SAINT BERNARD HIS MEDITATIONS OR Sighes Sobbes and Teares vpon our Sauiours PASSION In Memoriall of his Death ALSO His Motiues to Mortification with other Meditations The third Edition much amended By W. P. Mr. of Arts in Cambridge 1 COR. 2.2 I esteeme not to know any thing amongst you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified LONDON Printed by T. S. for Francis Burton dwelling in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the greene Dragon 1614. TO THE Right Worshipfull Mr. IOHN BVLLOCKE of the Inner Temple ESQVIRE SYR it was my purpose when I first vndertooke to translate these diuine and comfortable Meditations on the Lords Passion and Motiues to Mortification selected out of the workes of S. BERNARD and other auncient Writers not verbally turned into English but augmented with such other Meditations as it pleased God to infuse into my minde to haue dedicated them vnto your worthy Father who both in respect of his neere alliance and other reasons of moment might by his owne right haue challenged that duty at my hands But since it seemed good vnto the Diuine Maiestie to remoue him from earth out of the societie of mortall men to liue for euer in the company of the blessed Angels in Heauen before I could attaine to the accomplishment of my wished desires I could finde none more neere and deere vnto me then your self who might vouchsafe to giue the first kinde entertainement to my well-intended labours when they should come forth into the light For as the Lord hath blessed you with a peaceable fruition of your Fathers possessions so no doubt you are also a true heire of his commendable Vertues My desire is to profit all yet I am obliged by many priuate respects to commend my labours such as they are in a more speciall manner vnto your selfe that thereby I might seale vnto you a true assurance of my gratefull affection towards you For farre be it from my thought that eyther I should forget your kind speeches or bury your good deed in the darke graue of Obliuion expressed to mee and extended towards mee at my last conference with you I know you cannot but kindely accept my small mite if you ballance it with the willingnesse of my minde and I am assured you will not mislike it in regard of the matter though happily you may finde some distaste in respect of the stile For what can be more fit for these times then Motiues to Mortification or more comfortable to the soule of a sorrowfull sinner then a serious Meditation of the bitter Passion of our Crucified Redeemer who being God became man for our sakes suffered a most cruell death on the Crosse for our sinnes and being buried rose againe for our iustification But it is not my purpose heere to relate what sweet streames doe flow from this christall and pure Fountaine what wholesome fruits may be gathered from this fruitfull Tree or what rich Treasure may be found in this golden Mine I desire to containe my lines within the bounds of Mediocritie especially when the Current of my words turneth towards One whom God hath blessed with capacitie able to conceiue the great commodities which doe proceed from such Christian exercises Yet before I make a full period giue mee leaue I pray you to let you vnderstand that I haue much endeauoured so to expresse the grieuous Passion of our gracious Redeemer as if it were now in present action before our eyes that I might the better stirre vp feruent motions of Pietie in the minde and kindle the sparkes of true deuotion in the heart of the Reader For indeed the full scope of my desire is to glorifie GOD and benefit my brethren And that your owne soule as also the soule of euery religious Reader may be the more neerely and deepely touched and wounded with a feeling consideration of our Sauiours death I suppose it the best way after a due preparation thereunto by prayer without which nothing can be sanctified vnto vs to beginne at the first Meditation and so taking the History of his Passion before you to proceed vntill you come vnto the yeelding vp of his Ghost vpon the Crosse In the progresse whereof it may please God so to touch your heart with sorrow that your eyes with those in the Gospell who came to see his death Luke 24.48 may gush forth Teares for griefe that so innocent a Lambe should be so despightfully and cruelly tortured tormented and crucified Where also you in whose person I speake vnto all may iustly conceiue a double griefe First that Iesus Christ the Righteous was killed for sinne Secondly that hee was killed for our sinne The consideration whereof should moue all with weeping Peter Luke 22.62 to shed salt and brinish teares of contrition in remembrance of our offences that being therewith pricked at the heart Christ Iesus may say vnto our sorrowfull soules as sometimes he did vnto the Israelites I haue heard your groaning and will haue compassion on you Iudg 2.18 And may also thereunto adde Sonne be of good cheere thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Matth. 9 2. Come hither and taste how sweet I thy Lord am with mee there is plenteous redemption And as in matter of sorrow it more deepely pierceth the soule of the hearer with griefe or in matter of delight more affecteth the minde with ioy to heare the particular relation of some Tragical euent or the parts and particles of some delightfull accident reported then onely to heare a bare narration of either in grosse without expressing the parts thereof so likewise it cannot chuse but more deepely wound the soule of euery Christian to heare or read the speciall and seuerall sufferings of Christ in his Passion then if it were onely sayd thus Christ died for vs. But least I draw my lines beyond the limits of due measure I heere conclude desiring the LORD to blesse you and the rest of your Fathers issue with many happy dayes vpon earth and when they are ended heere in peace to receiue you all into his heauenly Kingdome of euerlasting Glory Yours ready at commaund W.P. A Table of the Meditations vpon the Lords PASSION 1 A Meditation of the comming of the Lord IESVS into Hierusalem riding vpon an Asse c. page 1 Med. 2. Of the returning of the Lord Iesus into Ierusalem and of his often preaching in the Temple c. page 30 Med. 3. Of the preparation of the Lords Supper and washing his Disciples feete c. page 57 Med. 4. Of the institution of the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ c. page 72 Med. 5. How the Lord Iesus told his Disciples that one of them should betray him c. page 89 Med. 6. Of the going of Christ into the Mount-Oliuet and of his praying thrice in the Garden c. page 104 Med. 7. How Iesus arose from prayer and went to meet Iudas who with a multitude came to apprehend him c. page 130 Med. 8. How the Lord
Iesus was led to Annas and how he was there beaten and buffeted c. page 152 Med. 9. How the Lord Iesus was led from Annas to Caiphas and of his scourging there c. page 172 Med. 10. How Peter denied his Master thrice of his repentant weeping c. page 184 Med. 11. How Iesus was sent vnto Pilate of his vsage there pag. 205 Med. 12. How Pilate caused Iesus to be scourged and then pronounced sentence of death against him pag. 213 Med. 13. How Christ bearing his crosse on his shoulders is led to Mount Caluarie to be crucified page 250 Med. 14. Of the cruell and bitter crucifying of our Lord Iesu performed on Mount-Caluary page 285 Med. 15. Of the derisions and scornfull speeches vttered to the Lord Iesus when hee was nayled on the Crosse page 319 Med. 16. Concerning the lamentation of the Virgin Mary beholding her Son vpon the Crosse page 331 Med. 17. Of the Eclipse and obscuration of the Sunne about the ninth houre and of the fourth speech which Christ vsed vpon the Crosse page 343 Med. 18. Of the fift sixt words which the Lord Iesus spake vpon the Crosse to wit I thirst and it is finished page 355 Med. 19. How Christ gaue vp the ghost of the wonders then wrought and his death page 369 Med. 20. Of Iesus Christ his buriall and of the lamentation of his Mother and other women for his death page 381 Med. 21. Of the Lord Iesus his Resurrection of his appearance to his Disciples of his ascention into heauen and of his comming to iudgement page 397 FINIS O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me He kneeled downe and Prayed but beinge in an agonie he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like droppes of blood trikling downe to the ground Luke 22.44 Sit ye here whil I goe and Pray yonder MOST DEVOVT MEDITATIONS vpon the most holy and bitter Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ MED I. A Meditation of the comming of the Lord Iesus into Hierusalem riding vpon an Asse and the bringing in of him into the Citie with Songs and Praises and of his returne into Bethany the same day Into a Mat. 21.5 Hierusalem our Sauiour rides Vpon an b Mat. 21.7 Asse a simple harmlesse beast The people spread their c Mat. 21.8 cloathes and boughes besides Crying d Mat. 21.9 Hosanna Thou in Heauen highest THe time approaching which the Diuine prouidence had from eternity prefixed in which my most kinde and louing Iesus should come to his preordained Passion cruell death of the Crosse which he willingly came to vndergoe being the onely begotten of God incarnated in the wombe of the Virgin as through the whole course of his life he shewed exceeding great humility so toward the houre of his Passion comming to the place where hee should endure the torments of a most shamefull cruel death he tooke his entrance from humility when riding meekly vpon an Asse he came to the Citie where he should sustaine the vndeserued punishment of the Crosse Therefore when the Lord Iesus sixe dayes before the Passeouer had made his Supper with his Disciples in Bethanie the towne of Marie and Martha in the house of Simon the Leaper which was a friend to the said Mary and Martha where Mary also had powred an Alablaster boxe of precious oyntment vpon his head the morning following very earely most kind Iesus calling two of his Disciples said Goe into the towne which is ouer against you where you shall find a she-Asse tied and her Colt loose them and bring them vnto me And if any man shall say any thing against you say that the Lord hath neede of them and strait-way they will let them goe The lowly and louing Disciples obeying the commandement of their Master license being freely graunted to them by the Lord of all creatures they presented the shee-Asse and her Colt to their beloued Redeemer Then Iesus riding vpon the Asse directeth his iourney towards Hierusalem And when hee came to the going downe of the mount Oliues many people which were come thither hauing heard of the strange miracle of Lazarus whom Iesus raised out of his graue went forth to meete him And that they might doe him the greater honour some spread their garments vpon the ground others cut down boughes from the Trees and strewed them vpon the earth and all of them some going before and some comming behinde cried Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid blessed is hee which commeth in the name of the Lord. And vvith these praises and Iubilies they brought louing Iesus euen to the Gates of Hierusalem following after him with his Disciples And after Iesus beheld the Citie he now fore-knowing the destruction of it to come moued with compassion powred forth teares ouer it but the Pharises and Scribes enflamed with the fire of enuie seeing Iesus to be extolled with admiration and honour rebuked sole redemption to deliuer vs out of the bondage of eternall death and from the intollerable paines of euerlasting damnation to be made coheires with him of a most blessed life in the Kingdome of Heauen Learne therefore oh my soule to imitate thy blessed Sauiour who abstained from meate to doe the will of his heauenly Father by seeking by all meanes to winne their soules who being void of all humanitie sent him fasting out of their Citie Oh hard-hearted Iewes to giue such vnkinde entertainment to my bountifull Lord and louing Iesus But be thou kinde oh my soule like Lazarus and ready like Mary and Martha to receiue thy Sauiour that hee may giue thee euerlasting bread for thy foode and water of eternall life for thy drinke Come and suppe with mee my sweet Sauiour vouchsafe to enter into my simple cottage I confesse I am vnworthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe yet I know that thou art alwayes willing to come where thou art kindly and friendly inuited Open thou the dore of my heart that thou maist enter and dwell with mee for euer then saluation shall come to my whole house then I shall lie downe to sleepe in peace and rise againe without any dread of danger for I shall be safely couered vnder the shadow of thy wings and remaine in peaceable securitie vnder thy mightie protection Consider Oh my Soule and meditate often in thine inward thoughts of the strange ingratitude of the stony-hearted Iewes toward thy Sauiour IESVS who would not afford him so much as a meales meate at night for his great paines hee tooke with them all the day but hee was constrained to returne hungry with his Disciples from so oppulent and populous a Citie to Bethanie a poore and small village there to refresh his weary and weake body where hee made so small a supper that he returned hungry to Hierusalem the next morning and spying a Figge-tree which had onely faire leaues Beware of hypocrisie but no fruit to slake his hunger or to
had a Diuell These thy children my most louing Iesus doe sit like Oliue branches round about thy Table They sate downe with thee lincked together with the bond of perfect loue the mindes of all them being faithfull vnto thee and all their affections longing after thee onely Iudas was an odious Traytor and thou knewest well enough that he should betray thee They all eate with thee the meat set before them and they eate the pure Paschall Lambe after the manner of the Iewes Oh blessed house oh happie supping-parlour worthy of great honour in which my gracious Lord vouchsafed to make his blessed Supper Wherefore was not I there then my sweet Sauiour to attend vpon thee and thy faithfull Disciples I would haue esteemed it as my greatest honour to haue done thee any seruice Certainely I would haue gathered vp some of the crummes which fell from the Table of my Lord. Oh how ioyfull would it haue beene to my hart Oh how would it haue pleased mine eyes to haue had but a view of thy amiable countenance I would haue fallen downe flat at thy feete and with Mary Magdalene I would haue washed them with my teares And thou oh my most mercifull Lord which didst not despise the teares of a sinfull and a sorrowfull Woman wouldst not haue reiected mee a poore Publican and grieuous sinner and as thou wert compassionate towards her so thou wouldst also haue beene mercifull to me Oh how comfortable would thy most pleasant speeches my sweet Sauiour haue beene to my sorrowfull soule how quickly would thy most wholsome words wherwith thou didst refresh thy louing Disciples haue healed the wounds of my grieued conscience What did my Lord beginne to speake what were thy first words when thou wert set at the Table Thou saist I haue earnestly desired to eate this Passeouer with you before I suffer Oh how great is thy Charitie how immeasurable is thy loue my louing Iesus Thou didst earnestlie desire to eate with thy Disciples but it was not to slake thy hunger or to refresh thy feeble nature thou hadst no such neede of corporall food but it was thy meate to doe the will of thy Father Thou wert desirous to leaue some tokens of thy exceeding loue with thy louing Disciples before thy departure and to seale them an euerlasting assurance of thy continuall prouidence ouer them let the precious balme of thy soueraigne mercie heale the deepe and deadly wounds of mine iniquitie Oh my God open thy pittifull eares to heare my petition answere me graciously and despise not my prayer Command my wandring heart to come out of the broad way that leadeth to Hell and damnation and to returne into the narrow path which conducteth to heauen and euerlasting saluation so that being once againe returned into it it may neuer hereafter wander out of it Shut all worldly cares and wicked cogitations out of my heart that neither the heauie burthen of them may so depresse my minde that the deuotion of my Prayer cannot ascend vp vnto thee nor so stop the passage of my soule that the comfort of thy grace cannot descend downe vpon me Draw mee vnto thee my most louing Iesus thou which art mine assured saluation in the day of my greatest miserie and my onelie comfort and consolation in the last and latest houre of my deadly agonie for I am wounded and my heart is consumed because I haue forgotten to eate my bread which should haue nourished me to euerlasting life Indeed I haue beene altogether forgetfull of thee my beloued Iesus for I haue not called to my minde thy most holy Passion with any zealous or serious meditation I haue had no delight to thinke vpon thy precious wounds which thou didst suffer to heale my sores neither haue I found any comfort in the pure streames of thy innocent bloud powred out to wash away my sinnes and to purge my corrupted soule I haue not looked after my beloued in the day I haue not longed for my Bride-groome in the night I confesse my gracious Lord I haue not beene mindefull of thee my thoughts haue beene wandring abroad my minde hath not been exercised with any sweet meditation of thy mercie my spirit hath not beene troubled with sorrow for my sinnes mine eyes haue shed no teares nor my heart sent forth any sighes for my manifold transgressions Therefore what shall I doe I will returne to the Lord my God and I will call vpon him I will not cease to reiterate the most holy Name of Iesus vntill thy voice sound in mine eares there there Come therefore oh good Iesus and haue mercie vpon me Heare oh sweet Iesus the prayer of thy seruant infuse and dip my heart in thy bloud and diffuse thy grace into my soule oh most mercifull Iesus let my heart oh most louing Iesus be like waxe melting in the middest of thy bloudy side Cloath my minde with the mourning garment of thy Passion and let my zealous affections burne like fire in my serious meditation Leade me oh my most milde and kinde Iesus to thy most holy Supper where I may heare thee speaking to thy Disciples sitting at thy Table after thou haddest washed their feete Tell mee oh my soule if thou hast read what the Lord my Iesus did when he sate downe againe to the Table after the washing of his Disciples feete Verily while they were yet eating Iesus tooke bread and giuing thanks he blessed it brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and said Take and eate this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of mee And when hee had giuen euery one a morsell hee tooke the cup and powring wine into it giuing thankes hee likewise gaue it to them saying Drinke yee all of this for this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes and they all dranke of it Let vs pause a while oh my soule and with deuout meditation ponder in our mindes and treasure vp in our hearts the wonderfull things which our blessed IESVS hath done for vs for our mercifull and gracious Lord hath made a memoriall of his wonders hee hath giuen meate to them which feare him Oh wonderfull Supper in which so many admirable things were done and effected This was thy last Supper oh most sweet Iesu which thou didst make when thou wert about to depart out of the world to thy Father How many admirable wonders of thy exceeding loue how many miracles of thy infinite mercy are presented vnto vs in this thy blessed Supper but thou hast most speciallie ordained this mysticall sweet delightfull and heauenlie sacrament of thy body and bloud that the memorie of thy Passion might remaine for euer in the mindes of the faithfull Oh wonderfull Sacrament in which is contained such abundance of all kinde of sweenesse no sweetnesse be it neuer so dilicious can come neere it in goodnesse no pleasure be it neuer so incomparable is
that the infinitenesse of thy mercie may appeare the clearer in the cure of my grieuous maladie and the beames of thy glorie shine the brighter by my deliuerance Therefore I will come confidentlie vnto thee my most milde and mercifull Iesus because thy mercies are infinite that I may enioy with thee the euerlasting delights of the blessed Giue me therefore thy heauenlie bread oh my good Iesus thou which art the life of the world and graunt oh bountifull Lord that I may be enabled by thy grace to eate worthilie that I may remaine in thee eternallie and thou in mee euerlastingly for I desire this one thing it is the ioy of my heart and the contentment of my longing affections that I may dwell inseparablie with thee for euer and I will cleaue vnto none other but onely vnto thee oh my sweet Iesus because with thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light I shall see light A Meditation how the Lord Iesus fore-told his Disciples that hee should be betrayed by one of them that same night MED V. Amongst the a Mat. 26.20.21 twelue as Iesus sate at meates At his b Marke 14.14 last Supper thus to them he said Who c Luke 22.22 dips his hand in dish and with me eates By d Iohn 18.5 him the Sonne of man shall be betraid AFter our most louing and most gracious Iesus had fed his Disciples with his precious Bodie and refreshed them with his Bloud hee was troubled in spirit and said to his Disciples Verily verily I say vnto you that one of you shall betray mee which eateth with mee that the Scripture may be fulfilled he which eateth my bread shall lift vp his heele against mee Oh how hard is this saying my blessed and bountifull Sauiour Oh how harsh and bitter meats hadst thou reserued for thy Disciples at the end of thy Supper Thou didst feede them with sweet milke in the beginning and thou gauest them delicious honie in the middle when thou didst wash their feete and refreshedst them with thy precious body for their meate and with thy roiall bloud for their drinke But now in the end thou hadst reserued gall and Wormwood sowre sauce for their sweet meate when these sorrowfull words did passe out of thy blessed lips and that dreadfull speech was vttered by thy honie-flowing mouth Woe is me my sweet and louing Iesus I seeme to see the cheerefull countenance of thy deare disciples sodainely changed their hearts ouer-whelmed with floods of sorrow their mindes perplexed with excessiue griefe the heate of their desires quite extinguished and all their hopes whollie dashed so soone as those fearefull words had passed through their eares and pierced their hearts who of so sweet a beginning little expected so sowre a conclusion Had they not much matter of mourning and was it not a world of sorrow vnto them that thou being their Master Captaine Gouernour Gardian and Ruler shouldst be betraied to death and it did much more augment the matter of their woe and increase the heapes of their griefe that one of them should contriue this horrible Treason and be the Author of this bloudie attempt The first was a violent motiue to moue them to exceeding sorrow because they so dearly loued and were so entirely beloued of their louing Maister But the latter was so horrible to their eares and so terrible to their hearts that it quite abated all their former ioy vtterly amazed their perplexed mindes maruelling in their troubled cogitations who amongst such a little flocke of Sheepe should proue so woluish as to deuoure so good a Shepheard admiring that any one in their holie societie should so farre degenerate from his faithfull fidelitie as to betray the life of so bountious so milde and so mercifull a Master But heare oh my soule what his faithfull Disciples answered when they heard those lamentable words pronounced They looked one vpon another their faces being pale with feare and their hearts full fraughted with sorrow and scarcely could their tongues vtter any part of their inward griefe the floud of their woes did flow fast and rise to so high a tide in their hearts and they said with a trembling voyce what sorrowfull words are these which our deare Master doth vtter Who amongst vs shall proue such a cursed wretch as once to imagine or such a horrible traitor as once to complot such a detestable deede and execrable fact Such a hainous intention said euery one of them was farre from my thoughts such a hellish motion did neuer enter into my breast For how should such a Diuellish cogitation enter into our mindes or finde any harbour in our harts but our Lord cannot be deceiued Wherefore euery one of them turning to the Lord said Is it I Rabbi to whom blessed Iesus answered One of the twelue which dips his hand with me in the dish shall betray me But peraduenture many of them shouing their hand in the dish at that time they were not able to discerne who it should be Wherefore Iudas said What is it I Rabbi But louing Iesus otherwise not discouering him answered Thou hast said as though hee should say thou hast said and not I for we may thinke truely that if my louing Iesus had plainely discouered that cursed man to the rest of his louing and beloued Disciples they if we should compare their affections with other mens passions had not beene able to haue contained their hands but with one accord would haue assailed that most wicked traitor and haue ended his hatefull daies with a speedie death who allured with the baites of the Diuell went about to make sale of the blessed life of their deare and best beloued Maister For how wouldest thou haue beene able oh bold and couragious Peter to haue cooled the heate of thy furie and to haue held thy hands from taking vengeance vpon such a damnable Traitor when as thou didst not feare to make resistance against a great band of Souldiers in the defence of thy beloued Master For as their loue toward louing Iesus was without meane so their hatred toward hatefull Iudas would haue beene without moderation if his treacherous plot had beene openly discouered vnto them But I pray thee stay here a while oh my soule and ponder within thy inward thoughts with deuout meditation the sacred words and diuine speeches more sweet then honie the honie-combe which my most sweet Iesus vttered to his faithfull Disciples as he went to the place of his vniust apprehension which the Euangelist Iohn retaining in his memorie through the holy Ghost hath faithfully recorded in his heauenlie and most sacred Gospell Meditate there seriouslie vpon the wonderfull loue which hee had towards his loyall Disciples hee was their Lord and Master yet he did not disdaine to eate meate conforting with the meanest of them hee washed their feete hee gaue his bodie and bloud vnto them and after all these things did not cease to teach them the
attempt by anie force to rescue thee out of the hands of thy cruell foes thou diddest disclose vnto thy faithfull Disciples the dangerous daies that were to come and tell them of the bitter afflictions which were to ensue and that they should be like Sheepe scattered without a Shepheard But it was not that they should arme their bodies with weapons but their heads and soules with patience So indeed the loue of thy Apostle was full of zeale but yet it was barren void of knowledge who had beene often forewarned that thou shouldest suffer a cruell and shamefull death to fulfill the scripture and do the will of thy Father Wherefore oh my most mercifull Iesus so inflame my heart with thy loue that I may freelie confesse it with my mouth and so performe it with my heart that I may not onely be prepared to loose my libertie but to forgoe my life for the name of my Lord Iesus who is blessed for euer A Meditation how the Lord Iesus taken and bound was led to Annas his house where he was buffeted and how all his Disciples fied from him Iohn 18.13 MED VIII To a Ioh. 18.15 Annas first is Christ in b Io. 18.12.20 fetters lead From thence to c Iohn 18.24 Caiaphas where he beaten is And d Mat. 26.67 Marke 18.22 scourg'd and mockt spit on and almost dead All which h'endur'd to bring vs vnto blisse SO soone as false-hearted Iudas had saluted his faithfull Master Iesus with a deadlie kisse the hard-hearted Souldiers laid violent hands vpon my kinde Sauiour and did cruellie binde him Oh vngentle cords oh cruell hands and cursed hearts that did binde my Lord Iesus Come hither therefore oh my Soule and with inward sorrow of heart and with weeping eies lament with tender compassion for the currishnesse in words and crueltie in deedes vsed against thy mercifull Sauiour which patientlie suffered so manie bitter words and cruell blowes for thee and thy sinnes for it was now the houre of darknesse and they beganne to act with their mercilesse hands that which was conceiued in their malicious mindes reuiling him with blasphemous speeches and afflicting his precious bodie with deadlie blowes And thus they neuer ceased all that night long both with their venemous tongues and villanous hands to torment my meeke and patient Iesus Tell mee my sweet Sauiour vvhat vvere the contumelious words what were the outragious deedes which thou didst suffer of those dogged Souldiers vvhen they had laid their tormenting hands vpon thee For truely the wicked rose vp against thee and the Sinagogue of the mightie they sought thy life and set not God before their eyes They compassed thee about like Bees and burnt with furie against thee like fire among the Thornes Oh let some spectacle of their barbarous crueltie be presented vnto mee that mine eyes may waxe dim with weeping that my heart may be wounded with sorrow all my senses afflicted with mourning for my guiltie conscience doth tell mee that my sinnes were as fewell to kindle their rage and mine iniquities like wood to maintaine the fire of their furie Behold Oh my Soule vvith attentiue deuotion of minde and with store of teares flowing from thine eyes how furiously they rush vpon thy louing Sauiour and how cruelly with their bloudie hands they torture and vexe his blessed body One tuggeth him by his garment another haleth him by the armes one taketh holde of his necke another pulleth him by the haire and least he should get from them they binde him and drag him like an vntamed Bull to the shambles Oh most meeke Lambe Oh most milde sheepe how currishlie how cruelly art thou handled like a wicked theefe Yea was euer any common theefe so inhumanely and shamefully vsed although his life vvas odious and his deedes neuer so desperate Some hale him on this side some thrust him on that side some buffet him on the face others thumpe him on the backe After they haue reuiled and railed against him with most opprobrious words they passe from diuellish words to deadlie blowes so that they neuer cease by word nor deede to grieue and vexe mine innocent Iesus but imployed all the faculties of their minde and all the forces of their bodie to doe him all hurt who neuer meant them any harme I am not able to tell thee my sorrowfull soule one halfe of the odious words nor one moitie of the horrible deedes which those damned wretches vsed against thy harmelesse and louing Sauiour my tongue doth falter for griefe and my speech doth faile mee for sorrow for all of them bitterlie cursing him and cruellie beating him void of all mercie and raging with hellish furie they hale him like a most innocent Lambe to the slaughter And amongst all that cursed crew there was none so soft-hearted that either would pittie the woefull case or speake in the cause of my gracious Lord. Oh how should mine eies haue beene watered with teares and my heart haue beene wounded with sorrow to haue seene my mercifull Iesus so vnmercifullie abused so ignominiouslie and hatefullie misused whiles they hurrie him in their madnesse and hale him in their furie towards Hierusalem who went as an innocent Lambe among a company of deuouring Wolues not once opening his mouth to reproue them for their barbarous crueltie but did willingly sustaine the extremitie of their malice with a patient minde sometime haled by one and sometime thrust forward by another thinking the time long till they might bring him where they would haue him so greedy was their desire to doe a bad deede and they made such post-hast to hasten the death of the Lord of life Oh my most sweet Iesu what hast thou done What hast thou deserued that thou shouldest endure the sting of their malice and abide the tempest of their madnesse Verilie my Lord thou didst neuer offend them in thought but thy exceeding loue did moue thee to suffer all things with patience that thou mightst redeeme mee a most wretched sinner all others that with a contrite hart a broken spirit sue vnto thee for grace hauing an assured hope in thy blessed word and confidently beleeuing in thy gracious promises I am that wofull man which haue beene the occasion of thy torments and the cause of thy grieuous Passion The wicked man hath sinned and the righteous is punished The guilty hath trespassed and the innocent is tormented The vngodly hath offended and the godly man is condemned Oh my most louing Lord I haue eaten a sowre grape and thy teeth are set on edge I haue committed the trespasse and thou hast suffered the punishment Blush therefore oh my soule for shame smite thy heart for sorrow let thine eyes be dissolued into teares and sacrifice thy selfe vpon the Altar of true repentance because thou hast beene so forgetfully vngratefull towards thy louing IESVS for his maruellous kindnesse and so excessiuely vnmindfull of his excellent loue Oh my good Iesu what shall
I render vnto thee for thy great bountie What shall I yeeld vnto thee for thy gracious mercie I haue nothing O Lord thou knowest my pouertie I acknowledge my needy necessitie I haue confessed my most haynous sinnes and grieuous offences before thy face I haue not hidden mine vnrighteousnesse out of thy sight Wherefore oh my most bountifull Lord supply that by thy infinite liberalitie which is wanting by reason of my vile ingratitude And thou which art onely able create a thankfull heart in me thy poore vnworthy seruant that it may euermore be delighted with the remembrance of thy goodnes and still be ioyfull with the sweet meditation of thy mercies But now oh my Soule meditate a while how sodaine feare had quailed the loue of the Disciples of my distressed Sauiour For being terrified with his vnexpected and cruell apprehension and dreading their owne danger they fled away leauing their Lord and beloued Master Mark 14.50 Then thou mightest truely say oh most sweet Iesu They which saw me fled from me I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde And againe Thou hast put my friends my neighbours and acquaintance farre from mee Also that was verified which the Prophet had fore-tolde All my friends haue forsaken mee and they that lay in waite haue preuailed against me He whom I loued hath betrayed mee For so wert thou left alone my louing Iesus and they which were neere vnto thee made hast to be gone and would tarrie no longer with thee Consider further oh my soule the disciples of my Sauiour flying for feare and lamenting with sorrow when they saw their most beloued master traiterously betrayed ignominiously abused and led like an innocent Lambe to the shambles Attend to their sighing and groning to their weeping and moning for loath they were to leaue so louing and so well beloued a Master But why should feare of danger haue bin so violent or dread of death so strong as to pull them from so deare a friend They professed they would remaine constant and that no affliction should abate their courage but their words proued no deedes and all was but vaine presumption Selfe-loue of their owne securitie made them forsake their distressed Master in his captiuitie But tell mee bold-hearted Peter why didst thou like a coward forsake thy faithfull Maister Didst thou professe so much and performe so little Was thy manhood so soone quailed when thou was put to thy triall I know thou didst shew some signe of courage and thou beganst to play the man when thy Maister was first apprehended but it was but done in a fit of thine anger and thy heate was soone cooled thy promise great and thy performance little when thou wert in mount Tabor and saw but some beames yea rather some sparkles of the eternall glory of thy blessed Maister then thy senses were so rauished and thy minde so amazed that thou diddest crie out Bonum est esse hic Mat. 17.1 Marke 9.2 Luke 9.28 It is good to be here let vs build three Tabernacles but now thou doest not say Bonum est esse hic It is good to tarry here with my poore disgraced Master Say thou didst loue thy Master well yet it appeareth thou didst loue thy selfe better oh why diddest thou make such a vaine ostentation of thy courage and yet afterwards shew thy selfe such a coward But take heed oh my soule that thou dost not so vehemently inueigh against faint-hearted Peter and the rest of his fearefull fellowes that thou forget thy selfe and passe by thine owne infirmity Wee all loue Christ when our cups may ouerflow with wine and our bellies be filled with the finest wheate but the heate of our loue is quickly cooled if but a small blast of stormie persecution doe bluster against vs. Wee all desire to dwell vvith him as did rauished Peter when his eyes vvere dazeled vvith the beames of his glory appearing vnto him on Mount Tabor But all of vs flye from him or follow him a-loofe-off when wee see him going to Golgotha We dare presume to say with forward Peter Lord if all leaue thee I will not forsake thee Mat. 26.33 Mark 14.29 Iohn 13.37 But alas when wee come to the tryall we are readie to flie and leaue the field at the first alarme Wee could all be content to eate pleasant hony and to feede our selues with sweet milke but our mouthes are filled with murmuring and our hearts with grudging the time is long and the iourney tedious while wee trauell in the wildernes of this world towards heauenly Canaan Exod. 17.2 Alas were the Disciples of my Sauiour so fearefull at the first encounter who had beene so often fore-tolde of that day and had beene so well instructed by their louing Maister to arme themselues against the assaults of affliction Then how can I poore worme boast of my strength and vaunt of my manly courage How should I holde out vnto the end when such stout Souldiers begin to shrinke at the beginning of the battell I know mine owne imbecilitie my powerfull Lord I confesse mine infirmitie I feele my heart quake and I perceiue my courage to quaile so soone as I see but a darke cloud of affliction and stand in dread of euery storme of persecution Strengthen my heart oh Lord with Christian Fortitude that my minde may not be dismayed with feare nor my senses drowned with the streames of immoderate sorrow whensoeuer I must drinke of the bitter waters of affliction for the profession of thy name or feele the pricking thornes of persecution in my sides for the confession of thy truth Teach me to take vp my crosse and to follow thee and that I may not be ashamed of this noble badge of true Christianitie Instruct mee to know that affliction is the lot of thy Children and that thou vvilt haue their Faith tryed in the fiery furnace and graunt mee oh Lord such a plentifull measure of thy quickning grace that although my fraile flesh beginne to tremble and my weake heart to faint at the first assault of danger and I seeke a corner to hide my head in in the time of trouble yet that I may not flye so farre from thee but that I may quickly returne to thee as Peter and Iohn did who loued and were so dearely beloued of thee and as the rest of thy Disciples did after thy glorious resurrection and in the sorrowfull time of calamitie trouble and persecution so mittigate the dolor of my passions that I may endure all extremities with Christian patience knowing that all the afflictions of this world are but momentarie and that the ioyes prepared for the faithfull after this life are innumerable and shall endure eternally Now let vs leaue the sorrowfull Disciples and come to our louing Iesus who being bound was presented to Annas by the wicked Iewes who examined him concerning his Disciples and concerning his doctrine Ioh. 18.19 And although the humilitie of my Sauiour was great and his modestie no
lesse in returning a gracious answere vnto him yet Malchus whose eare he had a little before restored which Peter cut off gaue him a blow on the face saying Answerest thou the high Priest in that manner Iohn 18.22 Here my soule thou hast good occasion to eate thy bread vvith teares and to mingle thy drinke with weeping when thou dost meditate of this cruell blow giuen by a most wicked vngratefull wretch to my innocent Iesus And here thou maist admire at the incomparable mildnesse and wonder at the wonderfull patience of my gentle Sauiour who did modestly beare so great an iniurie that hee gaue not him an euill word who had done him such a cruell deede but said to him mildly friend if I haue spoken euilly beare witnesse of euill but if I haue said well why smitest thou mee Iohn 18.23 Oh how great was thy humilitie alwayes my good Iesus how exceeding was thy patience in all things euen vnto death But what shall I say oh thou barbarous vngratefull wretch how shall I speake bitter enough of thy monstrous crueltie which diddest smite him on the face contrary to all humanitie who of his owne accord did speedily heale the hurt and salue the wound which his disciple had giuen thee Oh monster amongst men vnworthy of any pittie whose name shall be odious to all that are good when they heare of thy crueltie Behold oh my sweet Iesus what plentifull matter is offered vnto me to breed a serious meditation in my minde and to engender a sincere compassion in my heart when I remember oh that I could continually remember it what clemencie what benignitie thou hast vsed towards me what calamity what indignitie thou hast suffered for mee for thou wert so treacherously betrayed so wrongfully apprehended so iniuriously bound so currishly haled so cruelly tormented and so vnmercifully beaten for the sinnes of my guilty soule But I pray thee my mercifull and gracious IESVS that as thou didst yeeld thy selfe a captiue to the Iewes so thou wilt grant me thy grace to subiugate all my senses to doe thy blessed will and to keepe them in true subiection to obey thy holy law and that I may captiuate all my vnderstanding to performe the duties of thy happie seruice which shall redeeme me from bondage and bring mee an euerlasting freedome as thy faithfull Apostle hath taught me A Meditation how the Lord Iesus was led from the house of Annas to the house of Caiaphas and also of the derisions rayling speeches and cruell scourging done vnto him there by the Iewes MED IX To a Mat. 26.57 Caiaphas house where Scribes assembled are And b Marke 14.55 Priests and Elders Iesus Christ is led After to c Iohn 18.28.29 Pilate where he meekely bare Their scoffes and d Iohn 19.2 thorny Crowne vpon his head A Wake now oh my Soule sleepe no longer in the bed of wanton sensualitie driue away drowsinesse from thine eyes and carelesse sloathfulnesse out of thy minde and turne thy selfe whollie to thy most sweet IESVS disdainefully dispised scornefully derided cruelly tormented and vnmercifully scourged Oh how should thy hart be fraughted with sadnesse and thy minde be filled with sorrow when thou shalt finde thy Lord thy God subiect to paines and afflictions blowes and reproches For hee was whipped all the night and hee was chastized in the morning Therefore let thine eyes waxe dimme with weeping let thy ioy be turned into mourning the voice of melody into wofull lamentation when thou dost meditate vpon the sorrowfull miseries and scornefull reproches which thy innocent Sauiour did suffer for thy sake Let all vaine cogitations and idle thoughts be chased out of my mind by which it may be fondly distracted and vainely shiuered in this godly Meditation so that it may be wholy reflected towards thee and thinke vpon nothing but thee my most mercifull Iesu Let it thinke vpon the contumelious reproches odious raylings and grieuous blowes vvhich thou didst suffer being vnder the hands of the wicked Priests as a harmelesse Sheepe amongst rauenous Wolues or in the midst of deuouring Lions And grant mee oh my sweet Lord that while I ponder these things in my minde teares of true repentance may fall from mine eyes and sighes of vnfained sorrow arise from my heart to bewaile the horrour of my sinnes which were as cruell tormentors to afflict thy body and as sharpe-pointed needles to enter into thy tender flesh Lastly let vs meditate deuoutly oh my soule how my kinde Iesus was posted ouer vnto Caiaphas after hee had beene derided and buffeted in the house of Annas Beholde how this innocent Lambe vvas haled to the shambles by the hands of those bloudie Butchers Behold thy beloued IESVS brought vvith his hands bound before Caiaphas the high Priest enuironed with a great multitude of Scribes and Pharises all cry out against him the base people raile vpon him with vile and odious words banning and cursing him for his blessed deedes they maliciously accuse him wrongfully charge him but their testimonies were found to be false and their witnesses vntrue Truely thou maiest say that which the Prophet spake of thee They deliuered mee into the hands of the vngodly and they cast me forth among the wicked and they haue not spared my life The strong were gathered against me and they stood like Giants against me But although their demean our towards thee my louing Sauiour was without all pietie and their words and deedes without all pittie yet thou diddest not open thy mouth to vtter any word of reproofe but thou didst heare their spitefull taunts with patience and answere their malicious calumniations with silence and therefore the high Priest began to be displeased and rising vp from his seate asked thee in his anger why thou diddest not answere to those things which were obiected against thee Mat. 26.62 Attend oh my soule and consider the vnspeakeable mildenesse of my sweet Iesus how patiently how humblie hee holdeth his tongue as one that were dumbe and could not speake and remaineth as one that were deafe when they reuile him in their madnes and raile vpon him in their furie sustaining with patience their false calumniations and forged obiections And therefore his wonderfull patience did make them more mad and his silence did the more exasperate them in their furie when they saw him so meekely to disgest the venome of their virulent tongues and so mildely to suffer the blowes of their violent fists so that being transported with choller beyond the limits of modestie carried with rage beyond the bounds of reason they belched out such impious and clamorous speeches against him Hast thou no tongue thou most wicked wretch Behold art thou dumbe and canst not speake one word What is become of thy babling Where are thy long discourses and plausible speeches which thou diddest make to the multitude in the Temple and to the seditious people in the streetes Then thou wert full of words and thy
tongue did not cease to prattle when multitudes did flocke after thee through the Cities and when the base people did swarme after thee through the villages and desarts And art not thou hee which preaching to the rude multitude in the Temple and pleasing their giddie humor with thy long orations was so impudent to inueigh against vs Pharises Doctors of law and Rulers of the people calling vs hypocrites checking vs rudely for our Manners and reproouing vs rashly for our Doctrine neither respecting the dignitie of our persons nor dreading the force of our authoritie Now behold wee haue thee sure enough thou canst not escape our hands thou art bound for feare of starting we are no babes to be wonne with faire wordes Now we haue thee thou wretch as thy wicked deedes haue deserued such shall be thy recompense Wee are none of the rude and base multitude thou canst not gull vs with thy flattering speeches nor beguile vs with false apparitions Suppose oh my wofull soule that thou doest heare the cruell Iewes bellowing out such bitter taunts against my harmelesse and innocent Iesus in the heate of their rage adding more cruell deeds to their cruell words for all of them like mad-men rush vpon him in their violent furie Some thumpe him with their hands some spurne him vvith their feet some strike him on the necke and as their hands vvere nimble to load him with blowes so their tongues were not idle from rayling and reuiling him with scornefull words Oh how wonderfully is my Lord derided how vnworthily is hee scorned Yea some so barbarous was their mindes and so brutish was their manners do spit in his face Who euer did see such grosse inhumanitie who doth not abhor such beastly inciuillitie They all striue who should doe him most hurt and contend one with another to doe him most mischiefe seeking by spightfull words to vexe his minde and by cruell blowes to wound his bodie Oh my louing Iesus how bitter are their speeches direfullie breathed out against thee How terrible are their practises so bloodilie inflicted vpon thee Why are not my vitall spirits damped with woe why are not mine eyes drowned in a flood of teares and why is not my soule ouer-whelmed with the waues of sorrow in this my sadde Meditation of thine afflictions and deuout contemplation of thy humane miseries Wherefore gush forth oh yee teares from the inward fountaine of my heart and ouerflow mine eies with your plentifull shewers But art thou made of flint Oh my hard heart that thou doest not breake into pieces Is thy substance of marble that thou doest not cleaue asunder when I meditate vpon these cursed inuectiue reproches and wicked deedes done to my innocent Iesus by the stony-hearted Iewes Alas for mee a most wretched sinner that my Lord should suffer such great and grieuous affliction for my sake and yet that I should still remaine sencelesse in my sins and haue no remorse of conscience for my hainous offences Haue mercy vpon mee most mercifull Lord because I call all these things to minde and haue them in my meditation but for want of true loue I am depriued of true deuotion and my hard heart is without all sense of sorrowfull contrition Therefore wound my heart my louing Iesus that I may be grieued with thee and suffer for thee that thou maist vouchsafe to shew me mercie that I may with more boldnesse approach vnto thy Maiestie Thou wert humbled and I disdaine my brethren vvith pride Thou wert pinched vvith hunger and I surfeit with abundance thou wert afflicted with torments and I spend my dayes in wanton pleasure Thou didst weepe to thinke vpon the vvofull destruction of Ierusalem but I am not touched with any tender affection of mercie when I see thousands oppressed vvith miserie I can finde no place my sweet Iesu to hide my face from confusion I can finde no remedie for my deadly maladie but in the vertue of thy comfortable mercie Oh cure my disease with this excellent medicine and salue all my vvounds with this pretious Balme that all mine affections may be so kindled vvith thy loue that I may reioyce to suffer and suffer vvith reioycing for thy glorious name vvho wert content to bee scorned and scourged to be accounted as an abiect amongst the vile and wicked that I might be raised out of the pit of endlesse miserie to be exalted for euer vvith thee in the Pallace of eternall glorie A Meditation how Peter denied his Maister three times in the house of Cayphas and of his weeping for the same MED X. Trembling with feare caus'd by a silly a Iohn 18.17 Maid Once twise yea b Luk. 22.60.61 thrice Saint Peter doth deny His blessed Lord c Mar. 14.72 Remembring what Christ sayd Goes forth repents and d Mat. 26.75 weeps most bitterly NOw let vs cease a while to meditate on my Sauiour and consider how Peter carried himself in the afflictions of his Master He was loath to leaue him because he did loue him and therefore although at the first hee fled yet hee returned againe with the other Disciple who by friendship brought him into the Pallace of the high Priest and as Peter stood there by the fire a maide looked vpon him and said to them that were by This man also was with Iesus of Nazareth But Peter who not long before had made such great brags of his loue was now so daunted with feare that he flatly denied his seruice saying I know not the man And a little after another sayd vnto him Art not thou also one of his Disciples So that now Peter was not content simply to denie him but hee beganne earnestly to forsweare him Now within a while after another came and said Verily thou art one of them And then Peter began to curse and sweare saying I know not the man whom thou speakest of and immediately the Cocke crew And the Lord who stood not far off in the hands of the wicked looked back vpon Peter not refusing faint-hearted Peter to be his seruant although he had denied and abiured him for his Maister Then Peter remembred the words which Iesus had spoken to him and he went out wept bitterly Mat. 26. Now let vs seriously meditate on the frailtie of Peter that seeing so stout a Souldier so soone daunted with feare we may take heed not to presume too much vpon our owne weakenesse lest we play the cowards and start backe as he did when wee are put to our tryall Consider oh my soule the feruency of his loue and greatnesse of his feare the willingnesse of his minde and weakenesse of his might I dare not say but that Peter did loue his Lord and was sorry for the distressed estate of his master although his heart fainted and his stomacke failed in the time of danger hee thought hee should haue beene able to haue performed in deedes that which he had so boldly boasted in wordes but alas hee
torment my innocent Sauiour Marke how soone he was infected by their vvicked manners how soone his soule was corrupted with their naughtie conditions for now he began to protest with swearing and to affirme with cursing that he knew not his louing Maister to whom not long before hee had made a solemne vow not onely to forgoe his libertie for his cause but also to loose his life for his sake Luke 22.33 Oh fearefull downfall of so great an Apostle for if his louing Master and mercifull Sauiour had not beene more constant towards him in his loue and tenderly compassionate towards him by his mercie hee had neuer recouered himselfe but had perished for euer No man can touch Pitch but hee shall be defiled no man can tread vpon thornes with barefeete but he shall be pricked nor any man holde his hands amongst fierie coales but they will be burned Euen so no man can remaine amongst lewd persons and conuerse in the companie of the wicked but his minde shall be stained with the spots of impietie his conscience wounded with the thornes of sinne and his soule made loathsome vvith the botches and blaines of iniquitie But so soone as my beloued Iesus had turned his eies towards Peter and vvith his lookes had awakened his drowsie memorie then perplexed Peter remembred the words of his Master so that his heart being surcharged vvith sorrow and his eyes flowing with teares he left that wicked companie and went out and wept yea he wept bitterly Luk. 22.62 Teach me oh Lord to leaue the dangerous societie of the wicked neither let mee desire or delight to dwell in the Tents of the vngodly Let me also learne by the example of thy sorrowfull Disciple to goe into some secret place and with-draw my selfe from the people when I call my selfe to reckoning for my transgressions but alas I am negligent in casting vp this account and begin to sorrow for my sinnes and to shed teares for my grieuous offences that all impediments may be remoued from mine eies and as much as is possible all vaine and vvicked cogitations out of my heart vvhen I come before thy presence oh Lord to prostrate my selfe before thee in submissiue humilitie desiring thee to passe ouer mine offences and to forgiue me my sinnes through thy infinite mercie Then oh my good Lord so deepely vvound my conscience vvith horrour of my detestable sinnes that I may offer vp a broken and contrite heart vnto thee because thou art alwaies vvell pleased vvith such a Sacrifice and it sendeth vp a sweet sauour into thy nosethrils Now consider oh my soule that as the trespasse of Peters deniall vvas great so his sorrow vvas grieuous as the remembrance of his fall vvas sowre so the streames of his teares vvere bitter yet they vvere not so bitter vnto him for feare of punishment as they vvere bitter because hee had denied so sweet and so louing a Master the remembrance of his horrible ingratitude vvas more bitter vnto him then gall and more vnpleasant then wormewood his teares vvere bitter vnto him in respect of his presumption who promised so much and performed so little and they vvere bitter vnto him vvhen he thought vpon the sweet loue of his Master and the great benefits hee had receiued of him And yet their bitternesse vvas mixed vvith sweetnesse because they were signes of his hartie sorrow and tokens of his true repentance for where true repentance goeth before remission of sinnes alwaies followeth after Eze. 33.19 Thou seest also that the lookes of the Lord did draw out teares from Peters eies Neither is it any wonder for the eies of the Lord were as a flame of fire and the eies of Peter as Ice vvhich began to melt into teares by the influence of their heat as true tokens of his sorrowfull relenting and penitent heart Oh happie are thine eies my blessed Sauiour vvhich doe so warme the coldnesse of our harts that they may bee able to haue some sense of thy loue and doe so illuminate our dimme vnderstanding that we may see our errours and seeing may sigh and weepe for our transgressions Oh how soone doe they dissolue the Ice and melt the frost of our hard harts and turne it into the waters of bitter lamentation and sorrowfull deuotion Oh my most bountifull Iesu oh my most mercifull Lord haue mercy vpon mee pitty my vvofull case shut not the dore of thy compassion against mee oh let me taste of the sweetnesse of thy wonted clemency vvhich haue so often so stubbornely renounced thee through the peeuishnes of my will so often denyed thee by my wicked words and most often forsworne thee by my wretched deeds Haue mercy vpon me oh my most sweet Iesus let the beames of thine eyes make their reflection towards mee that mine eyes may melt into teares as the rocke did gush forth water when Moses smote it with his rod Exod. 17.5 that I may weep for my sins and bewaile my transgressions which haue so often refused thy seruice because I vvas loath to leaue the vanities of the wicked world or to forsake the pleasures of the wanton flesh Heale mee oh Lord for I am full of sores and my bones doe rot away with corruption Stay me vp oh Lord when my feete begin to slide and lift me vp when I am downe vnlesse thou support mee I cannot but slide and vnlesse thou doe lift me vp I cannot rise againe when I doe fall I can doe nothing vvithout thee thou onely doest heale those that are bruised and thou alone doest raise them vp that are fallen Therefore looke towards mee and haue mercie vpon mee for I am desolate and poore Neither turne away thy face from me but let thine eyes be fixed vpon me If thou wilt vouchsafe oh my most kind and louing Lord to shew me this mercy and to regard the wofull estate of mee a most wretched creature then oh Lord I shall call my transgressions to remembrance mourne for my grieuous offences that I haue committed against thee Raise mee vp oh Lord out of my dead sleepe of carelesse securitie as thou didst Lazarus out of his graue Ioh. 11.43 44. open the eyes of my vnderstanding that I may see to tread in the pathes of thy commandements Be thou as a strong Pillar to support and stay me in my weakenesse for I am so feeble that I cannot stand without thy helpe and euery moment I shall bee ouerwhelmed vnlesse thy strong hand doe support me Let thy eyes oh my louing IESVS be euermore turned towards mee that I may euery day returne vnto thee by true and harty repentance sorrowing for my sinnes that are past and endeuouring by thy grace to take better heed to my wayes in time to come so that I may do that which is agreeable to thy sacred law and acceptable to thy holy will Oh my GOD let thy seruant Peter his falling put me in continuall minde to take heed to mine owne standing and his
innocent blood and so eagerly desired to haue him put to a shamefull death that they cried out in a rage and exclaimed in their fury Set Barrabas at libertie and crucifie Iesus But when Pilate perceiued that nothing could calme the storme of their rage and represse the violence of their madnesse but effusion of his innocent blood then he commanded that my harmelesse Iesus should be cruelly scourged thinking that the streames of bloud running downe from his sacred body would haue allaide the heat of their malice quenched the flame of their fury But alas it was his life that they onely sought nothing but his innocent death could satisfie their bloody mindes yea nothing but cruell death could tame their bruitish rage Matth. 26. But stay here my soule that thou mayest reuiew againe thy innocent Iesus accused vniustly reuiled malitiously spitefully scorned and cruelly scourged by the commaundement of Pilate they crowned his head scornefully with pricking Thornes and did teare his tender flesh with their cruell whips Oh my most louing Lord oh my most mercifull Iesus mollifie my hard hart that it may be wholy dissolued into streames of sorrow with the memory of thy bitter scourging and that my soule may be wounded so that it may send forth deepe groanes at the meditation of thine afflictions Grant me oh my most mercifull LORD that my thoughts and affections may be so seriously affected vvith the remembrance of thy tedious Passion that my senses may be made partakers of thy grieuous paines for I my selfe most louing Lord am nothing able to performe that indeed which I doe desire and conceiue in my minde I doe often times purpose with my selfe to meditate on thy Passion and to thinke seriously vpon thine affliction and to ruminate in my secret thoughts what ignominious crueltie was acted against thee vvhen thou didst finish the worke of my redemption But alas my senses are replenished with such stupiditie and dulnesse that I am not touched vvith any sensible compassion because my vnderstanding is distempered with vaine and fond cogitations and my heart is become so hard that it is vnapt to conceiue any tender affection while I meditate vpon the grieuous paines and muse on the great afflictions which thou didst sustaine and patiently endure to satisfie the vvrath of thy Father due vnto me for my sinnes I cannot taste the sweetnesse I cannot relish the goodnesse of thy passion because the matter is tedious to my corrupted thoghts and vnpleasant to my carnall desires For so vnconstant and instable is my heart so mutable and variable are the motions of my minde that they are both soone distracted alienated and diuorced from that heauenly meditation by swarms of idle fantasies foolish cogitations But from whence oh Lord doe these noysome vveeds grow vp in my hart how is it that they finde such a fertile soile in my minde truly because my heart is not planted vvith thy loue nor my mind furnished with thy graces For I can neuer haue my fill of those things vvherein I take too much delight my minde cannot be drawne from their societie because they haue wonne my fauor haue gotten my loue Wherefore oh my most mercifull Iesus because I loue thee so little and dote vpon worldly vanities so much my hart slideth away from thee mine affections are diuerted from thee and I know oh Lord how prone ready I am to consent to euery wicked motion and how impotent and feeble I am to go about any good action Therfore I pray thee not to correct me in thy wrath nor to proceed against mee with seuerity of thy Iustice but to haue pitty on me a most miserable sinner and to confirme my vnconstant hart with a stedfast delight in thy loue to establish my wandring minde according to the multitude of thy mercies so that no pleasure be it neuer so sweet may be able to allure me to leaue thy blessed loue nor any tribulation be it neuer so bitter constraine me to forsake thy happy seruice driue all idle cares out of my minde purge all corrupt thoughts out of my hart and draw me wholy vnto thee that I may remember with a deuout compassion call to minde with a serious meditation how many what great grieuous torments what scornefull derisions thou didst suffer in thy most pretious body by the commaundement of Pontius Pilate who contrary to the equitie of thy cause and testimony of his owne conscience Ioh. 19.4 commaunded thee to be scourged without all pitty when as he himselfe with his owne words had iustified thy innocency Oh vvhat a flood of teares should streame from mine eyes what groanes and sorrowfull sighes should arise from the depth of my heart how should all my senses be ouer-whelmed with a sea of sorrow when I meditate on the flinty hearts and cruell hands of those tormentors who scourged my louing Redeemer My heart cannot conceiue the outrage of their tyranny my tongue is too weake to expresse their barbarous inhumanitie Who vvere as eager to lay violent hands vpon my poore Iesus as rauenous Wolues are greedy to deuoure a tender Lambe or hungry Lyons to ceaze vpon their prey They make haste to vnbinde his armes and to vntie his hands but it was not done to release him of his cruell bands or to afford him any little ease but that they might strip him of his garments to scourge his naked body with their tormenting whips and to make his veines spout out bloud with their cruell stripes Ah ruthfull spectacle to pittifull eyes and able to haue made a deepe impression of tender compassion in their hearts if they had not beene more heard then Marble What sauage thoughts raigned in their murdering mindes What monstrous indignitie was done vnto my louing Redeemer to be stripped of his garments and to stand naked before such vile and base vassals who cloathed the Heauens with exceeding glory and adorned the earth with admirable beauty Now when they had stripped him of his cloathes they bound him to a pillar to endure their cruell stripes hauing banished pitty from their hearts and imbraced cruelty with their hands somtime they lash him on the backe sometime they scourge him on the brest Now they let their smarting whips flie on his shoulders anon they strike him on his armes they suffer no part of his body to bee free from blowes and they grieue his righteous soule with bitter words whilest yet they are executing their cruell deeds But what Tygers heart harboured in their brest oh my innocent Sauiour which robbed them of grace and they disrobed thee of thy cloathes What hellish fury armed their hands which bound thee to a pillar and scourged thy blessed body how exceeding execrable is their sauage crueltie How rare and admirable is thy silent patience It was I it was I oh my most sweet Iesu which deserued to bee scourged with the whips of euerlasting torments And thou my most mercifull Sauiour
prepared for them from the beginning of the world Oh let my Prayer come before thy presence let the zeale of my heart and lifting vp of my hands towards thy Throne of mercie moue thee to grant the request of my humble petition Amen A Meditation how the Lord Iesus carrying his Crosse on his shoulders is led to Mount Caluarie to be crucified and of those things vvhich happened by the vvay MED XIII Our blessed Sauiour Christ the perfect a Iohn 19.17 gaine Doth b Matth. 27.32 beare the crosse whereon himselfe must die Simon of c Luk. 23.26 Cyrene sometimes they constraine To doe d Mark 15.21 it So saith the truth that cannot lie HE which will come after me let him denie himselfe take vp his Crosse and follow me Matth. 16.24 Runne and make hast oh my soule at the voice of our most sweet Redeemer who bearing his Crosse on his owne shoulders Ioh. 19.16.17 doth inuite thee to carrie thy Crosse if thou desire to follow his steps Oh how sweet how delectable how delightfull is it to carrie the Crosse after my Iesus His happinesse cannot be vttered his blessednesse cannot be imagined which doth follow thee my Lord Iesu in thy blessed pathes he walketh not in darknesse he commeth not neere the shadow of death but shall haue the light of life Come therefore oh my soule let vs follow our Iesus bearing his Crosse on his owne shoulders let vs leaue all and follow him with alacritie let nothing stop our passage let not any thing hinder vs in our course Looke vpon thy Lord thy Creator thy Redeemer Consider his tedious labour his grieuous afflictions his intollerable torments all of them vvithout any meane none of them hauing any moderation let thy vvhole minde be pondering on them let them be the continuall matter of thy daily meditation Let thy heart be wounded with the sword of sorrow and let thine eyes be drowned vvith a flood of teares let thy heauie groanes and sorrowfull sighes beginne in the morning and let them not cease in the euening Oh let the feruencie of thy lamentation demonstrate the burning zeale of thy compassion which thou doest beare to mine afflicted Iesus Mourne vvith true contrition of heart for thine iniquities and vveepe with hearty sinceritie for thy sinnes vvhich caused thy Christ to carrie so heauie a crosse Here is plentifull matter for thy meditation heere vvanteth no motiues to stirre vp in thee a feeling compassion for thou seest how hee is scorned and despised how cruelly how currishly hee is abused by the perfidious Iewes Who is so obdurate in heart oh my most patient Iesus vvho hath his affections so barren of compassion that hee hath no sense of sorrow when he entereth into a serious contemplation of the multitude of thine afflictions and meditateth on the bitternesse of the passions which thou didst suffer to pay the ransome of our sinfull soules and to deliuer them out of the bands of eternall captiuitie For all the night thou vvert wearied with the out-cries of contumelious tongues and tired with the violence of cruell hands hurried and haled from the Garden where thou wert with thy louing Disciples and although thou wert vvilling to goe of thy selfe yet the churlish crew of hard-harted Souldiers vvere so froward that their sturdie hands were alwaies readie to tugge and pull thee forward to vexe thy feeble body and to grieue thy righteous soule For it was their solace to procure thy sorrow it vvas their pleasure to augment thy paine and they thought euery moment a moneth before they did present thee to Annas where thou wert rebuked with taunting checkes buffeted with vngentle blowes on thy tender cheekes and after that thou hadst with exceeding patience endured the bitter tempest of their furie they brought thee from thence to the house of Caiphas there to abide another storme of their malicious crueltie Sometime they raile vpon thee vvith their cursed tongues sometime they thumpe thee with their cruell hands their speeches were full of odious spite their vvords vvere infected vvith malicious venome vvhich they belched against thee my louing Sauiour their deedes were nothing else but deadly cruelty their words sauoured of nothing but barbarous inhumanitie they scoffed and derided thee with bitter iests they defiled thy comely face with their filthie spettle Then vvithout any pittie alas how should they shew any pitty whose hearts were hardned with bloud-thirstie crueltie they bring thee in hast to the Court of King Herod where thou wert flouted at reputed as a sottish foole scorned contemned and derided like a simple Idiot their mirth was Bedlam-madnes their iestes were full of gall and bitternesse Now when they had acted their outragious villanies against thee and executed their diuellish deuises vpon thee my innocent Iesus yet all of them vvere too little to calme the tempest of their hatefull furie but then this cursed crew doth hurrie thee from the vngratious Court of proud Herod to the gracelesse house of Pontius Pilate vvhere thou vvert taunted and checked againe vvith cruell quips and sharply scourged with smarting vvhips stripped naked contrarie to all humanitie and beaten with bitter blowes without any pittie their whips were sharp to teare thy flesh their tongues were as keene as rasors to wound thy soule they pierced thy head with a crowne of thornes putting a feeble reede in thy hands flouted thee vvith the name of a King and bending their knees did worship thee in derision offending thy sacred eares vvith their cursed words and afflicting thy vvounded body vvith their bloudie hands and vvhen thou hadst beene so spitefully scorned bitterly scourged and vilely contemned at last thou wast wrongfully condemned to suffer a most shamefull and dolefull death But oh my sweet Iesu who did afford thee any comfort in thy exceeding sorrowes vvho did approach to cure thy bleeding wounds Alas there was no man by vvhich vvas moued vvith any sorrowfull compassion for thy vndeserued calamitie but euery man was forward to augment thy miserie Now they lay a most huge and heauy crosse vpon thy wounded shoulders the vveight of it doth make thy knees to tremble thy legges to faile and thy whole body to faint And thus thou doest goe forward to the place of execution guarded with a band of armed Souldiers and hemd in on euery side with a rabble of bloudie tormentors multitudes of the base and rude people doe flocke together out of euery quarter they crowd and thrust one another to see thee but alas it was not to afford thee any compassionate pittie but to laugh and reioyce at thy miserie They proclaime out the malice of their heart against thee in their madnesse and raile and reuile thee in the heat of their furie They all striue like Beares and fierce Lyons to approach neere vnto thee oh vvhat opprobrious speeches what hatefull and odious rayling what cursed words what vncharitable deedes did my most humble and patient Iesus suffer by those wicked
Weepe for thy selfe bewaile thy sinnes lament thy transgressions for they indeed were the tyrants that compelled thee to beare so heauy a Crosse they vrged thee to abide the penalty of so bitter a curse Touch my heart oh Lord touch my heart with the sting of a serious and restlesse compunction that I may no longer lye lulled a sleepe in the lap of careles security fetter my feet that I may runne no more in the broad way of iniquitie Mannacle my hands that they may be deteined from cruell and impious actions Snaffle the vnbrideled motions of my minde that it may be restrained from all idle scelerous and wicked cogitations keepe the doore of my lips and hedge in my tongue that it may not run without the bounds of reason Stop the passage of mine eares when they are allured to listen to any loose or lewd discourses Dispell and disperse the thicke clowdes of blindnesse from mine eyes take away the grosse scales that darken my sight so that now I may see the vgly and deformed shape of my sinnes that I may cease to loue them begin to dislike and to loath them which caused my Sauiour to endure the heauy wrath of his Father which lay so heauie vpon his soule and body that the weight of it pressed blood out of his veines mingled vvith water Luke 22.44 so ponderous was the burden of our iniquity so dolorous was the extremity of his bitter agonie for neuer was there sorrow like vnto this sorrow Let my sweetest musicke be continuall mourning let my songs of ioy be turned into wofull lamentations let it be all my pleasant melody to muse on the miserie of my soule and multitude of my sins which made thee discend from the highest heauens and will throw me downe to the lowest hell vvhere the firie lake burneth that shal neuer be extinguished whose flames is so fierce that it cannot be greater by any augmentation neither is it subiect to any diminution If all the torments vvhich bloody Tyrants haue inuented could be inflicted vpon me at one time and my body vvere able to feele the paines of all them at once yet all of them vvould not be so horrible as one sparkle of this terrible fire it needeth no fuell to nourish the flame as it selfe neuer is wasted so nothing iniected into it is euer consumed No tongue is able to expresse the horrible pangs of the damned soules which are tormented in this euerlasting and vnquenchable fire Let the horror of it be fresh in my memory and the meditation imprinted in my thoughts so that my hands may tremble and shake for feare and my whole body quiuer and quake vvith terror of it when any euill imagination is hatched in my heart or any wicked deed should be acted with my hands that I may be terrified from nourishing sinne within my bosome that layd so heauy a Crosse vpon thy shoulders yet vvhen feare hath cast me downe let the gentle hand of thy mercy raise mee vp so that in my last deadly agony I may still lift vp my heart and hands towards the seat of thy mercy and though remembrance of my haynous transgressions do present nothing vnto mee but cause of feare and terrour yet al my vnfained repentance cause me to taste of thy infinite loue and boundles mercy Teach me oh my sweet Sauiour to follow thee with fearefulnes to the place of execution and to take vp my Crosse with alacrity on my shoulders But if thou wilt haue mee to follow thee oh my most gratious Lord then draw mee after thee For vnlesse thy Father and thou doe draw me I am not able to follow thee Iohn 6.44 I see mine owne infirmity I feele the defects of my great imbicility the cup of affliction is bitter vnto my taste if it doe but once touch my lips I am ready to refuse it I will none of it I am loth to feele any paine I couet nothing but wanton pleasure Oh how doe I begin to storme if I be but crossed with an vnkind word much lesse am I able to beare the crosse of a malitious deed How is my minde troubled the temper of my senses distempered if any thing fall out crosse to mine expectation or contrary to my desire so that oftentimes my mouth is filled with cursing my heart with grudging and all my words sauour of nothing else but bitter repining I am willing to be thy disciple my blessed Sauior so long as I may dwell in peace and reape a plentifull haruest of prosperitie but alas I am weary of thy company if I feele but a little blast of aduersitie teach me oh my sweet Iesu and I shal learne if thou be my schoolemaister to know that it is the lot of those which will be trained vp in thy schoole to be vnder the rodde of correction and that none are worthy thy to receiue a Crowne vnlesse they be willing to take vp thy Crosse those that belong vnto sweet spices which send forth alwayes the most odoriferous smell when they are brayed and brused in the morter they are like vnto stones which must be hammered hewed and squared before they can be fit for the building of thy holy Temple yea they are like vnto gold mixed with much drosse and can haue no glory before they be fined and refined seauen times yea seauenty times seauen times in the fire of affliction Arme thou my hart with christian fortitude my minde with constant patience oh thou which art mine omnipotent Redeemer that no torment may be so great no affliction so grieuous no miserie so vnmeasurable but I may couragiously suffer it to publish the glory of thy name and constantly endure it to manifest the fidelitie of thy loue Teach me so to carrie thy Crosse in my heart and let the remembrance of it be so deepely imprinted in my minde that I may daily crucifie my carnall concupiscence wanton vanities and worldly desires Oh let my soule be so rauished with ioy by the sweet meditation of thy mercie and all my senses so well pleased and ioyfully delighted with the odoriferous sent of thy loue that I may seeke nothing thinke of nothing so much or speake of any thing so often as of my crucified CHRIST who onely of his free mercy and gratious bountie died a most vile painefull and ignominious death for mee a most vvretched miserable and desperate sinner that by his pretious bloud and blessed though bitter PASSION I might be made partaker of Euerlasting Saluation Graunt mee oh my sweet CHRIST some taste of it here vpon earth that I may patiently waite for the full fruition of it hereafter in HEAVEN Amen A Meditation declaring the bitter and cruell crucifying of our Lord Iesus Christ performed on Mount Caluarie MED XIIII View here the wounds of Christ vpon the a Luk. 23.33 Crosse His head his hands his feet also his b Ioh. 19.33 side Bleeding amaine Consider eke the losse c Luk.
my bosome that being dead he may be carried out to his graue that my soule may be infected no longer vvith his carnall impietie and that I may no longer wilfully loue but willingly loath and for euer leaue his damnable company But now oh my sorrowfull soule turne thine eyes towards thy crucified Iesus meditate seriously in thy minde let it be the perpetuall matter of thy thoughts to thinke how thy louing Sauiour was most pittifully martyred and cruelly mangled tortured vvithout any pittie scorned at his death vvith vile indignitie and thought vnworthy of any mercy or kinde humanity that thou mayest mourne for thy sinnes in the morning and repent for thy misdeeds in the euening vvhich were hard-hearted and bloudie-handed executioners to crucifie thy innocent Iesus Crie out oh my vvretched and vvicked soule trembling at the vgly sight of thy grieuous sinnes and troubled vvith the horrour of thy guiltie conscience Cry out saying Oh my sweet Iesu oh my milde and mercifull Iesu how exceeding painefull are the pangs of thy Passion how violent are the streames of thy afflictions how cruelly is thy body wounded and thy soule pressed vvith the heauie vveight of my sinnes Oh how horrible how detestable how innumerable are my transgressions that tormented my Sauiour vvith so many heauie afflictions What a deere price didst thou pay for my Redemption At what a high rate hast thou bought me a most wretched sinner no summes of gold had it beene neuer so much no heapes of siluer had they beene neuer so great could rid mee out of Captiuitie It vvas onely thy pretious bloud that might pay the price of my ransome It was onely thy innocent death that vvas sufficient to purchase my freedome How is the naked body of my louing Redeemer and kinde Reconciler stretched out vpon the Crosse to deliuer mee from the bitter curse vvhich vvas due vnto me for my monstrous impiety and the execution of it readie to be serued vpon me for my intollerable iniquitie How firme are thy harmelesse hands fixed vnto thy Crosse how hard are thy innocent feete nayled vnto it Thou hast onely liberty to moue but Alas no where to lay downe thy weake and vvearie head Thou liest naked obiected to the blasts of the vvinde and storme of the weather thou hast no cloathes to keepe thee warme thou hast no shelter to keepe thee from harme Thou wert poore indeed at thy birth but now thou art more poore at thy death for at thy birth thou hadst a Stable for thy Chamber and a Manger for thy Cradle thou hadst swathling cloathes although they vvere course that might defend thee from colde and cherish thy tender body But at thy death thou art cruelly robbed of all thy garments thou hast not so much as a ragge to lay vpon thee the sharpnesse of the aire nippeth thy skin the furie of the windes stormeth against thy naked body thou hast no roofe to couer thy head from the blustering windes thou hast no place of harbour to protect thy body from the stormie weather Oh how hard is the bed thou liest vpon at the houre of thy death How hard is the pillow that lieth vnder thy head when thou art readie to yeeld vp thy breath How is thy blessed body debased by wretched men heere vpon the earth which is so highly honoured by the Angels in Heauen Oh how should my heart faint vvith bleeding vvounds of sorrow for my sinnes How should mine eies make my bed to flote with a flood of teares when I begin to call to an audit my hainous trespasses and to cast vp the infinit summes of my transgressions which caused my Lord to passe through such a great Campe of miseries and to abide the bitter brunts of so many calamities for vvhat hadst thou done oh my most sweet Lord what hadst thou done that thou should be so spitefully despised so maliciously martired so extreamely tortured and so cruelly tormented What wicked action had thy pure hands committed nay what good deed had they omitted that they should be so pittifully wounded How had thy innocent feet transgressed that they should be so seuerely punished How had any little particle of thy blessed body offended that it should be so grieuously tormented Truly thy deeds my blessed Sauiour were alwaies acted vvith integritie and thy words did vtter nothing but truth and sinceritie thy hands were alwaies cleane from sinfull actions thy heart vvas alwaies pure from vvicked cogitations It vvas thy meruailous loue thy miraculous mercie thine vnspeakeable pittie that did induce thee to suffer those torments vvhich were due vnto me for mine offences It was I my sweet Sauiour it was I my selfe that had so grieuously sinned It was thy wonderfull charitie it was thy charitable mercy to shed thy pretious bloud to cure the desperate disease of my deadly miserie But such oh such and so vile is the horrible ingratitude of my minde such and so great is the dulnesse of my memorie such and so hard is the stupiditie of my hart that I am vnthankfull for thy mercy forgetfull of thy bounty senselesse without any compassion yea quite colde without any zealous meditation of thy grieuous Passion Haue mercy vpon mee oh my most mercifull Lord haue mercie vpon mee Oh let the sweet dew of thy infinite mercie distill downe vpon my head yea rather let it bee infused into my heart that it may mollifie the hardnesse of mine affections moisten the drinesse of my bowels and fructifie my minde with the fruits of thy loue because I cannot yea rather because I am vnwilling to suffer vvith thee and loue thee so little vvho hath alwaies loued mee so much for I freely confesse I haue no sense of thy innarrable and innumerable sorrowes which thou didst suffer for the multitude of my sinnes Alas mine eyes are dry without teares my kinde Iesu my heart is so dead that it cannot breath forth any heauie groanes mine affections are starke colde without any heate of true deuotion so often yea rather so seldom as I enter into a meditation of thy bitter Passion and ruminate thy tedious paines and terrible pangs vvhich thou didst feele in thy most pretious body to reuerse the sentence of damnation pronounced against me for my sinnes and to purchase a gratious pardon for my condemned soule But pardon me forgiue me my most mercifull Lord I haue a hart of Iron my bowels are more hard then Marble vnlesse thou mollifie them they are vnapt to receiue any print of thy mercie or any impression of thy grace Take away from mee I pray thee my stonie heart giue mee a fleshie and tender heart that may be vvounded vvith the thornes of sorrowe for my rebellious thoughts yeeld forth dolefull groanes for my grieuous sins and bleed vvith the vvounds of compunction when my minde doth meditate on thy heauy Passion Oh why should not my heart my vvretched heart be pinched with some paine for the loue of thee vvhich didst vvillingly
tender to giue my beloued poore Friends but that it may also be pliable to forgiue my hatefull Foes seeing that thou wert not so much touched with the sense of thy owne afflictions and no doubt the paines of them were most grieuous vnto thee as thou wert mooued with zeale to pray for thy bloody enemies when they made a prey of thy garments and cast lots for thy vnseamed vesture Ioh. 19.24 Now though Pilate gaue wrongfull iudgement against thee to take away thy innocent life yet he seemed to honour thee at the houre of thy death when hee wrote on the Crosse Iesus of Nazareth King of the Iewes Matt. 27.37 Mar. 15.26 Luk. 23.38 Iohn 19.19 It pleased him to intitle thee a King by name but alas hee had no such conceit of thee in his secret thoughts But indeed thou wert worthy of a far more honorable Title being not onely King of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles Yea Creator and Gouernor of euery creature Neuerthelesse thou didst not clothe thy selfe with the vesture of our Humanitie that thou shouldst be honoured with any worldly dignity It was thy chiefest honor to do the will of thy heauenly Father Ioh. 14.31 thou camest not to depriue Herod of his Kingdome nor to gather any forces to deliuer the Iewes as they fondly dreamed of their Messias vainely expected at the comming of their King Thou camest to deliuer the people from the Captiuity of their sinnes and by shedding thy pretious blood to saue their soules Graunt me oh my sweet Sauiour that I may set open the dore of my heart that thou mayest enter which art the true King of glory and that I may stil desire althogh I am vnable to shew my selfe a louing and loyall subiect to receiue thee Send thy holy spirit as a Harbenger before thee to giue mee warning of thy comming and then I shall be prepared to entertaine my gratious Soueraigne with humility of minde and tokens of sincere loue I long oh my King for thy comming for I am assured if thou vouchsafe to enter into my cottage thou wilt bestow such a royall gift vpon mee that I shall beginne to disdaine the pompe of the vvorld and account nothing so deare vnto mee as thy loue Oh would my louing Sauiour would imbrace mee betweene his blessed armes Oh I vvish to liue I long to die betwixt thy louing imbracements thy armes vvere stretched out on the Crosse as if thou wert ready to receiue any penitent sinner refuse not to receiue me a wretched sinner who wounded with the horror of my sinnes doe come vnto thee as my Physition who is only able and willing to heale my wounds Let thy pretious blood stoppe the bloody issue of my sinnes thy mercy and nothing but thy mercy can cure my malady that one and that alone is all my remedy Graunt mee oh my sweet Iesu that I may bee able to say vvith thine Apostle I am crucified with thee Crucifie my wanton flesh with the nayles of thy feare mortifie my rebellious thoghts with dread of thy Iustice and Meditation of thy iudgements Let it be the ioy of my hart let it be the daily exercise of my minde let it be the obiect of all my thoughts to thinke on my Lord Iesus and him crucified I cannot wonder enough thogh I neuer cease to wonder at thee my Iesu my Sauiour and my Redeemer yet let me neuer cease to maruaile at the wonderfull worke of thy Passion which thou didst so patiently suffer that by thy innocent death thou mightest cancell the obligation of our infinite debt affixe it to thy Crosse that thou mightest deliuer vs poore and miserable wretches from the danger of the curse which was gone out against vs Oh how can my meditations attaine to the length of thy admirable loue how can my cogitations measure the bredth of thy clemency how should my deepest imaginations diue into the depth of thy mercy My eye is too dimme to perceiue the beauty my eare is too dull to heare the greatnesse my hart is too grosse to conceiue the goodnes my taste is too weake to rellish the sweetnes my tongue is too feeble to declare the worthines of thy loue no words be they neuer so many can expresse the quantity no eloquence be it neuer so excellent can relate the quality Oh with what humility of minde with what exceeding patience with what kinde and tender affections didst thou suffer the extreamest pangs of thy bitter afflictions How is my minde amazed with the bright beames of thy loue How are all my thoughts confounded with the greatnes of thy clemency How is my soule rauished with the goodnes of thy mercy What did mooue thee oh my sweet Sauiour but thy vnspeakeable loue what did induce thee but thy incomparable mercy to pay so deere a price for my Redemption Oh let the remembrance of thy infinite bounty neuer depart out of my minde Let all my affections be inflamed with the fire of thy loue Let the sweetnesse and greatnesse of thy mercies be my chiefest Meditations Mortifie my disobedient cogitations with thy feare and crucifie my rebellious actions on thy Crosse that although sinne must dwell and remaine in mee yet it may not raigne and rule ouer mee A Meditation concerning the derisions and scornefull speeches vttered to the Lord IESVS when hee was nayled on the Crosse by the Iewes and one of the Theeues which were crucified with him and of the second words he spake on the crosse MED XV. Twixt a Mat. 27.38 Mark 15.27 Theeues Christ suffered For no fault he shed His pretious bloud The b Mark 23.4 Iohn 19.6 Sunne thereat asham'd c Mar. 15.33 Matth. 27.45 and 27.52 Ore-uaild his face The graues gaue vp their dead With wonders more that cannot here be nam'd NOw ruminate oh my sorrowful and lamenting soule what scornefull speeches vvhat spitefull derisions and bitter reproaches were breathed out of the mouthes of the enuious Iewes against my patient and silent Iesus after they had nailed his pure hands blessed feet to the Crosse Call home all thy wandring cogitations that they may be soly and wholy intentiue to this heauenly and diuine meditation Let streames of teares gush out of my melting eyes let them penetrate into my bosome that they may mollifie my stony heart so that it may be so deepely wounded with sorrowfull compassion as if I had beene an eye-witnesse of his painefull Passion when his innocent hands and blessed feet streamed forth pretious blood yet the streames of it could not quench the fire of their malice they could not calme the rage of their stormy minds nor breed any one thought of pitty in their cruel hearts It was not sufficient for them to torment him with their bloody hands but now at his vndeserued death they raile and reuile him with their blasphemous mouthes for as their hearts were stony not apt to take any print of compassion and their hands filled with
neither dispaire with the heauy burden of my sinnes nor presume without feare to transgresse the bounds of thy holy law that although I haue runne long the wilde race of vnbrideled iniquitie yet at last I may returne home vnto thee out of the way of impietie vvith this faithfull and true repenting offender and be a companion vvith him in thy Paradice of euerlasting felicitie A Meditation concerning the lamentation of the Virgine MARY beholding her Sonne lifted vp vpon the Crosse standing by it accompanied with Iohn the Euangelist and Mary Magdalene MED XVI The blessed Virgin a Iohn 9.25 standing by the Crosse Of Christ our Lord Behold thy b Ibid. 26. Sonne sayd he Vnto his Mother Oh most grieuous losse That he must die who from all c Luke 23.14 faults was free NOw turne thy thoughts Oh my sorrowfull soule from the blasphemous reproches scornfull derisions and malicious slanders of the wicked Iewes insulting against my innocent IESVS And now thou hast heard how bountifull thy Sauiour was vnto the penitent Theefe that was sorrowfull for his owne iniquity and couragious to iustifie my mercifull Redeemer for his vnspotted innocency Meditate a while on the Lamentation of his blessed Mother whose heart was wounded with sorrow to see her Sonne so cruelly tormented when hee had neuer offended in word nor imagined any euill in thought How sharpe was the sting of dolour to wound her heart how intollerable was the griefe that did trouble her minde when shee saw his body bleeding with so many wounds before her wofull eyes and heard their bitter words and diuelish reproches cast out against him in the audience of her dolefull eares As shee had cause to reioyce at his blessed Birth so now shee had good occasion to mourne for his cruell death For though no doubt she was annointed with oyle of graces aboue her fellowes yet we may not thinke shee vvas quite exempted from the passions of a woman or void of the tender affections of a Mother when shee saw the harmlesse head of her louing and beloued Son bleeding with a Crowne of Thornes his innocent hands and blessed feete fastened to the Crosse with iron nailes Certainely shee knew that his Conception vvas so sanctified by the holy Ghost in her wombe that his most blessed body vvas alwaies free from the infection of impiety and his flesh neuer tainted vvith the corruption of iniquitie But yet shee knew hee did not suffer without sense of his paines and although he was endued with a supernaturall patience yet shee knew that he felt the pangs of his bitter Passion subiect by his humane nature to many infirmities as we are yet euer hauing a pure heart and cleane hands from the spots of sinne vvherewith our soules are polluted our bodies continually infected Wherefore thinke oh my soule that as her afflictions were grieuous so her lamentation vvas great suppose that thou doest see her with her face discolored with palenesse discouering her motherly sorrow to thy outward eies and that thou didst heare her mournefull tongue telling this dolefull tale to thy attentiue eares vvhich should cause thee to be a partner with her in her woe and sigh for thy sinnes which vvere the cause of her sorrow to see her beloued Sonne so cruelly crucified by the Gentiles and so disdainfully derided by the Iewes Thinke I say that thou doest see her vvatering her eyes vvith store of teares vttering these or the like words with her sorrowfull lips to her dearely beloued Son which words should draw out teares from thine eyes and driue out groanes from thy hart which shee pronounced with a dolefull accent in this or the like manner Oh what medicine be it neuer so soueraigne can asswage the rigour of my malady what salue be it neuer so precious can heale the wounds of my bleeding heart vvhat vvords be they neuer so comfortable can cheare vp my dolefull minde when I see thee my beloued Sonne so cruelly tormented and so ignominiously taunted Alas for me poore wretch thy sorrowfull Mother How intollerable is the paine how grieuous is the punishment that is inflicted vpon thee Thy death is not so bitter vnto mee and yet how loath I am to forgoe thee as these cruell torments which I see doe torture thy innocent body and doe greatly augment the sorrow of my perplexed minde As thy blessed life was the cause of my chiefest felicity so will thy bitter death be the beginning of my miserie Who shall afford mee comfort in the time of my calamity who shall giue me counsell who shall be my succour in the time of my necessitie vvhen I am separated from thee How shall I spend the daies with sorrowing and passe through the teadious nights with mourning But thou oh my GOD omnipotent vvhich art his eternall Father vvho canst not shut thine eies of compassion from thine afflicted Sonne comfort mee his sorrowfull Mother Thou seest the wounds of his body thou knowest the sorrowes of my heart and because thou art a Father of mercies and a GOD of all consolation looke downe vpon me out of thy holy Sanctuarie and as thou hast proued me to be thy faithfull Handmaide so let the sweetnesse of thy Fatherly loue temper the bitternesse of my griefe that although I be depriued from the humane societie of my Sonne yet the vvings of thy prouidence may still ouershadow mee and thy omnipotent arme safely protect me But as the Virgine Marie did bewaile the cruell and bloudie death of her innocent Sonne so Marie Magdalene vvith many teares gushing out of her eyes began to lament the wofull case of him her louing Master on this or such like manner Oh my deere Master oh my gracious Lord oh my blessed and bountifull benefactor I cannot liue without thy louing company I cannot abide without thy amiable Societie What tongue though it speake neuer so dolefull can truly relate my sorrow What vvords be they neuer so rhetoricall can ease my inward griefe vvhen I see I shall be separated from so louing and so kinde a Master Oh how tyrannous are the torments wherewith the bloudy tormentors doe torment thine afflicted body How sharpe are the arrowes of their malice vvherewith they vvound thy righteous soule How grieuous is the sight of their cruell deedes vnto mine eyes How odious are their dogged words vnto mine eares Yet my constant loue vnto thee will not giue mee leaue to leaue thee though it be a death vnto mee to see thy calamity so long as mine eyes may behold thee The sight of the bitter pangs of thy Passion doth affright me with horrour The signes of thy approaching death doth confound my senses with continuall terror I see thy head which I annointed with pretious oyntment cruelly pierced with Thornes pittifully bleedihg with many wounds I see thy harmlesse hands pierced with iron nayles and thy innocent feete stained vvith bloud which I bathed with the teares of mine eyes and vviped vvith the
haire of my head Oh how should I sufficiently bewaile the innocent death of my louing Iesus How doth my heart faint with sorrow and my senses faile me for griefe when I see the torments of his body and when I thinke vpon the affliction of his soule But alas the waues of sorrow doe stop the passage of my words my speech faileth and my voice fainteth for griefe Now thou hast heard my sorrowfull soule the lamentation of the Virgine Marie as a kinde Mother sorrowing for the death of her dearest Sonne and the pittifull mourning of Marie Magdalene sighing for the losse of so louing and kinde a Master Cease not thou to shed teares with thy weeping eyes and to sob vvith a broken and contrite heart for the cruell and shamefull death of thy louing Sauiour who died for thy hainous sinnes and suffered for thy horrible transgressions Grant me oh my most gratious Lord that my head may flowe with water and that mine eyes may be turned into a fountaine of teares For vvhere shall I goe to draw water but to the fountaine of my Sauiour Oh why should I cease to weepe for thy sake vvhen thou didst vveepe so often because of my sinnes Thou hast told me that they are happy and blessed that mourne for their sinnes and lament for their offences and that they shall be comforted in the day of their trouble and receiue consolation at the houre of their affliction Draw me oh Lord vnto thee that I may behold thee and take such hold of thee that thou maist neuer depart from me Receiue mee into the little number of thy louing and faithfull friends who would not leaue thee in thy extreamest miserie but did weepe and sigh to see thy calamitie so that being partaker with them of their sorrow by my meditation of thy bitter Passion suffered here vpon earth I may be made copartner with them of thine vnspeakeable ioyes in thy blessed Kingdome of heauen Oh let thine eares be open to the petition of my lips and let thy mercy grant the desire of my heart A Meditation concerning the obscuration and Eclipse of the Sunne about the ninth houre and of the fourth speech which the Lord spake on the Crosse MED XVII When Christ vpon the a Mar. 15.20 Crosse for vs was nail'd And that his Ghost was readie to b Mat. 27.50 depart The c Luk. 23.45 and Math. 27.45 Sun asham'd his splendant beames ore-vaild As blushing to behold so vile a part NOw call to minde my sinfull soule how the firmament was darkened the Sunne eclipsed and his beames obscured at the bitter Passion of thy Sauiour And meruaile not that the brightnesse of the Sunne vvas dimmed and that his golden beames did not shew forth their glorie vvhen as the Sonne of righteousnesse my innocent Iesus had his beautie obscured and his glory darkened with the clowdes of his grieuous and bitter Passion And if thou consider the cruelty of his enemies and the malice of his foes so virulent in the diuellish cogitations of their hearts and so violent in the bloudy actions of their hands thou maist thinke that the Sunne did as it vvere disdaine to afford them his comfortable heat or deny them his cheerefull light that so their eyes might be ouer-shadowed with darknesse as the light of their vnderstanding vvas obscured with malice But meditate not onely oh my soule on the horrible cruelty of the barbarous Gentiles and on the execrable spite of the bloudy Iewes and that their facts vvere so odious and their deedes so detestable that they seemed to depriue the Sunne of his splendant brightnes and to rob the earth of her chiefest comfort but more often thinke seriously of thy sins meditate sincerely of thy transgressions which darken the light of thy minde eclipse the beames of thy vnderstanding so that thou doest not see to tread in the path of harmelesse piety but doest wander beside it into the dangerous waies of damnable iniquity Wherefore let the light of thine eyes be obscured with weeping and thy heart ake with groaning as outward signes of thy inward sorrow as faithfull witnesses of thy serious and true repentance so that the bright beames of the comfortable loue of thy Redeemer may still enlighten thy heart and the light of his cheerefull countenance euermore shine vpon thee Oh let not the mistie vapours of my grosse offences my mercifull Sauiour so obscure the beames of thy mercy but that their gratious influence may still haue their powerfull operation in my minde and reuiue my dead heart with the liuely motions of feruent and true deuotion Let the vertue of thy Spirit so dispell and dispierce the thicke cloudes of my sinnes that my soule may be cherished vvith the heat of thy loue and see the brightnesse of thy glory But now cease thou my soule to behold the darkned Sun with thine amazed eyes and attend to thy voice of thy crying Sauiour with thine attentiue eares What mournefull tongue can vtter the sharpenesse of his agony vvhat thought can conceiue the greatnesse of his paine Oh how grieuous vvas the extreamity of his pangs vvhich made him lift vp his eyes vnto heauen and his earnest and loud voice vnto his Celestiall Father crying out in this wofull manner Eli Eli lammazabatani my God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Oh how vehement was the wrath of thy angry Father against thee my mercifull Iesu my louing Sauiour how violent vvere the torments that vexed thy body How grieuous were the afflictions that pressed and perplexed thy minde groaning vnder the heauie burden of our sinnes imposed vpon thine innocent shoulders Indeede our haynous sinnes our horrible transgressions moued false-hearted Iudas to betray thee and induced the stubborne-minded Iewes to reiect thee they made thy Disciples to flye for feare and to leaue their louing Master in time of danger they compelled thy head to bee crowned vvith pricking thornes thy face to be defiled with spettle thy body to be scourged with vvhippes they pierced thy hands and nailed thy feete they were the hammer and nailes that fastned thee to the Crosse These caused thy Father to punish thee with the seuerity of his iustice that thou being innocent mightst make satisfaction for our trespasses suffering a shamefull and cruell death to finish the great worke of our redemption and to deliuer our bodies and soules from eternall destruction These made thy louing Father seeme to withdraw his cheerefull countenance from thee because thou didst appeare so deformed to his eyes and vgly in his sight hauing put on the filthy ragges of our iniquitie although hee did alwaies loue thee and could neuer leaue thee being alwaies beautifull vvith the true ornaments of thy owne integrity Oh how should mine eyes water my bed with flowing teares and my heart labour with continuall groanes to weepe for the cruelty of my sinnes and to lament for the tyrannie of my transgressions which vvere such cruell tormentors to
torture thy body and such furious tyrants to vexe thy soule how great oh my sweet Iesu are the tortures which thou doest patiently endure for my sake how painefull how shamefull and cursed vvas the death vvhich thou didst suffer for my sinnes the punishment was great wherewith thy body was afflicted the anguish was grieuous wherewith thy soule was affected the thornes vvere sharpe that wounded thy sacred head the whips were terrible that scourged thy naked body the nailes were painefull that entred through thy hands and pierced thy feete nothing but markes of cruelty appeared to thine eyes nothing but scornefull reproaches of thine enemies sounded in thy eares But as thy outward afflictions were vnspeakeable so thy inward sorrow was more intollerable vvhen thou didst thinke how forgetfull vvee vvould be of thy mercies and how vnthankfull we would be for thy benefits And as thou my most deare Iesu in the fiercest fittes of thine agonie and sorest pangs of thy Passion didst call and crie to thy heauenly Father for succour so teach mee to lift vp my deuout heart pure hands and a lowde voice towards the seat of mercy when any outward affliction doth pinch my body or any inward tribulation presse my soule teach me oh Lord in the stormie daies of my greatest persecutions to meditate on thy vvonted goodnesse and when my soule is most perplexed with the horror of my guilty conscience to thinke on the multitude of thy mercies But forsake mee not my sweet Iesu vvhen my strength faileth vphold mee when my feete begin to slide and raise mee vp vvhen I begin to fall thou doest neuer leaue them vvithout comfort in time of their trouble vvho come vnto thee vvith confidence of thy promises and faithfully craue thy succour Oh suffer not my soule to be cast downe vvith immoderate mourning or my mouth to be filled vvith murmuring when thy hand lieth heauie vpon mee Comfort my drouping heart with some taste of thy heauenly consolation vvhen either the sword of persecution doth vvound my body or sorrow for my sinnes doth afflict my minde Let mee remember that thy children are in this vvorld as the Israelites were in the Desart they shall haue many cruell foes abide hunger and thirst runne through many dangers and drinke of the bitter waters of Mara before they can come into heauenly Canaan and chaw the Wormewood of affliction before they can eate of the fruit of the tree of life more sweet then milke and more delicate then hony Let me remember that Abraham the Father of the faithfull was often afflicted that Iacob thy beloued was constrained to flye for feare of Esau his rough-handed and hard-harted brother and then vngently intreated and vniustly rewarded for his faithfull seruice by Laban his churlish Vnckle That Dauid thy chosen vvas often in danger of his life pursued and persecuted by furious Saul before he was aduanced to his Kingdome Oh let mee not forget the many miseries and bitter afflictions which tumbled in heapes vpon Iob thy faithfull seruant Let their patience calme the turbulent motions of my repining minde and let the remembrance of their deliuerance arme my hart with a confident and stedfast resolution that the eye of thy carefull prouidence neuer sleepeth nor slumbreth but continually watcheth ouer thy faithfull and beloued and that thine omnipotent arme is then stretched out to rid them out of perill vvhen they seeme to be in a desperate case past all hope and farthest from succour And let me know that affliction is the best hope that thy children may expect in this worldly Lotterie but yet let the anchor of my hope take such sure hold on thy promises in the time of my misery that I may alwaies be assured that thou art able and neuer vnwilling to cure my maladie if I call faithfully vpon thy name and waite thy appointed time with patience abiding constant in thy loue and confident in thy vvord Grant mee oh my Lord Iesus to crie out vnto thee in the daies of my trouble to craue thy strong aide in the houre of my tribulation O let mee drinke a deepe draught of the fountaine of thy mercie vvhen my poore heart is parched with thirst in this world of miserie Heare me from Heauen and let my voice sound in thine eares that I may receiue comfort when I am distressed helpe me vvhen I am oppressed and peace of conscience when my soule is afflicted that when I feele the sweet taste of thy mercy my lips may shew thy praise and my tongue declare thy glory saying With my voyce I cried vnto the Lord with my voyce I prayed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee A Meditation concerning the fift and sixt words which the Lord Iesus spake on the Crosse to wit I thirst and It is finished MED XVIII When Christ our Lord the a Zach. 13.1 fountaine of all blisse Had said I b Ioh. 19.28 thirst and that the houre was come That hee to Death must yeeld for our c Rom. 4.25 amisse He said It 's d Ioh. 19.30 finisht now and all is done HEere Oh my soule consider not onely the woes but mark the words of thy dying Iesus thou didst heare him cry vnto his heauenly Father with feruencie of his affection vttering the vehemencie of his affliction and now heare thy wofull Iesus speaking vnto the wilfull deafe-eard and dead-hearted Iewes saying I thirst And although enuie had so parched vp their hearts that they had no sap of relenting pittie yet let his words pierce so deepe into thy tender heart that it may be wounded vvith true compunction and stirre vp actiue and liuely motions of compassion vvithin thy bowels so often as thou dost thinke on his necessity and so often as thou dost meditate on his calamity but alas thou dost seldome or neuer meditate on his humane misery Oh what grieuous infirmities miseries distresses and calamities did our fraile assumed nature bring vpon thee my louing sweet and mercifull Iesu How many great and vnsupportable torments did our sinne yea my sinnes made thine by imputation compell thee to suffer What did cause thee to doe it my blessed Sauiour but the ardent feruour of thy exceeding loue What worthinesse of merit was there in vs as a motiue to mooue thee it was thine vnspeakeable mercy and nothing but thine inestimable mercy which did induce thee But canst thou oh my sorrowfull soule containe thy teares within the little caue of thine eyes and suppresse thy groanes and represse thy sighes within the hollow corners and cauernes of thy heart when thou doest thinke on the extreame thirst of thy louing Iesus and of the small compassion that was shewed vnto him by the vnmercifull Iewes wherefore cry out with the voyce of mourning and lament in thy crying say vnto thy beloued Iesus Oh my most louing Lord oh my most gracious Reconciler oh my most mercifull Redeemer how should my sad sorrowfull soule be afflicted with heauinesse how
sake seeing thou hast suffered so much for my sinnes But before thou passe any further oh my soule doe thou not let it passe without earnest meditation how that although the hearts of the tormentors of mine afflicted Iesus were so poysoned with impietie and their hands so polluted with cruelty that they grieued his righteous soule vvith their scornes and reproaches killed his innocent body with their tortures yet that the fury of their malicious harts was so restrained and the violence of their cruell hands so repressed that they could not breake one bone of his blessed body as they did of the malefactors which were crucified with him because the sacred scripture had said they should not and therefore their hands were fettered that they could not Exod. 12.46 Num. 9.12 Zach. 12.10 Wherefore let this meditation comfort thy drooping heart oh my soule and consolate thy fainting spirits in the sowrest fits of any worldly misery and in the sorest conflicts of any affliction that can betide thee that no Tyrant be hee neuer so mighty or his heart neuer so malicious can imagine more in his cruell thoughts or act any more with his bloudy hands against thee then the Diuine prouidence hath predestinated and the counsell of the highest hath alwayes determined Let this resolution be as a pretious Balme to heale the wounds of thy sorrow and as a soueraigne Salue to cure thy soares that they may not fester with dispairefull repining or rancor with impatient mourning Let no dread of danger throw downe the Fort of thy hope let no Tempest of persecution shake the foundation of thy Faith and let no waues of affliction quench the flame of thy loue towards thy Sauiour but let the oyle of his sufficient grace so strengthen the sinewes of thy Faith when it waxeth feeble that thy heart neuer faile nor thy courage quaile when thou art molested with any sickenes or affliction of body or moued with any malady of thy mind being faithfully perswaded that no calamity can betide thee without his will nor no danger can come neere thy dwelling without his good pleasure and that no Tyrants although they be neuer so mighty can do but so much and no more against thee then hee in his wisedome knoweth to be profitable for thee For neither the prophane Gentiles nor the superstitious Iewes could doe any more vnto my innocent Iesus then he vvas willing to suffer who came to die for the sinnes of the people they could not do one iot more then was enacted in the highest Court of the Caelestiall Parliament determined by the secret Counsel of the Trinity confirmed by the euerlasting Statutes of the sacred Scriptures Confirme my mind oh Lord with a stedfast perswasion of thy power and comfort my weake nature with a resolute confidence in thy word that in the time of my aduersitie and day of my tribulation yea at the houre of my death I may commend my spirit into thy hands as thou didst thine into the hands of thy heauenly Father Oh what a consolation comfort may it be vnto me in my greatest misery to commend my soule into thy custody for there it shall remain in the safe harbor of eternal tranquility no more subiect to misery no more obnoxious to vanity the ioy that it shall possesse is vnspeakable the felicitie incomparable the continuance of it neuer decaying but alwayes durable without any change or ending Receiue my soule oh my louing Sauiour into thy hands that it may be safe vnder the shadowe of thy wings it is thine owne it came from thee and therefore let it returne vnto thee receiue my gift my bountifull giuer But because oh Lord nothing that is impure may appeare in thy sight neither canst thou behold any vncleane thing with thine eie purge my soule with the fire of thy spirit and wash away the spots of it with thy precious bloud that being beautified with the pure white robe of thy mercy Reu. 12.18 it may confidently approach vnto the Throne of thy Maiesty Oh let the affection of my loue be neuer defectiue towards thee and infuse that into me by the gift of thy grace which I am not able to obtaine by my owne strength captiuate all my sences that they may be obsequious to do thy will and frame all the members of my body to performe thy law that being partaker of thy death by true mortification of my flesh I may also be made partaker vvith thee of thy glorious Resurrection by the viuification of thy blessed Spirit A Meditation how the Lord Iesus was buried and of the lamentation of his Mother and other women for his death MED XX. Within a a Mar. 15.46 Tombe which in a Rocke was wrought Ioseph b Mar. 27.90 enshrines the body of our Lord. Wrapt in a c Luk. 23.53 Mark 15.46 cloath which hee of purpose bought Oh happy man that did such loue afford AS there was a wicked and couetous Iudas oh my soule amongst the faithfull Disciples of thy louing IESVS to betray him to a cruell death so there was a kinde Ioseph found among the Iewes who brought him honourably to his graue Oh who is able to relate the lamentation to expresse the sorrow and vtter the griefe of the Virgin Marie mourning for the death of her deare Sonne and other vvomen vvho did behold him vvith their compassionate eyes vvhen like an innocent Lambe he gaue vp the Ghost and bewailed his departure from them vvith floods of teares Now thinke that thou doest heare the Virgine Marie discouering the inward sorrowes of her heart of her grieued and wounded heart vttered out of her dolefull mouth passionate as she was a tender harted woman and more compassionate as shee vvas a louing Mother vvhen shee saw the vvounded and breathlesse body of her Sonne taken downe from the Crosse Let her sorrowfull words penetrate thine eares and pierce thy heart that thou maist bewaile the debts of thy sinnes as she lamented the death of her Sonne in this or the like manner Oh my most sweet Sonne what is my felicity which I had by thee in thy life Is it any thing else but extreame miserie at thy death how is my chiefest ioy changed into sorrow my mirth into mourning how is my reioycing turned into lamenting my cheerefulnesse turned into heauinesse nothing can mittigate my calamity nothing can ease my malady What hadst thou done oh my most deare Sonne what hainous crime hadst thou committed vvhat odious treason hadst thou perpetrated that thou wert condemned to die such a shamefull and bitter death Thy pure hands were neuer defiled with any euill actions and thy harmlesse heart did neuer harbour any vvicked cogitations thine eyes were neuer bewitched with worldly vanities nor thine eares delighted with lewd discourses thy mouth did vtter forth wisedome and thy tongue spake nothing but the truth thy whole life was a Mirrour of piety thy words deserued no reprehension thy deeds were without all
exception Oh how bitter was the malice how horrible was the enuie how blinde were the eyes how bloody were the hearts of the cruell Iewes to crucifie my deare Sonne my innocent Iesus how dolefull is it to mine eyes and dolorous to my heart to behold thy bright eyes obscured with deadly darknesse thy blessed hand depriued of action and thy beautifull feete senslesse vvithout any motion to see thy cheerefull countenance couered with an ashy palenesse thy skinne blacke and blew with blowes and thy flesh mangled with wounds This spectacle is so wofull that I can no longer behold thee with mine eyes and the waues of sorrow doe ouerflow my heart so fast that they stop my words and stay the current of my mournfull speech Now as Marie Magdalene did behold the blessed body of my Sauiour with his mourning Mother so she did not cease to lament his death who had beene so kinde a Master vnto her in his life What a plentifull streame of teares ran downe her cheekes What a spring of sorrow arose in her heart How did her sorrowfull sighes second her heauie sobs How did her dolefull sobs preuent her lamentable sighes Thinke thou doest see her kisse his senslesse hands thinke thou doest see her kisse his breathlesse feet speaking vnto her louing Master with her trembling voice being dead as if he did heare her and were aliue bathing them with her teares and giuing a little ease to her sore diseased heart by vttering these or the like words with her feeble lips Mary Magdalens lamentation for the losse of her Master Alas my sweet Master alas my most louing Lord the staffe of my stay the onely ioy of my heart the sole comfort of my perplexed spirit Alas for me how comfortlesse doest thou leaue mee how sorrowfull shall I bee by being without thee To whom shall I haue recourse for comfort in the straightnesse of my sorrow To whom shall I goe for succour in time of my trouble How lamentable is the view of thy vvounded head vnto mine eies How grieuous is the view of thy sacred hands and feet vnto my sight pierced with iron-nailes and depriued of sense which I so carefully annoynted bathing them with the teares of mine eies and drying them with the haires of my head Ioh. 11.2 and 12.3 Mat. 26.7 But now alas in stead of odoriferous oyntment they are mangled with wounds and spotted with blood Oh wretched woman oh miserable creature because I am depriued of such a louing and welbeloued Master Where shall I find one who will loue me so deerely and regard me so entierly Thou art hee which diddest often vouchsafe to come into my cottage and to sit downe at my Table and didst vouchsafe to honour my poore house with thy gratious presence when alas I was not able to afford thee any such entertainement as might in any sort requite thy kindenesse or recompence thy loue Iohn 11.28 Oh my most sweet Iesu thou didst defend me from the Pharisie who disdained me for my trespasses and loathed me for my sinnes Thou didst kindely excuse mee speaking in my cause and pleading my case when my sister began to be angry with me and to conceiue displeasure against mee Thou didst commend me when I did annoynt thee with a pretious oyntment washing thy feete with my teares and wiping them with my haire thou didst mittigate my sorrow thou didst remit my sins thou didst kindely aske for mee when I was not present with thee and commanded my sister to call me vnto thee Oh what great and how many demonstrations of thy loue how many tokens of thy kindnesse how many signes of thy charity how many arguments of thy mercie Oh my most sweet Lord hast thou shewed vnto mee vvhat a rich treasure of thy bounty hast thou conferred vpon mee When thou didst see my mourning for the death of my Brother thou didst comfort mee in my sorrow thou didst asswage my griefe thou didst weepe with me such was thy kinde affection towards my louing brother such was thy tender compassion towards mee his sorrowfull sister and thou didst not onely shed teares as signes of thy loue but thou didst raise my dead brother out of his graue for my consolation and restored him to life againe for my comfort Iohn 11.35 Ibidem 43. As nothing was more sweet and pleasant vnto me then to enioy thy blessed company so nothing can be more sowre and sharpe vnto me then want of thy comfortable societie But alas sorrowfull words are too weake a medicine to cure my maladie and although I haue cause to say much yet extreamity of griefe vvill suffer mee to say no more Now thou hast heard oh my soule the lamentation of a tender Mother deploring the death of her Sonne and also the pittifull mourning of a faithfull seruant bewayling the want of him who was her louing Master and bountifull benefactor canst thou be so stonie-hearted that thou art moued with no feeling compassion Is thy heart so hard that it cannot giue a groane Are thine eyes so dry that they vvill not yeeld a teare at the meditation of the death and buriall of thy Sauiour who died for thy sinnes and was slaine for thine iniquities I flie vnto thee my most mercifull Lord that thou maist mollifie and moysten my hard and dry heart with plentifull showres of thy graces turne my head into a spring of water and change mine eyes into a fountaine of teares I know not how to excuse my selfe because I haue beene so vnthankfull for thy benefits so forgetfull of thy mercies and so vnkinde vnto thee for thy loue What shall I say but woe and alas for me a most wretched and wicked sinner Who can measure the quantity of mine infelicitie Who can describe the horrour of my miserie Who can quiet the troubles of my minde Who can pacifie my troubled conscience because my hard heart hath not beene touched with any compunction nor my bowels moued with any compassion when I did think on thy cruell death and meditate on thy bitter Passion Oh wretched man that I am oh miserable creature for when others doe mourne at the meditation of thy Passion shed teares and send forth sighes at the remembrance of thy death my hart is so ouer-growne with hardnesse that it cannot be touched with sorrow and mine eyes are so dry without moisture that they vvill not send forth a teare Oh why doe I not sigh sob and weepe in my Meditation of the bitter Passion of my Sauiour my gratious and bountifull benefactor who did abide so many painefull torments and reproachfull taunts for my sinnes and suffered a most shamefull and cruell death on the Crosse for my transgressions How can I excuse the coldnesse of my loue How should I cleare my vnthankfull minde If Death take away my Father or depriue me of my Mother I water my cheekes vvith teares and vvearie my heart vvith groaning I can weepe for the death of a Brother and wring my
wholy depresse thee which art willingly tumbled into the filthy Mire of infernall stincke and hellish sauours bee thou ouerwhelmed vvith the horrible darkenesse of comfortles and in consolable sorrow which hast wittingly cast thy selfe downe into a gulfe of such beastly and luxurious pleasures Wallow thou in the whirepoole of bitternesse which hast sported and delighted thy selfe in the puddle of lasciuious filthines Oh yee horrible terrour terrible sorrow vncomfortable mourning muster your selues against mee assault ouerwhelme vexe couer trample vpon me It is iust it is iust my wicked deeds haue deserued it I haue with impudent boldnesse disdained and contemned your forces and with shamefull sensuality haue procured your displeasure yea rather I haue prouoked God and not you and now with lamentable repentance I desire you to poure your full measure of vengeance vpon me Torment and torture the guilty that my soueraigne Lord may be auenged whom I haue so highly offended Let the vitious Fornicatour feele before hand the Torments of Hell which hee hath deserued let him taste before hand that which hee hath prepared let him haue some smacke of those tormenting pangs and passions which hee shall abide and suffer hereafter Extend and augment thou immoderate and vnsatiable sinner thy sorrowfull and dolefull repentance vvhich hast so farre enlarged the leprous vncleannesse of thy odious and detestable vices Tumble thy selfe and throw thy selfe againe into the vvhirle poole of ceaslesse sorrow bitternesse and dolefull distresses vvhich hast so oft throwne downe thy selfe into the filthy pit of thy lustfull desires and carnall pleasures Consolation securitie delightfull pleasure and ioy doe yee now no more approach neere vnto mee I hate and loath your delectable company vnlesse pardon of my sinne shall reconcile and restore you Let heauy pensiuenesse and bitter mourning bee still at hand like cruell Tormentors and bloudy executioners to vexe mee in my growing youth and to trouble mee in my vvearisome age VVould to God vvould to God it may be so I vvish pray desire it may be so If I bee not vvorthy to list vp my eyes towards HEAVEN when I put vp my humble supplication truly I am not vnworthy to obscure them and to put out their light vvith the streames and fountaine of teares and lamentable vveeping If my minde bee confounded with great shamefulnes of my guiltie Conscience that it cannot pray and craue for mercy it is meet that it should bee ouerwhelmed with the tempest of exceeding sorrow and dolefull sadnesse If it feare to come in the sight of God grieuously offended it is iust that the vnsufferable torments prepared for rebellious sinners should alwayes appeare and be presented before it Therefore let my heart thinke and thinke againe what hainous treason it hath committed what endles torments it hath deserued Let my vnderstanding descend into itselfe make a priuie search in euery corner before it goe downe into the land of darkenes which death obscureth with his grosse and mistie vapours and meditate who doth attend and wait there for my wicked soule let it behold and view see and be troubled What is it oh God what is it which I behold in the Land of misery and darkenesse Horror Horror What is it which I doe view where no order but wofull confusion inhabiteth Woful are the out-cries of some howling out with lamentable voyces Wofull is the noyse of others gnashing their teeth tortured with intollerable torments Lamentable is the sight of the confused multitude sobbing and sighing out woe woe How many and how many woes Woe for that fire which burneth with brimstone whose flame is neuer extinguished and wofull is that obscure and darke Dungeon where there dwelleth euerlasting darkenesse With what terrible roaring doe I see you oh Wormes tossed and turned about liuing in that flaming fire which continualy burneth What direfull and greedy desire doth inflame you to returne out of it whom yet that fire of fires cannot so burne as that euer yee shall be consumed Oh yee Deuils burning together with them roaring vvith burning and raging with fury wherefore are yee so terrible and cruell to them which are tumbled and rowled vp and downe among you Oh torments intollerable Oh extreame sentence of Iustice insupportable shall no meane no remedy no end mittigate or asswage you Are these the things oh great and powerfull God which are prepared for filthy Fornicators and wicked contemners of thee of which I am one I I am verily one of those Oh my soule tremble thou with terrour faint and faile thou my vnderstanding with quaking feare and thou oh my heart cut and wound thy selfe with immoderate sorrow Whither doe yee hale and tog maye cruell tormentors while you execute your fury and wrath against mee for my great and grieuous offences Whither dost thou deliuer mee oh my sinne Whither dost thou deliuer me oh my God whither dost thou deliuer me If I haue effected by my hainous and detestable rebellions that I should be thy guilty offendor could I also bring it to passe that I should not bee thy Creature If I haue robbed my selfe of my chastitie haue I also robbed thee of thy Mercy Oh Lord Lord if I haue lost that for vvant whereof thou mayest condemne mee a grieuous offender hast thou also lost that whereby thou art wont to saue a penitent sinner Doe not Oh LORD doe not so narrowly attend to my vvickednesse that thou forget thy vvonted goodnesse Where is it true oh true GOD vvhere is As I liue I will not the death of a sinner but rather that he be conuerted and liue Oh Lord thou vvhich doest not lye Lord what is I will not the death of a sinner If thou doest burie in Hell a sinner which crieth vnto thee or is it to throw a sinner into the Lake of neuer-ceasing Torments I will not the death of a sinner Or is this I will that a sinner be conuerted and liue I am a sinner oh Lord I am a sinner If therefore thou wilt not the death of a sinner what doth compell thee which thou wouldest not that thou deliuerest mee to death and destruction If thou vvilt that a sinner be conuerted and liue vvhat doth let thee to performe that which thou willest namely that I be conuerted liue and be saued If the enormitie of my sinne doth constraine mee to doe that vvhich thou hatest doth it also hinder thee to doe that vvhich thou desirest when as thou art a God omnipotent Farre be it oh God farre be it oh Lord my God that the wickednesse of a repenting and lamenting Sinner should preuaile more then the sentence the Omnipotent Remember oh iust holy and mercifull God that thou art mercifull and also my Creator and Recreator Therefore good Lord remember not thy Iustice against thy sinner but remember thy vvonted clemencie towards thy poore creature Remember not thy anger against a guiltie offender but be mindfull of thy accustomed commiseration and mercie towards a miserable sinner