with Iob that thou mayest a little bewaile thy dolours push forth thy teares of griefe and make them flowe in abundaunce for laughlng thou descendest to hel but murning thou ascendest to heauen Wilt thou haue Christ dwel with thee mourn Wilt thou haue Christe dwell in thee mourne Wilt thou haue sinne mortified in thee mourn Wilt thou haue grace plentyfull in thee mourne O remember that Peter after hee had bewayled his apostasie found greater grace by his teares than hee lost by his deniall Looke on Dauid the adulterer hee weepeth and is restored Look on Agar the desolate she weepeth and is comforted Looke on weeping Anne she recouereth her barrennesse Looke on mourning and weeping Iob hee ouercommeth his temptations mourning Ieremie prophesieth the mourning Publicane is iustifyed and mourning Ioseph is deliuered Oh teares of great worth working great thinges with GOD. By teares Marie obtayned the pardon of her sinnes by teares shee obtained the resurrection of her deade brother for her teares sake the Angelles came and comforted her for her teares sake our Sauiour first appeared and shewed himselfe vnto her Great is the vertue and power of teares which tie the handes of the omnipotent ouercome the inuincible appease the wrath and indignation of the Iudge and doth change and conuert it into mercie Hee that standeth on a profound and deepe pit sayeth the Philosopher seeth the stars at noonstead where hee that standeth on the face of the earth seeth not one starre in so great a light In like maner he that is placed in the deapth of humilitie teares sighs and tribulation sigheth to heauen and summoneth God by his cries but hee that standeth in the light of this worlde and in the brightnesse of worldlye lasciuiousnesse can see no star or retaine anie grace Shall I teach you how to bewaile Christ First loue him for loue vniteth things together drawing all mans interest from himself and placing it in another when thou art conuerted into Christ then mayest thou truely bewaile him For the losse of things then neerest touch vs when they are best knowee vnto vs. Those that are one in affection are one in passiō one in desires one in teares one in loue one in sorrow one in minde one in martyrdome mockers martyr Christ penitents weep for him blasphemeis crucifie him the sorrowfull are comforted by him O men learne and vnderstand this our Lord suffered of will not of necessitie and hee indured of commiseration we in condition his voluntarie passion therefore is our necessarie consolation that being afflicted as hee was we may be confident as he was Will you know the hunger and thirst of this aduocate Ahlasse hee scarce found one theese on the gallowes whome hee might taft his Apostles are fled from him and hid them in the throng Peter that promised to perseuer till death hath denied him Wherevpon then shall hee feed if all soules flie him Nay howe can hee hope orf loue where none weep for him Oh man thou art made iust by the iustice of God Thou art saued gtatis and not by thy graces thou hast none to flie to but to him in necessities thou hast no life but it proceedeth from him vnder the Sunne thou hast nothing but watching sleeping eating drinking hunger thirst growth weaknes infancy childhood youth age and all these hee gaue thee Aboue the Sunne thou hast inuisible faith inuisible hope inuisible charitie inuisible bountie inuisible feare in holynesse which he willingly offereth thee Oh then giue him teares for his treasures a small interest for so great riches Oh yee sinful race of men what are you but a sacke of necessities Ahlasse what necessities are these Not to knowe anothers heart to thinke ill oftentimes of a faithfull friend to thinke well oftentimes of a dissembling enemie O hard necessitie yet another harder Thou knowest not what thou shalt be tomorow O greatest miserie yet another harder Thou must needes die O harde necessitie not to wyll that which thou canst not escape In this confusion what canst thou man Whether art thou carried How art thou bannished Crie and crie out vnhappie man that I am who shall deliuer mee from these Who shall aunswere thee Who shall helpe thee Not ambition for it is blinde not lust for it hastens death not wrath for it subdueth reason not the infirmities of the world for they are all fraile It must be humble Iesus then that must heal these imperfectious recouer these necessities determine these daungers to whom thou no sooner canst offer teares but he sodainly sendeth remedies Oh what hart can bee so hardned What mind so obdurate What soul so sensles that beholding a prince in his owne kingdome amongst his owne subiects massacred by his owne sonne wil not grieue at it by how much reason then ō you bond slaues of sinne should you be sorrowfull that see a prince not slaughtered in his owne kingdome but vniustly murthred in the world not among his subiectes but his brethien not by his sonnes onely but sonnes seruants and liegemen nay which is more not for his owne offence his owne default his owne errour but for their sinnes onely who persecute him onely Oh wonderful charitie Christ spreadeth his armes to imbrace those that spit at him openeth his woūds to intertain those that will enter offereth his bloud to ran some them that shedde it giueth his flesh to bee eaten to those that mangled it he praieth for theyr offences that fastned him to the crosse he made their sinnes his sinne that hee might make his iustice their iustice Oh if there be anie kindnesse in thee man thinke on these benefits looke looke about thee consider the waight of thy offences which stops the Fathers cares though the sonne crieth Make Christ sweat water and bloud for verie agonie in bearing them make heauen and earth and all creatures breake out in miracles to beholde them Iob vppon the deuils request was lefte to him to bee tempted and after his long patience receiued blessinges two folde but our Lord was whipte and no man helped him foulely spit vppon and no man succoured him lewdly buffetted and no man regarded him crowned with thornes and no man pittied him nailed to the crosse and no man deliuered him hee cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and was not succored Why oh good Iesu whence came these thinges For what cause sufferedst thou all this To what end are all these torments Why cryed the Iewes Crucifie crucifie Why wert thou poured out like water Why were all thy bones dispearsed Why became thy heart like melting wax Why cleaued thy tong to thy roof Why diuided they thy garments cast lots on thy vesture O Christ the sonne of God if thou wouldest not thou shuldest not haue suffred shew vs therfore the fruit of this thy passion It was thy sinne O sinner that caused this it was thy disobedience to God that was punished in Gods sonne to
the faithfull Yours T. L. ERRATA Io A 4 page li. 18 for sonne hath died read son died In the 6 p li 14 for sonne read syen in the 7 li 4 for rest read rest l 19 for lost read lest p 8 l. 8 for queen read quiet p. 9 l 16 17 read one indiuided graue might burie two indiuid p 10 l 16 hart read hearse p 12 l 4 for dissolution read desolation In C p 8 li 3 for a tree read fiue p 10 li 11 read them beeing reproued p 13 l 17 desires read disasters In D p 16 Odâ—tus read Odilus E In p 1 l 20 mortuam read mortuum THE TEARES of MARIE the mother of Christ. AS soone as our Sauioure had paide the tribute of our redemption on the tree of the Crosse and suffered in the flesh for the offences of fleshly men iust and compassionate Ioseph with his associates who had begged the bodie and taken the true Isaac from the pile of the sacrifice wrapped the prison of Christs eternitie in fayre linnen clothes addressing himselfe to beare him to his sepulchre but Mary the maiden mother who during the time of his passion had welnigh emptied all the riuers of her compassion rifled the treasures of her remorse to lament her sonnes most tragike martyrdome accompanying her deuotion with their duty as they wrapt him shee wept him as fitie zeale assisted their hands sounding griefe wrought on hir heart her eie grudged at that their hands did execute and hir eyes onely griefe was so vehement that they executed themselues in executing griefe Ahlas amiable Ladie howe satest thou like the desolate turtle weeping thy make How many legions of miseries were armed against thy sole singular patience Thy dead ioyes gaue thy sorows fâ—â—ck sorrow was so actiue in thee as if thou hadst bin wholy resolued into sorrowe They that beheld thy griefe were amazed to beholde it yet thou in suffring it thoughtest all to little for him thou sufferedst Thou flaming bush replenished with fire yet neuer burning thou flourishing rod of Aaron swiftly springing thou lock of Gedeon filled with celestiall dew how neere neighbours were thy lips to the dere lips of thy sonne How redy were thy handes to discouer thy cause of griefe to the end thou mightest couer those lims which did coÌ„fort thee in life Thornes could not let thee froÌ„ kissing his torne face froÌ„ his dead countenance grew thy disconsolate comfort The suppose of what hee was made thee greeue that so he is the hope of that he would be gouerned and bridled the sorrow wherein thou wouldest be Ah faire among the daughters of Sion hee that had seene thy cheeks like clusters of grapes in Engaddi become more pale than the frosty face of Apennine hee that had seene the mother imbrued in the bloud of her Sonne the Son bedewed with his mothers teares coulde hee leaue off teares except hee had for sworne them Oh ye Angels of peace weep with this virgin mourne heauens droup starres the Lord of heauen hath suffered and Marie sigheth for him the Sonne hath dyed for all the mother deads her heart with sorow for the Lorde of all his dead bodie is the mirror of her losse her liuely griese is the motion and spirite of her loue she exclaimes on cuerie sense but they forsake their offices his eies will not beholde her his tongue will not salute her his handes will not imbrace her his eares will not heare her yet yeldeth her charitie such vigour to all her senses that in looking on him shee seemeth to giue his dead eie a second sight his deaf eare a relenting attention his senselesse armes and hands a habite of imbrace only seeing the tong the vnkindest member in requiting her she betrothed her tongue to complaint and thus most pensiuely lamented O my God lend mine eyes a well of teares for they must weepe a worlde of wrongs Let the voice of my complaintes pearce the heauens and let the centre shake to heare my shriks Ahlas this day must I be tender hauing as many sorrows to weepe for as daies to liue and no daie to liue that hath not his legion of sorrowes Mine eyes breake my heart when I consider what my heart must discharge by mine eyes Oh Lord thou seest my wrong take thou my cause vpon thee for an infinite passion is required to lament my infinite losse I am the tygresse depriued of her young whelp the sacred tree that haue lost my sonne that altar of heauen who want my sacrifice the throne of Salomon who faile my king the orientall gate who lacke the bridegrome I am the root of Iesse the high mountain the ladder of Iacob the propitiatorie the tower of Dauid the terrestrial paradise yet am I not in this that I want my braunch I lack my increase I faile of my Angell I am'depriued of my tenant I am robbed of my keeper and rest of my citizen Come yee daughters of Ierusalem and weepe with mee beholde hee that leadeth captiuitie captiue is nowe a captiue and I in looking on am a caitiue Beholde the golde that was bright is become dimme the doues eyes are growen darke the growing Lillye is quite choaked by thornes weepe yee foolish virgins your bridegroome is parted Feede with poore Marie on the bread of tribulation for I haue lost a sonne and you lost your Sauiour Ah looke with mee you iudiciall eyes of Israell beholde riches apparelled in pouertye beautie obscured in darknes charitie exemplified in death death crucified by charitie Beholde him whose beautie the Sunne Moon admire whose maiesty the heauens and earth reuerence whose wisedome yeeldes wisedome to the queene of Angels by whose beautie the colledge of all happie soules are maintained beholde him liuelesse to get you lyfe breathlesse for your benefite naked to giue you clothing wounded for your weal bleeding for your behest and can you chuse but weepe with the mother the losse of such a sonne Red waxe in the Sunne becommeth white hard diamondes in vineger waxe softe one Summer ripes many fruites since then the Sunne of iustice hath shined vpon you be ye mollified like waxe lenyified like diamonds tipened like fruite that the water of angels may drop from your eies that the fire of charitie may cause compassion distill from your braines so that weeping with me so great a losse as I weepe the world may know the want of him we weepe for I lifte not vp my voice with Esau to weepe hee found a brother I haue lost a sonne Iacob kissed Rachel and wept for ioy to see her I kisse the bodie of my sonne and weepe because I see him not Oh would my Rachel might bee his woundes woulde my concubine were his crosse would his winding cloathes were my wedding coats indiuided graue might bear to indiuided heartes The daughters of Israel wepte ouer Saul and hee a wicked king O yee daughters of Ierusalem weepe
you haue reiceiued by him yet grieue for him for my plentious griefe sake who haue lost all my ioye for your generall comfort Beholde these lippes are closed which were wont to vtter oracles of comfort those eyes are shut which neuer behelde your infirmities without flouds of compassion the handes are maymed which were liberallye opened to all good workes the feete are wounded that brought you tidinges of peace eache parte of him is thus mangled to amende you hurt to heale you galled to doo you good pearced to worke your profite And haue you no one teare to tender for his kindness Ah ingratefull that yee are and more insensible than beastes more cruell than tygers more harde than stones the Sunne put on mourning garmentes when my sonne suffered and shall not the swoorde of afflictions pearce your entrayles to beholde this tragedie The vaile of the Temple rent from the top to the bottome and will you not rent your heartes with ruth to regard his rent bodie The earth trembled for feare and wil you not weep for pittie Stones breake in sunder and shal not your stonie harts wax tender The dead for sooke their graues to grieue for him and shal not the liuing despise their delights to lament him Ah iust Abel thy bloud cryeth for reuenge and hath pearced heauen but it is dispersed and despised on earth Ah holy Ioseph thy bloudie coate hath broached a spring of remorse in Iacobs eies though thy brethren lament thee not The chosen Israelites mourn for their Sampson though the Philistians afflicte thee Oh men the Saints in heauen blesse this bodie you sinners on earth will not bewaile it the heauens shew his greatnes yet men on earth acknowledge not his goodnes the starres declare his diuinitie men decline not to see his dead humanitie the flowers of the fields testifie his beautie but the wormes of the earth sorrowe not his obscuritie O you race of Adam he that created all things without trauell gouerned them without care sustained them without thought and possessed them without necessity now lieth heere dead trauelled by sorrow and death blinde to make you see senselesse to make you feel subiect to make you soueraignes and shall he haue so much care of you you so little compassion of him Oh you hardned in heart blinded in vnderstanding surfeted in sensualitie wil not then your stony harts otherwise suffer ye to weepe come gather teares from the wel-head of his benefits that you may assist me to bewail him he hath drawen you from your bannishment to your blessing from obscuritie to life frō death to eternitie What he punished in the angells he pittied in you what he persecuted in himselfe he hath pacifid for you In the old law whosoeuer had falne into the vncleannes of leprosie was thus cured and thus cleansed the priest taking two sparrows when he had slain the one dismissed the other anointing the sick of the leprosie with the bloud of the dead one hee thereby recured the sicke purged the vncleannes And what figure is this ô ye sonnes of vanitie but the tipe of your owne imperfections you are spiritually falne into the leprosie of sin this noble sacrifice this sacred priest hath taken two sparrows his bodie and soule to cleanse you of your leprosie his bodie hath hee suffered to die to bee rent to bee torne to bee whipte for you his soule hee hath dismissed and by the bloud issuing from his wounds he hath clensd your leprosy ratified his couenāt shut you in the arms of mercye shuted you with your wedding garmēts Oh then though his sufferance touch not your harts let his benefites turne them weep weepe on him that praieth for you as your priest praieth in you as your head and must bee intreated by you as your God Behold your phisition whom desire of gold hath not drawen to you but intirenes of mercye hath prouoked to assuage your miserie Beholde that Christ that hath vnited you to God reconciled you with his bloud vrged compassion for you with his tears your sins haue separated you from him his death hath alied you to him O hard hearted men cannot this moue you thē harkē to further motiues and let them amend you God in the first lawe appointed a free citie of refuge for the afflicted and priuiledge for the offenders whereto whosoeuer had grace to approch before he were apprehended hee was assured of safetie and defended from iustice In this new law this Christ oh true tipe of charitie hath made these cities in himselfe established this priuiledge in his body and walled the same with his wounds Hether ô you sinners repaire heere shall you haue mercy for teares life for repentance remission of sinnes for confession of sinne Oh contrite sinner dwell in these cities let your memorie inhabite them thy meditation imbrace them thy pittie bewaile them Thinke on these woundes they wil heale thee forsake them death will follow thee forget them mercie will denie thee Abuse not the priuiledge of wounds death and passion least thou bewaile too late the horror of hell death and damnation Will none weep with me Will no reasons wound you Are teares so scant for mercies so plentifull Come come and learne what tears be that you may know their benefites The sinners teares are Gods mirrours their penitent sighs his incense God heareth praiers but beholdeth tears praiers moue God to heare tears compell him to haue mercie Silent teares are speaking aduocats It was not Maries anointing with sweet balme Maries drying with faire haire Maries attention with humble heart but Maries teares they wrought my compassion Oh come weepe then if not weepe yet consider Proude man see here the patterne of humilitie humble learne heere whereof to releeue thee irefull learne here the benefite of sufferance patient receiue here the crown of durance couetous learne heere to affect pouertie poor receue here how thou hast Christ thy companion the only sonne of God hath made many sons of God hee hath bought him brothers with his bloud approued them and beeing approued redeemed them beeing solde honoured them by suffering dishonours and giuen thē life by suffring death Let him therefore be wholy infixed in your hearts who wholy was crucified for you on the crosse O men loose not these blessings forget not these bounties This Christ subiected himselfe to the power of death that he might deliuer you from the yoake and power of the deuill hee tooke seruitude vpon him that hee might giue you the libertie of eternal life hear what he crieth in your soules and respect his summons O man see what I suffer for thee there is no griefe like to mine I cry vnto thee who died for thee Behold the paines wherwith I am afflicted see the nailes wherwith I am pearced and although the exterior griefe be so great yet the inward sorowes are more vehement when I behold
no creature hath suffered such a sorrowe no heart hath contained Philosophie concents to my sorow for mine eies increase in griefe my passions are intollerable beeing afflicted in al my senses my loue quickens my passions my deuotion nourisheth my loue my teares beautifie my affection Woe is me nowe'am I rightly compared to the Moone for my sunne is eclipsed and I am confounded now iustly am I counted a peele being sed no waies better than by the deaw of teares now am I'improperly taken for a cedar for the sweet sent of my blossome is vanished my fruit is decaid the leaues of my delight are fallen onelye in this I retaine thy nature by reseruing my griefe in force my compassion to eternities Oh what a wo is mine What a sorrow is mine If the Angels behold this face they bewail him if the heauens look on this crueltie they weepe for him if the aire discouer it it loureth if the earth eie it it renteth What shall the mother then doo that hath behelde her sonne martyred and could not succour him naked could not cloath him thirsty and could not comfort him iniuried and could not defend him defamed and coulde not aunswere for him spit vpon and could not wipe him finally weeping and could not comfort him Out alasse for teares I will paie teares teares for former tragedies teares for after passion teares for present miserie tears in abundance teares with vsurie Oh thou so excellent in holynesse so mightie in power and so merciful in pietie how shal I more righfully bewaile thee than in considering the wants I haue beeing diuided from thee I want thy presence to repayre my delights I want thy counsell to inrich my soule I want my ioye by wanting thee Nay what wanteth not the worlde by thine absence The humble are turned to proude the faithfull falne to Apostasie the poore are despised the iust reuiled the patient spit at the faithfull afflicted deuotion nowe is clothed with dissimulation sanctimonie with simonie conscience with couetousnesse hypocrites wil be humble without contempt poore with out defect flatterers vnseene enuious vnsuspected slanderers without cause craftie as foxes within humble as lambes without Ahlasse what confusion What error Thy scholers in humilitie haue forgotten their lesson they will not learn of the bird which before hee soareth towards heauen humbleth his bodie to the earth they will enter by thee as the gate and wil not learne of thee because thou art humble Thou hūblest thy selfe to thy equals they despise their superiours The tree the more it aboundeth in fruit the more it abaseth his bowes towardes the earth but man the more he is raised by thy graces the more hee resisteth against thy humilitie Thy glorie is to submit serue and obey mans desire is to gouerne rule command Thou sayest that all thing perisheth if it be not kept with humilitie they saie that nothing more breedeth cōtempt than obseruance Thou biddest them flie honours they affect them Thou biddest them possesse their soules in feare they deeme nothing assured but in honour Oh sweet Iesus thou sayest that the gate of heauen is so straight that no man laden with riches no man fatned with delights no man decked in purple can be possest thereof before he be dispossessed of these vanities but the worldling saith that welth breedeth happinesse delightes lengthen life rich clothing bringeth credit so that they that possesse these they vtterly despise heauen What shall I saie the worlde is so fraught with pleasure and auarice is so ful of profite that it is helde good pollicie to heare thee preach but no wisedome to followe thy pouertie Oh deare Lord thou giuest thy self wholy vnto them and they wholie flie thee if they are hungrie thou art bread to them if they are thirstie thou art water to thē if they are in darknes thou are light vnto them if they be naked thou cloathest them yet are they 〈◊〉 grounded in vngratitude that they forget thee They knowe that what so euer the world is is eyther the desire of the flesh or the desire of the eyes or the pride of lyfe yet pretēding to flie the world they fansie nothing more earnestly They knowe that a fatned thicke and dilated body leaueth God and forgetteth his creator yet follow they sensualitie and forget thee eāmque mortuam sayth the Psalme neither cordially recorde they thy benefites They knowe with Hermes that thy acceptable best incense is thanksgiuing yet haue they learned with Iudas to crucifie thee vngratefully They knowe that they are blessed that haue not seene and beleeue yet hauing beheld thy passion they despise it They know the booke of life is opened but they will not reade They know that those which folow thee shall not walke in darknes se yet take they pleasure to stumble in the daie time Finally they knowe that thou hast spred the light of thy coūtenance on them yet preferre they darknes before light to their owne damnation The Naturalistes write that Bats haue weake sight because the humor Christaline which is necessarie for the eie to see with is translated into the substance of the wings to flie with whereupon they haue leatherne winges and so for their flight sake haue lost their sight because that is substracted from the eies which is imploied in the wings These bats betoken these proud neglecters who by how much the more they striue to flie by so much more are they depriued of the grace of the diuine light because all their intention which ought to bee in consideration of heauenly things is translated into the feathers of ambition so that all their thought is howe they may ascend by degrees the steps of dignitie not descende in imitation of thee to the bosome of humilitie O man the cause of the Angells fall was negligence the cause of Adams fall was negligence why then art thou summoned so sweetly neglectest so carelesly If men angels created by God had vsed his giftes orderly the angels had neuer striued to surpasse God in excellence neither had man listned to the serpents perswasion but because they were careles of his graces he suffred thē to fall into errour by the sinne of negligence and from the error of neglygence into the sinne of pride disobedience Beware man by mans first falling flie man the Angels negligence least by both thou winne apostasie and with apostasie perdition Wilt thou be frind of this world thou art enemie to God Wilt thou follow Beliall thou art not for Iesus Oh cast downe thy selfe proud soule whatsoeuer thou hopest trust not the weaknes of thy power since strength it selfe hath beene oppressed Knowe that chastitie is hardned in delightes truth in riches and humilitie in honours iust feare to fall mercifull feare obduration continence feare lust deuout feare negligence with feare and trembling waxe you rich in Iesus who wyth griefe and agonie hath indured for you Oh sinners
though nature cannot mâ—â—e you to sighs which is affecteâ—â—y her obiects let mee winne you by reasons to ratifie your remorse If your friends come from far countries to visite you you imbrace them if they giue you giftes you thanke them if they counsell you you consent vnto them What then will you returne your sauiour my sonne for his curtesies Hee comming into the worlde hath shewed you three principall signes of loue mercie and pietie First hee condescended to your mortalitie Secondly hee prouided messengers of your saluation Thirdly he gaue you precepts and admonishmentes of your welfare He came from heauen to comfort you on earth hee suffered on earth to carrie you to heauen he became the lowlyest amongst men to make you the highest among creatures hee hath visited you with his graces giuing ease to your labour comfort to your afflictions salue to your infirmities he hath presented you with gifts not golde and siluer which are corruptible not pomp honor which seduce the senses not securitie and vanitie which corrupt the heart but he hath broken his bodie on the crosse for you hee hath broken his bodie in the Sacrament for you he hath giuen you the cup of attonement his ' precious bloud hee hath made you one with God by being generally condemned by the world he hath counselled you to rise from sins to make your bodies vessels of the holy Ghost to sanctifie your soules in the bloud of his testament being made approued iust therefore you ought to loue him wholy to whoÌ„ you owe al what you are wholy If you see an earthly king before you you fal before his throne you humble your selfe before his iudgment you subscribe to his law and obey his ordinances why despise you then the king of heauens to whom princes stoope and whom the wind and sea obeyeth to whom all knees both in heauen earth and hel are bowed If you respect works hee made heauen and earth if the manner of nothing if the purpose for vngratefull man who being lord of all by him will not acknowledge his due homage to him if you dispose your affections by the wisdom of your gouernors who more wiser than Iesus Where the Psalmist sayth Great is the Lord our God mightie his vertue and his wisdom is beyond number And again God is the God of sciences our thoughts are prepared vnto him Who therefore is so wise mightie as her that by wisdom discouereth al things and by power punisheth all offences How much wisedome and seuetitie is in this Iudge Who discouereth the thoughts of the hart knoweth whereunto our imaginations are intended measureth the waight of our sinnes and how iniquities are chained together Fnally all are of him by him and in him If wonders drawe your affections who were wonderfull looke on his birth it is wonderfull aboue nature without man of a sole virgine looke on his name it is wonderfull Iesus by interpretation a sauior Yet more woÌ„ders a fraile man and a strong God a poore mans sonne and the prince of peace borne in time and the perpetuall father of succeeding ages Yet three more wonders First in those things which were spoken of him SecoÌ„dly in those things which were spoken by him Thirdly in those which were forespoken of him by the Patriarks and Prophets Iacob prophesied his comming long before The scepter shall not bee taken from Iudah Balaam called him the starre out of Iacob they called him the flower and the branch on which flower the holy Ghost should haue his resting place And is not this admirable Wil you more wonder Hear Elizabeth prophesie hear Zacharie prophesie the shephearde prophesie the Sages prophesie Yet more wonders In his infansy his answeres were admirable all testifie of him maruell at his answere applaud his prudence Will you more wonders The people maruelled at him saying He hath done all things wel hee hath made the deafe heare and the dombe speake Loue him therefore as your Lorde honour him as your king who is admirable in his conception admirable in his birth admirable in his preachings admirable in his passion admirable in his death admirable in his charitie And to this loue O remorselesse lookers on adde teares for no man can truelye loue that is not affected to see his beloued afflicted Come come and weepe bitterly with mee for you haue much cause of lamentation If loue can diuorce you from ingratitude come and weep of pure loue for my son hath therefore suffered because he loued if in iustice come mollifie your hearts behold an innocent reprochfully crucified if consanguinitie can affect you behold your father which hath begotten and chosen you before all eternities reckned amongst theeues rent by bloudthirstie men scourged by the guiltie if you be abashed to see God so mightily brused bewail your deadly sins the causes of his detriment if you wonder at his humilitie blame your pride if you admire his patience condemn your wrath As the member that feeleth no griefe is sayde to bee dead and the disease which is insensible is alwayes vncurable so vnlesse you partake in passion with Christ lament to see him crucified sorrowe to beholde his woundes you are no liuing members but dead ones no true sonnes of his but bastardes if you suffer wyth him you shall raigne with him if you associate him in his passions you shall partake wyth him in his consolations The Philosophers write that the Harpie is a birde hauing a mans 〈◊〉 so fell cruell and furious that beeing pressed and assaulted with hunger she inuadeth killeth a man whome when shee hath deuoured and whose bodie when she hath torne beeing assailed wyth thirst she flyeth to the water to drinke where beholdin◠〈◊〉 owne face and remembring the similitude of him whome shee slew shee is confounded with so much griefe that shee dieth for dolour Oh carelesse worldlings except ther be lesse remorse in you than in this creature looke into the spring of your consciences lodge in your memorie howe much you haue crucified this Christ with your sinnes slain him by your offeÌ„ces though you die not through extremitie of grief yet let fall some teares to bewayle him tenderly Oh let not sinne take hold of you idlenesse preuent you or pride consound you for trees that haue broadest leaues doo soonest loose them men that haue proudest thoughts are soonest deceiued by them Foolish that thou art canst thou bewaile thy dead father that begot thee thy sick sonne that delights thee thy lost riches that maintained thee wilt not thou weepe for Iesus that redeemed thee Canst thou grieue to see thy flockes perish thy houses burnned thy wise slaine thy daughters defloured and wilt thou not weepe to see thy God who gaue these confounded with tormeÌ„ts thy comforter that created these suffer on the crosse thy Iesus that lightneth thee cloathed with death Oh let not your gronings be hidden from him praie