that made the stout souldiers to bow their heads in humility the fruitlesse and barren Publican to bear the fruit of Charity and all the common people to cry out with an unanimous consent What shall we doe This is the Angell of the Lord sent as a Messenger before his face to prepare his wayes he that was borne after a supernatural manner lived an austere angelicall life clad in course and rough habite fed with spare diet And after one yeare in his ministerial office for testifying the truth to fulfill the wicked desires of a lewd struÌ„pet prompt by her bloody mother when hee was little more than one and thirty yeares of age by the commandement of cruel Herod was beheaded in the Tower of Macherus which was a Towne of Peraea beyond Jordan twenty miles from Jerusalem towards the East scituated on a high Mountain which Townes name being derived from Machera signifies a sword and Iohn dyed by a sword Thus was this light withdrawne this lampe extinguished and this star clouded But all this is so excellently performed by Mr. Austin that the lustre of his bright Sun hath eclipsed this my star which inforceth me to conclude as hee doth in the Collect of the Church saying Almighty God by whose providence thy servant Iohn Baptist was wonderfully borne and sent to prepare the way of thy Son our Saviour by preaching of Penance make me so to follow his doctrine and holy life that I may truly repent according to his preaching and after his example constantly speake the truth boldly rebuke vice and patiently suffer for the truths sake through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen On the Feast of Saint Matthew THe next light after the Baptist in the Evangelical firmament I place the first of the Evangelists for which it may be some of the upholders of the universall Bishops Soveraignty will cavill with me because I doe not set the prime Apostle S. Peter in the first place For though Saint Matthew was the first Writer yet it may bee said Saint Peter was the first Preacher after the Ascension of our Lord as is evident in the first and second of the Acts. And there hath been as glorious lights Preachers as Writers But yet for that the History of the Gospell is the foundation of all writing and preaching I will begin with Saint Matthew who wrote his Gospel before the other three as is evident by Revel 6. 1. For when Christ which is the Lamb there mentioned had opened the sealed doctrine of our redemption in the first yeare of his ministeriall office to the six and thirtieth yeare after his birth one of the foure Beasts which by interpretours is Matthew writes his Gospell in the Hebrew tongue and in the mighty stile of Gods thundring Spirit set out the same willing all Nations to come and see viz. approach and consider it About which time in accomplishment of the second verse Christ and his Apostles passe out and preach to all the testimony of the Gospell shooting the arrowes of zeale to pierce all godly hearts which is prefigured in him that sate on the white horse crowned with victory and triumphantly conquering and overcomming the world And that S. Matthew is one of the four beasts is evident for both Ezekiel in his first chapter and S. Iohn in his fourth makes mention that one of the beasts had a face like a man which by all interpreters is applyed to Matthew because hee begins his first face or leafe with the genealogie of Christ as he is man of the seed of David by the Virgin Mary And the Prophet Ezekiel writing in Hebrew to the Hebrewes saith the first face of one of the foure beasts was as the face of a man meaning S. Matthew wrote first in Hebrew But the Prophet S. John writing in Greeke to the Grecians saith the first beast had the face of a Lion meaning S. Marke who wrote first in Greek S. Matthew was the third whose Gospell when S. Iohn wrote his was translated out of Hebrew into Greek Another reason why S. Matthews Gospell is set first is because he being an Apostle was to give light and open the way to the rest as S. Iohns Gospell is set last because being an Apostle he might give authority and confirme the former two which were Disciples and writ their Gospell Saint Marke by the instruction and approbation of S. Peter and S. Luke by the authority of S. Paul Saint Matthew setting downe his owne story is so farre from flattery that he cals himselfe Matthew the Publican and tels how he was called to be an Apostle as he was sitting at the receipt of custome which text is excellently expounded in M. Austins divine Meditations And as some report it was in Caesarea Philippi where likewise Christ cured the woman afflicted with the bloody issue 12 yeares by the touch of the hemme of his garment It is likewise related that S. Matthew having writ his Gospel delivered it to Iames the Lords brother then Bishop of Jerusalem preached the Gospell in Aethiopia now called the Kingdome of Presbyter-Iohn and was entertained by the Eunuch Chamberlaine to the Quâ—ene Candace whereof there is mention in the Acts. He prevailed so much that Aeglippus the King of Aethiopia and his people came to baptisme But there reigned after him one Hyrtacus which hated the Apostle and commanded him to be runne through with a sword But some say he was runne through with a speare at Hierapolis in Parthia where he was honourably buried so that he did not only write the Testament of his Lord but for confirmation of the truth thereof sealed it with his blood What may be further writ concerning this blessed Apostle I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day as the Church hath set it in her Liturgy saying Almighty God which by thy blessed Sonne didst call Matthew from the receipt of custome to be an Apostle and Evangelist grant me grace to forsake all covetous desires and inordinate love of riches and to follow thy said son Jesus Christ who liveth and reigneth with thee and thy holy Spirit three persons and one God now and for ever Amen On S. Markes-day THe next fundamentall light that appeared in the Evangelicall Sphere was S. Marke as appeares in the third and fourth verses of the sixth of the Revelation For when the second Beast or Gospell began to invite men to the perusall thereof then there went out another horse which was red and power was given to him that sate theron to take peace from the earth and that they should kill one another and there was given unto him a great sword which is thus paraphrased At that time proceeded tyrannous and bloody magistrates sitting in the seat of tyranny to whom power was given to persecute Gods Saints on earth and to deprive them of peace by causing all men to kill them abusing so the sword of Justice that God had given them And this was
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
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
world fell out the like and must needs bee granted by his chiâ—fest enemies to be supernaturall The second point is of externall things and facts done by Jesus above all power of humane ability in the sight knowledge of all the Jewes which facts were published by our Evangelists and especially by Saint Matthew in the Hebrew tongue while yet the persons were alive upon whom they were wrought or infinite other that might be witnesses thereof As for example the raising of Lazarâ—s in Bethania that was a Village but a mile or two distant from Ierusalem at whose death and buriall being a Gentleman many Scribes and Pharisees must needs be present according to the Iewish custome at that time and they saw him both deceased interred and the funerall feast observed for him as also raised againe from death by Iesus after foure dayes of his buriall with whom they did eat and drink and converse after his returne to life and every day might behold him walking up and downe in the streets of Ierusalem This story could not be feined So in like manner the raising of the Archi-Synagogues daughter whose name is affirmed to be Iairus with divers other circumstances that do make the thing most notorious The raising of the widowes sonne before the gate of the City Naim in the prefence of all the people that bore the said corps and stood about it the healing of â—he Cripple in Ierusalem that had laine thirty and eight yeares lame at the Pooles side or Bath called Probatica which miracle was done also in the sight of infinite people The casting out a legion of devils from a man that for many yeares was knowne to live in the mountaines the feeding and filling of five thousand men beside women and children at one time and four thousand at another with a small parcell of bread and a few fishes The turning of water into wine at a mariage in Cana in the presence of all the ghests the healing of him by a word only that had an incurable dropsie and this at the table of a principall Pharisee and in the sight of all that sate at dinner with him the giving sight to him that was borne blinde well knowne to many These and divers other such miracles which were done in the sight and presence of an infinite number of people and recorded by our Evangelists at such times when many desired to discredit the same and might have done easily by many witnesses and authority If any one part thereof had beene subject to calumniation cannot in reason or probability be doubted of And last of all though more occult and secret yet not the least but rather the greatest miracle that ever Christ did in his life is his fasting forty dayes and forty nights typified in the fast of Moses and Elias recorded by three Evangelists for confirmation of the truth thereof And all that while was tempted of the Devill as S. Luke expressely saith being forty dayes tempted of the devill yet some thinke hee endured all those sharpe temptations in one day whom in the end he overcame with his own weapons And this hapned upon him presently after he was baptized of Iohn Baptist so saith S. Marke Immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wildernesse And I note it the rather because it is the usuall custome of Sathan now in these dayes to deale with the servants as he dealt with the Lord. As soone as they begin to consecrate their endeavours to the service of God the devill by the winde of promotion the allurements of pleasures or spur of worldly profit drives them into the wildernesse of worldly affaires where they remaine long ere they can get out of the entanglements of many thorny cares and anxieties of minde How this wildernesse was called the Evangelist doth not specifie but it is thought to bethe desert of Araâ—ia Pâ—traea and that our Saviour fasted upon the mountaine of Sinai where Moses and Elias fasted foâ—ty dayes and forty nights for there was no place more fit for Sâ—tlâ—an to tempt our Saviour in then where the Law was delivered which is the power of sinne for although the Son of God was without sin yet he took upon him the sinnes of all the world And so our Saviour Christ according to coÌ„mon computation continued in this desert from the seventh of October to the sixteenth of November which was forty daies and forty nights And upon the seventeenth of November hungred And then the devill with an extraordinary boldnesse carried him from mount Sina with great violence through the aire and set him upon the top of a pinacle of the temple which was so exceeding high that whosoever looked downe from it into the valley of Cedron their eyes dazâ—led and it seemed as though there had been clouds in the bottome of the valley for it was six hundred foot from the bottome to the top From this place the devill bad our Saviour throw himselfe downe after the devill set Christ upon an exceeding high mountaine but what hill it was or how it was called the Evangelist doth not set downe but it is to be thought it was the high mountaine Nebo which was also called Pisgah and stood twenty foure miles from Ierusalem Eastward where God shewed unto Moses all the land of Canaan beyond Iordan And in this place the devill shewed our Saviour the Kingdomes of the world and the glory of them saying All these will I give thee c. Now our Church hath piously set a part this annuall fast to begin as on this day in commemoration of that fast of our Saviour for by our conformity we shew whose servants we are even his whose works we imitate and that abstinence from usuall repast might be a meanes to quicken our resolutions against the receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper at Easter for though fasting in it selfe be no religious act in which the immediate worship of God consists For the kingdome of God as the Apostle saith consisteth not in meat and drinke yet it is a religious act as accessary to the worship serving as a help or preparative to faith prayer c. And so may be called a good work And therefore in all Churches and in all Ages since the Apostles time it hath beene piously observed as is learnedly demonstrated in divers treatises extant in English Now why this day is called Ashwednesday is for that the Christians in the Primitive times retained many of the Heathens and Jewish ceremonies as Iobs friends sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven the King of Nineveh and Queen Esther with the Iewes sate in ashes to expresse their sorrow so they to expresse their own vilenesse and unworthinesse cast ashes on their heads But this was an unnecessary ceremony and therfore in the reformed Churches well dismissed So now I conclude this dayes meditation with that divine prayer of Doctor Featelies in these words Oh let not my Lord be angry that I who am but
accomplished at that time when S. Steven suffered martyrdome and Iames the brother of Iohn was beheaded for Christs sake for even then and from thenceforth the Roman Magistrates and Synagogue of the Jewes never stinted from persecuting and putting to death all true Christians That Marke is the second Beast spoken by Ezekiel and the first by S. Iohn that had a face like a Lion is plaine because hee begins his first face or leafe at the voice like a roaring Lion in the wildernesse prepare the way of the Lord c. S. Marke is noted by Dorotheus to be one of the seventy Disciples and was very attentive unto the preaching of S. Peter from whom at the earnest perswasions of many zealous Christians he wrote his Gospell in Greek And S. Peter makes mention of him in the last Chapter of his first Epistle in these words the Church of Babylon elected together with you saluteth you and Marke my sonne and yet this Evangelist is most copious in setting downe particularly how S. Peter thrice denyed his Lord and Master He was the first Bishop of Alexandria and preached the Gospell in all the bordering Regions from Egypt unto Pentapolis and as some affirme in the reigne of Trajan the Emperour others and they more probably in the beginning of the reigne of Nero had a Cable rope tyed about his neck and by that drawne through the streets of Alexandria that his flesh was rent in pieces the stones coloured with his blood and in the end he burned to ashes by those furious Idolaters and was buried at Bucolus a place in the said City For what may be written more concerning Marke I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which haâ—t instructed thy holy Church with the heavenly doctrine of thy Evangelist S. Marke give me grace that I may not be like a little childe carried away with every blast of vain doctrine but be firmely established in the truth of thy Gospell through Jesus Christ my Lord Amen On S. Lukes day THe third fundamentall light that shewed the history of Christ is S. Luke And that he was the third is plaine by the 6 Revel 5. 6. For after the third sealed weeke which was the 43 after the birth of Christ S. Luke the third Beast wrote his Gospell and published it that all men might come and see At which time there fell a great universall famine of corne which Agabus prophesied and foretold should come to passe among the Apostles Disciples and the whole Church In this dearth the bushell of wheat was sold for five accustomed prices and the bushell of barley for three All which was prefigured by him that sate on the black horse with ballances in his hand and the voice that spake in the midst of the foure beasts saying A measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barley for a penny So that this agrees with S. Luke in three respects First in that he is the third Beast in Ezekiel the second in S. Iohn with a face like a Bull because he beginneth his face or first leafe at Zacharias offering incense as it were a bullock at the Altar Secondly Because he wrote at this time And thirdly because he makes relation of the famine that then hapned 11 Acts 28 29 30. He was a follower of all the Apostles in their Peregrination but especially of S. Paul who makes mention of him in two of his Epistles once to the Col. 4. chap. and 14. verse Luke the beloved Physitian saluteth you and in 2 Tim. 4. 11. only Luke is with me By birth he was of Antioch but by profession a Physitian and he hath left us proofes of his skill in two volumes medicinable for our soules health one of the Gospell which he reporteth to have published according as he records it of them which from the beginning were beholders and ministers of this doctrine so that he searched all from the originall The other of the Acts of the Apostles where he compiled not only the things that he heard with his ears but also the things which he saw with his eyes And of Paul some say that he accustomed to mention the Gospell of S. Luke when he spake as of his owne saying according to my Gospel 2 Tim. 2. 8. And though S. Luke was scholer and dependant of S. Paul yet he alone of all others makes mention of the differences of Paul and Barnabas and in the story of Saint Stephens death after all his narration ended he added a clause which in humane judgement might have beene left out to wit Saul was consâ—nting and culpable of Stephens death whereby wee may perceive most perspicuously that as these Evangelists were plaine sincere and simple and fâ—rre from presuming to devise any thing of themselves so were they religious and had scruple to passe over or leave out any thing of the truth in favour of themselves or any other whatsoever Whether S. Luke dyed a naturall death or a violent I cannot finde only Dorotheus saith hee died at Ephesus and was there buried Therefore I leave the further lustre of him as of the rest of those glorious starres to the curious search of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which calledst Luke the Physitian whose praise is in the Gospell to be a Physitian of the soule it may please thee by the wholesome medicine of his doctrine to heale all the diseases of my soule through thy sonne Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen On S. John the Evangelist SAint Iohn was the last fundamentall light that shined in the Evangelicall Hemisphere as is manifest by the forecited place of his Revelations For when he set forth his Gospell which was betweene the 50 yeares and 57 after Christs Nativity the pale Horse which by Interpreters signifies heresies among the people bringing therewith the death of the soule and procuring hell and eternall damnation began to arise who spake against the divinity of Christ Wherefore S. Iohn for the suppressing and conviction of the heresies of Cerinthus Nicholaus Ebion Elymas the Sorcerer and other certaine Pharisaicall Hereticks wrote his Gospell which beginneth at the description of Christs divinity But they not forsaking their hereticall opinions God sent his plagues against Judea and other parts of Asia the quarter of the earth where these heresies reigned That S. Iohn is the fourth beast that had a face like an Eagle is likewise evident because he beginneth his first face or lease at the high and divine essence of Christs God-head flying so high in his stile that hee is compared to an Eagle Saint Iohn was the brother of Iames who were both the sonnes of Zebedeus who was a Fisher-man and were called by Christ when they were in the ship with their Father mending their nets At which time as some relate Saint Iohn was but one and twenty years of age This Apostle was so beloved
Ascention of Christ he made the first Oration to the eleven for the choice of an Apostle in the place of Iudas And after the feast of Pentecost he made the first Sermon by which 3000 souls were added to the Church After that he healed the lame man at the Temple gate for which he and Iohn were brought before the Councell Then is shewed in the fifth of the Acts how God by him punished the hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira After is declared how he was sent by the Apostles with Iohn to preach in Samaria where for ought I know he withstood Simon Magus and not at Rome as some affirme In the sixth yeare after the Resurrection of Christ he went to Lidda and cured Aeneas who had bin sick of the Palsey eight yeares From thence he went to Ioppa raised Tabitha from death And in the seventh yeare after the Resurrection he came to Cesarea Strato where he preached the Gospell to Cornelius the Centurion and baptized him and his whole family In the eleventh yeare after the Resurrection hee was cast into prison and set at liberty by an Angell About five yeares after he was at the councell of the Apostles in Jerusalem And the yeare following went into Antioch of which place he was the first Bishop and the Disciples there the first Christians and being at Babylon writ his first Epistle to the strangers that dwelt in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia Yet it is reported in Ecclesiasticall histories that Peter came from Antioch to withstand Simon Magus at Rome and there kept the Chaire 25 yeares 12 under Claudius and 13 under Nero. He opposed Simon Magus once in restoring a Noble man to life and another time when hee was going to flye into the Aire Peter brought him down with his wings headlong to the ground by which fall his legs and joynts were broken and he thereupon dyed But there are divers of the learned that affirme that Peter never came to Rome at all as may be gathered out of those five Epistles which S. Paul writ from Rome being there a Prisoner and in the conclusion of them names all his friends but never makes mention of Peter in any one of them which were written about the fifth yeare of the reigne of Nero. And when he writes to the Romans which was the second yeare of Nero hee never makes mention of any salutation to Peter which if he had beene then Bishop of that place he would not have omitted And if ever Peter were at Rome at all he came thither after the last imprisonment of S. Paul and a few dayes before his martyrdome but whether it was that he was martyred at Rome by the command of Nero or at Ierusalem by the appointment of King Agrippa or as some say at Babylon it is not materiall But certaine it is that hee was crowned with the wreath of martyrdome and was crucified with his head downeward and his feet upward which death hee chose because he confessed himselfe to be unworthy to suffer in the same manner and forme as his Lord suffered And it is reported by some when his wife was led to suffer martyrdome as he hung upon the crosse others say as hee went out of doores he greatly rejoyced and encouraged her calling her by name saying Be of good comfort and remember the Lord Iesus The truth of all which stories I leave to the consideration of the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day Almighty God which by thy Sonne Iesus Christ hast given many excellent gifts to thy Apostle S. Peter and commandedst him earnestly to feed thy flock Make I beseech thee all Bishops and Pastors diligently to follow the same to preach thy holy word and the people obediently to follow the same that they may receive the crowne of everlasting glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen Saint Andrew SAint Matthew and Saint Luke place this Apostle next to his Brother S. Peter because as some affirme they were first called to the Apostleship Yet this blessed starre for many other rare graces related of him by the Evangelists and other authors may well have precedency before others First for his earnest desire to draw other men to the knowledge of Christ for when he heard it of Iohn the Baptist he presently called his Brother Simon Iohn 1 40. After when the Grecians desired to see Christ he with Philip made him acquainted therewith and last of all he spent much labour time in preaching Christ to the barbarous Scythians Saxons and other Aethiopians Secondly for his ready willingnesse to follow Christ and be his Disciple for as Iesus passed by the Sea of Galilee he saw him with his brother casting a net into the sea for they were fishers And he no sooner called them but they left their nets and presently followed him And lastly for his constant perseverance in the ministeriall office he deserved this priority of place for having a long time preached the Gospell to divers barbarous nations was threatned by Aegeas King of the Edessians that if he would not surcease preaching Christ he should be crucified as his Lord was on the crosse To whom hee gave this answer and boldly said That he would not have preached the honour and glory of the crosse if he had feared the crosse And seeing the crosse afarre off with a lively and cheerefull countenance said O crosse most welcome and long looked for with a willing minde joyfully and desirously I come to thee being the Scholler of him who did hang on thee because I have beene ever thy lover and coveted to imbrace thee so being crucified gave up the ghost fell a sleepe and was buried in Patris a City in Achaia And this is all the description that my search in Antiquity can make of this starre The further amplification thereof I leave to the learned and conclude with the prayer for the day saying Almighty God which didst give such grace unto thy Apostle Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of thy Son Jesus Christ and followed him without delay grant that I being called by thy holy word may forth with give over my selfe to follow thy holy Commandement through the same Iesus Christ my Lord. S. Philip and Iames. THe reason as I conceive why the lustre of these two starres are by the order of the Church conjoyned together on this day is because they and S. Peter only are not displaced in their order by all the Evangelists for Peter is the first Philip the fifth and Iames the ninth in the nomination of them together And as it is very plaine that Peter and Andrew Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedeus were the foure Apostles that were first called so it is likewise conspicuous that Philip was the fift for the twice two brethren were called in one day as Matthew Mark note but Philip was called the day after as S. Iohn saith expresly the day following Iesus found Philip and
said unto him follow me Therefore as the fifth Apostle I fix him in this starry firmament He was of Bethsaida the City of Andrew and Peter and was no sooner called himselfe but hee went and found out Nathaneel and said unto him we have found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and the Prophets Iesus the Sonne of Ioseph of Nazareth A rare example of a godly minde that being converted labours to convert others and though he himselfe as some note was unlearned yet doth adventure to draw and allure the learned to the knowledge of Christ for some affirme that Nathaneel was a learned man and also this shewes that by weak meanes God can work great miracles and by the foolishness of preaching work faith in the heart which only saves a soule from eternall damnation After it is related by Iohn that the Greeks that came up to worship at the feast came to Philip and said Sir we would see that Iesus who told Andrew and they two told Iesus for it seems Philip durst not tell him alone lest Christ should aske him some question which he could not well answer as he had tried him before by this question when hee saw a great multitude about 5000 follow him into the wildernesse whence shall we buy bread that these may eat yet not long after he of himselfe shewed his own simplicity and ignorance for Christ having spoken of the knowledge of God the Father he interrupts him and bursts out with this question shew us thy Father and it sufficeth In the sixth of the Acts is related that he was chosen one of the seven Deacons in the eighth of the Acts is shewed how hee preached the word of God wrought wonders and healed divers diseases among the people in Samaria how he baptized Simon Magus and converted the Aethiopian Eunuch And in the 21 of the Acts it is declared that he had foure Daughters Virgins and Prophetesses and that Paul abode in his house at Cesarea Philippi for many dayes and some write that he was crucified at Hieropolis where he and his daughters were honourably buried Thus having described what I finde concerning the first of these Starres I should now shew the lustre of the second the ninth Apostle S. James Alpheus Brother to Simon and Jude and called the brother of the Lord for it was usuall with the Hâ—brewes to call their kinsmen brethren so Lot being the sonne of Haran Abrahams brother was by Abraham called brother Gen. 13. 8. And Iacob being the sonne of Rebecca Labans sister was called brother by Laban Gen. 20. 15. And so this Iames and Joses and Simon and Judas being the Virgin Maries sisters sonne was by the Iewes called Christs brethren in a scornefull manner Mat. 13. 55. And S. Paul in 1 Gal. 6. makes mention of this Apostle saying I saw none of the Apostles save Iames the brother of the Lord. He was by the Apostles chosen to be Bishop of Ierusalem for so saith an ancient Father Peter Iames and Iohn after the assumption of our Saviour though they were preferred by the Lord yet challenged not this prerogative to themselves but appointed Iames the Iust Bishop of Ierusalem He continued in the said See 30 years and wrote the Canonicall Epistle which beares his name And at the last wore the crowne of Martyrdome The story of whose life and death I find exquisiâ—ely written after this manner following Iames the brother of Christ took in hand the governement of the Church after the Apostles termed a just and a righteous man of all men from the time of our Saviour unto us for many other were called Iames besides him but this man was holy from his mothers wombe He dranke neither wine nor strong drink neither ate any creature wherein there was life He was neither shaven neither anointed neither did he use bath unto him alone was it lawfull to enter into the holy places he used no wollen vesture but wore a Sindone and alone frequented hee the Temple so that he was oft-times found prostrate on his knees praying for the sins of the people His knees were after the guise of a Camels knee benumm'd and bereft of the sense of feeling by reason of his continuall kneeling in supplication to God and petition for the people For the excellency of his righteousnesse he was called Iust and Oblias which soundeth by interpretation the bulwark or defence of the people in righteousnesse as prophesies do go of him When divers asked him touching the Heresies among the people which was the gate or doore of Iesu he answered the same to be the Saviour by whose meanes they beleeved Iesus to be the Christ but the foresaid heresies acknowledge neither resurrection nor the coÌ„ming of any Iudge which shall reward to every one according to his works for as many as beleeved they beleeved by meanes of Iames. When many of the Princes were perswaded there arose a tumult of the Iewes Scribes and Pharisees saying It is very dangerous lest the whole people looke after this Iesus as though hee were Christ and being gathered together they said to Iames we pray thee stay this people for they erre in Iesu as though hee were true Christ We pray thee perswade this people which frequent to the feast of the Passeover concerning Iesu for we all obey thee yea we and all the people testifie of thee that thou art just and respectest not the person of any man perswade therefore this multitude that they erre not in Iesu for the whole multitude and wee obey thee stand therefore upon the Pinnacle of the Temple that thou mayest be seene aloft and that thy word my be heard plainly of all the people for because of this Passeover all the Tribes are met together with the Gentiles The foresaid Scribes and Pharisees place Iames upon the Pinacle of the Temple and shouted unto him and said Thou just man at whose commandement we all are here in so much as this people is seduced after Iesus who was crucified declare unto us which is the way or doore of Jesus crucified And hee answered with a loud voice Why aske yee mee of Iesus the Son of Man when as he sitteth at the right hand of the great power in Heaven and shall come in the clouds of the Aire When as hee had perswaded many so that they glorified God at the testimony of Iames and said Hosanna in the highest to the Sonne of David then the Scribes and Pharisees said among themselves wee have done very ill in causing such a testimony of Iesus to be brought forth but let us climbe up and take him to the end the people being stricken with feare may renounce his faith And they shouted again saying O O and the Iust also is seduced and they fulfilled the Scripture which saith in Esay Let us remove the Just for hee is a stumbling block unto us wherefore they shall gnaw the buds of their owne workes They climbed up and threw Iustus
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