sonne But what became of him after all these bloody Tragedies by him committed Eusebius out of Iosephus relates a most loathsome and shamefull disease of which hee most miserably dyed From which I observe that miserable and wretched is their condition that for obtaining of a little fading and transitory honour in this world which indeed is but the shadow of true honour trouble and perplex both their bodies and mindes while they live in this life loose the true substantiall and everlasting felicity in the world to come and sometimes receive double punishment both here on earth and hereafter in hell for ever as Herod and others But leaving him now I will once more take a view of these blessed innocents these Protomartyrs these first fruits of martyrdome these seeming Christs of the same age of Christ these that suffered for him while he was safe in his cradle or in his mothers armes The cause was his and these silent advocates make answer he was the agent and they the patient hee was sought for and they were found for his fact they were slaine he the Isaac that was intended for the sacrifice and these the innocent lambes that were sacrificed in his stead O Lord in what had these offended how had they broken thy statutes that could neither go nor speake their hearts had no knowledge to thinke their hands too feeble to work and their tongues unable to utter any thing that was ill Now they were bewailing the miseries that their originall sinne did expose them unto and thou by the hand of Herod sent the messenger of death to invite them to eternall joy Grant I beseech thee that as they were two yeares bewailing their miseries and thou thy selfe two dayes in the bed of the grave and in the third raisedst thy selfe and restoredst them to joy in the third yeare so I likewise having been in the bed of sin for the time past of my life bewailing my sin for the time to come may now live the life of grace and hereafter partake of eternall joyes in glory for ever Amen The Zodiake IN which Astrologers note 12. Constellations or houses for 280. Starres which they call the twelve signes And in the yeare we commemorate the lives and vertues of the twelve Apostles and with them the day Star Saint John the Baptist the evening Stars Saint Paul and Barnabas and three other Stars of like splendor Saint Marke Saint Luke and Saint Steven That the Saints and especially these spred the light of their heavenly doctrine over the whole world is evident by Dan. 12. 3. where the Prophet affirmes that they which be wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnesse shall shine as the stars And they are not only stars which enlighten the spiritual Jerusalem the Spouse of the Lambe Christs Church on earth which Iohn in a vision saw come downe from heaven but precious stones are rare jewels to adorne and beautifie her as is excellently paraphrased upon the twelve foundations of that City which were the twelve Apostles in these words The first Apostle from the Indies gathered in all these green Iaspers who abode ever greene and unwithered from the true faith to found with these the first foundation of this heavenly habitacle another Apostle to make up the second course of this foundation brought in those celestiall Saphires who indued with heavenly hewes and qualities respected no earthly showes The third Apostle for the third course of this foundation gathered in from among the Aegyptians the victorious and fiery Chalcedonies even the zealous Professors and victorious Teachers of the Truth Some fourth Apostle to build the fourth foundation even from the Scythians and Bactrians brought in the greene and glancing Smaragdes even the flourishing unwithered and sincere Christians of those Countries For the fifth course of this foundation some Apostles gathered in from among the Arabians their meeke lowly and chast people comparable to the simple and chast nature of the Sardonyx The sixth Apostle gathered in these mollified people in whose soft hearts are engraven the seales of salvation even the continuall memory of Christs Passion represented by the bloody and fleshly colour of the Sardius The seventh Apostle for the seventh ground and foundation the wise and constant Chrysolites The eighth Apostle for his course and foundation gathered in all diligent Christians and peace-makers comparable to the precious Berill The ninth Apostle to found his course with gathered in the patient people and restrainers of their affections represented by the nature of the Topaze The tenth Apostle brought into the tenth course of this foundation the golden greene Chrysoprasus even those Christians that renouncing avarice glory in that golden Treasure of heaven that never withereth nor decayeth The eleventh Apostle to found his eleventh course gathered in the golden purple and princely Hyacinths even those magnificent and princely professors who being richly decored with spiritual blessings overcame all temptations Finally for the twelfth course and to compleat the foundation of this holy worke the last Apostle brought in even from Armenia the pure and temperate Amethysts to wit those Christians who detesting gluttony and drunkennesse are endued with Sobriety and temperance O Lord grant that in the day thou makest up thy Jewels I may be found a precious stone in this building having in this life shined as a wandring Star in grace I may for ever rest a fixed Star in glory Amen A short Meditation of the Feast of Saint Iohn Baptist THis glorious Starre was the first that appeared in the Evangelicall Hemisphere At the lustre whereof the shadow of the Law began to withdraw and vanish that the spirituall sense might appeare through the literall He concluded the Law and the Prophets and prepared the way for the Sunne of Righteousnesse the day spring from on high And now the letter of the Law spiritually understood is turned into Gospell yet the owle-eyed Jewes that loved darknesse better than light when Iohn shone in the Pulpit like a taper on a candlesticke could scarse endure him burning longer than a farthing candle an houre was the utmost of their patience This is that Star that gave an heroicall rise of jubilation in the wombe of his blessed Mother At the first approach of this Sun or at the first dawning of the day of Salvation as the glorious Sunne entred into the blessed Aequator the Virgin Mother and began to shew forth his spirituall rayes by heavenly ejaculations in Hymnes Psalmes and spirituall Songs from Mary the Mother of our Lord from Zacharias the father of his Harbenger and old Simeon that wayted for his Salvation This is that Elias that was to come the Prophet of the Highest and more than a Prophet so much the more that a greater than hee was not borne of a woman in naturall generation The voyce of the Cryer in the wildernesse such a voice as David speakes of in the 29. Psalme
of Christ that he was suffred to leane on Christs bosome when he was at Supper He his brother and Peter were permitted to see Christs Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and they three were taken from the rest to behold his Agony in the Garden Wherefore the Mother of John dreaming that Christ should bee a temporall King presuming so much upon the love which shee saw in Christ towards her children boldly asked That they might have the greatest honour viz. one to sit at the right hand and the other at the left in his Kingdome Yet though this is noted by Saint Matthew to be the Mothers desire Saint Marke relating the same story Chap. 10. 35. saith That it was the desire of Iames and Iohn for which the other Disciples disdained them two to shew that it was their ambition to solicite their Mother to make such a petition which Gospell though it touched Saint Iohn who then lived and had the perusall thereof never denyed it nor took it il but approved that the other two Evangelists to be true so sincere simple and without all art of flattery or rhetorical amplification was all their writings that they do not spare Christ himselfe whom they adore and acknowledge to bee their God and Saviour but shew the infirmities of his flesh as he was a man as his hunger and thirst his being weary and how hee wept his passions of feare anger love c. therefore much lesse would they favour the Apostles or themselves And last of all Christ upon the Crosse to expresse the great love that hee bare this Apostle called the blessed Virgin his Mother and him her sonne And from that day to her death she lived with him Presently after the feast of Pentecost when hee with the rest had received the holy Ghost he with Peter was cast into prison for healing the cripple Acts 4. And a while after he with Peter was sent by the Apostles to preach the Word of God in Samaria Act. 8. Foure yeares after the death of the Virgin Mary he was present at the Apostolicall Councell in Jerusalem Now Iames his brother who was called the elder was beheaded two yeares before for this Councell was celebrated in the presence of Iames the younger Peter Iohn Paul and Barnabas c. about sixteen yeares after the Resurrection of Christ and fourteen after the Conversion of Paul Gal. 2. Act. 15. After the death of Paul he governed the Churches of Asia minor where he wrote his Gospell And in the 86. year of his age being cast into a vessell of boyling oyle and comming out unhurt by the command of Domitian the Emperour he was banished into the I le of Pathmos where he wrote his Revelation to the seven Churches in Asia It is related of him that hee turned certain peeces of wood into gold and stones by the sea side into Margrits to satisfie the desire of two whom he perswaded to renounce their riches and after they repenting that for worldly treasure they had lost heaven changed them into the same substance againe That he raised up a widow and a young man from death to life That he drunke poyson and it hurt him not and raised up two to life which had drunk the same before and that he called a young man to repentance that was captaine of theeves After the death of Domitian he came to Ephesus whâ—re as Saint Austin relates he caused his grave to be made and in the presence of divers went in alive and being no sooner in and to their seeming dead they covered him which kind of Rest saith he was rather tearmed a sleepe than death for that the earth of the grave bubbleth or boyleth up after the manner of a Well by reason of John resting therein and breathing a signe of his slumbering therein And thus he dyed when hee was as some relate an hundred and twenty years old others say ninety nine and some ninetie one the truth of all which I leave to the diligâ—nt search of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Mercifull Lord I beseech thee to cast the bright beames of light upon thy Church that it being lightned by the doctrine of thy blessed Apostle and Evangelist Saint Iohn may attaine to thy everlasting Gifts through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen Saint Peters day HAving made a briefe relation of the lives and deaths of the foure Evangelists who writ the Gospell of our Lord and Saviour Now I should set forth the glorious lustre of those Stars which were equall and some before them in the order of Apostleship The first in order is Simon whose surname was Peter the son of Iona of Bethsaida in Galilee The order of his precedency is noted by three Evangelists in four places where all the Apostles are nominated viz. Matth. 10. Mark 3. Luke 6. and Act. 1. But whether he were the first that was called to be an Apostle or no I cannot certainly determine for though Saint Matthew and Marke make relation that hee with his brother Andrew were first called yet Saint Iohn affirmes that two of Iohn's disciples followed Christ of which one was Andrew who went and told his brother Simon that he had found the Messias But whether he were first or second that was called to the Apostleship I leave to the learned The Evangelists make more mention of him than of any one Apostle besides as first they shew that Christ comming to his house healed his wives mother of a fever Then they shew how ready he was to walke on the sea at the command of Christ and yet because of a little tempest his strong courage failed him and he ready to sincke Then againe his noble confession that hee made of Christ for which Christ so highly commended him but presently after they shew his carnall feare for which Christ checked him Then they shew Christs love to him in making choise of him and the two sonnes of Zebedeus to be spectators of his glorious transfiguration and bitter agony in the Garden and in the first they say hee spake hee knew not what being overcome with joy and in the second they shew his carelesnesse for which Christ checked him by name because hee could not watch one houre Then they shew how inquisitive he was to aske questions how oft shall I forgive my brother in one place dost thou wash my feet in another and what shall this man doe in a third c. And last of al before his PassioÌ„ they declare his strong resolution Though all men foâ—sake thee yet will not I. And yet presently after they shew how basely hee denied his Lord Christ All the particular relations that the Evangelists make of this Apostle are so many that it would make a little volume to make rehearâ—all of them And I have intended brevitâ— Therefore will I make a short story of his life after the Passion of Christ as it is related in the Acts and other Authors After the
downe head-long saying let us stone Iames Iustus and they began to throw stones at him for after his fall he was not fully dead but remembring himselfe fell on his knees saying I beseech thee Lord God and Father forgive them for they wot not what they doe And as they were a stoning him one of the Priests the son of Rechab the son of Charabim whose testimony is in Ieremy the Prophet cryed out cease what doe you this Just man prayeth for you And one of them that were present taking a Fullers club with which they pounce and purge their cloathes struck Iustus on the head and brained him and so he suffered martyrdome whom they buried in that place His Pillar or Picture as yet remaineth hard by the Temple graven thus This man was a true witnesse both to the Jewes and Gentiles that Iesus was Christ And Vespasianus immediately having over-runne Judea subdued the Jews And these things saith Iosephus happened unto the Jewes in way of revenging the death of Iames the Iust which was the brother of Iesus whom they call Christ for the Jews slew him when he was a very just man With whom I conclude this dayes Meditation with the Prayer for the day saying Almighty God whom truely to know is everlasting life grant mee perfectly to know thy Son Jesus Christ to be the way the truth and the life as thou hast taught Saint Philip and other Apostles through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saint Bartholomew THree Evangelists in their nomination of all the Apostles note S. Bâ—rtholomew the sixth only S. Luke in the Acts names him the seventh and Thomas the sixth Therefore I in this place will follow both and swimme with the streame and against it for with the Gospellers I set him on the sixth Apostolicall day but with S. Luke I remember him as the seventh Apostle By some he is thought to be Nathaneel because as I said before he is three times named with Philip who first called Nathaneel unto Christ others say that he was Nephew to the King of Syria and shew some reason for it But whether he was the one or the other or neither It is reported that hee suffred martyrdome as well as the rest of the Apostles and preached the Word of God to the barbarous Indians where he continued a long time and translated the Gospel of Saint Matthew into their language Where it was preserved many yeares yet having sincerely preached the Word of God and wrought many miraculous works among them was at the last as some relate beaten to death with cudgels others say that hee was crucified and flein alive and some affirme that hee was beheaded at the command of Polemus King of India But these differences are thus reconciled The first day of this Apostles martyrdome he was beaten with cudgels the next day he was crucified and fleine alive as hee was fastned to the crosse and last of all while breath remained he was beheaded But because the Spirit of God by the Evangelists doth only name him with the rest of the Apostles without any other addition or story And for that Mr. Austins sun hath so learnedly shined on this day I am inforced to conclude with the Collect for the day saying O Almighty and everlasting God which hast given grace to thy Apostle Bartholomew truely to beleeve and preach thy Word Grant I beseech thee unto thy Church both to love that hee beleeved and to preach that hee taught through Christ our Lord. Amen Saint THOMAS THe eighth Apostolicall Star by Marke and Luke so gloriously shines in Mr. Austins Meditations that I am perswaded my dim taper can give but little light Yet what I find by the Church Historians concerning him I wil adventure to set down here in this place for his immortall memory as I have done in the rest of the Apostles leaving the further consideration thereof unto others It is reported by Eusebius and others that this Apostle after the Ascension of Christ sent his Brother Thaddeus one of the seventy disciples unto Agbarus King of Edessa according as Christ by his letter had promised the said King Where the said Thaddeus cured the King of his disease and many of the people of their infirmities working many great signes and wonders and converting many from their Idolatry to the knowledge of Christ And this Apostle as Dorotheus witnesseth preached the Gospell of the Lord to the Parthians Medes and Persians Caramans Hircans Bactrians and Magicians And after much labour in his ministeriall office was slaine by an Idoll Priest with a dart which they call a speare or javelin But as others say at the Heathen Kings commandement foure souldiers run him thorow with darts at Callamina a City in India where hee was honourably buried Concerning his incredulity it is divinely commented on by Master Austin Therefore I conclude with the Prayer for the day saying Almighty and everlasting God which for more confirmation of the Faith didst suffer thy Apostle Thomas to be doubtfull in thy Sons Resurrection grant me so perfectly and without all doubt to beleeve in thy Son Jesus Christ that my faith in thy sight may never be reproved And that for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with thee and the holy Spirit be all honour c. Saint JAMES THe ninth Apostle is S. James Alpheus and because I will not alter the name I will fix Saint James the son of Zebedeus a fisherman and Brother of Iohn in this place Hee it was that with Peter and his Brother the beloved Disciple had the prerogative to see the glorious Transfiguration on Mount Tabor and the bitter agony of our blessed Saviour in the Garden of Gethsemani had not drowsinesse and sleep withheld them and under Claudius the Emperor an Dom. 36. as I receive it from the Ancient Herod Agrippa being then King of Iudaea who persecuting the Church of God beheaded James with the sword Of this Apostle I read this story That the man that accused him when hee saw that Iames would willingly suffer martyrdome was therwith so moved that he voluntarily confessed himselfe to bee a Christian for which hee was adjudged to be slaine with the Apostle and by the way going to receive the crowne of their martyrdome he requested the Apostle to pardon him who after hee had pawsed a little upon the matter turning unto him answered Peace be unto thee brother and kissed him So they were both beheaded together And this is all the description that I can finde of this Apostolicall Star Therefore I conclude with the Prayer for the day saying Grant O most mercifull God that as thine holy Apostle S. Iames leaving his father and all that hee had without delay was obedient to the calling of thy Sonne Jesus Christ and followed him so I forsaking all worldly and carnall affections may be evermore ready to follow thy Commandements S. Simon and Iude. THese are the holy brethren the Gemini in this Apostolicall Zodiak for as some
therein the solemne offices and services performed by the Priests and Levites in the middle Temple and the beauteous lustre of Sanctum Sanctorum So likewise this worke or building hath a porch or door which is this briefe Survey of this Annuall World for I have set it here in this place as a Preface or Introduction to the following Meditations wherein you may take a short view of this outward square court in briefe descriptions of the foure Seasons of the yeare and foure Elements which are as the foure corners thereof The first is the Spring and Aire the second Summer and Fire the third Autumne Earth and the last is Winter and Water As the four sides of the court you shall finde foure pleasant Meditations The first is of a Flower opening with the Sunne Christ which is a Meditation on the Purification of the Virgin Mary The second is a Tree set with the Sun Christ which is a meditation on Palme-sunday on the third side you shall finde a Rainbow as on the South which is a meditation on Great Britains Feast the fifth of November and on the last side you shall behold the Aequator or Aequinoctiall line as on the North which is a meditation on the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary After you have taken a view of this outward court you may behold the glory of the true High Priest Christ Jesus in the inner Temple First how he prepares an Immaculate Lambe his innocent selfe to become a Man for a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the people on Christmasse day under the Metaphor of the Sunne Then how he sprinckles the precious blood of the Covenant on New yeares day under the Metaphor of the Moon Then how he dresses and trims the Sacrifice on Ashwednesday under the Metaphor of Mars After how he layes the Lambe thus prepared on the Altar of the Crosse on Good friday under the Metaphor of Saturne Then how he distributes or communicates the Sacrifice to the people on Easterday under the Metaphor of Jupiter Then how the sweet incense therof ascends up to heaven on Ascension day in the Metaphor of Mercury And lastly how the fire from heaven consumes the Sacrifice on Whitsunday in the Metaphor of Venus After you have seene the priest execute his Office you may behold the Glory of Sanctum Sanctorum where first you may take a view of the Ark wherein the Law of God was put the precious Manna kept and Aarons flourishing Rod preserved on All-Saints day under the Metaphor of the starry heaven And as there were three things in the Arke so Astrologers note three things in the starry firmament First the North-pole which I name the East-pole on the Epiphany Then the South-pole which I fix on Innocents day and lastly the Zodiake with which I encompasse all the particular Saints dayes in the yeare Then you may behold the glorious Cherubins that looke toward the Mercy-seat on the Feast of Saint Michael the Arch-Angell in the Metaphor of the Christalline heaven And last of all you may have a glimpse of the glorious Propitiatory or Oracle from whence God revealed himselfe to the children of Israel on Trinity Sunday in the metaphor of Primum mobile Thus having seene the out side of this goodly Fabrick Now let me demonstrate the reasons which induced my fancy to cal this Book A description of an Annuall World And they are but two First because as the World is round so is the Yeare likewise Secondly as the World consists of the four Elements and the firmament of the heavens so doth the Yeare also consist of elements and celestiall bodies To shew that the world is round I shall only write what the Geographers who are the describers of the Earth say that the Earth and Waters make one entire Globe and what the Mathematicians or Astrologians who bend their study in the nature of celestiall bodies affirme That this Globe of Earth and Water is incompassed round about with the Elements of Aire and Fâ—re and that those elements are circled about with the seven Planets in seven severall Spheares and that those Planets are embraced with the starry Firmament and that included within the circuit of the Christallin Heaven which is comprehended in the Primum mobile or first moving heaven which three first are in three proper Orbs beyond which is Coelum Empyreum which they nor no man is able to describe And all these doe shew that the compasse of the world is round as a bowle or circle which is signified by the severall terms of Globes Sphears and Orbes And that the Yeare likewise is round the very name thereof doth import for the Latin name Annus signifies a Ring or Circle But besides the Name the Nature of the yeare doth shew its Annuall or circular Motion for times and seasons in the yeare swiftly whirle round about and still where it last ended there it begins againe As in a cart wheele the severall spokes follow one another in their round or winding motion that as that spoke which was but now upon thâ— earth is presently ascended up in the aire and so comes to the earth againe so the seasons of the yeare follow one another The Spring followes the Winter the Summer succeeds the Spring Autumne followes the Summer and so comes to be Winter againe Secondly as the world consists of foure Elements seven Planets the starry Firmament Christallin and first moving heaven so I have shewed and by the assistance of the Almighty I doe intend in this following treatise to make manifest that the seasons of the yeare may have an equivalent correspondence with the elements the dayes which our Church hath ordained to be solemnely kept in remembrance oâ— the meritorious acts of our Saviour may well be compared to the Planets and the particular Saints dayes and other Festivities to the other three celestiall Spheares Now I will conclude this Proeme with a prayer to God that it would please him so to assist direct and guide me in this worke and all other godly resolutions and enterprises that I shall take in hand that as the yeare keeps and continues in its annuall or circular course so I likewise may be never weary of well doing nor give over my heavenly race of piety but hold out to the end that still as I end so I may begin againe in new obedience and new wayes of godlinesse that so having lived the life of grace here on this globe of earth and water I may hereafter live the life of glory in that most glorious Orbe or Spheare of the highest heaven whose circumference is past all humane capacity Amen A briefe description of the foure Quarters of the Yeare AS in mans body there are foure humours Sanguine Choler Melâ—ncholy and Phlegme as all compounded bodies consist of foure elements Aire Fire Eaâ—th and Water so likewise in the yeare agreeable to these are foure seasons the Spring Summer Harvest and Winter or as the Earth is
of this pleasant Flower and felt the odoriferous savour of this heavenly Plant look on I pray you one slip more sprung from this fragrant Flower which I had almost forgot and that is her religious care and conformity to the Leviticall Law or decent order in the Church of God that then was viz. her circumcising her Son the eighth day her presenting him to the Lord and purifying her selfe as on this day according as God by Moses prescribed For as Christ had no originall sinne so he needed not to be circumcised as shal be shewed on Newyeares day so likewise the Virgin needed not this outward purifying which figured our cleansing from originall sin wherein the child conceived and born polluteth his Mother which was not so in this for both the conception and birth of Christ was supernaturall for she is said to have swadled the Childe beyond the ordinary strength of women who need a Midwife neither was she troubled with the usuall flux of other women in their Puerpery being free from the thing hereby signified viz. a sinfull child therefore the common opinion is that Christ came forth without any paine helpe or pollution the wombe of the Virgin remaining shut even as the Sun-beams pierceth the solid glasse without hurting it for she received no humane seed but was with childe by the Holy Ghost Now why this ceremony of sanctifying was used unto Christ by presenting him in the Temple and making an oblation for him is thus answered by â—unius That Christ was ever holy from eternity as he was God and from the very moment of his conception as he was Man wherefore he was not presented before the Father nor sanctified for himselfe but for us according to the ceremony of the Law Now such things as in the Scriptures are said to be sanctified are either sanctified indeed by Institution or Sacrament Indeed in their Nature or by declaration In Nature when by the grace of God things are made holy which were not so before by declaration when things before holy are manifested to be so Secondly by Institution things are sanctified by vertue of Gods command and promise of blessing as the Sabbath is sanctified Thirdly by Sacrament things are sanctified either absolutely or relatively that is both by signification and by the truth of the thing signified And thus Christ was sanctified though he be the truth of the Sacrament First because being Man he would obey the Law under which he was made Secondly that he might sanctifie the Law in his own Person By Institution he was sanctified for us we receiving the blessing through him as our first borne and Priest abrogating the Leviticall Priesthood And by manifestation he was sanctified when by observing this Law he was declared holy Wherefore this act of the Virgin being voluntary as I have shewed it was to shew her zeale and conformity to the decent orders of the Church of God To this might be added her constant course in keeping the Passeover every year which was a work of great labour travell But now these ceremoniall shadowes at the presence of the most glorious bright Sunne Christ Jesus vanishing away the Christian Church in all ages since hath in place or in stead of the Jewes Purification ordeined and instituted the purification of the heart by a true lively and justifying Faith and the purification of the life by unfeined and hearty repentance in that commendable and decent order of Churching women after their great deliverance from their pain and perill of child-birth enjoyneth them to bring not as then a lambe or two young pigeons but the sum of all Legall sacrifices hearty prayer and thanksgiving which consists not onely in the lippes but in the life and conversation Therefore every religious wise woman will not be so wedded to their own opinion or selfe conceit to think that it is any disparagement to her person be she never so great or a point of Popery to give publick praise to God in his Church but will be willing as Mary here was to conforme themselves to the godly discipline of the publick worship of God in his Church if ability of body hinder not as well as zealous in their own private devotions for they well know that one duty of Piety ought not to justle out another and that it is very requisite that our private and voluntary obsequies should give place to publick solemnities The sacrifice appointed for this solemnity makes this apparant for the Turtle and the Dove are boâ—h mourners or if you will both signifie the divine worship of God yet ought not the one to hinder the harmony of the other for the solitary Turtle and the associable Dove do both together set forth the secret tears and publick meetings of Gods people in divine worship for the Turtle signifies chastity and the Dove simplicity It being observed if the Turtle having once lost his mate he careth not for seeking any other and the simple and chaste conversation of the faithfull is an acceptable sacrifice of righteousnesse unto the Lord. Now they saith Calvin are deceived that think the Law of Purification to be but a politick law for God hereby would set before the Iewes eyes the corruption of their nature and the remedy of divine Grace did not appoint this only for the purifying of the wife as polluted towards her husband but this one law doth abundantly prove originall sin it being hereby intimated that the child commeth into the world so impure as that the very mother is polluted hereby The offering was for the redemption of the first-borne Levit 12. 6. And hereby it appeareth That Joseph and Mary were very poore otherwise they should have offered a lamb Whereas the child was before presented with gold it is not to bee thought that they brought him any great quantity but some little offering more for honour than for enriching It is to be considered wherefore a pair of Turtles or two Pigeons were now offered The Turtle is most in loquacitie among Birds and the Dove in mildnesse And such is Jesus become unto us being most milde And Christ as the Turtle by the voice of his Gospell and the sincere preaching thereof allureth the whole world unto him and filleth the Garden of his Church with his own melodies as it is seene at this day The voice of this Turtle is heard in our Land For the confirmation of the truth of Christs presentation in the Temple Saint Luke reports That after forty dayes from his Birth or two and thirty daies from the Circumcision His Mother brought him thither according to the Law of Moses and withall recounteth two strange things which happened at the same time to wit That two grave and reverend persons Simeon surnamed the Just and Anna the Prophetesse both of singular sanctity amongst the Jewes comming into the Temple at the very same time took notice of him and acknowledged him publikely for the Messias and Saviour of
and delightfull fruit of Humility which growes upon the top of this Tree and yet it is to be seene in every branch thereof for Humility the higher it is the lower it will stoope therefore as it is the conclusion of his so it shall be the period of my meditation for this day on which our blessed Saviour by his Humility triumphed over the Pride of the world and ascended to true glory by suffering death upon the ignominious crosse For better explanation hereof view the story and you shall find that among all his Pompe and applause of the people when all the Citie of Jerusalem was moved at his Magnificent entrance hee himselfe gave a great example of Humility in riding so simply on a poore Asse with no better a saâ—dle than a cloake or some such slight thing cast on him however the people triumph round about him he was humble enough himselfe he tooke small Pride in it for while they applauded he wept there was Humility running downe his cheekes Indeed it honoured the Citie that hee would thus ride into it but it humbled him He was never in any great Honour in all his life but twice at this time and in the Transfiguration there he talked with Moses and Elias concerning his Death and charged his Disciples to tell no man of his Glory And here he is going to his Death indeed and Weepes in the midst of his Glory And this Honour continued with him but a small time neither for they that thus admir'd him in the morning would none of them give him a lodging at night he was to goe back againe to Bethany to bed and within lesse than a weeke after they were much worse altered toward him which hee full well knew that knew the thoughts of all men therefore looking on and fore-seeing them a sort of false Traytors to his life hee had little cause to bee proud or Ioyfull at their acclamations though he suffered them for will you see what followed Now they cry Hosanna to the Sonne of David then they cry Take him away take him away Crucifie him crucifiehim Now they cry King of Israel then they cry wee have no King but Caesar Now they cut down boughs to strew the way for him to ride on then they cut down a Tree to make a crosse to hang him on Now they cast their garments before him then they cast lots for his Garments Now they cry Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord but then cursed is hee that hangs on the crosse We see what became of this exaltation and how it ended If he were ever truly exalted indeed it was his Humility that exalted him nay he only tooke Humility for his Exaltation for when he meant one of his greatest Humiliations even that on the crosse hee sayes of it When the Sonne of Man shall be exalted c. No exaltation would he admit in this life unmingled with humility for which cause the Apostle saith That after death God hath exalted nay God hath highly exalted him It may well be his Song as it was his Mothers He hath exalted the humble and meeke But this is not the day of that Catastrophe and small exaltation that was an unmingled one and is an Argument fit for Easter-day wee are now meditating of the beginning of his Passion in Teares even this day of his seeming Glory and therefore our object is principally his humility his emptying himselfe even to the bottome and becomming of no accompt his humility in going to his death for us from which if I could learne this one short rule of Saint Bernard it will be use enough that since the lower he made himselfe in humility the greater hee shewed himselfe in Charity I might say from the bottome of my soule In as much as Christ made himselfe vile for me so and much more should I make him precious and deare to me Mark O man that art but earth see thy God humbled and be not Proud and since he is Ioyned to thee bee not ungrateful to him so shalt thou in the end be exalted to him that for his Humility was exalted to the right hand of God Thus if I could be as a Tree planted by the waters side rooted in Faith growne up in Humility spread abroad by Charity and fruitfull in all kinde of good workes I should in due time bee transplanted from this valley of Teares to a Garden of Pleasure the Paradise of God where I should for ever reigne in perfect glory with Christ who is gone before to prepare a place for those that are followers of him in Humility OF A RAINBOW Or A Meditation on the fifth day of November THe third side or wall of this outward Court is as on the South in which I have fixed a delightsome Rainbow But I am no Astronomer and therefore cannot artificially show you how the Rainbow becomes ingeÌ„dred in the Aire when the glorious Sun with his golden and bright beames is just opposite against a waterish cloud which presently causeth its moist Timpany to powre out and empty it selfe upon the place from whence it receives its borrowed liquor neither doe I intend to show you the variety of colours that are to be found therein But I will briefly write thereof as it is a signe or token of Gods love and mercy to mankind Gen. 9. 13. Behold saith God I set my Bow in the cloud and it shall be for a signe of the Covenant betweene me and the earth So this day is by Act of Parliament according to a like president in the Word of God Hester 9. 27. set in the yeare as a signe or pledge of Gods love and mercy to us of this Nation in commemoration of that great and miraculous deliverance from that unparallel'd entended Gunpowder Treason to assure us that if we continue in the true Religion depend and put our whole trust and confidence in God and walke in the way of his Precepts he will never leave nor forsake us so that neither of those two mercilesse enemies of mankind Water or Fire complotted by the accursed crafty inventions of bloody minded men shall ever have power to destroy us For though sometimes he may for our triall suffer the little Pinace of his Church to be almost covered with waves yet in his due time he will arise out of his slumber to still the raging of the tempestuous Sea for the safegard of his little Barke When the proud papistical and presumptuous Spanyard in 88. thought himselfe sure of this little Island and was upon the brinck of victory in his own imagination though his ships were many and strong his warlike provision and munition great and his people without number yet God by one small blast of his fury in a moment of time by weak means did dissipate overwhelme his ships in the narrow Seas where his strong and warlike provision was confounded and his numerous multitude drowned even as Pharaoh and his Hoast
governes his chosen with the sweet influences of his grace but if opposed by malicious wicked hearts hee turnes into a consuming fire Hee is as a good Captaine over his souldiers to keepe them in good order as a shepherd over his flock to bring those that obey him into a safe harbour and pleasant pastures But proves a severe Judge against those that will not be governed by him And lastly though the Planet Mars be never so much opposed doth not give over his race but holds out to the end so Christ notwithstanding all opposition that ever could be made against him by men as Jews Priests and Herod or devils as on this day yet hee continued his course and vanquished and runne over all even sin death and hell For the Fast of Christ at this time is so well and learnedly written by many that should I adventure to write any thing thereof or any thing else but what I find writ in learned Authors I should too much blaze my owne ignorance Therefore I will briefly write of the Life and Actions of Christ as they are learnedly described for the confirmation of the Truth in these words And first touching the things done by him after his comming out of Aegypt which might bee about the sixth or seventh yeare of his age untill his Baptisme by Saint John which was the thirtieth and as some affirme upon the seventh of October in the middle of the last weeke spoken of by Daniel cap. 9. there is little recorded either in Prophane or Ecclesiasticall Writers for that as Saint Iustine Saint Chrysostome Saint Augustine and others doe write he bestowed that time in the common exercise and labors of mans life thereby to shew himselfe true Man and give demonstration how much he detested hated idlenesse But after his Baptisme viz. when he was past thirty yeares of age for hee was full thirty the twenty five of December because it was not lawfull for any to be admitted into the ministry before they were so old Num. 4. he began to preach in the moneth of January and February and his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of his Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tendeth all to this one ground and principle Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soule and thy neighbour as thy self It was plain easie perspicuous and evident though it treated of most high mysteres It had neither pompe nor pride of rhetorical words nor flattering of mans wickednesse as the doctrine of many Philosophers had neither consisted it in unprofitable externall ceremonies as the later observation of the Jewish Law did nor was fraught with carnality and spirit of this world as the Turkish Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicity all was spirit all was truth all was honesty all was humility all was charity It tooke away or disanulled no one perfect or spirituall point of Moses Law but rather revived interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For whereas that commanded external observance this addeth also internall obedience whereas that said Love your friends this adjoyneth Love also your enemies wheras that commanded wee should not kill this further commandeth to speake no angry words whereas that prohibited actuall adultery this also forbiddeth to coyet in the mind whereas that sayd Take no interest or usury of a Jew that is thy country man this saith take it of no man whatsoever whereas that accounted every Jew onely to be thy neighbor this teacheth every person living to be thy brother whereas that taught thee to offer up a calfe a sheepe or an oxe for thy sins this instructeth thee to offer up a contrite heart by faith in the blood of him that dyed for all with a firme and resolute purpose of amendment of life And finally this doctrine tendeth wholly to the true sincere and perfect service of God thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to the exaltation of his onely Name Power Goodnesse and Glory to the depression of mans pride by the discovering his misery to the contempt of this world and vaine pompe thereof to the mortification and subduing of our fleshly appetite to the true and unfained charity of our neighbour to the stirring up of our spirit to celestial cogitations to peace of conscience tranquillity of minde purity of body consolation of our soul and in one word to reduce mankinde againe to a certaine estate of innocency simplicity and Angelicall sanctity upon earth with his eye fixed only in the eternall inheritance of Gods kingdome in heaven This was the doctrine delivered by Jesus which is the same that the Prophets foretold should be delivered by the Messias And for his life and conversation by the testimony of his greatest adversaries it was more admirable then his doctrine his life being a most lively table wherein the perfection of all his doctrine was expressed a man of such gravity as never in his life was noted to laugh of such humility as being the Son of God he scarce used in this world the dignity of a servant of such sweet and milde behaviour as all the injuries of his enemies never wrested from him one angry word Finally he was such an one as he was described by Esay many ages before he was borne in these words he shall not cry nor contend neither shall any man heare his voice in the streets a bruised reed he shall not breake nor the smoking flax hee will not quench c And as his life and conversation was foretold by Prophets so his miraculous works also were foretold by the Prophet Esay others w th did consist of internall and externall acts For first the calling and retaining of his Apostles and other followers who were of divers callings states conditions trades and occupations in the world And yet all upon the sudden left both father and mother wife children and other temporall respects and followed him who had nothing to give or promise them in this world A man that never spake them fair or uttered doctrine that was not repugnant to the sensuality of this life as may appeare by their owne writings and testimonies of him A man that was contemned by the better sort as then it might seeme that is by the wise and learned of that countrey and especially disliked by them that were in government as a dangerous and troublesome man to the state one that had neither friends to beare him out nor a house to put his head in And yet notwithstanding all this that worldly men and women and some such also as were great sinners loose livers before should leave all their worldly hope stay and condition to follow such a man with so great inconveniencies losses dangers and disfavours as they did and should continue with him in all his afflictions and be content to dye and lose their lives rather then forsake him or abondon his service This I say is such a miracle as never in the
in the hearts of the faithfull and consuming all our spirituall sacrifices who this day diddest descend and appeare in the likenesse of fiery tongues be a fire in my heart and tongue that I may be fervent in my meditations and prayers and zealous in the profession and defence of thy truth Inlighten the darknesse of my understanding inflame the coldnesse of my affections purge out the drosse of my corruptions direct me in all affaires of this life assist me in all exercises of devotion strengthen me in all assaults of temptations comfort me in all miseries of affliction seale all the gracious promises of thy Gospell unto me and seale me unto the day of redemption So be it Amen Into my minde descend O Dove gall purge cleane out of me With silver wings raise me above my Saviour Christ to see The STARRY HEAVEN OR a Meditation on All-Saints-day IN the generall survey of this work I compared this latter part to the beauty of Sanctum Sanctoâ—um in Solomons Temple for as King Solomon set the Arke of the covenant in that place which Ark was covered with the propitiatory or Mercy-seat and made two Cherubims in the said roome so I likewise in this work have placed the resemblance of the Arke as on this day the Cherubins on S. Michael the Archangell and the propitiatory on Trinity Sunday But properly this Metaphor belongs to the middle part which treats of the meritorious actions of our blessed Saviour For he and he only is the Holy of Holies and Saints as Stars receive and derive all the light of sanctity that is in them from Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse Therefore seeing I have raised this worke to this hight I will not fear to show that as Noahs Ark was a manifest symbole of the Church before and since the Law upon the troublesome waters of persecution and affliction so this Ark likewise may be a figure of Christs Church in the haven of prosperity and peace since the Gospell for first as the Law of God was put into the Ark for a memoriall of Gods covenant betweene him and the children of Israel so the Law or Gospell of Christ hath beene preserved in his Church for the confirmation of the faith and direction of the lives of us Christians Secondly as Manna was kept in the Ark for a remembrance of Gods mercy and power in preserving the lives of the Children of Israel forty years in the wildernesse with Angels food so likewise the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper as chosen Manna hath beene kept in Christs Church for the spirituall livelyhood of the worthy receiver for ever And lastly aâ— Aarons fruitfull rod was kept in the Arke for a testimony of the chosen Priesthood so the fruitfull examples of the Saints lives is annually kept in the Church as on this day which I compare to the starry firmament for as poore way faring men receive a great deale of comfort and direction in the light of the starres in a darke night when the Sunne and Moone are extinct so a poore Christian in the pilgrimage of this world receives a great deale of solace and jâ—y in the consideration of those glorious Saints that have walked in the said steps before him And therefore the Church knowing the power of examples upon mens nature that they are more apt to be led by example then by precept or reason and are more apt to follow a multitude in sinne then the light of any one Saint in vertue hath set this day apart to let us understand that it is better to follow one Noah in the race of righteousnesse then a whole world drowned in sin and wickednesse and that for our soules salvation it is better to be like one just Lot then a City full of wicked Sodomites but it is a very hard matter to walk uprightly in the midst of a crooked generation Now as the number of fixed Starâ—â—s are past all Arithmeticall expression so the totall of all the Saints that are and have beene in the Church of God are without number Yet as Astrologers note a certaine number of Stars for an uncertaine in affirming that there are 1205 in the Northerne Hemisphere the Zodiack and Southerne Constellations besides the Seven Planets so S. Iohn in his Revelations notes a certaine number of Saints for an uncertaine in saying that in every Tribe were sealed 12000 besides the 24 Elders and 4 Beasts which by expositors are the 24 writers of the Old Testament and the foure Evangelists writers of the New But it is not for their number but for their vertues that we commemorate their lives on this day Therefore I will pray to God that it would please him to grant that I may seriously call to minde and wisely consider on this day the sincerity of Abel in my sacrifice of Praise the piety of Enoch in my walking with God the righteousnesse of Noah the faith of Abraham the chastity of Ioseph the meeknesse of Moses the zeale of Phineas the patience of Iob the devotion of David the wisdome of Solomon all the rare graces of Gods Spirit in the holy Patriarchs in the sweet fellowship of the Prophets the constancy and fortitude of the Noble Army of Martyrs and all those imitable vertues in my blessed Saviour that I endeavouring my selfe to walke after their godly example in the Church militant upon earth may after this life ended together with them in the day of the resurrection reigne for ever in the kingdome of heaven which is the Church triumphant Amen The North Hemisphere OR a Meditation on Twelfe-day AS I am enforced to alter the name of the North pole on this day and call it the Easterne Hemisphere because the Magi came from the East and not from the North so I am compelled to write little of this dayes commemoration because it is so excellently performed by M. Austin in his divine Meditations But as in the North Hemisphere there are 21 Constellations and in every one of them a certaine number of Starres in all 332 so for ought I know being it is not set downe in the Gospell there might be 21 Wisemen as well as 3 12 or 14 as some conjecture which came to worship our blessed Saviour by every one of them a certain number of converted Saints brought into the Hemisphere of the Christian Church But because I am ignorant in all these things I conclude with this divine prayer saying Father of light who didst guide the Heathen Sages by a Starre to seek after and finde thy Sonne the true light which enlightneth every man that commeth into the world give me grace to give eare to the more sure word of prophecy in the Scripture till the day dawne and the day starre arise in my heart As thou calledst the Wisemen observers of the starres by a staâ—re the Shepheards lying abroad by an apparition in the fields Zachary the Priest by a vision in the Temple Peter the Fisher by a draught of
Ascention of Christ he made the first Oration to the eleven for the choice of an Apostle in the place of Iudas And after the feast of Pentecost he made the first Sermon by which 3000 souls were added to the Church After that he healed the lame man at the Temple gate for which he and Iohn were brought before the Councell Then is shewed in the fifth of the Acts how God by him punished the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira After is declared how he was sent by the Apostles with Iohn to preach in Samaria where for ought I know he withstood Simon Magus and not at Rome as some affirme In the sixth yeare after the Resurrection of Christ he went to Lidda and cured Aeneas who had bin sick of the Palsey eight yeares From thence he went to Ioppa raised Tabitha from death And in the seventh yeare after the Resurrection he came to Cesarea Strato where he preached the Gospell to Cornelius the Centurion and baptized him and his whole family In the eleventh yeare after the Resurrection hee was cast into prison and set at liberty by an Angell About five yeares after he was at the councell of the Apostles in Jerusalem And the yeare following went into Antioch of which place he was the first Bishop and the Disciples there the first Christians and being at Babylon writ his first Epistle to the strangers that dwelt in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Yet it is reported in Ecclesiasticall histories that Peter came from Antioch to withstand Simon Magus at Rome and there kept the Chaire 25 yeares 12 under Claudius and 13 under Nero. He opposed Simon Magus once in restoring a Noble man to life and another time when hee was going to flye into the Aire Peter brought him down with his wings headlong to the ground by which fall his legs and joynts were broken and he thereupon dyed But there are divers of the learned that affirme that Peter never came to Rome at all as may be gathered out of those five Epistles which S. Paul writ from Rome being there a Prisoner and in the conclusion of them names all his friends but never makes mention of Peter in any one of them which were written about the fifth yeare of the reigne of Nero. And when he writes to the Romans which was the second yeare of Nero hee never makes mention of any salutation to Peter which if he had beene then Bishop of that place he would not have omitted And if ever Peter were at Rome at all he came thither after the last imprisonment of S. Paul and a few dayes before his martyrdome but whether it was that he was martyred at Rome by the command of Nero or at Ierusalem by the appointment of King Agrippa or as some say at Babylon it is not materiall But certaine it is that hee was crowned with the wreath of martyrdome and was crucified with his head downeward and his feet upward which death hee chose because he confessed himselfe to be unworthy to suffer in the same manner and forme as his Lord suffered And it is reported by some when his wife was led to suffer martyrdome as he hung upon the crosse others say as hee went out of doores he greatly rejoyced and encouraged her calling her by name saying Be of good comfort and remember the Lord Iesus The truth of all which stories I leave to the consideration of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day Almighty God which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ hast given many excellent gifts to thy Apostle S. Peter and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock Make I beseech thee all Bishops and Pastors diligently to follow the same to preach thy holy word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the crowne of everlasting glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saint Andrew SAint Matthew and Saint Luke place this Apostle next to his Brother S. Peter because as some affirme they were first called to the Apostleship Yet this blessed starre for many other rare graces related of him by the Evangelists and other authors may well have precedency before others First for his earnest desire to draw other men to the knowledge of Christ for when he heard it of Iohn the Baptist he presently called his Brother Simon Iohn 1 40. After when the Grecians desired to see Christ he with Philip made him acquainted therewith and last of all he spent much labour time in preaching Christ to the barbarous Scythians Saxons and other Aethiopians Secondly for his ready willingnesse to follow Christ and be his Disciple for as Iesus passed by the Sea of Galilee he saw him with his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers And he no sooner called them but they left their nets and presently followed him And lastly for his constant perseverance in the ministeriall office he deserved this priority of place for having a long time preached the Gospell to divers barbarous nations was threatned by Aegeas King of the Edessians that if he would not surcease preaching Christ he should be crucified as his Lord was on the crosse To whom hee gave this answer and boldly said That he would not have preached the honour and glory of the crosse if he had feared the crosse And seeing the crosse afarre off with a lively and cheerefull countenance said O crosse most welcome and long looked for with a willing minde joyfully and desirously I come to thee being the Scholler of him who did hang on thee because I have beene ever thy lover and coveted to imbrace thee so being crucified gave up the ghost fell a sleepe and was buried in Patris a City in Achaia And this is all the description that my search in Antiquity can make of this starre The further amplification thereof I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy Apostle Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant that I being called by thy holy word may forth with give over my selfe to follow thy holy Commandement through the same Iesus Christ my Lord. S. Philip and Iames. THe reason as I conceive why the lustre of these two starres are by the order of the Church conjoyned together on this day is because they and S. Peter only are not displaced in their order by all the Evangelists for Peter is the first Philip the fifth and Iames the ninth in the nomination of them together And as it is very plaine that Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedeus were the foure Apostles that were first called so it is likewise conspicuous that Philip was the fift for the twice two brethren were called in one day as Matthew Mark note but Philip was called the day after as S. Iohn saith expresly the day following Iesus found Philip and