prayeth he let them see me againe They haue troubled my spirit let them be troubled My flesh that hath tempted me let it blush for shame Satan who hath assaulted mee let him get him hence I O Lord will blesse thee who hast taken this bodie out of the graue I will praise thee for euer who hast deliuered my soule from death and saued mee by and through thy Sonne who was deliuered
findes them wetted with the waters of Siloe plunged in the spring of eternall life in the bloud of his onely Sonne This in that hee also loueth so tenderly his creatures that of a Creator he wil become a Father spares not to redeeme them from perdition the bloud of his owne Sonne himselfe the Creator for miserable creatures the eternall God for mortall men the righteous for sinners the Almighty king for vile slaues And therefore concerning that the Prophet telles vs ſ Psal 130.3 If thou Lord shouldest marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand t Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgment with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified For u Rom. 6.23 the wages of sinne is death And consequently the Scripture saith x Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded them all in vnbeliefe and y Rom. 3.19 all the world is become guilty before God and therefore guilty of eternal death this is the vnmeasurable depth of his iustice But concerning this mercy doth sweeten and ouer prize it z Ioh. 3.16 God so loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Fearest thou poore sinner to draw neere him as the Pitch neere the fire a Eph. 3.12 In him thou hast boldnesse and accesse vnto him with confidence by the faith of Christ Fearest thou to bee accused to bee condemned b Rom. 8.33 34. It is God that iustifieth it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen againe who is euen at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for thee c Rom. 6.23 The guift of God is eternall life which is giuen thee in Christ Iesus our righteousnesse The d Col. 3.12 Scripture indeed hath concluded all vnder sinne but it is that the promise by faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to thē that beleeue e Rom. 11.32 God hath concluded all in vnbeleefe but it is that he might haue mercy vpon all that none might glory of his saluation but in his sole mercy And therefore the Apostle speaketh of this grace which exceeds sinne of this charitie which ouerflowes his iustice f Rom. 5.20 Where sinne abounded by the law grace did much more abound by faith in Christ In Christ sent graciously by the Father vndergoing charitably the hard yoke of that commission for vs wherefore Saint Iohn saith g 1 Ioh. 3.16 Hereby perceiue we the loue of God the Sonne because he laid downe his life for vs. And Saint Paul hauing most magnificently handled the mystery of the crosse of Christ It is saith he h Eph. 3.17 18 19. That yee being rooted and grounded in loue may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge that ye might be filled with all the fulnesse of God Hee could not take the measure either of his iustice or mercy of these two vnscrutable and vnmeasurable depths by any other thing than by the crosse of Christ than by Christ crucified sufficiently for all effectually for vs where one may reade in great Characters legible for all men be they neuer so short sighted both the infinite anger of God against sinne and his vnspeakable loue towards his creatures and cry out with the Apostle who handleth this point on the brim of these depths i Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Why then to know Christ crucified is a profound mystery an Art that goes farre And you must not hereafter wonder if the Apostle stands to it if with more reason hee detains vs in it But there is more for it is not an idle knowledge a hollow meditation but solide and actiue that carrieth its fruit in it selfe is neuer empty From the knowledge that it giues vs of our corruption and of Gods iustice it engendreth in vs a hatred of sinne which conuerts vs from our selues to him from our dead works to a better life from the knowledge of his mercy of his loue towards vs it kindleth in vs a loue towards him towards his word A loue that makes vs to compose all our actions and behauiour to the pleasure of his law A loue which seeing it selfe not able to doe any thing that may serue him or doe him good endeuoureth to become so much the more faithfull so much the more affectioned in that it feeles it selfe vnprofitable and therefore reflecteth it selfe vpon our neighbor vpon his image on all that beares his marke or stampe And that 's that which S. Iohn saith k 1 Ioh. 2.3 Hereby we doe know that wee doe know him if we keep his commandements On the contrary l 1 Ioh. 3.6 whosoeuer sinneth that is to say makes a trade of it hath not seene him neither knoweth him S. Paul also m 1 Thess 4.1 2 3 4. Yee know what commandements we gaue you by the Lord Iesus and what That euery one of you should know how to possesse his vessell in sanctification honor That euery one endeuour so to walke and to please God that he may abound more more not thinking it sufficient n 2 Cor. 4.14 16. That wee know that he which raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs also by Iesus On the contrary For this cause we faint not but worke so that though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renued day by day And this is one of the euidences whereby we may know that we know Christ in effect The other followeth The loue towards God which manifesteth it selfe towards our brethren for our Sauior saith o Ioh 5.24 He that beleeueth on me is passed frō death to life But wilt thou know who he is We know saith S. Iohn p 1 Ioh. 3.14 16. that we haue passed from death vnto life because we loue the brethrē he that loueth not his brother abideth in death And againe Hereby perceiue we the loue of God because he laid downe his life for vs and we ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren For S. Paul tells vs also q 1 Cor. 13.2 Though I haue the gift of prophesie and vnderstand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I haue all faith so that I could remoue moūtains haue no charity I am nothing Charity is that knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified which his charity imprinteth in vs which we are to expresse towards our brethren not able to exercise it on him for what heat what light can a small candle yeeld vnto the Sun what loue what charity can wee render backe vnto Christ and notwithstanding he will esteeme it as his and make much reckoning of the good which we that are his impart vnto our brethren r Marth 10 42. Whosoeuer
Christ is a long Art and our life is short It is the mysterie of God e Coloss 2.2 3. saith the Apostle and of the Father and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge vnto the which alone charity faith repentance haue reference And therfore let vs not be ashamed to study in it at all houres being sure that if we should liue an hundred yeares we may profit therin hourely Notwithstanding feeble and trembling soule feare not in this vnmeasurable depth the Lambes wade ouer and the Elephants finde it deep enough to swim To abridge thy lesson know that thou art wholly lost in thy selfe that God by his infinite mercy hath saued thee in the alone bloud of his Sonne crucified profit daily in it conforming thy selfe vnto his word and thou hast indeed this knowledge Proud heart who thinkest thou hast thy flight more lofty than other think not thou hast heere done thy worke to sound and diue deeply into mans misery and thine owne the iustice of God and his mercy to fadome them in all dimensions and in all senses is not a small taske for thee which surpasseth the capacity and vnderstanding of all the Angels and not of men onely The greatest spirits hauing past ouer all other Sciences haue taken their harbour in this Hauen haue happily bounded their courses in this knowledge because f Luke 10.22 no man knoweth who the Sonne is but the Father and he to whom he will reueale him Now the mysteries that are hidden to vs in this Sonne but those vnto whom they are giuen mysteries notwithstanding vnprofitable vnto vs and vnto vs hurtfull sauing in as much as we liue in him we liue to him let vs ardently and continually pray him that as he hath giuen vs to haue Iesus crucified before our eyes so he will giue vs more and more the grace to consider him and withall to be crucified with him that wee may say with the same Apostle g Gal. 2. I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for mee Procuring with al our power on what perill soeuer it be the saluation of our brethren ready to die when it shall please him by his grace in him by his vertue for him Amen A MEDITATION on the sixth Psalme PSAL. VI. O LORD vnto whom doth this Discourse sort better thā vnto me thā vnto me whom thou pursuest in the flesh yea vnto the bones than vnto me whom thou hast made a But vnto thine arrowes arrowes dipped in gall and piercing with griefe Thou knowest how oft I haue made prayers vnto thee thou hearest not Thou hearest but alas not for me O Lord what can I say more Certes but at last at least heare at this time 1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure I demand not O Lord that thou rebuke me not God forbid those whom thou rebukest not are those whom thou daignest not to amend those of whom thou hast no care whom thou vouchsafest not to be thy children but disclaimest them And what would thy lessons auaile if thou didst not rebuke or thy reproofes O Lord in the hardnesse of our hearts if thou tookest not sometimes the rod But O God rebuke mee in thy mercie and not in thine anger in thy gentlenesse not in thy furie Those whom thou sauest O Lord thou rebukest them in thy mercies but those whom thou destroyest in thy furie O Lord wouldest thou then destroy mee yea Lord permit me to say this word Couldst thou cast me away O Lord thou hast made me with thine hands and the worke-man doth not willingly lose his worke I was lost and thou hast redeemed me redeemed mee with the precious bloud of thine onely Sonne Lord how vile soeuer I be in my selfe I cannot chuse but be most precious to thee Keepe O Lord thy furie for the vessels of thy furie I am a vessell of thy mercie thy wrath for the children of wrath Thou hast by thy grace redeemed mee thou hast adopted mee for thy childe for heire of thy grace and co-heire with Christ and now O Lord I crie vnto thee with confidence Abba Father Father therefore I beseech thee againe in fauour of thy Welbeloued Rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastize mee in thy hot displeasure but rather 2. Haue mercie vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed O Lord I am assured that thou rebukest mee not to cast me away and therefore thy mercies will put some end vnto my miseries Ah father of mercies wherfore tarriest thou then So many yeeres are passed in griefe so many daies and nights in teares My flesh stickes vnto my bones and my bones are impaired O Lord why doest thou any more with thy rod and if thou redoublest thy blowes neuer so little what difference will there be between the hand of thy gentlenes and that of thy furie The father strikes the childe till hee feeles it to the quicke And thou knowest it O Lord if I doe feele thee if thy chastisement hath pierced euen vnto the marrow of my bones Till hee hath promised amendment And thou knowest O Lord if I haue a desire therof and if continually I aske for thy Spirit to better mee But thou wilt doe more O Lord for thy rods are the medicines of the soule And therefore thou wilt haue them pierce so farre that they penetrate into the verie bottome of our hearts Certainly O Lord I will say more for 3. My soule is also sore vexed but thou O Lord how long O Lord when thou dost visit vs with thy rods it is iustly for thou art a righteous Iudge Then thy iustice doth discouer our iniustice The languishment and drooping of our bodies doth manifest the impairement and defects of our soules our soules truly confected in leprousie which giuing feeling to the body feeles not notwithstanding its owne euill but in the paine of the body neuer remembers its owne misery but in the misery that it suffereth Thou doest afflict vs O Lord we haue therefore sinned and continually Ah good God I beseech thee make my soule dolorous for it selfe sensible for it selfe and not for this body giue it a feeling of its faults and not of its punishment At least ô Lord of its faults by its paines But O God let it be pained and not troubled pained in the acknowledgment of its sin not troubled but comforted in the assurance of thy mercies for thy afflictions O Lord are termed the visitations of our soules and visitings are of a friend to his friend of the physitian to his patient Thy visitations therefore ought to be welcomed of vs that are so wholesome vnto vs wholsome to the soule by the body healthfull and profitable vnto the body it selfe after
and died for our offences and was raised againe for our iustification Amen A MEDITATION on PROVERBS 3.11 12. My Sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction For whom the Lord loueth he correcteth euen as a father the sonne in whom he delighteth OVerwhelmed with griefe in my flesh oppressed with astonishment in my spirit with sorrow in my soule in danger to yeeld my selfe vnto the words of the vnaduised who vpon the redoubling of such rude blowes did murmure about me Where is now his God that God whom he did call vpon so oft my selfe to mutter between my teeth where are indeed those infinite bounties And wherefore hast thou sued mee as an aduersary hast made me a But to thy most rough arrowes I heare the wise man mildly saying My sonne despise not the chastening of the Lord neither be weary of his correction For whom the Lord loueth hee correcteth euen as a father the sonne in whom hee delighteth At this word I breathe a little and come by little little to my selfe this word as good strong Vinegar comforts my spirits restores my pulse brings me out of sounding restores life to my soule one drop of this soure sweet liquor on my tongue baked with griefe refresheth it changeth its blacknesse yea its language Why then began I to say to my soule this despaire will it change into hope From a Iudge O Lord whom I did dread thee and an angry Iudge shal I feele thee as a Father a louing Father shall it be then true that these rude chastisements are to mee signes of thy loue seales of mine adoption the earnest of my saluation and first-fruits of thy grace Therefore will I hold this liquor in my palate gargarise my mouth therewith that it may penetrate my heart go to the bottome of my soule for when men are afflicted it is from Gods hand in this hand will he be heard with this hand he speaketh And these afflictions are chastisements to his owne though punishments to others with the same hand he doth afflict them and heale them with the same rod he beats them downe and raiseth them vp beats downe the flesh raiseth the soule If you behold the wound its opening and the bloud he drawes from vs he seemes not much differing from an enemy if his soft hand if his tender affection if his wholesome intention seeing hee is thy Creator thy Redeemer how much doth he exceed any Surgeon be he neuer so much thy friend yea any father whatsoeuer And it is alwaies a great point for vs to consider that our afflictions come from God make a part of his prouidence For to omit that the creature ought to yeeld to the whole and soueraigne power of the Creator we doe yeeld so much to the power of a Prince and that without reply All-wise and iust that he is can he doe any thing either without reason or without iustice and are they not therefore either trials of our faith or chastisements of our sins yea all good that he is a louer of his creature can he doe ought but in goodnes in mercy which surpasseth all his works to the edificatiō therefore of his Church to our owne saluation for our profit saith the Apostle a Heb. 12.10 that we may be made partakers of his holinesse wee may profit in holinesse we may walke from faith to faith from obedience to obedience My son then saith the wise man despise not the chastening of the Lord. The wise man wise from elsewhere than from flesh and bloud inspired truly from God in this matter who teacheth vs here as his children and seeing that he is inspired from God God by his mouth teacheth vs as children of God Despise not saith he and who can despise this discipline as well may he ward his thunderbolts Who can be exempted from them decline his iurisdiction or eschew his censure It is therefore as much as if hee should say vndergoe it willingly take it in good part suppose it to be a lesson which he giues thee in his Schoole The slaue flies before his Master who feares more the scourge than his anger Doe not thou doe so childe that thou art feare more his anger than his rod feare more thy sin the cause of his anger than his anger it selfe But if he sheweth thee his rod humble thy selfe kisse it yea adore it A dore in thy God his benignity who daignes to visit thee whether in chastisement or in triall alwaies finds in thee too much matter of chastisement Tell him with Dauid b Psal 23.4 Thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me If he strike thee if hee cast a stone at thee he is thy shepheard thou wentst astray he sets thee in the way and therefore the wise man calls it discipline not punishment Discipline because by these afflictions hee keepes thee to schoole hee conformes thy motiōs thy actions to his holy word A discipline surely in his intention how rough soeuer it seemeth to thee because it tends wholly to thy instruction not to thy destruction A discipline also on thy part in its effect if thou takest well thy chastisement doest amend and returne more and more vnto him Take it therefore in good part husband it well for he addeth neither be weary of his correction Not onely despise it not but vndergoe it not for once but often if he redouble if he return often to it be not weary of it But truly who is not weary of the mildest reprehensions of his best friends and whose eares and head are not broken therewith Why then when God redoubleth his blowes on men and that with so heauie a hand who can subsist I but attend with patience and be not weary thereof Certes we haue the same reason both to suffer this chastisement to perseuere in this patience if we consider that it is God who continues it all iust all wise he doth it for our good who is all goodnesse all mercy And seeing we doe not complaine of the Physitian who purgeth vs at seuerall times nor of the Surgion who searcheth the wound and that oftē in a day though it be neuer without paine yea smarting paine when God dresseth our sinne an obstinate euill a mortall plague cleauing to our spirits yea to our marrow shall wee complaine if hee resumes the Launcer presseth the venome out applies at diuers times the searing iron or the cautere according as the vlcer threatens an issue or that the humour inciteth it selfe against the cataplasme according as we are and he knoweth vs redoubleth his visitation either with the Launcet or the Dose Be not therefore weary when the Lord doth correct thee why then what shall wee doe accustome our selues to Gods rod become lumpish or vnsensible But on the contrary God will haue thee to feele him to vnderstand him feele his blowes know the cause thereof feele thy selfe by them and woe vnto him that rouseth
tribulation also In as much also as p Rom. 8.28 all things worke together for good as it were in emulation one of the other to them that loue God to them vnto whom by his loue shed abroad in their hearts hee hath giuen to loue him called according to his purpose in as much in a word that in all things bee they neuer so difficult q Vers 37. wee are more than conquerours through him that loued vs our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ beloued with so strong a loue and coniunction that in him and by him the father loueth vs the father vouchsafes to delight in vs where we crie confidently with the Apostle that r Rom. 8.35 38. neither tribulation nor distresse shall separate vs from the loue of Christ in those tribulations he acknowledgeth his badge nay not death it selfe nor any thing that may happen vnto vs how sharpe soeuer it bee from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Nay rather they doe assure vs they doe testifie vnto vs his loue are vnto vs pledges of his grace and good will first fruits of his glorie But here the flesh repugneth Why saith it shall affliction be a marke of the children of God why then all they who are chastized are they his children Contrariwise looke about you see in how many sorts this marke is defectiue I but the wise man saith not that all those whom God strikes are his children for theÌ„ what should become of his iudgments so frequent on strangers on the wicked But he meanes that all his children those to whom he vouchsafeth to be in his house are subiect to feele his hand and children as they are of his mercie they feele it not in his anger as those children of wrath but in his mercie And wilt thou know the difference those impute it to fortune to nature to mischance thinke on nought but on their paine if any thought of God enters perhaps into their mindes they smother it presently ready to doe worse if they doe but escape These in their paine feele the hand of God thinke on their sinne forget their paine conuince themselues and conuicted humble themselues at the foot of his clemencie more ashamed of their offence than of their punishment more confounded in themselues before the benignitie of such a father than before the inflamed anger of the most rigorous Iudge walking henceforth warily not so much for feare of incurring his indignation as out of a desire not to commit any thing vnworthy of his adoption of his family So doe we read of Pharaoh when he feeles the lice and swarms of flies the other rods of God according as he doth redouble them he grieueth is disquieted is impatient makes a capitulation with God but eftsoones returneth who is that God whom you doe so much alleage it is maruell hee saith not Let mee see him and thereupon hee hardneth his heart Gods rod went but to his backe little sensible thereof in his soule On the contrary Dauid sees the destroying Angell smiting his people threatning very neere his owne person forgets his owne danger for his sinne readie to redeeme Gods anger with the losse of his life f 2 Sam. 24.17 Lee I haue sinned saith he and I haue done wickedly but these sheepe what haue these done let thine hand I pray thee be against mee and against my fathers house because he was sensible of his sinne insensible of his paines Grieue not therefore when God chasteneth thee rather grieue when he correcteth thee not feare that hee hath forgot thee and left thee to thy selfe thou oughtest to suspect those prosperities which thou drinkest in long draughts The sicke man who hath neuer so little iudgement takes it for an ill signe when the Physitian permits him to take any thing lets him drinke wine in his full feuer because he forbids nothing to desperate sicke folkes hee neuer maketh incision on those that are mortally wounded there is both reason and art to let them die at leasure I but it is the correction of a father the chastisement of a sonne to cut off an arme or leg pull out our eyes or bowels and shall wee not thinke that these words serue rather to lull vs asleepe for what could the greatest enemie doe to vs more in the heat of his anger I but vnaduised flesh refraine thy selfe it is God that speakes and if thy vine could speake and should vpbraid thee and tell thee how often thou makest it to weepe when thou cutst it and cutst it againe leauest but a twig in an vnassured hope notwithstanding of more fruit Good husband-man as thou thinkest thy selfe to be wouldst thou not mock at it And how often to heale the bodie to preuent a Cangrene secst thou the arme the leg offred to the Surgeons saw without caution or assurance to be bettered to a losse to an anguish both certaine extreme Why then ought we not to suffer in this bodie and in all worldly things to heale to soue the soule of God aboue all who hath made the soule and bodie Creatour of this vniuersall world who knoweth how farre the dammage of our body the losse of this present world may serue may contribute to the saluation of our soules But behold I see what troubleth thee I am the nian Lam. Ier. 3. 1 3. sayest thou that hath seene affliction by the rod of his wrath surely against mee is be turned hee turneth his hand against mee all the day He hath taken from me an onely sonne and thorow the sonnes side hath pierced the mother A sonne in the flower of his age the stay of my declining yeeres in this corrupted age a bud of manly vertue already the honour of his age A woman a wife my counsell in perplexitie my comfort in aduersitie a continuall spurre to good surpassing most yea all both in regard of her sex and of that age And thereupon thou framest thy reply And thereupon Satan doth tempt thee Thy force and thy hope in God is gone I but consider that wee must all die and by Gods will according as it pleaseth him to call vs. This call is our calling he hath preuented thy sonne by his mercie hee hath taken him away from corruption what caution what securitie be it neuer so firme can one haue to swim against the streame of this â—â—â—â—uption hath taken him away from hence with honour hath aduanced and taken him vp into his glorie Setapart the interest thou hast hast thou occasion to complaine And wouldest thou O miserable man on the hazard of his soule haue thy condition amended to support some few yeeres which remaines to thee see him deliuered and giuen ouer to the windes of youth the waues of vanitie among so many rockes yea amongst so many Sirens Hee tooke a little while after thy wife away But note his prouidence by the death of that deare Sonne shee was weaned from all pleasure from all hope