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
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
poison from the sweetest flowers But Bees draw Honey out of driest bowers I meane from bitterest things the honey flie Doth sucke much sweet Spiders in Roses lie Therefore though prying criticks prate their sill And thinke by envious words good deeds to spill And Momus-like to mocke to flout and jeere At me with envie ' cause I doe appeare In simple plainnesse yet I hope to be By wise Mecoenas lik't who out of me Though in my selfe I barren am and bare Will araw delicious and delightfull fare But what need I to feare detractors bent To none of those I hope I shall be sent Because my Authour will not have me prest In any print but what his Pen hath drest Except he be inforced thereunto Then what he would not that he must needs doe For he thinkes me unworthy to be showne To none but such as are ingenious knowne Cause as a Nosegay for his private use From famous Gardens he did me produce To give sweet sent and beautifie each part Of this rough worke and his affected heart And therefore if in Print you doe me see Blame not my Authour nor put fault in me The Pourtraiture of a Pious Man BEhold a Godly man that hath in heart True saving Faith Also in ev'ry part Of his affections is true and sincere Voide of hypocrisie and slavish feare From out his mouth doth gracious words proceed His eyes doe chiefly heav'nly objects heed His hands discharge his stewardships reckoning right His feet to walke in godly waies delight Heâ—'s mindfull of his death therefore his daies He takes account of how and in what waies He spends his time least that his godly light Should faintly blaze or be extinguisht quite And people doe delight to see his waies So full of good deeds to Gods glorious praise Yet is he humble for the good that he Doth doe he knowes to be a Gift most free Of Gods meere love and therefore doth despise The world the flesh and devill so the prize Of heav'nly blisse hâ— gaines that 's the Reward God gives the Saints for he doth most regard The pensive heart whose hope in Heav'n doth rest Thus is the man that 's truely Godly blest A preparatory prayer O Holy and everliving Lord God Infinite in Essence Glorious in Majesty terrible in Judgement and wonderfull in all thy waies how dare I a worme and no man of shallow judgment dull invention and brain-sick wit being as an Aery meteor in respect of those glorious starres men full-growne deepe judgements quicke inventions and ripe wits presume to write or speake of such holy mysteries in such unusuall tearmes as I here take in hand Certainely I must acknowledge it is thy onely worke in me and nothing in my unlearned selfe that hath induced me to undertake such a hard taske Therefore as thou hast thus graciously begun this worke in me so I hope and pray thou wilt magnifie thy power in my weakenesse and so strengthen and enable mee in the performance hereof that those who are more learned seeing and perusing this imperfect worke of mine may be induced to enforâ—e all their knowledge and skill to frame a more excellent worke to the praise of thy Name the â—difying of thy Church and salvation and consolation of thy chosen O Lord I pray Thee pardon and forgive aswell the errors and faults that I have committed in this Booke as all the grievous sinnes I have heretofore committed against thee from time to time in thought word and deed Give me I humbly beseech thee a true sight and feeling of them that the consideration therof may drive me to a serious hearty and timely Repentance for them O Lord increase my faith make it lively and operative in good workes for that purpose perfect thy love in me and my love to thy members make me now and ever thankefull for all blessings spirituall and temporall continually bestowed upon me and that for Jesus Christ his sake thy onely Sonne my alone Saviour to whome with Thee holy Father and thy blessed Spirit three Persons and one God be ascribed and given as most due is by me and all creatures all honour glory praise adoration obedience and thankesgiving from everlasting to everlasting Amen Let the words of my mouth and the Meditations of my heart be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Salomons Temple The figure of the Heauens and Elements 10 The first moveable Heavene 9 The Christaâ—ine Heaven 8 Leo * 4 ♋ Cancer * ♊ Gemini * 2 ♉ taurus * 1 ♈ Aries * 12 ♓ Pisâ—e * 11 â™’ Aqâ—*ar 10 ♑ Capri * 9 â™ Sagita * 8 â™ Scorp * 7 ♎ libra * 6 â™ virgo * 5 7 ♄ Saturne could and dry malevolent Lead 6 ♃ Iupiter hott and moyst Benevolent Tynne 5 ♂ Mars hott and dry Malevolent Iron 4 ☉ The sonne hott and dry Benevolent Gould 3 ♀ Venus Could and moist Benevolent copper 2 ☿ Mercury such as he is ioyned with Quick silver 1 ☾ The Moone could and moist Benevolent silver EARTH A generall Survey of this Annuall World THis insuing discourse may not unfitly bee compared unto the Temple of the Lord which King Solomon builded and would very well beseem the head and hand of such a workeman for finishing thereof for if he that was wisest that ever was or shall be did not disdaine to write of Trees from the Cedar in Lebanon to the Hisop on the wal would never have thought it any disparagement to and for ought I know did write of all the works of God from the base Centre of this earthly Tabernâ—cle to the highest Mansion of the heavenly Spheares For I doe ingenuously confesse and humbly acknowledge that this worke rather requires the skilfull Pensill of a rare Apelles to draw to the life or the learned quill of an eloquent Cicero to demonstrate to the full than my unworthy illiterate Pen or dul invention to describe Yet having by Gods enablement upon my weak endevours framed this rare structure in my minde I could not rest satisfied till I had writ what I had so rudely formed And so I have beene bold to compare it to King Solomons Temple for as in that rare Fabrick there were three courts the Outward Middle and Sanctum Sanctorum so likewise in this worke I doe observe three kindes or Species of Meditations The first as the outward Court are Meditations of the foure seasons of the Yeare the foure Elements and their effects The second as the middle Temple are Meditations of the seven Planets on those dayes that commemorate the meritorious workes of our Saviour Christ And the third as Sanctum Sanctorum are Meditations of the starry Christalline and first moving heaven on divers festivall dayes in the yeare Now as in Solomons Temple there was a porch or gate where being entred you might discerne the spaciousnesse of the outward court and the decent behaviour of the people attending upon the royall High Priest
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
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
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
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