write they and Iames the younger were the sonnes of Mary Cleophas and Alpheus Of the first which is Simon called by Luke Zelotes and by Matthew and Marke Simon the Canaanite Dorotheus maks this short story that he preached Christ throughout Mauritania and Affrick the lesse at length was crucified at Britannia where he was buried but others affirme him to be that Disciple which was called Cleophas and was one of the two that Christ met going to Emaus and according to Dorotheus one of the 70 Disciples who succeeded his brother Iames in the Bishoprick of Ierusalem After he had preached Christ in divers places being 120 yeares of age he was by some Hereticks accused to be lineally descended of the stock of David a Christian unto Atticus the Consull under Trajan the Emperour for which he was cruelly scourged so that his persecutors wondred that a man so old could endure so much torment and at last was crucified And so according to the opinion of some he dyed at Bethania neer Ierusalem and not in this Isle of Britan as others would have it neither as others that say he and his brother Iudas were slaine together by a tumult of people in Suanyr a City of Persidis For Iude whom S. Matthew cals Lebbeus whose surname was Thaddeus and S. Marke termes him only Thaddeus wrote the Epistle which beares his name where he termes himselfe as Luke in his Gospell and Acts of the Apostles doth the Brother of Iames. But whether hee was that Thaddeus which S. Thomas sent to cure King Agbarus I am not able to determine yet it is very likely that it was this Judas For the learned do write that he preached to the Edesseans and throughout Mesopotamia and was slaine at Berytus where in the time of Agbarus King of Edessa he was honourably buried But whether this be true or false I only take it as a historicall description of this starre as I doe of the rest and leave the further search thereof to the learned concluding with the collect for the day saying Almighty God which hast builded thy congregation upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ being the head Corner stone grant me so to be joyned together in unity of Spirit by their doctrine that I may be made a holy temple acceptable unto thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. S. Matthias WHile Christ was in his ministeriall Office Iudas Iscariot Simons sonne seemed to beare the lustre of an Apostolick starre followed Christ was numbred with the twelve and was intrusted with the bag of which he was so good a steward and saving a husband that he was very unwilling that any thing should fall out or passe beside the same for any charitable or pious use as appeares plainly by the text Iohn 12. and so covetous was he of money that he betrayed his Master for thirty pieces of silver And Christ knew what he said when he uttâ—red those words that he had chosen twelve and one was a devill for it is reported of this Iudas that he slew his father maried with his mother and betrayed his Master and in the end hanged himselfe and falling downe his bowels gushed out But he ought to have no place in this Apostolick Zodiake except as an Airy Comet or signe of wonderment and caution to feare us from following his steps Therefore instead of him Matthias one of the 70 Disciples was chosen by lot cast betweene him and Ioseph called Barsabas whose surname was Iustus This Apostle first preached the Gospel in Macedonia then in Aethiopia about the haven called Hyssus and the River Phasis unto barbarous nations and ravenous of flesh He dyed at Sebastopolis where he was also buried neer the Temple of Sol. But others write that he afterwards came into Iudaea where the Iewes stoned him and beheaded him with an axe after the Roman manner Therefore I conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which in the place of the traitor Iudas didst choose thy faithfull servant Matthias to be of the number of the twelve Apostles grant that thy Church being alway preserved from false Apostles may be ordered and guided by faithfull and true Pastors through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen S. Stephen HAving thus briefly described the lustre of the twelve Apostles and three prime starres annexed unto them I should in the last place shew the lustre of three other famous lights that bare them company And the first is the Protomartyr S. Stephen who was ordeined the first of the seven approved men that were chosen Deacons for they through prayer and imposition of the Apostles hands for the publick administration of the Church affaires were joyned with Stephen and he as the ringleader of all the rest as soone as hee was ordeined as though he was appointed for this purpose was stoned unto death of them that slew the Lord. And for this cause as the first triumphing martyr of Christ according to his name he beareth a Crowne A Crowne of grace full of faith and power and filled with the Holy Ghost A Crowne of Martyrdome and in the midst of a showre of stones grace broke out of his lips in a heavenly prayer for his persecutors Lord lay not this sinne to their charge And a Crowne of glory having in this life time received the first fruits of a glorified body his face did shine as it had beene the face of an Angell and the first fruits of a glorified soule in the vision of the blessed Trinity for he saw the glory of God and Iesus standing at his right hand Wherefore I will pray to God to fill me with the Spirit of grace that I may love mine enemies and pray for them that persecute and despitefully use me after the example of this blessed Martyr that having received a Crown of grace here on earth in this life I may for ever weare a Crowne of glory in the Kingdome of Heaven Amen S. Paul ALthough our Astronomers in their Almanacks note not this Saint in golden or red letters as they doe the former and although our Church hath not expresly observed a festivall day to be kept holy in memory of him yet I hold it not fit that I should exclude him out of this starry heaven for he was as glorious a light as ever shined in the Firmament of the Church and as himselfe confesseth was not inferiour to the chiefe of the Apostles neither hath our Church quite excluded him out of her Liturgie for there is an Epistle and Gospell with a Collect appointed for this day And to shew that he was a chosen vessell a glorious starre he was called to his Apostleship after a wonderfull manner for he was cast downe to the earth and a light shone about him and he heard a voice from Heaven became three dayes blind till Ananias laid his hand upon him He was as himselfe relates of the Tribe of Benjamin and as others report he was borne in a
divided into foure parts Europe Asia Africa and America And as in the World are foure corners commonly called the foure winds East West North and South so accordingly the yeare is divided into foure parts which I terme the foure corners of the outward court of this rough hew'd building to wit Ver Aestas Autumnus and Hyems First Ver or the Spring like a young lively youth of a sanguine complexion rosie cheeks smooth face of light and nimble motion casteth a cheerefull and lovely look upon the face of the earth and with a greene fragrant and lightsome mantle cloathes her grosse body in variety of wholesome hearbs sweet flowers delicious fruit and nourishing grain for the use of Man and all creatures Now it is that Fowles of the aire couple beasts of the earth increase and fish of the water multiply in abundance and leave the deepe to live in more shallow places The countrey life is most pleasant and the aire most pure and wholesome to which element this season is resembled For as the nature of the aire is hot and moist so is the Spring or sanguine complexion of a cheerefull and comfortable condition Therfore I conclude this season with a prayer to God that as in the spring all vegetative and sensitive creatures begin to grow and increase upon the face of the earth and waters so it would please him to sow in my heart such saving seed that now I may begin to grow and increase in spirituall knowledge and bring forth the pleasant fruit of a holy life and righteous conversation to the glory and praise of God the good of my neighbour and salvation of my owne soule Secondly Aestas or Summer like a man of full growth strong and lusty in the prime of his strength with a fierce and fiery aspect parcheth withereth grasse and graine for now heaâ— is at the highest floods at the lowest the seas most patient and the winds most calme the earth suted in her richest imbroidery distributeth her bounty to the use of living creatures flowers are now in their bravery fruits in their prime and all creatures in their lustre The Sun is now in his chiefest strength and is as hot as fire which is the Metaphor to which I compare this quarter of the yeare for as the element of fire is hot and dry so is the quality of Summer or humour of choler The lesson that I gather from hence is that as the Summer ripens all grains fruits so doe I desire of God to send downe the Son of righteousnesse into my soule to quicken inflame and ripen the graces of his Spirit sowne therein by the seed of his sacred Word that I may seeme beautifull and lovely as a burning and shining lampe in the midst of a froward generation that others of greater gifts seeing some little sparke of goodnesse in me may be incited thereby far to exceed and excell me in vertuous qualities and commendable works Thirdly Autumnus or Harvest like an ancient man with a white head and gray beard of a ripe age full of good workes in his youth and strength performed with an austere solid melancholy and sage countenance looking upon the face of the earth with a favourable aspect renders to the toyling Husband-man the fruits of his former labours for now grasse is mowne corne reaped fruits gathered leaves fall flowers fade and the earth loseth her former beauty floods increase springs decrease and all creatures lose their strength and vigour and the most part of sensible creatures seeke shelter against the stormy ensuing Winter and therefore well compared to the earth being cold and dry of a solid temper grosse body and lumpish disposition though the naturall quality of this quarter is cold and moist as water Now the use that I learn from hence is to pray to God to send his illuminating Spirit into my heart that I may seriously consider and wisely ponder all my former actions from thence gather and receive the comfortable fruit of the good God hath enabled me to performe and truly heartily and unfeinedly repent of those things I have done that I should not against God my neighbour or my selfe that thereby I may prepare and labour to make my selfe ready with such strong and approved furniture as may be able to defend me against the blustrous and stormy assaults of the flesh the world and the devill at the winter of pale fac't death Fourthly Hyems or Winter like an angry old man worne out with cares perplexed with griefe and impatient in suffering with a waspish fretfull and phlegmatick countenance looketh upon the face of the earth for now the blustring winds break forth causing the billowes of the Ocean to swell threatning to swallow the sea-tost Mariner floods are up and the cold aire taketh away the strength and vigour from all creatures The pores of the earth are shut by the extreame coldnesse of the aire beasts and cattell seeke for shelters Monsters Serpents and ravenous creatures for dens fowles betake themselves to the warmest regions and fishes to the deepest waters so that whatsoever the cheerfull Spring and comfortable Summer did bring forth and nourish this quarter doth destroy and vanish In nature it is cold and moist as the waters yet the true naturall quality of this quarter is cold and dry as earth and well likened thereto because of their roaring and turbulent motions for the Winter is for the most part tempestuous and stormy in mighty winds slabby rain thrilling haiel and snow nipping frost and chilling cold Now the use that I draw from hence is the consideration of old age that I having by the enablement of Gods Spirit finished the delightfull and pleasant flower of my age in the growth of piety the flourishing Summer of my dayes in vertuous and commendable actions and the fruitfull contemplation and meditation of the good I have performed may by Faith and Love seeke and provide for my poore soule a safe harbour in the Merits of my blessed Saviour against the approaching winter of old age when the sun of naturall heat declineth the frost of chilling griefs perplex mee and the blustrous stormes of slanderous tongues backbite me And so laying and bequeathing my body quietly and comfortably in the bed of the grave my soule may with joy and alacrity ascend to receive a new growth in eternall glory with God and the rest of his chosen vessels A Flower or a Meditation on the Purification of the Virgin MARY THus having shaped the foure corners of the outward Court of this building I should now let you take a view of the foure sides thereof Therefore as on the East you may be pleased to behold a fragrant and glorious Flower on which or rather in which the Sun of Righteousnesse did arise Now that I may with more pleasure demonstrate the vertues thereof as a praeludium to the following discourse I am bold to make relation of this fancy As I lay musing in my
the heavenly Ladder by which our God descended to the Earth Had she not been humbled to the Handmaide of the Lord she had never sung He hath done great things Virginity would not serve the turn despised humility is above magnified virginity S. Bernard was of that minde To virginity sayes he you are invited to humility you are compelled Of Virginity it is said Let him that is able receive this but of humility except you become as one of these little ones ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven without virginity you may be saved without humility you cannot And in this very point he concludes and is bold to say that without humility the virginity of the blessed Virgin Mary her selfe had never beene acceptable You saith he to the proud virgins of his time forget humility and glory in your virginity But Mary forgetting her virginity glories in her humility Be not proud of virginity for in the Parable of the Ten there was as many foolish as wise These six vertues were in her as six steps in Salomons Throne which once got over Salomon or rather a greater than Salomon reposed in it where after he was set he had the Duae Manus the supporters of each side the Throne the Father and the Holy Ghost that never left nor utterly faild him And at his descent the twelve Lions the twelve Apostles that shall hereafter sit on twelve Thrones themselves and judge the â—welve Tribes of Israel And as the Queene of Saba came to see and offer Gifts to Salomon sitting in his Throne So came the Easterne Sages to adore and offer to Christ sitting in his Throne even in the Lap of this blessed Virgin Mother where Salomon in all his royalty was not like him Such was this Paradise which God prepared to make our second Adam in Yet how gloriously soever she be compared the burden of her song is He hath respect to the humble and all that she professeth is that she is the Handmaid of the Lord. Now should I write the Story of her life according as it is related in the blessed Gospell or as I finde it written by other learned Authors I should only shew you a Map of misery and mirrour of patience As her very name if it be derived from Maâ—ah signifies a person that is oppressed with carefulnesse and griefe exposed to all misery and calamity and prest with continuall vexation and mourning so her whole life related by the learned demonstrates that she was continually molested and overwhelmed with penury â—xcessive travaile and unsupportable perplexities For though she came froÌ„ the noble stock of many famous Kings of Israel and Juda being the daughter of Eliakim of the house of David yet by reason of the mutation of worldly felicity shee was possessed with no great wealth And so according to her estate a man of mean condition Ioseph a Carpenter of the same lineage of the Tribe of Iuda the son of Iacob who was the brother of Heli whose wife the said Iacob according to the Leviticall Law after his said brothers decease maried so raising up seed unto his brother Ioseph the sonne of Heli according to Saint Lukes Gospell made choice of her for his spouse And their poverty is more evident in that they were not of ability when they were called to the generall taxation to get roome in an Inne but faine to take up their lodging in a poore cold and comfortlesse manger For her laborious travell first she went to Jerusalem being threescore and foure miles from Nazareth to which place of necessity she was to passe over diverse high and steepe hils as Mount Gilboa whereon King Saul kild himselfe Mount Gerizim and Hebal upon which the blessings and curses were denounced and Mount Ephraim upon which Ehud kild Eglon King of the Moabites Then when her Childe was two yeares old with whom she and Ioseph to accomplish the Word of the Lord Hosea 11. 1. and for feare of Herods cruelty were constrained to flye into Aegypt and continued all the dayes of Herods cruell reigne at Hermopolis one of the chiefe Cities of Aegypt three hundred and foure miles from Jerusalem to which place of necessity they were to passe thorow a barren and unfruitfull wildernesse full of rocks and sands destitute of waters and subject to many dangers inhabited by a rude and barbarous people called Saracens who take their beginning from Ishmael and as he so they are very cunning in shooting and hunting and live upon robbery and spoile In so much as Merchants at this day are constrained to go in great companies lest they should be endangered by them and savage beasts which abound in those places And by reason of the windes and sands they are enforced to guide their journey by the Compasse as men do that saile by Sea Yet thorow this wildernesse did Ioseph and Mary passe with the Childe Jesus out of Judea into Aegypt where they were in danger of theeves subject to be smothered by the sands constrained to travell over high rocks and mountaines and to rest in feare of Lions Beares and other beasts of prey that greatly abound there besides other discommodities were incident unto them as want of meat drink and other necessaries there being little water to be found there After when they came from thence to Nazareth she with Ioseph went every yeare to the Passeover at Jerusalem for the space of fourteene yeares together about which time Ioseph dyed when Christ was sixteene yeares old and her selfe thirty And as I finde related during her pilgrimage in this world which was nine and fifty yeares she travelled 3506. miles besides petty journeyes not worth relation And last of all for her perplexity and vexation of spirit behold and see if the prophesie of Simeon was not fully accomplished in her that a sword should passe thorow her soule Besides the miseries which she sustained in her travell into Aegypt as is above specified when she had carefully brought up her Son for the space of twelve years by remissenesse and neglect she with Ioseph thought him lost and were faine to seek him three daies sorrowing After losing her loving Associate yet I beleeve without any caâ—nall knowledge in the prime of her dayes it was no small vexâ—tion to her minde But last of all when her blessed Sonne was to sustaine the wrath of God and punishment for the sinnâ— of man to see him reviled by the accursed Priests Scribes and Pharisees nailed to the crosse by the mercilesse Jewes and his side pierced with a Speare by the cruell Souldier sorrow and griefe did even cut her heart a sunder but that she was armed with invincible patience and comforted by her Son and Saviours glorious Resurrection and Ascention And so from the Passion of Christ to her death which was twelve yeares she lived with the beloved Disciple S. Iohn the Evangelist in Ierusalem and was buried in the Garden called Gethsemane Thus having described the beautifull lustre
they ever glorifie God by flying about his Throne and crying day and night holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbath yet since his delight is in mercy which is above all his workes they glorifie him most when they reveale his care of us In being his ministers for our preservation from the face of ourenemies Therefore howsoever we are unsure of their substance forme number or influences David hath assured us that they are ministring spirits for our good where he saith God hath given his Angels charge over us to keepe us in all our waies And S. Paul confirmes it in the first to the Hebrewes But how these heavenly souldiers take charge of all Gods chosen in generall and of every Saint in particular I referre them to the learned such as is M. Austins Essay of telar Angels upon this day from whom I borrow what I have here writ and conclude as he desâ—anâ—s saying As God in Seraphin loveth in Cherubin discerneth in Thrones judgeth in dominations sheweth Majesty in Principalities governeth in Powers is omnipotent in vertues doth miracles in Archangels revealeth and in Angels assisteth so let us strive by assisting our brethren and protecting the feeble and indigent to become like Angels Let us by learning divine and high mysteries and revealing them to our brethren for their edification become like Archangels And since Miracles Omnipotence Government Majesty Judgement and discerning are chiefly Gods Let us above all seeke to get ardent love and affection the vertue that shall last remaine and the property of the highest order whence all the rest are inspired that in fiery zeale and love to the glory of God we may not onely burne our selves but both by our writings and discourses and all our actions inflame our brethren and therein being neerest joyned unto God become like the bright fiery Seraphins flaming continually in pure and ardent affection about his Throne and next unto him above all other inferiour orders And so we shall be sure to have all the rest attend upon us But this vertue of love onely the God of love can grant neither can he give it unlesse he give himself for he is love Which we beseech him grant us for the love of him that for love of us gives us all these protections and mercies together with himselfe Amen Trinity Sunday NOw I come to the conclusion of the whol matter for on this day I should shew you a glimps of the Propitiatory or Oracle from whence God hath revealed himselfe in the Trinity of the Persons and unity of Essence The Majesty of God the Father the Wisdome of God the Sonne and the Love of God the Holy Ghost But I am as insufficient for such a work as I am to lade all the water out of the Sea with a spoone for this is the mystery of all mysteries a hidden secret and better apprehended by faith than demonstrated by reason Then why should I strive by base comparisons of one Sunne yet three effects of Light Heat and Motion of one man consisting of a body soule and spirit or of one soule in three principall faculties Understanding Wil and Memory to shew that which is evident by Scripture that there are three Persons in the God head and yet but one Essence That there is an infinite power in the Father an infinite Action in the Holy Ghost and an infinite Subject in the glorious Son and yet all three make but one infinite Being This Tri-unity is so plainely and excellently laid downe in the Athâ—nasian Creed that I shall not need though I could further to dilate Therefore I will conclude all with hearty thankesgiving to this ever blessed and glorious Triunity for all favours from time to time bestowed upon me for temporall blessings as health wealth and liberty for preservation from many eminent dangers that I might have falne into if not defended by his mighty power for spirituall favours of Election Redemption Sanctification and hope of Glory for the inablement of his holy Spirit in mee in the accomplishment of this work and I pray God grant it may be to his glory my soules comfort and good of others Amen O thou glorious Lord God who art the true Primum mobile which movest all things by thy power but art in thy selfe immoveable move my heart towards thee stir up my drowsie soule in good desires touch my lips that my tongue may speak of thy praise direct my hand that I may write to thy Glory make my feet swift to run in the wayes of thy Commandements open my eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law O thou that art the Alpha and Omega let thy praise and glory be still the beginning and end of all my actions And grant that as I doe acknowledge the mystery of the Trinity of three glorious persons so I may ever be willing and ready to worship the Vnity of thy Infinite Essence though Jesus Christ FINIS
the world fore-telling also by the spirit of prophesie divers particular things that were to ensue both to Christ and Christians and especially by his Mother the blessed Virgin which things being published at that time and confirmed afterwards by the event doe well declare that this narration of Saint Luke could not be forged as also the number of particular circumstances set downe about the time place and persons most notoriously knowne to all Jerusalem as for Anna shee had lived from her youth untill fourscore years of age in the Temple and thereby was knowne to the most part of Jury And Beda doth from her draw a mystery and makes of Anna a figure of the Church which is by Gods grace in that shee was the daughter of Phanuel which signifies the face of God and of the Tribe of Asser signifying Blessednesse her age being fourscore and foure years and her married estate seven which being applyed unto the dayes of Davids week the age of mans life doth signifie That the doctrine of the twelve Apostles should bee the rule of the Church in all ages for twelve multiplied by seven makes fourscore and foure the age of Anna which signifies Grace And as for Simeon he was the Scholler of the most famous Hillel and condisciple to Jonathan maker of the Chaldee Paraphrase and the Jewes Thalmud confesseth that by the death of these two men especially of Simeon failed the great Synagogue called Sanhedrin which after the captivity of Babylon untill Herods time supplyed in a sort the spirit of prophesie that was expressely in Israel before the said Captivity From both which persons this among other things is observeable that Christ came first unto Simeon which signifies obedience an embleme of the Law who taking hold on Christ desired then to die or depart in peace But when Christ came unto Anna a figure of the Gospell shee confessed unto the Lord and gave thankes seeing the Salvation of the World in Israel and was comforted in Jesus her redeemer and Saviour who desired to live for ever with Grace From all which see the honour that was done to Christ from both sexes Simeon an old man Anna an old widow Zachary a Priest Elizabeth a married woman and Mary a Virgin were all insoired with the spirit of prophesie to give testimony unto Christs Incarnatiâ—n Now I will conclude the Meditation of this day in contemplation of the rare graces of Gods Spirit in this Virgin Flower and pray to God that it would please him to infuse into my soule by the breath of his Spirit the sweet savour thereof that so I expressing by godly imitation the pleasant fruit thereof in my life and conversation may as shee on this day did present the first fruits of her wombe and offered the legall sacrifice that God by Moses prescribed from hence-forth consecrate and present the first fruits of the ensuing pilgrimage I have to run in this miserable world wholly to the glory and praise of God the good of others and salvation of my owne soule And so daily offering the Lambes Patience the Doves Innocence and the Turtles Chastity may grow as a young Plant flourish as a pleasant Flower and in a ripe age be gathered into the Garner of a heavenly habitation All which I pray God grant not for any merits of mine owne for I am in my selfe unworthy of the least graine of saving Grace but for the merits of my All-sufficient Saviour Christ Jesus To whom with the Almighty Father and sanctifying Spirit three Persons and one onely wise God be ascribed all Honour Glory and praise from henceforth and for ever Amen A TREE Or A Meditation on Palme Sunday IN the former Meditation you have viewed a fragrant Flower Now as opposite to that you may be pleased to behold a flourishing Tree upon which the Sunne of Righteousnesse did set And as a Tree I consider it first in its root or station secondly in its fruit or operation First for its root or foundation to know the reasons why this day is called Palme-sunday my small learning cannot fully decide nor determine for the Gospell appointed or set apart for the publique service of God on this day makes no mention of Palme nor any thing that hath Reference thereunto for whereas Palme is a note of Victory and Triumph this dayes Gospell contrary thereto makes a sad relation of our Saviours Death and Passion And the Gospel that seemes more to correspond with the name of this day and as some affirme was usually read in Churches in former times on this day is not unfitly stated upon the first of the foure Sundayes before the day of our Saviours Nativity called Advent Sunday because those Sundayes are appointed for us as preparatories to entertaine the benefits of Christs incarnation into our souls as the Jewes did his corporall presence into Jerusalem with great joy and triumph So the chiefe reason as I conceive why this victorious Palmes Gospell is thus transplanted from this day to Advent Sunday and yet that this day should still retaine the name is as before is specified to be as John Baptist was a fore-runner or harbinger to prepare the way for the comming of the great King Christ Iesus into this Annuall World or thus the root of this dayes denomination springs from these two grounds or causes First because that as this day falls alwayes in the Spring season and Palme as some note is one of the first Trees that buds so men that are rationall Trees in the Spring of their age assoone as they come to knowledge should prepare themselves for the entertainment of Christ into their hearts by striving to grow in piety and spirituall understanding 2. Because as some say Palm delighteth flourisheth most by the rivers side so Christ and all Christians flourish and become most victorious by the troublesome waters of persecution and affliction To prove the veritie hereof All writers almost affirme this same very day Christ went to Jerusalem in that triumphant manner as in the Gospel is related five dayes before his Passion to shew that in suffering he became victorious over sin death and all the Temptation of the Devill and in dying hee overcame death which gave the Church anciently occasion to goe in procession with Palmes in their hands on this day from whence it was called Palme-sunday Thus having briefly demonstrated the radical foundation of this dayes denomination I should now shew you the fructification thereof For though the Palme which grows in our Iland beares no fruit at all but onely a spongie or soft blossome growes upon it thereby as I conceive to shew the vanity of all worldly honour and triumphs of which Palme is an Embleme yet this Annuall Palme as the Date-tree will afford as many fruitfull meditations as there are words in the Gospell as is learnedly accomplished by that pious Gentleman Mr. Austin in his divine Meditations out of whose pleasant Garden I will only gather this sweet
the midst of Heaven so was the Virgin Mary at this time as some Geographers affirme in the middest of the earth at Nazareth a City in the Tribe of Zebulon three dayes journey from Ierusalem Secondly as the Sunne comming into the Aequator makes the day and night of equall distance so also Christ the Son of Righteousnesse as this day comming by divine inspiration or semination into the wombe of the blessed Virgin The cloudy night of the ceremoniall Law and the bright day of the glorious Gospell were now upon even tearmes The law like the Moon having enlightned the world for almost two thousand yeares as some say gives place to the Sun of the Gospell to finish his race to enlighten them that sat in the darknesse of ignorance and shadow of ceremonial figures and types But as yet this Sun did not break forth it was hid under a cloud as on this day it newly entred into this blessed Aequator For now it was that the blessed Virgin by a celestiall creature An Angell of great power Gabriel by name sent from the blessed Trinity was shewed the wonderfull conception of her Lord and Maker that she should bring him forth that by his word brought forth all things that she should be a Mother and yet a Virgin That the Holy Ghost should come upon her and the power of the most High should over shadow her Here is a wonder above all wonders for from eternity it was never heard that Eternity should enter into the Kalendar of Time that Immensity should be comprehended Infinity bounded Ubiquity inclosed and the Deity incarnated Yet this day the heavenly marriage of the humane Nature with the Divine by an unconceiveable hypostaticall union was declared that it should bee consummated in the undefiled bed of the Virgin Mary This contract was long before all time made in heaven and spoken of by Prophets ever since the world began The promised seed of the woman in Adams time typified in the heavenly dew in â—edeons fleece in these particulars First as that fleece so the Virgin received this heavenly dew when all the world was barren besides her Secondly the filling that fleece was a signe of the Jewes delivery and the conception of this Virgin a signe and a beginning of ours Thirdly this fleece received the dew without hurt to the wooll and this Virgin conceived this immortall dew without the corruption of her flesh Fourthly Gedeon wrung out this dew and filled a vessell with it And Mary brings forth her Son that fills this great Vessell the World and all that is in it But lastly in this she exceeds the fleece of Gedeon for of the fleece of her body Christ made himselfe a Garment even his own flesh which he weares to this day and will doe for ever This was foretold by Esay expressely Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Sonne And in a figurative speech by Jeremy Behold saith he the Lord will worke a new thing upon earth a woman shall compasse a man A strange saying yet true for it was no new thing for one of mankind to bee made of another so was Eve of Adam long since for a man to be made without man and woman is older for so was Adam And for one to bee made of man and woman is almost as old and much more common but for one to be made of a woman without man that 's a rare and new thing indeed And so was Christ only And to shew it is a new worke we begin our accounts and reckonings as from this day and date the year accordingly This month the year begins to conceive and bring forth fruite in the delightfull Spring and some affirme that God began the worlds creation as on this day to shew that all things become new For the confirmation of the truth of this glorious conception consider the predictions before rehearsed and many other as of the time Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall not depart from Iuda nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet untill Shiloh come Of the place Esay 9. 1. The Land of Zabulon and Nepthalim neare the way of the sea beyond Iordan and Galilee of the Gentiles a people that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death saw a great light And of his line and stocke Esay 11. 1. There shall come a Rod out of the stem of Iesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots The very manner thereof is very observable and the Message or Annunciation made unto the Virgin by the Angell as it is related by the Evangelist and Fathers make it apparent and conspicuous for albeit it depend principally upon the relation and credit of the Virgin her selfe who was only privie thereunto and upon the testimony of Ioseph to whom it was revealed by the same Angell afterward yet wee may consider the circumstances of the thing it selfe as first the simplicity of both the reporters then how that it is not likely that Ioseph being Just as is described would have concealed a thing so much against himself and against the Law if he had not been some way assured of the truth thereof Thirdly the innocent age of the Virgin who was not past fourteene yeares old at that time as Saint Augustine and some other ancient Fathers doe prove by manifest arguments All these things doe make it improbable that shee would invent such a thing of her selfe And finally the strange prophesie which shee uttered in her Canticle of Magnificat and which we see now fulfilled albeit at that time very unlikely to wit that all Generations should call her blessed doe make it plainly appeare that the matter must needs be true But why stand I thus upon that which is an Article of our Beleefe and requires more the mouth of Faith to receive and apprehend it then the hand or tongue of humane reason to demonstrate or describe it for he is anathematized that doth not beleeve this Gospell therefore I will now leave to write any further of this story and apply this dayes worke in these uses First in contemplation of the Aequator my heart stated in the midst of my body Christ the Sunne infused therein by the Spirit of God making so long as I live in this vale of misery if it were possible my spirituall and civill actions of even distance both in the service of God and duties of my calling that I may endevour truely to worship and serve God in spirit and body which are both Gods workmanship And if on either side it should exceed not to bee as on this day the most part in the dark night of mens traditions and newly entring into the day of spiritual illumination but rather that the night of cloudy shadowes should vanish and give place to the day of spirituall verities Yet I doe conceive it requisite and very fit that in the Church and service of God there should be decent comely and reverent comformity and uniformity used and
exercised therein by all to expresse and make manifest our profession before men Secondly in invocation to God that it would please him to send downe into my heart the messenger of his love the Holy Ghost to assure me by manifest signes and tokens set down in his Word that Christ is formed in my soule that the Lord of life rules in the triangle of my heart that the Sonne of God is conceived in my minde that so beleeving the truth of this dayes commemoration and finding in my heart the operation of this heavenly work I may now as the year begin to spring and grow in all pious and commendable qualities to the praise and glory of God the comfort of others and endlesse salvation of my owne soule Amen THE SUNNE Or A Meditation on the Nativity of Christ THus though ruggedly having finished the outward Court of this beautifull Fabrick I should now begin to garnish the Inner or Middle Temple and therein display the laborious actions of the glorious High Priest But when I considered the curious carvings rare Imbroyderings and rich materialls fit for such a building I stood at a stand not daring further to proceed considering my owne poverty and insufficiencie for the performance thereof especially in the very entrance the splendor of this radiant Sunne did so dazle the eye of my understanding that I was resolved to rest my selfe in the door of this Tabernacle for I doe humbly acknowledge that I am not inriched with the pure gold of divine learning nor the fine silk of sweet eloquence but yet I praise God for it I am indued with some confused notions as unhew'd timber ragged expressions as Badgers skins and rough invention as Camels haire which were of some use in the Tabernacle as well as gold purple silke and fine linnen therefore having laid the foundation of this worke and reared it up to the first story I would not be accounted a foolish builder to leave off in the middle of my worke so though I have not such elegant expressions and learned divisions as the learned yet I will assay to make a course peece of worke thereof And though I have not such Eagles eyes as to behold the Divinity of this glorious Sunne yet being covered with the vaile of humanity my tender weak eyes may looke upon him and see him as on this day to arise in the firmament of his Church as the Sun of righteousnesse with healing under his wings for Salvation sprung from on high this day hath visitedus Now as the Sunne I will here write of him in those usuall names by which the Sun is called which will lively demonstrate the comparative nature of either if my dark expressions do not too much ecclipse their lustre The naturall Sun is called by foure names Sol Apollo Phoebus and Titan. First he is called Sol because he appeares alone All other lights vanish at his presence There is but one Sun in the Firmament so likewise Christ is the only begotten Sonne of God by eternall generation others are the sons of God by adoption He the holy one of God even holinesse it selfe in the abstract others are holy by donation in the concrete He the onely Saviour of mankinde no salvation but by him he the only intercessor and mediator between God and man excluding Saints and Angels He the light that came into the world without whom is darknesse In briefe he is the only King that governs defends protects the Saints the only Priest that offered himselfe a Sacrifice for the redemption of mankinde and the only Prophet that shewes the way of salvation to his chosen so equivalent to Sol. Secondly the naturall Sunne is called Apollo the God of wisdome knowledge and learning He that was famous in his time for Musick Physick Poetry and Divination so in like manner Christ is the eternall wisdome of the Father the fountain of al heavenly knowledge the true Physitian of the soule the good Samaritan that binds up the broken hearted heals the afflicted spirit and mollifies the hard dispositions of mans depraved nature frozen in sinne and wickednesse he that only can make the sad heart rejoyce and make mercy the disconsolate soul whose soule-ravishing parables answers and doctrines were such as never man spake of whose Prophesies and divinations not one jot or tittle shall fall to the ground without their accomplishment so the true Prophet and so divine Apollo Thirdly the naturall Sunne is called Phoebus the spring of light the discoverer of all things and the expeller of darknesse so Christ is the true light which enlightneth every man that commeth into the world of his fulnesse we all receive the light of grace he is the searcher of the heart the tryer of our spirits he knows our thoughts long before nothing is hid from his sight he shewes the vanity of the world the deceitfulnesse of riches the shame of pleasure the folly of sport the danger of greatnesse inconstancy of honour and strickt account to be given for all At his presence all the grosse darknesse of mans ignorance vanishes he is the fountaine of knowledge for all the light that all mankinde ever had have or shall have is but as a spark to this Sun or as a drop to this Ocean so like Phoebus And lastly the Sun is called Titan for his burning heat parching nature and revenging qualities which he takes upon Grasse and graine in the scorching Summer so Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse in the hot Summer of the last judgement when he shall appeare in the clouds with power and great glory shall take vengeance upon his enemies and ease him of his adversaries Then shall he speake unto them in his wrath and vex them in his hot displeasure Then when his wrath shall be kindled and wax hot he shall wound even Kings in the day of his fury with a Scepter of Iron and break them in peeces like a potters vessell Then shall his enemies look upon him whom they have pierced and be confounded with shame and consumed for feare of his heavy displeasure for who is able to abide and stand before that consuming fire so in this respect as I conceive agreeable to Titan. Now having taken a view of this glorious Sun behold him to arise in the rags of our nature out of the cloudy undefiled bed of the blessed Virgin in this briefe story By consent of all writers both Pagan Jewish and Christian Iesus whom we beleeve and confesse to be the true Christ was borne the twenty fifth day of December Anno Mundi 4021 in the end of the forty one yeare of the reigne of the Emperour Octavius Caesar surnamed Augustus which was fifteene yeares before his reigne ended and in the thirty fourth yeare of Herods reigne in Jewry when the three famous Monarchies of the Assyrians Persians and Grecians was past over and ended and the Romans were entred into the fourth which was greater than any of the rest
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
dust and ashes dare speak unto him for my sins cry for vengeance and shall I be silent for pardon Gracious God either silence them or heare me If thou wilt not heare the voice of my words heare the voice of my tears if thou wilt not heare them heare the voice of thy sonnes blood which speaketh better things then the blood of Abel I confesse I have sorely displeased thee but it troubleth me that I have so incensed thee I have grieved thy Spirit but it grieveth me that I should be so gracelesse as to grieve that Spirit of grace which sealeth thy chosen to salvation I deserve that thou shouldest even abhorre me for my sinnes but I abhorre my selfe for them in dust and ashes I have offended thee in gluttony but I now fast for it in pride but I humble my selfe in laughter and sports but I weepe for it in sinfull joyes but I mourne for it I have wallowed in filthy pleasures but I wallow for it in dust and ashes I have broken all thy Comman dements but I have broken my heart in true contrition for it Thou didst not break a bruised reed wilt thou grinde to powder a broken heart What profit is in my blood O Lord when I goe downe into the pit Nay what profit is in thy blood O blessed Redeemer if they for whom it was shed goe downe into the pit of destruction shall the dust give thanks unto thee O Lord or the ashes and cinders of hell praise the God of heaven Heare O Lord and have mercy upon me thou that healest those that are broken in heart and givest medicine to cure their sicknesse raise up my prostrate and dejected soule Why diddest thou hunger O Lord but to satisfie for my gluttony why didst thou thirst but to satisfie for my drunkennesse why didst thou weepe but to satisfie for my sinfull joyes why didst thou endure unspeakable torments but to satisfie for my lewd pleasures why didst thou dye an ignominious death but to satisfie for my sinfull life why didst thou shed thy blood but to satisfie for my crimson sins Adam our first parent did eat the forbidden fruit and all our teeth are set on edge but thy fasting forty dayes hath fully satisfied for his eating But I renew my sins daily and thou renewest thy mercies The guilt of my sinne is great but the price of thy blood is greater I have offended an infinite Majestie but satisfaction hath beene made by an infinite Majestie My wickednesse cannot exceed thy goodnesse for my power of sinning is finite but thy faculty of pardoning is infinite Wherefore sith my sinnes be they never so many never so weighty fall within the measure of thy mercy and compasse of thy goodnesse and sith it is all one with thee to give what I ask and to incite me to aske to heale my wounds and to make me feele the smart of them Lord who hast given me the one deny me not the other rebuke the surges of temptations and quiet my soule Thou who in the dayes of thy flesh offeredst up prayers with strong cries here the strong loud cries of a penitent sinner Thou who tookest upon thee our infirmities take pity upon them thou who wert in thine agony stricken with horror and unutterable griefe allay the troubles of my affrighted conscience Thou who fastedst forty dayes accept of my humiliation these forty dayes and grant that my stomack may not onely fast from accustomed meats but all my sences from their usuall delights and most of all my heart from worldly comforts and contentments Let no sight delight me till I see my sins removed like a mist and thy countenance shine upon mee Let no sound or voice delight me till I heare thee by thy Spirit to speake peace to my conscience and say to my soule I am thy salvation Let no pleasant fields and gardens delight me till I have gathered red flowers out of that garden which was watered with thy blood Let no fruit delight me till I have fully tasted of the fruit of the tree of thy crosse Let no meat delight me till with the sowre hearbs of sorrow and anguish of heart for my sin I have eaten the Christian Passeover the flesh of thee that immaculate Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Heare me blessed Redeemer and as thou wrotest in dust when thou tookest the woman in adultery so I beseech thee write my sins in dust bury them all in the ashes of oblivion So be it Amen SATVRNE OR a Meditation on Goodfriday HAving in the former meditations shewed you an immaculate Lambe and the first fruits of the meritorious blood thereof then how the said Lambe was prepared to be a fitting Sacrifice for the expiation of the sins of the whole world Now I should according to my promise in the entrance of this work show you how this Sacrifice was laid upon the Altar of the Crosse as on this day under the metaphor of the Planet Saturne But herein I perceive my owne inability and presumption that I should dare to adventure upon such holy things in such vile comparisons for the expulsion of Saturne out of his kingdome by his brother Titan and sonne Jupiter is no way equivalent to the malice of the Jewes against our blessed Saviour For Saturne broke covenant with his brother and kept three of his male children alive contrary to the condition which he held his kingdome by And therefore Titan had just cause to make warre against him and recover his inheritance due to the first borne And Jupiter likewise did expell his father out of his kingdome because his father threatned to kill him But Christ had done offence to none he had broken no bonds but rather made up the breach hee was so farre from destroying that he came on purpose to save and redeeme that which was lost And what were the troubles of Saturne King of Creet to the unsupportable sufferings of Christ the King of glory Nay what were all the troubles of all the men that are or ever were in the world to the troubles of our blessed Saviour And where is the patience of Saturne Iob or any other that was in Christ For as the light of the natural Sun is darknesse to the Splendor of the Sunne of Righteousnesse so all the excellency and worth that is in all mankind is not able fully to demonstrate the excellencie that is in Christ yet because Saturne was imprisoned by his Brother and driven out of his Kingdome by his own sonne I did intend to shew how our blessed Saviour as on this day was bound imprisoned by the cruell Jews his brethren according to the flesh of the Virgin Mary and driven out of the Kingdome of this world by those which should as obedient children to the cōmands of God their Father have kept their hands from killing the innocent But being conscious of my owne insufficiency for the performance of such a work it being excellently
and temporâ—ll conferred upon me purchased by thy sufferings ad this one above the rest the special gift of remembrance of these thy sufferings that wheresoever I am whatsoever I doe I may have thy passion in my heart and thy wounds bleeding a fresh in my minde with an infinite hatred of sin that procured them and love of thy goodnesse who enduredst them for me Thy Church since thou leftest her is a widow and I am as one of her dead children not as the Samaritan was hâ—lfe dead but wholly dead in my sins and transgressions Thou Lord art the true Elias who raisedst and doest raise from death this widowes children to life by stretâ—hing thy body over them O my gracious Lord apply thy body stretched this day on the crosse to me Lay thy head to my head thy hands to my hands thy feet to my feet and thy heart to my heart that I may receive warmth from thy blood and ease from thy stripes health from thy wounds and spirit from thy breath and strength from thy grace to stand up from the dead and walke with thee henceforth in newnesse of life So be it Amen IVPITER OR a Meditation on Easter-day WHen I did first compose this Annuall world my thoughts were so presumptuous as to promise to my unlearned selfe a power and faculty to fit every dayes meditation to the resemblance which I first propounded in the entrance into this Tabernacle but as I have come farre short in the precedent expressions so I feare I shall come much more behinde in the subsequent meditations Yet I will adventure to show that the Sacrifice which was offered unto God upon the Altar of the Crosse on Goodfriday for the expiation of the sins of mankinde is truly exhibited to every worthy receiver in the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist or Lords Supper And therfore the Christian Church in all ages hath piously appointed this yearely feast of Easter to be by every one of her members solemnely observed instead of the Jewes Passeover whereby every beleeving soule may be assured that if he finde the blood of that most immaculate Lambe sprinkled upon the doore post of his heart the destroying Angell shall have no power to enter therein Which assurance that he may obtaine first before hee receive these sacred mysteries he ought to be fitted with the preparing graces of true sorrow and hearty contrition of spirit for sinnes past joyned with penitent resolutions and endeavours to lead a new life in time to come perfect love and charity with all men joyned with longing desires to participate the benefits of Christs passion and humility of spirit joyned with holy revâ—rence and godly devotion Secondly in receiving he ought to be indued with the comprehensive grace of a true lively and justifying faith And last of all he ought to have the reteining graces of hearty praise and thanksgiving for all Gods inestimable benefits especially for the Word and Sacraments joyned with joy and cheerefulnesse in the service of God and constant perseverance in all these heavenly graces to his lives end The man that is thus qualified for the reception of this heavenly repast may with aged Simeon take into his hands his Lord and Saviour yea and see him with the eye of his faith take with a pure hand eat with a clean mouth and keep in a sanctified heart this sacred bread this chosen Manna the word of life and food of Angels for by and with the sacred elements though not in or under them he doth partake of the flesh of God spiritually for his words are spirit and life yea truly in very deed for he is the living bread that came downe from heaven his flesh is meat indeed and his blood is drink indeed As at sumptuous feasts where curious services are we see the proportion and shape of the Deer or Fowle set out in gold and colours on the outside or lid of those baked meats which are truly contained under it and to be eaten so if we may draw a resemblance of so high and divine a mysterie from an earthly and humane repast under the figures of bread and wine as it were the printed lid or cover thou O devout soule feedest on the meat of Angels the dainties of heaven and flesh of thy Saviour who is there described in thy sight and before thee crucified That which is represented in the signe to the eye of the body is presented in the thing signified to the eye of the soule and hand of thy faith what is shadowed in the Sacrament is truly also exhibited by it If thou beleevest that thou eatest thou eatest that thou beleevest Let no hereticall Harpies pluck from thee this heavenly dish or meat as Celaeno did Aeneas's Beware of two sorts of heretiques especially those that seeke to beguile thee in the Sacrament or rather of it viz. The Sacramentaries and Papists the one denying the signe the other the thing signified the one offereth thee a shadow without the body the other the body without the shadow or resemblance and consequently neither of them giveth thee the true Sacrament to whose nature essence both are requisite The Sacramentaries would rob thee of the Iewel the Papists of the Casket Lay thine hands on both hold both fast as thou seest the one so beleeve the verity substance of the other as thou takest the one receive the other as thou handlest the one apprehend the other as thou feedest with thy mouth on the one feed in thy heart on the other And as truly as the one nourisheth thy body to a temporall the other shall preserve thy soule to eternall life For it is the tree of life which growes in the midst of the Paradise of God his Church on earth The way to the mysticall tree in Paradise was guarded by an Angell waving a flaming sword the way to this in like manner is fenced there stands an Angell at the Table Gods minister brandishing the sword of the Spirit and forbidding under paine of death any to eat of this fruit that have their teeth set on edge with the Apples of Sodome and Grapes of Gomorrah Other fruits and meats are prepared for us but we must be prepared for this before we eat it the bread of the earth cannot feed when thou eatest it till it be changed into thy body because thou art more excellent then it but this bread which came downe from heaven is more excellent then thou art and therefore thou must be changed into it before it nourish thee All other meat is received as it is in it selfe and no otherwise but this is divers as it is received other meat affecteth and altereth the taste but here the taste altereth the meat for if it be worthily received it is the body and blood of Christ if unworthily it is but bare bread and wine If it meet with a spirituall taste and appeâ—ite and stomack purged and prepared it proveth the food of life
thou cursedst and it withered without naturall affections bemoane thee as the stones that clave the veile that rent and the earth that quaked at thy Passion without wil voluntarily offer thee service the Foale to beare thee the Dove to manifest thee the Fish to discharge thee the Sunne to hide thy ignominy among men and here the Cloud to veile thee from mortall eye and transport thee into heaven O Lord my Redeemer how excellent is thy Name in all the world Thou makest the Light thy Garment the Angells thy Messengers the Aire thy race the Clouds thy Chariot and flyest upon the wings of the wind into heaven Thou art ascended up on high thou hast led Captivity captive In thy Passion thou wast Deaths death and killedst it In thy buriall thou wast the Graves grave and destroyedst Destruction And now in thy Ascension thou conqueredst Conquest it selfe and ledst Captivity captive and receivedst Gifts for men for the whole Church and every beleever O Lord bestow these Gifts liberally upon me that I may grow in grace and the knowledge and love of thee This day thou liftedst up thy body from the earth lift up my heart from it This day thou transportedst thy body to heaven transport my desires thither This day thou setledst thy self in thy Throne at the right hand of thy Father fix my thoughts and settle mine affections on thee in heaven and on heaven for thee Amen VENVS OR A Meditation on Whitsunday IN the old Testament I find that two several times fire descended from heaven upon sacrifices prepared for offrings of a sweet smelling savour unto the Lord. The first was when Manoah the father of Sampson at the commandement of the Angel offered a Kid upon a stone Then did he whose name is marvellous do wondrously and ascended in the flame up into heaven for the strengthning of Manoahs faith and for the confirmation of the truth of his promise The other was when Eliah for confirmation of the true religion and extirpation of idolatry called for fire from Heaven which consumed the sacrifice and licked up the water in the Trench round about the Altar Then did the Lord manifest himself to be the only God that all superstitions and will-worship is the invention of mans braine And in the New Testament I reade that as on this day the Holy Ghost the third person in the blessed Trinity descended from heaven and sate upon the heads of 120 men and women assembled and prepared as a sacrifice acceptable to God with unity charity and devotâ—on in the likenesse of cloven fiery tongues then did God the Sonne worke wonderfully in performing his promise by sending his dejected Disciples a holy Comforter by whose comming besides the internall joy and incredible alacrity and exultation of minde they received also fortitude and audacity to goe forth into the world They received the gift of tongues enabling them to converse and deale with all sorts of people They received wisdome and learning with most powerfull illumination in highest mysteries whereby to preach to teach and convince their adversaries They received the gift of prophesie to foretell things to come together with the power of working signes and miracles whereby the whole world remained astonied and for a taste or earnest penny of that which should ensue concerning the infinite increase of that little congregation they saw 3000 of their adversaries converted to them in one day by a Sermon of S. Peter But all the parâ—iculars of this story is so divinely performed by M. Austin that in his work as in a glasse I perceive my gifts of learning and devotion are as farre inferiour to his as the frothy filthy and carnall love in Venus is inferiour to the holy Spirit of Gods love Yet because I have oft found in Scripture that the Lord is pleased for the illumination of mans dark understanding to speake of himselfe as of a man attributing to himselfe eyes nose mouth armes hands feet c. And affections also as anger zeale joy love c. whereas these qualities are not properly in God for he is voide of corporeall habit being of an infinite and incomprehensible essence Therefore I was so presumptuously bold as in my former expressions to demonstrate the meritorious actions of our blessed Saviour by those forenamed Planets so in this day to write of this blessed spirit of Gods love as it hath correspondency with mans but finding my ability to be insufficient for such a work I conclude with the prayer for the day in these words Incomprehensible Spirit the third person in the blessâ—d and glorious Trinity who after the Father had manifested himselfe to the world in the works of creation and the sonne in the works of Redemption finished in the flesh diddest manifest thy selfe on this day in a wonderfull manner by the sound of a â—ushing winde and the light of fiery tongues manifest thy self most powerfully and gloriously in the universall Church by enlarging her bounds and making up her breaches by hallowing her assemblies and furnishing her Pastors and knitting the hearts of all her members in true love the bond of perfection perfect the work of sanctification in thine elect manifest thy selfe also gloriously this day declare thy gifts in the tongues of thy Preachers and eares of the hearers and the hearts of all the congregation Direct the mouthes of thy Preachers that they may skilfully sow the seed and open the eares and mollifie the hearts of the hearers that they may receive it profitably bring forth the fruits of the Spirit abundantly which are love joy peace long suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance c. O eternall and infinite Holy Ghost the love of the Father and the Sonne who diddest descend upon our Saviour in the likenesse of a Dove without Gall purge out of my conscience all gall of malice and bitternesse and grant that with meeknesse I may receive the ingrafted word which is able to save my soule O holiest Spirit eternall breath of the Father and the Sonne and former of the word in the womb who camest with a sound come downe upon me in the sound of thy word preached though not in extraordinary gifts of Prophesie tongues and he ling yet in the ordinary graces of faith hope and charity the spirit of supplication and prayer of wisdome and spirituall understanding of power and ghostly comfort O heavenly Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne who descendedst from Hâ—aven like a mighty rushing winde throw me downe to the ground inhumility and prostrate my heart soule before thee Bâ—at downe all strong holds of 〈…〉 nall maginati 〈…〉 and worldly thoughts resisting thy grace chase away all clouds of error out of my understanding cleare my wil from all fogs of noisome desires coole and refresh me in the heat of persecution fill the sailes of my affections and drive me speedily into the faire haven where I would be O divine fire burning continually