shining If you be wise thinke where true wisedome liueth And then allow the honour to my loue If yours be kiââââânkâ who the comfort giueth And know the turky from the turtle doue If constant yours that truth let my loue try Who lost his life to saue his loue thereby And let me see how liueth all your loue But on desert the stay of all your sââte And in my loue a further life appâââe Who loude indeede when he haâ cââse to hate Your fancies oft for lacke of fauour starue But my loue doth both mine and yours presarue Then truely say whom chiââe your loues doth choose To cast the counâânââce of theyr fauours on Then who â againe they wholly doe refuâe In liking thought as most to looke vpon Then doo but looke vpon my loue his choyse And whose hart most he maketh to reioyse The wealthy mighty wise and well at ease Doo fit the fansies of your Ladies best But poore and weake and simple soules best please My heauenly loue to harbour in his brest And who the world doth vtterly refuse Those doth my loue vnto his fauour chuse And see what power is in your louing natures To take or giue what ye may gayne or lose And ye shâll see they are buâ my loues creatures Whose liues are at his pleasure to disposet And while your fauours all doo fade away My sweet loues blessings neuer will decay Could ye conceiue the smallest of the sweete That doth discend from my soules dearest loue Vpon the faith that falleth at his feete That doth in prayer but his mercie proue And you will blot out euery idle line And yeeld your soules vnto this loue of mine Compare a weede vnto a holsome flower A cloudie euening to a sunnie daie A foggie miste vnto an Aprill shower Nouember blaste vnto a bloome of May And you shall easily see the difference plaine Betwixt my sunne shine and your showers of raine Compare meere follie to the finest wit The couâlest copper with the purest gold The healthfull bodie with an ague fit And set the youthfull age against the old The Rauens foule note to Philomelaes voice And quicklie say which is the better choice Compare foule pride to faire humilitie A kinde discretion to a dogged nature The clownish race to true gentilitie A blessed Angell to a cursed creature Fauours to frownes and smilings vnto scowleâ And say the Phoenix makes all birds but owles Compare the earth vnto the heauen on hie The spirites treasures vnto fleshly toves The pâbble stone vnto the Azurde Skie The Woes of men vnto the Angels ioycâ The lowest weaknes vnto the highest powers Then ãâã the difference twixt my loue and yours And when you see how all sweet blessings grow But from the ground of my loues liuing grace And doe againe the imperfection know Wherein you doe your fond affection place Then all your titles to this truth resigne There is no life but in this loue of mine And giue me leaue to praise my Princely loue Although my wittes are short of such a worth And let my spirite in my passions proue What his high hand in mercie will bring forth And write but truth that may be truely prooued My onely loue all onely to be loued Before all times all thoughts all things he was And ââer is and will be aye the ââme That doth iâ wonder wonders wonder passe In truths high triumph of eternall fame Where life and loue in grace and glory crowâd Doo sway the Scepter of the heauens renownd Now what he was cannot be comprehended Who in himselfe dâth all things comprâhend And when that all things shall be wholly ended Himselfe his word his will shall neuer end Whose gratious life all glorious loue bâginning Doth aâdâ all grace and endles glory winning And oâ his Essence this is all we finde A spirite fully incomprehensible A louing God vnto his seruants kinde And in his humane natuâe sensible In wisedomes wonder knowledge quintescence And in that âsâânce highest excellence The high Creator of all creatures liuing The sweete Redeemer of his sâruants lost The glorious grace all grace and glory giuing The ioy of ioyes that glads the spirit most The loue of life and liâe of loue indeede Gainst death and hell that stands the soule in sâeede His seate is heauen the earth his footstoole is His chiefest dwelling with his soules elected His ioy to loue and to be loâde of his His fauour life vnto his loues affected His word is truth which doth the spirit try Where fruitfull faith shall liue and neuer dye His blessing is the peace of conscience His comfort mercies contemplation His pretious gift the spirits patience His mercy vertues meditation His grâce the oyle that kills the spirits euill His death the life that did subdue the diuell His garments are the sundrie sortâs of graces His tribute is but sinners sâcrâfice His worke tâe planting vertues in their places His gaine the loue of humble spirites seruicâ His musicke Psalmes that angels neuer cease To sing in glorie of the King of peace This King of peace this God of life and lâue Who in him selfe doth all ââd onely âold The highest blessings of the hâarts behoue That faithfull truth hath to the spirite tâld This is the substance of my soules dâliâht Vnworthie subiect of his worth to write Yet as his mercie will âou ãâã nâe grace With intârcesâion of his âiâh âssiââance Against the power that would my thoughts deface And proââdly make agâiâââ the soule reâiââaâce I will a little giue his loue a âuch Whose smallest praise is for my pen too âuch What loue was that which made him like man best Of all the worke that euer he created What loue againe did in that liâing rest To loue him so he neuer can be hated What loue was more to giue the man a wife What loue was most to die to giue him life The earth within with siluer gems and gold Without with trees and herbs and fruits and flowers The waters deepe where fishes keeps their âold The âlements with al their inward powerâ These hath my loue all made for man to chuse And to his pleasure in his seruice vse The fire was made to kill the chilling cold The water made to slacke the burning heate The subtile ayre a secret bâeath to hold The earth too drie when moysture is too great Thâsâ crosse in natures yet doe meete in one Onely to serue the vse oâ man alone âaâh byrd each beast each fowle and euery fish The flesh of man muât serue to cloath and feede What eye can see or heart of man can wish But some way serues to stand poore men in steede And for that cause their being first began From mârâies loue to serue the life of man The light was maâe to glad the lightsome eye The sound to please the pure attentiue eare The ayre to drawe a liuing breath thereby The earth the body anâ the limmes to beare The clowdâ
the staires the sunne the moone the Sâye Were made for man to make him looke on high All these were made out of the mould of loue Was neuer louâ came euer neeâe to this Which dâth â wonder in affection prâuâ Euen when we leaâ dâsârude that lâuâ of his For when our soules did most offences doo him He came himselfe in loue to caâl vs to him To make redeeme preseruâ defend and cheriâh His faithfull âouâes and so in loue to nourish ãâã in his loue their liueâ shall nâuâr pâriâh But like the Lilly liue and euer flouriââ Are these not points sufficient to approue The true perfection of a piereles louâ Yet more to say that truely may be sayd In humble honour of thâs hâauenly loue In mercies sweete to mâke the soule diâmayde To see the blessing of thiâ God aboue The louing spirit liuely to refresh He let his seruants see him in the flesh To see him so as might not hurt their sight For none migât see his high supernall power But in his loue tâ see that glorious light That gaines that sweete that cuts off euâry sower The second person of himselfe his sonne In whom are all things to his glory done And see the câuse why so he came vnto vâ âis onely loue the onely cause wee liue And when we came what comfort did he doe vs To saue our liues his loue his life did giue And so to sâue vs from the fire of hell That with his loue we might for euer dwell What loue was this to leaue his heauenly seate Amoâg his angeâs all in glorie serued To câme to mân who diâ too ill intreate The sacred loue that hath his life preââruâd From being honourde praisde and gloriâide To be disgraced whipte and crucifide In loue âe lâst âis highâst heauenly pleasures Aboue his angels in their âeapâ of ioyâs To liue on earth in soârowes âut of mâaâures With chaunge of nothing but the worlds annoyes In toyle and trauailâ long in loue he sâught vs And wâth his death at last full dearely bâught vs. Oh wofull trauaile that he vndertooke To bring our liues vnto his sacred loue Which paine nor crosse nor death it selfe forsooke That to our faith might his affection proue Which lâfâ the spirite of his loue beâinde him To âhew the loue that seekes him how to finde him In loue hâ came that he might comfort doe vs In loue went from vs to prouide our places In loue he sent his comforter vnto vs In loue he guides vs with his holy graces In loue he made bought keepes and guides vs thus And shall not we loue him that âo loude vs. Yes my deare Lord be thou my dearest loue For Christ his sake let my soule neuer leâue thee Who in thy loue thy liuing truth doth proue That mâkes me finde the world doth all decâiue me ând were there truth on earth as there is none Yet were thy loue the ioy of life alone And lât these tâares be witnes of my loue Which first doo begge remission of my sinne ând in râpentance doo but mercy moue To ope the gates of grace and lât me in Where humble faith but at thy feete may fall With my soules seruice loue and life and all Fârget O Lord my workes of wickednes Whereby my soule with sorrow is oppressed And with the finger of thy holineâ In mercy touch my spirit so distressed And saue my life that draweth nigh to hell Loue me a little and I shall be wâll Loue no sweete Lord mercy I craue no more My sinnes are such I dare not speake of loue But in thy merây to thy loue restore My hâmble faith that may but mercy proue And ãâã âppââue that all the world may see The ãâã loue betwiât my God and mee Oh call me home and make me heare thy call And heare thee so that I may runne vnto thee And hold me fast that I may neuer fall But that my soule may euer ââruice doo thee Shew some good token that the world may know My soule is blest whom thou hast loued so And while I liue here in this wretched vale Of fearefull danger of inâernall death Where earthly pleasures take those soules to sale Which haue their bargaiâe in the hâll beneath Let my soules loue and lifâ and labour bee To seeke my ioy my loue and life in thee Make me not rich lest I forget to thinke From whence I haue the comfort of my hart Nor in such want let thy poore seruant sinke That I be driuen to craue the needy part Giue me but meanes the needy to relieue To feede thy flocke and not the Wolfe to grieue Let me not listen to the sinners songes âut to the Psalmes thy holy saints doe sing Nor let me follow tyrants in their wronges But kisse the rocke where righteousnes doth spring Let not mine eye affect the outward part But let me loue the vertue of the hart And let my life be to behold thy loue And let my loue be but to liue in thee And so to liue that all the world may prâue The gratiâus good my God hath done for mee To call my soule out of this world of woe In faithfull loue to serue my Sauiour so And when they see the blot of all their blame To loue the worlde but all in wretched toyes And doe confes with inward blushing shame They are but sorrowes vnto heauenlie ioyes They may with me forsake all wordly pleasure And make thy loue an euerlasting treasure For Lord by thee we are in thee we liue And in thy loue the liuing cannot die And since thy death did our liues wholy giue For thy loues sake shall we affection âlie No my deare Lord let life be death to me So I may die to liue in loue with thee A ioyfull life were such a death indeede From earthly paine to passe to heauenly pleasure A ioyfull line for louing hearts to reade To leaue the flesh to take the spirits treasure Whose glorious sence vnto the sunne doth fall That all is nothing to that all in all And I alas of many thousand soules Vnworthie most of his high worth to write Who in his mercies true record inrowles The louing substance of the soules delight Must mercie crie for scare my loues presuming Of too high sence may be my souls consuming And with the teares of true repentant loue Looking vpon the wonders of that woâder That ãâ¦ã pââfection may appâoue The ãâã âisedâ me of the world put vnder ãâ¦ã wit as short to pânâe his praise As ãâã nâghts in light of clearest dayes And say but this in grace and glories height Wheââ vertue loue doth liue fâr âuer crowned Aâd all the Hoaââ of heauen and heauens await Vppon the higheâ ãâã the heauââs rânowned Whom Saiâts and Angelâ tâeâblâng doo adore To him alone be all praise câeâmore All honour pâaise and glory euer bee Vnto my âouing euerlâuing King This king of life who âo hath lâued mee To giue my soule thiâ gratiouâ power to sing In hart and mind in man and ângels loue All gloâious glory be to God aboue FINIS Nicholas Britten
Disciples to the Aungels from the Aungels to Christ him selfe Now it is said shee turned backe as though shee was afraid that shee had presumed too farre eyther in looking into the Sepulcher or at lest in talking to the Aungâls Oh Lord how few will learne I would many woulde followe this vertue of Humilitie in Mary not to ãâã too farre nor to speake till they be âââken to then to bee afraide to speake too much yea though it bee the best thing they can speake off I meane their true loue to Christ but to drawe towards an end marke what followes Now she comes neare her comfort shee sees her Sauiour and knowes him not for when he said vnto her VVoman why weepest thou whome seekest thou she supposing it had bin the gardner said Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Thus in one word she aunswereth to both his questions why she wept what she sought she sought her Lorde in sorrow she could not finde him Iesus said vnto hir Mary shee turned her selfe and saide vnto him Rabboni which is to say Master Now when Christ made him selfe knowen vnto her see what wordes she vseth but onely one to expresse as much as she was able to speake Master For a faithfull seruan âhat loueth his Master if after a long miââe of him hee come to the sight of him againe can he forbeare teares of loue to shewe his dutie and say with Mary Master confesse all yee that loue your Masters for the rest God amend yee Now was there euer so good a Master as for onely louing him nay rather of his own meere loue giues vs life euerlasting forgiues vs all our offences payes vs our wages in his mercies and our debts for vs in the blood of his owne heart when by reason of sinne wee bee long absent from this so good a Master if euer his Grace bring vs againe to his mercie with the teares of sorrowe shall we not weepe to haue been so long from him and so reioyce in his sight that we shall bee able with Mary to say no more but Master which one word so spoken may make more prââââ ãâã our ââue than a longer tale of our serââââ for he knoweth our hearts loueââââr Humility and so regardeth our loue that though wee fee him not as Marie did yet we shall enioy such part of her comfort as if we but thinke vpon his mercie wee shall say in heart Master when the friends of our ioy will not suffer vs to say any more but it is enough and so much enough as I beseech God to graunt vs all Crace so to sorrow for our sinnes and to long for his comming that seeking him as Mary did with teares wee way see him with ioy and say with Mary Master which Master Lord King and God be loued serued honoured praised and glorified of all his seruaunts here present and all his faithfull wheresoeuer Amen AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Danter and are to bee sold by VVilliam Barley at his s ãâ¦ã in Gratious street n ãâã ââaden Hall 1595. A Solemne Passion of the Soules Loue. Printed at London by Iohn Danter and are to be sold by William Barley at his shop in Gratious street 1595. A Solemne Passion of the Soules Loue. AWake my soule out of the sleepe of sinne And shake off slouth the subiect of thy shame Search out the way how best thou mayst beginne To holy worke thine humble will to frame Then proue not weary of a little paine When fleshes griefe will breede the spirites gaine Confesse thy selfe vnworthy of the sence To learne the least of the supernall will Beseech the heauens in strength of their defence To saue and keepe thee from infernall ill Then fall to worke that all the world may see The ioyfull loue betwixt thy God and thee Tell of his goodnes how he did create thee And in his iustice how he doth correct thee And in his loue how he will neuer hate thee And that his mercie neuer will reââect thee And how he helpt thee when the world distrest thee And with his graces how he sweetly blest thee Sây I was sicke and he did send me health I was in prison and he set me free And I waâ poore and he did send me wealth And I waâ blind and he did makâ me see I was perplext and âe did heale my paine And beeing dead he gaue me life âgaine When I was lame he did my âiâmes restore When I was deafe he made me heare his voice When I was wounded he did heale my sore When I was sad he made my soule reioyce When I had finde he would not yet forsake mee When I was lost he did to mercie take me To say yet more what he hath done for me I needes must say his goodnes hath no end Who when on earth he saw no friend to me Did make me feeâe I had a heauenly friend A heauenly friend whose help doth faile me neuer But is my comfort and my King for euer This is my Lord my life and all my loue My liuing loue and louing life inâeed This is the blessing âf my best behoue The sacred fruite whereon I sweetly feede This is the âoy that maâes my hart to sing Honour and glory to my heauenly king Oh King more glorious ãâã the world can know thee From whom the day euââ ãâã on high doth spring Where glorious works vnto the world doth show thee Of glârious loue the euer liuing King The King of life in whom the soule doth proue The highest glory of the heauenly loue By whose high hands were all things made at first By whose deepe wisedome they are gouernd still By whom alone are blessed or accurst That loue his word or disobay his will By whose sweet breath they liue that doo attend him And by whose wrath they dye that doo offend him For who can byde the furye of his yre Or halfe conceiue the comfort of his loue Who plagues his foes with an infernall fire And plants his seruants in the heauens aboue Who shakes the heauens and makes the mountains bow If he but once begin to knit the browe And where he loues what will âe leaue to doo To make the soule acquainted âith his kindnes And with what ioy will hee the spirite wooe To shun the woes that grow of wordly blindnes What paine or griefe or death did he refuse To saue their liues that he did sweetly chuse Now for the greatnes of his glorious power Hee is almighty and all glory his Hee made the yeare the month day night and hower The heauens earth sea and what in them there iâ In him alone doth all their being stand And liue or dye in his almighty hand He spake the word and by his word they were And all was good his secret wisedome did His will did worke his fauour without feare And not a thought is from his knowledge
hyd He knows the hearts and searcheth through the raines And sees the roots euen of the smallest vaines Hee deckt the Skyewith sunne and moone and starres And made the seas to flow vpon the sand Vpon whose shore his hand did set the barres They shall not passe to ouerflowe ãâã Land Amid the ayre he hath dispearst the Clowdes And onely Man within his mercy shrowds Within the depth the fish their holes do keepe And in the Rocks the Conny makes his house Into the earth the crawling wormes do creepe And hollow rocks are harbours for the mouse The Lion keepes his dân the bird hiâ nest And man alone doth but in mercie rest Yet these and all are guided by his power Anâ may not passe the passage he hath giuen them The Sunne his course the Aâoone must know her houre Anâ clouds must wander but where winds haue driuen them Beasts know their times fiânes know their tides And man alone in onely mercie bides To tell of woonders by his wisedome wrought Eâân from the greatest to the vââie least Which time declareââây true experience taught In fâh and towle in âârd in man and beast Maâe but the power that doth in each abide And how it weaâââââ their highest pride The Lion first is fearefull of the Bee The Elephant doth dread the little mouse A crowing Cocke the Dragon may âoâ see The stowtest Eagle subiect to the lowse The greatest Oxe a little taint worme killeth And many a man a little Canker spilleth Yet is the Lion feared for his forcâ The Elephant a huge and mightie beast The fiery Dragon killes without remorse And Eagles carrie Lambs vnto their nest The Oxe the taint worme vnder foot doth tread And man sometimes doth kill the cankers head But when thât power ãâã together pride Then see the strength of ãâã âghtiâ hand By whose high help the ãâã thinges are tride To spoile the strength wherein the ââââongest stand That they may know there is a power on hie In whom they liue and at his pleasure die To snew examples of the heauenly might Against the pride of the inferiour power The word of truth doth giue a glorious light Where may be seene in minute of an hower How greatest stayes that on their strengths were grounded With headlong falls were vtterly confounded How Pharaoh first the proud Egyptian King That would not suffer Isräell to passe What plagues and griefes did the almighty bring Vpon the house euân where his lodging was Frogges flyes and lyce did freely make their way Euen to the chamber where proud Pharaoh lay A number plagues the Lord did further threaten His Land was stroken with a darkesome feare His grasse and corne by Grashoppers were eaten The plague destroyed his people euery where And laât himselfe amidst his army crowned Was in a moment in the red Sea drowned Yet through these seas his hand did make the way Where all his seruants went and wet no foote Which prooues his loue was his elected stay While rebell harts were torne vp by the root Which true example to the world may proue The glorious greatnes of his power and loue Goliah boasted greatly of his strength Yet little Dauid kild him with a stone The Madian Hoast was strong but yet at length By Gideons hand the Kings were ouerthrowne By change of tongues fell Babylons high tower And Christ his word did breake the ciuels power Yet in it selfe what weaâer is than water Which drownd proud Pharaoh with his mighty host A lowse or flye is of a little matter Yet with such wormes are men tormented most What strength a las is in a little stone Yet so we reade Goliah ouerthrowne Know then from whence this wonder power groweth But from the force of the almightie hand Which to the world his glorious power showeth When with the weake the strongest cannot stand King Dauid wrote and it is truely knowne That power belongeth vnto God alone To proue the prowesle of the heauenly power How many more examples may be showne There is no yeare no day no night nor houre But some such action to the world is knowne That truth may well vnto his glorie speake God is of power and all the world is weake But since the world cannot the bookes containe Wherein his works of wonder may be writ To admiration let his power remaine And say all powers are subiect vnto it And let me of his loue and mercie write Which is the substance of the soules delight This powerfull loue the glorie of all grace When he had wrought the world vnto his will And planted each thing in his proper place And in the course that they continue still Of all the works that he in wonder wrought Made onely man the dearest of his thought For what he made he made but man to serue And man to seruâââonely sacred loue And in his loue ãâã so mans life preserue As may the comfâââ of his care approue And so approue as ãâã this sentence giue His onely loue ãâ¦ã the soule to liue He loude ãâã earth ãâ¦ã giue it life He louâd ãâã âife wheâ ãâã âis ââage gaue it He loued the flesh that made the bone a wife He loued the soule when he from death did saue it He loude him euer yet he loude him most To fetch him home when he him selfe had lost Come Poets yee that fill the world with fansies Whose savning Muses shew but madding sits Which all too soone doo fall into those âranzies That are begotten by mistaking wits Lay downe your liues compare your loue with mine And say whose vertue is the true diuine For further tryall let me giue you leaue To add a truth vnto your ydle stoââââ Wherewith so oft you doo the woâlâ deceaue And gayne your selues but ill concâââed gloryes Yet when you see where sweetesââââhts are showne Looke on my loue and blush to see ãâã owne With funny beautyes let your lâues be blesâ The sunne doth fetch his light but from my loue You haue your wonders from the Phoenix nest Mine honour liues but in the heauens aboue Your Muses doo your Ladyes prayses sing The Aungels sing in glory of my King The earth alas from whence your loues receiue Their flowers sweets their Pearses pretious stones To decke themselues with which they doo deceiue The blinded spirits of the simple ones This earth from whence their outward graces spring Is but the footstoole of my heauenly King And if he so hath deckt the earth below Imagine then the glory of his seate Which may perswade where Aungels tremble so For humane eyes the glory is too great For where the sunne the moone and starres haue light For natures eyes the beauty is too bright And who doth liue that euer ye did loue But that ye could theyr fayrest fayre vnfolde And my fayre loue let fayrest truth approue No eye can liue in glory to behold Your clearest beauty is with age declining My loues bright glory is for euer
MARIE Magdalens Loue. AVT NVNC AVT NVNQVAM LONDON Printed by Iohn Danter and are to be sold in Gratious street nere Leaden Hall Gate Mary Magdalens Loue. Vppon the twenty Chapter of Iohn from the first verse to the eighteenth Vppon the first verse as foââoweth The Text. Now the first day of the weeke came Mary Magdalen early when it was yet dark vnto the Sepulchre and sawe the stone rowled away from the Tombe DEerely beloued in our Sauiour Christ In this first verse I find foure cheefe noteâ to bee well marked and kept in memorie First the person named who it was and of what condition Secondlie the time Thirdlie the place and fourthly what was there seene and done The person was Marie a woman and one that had bin a great sinner the time that she came was the first day of the week in the morning earely euen when it was yet darcke the place shee went vn o was the sepulcher and the thinâ that shee saw there was the stone rolled awaye from the Tombe now touching Marie let vs note two especiall causes of her comming loue and sorrow loue that she bare him and sorrow that shee had for him I meane to liue without him who of manie thousandes are ignorant that the mistaken loue indeed which the wantons and wretches of this worlde are to much troubled with will keep their wits waking watching and continuallie woorking for the accomplishment of a moste wilfull or rather woefull desire and if then the deuill by the permission of God haue such power to blind the eyes and charme the senses of humane creatures with that lewd humor of mistearmed loue how much more warie effectuall and continuall carefull watch dooth the loue of God keep in the soules of his seruantes longiââ and looking both day and nigââ and thinking no time too earlie or long be it neuer so long so that at last they may come to the enioying of their souls comfort Let vs therfore consider a little what may bee spoken of Maries loue First that shee loued we cannot doubt for it was spoken by the mouth of Christ himselfe vnto Simon Luke Chapter 7. Verse 45. Many sinnes are forgiuen hir for she loued much But marke now the nature of this good loue what it wroght in her three excellent blessings Constancy Modesty Humility Constancy in the hart Modesty in the minde and Humility in the soule but of these wee wil speake more hereafter in their due places therefore touching the first words from whence I gather my first notes marke here what is saide by the âolye Euangelist whom ãâã âameth Marie Magdalen a vvââân and one that had beene a great sinner out of vvhom vvere cast out seuen deuills but vvhen the foule spirits vvere gone there came to her that good spirit that in true penitence found especiall grace with her liuing Lorde not that she was then no longer a sinner but being a penitent sinner she had obteined mercie Now you see how Marie had beene a great sinner and receiued a great forgiuenes which begat in her faith so great a Loue as broght forth great fruits of repentance made of her as it were a new woman turning her from a sinfull seruant to the world to a louing seruant to Christ as in these wordes following shall appeare Nowe earlie in the Morning the first day of the VVeeke came Mary Magdalen he sayeth not the Disciples but Mary Magââlen See here you blessed and welbeloued of God both men and women What a sweet example of care she hath left for your comfort that wil follow hir it is saide heere shee came the first day of the weeke An excellent note for good husbandes and huswiues to obserue not to ouerslippe their time till the latter end of the Weeke and then perhaps also be either idle or worse exercised as I feare too manie are in these dayes then another note of wisdome in the choosing of her worke to seeke Christ for beginne the Weeke with him and thy worke will thriue the better and continue the Weeke with him and thy wages wil be the greater and neuer worke but with him and thou shalt finde thy labour will bee the easier by the vnspeakable ââmfort of thy reward Manie are ãâã earely and downe late as the âââfe about his robery the couetous about his misery the adulterer about his villanie and the Traytor about his âreason but alas Mary had none of these thoughtes in her head shee rose earely to seeke Christ shee came earely while it was yet darke for as Dauid the Psalmist saieth in his hundred and thirtie Psalme and sixt verse My soule waiteth on the Lord more than the Morning watch watcheth for the Morning who then wilcome to Christ must wait for him as Dauid did and seeke for him as Marie did Earely in the morning and the first day in the weeke and though it be dark yet wee must watch till it be day and then by Gods helpe wee shall see that wee looke for Now let vs speake a little more of Mary shee found her self a sinnâr and therefore vnwoorthy to see her Sauiour any more but yet her sinnes were forgiuen her and she desired to sinne no more and novv did grace so woork in her looue that faine she would see her Lord a little more but alas her Lord vvas dead to other perhaps but not to her and see how faith vvrought in her affection her heart had light before her eyes shee vvent through the dark and came to the place ere it vvas day The diuell watcheth in the light to lead his followers into darknes and shall not wee watch thorough darknes to seeke Christ in the light Iudas watch all day to betraye his Master in the night but Mary watcheth all night to come to her Master in the day Oh sweete blessing of God where faith wrought loue and loue dutie and all came together to bring Mary to Christ and except with these we followe her wee shall neuer come to him but Mary was a woman and shal men follow women why her happines came from God and shall not wee follow her to her happines but Mary was a sinner and what flesh is righteous and Mary was repentant and what more proofe of election and Mary loued Christe and what more ioy in a Christian now not offending men let mee thus farre speake in the commendation of godly women if the first spokeÌ off in the scripture offended God the last spoken off looued Christ If Heuah vvas an accursed vvife Mary vvas a blessed virgine If shee vvere full of sinne Marie vvas ful of grace If Eue vvas tempted by the diuel Mary vvas saluted by the Angell And if Eue bare a vvicked Son Cain Mary brought a blessed Son Christ novv though this vvas not that Mary that bare Christ yet this vvas she that loued Christ for a vvorld of such godly women as are lest examples to their posterities sex in
all Ages I would be loath to spend time in recounting their names which truly set downe might make a Cathalogue of worthy memorie but I speake to all beloued men women thinke it no scorne to follow Marie in her early rising to seeke Christ for to rise early is holsome for the bodie to walke to Christ is comfortable to the soule suche exercise is better than any physick such a trauail brings the best rest Now Mary came early in the morning while it was yet darke surely sin dooth much darken our eyes that wee cannot see the way to Christ yet repentaunce gaue Mary such a light that shee found the way to his sepulchre and surelye wee must haue our lampes fedde with the oylâ of her Lords grace or we shall neuer finde the way to her soules comfort when Peeter and Iames were taken vp into the heauens saw Christ in his glory standing betwixt Moses and Eliah he could say Heer is good beeing Lord but after hee was crucified who sought him at his sepulchre Mary Many would perhaps bee glad to rise earely to go vp to heauen to him but who will goe thorough the darke to seeke him at his graue Mary did and such as Mary will Oh blessed Mary so may I well tearme thee for as the Psalmist saith in his Psalme Blessed are they that seeke him with their whole heart in that was she surely blessed for shee sought him with her whole heart by the light of her soules loue orels being in the dark she woulde haue hardlye hitte the way but now where sought she him at his sepulchre where he was buryed see heer the âtrong effects of loue liuing or dead shee could not forget her Lord dead she saw him buryed shee knewe hee was why did she then seek for him loue could not forget him sorrowing to liue without him aliue or dead she wold be glad to se him Now stil note the force of loue in the elect A woman in nature feareful was now valiant the darknes vncomfortable shee thorow the dark sought her comfort and amongst the graues of the dead sought the comfort of her life here was loue voide of feare and faith void of doubt broght a spiritful of sorrowe to seeke her light in the darke and Mary full of griefe to seeke her Lord in his graue Now Mary came early while it was darke the first day of the weeke vnto the Sepulcher Manie will rise earely to looke to their Chickens their Geese their Duckes their Swine or such other things but al things must be looked ouer ere Christ be thought vpon and perhappes not then neyther But as it is written in Luke Chap. 10 vers 41.42 Martha was troubled much about her worke but Mary tooke the good parte so manye take earely iournies but Mary here made the good walke Now though she came to seeke him where hee was buried yet in hir hart she beheld him crucified for who sees not his death in the sorrow of his hart I am perswaded shall neuer find him liuing in the ioy of his soule But he was crucified for Maries and our redemption and shall not wee with Mary mourne for his Passion Yes let vs with Maries loue looke into his Mercie and following hir sorrow wee shall finde hir comfort and though not at the first as wee wish yet at the last as she did For if we watch the darke night of sin that wee sleepe not in sensualitie but rise early to repentance and walke with a true faith to the finding of our soules felicitie when we haue gone thorough the dark and attended the day wee shall see the stone rowled away and somewhat lest for our comforte when the hardnes is rowled from our hearts we shall enioy the blessing of our soules Which that we may the better attaine vnto let vs watch with Mary walke with Mary and weepe with Mary rise early goe thorough the darke and come to the Sepulcher to seeke Christ in his graue ere wee looke for him in his glorie and though it bee long ere wee see his Person yet shall wee quickly be partakers of hir comforte For shee as you shall hereaâââr heare Godwilling sawe him buâ knewe him not so shall wee bee sure of his Mercy though we see him not Will you then come to Christ Learne to imitate Mary in hir course Who hath many sinnes and findeth much remission let his loue bee great and his sorrowe not little to lacke the comforte of his loue Christ is offended Christ must forgiue Christ must be loued Christ must be sought and that early for feare wee come too late and since wee cannot behold him with our eyes of corruption let vs holde him in the heart of our regeneration let the first day of the weeke be the first beginning of our youth lest when wee growe olde either our spirites be so dull or our eyes so dimme that we shall not be able to rise or at least to walke to seeke Christ Christ dwels a great way from the worlde and âee that is ouerladen with sinne must shake off his burthen or hee will neuer come at heauen and hee or shee that will not in the sorrow of their sinnes rise vp to repentance and in Christ his Passion learne the power of Mortification they may perhaps heare much of him and pray much to him but I doubt whether they shall euer come neere him Learne then of Mary whom to loue Christ Why for his goodnes in forgiuenes of hir sins the feeling of his Mercy then louing Christ learne hir sorrowe to bee without him with hir sorrowe hir labour to rise early to seeke him the place where to finde him at his Sepulchre I meane in the Mortification of the flesh that you may glorifie him in the spirite who in forgiuenes of sinnes and redemptioâ of sinners in comforting the penitent and blessing the faithfull in the perfection of loue deserueth all honour to whome sweete Iesu the blessed sonne of the euerliuing God with our heauenly father and the holy Ghost bee all Glory Honour and Prayse both now and euer Amen Mary Magdalens Loue. Vppon the seconde verse which is as followeth The Text. Then shee ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other Disciple whom Iesus loued and said vnto them they haue taken away my Lorde out of the Sepulcher and we know not where they haue laid him IN this Verse I take foure especiall notes First hir running then to whom shee ranne then how shee spake and last what shee said In the former verse it is said she came to the Sepulcher nowe in this verse it is said shee ranne from the Sepulcher Shee came thorough the darke to seeke Christ in his deade Tombe but nowe it is day shee beginnes to runne to his Disciples to tell what shee had seene hoping perhaps of them to heare somewhat of âim Seâ here a notable token of true Constancie in her lââe through
Dost thou loue mee Peter Feede my flocke Dost thou loue me Peter Feede my Lambes c. Who though hee answered him to both his questions with Lorde thou knowest I loue thee yet hee treabled his question againe asking him Dost thou loue mee Peter And when hee had receiued his answere that Lorde thou knowest all thinges and thou knowest I loue thee Hee gaue him this commandement Feed my Lambs nowe if wee bee Lambes of Christes flocke where shall wee looke for the milke of his mercie but out of the booke of his most holy and sacred Scriptures who can interprete them vnto vs But his learned and holy Ministers and such as will shewe Christe their loue in instructing his flocke Such a Disciple was Peter and such a Lambe was Mary God sende vs many such Lambs as Mary to run to such Disciples as Peter to talke of nothing but Christ. Now the other was hee whom my Text sayth Iesus loued and Christ beââng hir loue of whome shoulde sheâ better enquire after him than oâ his beloued See then what is the cause that first leads vs vnto Christ Loue How shall we seeke him but goe to his Ministers for our instruction who by the true administration of his holy Worde doo manifest themselues to bee the beloued of his Mercie Learne then of Mary when to seeke Christe the first day of the weeke in the beginning of our daies then thorough the darkenes of sinne to breake out into the day light of Grace then where to seeke him in his Tombe if there you finde him not runne to his Disciples to enquire for him and to which of them those that by the discharge of their dueties are most likely to be his beloued and thus if you will bee guided by the line of hir loue I doo not doubt but you shall come to hir comsort which as hirs was let ours bee in the onely sight of our most blessed Sauiour sweete Iesus Christ the light that will leade vs through the darke the life that will raise vs vp from death and the loue that will giue vs life for euer to whome in his Redeemer in his holy spirite our comforter and all in one our Lorde King and euerliuing almighty GOD bee ascribed and giuen all Honour Prayse Dominion and Glory both nowe and for euer Amen Mary Magdalens Loue. Vppon the foure fiue sixe seauen and eighth verses which are as followeth The Text. Peter therefore went foorth and the other Disciple and they came vnto the Sepulcher So they ranne both but the other Disciple did outrânne Peter and came first to the Sepulcher And hee stooped downe but went not in then came Simon Peter following him and sawe the linnen cloathes lie and the kerchiefe that was vpon his head c. Then went in also the other Disciple which came first and saw and belâeued IN these verses I note foure chiefe pointes to be considered the cause of their going forth the cause of their running why the other Disciple outranne Peter the cause why comming first to the Sepulcher hee stooped downe but went not in Peter therefore went forth and the other Disciple and came to the Sepulcher When Mariâ had told them what shee had seene it is not said they presently beleeued but they went forth For though shee told a truth yet they would see theÌ beleeue for it is said they went forth and came to the sepulcher It should seeme and very likelye that they had some remembrance of Christes wordes spoken before vnto them touching his passion resurrection the third daye and therefore conferring their memories with her wordes they were the readier to goe forth to try the truth of her report Nowe Mary being a woman and so great a sinner as she had bin it was likely she should not obtaine any great credite with the Disciples of Christe But Truth in whose mouth soeuer it be deserues well to bee entertained and nowe the Disciples not hauing any knowledge to the contrarie woulde not sticke at a little trauaile to try the truth of her speech and therefore it is said they went forth You see here she was not blamed for her reporte nor doe wee finde as yet shee was beleeued but only approued so that hereby we are to learne what to report and alwaies to tel truth and to trie out a truth ere we giue credite to a report but if the talke be of Christ and the reporte from the faithfull and that conferring it with the Scriptures we finde any likelyhood of truth wee must not regard who it be man or woman but goe with them for their comfort to the triall of their cause It should seeme now they heard it of none but of Mary for as it is saide of none but of Marie that came earlie to the Sepulcher and from thence ranne to the Disciples and told them what she had seene so it is not like that she had told anie but the Disciples for if shee had some or other would haue beene with the Disciples before her or els haue beene at the Sepulcher before shee had reâained with theÌ âut the Disciples not hearing of it by any other as I said before calling to memorie some of Christes speeches deliuered vnto them before to trie out the truth they went forth and came to the Sepulcher Nowe here is neyther a beleefe nor distrust a reprehension nor commendation but a proofe and of whome a woman and in what of a truth touching the resurrection or at least as shee thought of the remoouing of Christ But of that I meane God-willing to intreate more hereafter but to my Text Peter therefore went forth and the other Disciples and came to the Sepulcher What an encounter argumeÌt may this be to all men women to tell truth when the Disciples of Christ vpon the report of Mary would go forth with hir not return till they cam to the sepulcher we read that Ananias his wife wer both stroken dead for denying of their and lying to the Disciples of Christ yet here we see Mary for telling of a truth accompanied with the Disciples vnto the graue of Christ learne therefore how dangerous a thing it is to lie vnto the Disciples of Christ especially in naming of Christ the God of all truth and how gratious a thing it is in man or woman to come to the Disciples with a truth or to enquire of any truth touching Christ thus much touching the cause of the Disciples goinâ forth and comming to the Sepulcher Now is it saide here they ran both but the other Disciple out ran Peter a light beleefe will make many men and women to runne them selues out of breath to see a May game a Beare-bayting or a bauble not worth the loâking after but heere was no such report and therefore coulde bee no such beleefe and therefore woulde to God the idle heades of the world would turne their mindes to better matters leaue such toyes
but to continue Constant to the end is an espeaciall fruite of Gods fauour Oh Constant loue of Mary that hauing once washt his feet would now fil his Tomb with her teares Oh rare Modestie that in his life would but lie at his feete vnder the Table and now was so bashfull as to stand without at the sepulcher And Oh most excellente Humillitie that woulde presume no further but to looke in See here the heauenlie loue of this blessed woman how much it differs from the vile nature of our worldlings loue We daylie see before our eyes that the wisest Prince the moste Godlie preacher the most louing parents the most bountifull Master the most kinde kinsman and the most faithfull friende If they dye howe soone are they forgotten if they bee of anye account I meane according to the worldes estimation that their âeires maye bee the better for them then perhaps they will take this order and bee at this charge for them the Lawyer shall make his Will the Sexton hys graue the Preacher shall make a Sermon for him the parish shall haue a Feaste for him the Minister shall bee paide for buriall of him and a few weare Blacke weedes for him and so there is no more adoe for him But where are the teares of Loue all this while alas there is no such cause there is more gotten by his death than by his life rather weepe that hee liued so long than that he died so soone is it not too true that in manie places it is daylie seene the childe is sicke of the Mother and wisheth his Father in his graue ere he can learne to bee a son or leaue to be a Childe are not many Subiects vnkinde that will ratheâ seeke the death of a Prince than wâepe for his want are not those kin too strange in nature that are not onely continually in lawe but seeke one anothers life for their lands are not those seruaunts most wicked that had rather wish for a mourning coate for a dead Master than a cognizaunce for the liuing and will rather betray him to his death than weepe for him when hee is gone And are not those friendes moste faithlesse that will rather giue a Iudas kisse than shedde Iosephs teares I woulde there were no such people but if there be God of his goodnes giue them grace with Mary to repent them of their wickednes and with Mary to shed the teares of loue that maye bee witnes of her faith and continuing in her Constancie with feare of presumption they maye make proofe of such Humilitie as was her commendation and may bee their comfort How much this vertue of Constancie is commended in diuers places of the holye Scriptures yee may read as in Genesis the fift Chap. and fourteentlâ verse Henosh for his long walking with God was taken vppe in the heauens Eliah for his constant faithfulnes was taken vpp into the heauens Genesis the two and twentie Chapter and seuenteenth verse Abraham for his constant loue was called the Father of the faithfull and had the promise of the Almightie that of his blessed seede shuld come the blessed Messias Noah Genesis Chapter seuen and thirteenth verse for his Constancie was saued with all his Familie when all the worlde was drowned that were not in the Arke Dauid for his Constancie was left vnto vs a figure of Christ the three Children in the fornace for their Coâââancie were preserued in the fire Ier. the eight and thirtieth Chapter and tenth verse Ieremie for his Constancie was deliuered from the Dungeon Iob. the one and fortieth Chapter and twelfth verse for his Constancie was restored to his health made more happie than euer hee was Paul for his Constancie was rapt into the heauens where hee sawe Christ in his glorie Steuen the holy Martir of God did shine like an Angell at the time of Martirdome and Mary here for her Constancie comes to the sight of her Sauiour but of this I will God willing speake more fitly anone Now for Modestie tedious it were to trouble you with many places of commendation laid downe in ãâ¦ã lie Scriptures touching that ãâã though some of them I thinke it not good to omit Sara was commended for her Modestie in calling hir husband sir Rebeccha for couering her face when shee saw Isaach Hester for her modesty was said to haue hir face shine whose bashfull feare so pleased the King Assuerus that he laid his scepter on hir necke and kissed hir and held her in his armes till her trance was ouer And here you see her Modestie so pleased God that he sent his Aungels to comfort her for you see what followes And shee bowed her selfe downe and sawe two Angels the one sitting at the head and the other at the feete O would to God that all women woulde learne this Modestie of Mary then woâd they not so ofteÌ fall into such pâââââption as is manie times a ãâã of their confusion in steed of laughing with Michol to see Dauid daunce before the Arke of God they ââuld weep with Mary at the Sepulcher of Christ Modestie would teach them to come to the Church with more deuotion and to heare the worde with more reuerence than I feare too manie doe now a daies how vncomely a thing it is in a maiden to be giggling and laughing and how vngratious a thing it is for a woman to be tighing and babling in the Temple of God at the time of the reading or preaching of his holie Gospell Alas what will they bee thought on among the wise the one but an idle gossip and the other a foolish girle but here you see Mary did none of these and as I said before such as Mary will doe none of these Learne then of Mary to loue Christ to bee Constant in louing Christ and to vse Modâsty in your loue to Christ so shall you surelye please Christ and I am fully perswaded bee most commânded of Christians Nowe for Humilitie what is more commended in the holy Scriptures Abells sacrifice was best accepted for his Humilitie Moses beloued for his Humility Abrahams faith best regarded in his Humility Dauids patience best considered in his Humility Salomons request granted for his Humility Nabuchadnezer restored to Babell for his Humility Iob best tried beloued and made happie in his Humility Mary the virgin receiued the saluation of the Angell and the abundance of Grace in her blessed wombe for her Humilitie and Christ himselfe for his Humilite to his Father is glorified with his father many places I omit that shininglie set out the brightnes of this vertue but indeed so manie are the rare and excellent properties of this most excellent vertue as I thinke it past the capacity of man to giue it halfe sufficient commââdation yet thus much giuen âaue to speake mine opinion of it It pleaseth God aboue all thinges it pleaseth man in manye thinges and displeaseth the Godlye in nothing at lest wherin it ought to
be showen It graceth the Prince to be humble towards God it aduaunceth the Subiecte in seruice to the Prince it draweth loue from the parents in the Childrens obedience it maketh the wife alone with her husband it bindeth friends in Amity perswadeth enemies to peace it winneth Christ vnto his Church and here you see it bringeth the Angels to Mary before shee ran to the Disciples talked with them of Christ telling them what she had seen now when they had seene what shee had reported and were said to beleeue yet they left her and âent home againe but what followed of her stay Now the Disciples had left her the Aungels came to her was not here a speciall blessing of God vnto so great a sinner thaââod regarding her sorrow sent his Aungels for her comfort Now let me a little touch one pointe that I haue ouerslipt touching Maries weeping for it is said But Marie staid weeping at the Sepulcher and she bowed her selfe now in weeping I note fiue sundrye kinds of teares of anger of subtilty of sorrow of ioy and of loue some are saide to weepe for curst hart I feare too manie know the nature of those teares but such are saide to crie not to weepe for teares comming from the heart doe so distill from the eyes that they make no sound on the tongue Nowe Marie it is saide stood weeping not crying now there are teares of subtilty called crocodiâes teares which are said to mourne and weepe till they can bring their praier within the compasse of their calles and then they ouerthrow them sting them to death and then feede âpon them so may I say are the teâââs of a harlot who in her pouerty will seeme to weep for affection far enough from her hart til she hath caught a sole in her snare and then shee will feede vpon him at her pleasure thus did not Mary for the body was dead as shee thought that shee wept for the earth had no eyes to behold her teares nor did she see any man that she could think to deceiue with her weeping no no her hart was too full of sorrowe for the dead to thinke to deceiue any liuing Now there are teares of sorrowe as when Peter had denied Christ it was said hee wept bitterly for sorrowe that hee had denied the knowledge of so good deare beloued a Master So it is saide Iesus wept ouer Ierusalem to thinke on the destruction of the Cittie that shoulde after ensue manie are the causes of sorrowe thaâ may bring teares out of the eyes of the moste wise and valiant that euer were but the greatest cause that shoulde melt the heart of a Christian should bee the sorrow of the soule for the denying of Christ now there are teares of Ioy as were those of Ioseph when hee saw his Father and his Brethren But so it should not seeme were Marieâ who lookt for none but hir Master that shee could not see Nowe there are teares of Loue and those proceed of the kinde nature of the hart as Christ wept when hee sawe Lazarus dead whom he loued and now Mary wept when she saw her Lord dead or at least could not see him dead or aliue when shee liued Mary was said to wash his feete with her teares and wipe them with her haire when she was liuing an excellent note of true loue she borowed no water but her owne teares nor any Towell but her owne haires Now looke againe on her Humility she vsed no towell I say but her haire and went no higher than his feete and for her Humility and Loue see what befell her ãâã shee bowed herselfe into the Sepulcher and sawe two Aungels sitting one at the head and an other at the feete where the bodie of Iesus had layne Nowe marke the degrees of comfort that came vnto this humble louing Mary Shee came fââst to the Sepulcher to the Discipleâ from the Disciples to the Aungels and except Christ she could goe no higher Now a worde or two of the Aungels and they said vnto her woman why weepest thou and she saide vnto them They haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue laide him Now some perhaps will haue a Ierk at this peece of Scripture to pray to the Saintes ere they come to Christ because she talked with the Aungels ere shee came to Christ himselfe but let those ouerseene wittes looke a little better into the matter First the Aungels came but to the graue seeing her there weeping they asked her but a question in these wordââ woman VVhy weepest thou she saide they haue taken away my Lorde and I knowe not where they haue laid him Here is no praier made vnto them though they were Aungels but she onelie answered their question so ended their talke so if the Saints will come and speake to them lât them aunswere their questions and haue no more to doe with them for surely God will better appeare vnto them in his mercie then aunswere them by his Saintes if they could deliuer him any message but let these blinded people take heede that these mistaken Saints proue not Diuels that by illusions lead them not from God his mercie to their vtter confusion both of body and soule but let mee come againe to my text And shee bowed her selfe and saw two Aungels sitting one at the head and an other at the feete where the bodie of Iesus had laâne and theâ ãâã vnto her woman why weepest thou ãâã shee saide they haue taken away my Lord I knowe not where they haue laide him See nâw how much did her comfort exceed the Disciples they sawe but the liânen clothes and departed home againe but she staid and was spoken to by the Aungels but marke withall the care of her speech and substance of her talke she continues one tale shee hath no minde but of one matter no thought but of her loue nor any loue but of her Lorde no ioy but in him no talke but of him nor sorrow but to bee without him goe to whom shee would come to her who wold Disciples or Angels al was one for hir speech they could get nothing of her but they haue taken away my Lord and I know noâ where they haue laid him See here nowe what a property the faithfull claime in Christ that they call him their Lord as one would say my Father my sonne mââââends my house or my landes so âere sayes Mary my Lord who was more deare to her than either Father Mother Sister Brother kin or friend or all the houses and landes of the world and therefore with teares she continues her sorrow with these wordes They haue taken away my Lord and I know not where they haue laide him But now see I pray you what presentlie follows Immediatelie in a moment she turnes her selfe backe and sawe Iesus but knew not that it was Iesus Nowe marke I say the glorious rewarde of her Humilitie from the