be written John 21.25 Also Lord He came to stifle by the impetuosity of his power and by the grandure of his merit our cursed enemy and to cut off the streame of the course of his puissance flying through the world He came as a great Royal Eagle from the heighth of heaven to descend on the earth and in favour of his own to scatter with the onely ayre of his vigerous clapping of his wings all the strength of Satan unworthy of his encounter He came as the Evening and close of our miseries and dawning of our felicity as the bright Sunne of men to comfort and strengthen them by his wholsome and pleasant influence He came as the morning which chaseth away the night and advanceth declaring the returne of the light as the holy Columbe of the world the solid pillar of the heavens the lively image of his charity and the divine foot-steps which giveth life And finally my God thy Christ our Saviour being upon the point to die would that the last act of his life should be the institution of the Holy Sacrament of his body which he celebrated in the company of his Apostles declaring unto them that all they who firmly believe in him shall have remission of their sinnes in the effusion of this blood and shall for ever possesse the Kingdome of heaven and to conferre on us an infallible assurance he elected for a seal and witnesse of his last will bread and wine to the intent that the faithful by these signes should be ascertained of the treasures which are acquired for them by his bounty But my Great God 'T is now that we must commemorate the excellent Sermon made to the Disciples for to instruct them and to render them capable of the participation of this Holy Sacrament 'T is here expedient to call to mind the words of him which thou pronounc't with thy voyce in the Mountain in the hearing of Saint Peter Saint James and Saint John this is my well-beloved Sonne hear him Jon. 6.53 He then said Verily verily â—â—â—y unto you that if you eat not the flesh of the Son of man and drink not this blood you shall have no life in your selves he who eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath life eternal and I will raise him up at the last day For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed he who eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him As the Father who is living hath sent me and I live by the Father So he who eateth me Shall live also by me That is the bread which descended from heaven not as your fathers have eaten Manna and are dead who eateth this bread shall live for ever He spake these things in the Synagogue teaching in Capernaum But knowing that many of his Disciples found this saying hard he added doth this offend you what will you do then if you shall behold the Sonne of man astend there where he was at the beginning 'T is the Spirit that quickens the flesh is unprofitable the words which I speak to you are spirit and life And after he had finish't these instructions he made them partakers of his Holy Supper even as he hath declared by the hand of his blessed Apostle In the night wherein he was betray'd He took bread and having given thanks he broke it and said take eat this is my body which is broken for you do this in remembrance of me Likewise also after Supper he took the Cup saying this Cup is the New Testament of my blood do this in remembrance of me For how often and whensoever you shall eat of this bread and drink of this Cup you shall shew forth my death even untill I come And in the end Lord his incomprehensible Charity and which exceeds all admiration having conducted him to the hour wherein by his death he would redeem our lives he became the saving hand which broke and opposed the blow and received the smart of the other members And be who was able as a Thunder-clap of heaven to overturne under his Tempest the highest Mountaines who could as a whirle-poole swallow all in an instant that opposed this power and as a whirle-wind sweep away all that was on the earth He said I who by the force of his Arme with one small motion can destroy all humane soules and with one onely glance of his Eye arme a million of Angels and overthrow under his feet the heaven and the earth submitted himself to the rage and brutishnesse of his people adopted above all people the first-born among men and whom thou defendest as the Apple of thine eye He permitted them to extend his members on the Crosse to wash our sins in his blood and in that flood which the Iron made to issue from his body And thus great God Thine only Son gave his life a ransome for us and delivered us from the curse of the law which had so long time held us slaves to sin He offer'd his body in sacrifice and by that holy oblation acquir'd for us the gifts and the fulnesse of his graces wherein the blessed shall eternally rejoyce 'T is this Christ who is worthy to take the Book of life Apoc. 5.9 and to open the seals thereof 'T is he who is the Lambe Apoc. 5.12 who meriteth to receive power strength Honour and Praise His death was the sacrifice of sacrifices the accomplishment and consummation of all ceremonyes which have been from the beginning of the world This is the sacrifice without renewing whereby the wrath of God is forever appeas'd his justice satisfied and the transgressions of men effac't 'T is that bright shining sacrifice in comparison whereof the foregoing were but obscure shadowes This is the only sacrifice full of Majesty which is alone the object of all sacrifices offered in time-past by all people adoring the true God All that which the oblations of Aaron and of our fathers have had of Propitiation and of sweet Odour were anticipated on the fulnesse of grace and on the infinite merit of this sacrifice so often made in all foregoing ages This is the eternal sacrifice fill'd with lively splendour which darts his Rayes and confers his Balme upon his to render them a sweet Odour before thee my God This is the sacrifice which hath placed them on the sacred seat of the Church and hath carryed them into the glorious Temple of the legitimate Spouse of Christ all Glittering with Divinity 'T is my God this sacrifice which hath conferred thy love on me which without intermission I observe to shine in the flames of my own wretchednesse and hath acquired for me the infinite Grandure of thy compassion which I have ever beheld firme in the glances of my extreame afflictions Also my God there was nothing but the puissant and victorious hand of thy Sonne which could sever the cords and the entangling which held us bound in the snares of
call to my remembrance his blood shed for to acquire for me life eternal By the receiving the bread and the wine I enter by faith into a community into the society of the body and blood of the Son of God I draw life I draw absolution and am clothed again with his innocence and with his Justice By the vissible receiving which I performe of the bread and of the wine I am assured that I am spiritually united to Christ and made a Citizen of the Kingdome of heaven that he hath bequeath'd me and possessor of eternal life which he hath given me and in eating and drinking the bread and the wine at thy holy Table I am assured my God that I Participate of the body and of the blood of thy Son which I truely receive by faith and by which I participate of the Treasures and Heritage which he hath acquired by his death and which he hath bestowed on his faithful servants When I receive the bread and the wine I receive not only the Elements which are the figures and sacred signs of his body and of his blood but I receive by faith and in spirit the things themselves which are signified and represented Not that the bread and the wine of the Eucharist communicate to me his body and blood but thy goodnesse my God Thy truth Thy majesty Thy vertue and the efficacy of thy holy Spirit communicate and reach forth this body and blood to my understanding and my soul to be spiritually eaten and drank by faith The bread and wine serving to this purpose being sacred signes of his Body and of his blood which should be eaten by the operation of his holy Spirit without understanding any thing therein of sensual any thing corporeal ☜ any thing carnal and without searching here below and in our corporal mouths His true body with it's proper essentials with it's inseparable accidents with it's quantity and dimentions which is ascended to the heavens and set at the right hand of God where 't is requisite that the heavens contain him even until the restauration of all things Thus Lord I seek the body of Christ in heaven Acts 3.21 by faith I celebrate in the holy Supper the memory of his Death and of his Passion I declare it I esteem it and magnifie it even untill he come and I receive it not with a carnal mouth and corporal throat but after a Divine manner Sacramentally under a signifficant mystery with the mouth of my heart and spiritually by faith By faith which is the substance of things hoped for By faith whereby I really embrace his Body and blood and which bring to passe that in the holy Eucharist I am made partaker of it By faith which is the vessel and the hand whereby I receive thy Graces And as Lord 't is by faith that the Lamb was slaine from the beginning of the world 't is by faith that Abraham saw the day of the Lord 't is by faith that the Galatians have had Christ crucified before their eyes 'T is by faith that the Gospel gives me at this present eternal life Also Lord 't is by faith that in the celebration of thy holy Supper His body and his blood are present and subsistent in my heart in my spirit and in my soul 'T is by faith that I embrace his body and suck his blood which distilleth from his wounds And by means of this Sacramental eating and feeding on the body of the Saviour of the world and this spiritual drinking of his blood I am made bone of his bone flesh of his flesh I am incorporated in him I draw by faith eternal life from his flesh broken for me and from his blood shed for me I live of Christ and in Christ I live of his Justice instead that I should dye of my sinne I am justified by him sanctified in him to be eniivened and glorified in him By this holy Sacrament I am also admonished of my duty toward my Neighbour in regard as we are ransomed with the same blood made members of the same body and Dependants of one and the same Head and consequently one among our selves and by the Commandment of God and natural duty We all draw life from one and the same death nourishment from one and the same food and the self same cup. Up then my soul 't is here where thou oughts to Anchor and fix thy cogitations stay thy course and cast thy eyes upon the love of thy God 'T is here that thou oughtest to supplicate that Divine heavenly heart who onely bestowes motion upon men That only pulse and life of thy being 'T is the only base whereon thou foundest thy hope to inspire in thee the ardent flames of his Spirit and turn into thy heart the generous boylings of zeale heate and ardour toward him to the intent that thou mayest be a worthy partaker of that holy Sacrament which is the most singular consolation the most effectual remedy and greatest guift which he hath communicated to his upon the earth It 's the entyre Summe and Soveraign abridgment of his benefits it 's the certaine token of his infinite love the true treasure of his bounty Lord Eph. 1.7 thou hast ransomed me by the blood of thy Sonne according to the rickes of thy grace which thou causest plentifully to abound over me Instructing me in the secret of thy pleasure Thou hast informed me that 't is the bread of life by the which my soul is sustained That 't is the true Vine whereof I am a branch The gate of Honour and the rich assent which conducts me to the mount of Glory Thou hast called me to the communication of his body Hast applyed his merits to me made me his Co-heritor partaker of his Riches enjoying his celestial heritage In time-past I was not of thy people but now am I of the chosen generation of the Royal Priest-hood of the holy Nation of thy purchased people To th' intent I should set forth and magnifie thy grace and vertue my God who hast called me out of darknesse into thy merveilous light Thy Sonne is my only sacrifice my only oblation my onely Holocost by the vertue and merit whereof the heavens and all the treasures of heaven are open to me 'T is the onely remedy of my sin the onely spunge capable to efface my crimes 'T is the Sanctuary the Assillum of my salvation my heritage the joy and the Divine chaine sufficient to rayse me from these miserable places 'T is the tongue of succour who undertaketh my defence 'T is the sacred Anchor which stayeth my vessel and secureth it from ship-wrack and the prosperous Gale which freeth and delivereth me from the depths and Gulfes of the world If the food Lord which will sustaine me but one day obligeth me to praise thy Fatherly goodnesse how much more ought to be excited and enflamed my Devoyre to render thee thanks for the bread of life and for
vanity of our Cogitations are but two apparent and their end cannot be hid The covetous wretch hath but a little gold and land this Mallady is not folly 't is Rage all to him is too little and a little to him is nothing The Ambitious knoweth no Serene dayes the ferver of his desire causes him every moment passe his life in renewing deaths And in conclusion he enjoyes nothing but winde The voluptuous man has but little pleasure which glides vanishes away and forsakes him sooner than thought or instant leaving him nought but a Boysing ☞ but a sad Repentance and all three are so inchain'd so fastned to the world and yet have secret Vultures which without intermission gnaw and tyre on their Hearts Let us not then like them Establish our hopes on Humane things which are leaves moved with every blast Let us not pursue these vaine Grandures neither plunge our selves in these Delights followed with so sad so miserable a conclusion Let us steere our vessels out of Perill and not linger till the Tempest by force cause us make Port after ship-wrack Let us not longer be slack to our good considering that all is vanity which the heavens encompasse defacing and razing one of our hearts all the Tracks of the world establishing our assurance on the force and right hand of him whose firme support shall no way be able to frustrate our expectation Our Ornament shall be quite different to theirs and the fruit of our labour shall far surpasse them They heap up these earthly vapors and exhalations which as suddenly vanish They fill the ayre with their clamours and wishes they sow to the winde and reap nought but vanity and emptinesse They Build on the sand and their edifices fall to ruine They paint on the floods and the Traits of their Pensill disappears They are carefull of nothing but their fraile Bodyes and permit their souls the immortal seed of heaven to lye neglected They wallow in Mud and Dirt and come forth desil'd ☞ They search for Paradise in Honours in Riches in the world and find nought but Passions but paine and sorrows Instead of meditating of and assuring the life after these ashes they close up against themselves the passage of heaven In the course of their vanity they are cleere seeing Owles and of that which is above blind Molds They suffocate their Reason in their Delights and live as creatures that have not other care but for their bellyes Instead of transforming themselves to Angels they degenerate into Beasts They abase instead of exalting themselves in lieu of elevating continually their hearts on high they pronounce not the Name of God but with Blasphemies In stead of dreading the powerful effects of his puissant arme they have nought but their desires for Law And if they sometimes talk of God 't is not but like Paretts with their lips without understanding what themselves say and are deafe to their own proper voyces Let us not then follow this path by the which men march retrograde but contrarily not give rest to our eyes till we have discovered the true path walking by the way that tends to our Original Neither let us aspire to any thing but our felicity being still mindfull of our salvation Let us build on the Rock and on the Free-boord to the end that we may remaine firme as the Mount of Syon Let 's oppose our spirits to our flesh by a solemn Protestation consecrating our hearts our voyce and our hands to the Glory of the Chief Universal and the Principal cause of all beings Let our desires terminate in him that his fear may be a Curb to our follyes That in his love these springing passions may be extinguisht To the intent that we may hold in chief of Heaven and not so much as relish of earth Joyning our voyces to the sweet and melodious accents of those Divine spirits and beautifull soules which glitter in the midst of our Darknesse as stars in the night And ever be mindfull that our other chiefest agitations proceed from artificial and ridiculous causes but that our prime and universal obligation is that of God in which consideration we ought freely to engage all the estate and our lives Casting behind us the Idolatry of perishing beauties being obliged to trample under foot that lustre we so blindly adored It 's expedient to be effected that the delights of the world should be despleasant to us it behoveth us not like mad men to weave the web of our proper destruction and building our felicity on a basse of so short a duration and which resembles a flash of fire which is extinguish't as soon as kindled The riches of men are fleeting and subiect to be lost James 1.10 there is no assurance in their favours the rich with their enterprizes will fade as the flower of the grasse having great designs yet know not what shall fall out to morrow their life is nothing but vapour and smoke He lives in pleasure upon earth James 5.2 he abounds and satisfies his heart but his Riches shall corrupt his garments shall be moth-eaten his money shall rust and it's rust shall be a testimony against him and shall gnaw his flesh like fire His fields shall yield a plentifull encrease he shall gather goods for many yeares but in the following night God shall require his soul Let 's not then more labour after the food that perisheth Luke 12.20 but after that which endureth to life eternal John 6.27 Let 's follow the steps of Jesus Christ and push from us with detestation the enchanting voyce of the world leaving our nets in the Sea after the example of Saint Peter and Saint Andrew quitting the ship and Zebede in imitation of St. James and St. John following the Saviour of the world who summons us The graces of the Omnipotent are the greatest happinesse we can attain to Tim 6.7 He forewarnes us that we set not our hearts on the uncertainty of riches but on him who bestoweth all things plentifully He hath advertis'd us Tim. 6.7 that covetousnesse is the root of all evil makes men wander from the faith and envolves them in many sorrowes Go to them ☞ let 's call to mind that there 's no felicity but in him and that none but his love is Permanent He hath caus'd the earth to yield fruits to nourish our Fathers he by its dayly productions releeves us after them and will effect it by his goodnesse that it shall still bring forth to sustain our Posterity He who hath satisfied five thousand mē with five loavs two little fishes Mat. 14.19 will ever supply us with means sufficient to pass the rest of our time which he will have us to live upon the earth The men of the world have their Heritage in this life their bellies are satisfi'd with food their children are glutted and leave the over-plus to their little ones They imagin themselves rich
and that nothing is wanting unto them but see not that they are blind and naked that they possesse nought but things transitory and that they are far from residing in the Courts of the Lord and to have an everlasting habitation within the holy place of his Palace ☜ 'T is then enough to have lived for riches for glory for delights Let us live for our selves for our souls let 's recollect our cogitations for our advantage let 's stand firm and fall no more principally let 's coragiously pursue our marke Let 's not proceed as those who commence their course eagerly and slack in running preserving our selves from the same Billowes from the same waves that at other times have overwhelmed us Considering that relapses are more fatall than diseases that desires interrupted encrease and augment by their intervals Let 's Rally our forces Reassemble our spirits let 's mortifie our Passions and render our selves parties against them chasing away these adversaries to our repose These are but slender and frivolous gins and cords that bind us to them and in the interim we budge not from their company not otherwise than if they had enchained us Shall we not more cheerefully smell to a heap of flowers than to stinking weeds to grasp lillyes than thistles to be confederate to heaven then to earth what difference 'twixt peace and war betwixt the love of God and this of the world life and death between that which is above the heaven where there is nothing not stable and the earth on which there is nothing but inconstancy To what intent follow we the world so violently and eagerly since we are but bladders which burst with the least pricking which hourely threatens us with death where our feet dayly descend into the grave that time carryes away our yeares which returne not any more and leaves nought but a miserable sound of our name and after a few dayes incontinently defaces our trace upon the earth so that it shall not otherwise be known than that of an Eagle in the ayre and of a ship in the waves why do we not rather addresse our vowes unto that high place which is durable for ever than on this Empire of the world which shall burne to pieces and take end Know we not that in that great day which will rather make it self seen ☜ than fore-seen that these Rocks and these lofty hills shall dissolve That Jordan Ganges Euphrates and the Nile and all the other Rivers which Purle and Roul so proudly on a gilded sand shall dry up and that the great Otian the Father and nourisher of men shall become a flame with all his troopes who now divide with such swiftnesse his Billowes with their gliding finns Concive we not that the Sun shall suffer an eternal Eclips that that day shall be overcast the heaven shall cover his face the ayr shall change and stifle so many birds that beat it now so pleasantly with their wings That this all that seemes firme in its course shall be shivered in a moment shall be reverst Pell-Mell shall be consum'd and Reduc't to smoke So then let 's acknowledge out Error let 's not more abase our spirits to these mortall things let 's give the earth a bill of divorce let 's not breath any thing more but what 's eternal Let 's consider we are contrary to Rivers who arise from small streames of water and wax proud the farther they are from their spring Let 's immitate the flame which advances and ascends continually upwards as the Iron toucht with the Adamant which ever regardes the North. We have countenances erected towards heaven thither let us ellevate our cogitations Their infinite incredible Mervills will ravish our serious and solid spirits in the contemplation of the Almighty who in one twinkling of an eye causes the whole Universs to tremble who governs all the world and conducts it by his providence From thence we shall receive what is necessary to entertaine the rest of our dayes 'T is of this moone whereon depends the flux and Reflux of Humane affayres The Otian swells it self and is Iritated at her will This great Pilot who hath drawn men alive out of the bowels of fishes shall supply us with shipping convenient to passe the Seas of this world without perishing ☜ He causes us continually to behold his face to the intent that by the light of his Divine splendour we may guide our selves with all assurance He will crack the chaines by which the world fastens us to the earth he will cause that we escape her sorrows and free us from her Precipices He will give us a reward greater than our wish He will make us live content both in businesse and leasure in our Houses and in our Armies in the country and in the throng of the Court. And drawing our spirits by the power of his own upon the high Olimpus and will cause us with a steedy eye to behold these humane plaines on the which these worldlings follow their besotted Passions and these fields which serve them at Amphitheaters and stages to act their bloody Tragidyes Go to then Let us dash against the earth all our designes all our delights and if hitherto we have continued stupid let 's now being prick't forward by divine fury disdain this world and for the love of the Omnipotent cause that which pleased us more than him be the object of our indignation In the contempt of these vanities pure and innocent desires are produc't which will chase away all these shadowes and illusions that torment us In the contempt of these dreames we shall enter into an affection to the holy Scriptures the most certain the most prosound guide the Sun least overshadow'd with clouds least eclip'st the most resplendent star of all stars and in the light whereof we shall be ravish't with a desire to embrace the truth which we shall finde in these sacred volumes in this elegant text in these rich phrases so eloquent so pure so clear and which neverthelesse are to worldlings characters unknown and which they cannot conceive although one touch the letters and put their fingers on the syllables and shew them how they ought to be assembled and so retiring our selves from evils and approaching to vertue flying Hell and embracing Paradise our spirits shall incline all it's actions to that which is to its satisfaction and salvation it shall make war againt the body shall render it captive and subdue it he shall ever bear his greatest wealth about him he shall know the use of it during the rest of his dayes he shall lend himself onely to the World and shall not give himself but to God who is our Shepheard our Sheep-hook and our support who holdeth firme the Mountaines by his force and who is girded with strength 'T is necessary then that henceforward God be he alone to whom we addresse our vowes 'T is then expedient that our spirits and our pens
that we know that none can sojourne in the Tabernacle of of the Lord Psal 15. none can inhabit the place of his holinesse who regulates not his steps according to his divine Ordinances In the Country of the Gadarens the man who had an unclean spirit which inhabited not but in Desarts â—nâ— Sepulâ—hres which broke all the cords all the chaines which restrain'd him who roared without intermission and gash't himself with stones when afarre off he beheld the Saviour of the World he ranne and prostrated himselfe at his feet and we who are not cram'd and stuf't with Devils who have not our abiding in Cavernes and who do not dismember our selves with rage and fury we I say who apprehend the verity of the Gospel who have the knowledge of God shall we fly before him when he approacheth us shall we stop our eares at his voice to lance and destroy our selves in vice Let 's awake our selves from our drowsinesse and render our selves capable of our proper good The men of Nineve reformed themselves at the preaching of Jonah The Queen of the South travelled from the extremities of the earth to heare the Wisdome of Solomon There is in the Gospel greater than Jonas greater than Solomon there is the Spirit of God who talketh to us who excites us to retire from our sinnes who hastens who threatens us Let us submit our selves then to God let 's approach him let 's remark our offences let 's lament weep and purifie our hearts let 's humble our selves under his powerful hand to the intent that he may secure us from the Devil who encompasseth us to devoure us Let 's abandon our transgressions and submit our neeks under the just government of the Omnipotent acknowledging him the stedfast Wall against which who knocketh breaketh himself Let 's lift up our tyred hands Heb. 12.12 and our dislocated knees and adore him who hath formed both the heaven and earth the Seas and all Fountaines of waters and not longer abase our selves as the impious as unregardful of his glory which we should elevate more high than the heavens if there remaines in us any recentment of his graces whil'st his favourable hand continues on us for our good whereof he has been more Prodigal than Liberal Let 's offer instantly our bodies a living sacrifice let 's spread out our hands before his wrath by prayers and amendment of life dreading his vengeance or ever it irrevocably destroy and overwhelme us which if we omit we hasten our deaths we ate the hang-men of our own soules if we longer attend Luk. 13.25 the gate of Gods mercy shall be for ever closed against us and in the day wherein we shall behold Abraham Isaac and Jacob with all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God wherein we shall see set at the Table of God his children who shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South we shall be miserably cast into darknesse 'T is long since God having endured our manners expecting our repentance he hath not hitherto corrected us but with the chastisements of a Father but if still we are insensible of these stripes and of our offences we shall constraine him to punish us with the Sword of extermination and give us up unto the power of the Executioners of his Justice Long patience contemn'd Heb. 2.1 draweth rigour without pity If what was pronounc't by Angels was firme and every transgression and disobedience hath received a just reward how shall we escape if we neglect the judgment of God so often declared against the children of iniquity would we be of the cockle and straw which shall be cast into the fire would we be of those cursed ones Mat. 13.49 who by the Angels shall be separated from the just to be cast into the Furnace Of those evil servants who shall be punish't with many stripes of those Reprobates who shall be overtaken with sudden destruction of those plants of offence who shall be devoured with consuming flames Would we be of those of whom Jeremiah complaines in these terms They know the way of the Lord Jerem. 5. but themselves have broken the yoke and the bonds Therefore are they slain by the Lyon of the Forrest the Wolfe of the Evening hath wasted them and the Leopard watcheth against their Cities whosoever cometh out shall be torn in pieces for their offences are multiply'd and their rebelloins are increased How shall I pardon thee for this saith the Lord thy children have forsaken me I have fed them to the full and they have committed adultery and are gone in Troops into Harlots houses shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord shall not my soul be avenged on such a Nation God is not idle in Heaven He contemplates on what is done here below He is there seated as a Judge to punish iniquity and when he reaches his hand highest 't is but to give the heavier stroak Why tarry we Rom. 2.5 if by the hardnesse of our hearts without repentance we heap up wrath against the day of the just judgment of God who rendreth honour immortality life eternal to them who with patience and well-doing seek his glory and who giveth tribulation and anguish to every soul of man who rebelleth against him and followeth iniquity If God spared not the Angels who had sinned 2 Pet. 2.4 and at once drowned the whole World except eight persons If he have given so many testimonies of his rigour on them who live in impiety what waite we for since 't is recorded in so many passages of the Gospel that we shall be more severely handled than Sodom and Gomorrah which were burn'd and reduc'd into a heap of sinders Seeing then that it is said 2 Thes 1.8 that God shall exercise vengeance with flames of fire against those who serve him not and are disobedient to his will Would we swallow the cup of the wrath of God even to the dregges would we dry up and exhaust to the very bottome the treasures of his patience Go to then since our malady is yet capable of Remedy Let us tear out those motes that are in our eyes let us reconcile our selves to God who stretcheth out his armes to us remembring that his children are not born of blood nor of the will of the flesh John 1.13 nor of the unsatiable desires of man but are born of God are born of prudence of charity wisdom and vertue Let 's not tarry longer fearing that he should rain fire and brimstone upon us and that he chase us not as cursed gates into eternal fire prepar'd for the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Instantly detesting our crimes abjuring our vices our sinnes and offences let us cast and prostrate our selves at the feet of God let 's raise our voices suing for our pardon redoubling our petitions submitting our selves entirely to his pleasure otherwise the tempest will
transgression upon transgression thou multipliest the acts of clemency Be not then My God inexorable to my fault pursue me not unto extremity The Nurse forbears not to give the breast to her child because it disturbs her repose and sleep Thou art to me more than a Fosterer be not then deaf to my plaints and deny not the milk and the sweetnesse of thy grace to thy infant whom thou hast imbellish't for an high designe and whom thou hast redeem'd with the life of thy onely Son I have forfeited thy grace my God but thou never losest thy goodnesse behold me in thy clemency not in thy justice my hopes survives in thee alone swallow my transgressions in thy compassions and the fruit shall remain to thy glory Lord my braines dissolve into teares my haires are full of ashes my visage heavy my eyes are hollow sunk and dull But Lord if my teares can render thee more gentle if they can move thee to extinguish the flames of my crimes set open the Fountaines of my weeping and cause me to bathe in the waters of my penitence untill that by the merits of the Saviour of the world thou hast overturned my transgression and impure desires under the power of thy compassion Lord I am nothing but Rottennesse and Corruption But the very ashes of a rich substance want not their value I am ransom'd by the stripes of thy Sonne I am cleansed by his blood I speak to thee by hismouth be mindful then of that sweet smelling sacrifice which Jesus Christ offered on the Crosse and do me the honour I may participate in the Triumph of his perfect and compleat Ministry Thou promisedst to Abraham not to destroy Sodom if so be that there thou couldst finde ten just persons and I Lord Gen. 15.36 I am holy I am enclosed I am a member of the just one without spot of one just justifying who hath swallowed my transgressions in the Ocean of his merits of one Just who is the light from whence I borrow the rayes of splendor Of one Just who hath cherish't me in his bosome and who makes me to draw the breath of his mouth Accept then the offerings my God of my humble acknowledgment which I bring to thy Altars with all the zeal and devotion whereof I am capable Psal 51. I beseech thee with the Psalmist David O God have pity upon me according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions efface my offences wash me from mine iniquity and purge me from my sinne I acknowledge my transgressions and my faults are ever before thee I have sinned against thee purge me with bysop and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow Turn thy face away from mine iniquities O God create in me a clean heart and a stedfast spirit east me not away from thy presence neither take from me the Spirit of thy holinesse Restore me to the gladnesse of thy salvation open may lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Lord cause thy graces to abide with me conduct and lead me in thy wholsom paths by a divine inspiration touch to the quick my spirit and my sense and fill me with an ardure to thy service Open my lips which my transgressions have closed make to spring in me piety integrity the love of my neighbours modesty and that my vices after having so long time abused thy creature may in conclusion quit and surrender the place to a blessed to a reformed estate Effect it that my very countenance may answer for me that one may read in my eyes and voice the integrity of my intentions Enable me that I may fructifie as Trees planted by the streames of waters Enable me to walk worthily as it is requisite before thee increasing in all sweet savour and declaring that I am a member of thy Church instructed in thy Gospel and that thy Word dwelleth in me Lord thou hast unto this day conserved me thou hast born me upon thy wings Enable me then to be obedient to thy Voice that I may keep thy Covenant and that I may be of the Kingdome of thy Priests and of thy holy Nation Engrave thy holy Ordinances in my spirit cause my eares to resound the sweet and gratious ayres of thy Word Bring to passe that my tongue may sing a perperual song and be an eccho to thy heavenly voice and for the time to come I may ever addresse most ardent supplications not idle drowsy words unto thee then when as carried away with a Designe or Slumber and that I speak and understand not my self Establish my heart in thy fear retain my inclinations in obedience to thine fill my soul with charity which is the Complement of the Law the establishment of grace the preparative to glory which as the influence of the Sunne enables me with a vertue to fructifie and increase Lord receive me into thy favours wholly blot out my sinne temper and aslwage the scaldings of my wounds Encamp thy Angels round about me dispel and scatter all evil farre from me Be thou my Guide through the perisous straights of the World and the turbulent stormes of the violence of my passions suffer me not to daâ—h against the rocks of this Sea of the world and under the conduct of thy Holy Spirit cause me to arive at the Port of thy salvarion and cast anchor in the midst of thine Love me my God to the intent I may love thee that I may seek thee serve thee pray to thee that I may give thee glory and honour for ever A Meditation upon the Holy Supper UP then my Soul continue not longer buried in the delights and vanities of the World Arise awake thee rouze thy self and lend an attentive ear to the sacred voice of the well-beloved Sonne of God who invites thee to take place at his feast to sit down to the Banquet of eternal life Arise recollect all thy strength and lift thy self up toward this Fountain of light who by his Sunne illustrates all the Starres of heaven and illuminates all the parts and corners of the earth He is the only Physician on whom depends all thy deliverance He is the onely Authour of grace who can conserve thee against darknesse against hell he onely is Omnipotent who can carry thee for ever into heaven Up then my Soul prostrate thy self before him fortifie thy zeal follow thy God who calleth thee to participate of that great divine mystery which he hath instituted and ordained in his Church which is the Sacrament of his body of which one must take part to obtain eternal life The Sacrament of his body by the which he is united unto thee to convey thee into his glory whereby he removeth he abolisheth he effaceth all that is in thee of sin of cursing and of death and there replanteth his grace his life and his felicity All whatever he has brought from heaven all the grace which is
Satan There was none but he alone proper for so great an enterprize He alone who hath drawn us out of the path and slaughter of death to fill us with Triumphs He alone who is the Phaire and the Lanthorne who directs us to arive in a safe harbour and who hath ever his eyes open for our happinesse and watcheth over our affictions He alone who is the channel of perpetual sweetnesse which uncessantly distills on them who cast themselves into the Port of thy Clemency Great God The compasse of the Universs adores thy Grandure but as the glory of thy chiefest benefits are perpetually graved in the hearts of thy faithfull ones in whom by this holy sacrifice thou hast planted thy victorious lawrels Also it is requisite that I be the Temple in which for ever there may be chanting and sounding forth the Hymnes of thy Triumphs and that thou may'st be the sole object of my heart as thou art the cause of my repose and the end of my vowes as thou art the Redeemer and Conserver of my being what more beautyfull object my God can I enjoy then for ever to contemplate that Christ is the inexpugnable wall and Rampart of my life and that his charity heated with his watchfulnesse over me causeth without intermission to spring in thy compassions new sprouts of compassion This is the true Father of men who transported with the love of his children is offered for them in sacrifice and hath embraced their sorrowes and his death Up then my soul let thy thoughts be ravish't in the contemplation of this holy light of the world who shineth over the heaven and the earth and enlightneth with his flame the gloominesse of our most obscure night Up admire his compassion adore this Lamb without spot that holy Burnt-offering that eternal high Priest who hath given himself for thee Rejoyce thou oh my soul since thy clensing is so perfect and so pure since the merit of that death shall carry thee into the heavens Thou hast not my soul Heb. 7. one of those Sacrificers which are subject unto death made after the law of a carnal commandment who have need to offer continual sacrifices first for their own sinnes then for those of the people Thou hast one Sovereign high Priest made according to the power of an uncorruptible life and who hath one perpetual oblation one holy Priest Innocent separate from sinnes exalted far above all heavens who is consecrated for ever offering himself once to obtaine an eternal redemption The light of the world my soul chaseth the night and obscurity farre from thee but the knowledge of this sacrifice dissipateth all darknesse from thy eyes and renders thee capable happily to finish thy course on earth and attain with joy an aboad in Paradice Divine Trinity the only foundation of salvation Holy unity of three persons in whom consisteth all perfection and felicity whereof my soul can be render'd capable Grant me that I may worthily comprehend the majesty of this sacrifice and that all the dayes of my life I may meditate on its greatnesse Lord the Lamb is slain from the beginning of the world and both our fathers and we our selves have washed in one same blood and are redeemed by the same sacrifice 'T is what the Apostle saith our fathers were all under the cloud 1 Cor. 10.1 and have all passed throw the Sea and were all baptized in Moses in the Cloud and in the Sea and have all eaten of one and the same spiritual food and have all dranke of one and the same spiritual cup. For they drank of that spiritual Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ So Lord the Patriarchs and Israelites have eaten and drank the same spiritual substance with us and have participated as we of the Communion of the body of the Saviour of the world The word Prophetick and Apostolick have the same efficacy Christ in the one and the other throw all equal to himself Their Sacraments giving them Jesus Christ to come to assume humane flesh and suffer for their sins and ours give to us the Saviour of the world come having taken flesh of the Virgin endured the Crosse and risen for our Justification The Manna and the water signified to them their future redemption and the bread and wine signifie to us the satisfaction of our Randsome acquitted by Christ come dead and risen after such a sort that we have but one like and same faith under divers signes Christ the only salvation of the Church in all its periods without the law under the law and under Grace He is prefigured in all the sacrifices exhibited in all Sacraments as well Old as New which are in all times unprofitable without Christ which is himself alone both the foundation and the sustance Abraham saw the day of the Lord and rejoyc't This great secret was revealed unto the Prophets who Publish't it through the world they were the signes of salvation to come Or Host and of the holy Bread which should be offered up for their sins and for our sakes the great Saviour of the world would rayse to the heavens at thy right hand the body which he had taken of the Virgin instituting the Sacrament of his body and of his blood to the intent that That which was once offered for the satisfaction of our sinnes should continually be honoured by a mystery Baptisme admitteth us into an allyance with God instead of ciricumcision The holy Supper instead of the Passeover nourisheth and entertaineth us Baptisme is called Regeneration that is to say a new birth The holy Supper The Communion of the body and blood of our Lord to nourish us to life eternal Of Baptisme water is the sign The blood of Christ the thing signified The water which washeth the staines of the body The blood which clenseth the sins of the soul In the holy Supper the bread and the wine are the signes The Body and the blood of Christ the things signified and signified most conveniently and properly by these signes of bread and wine for as much as the nourishment of our souls which is in Christ could not be better express'd than by that of our Body which converteth into their sustance that which they eate and drink So in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the bread which is blest and which is broken and given to eate and the cup which is blessed and given mee to drink represents to me The body and blood of Jesus Christ given and shed for me on the Crosse to me are the sacred Symboles and assured earnests that I am received into the communication of his body and of his blood which I spiritually enjoy by Faith in the Participation of the supper When I see the bread broken in the celebration of the supper I meditate with my self of his body which hath suffered death on the Crosse for the remission of my sinnes When I behold the wine poured into the cup I
Temple of my God Rev. 3.12 and he shall never go forth more and I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is the new Jerusalem Who overcometh Rev. 3.21 I will cause to sit with me upon my Throne even as I also have overcome and am set with my Father in his Throne What hinders us now what doth obstruct us then to bear afflictions and miseries with constancy who hinders to surmount and overcome these things Is it this World are they our riches Alas why change we not chearfully and willingly our lands our habitations and our lives for repose for felicity for eternal beatitude Our life is short wherefore for so short a time do we renounce a perpetuity of blessednesse of the ages of Paradise Our life passeth in an instant why for to preserve a few dayes do we precipitate our soules in the Abisme Our life is precious to God he holds it he keeps it in his hands i◠he dispose it 't is for his honour 't is for our preservation ☞ why deny we him this glory and to our selves this profit Do we dread torments there is more of grief and anguish to finish ones life by a long and continued distemper than by a violent stroak death is more languishing and tormenting in a bed than in the sight of heaven in an assembly The Feavers Convulsions Catarrhs are more insupportable and fatal than torments Christ is present he exhorts us he offers himself to us he invites us he spreads his armes to receive us he will open the heavens for our consolation as to Saint Steven than when the enemies of the Gospel stoned him He will assist us with his strength and augment our courage as he hath done to so many Martyrs who have endured for his name Let us not then loyter any longer committing our selves into his hands The Lawrels and the Palmes never cast their leaves the true Children of God never quail The love of heaven doth so ravish them they are after such a manner fil'd with that divine fury so that when nothing remaines to them but their heart wherewith they are accustomed to contemne the most dreadful things that continues sound even to the end of their lives their souls are invincible untameable free and generous Let 's suffer then with patience lifting up our hearts to heaven Let those savage Beasts which are not satisfi'd but with blood and wounds who are not asswaged but with murthers who are not delighted but with the sounds of racks having nothing agreeable but to dismember Christians Let us suffer if it be the pleasure of God to deliver us into the hands of these Butchers if they cause our bodies to stoop under the weight of Martyrdome Let us suffer if they redouble their rage if they do not forbear any kind of cruelty and as Lyons Whelps fil'd with flesh they feed their eyes on our dead bodies and dabble their hands in our bloody effusions God will assist us with his power and will raise us by his Omnipotent Spirit when 't is for the honour of his Name above the racks and flames The most cruel torments shall not be considerable to us the greatest most ponderous punishments shall be pleasant unto us these cruelties cannot astonish us death it self shall be life Our faith shall sustain our bodies seeing them torn it shall the more encourage us to suffer Our holy zeal shall delude the most sowre afflictions will cause us to advance into flames without amazement we shalconsume our selves with satisfaction embracing Martyrdome We shall imitate those Martyrs who for such a subject have endured a thousand afflictions have a thousand times spilt their blood have sustained a thousand flames These Martyrs whose Names and Renowns have found the earth too narrow to comprehend them These Martyrs who have magnifi'd Christianity by their blood who have accepted Martyrdome for their Crown These Martyrs who by a few torments are gone for ever into Supreme felicity Up then Barbarians what havock and slaughter soever you make of our bodies we remain firme and resolv'd to die Our bodies are vanquish't our spirits remain Conquerors You shall behold us languish full of delight in a divine Martyrdome You shall see our blood boyling with devotion to distill and trickle into the flames That our death shall be lovely and beautiful to be for ever famous to Christianity That our bodies shall be blessed to be consumed for the glory of the Saviour of the World That our blood shall be precious to witnesse and trace out the way to heaven That those flames shall be exquisite which set a lustre on the truth in the eyes of a throng and croud of poor Ignorants That our ashes shall be pretious to celebrate publish and to spread the Gospel among men If the earth be glutted with our blood the example of our Martyrdome will make us re-created by Miriads if they consume us as the Phenix we shall be renewed within our ashes Meditations for one that is sick FRail Creature in the midst of thy imaginations thou wastest and consumest thy self thou straglest thou wanderest and losest thy self amongst the vanities of the World Thou runnest out of knowledge in these slippery paths without understanding thy feeblenesse without considering that at the first step upon the first advance thou mayst stumble that a sprain may turn thee quite short and that thou hast no sooner weighed anchor than thou art in danger of Ship-wrack thy health hath puft thee up thy courage hath raised thee up precipitating thee into pleasures and delights and suddenly a chilnesse surpriseth thee some heat a pain in the head thou art dejected thou tremblest thou doubtest whether it be some light distemper or rather a disease tending unto death O Lord the World to this moment hath possessed me her delusions have intoxicated me at this instant my sinnes stare in my face as if I were awaked from a prosound slumber I begin to recover my spirits my eyes retort their looks upon my self to behold my weaknesse and my body tyred and consum'd with the feavour which is mixt with my blood and with the pain which torments it is constrain'd to acknowledge her misery to reject her Presumption Lord these fogs which obscure heaven to me begin to fall off my Soul so long blinded recovers some glimmering I have lived to this very instant swimming and floating at the pleasure of the Tide give me grace that I may arrive at the Port I have passed my time in darknesse give me light in the rest of my dayes Poor Carcasse thy Original is in infection thy habitation in a station fil'd with tempests with diseases with torments with bloody wars in a place common to the savage beasts upon an ingrateful earth out of which thou can'st extract nothing but with the Plow-share and edge of the Iron For thy end thy flesh is the prey and triumph of wormes thy
of it for a time for a time which thou cuttest which thou shortnest at all times every moment according to thy pleasure And not being lesse prudent than the savage creatures who know their dens and love them and the foules who desire their nests and they please themselves there I will lift up my soul and direct my eyes toward my true and natural Country wherein I ought to trust toward that heaven wherein pleasures are heap't upon delights wherein at all seasons the beauty of the amiable spring flourisheth in such delightful cogitations I shall find ease to my mallady the refreshment proper to extinguish and sweeten my scortching In these pleasant fountaines I shall draw out waters and liquors to allay and temper my feavour and my heat and plunging my self into these holy streames I shall despise all other remedyes as being but an aggravation and fomentation of my paine and although that where-ever I stay my self my body pains me Neverthelesse I shall receive more of ease in the contemplation of my misery and of thy Grandure of the quantity of my offences and the multitude of thy graces which they have not which give not themselves but to be inquisitive after divers remedyes which they esteem healthful and find a way and a means to provoke them to sleep by the harmony of resounding voyces I seek not my recovery in the substance of rootes and herbs but in the might of thy hand who hath made the plant to spring and hath given it it's encrease I shall not seek my rest in diverting my self from the remembrance of my mallady but in reducing to my memory the wretchednesse of my condition in representing to my self that fancying a thousand conceptions in my brain I was neare swallowed in the Billowes and over-flowings of my defires that I have a long time borne the wound in my heart without sense or without complaint that I well nigh imitate the fish who swallow at the same time the bait and death That this world never affords me a cheerful look dains not to smile on me that afflictions have ever clouded my countenance that my pleasures are fill'd with torments my hopes with dispayres that the course of my afflictions have been equal to those of my dayes Briefly that I have been a subject to all accidents that hang over the head of man that I am the Butte and white against which all the crosses and mis-fortunes of the world let fly and discharge their shot and their arrowes And so Lord I constrain and force not my self to expect my recovery in the vertue of herbs I sooth and flatter not my mallady and deceive not my pain in stupifying and benuming my spirit or otherwise diverting it I seek not my recovery in flight but contrarily I feel the inequality of my pulce and the difficulty of my respiration I will consider how my mallady is fixt that it is rooted that it holdeth off my body and that I beare in my stomack the spring and receptacle of heat and cold which consumeth me and that all the parts of this body cease their operations and sunctions through the grief that afflicts them and not longer able to support it fail and yield to death Behold me then gracious God as the Bird in crossing the otian and not finding where to pirch her self after she hath long laboured with her wings in the end drops down weary and not able to struggle longer into the sea and death I have walked among the paths of this world the Thornes have pricked me the Brambles have offended me the stones have made me to stumble the strokes have bruised me they have batter'd me the feavours have weakned me I have search't for medicines and emplasters I have applyed splinters to sustain my bones I have swallowed bitter juces to drive away my distempers I have sustained and propped this poore cottage on all sides but in conclusion 't is necessary that it ravel that it crack that it sink under it's proper weight I perceave Lord that it slacks that it dissolves that it growes loose I behold on the other side that my soul the which she depresseth distasts and cleers himself of him by degrees as not longer able to contain it But alas It is very requisite this poore carcasse cannot ever draw his yeares under so heavy a bondage it cannot last ever 't is necessary that in the end she render her self to this deafe and inexorable death who yields not to any prayres who comes to surprize him without noyse and demands his debt without agreeing to delay In conclusion I must after having so long course over the sea slaves to stormes and tempests enter the haven which I have toucht already that I am already entering into It 's expedient that I retyre out of the croud and throng of the world to a more pleasant conversation and that I sustaine this assault and attempt without palenesse without amazement and without a dejected spirit How I' st not more expedient I fall once for all than alwayes to remaine tottering wherefore decline I the terminating of this life which to me is a passage to a thousand better lives why should not death be agreeable since she comes to unloosen the bonds which fetter me so closse to anguish and misery why make I difficulty to embrace death to obtain heaven and everlasting delights and pleasures and to arive at the haven where the feare of death shall neare approach Shall I doubt Lord that ' tisnot seasonable to dye since 't is but to live better till the wayes to live fail shall I preserve my life to my torment no good God no I will march confidently unto death I will commit my self to thee who hold'st in thy hands the number of my yeares the bounds and markes of my life I will cast my self into thy embraces to the intent thou shalt dispose of thy Image and thy clay according to thy good pleasure I will constantly suffer the law of my condition and the decree pronounc't by thy mouth Moreover good Lord what can I farther expect of my so frail life so feeble so subject to lose it self what can I hope farther of the continuance of this body which hath endured so many miseries that hath suffered so many evils that hath been so of 't menac't and that so many light occasions hath so varyed it's condition can it be but this smoak must sometime vanish and that this dust should be carryed a way with the wind observe I not that the strongest the most sturdy and most healthful are but light shadowes who must suddenly encrease the number of the dead That these great thunder-bolts of war find themselves not armed against death That these beautiful tresses these white breasts the lineaments of these graces are not exempt and that fame it self who triumphs over time and death in the end tumbles into it's obscure abode perceive I not how easily old age surprizes us and crumbles
which shall Harp before the Saviour of the world who shall gloriously descend from the vaults of heaven all those whom the Sea hath overwhelm'd or the earth received to the intent that being clothed with their bodyes before the great Judge they may receive their definitive sentence of life or death O Lord that I may be of their number who shall arise to their glory and not of them who shall arise to their infamy that I may be of them who shall rejoyce with perpetual Triumph and not of those who shall for ever remain slaves of that horrible Monster That I may be of that number that may be borne into the brightnesse of heaven and not of those that shall be tumbled down into gloomy places and to eternal night That I may be a Citizen of thy heavenly habitation that I may inherit thy Paradice that my seat may be near my Saviour that my place may be there designed that I may not be of those victims prepar'd for Hell that I may not be of that number that shall be precipated into the abism of death which shall have their abode in darknesse and their habitation in the grave O good God suffer not my Barke to fall into so cruel so sad and dismal a storme It should be more expedient for me never to have been born than be ranck't in the number of them who were created to their destruction Bring to passe then at that great day that my rotten cossin may be listed up enlighten this extinguish't carcase cause it to live and shine with my soul make them to flourish together for ever and ever I am nothing Lord but a lump of mud yet never the lesse thy hands have compast me I am nothing but corruption but I bear on my brow thine Image drawn to the life I am all vice all sinne all abomination in thy sight Thy love makes no impression farther than my lips Thy Divine flame pierces not within my soul But Lord I have been washed with the water of holy Baptism I have participated of thy Sacraments I have received a seal a token a sacred testimony of my pardon I have sucked that powerful antidote that immortal Ambrosia that heavenly nourishment which shall concerve me against the poyson and venome of my sinnes and against the power of Satan Lord A lively Description of the last Judgment it seems to me that I already behold thee descending from on high set on thy Throne of Glory filling all with astonishment environed with a Million of Angels holding the sword of vengeance in thy hand It appears to me that I now behold an infinite company of scatter'd men delving the earth to hide themselves not daring ot sustain the bring flames of thy countenance that I behold the flock of thy chosen postrate at thy feet crying out that the squadrons of thy holy Angels dare not appears in reverence of thy just severity crying out that their souls were purchase by the precious blood of thy body That their sinnes are surmounted by thy grace that the honour of thy goodnesse is manifest in their salvation that thou wilt not cut and prune off thy members and reject those whose names are written in thy book of life It seems that I behold thy countenance turn'd toward them standing at thy right hand and thy mouth pronouncing their absolution and saying to them Come ye blessed of my Father possesse for heritage the Kingdome which was prepared for you from the foundation of the World Methinks I behold them rejoycing and filling themselves with splendour while thou art speaking beholding them transported by a sweet and delightful ravishment by an ardure full of zeal for thee and for thy glory to remain there for ever O good God 't is thither that we must direct all our vowes and confine all the desires of our soules 'T is the lustre of that glorious and holy day that should dazle our eyes and not the riches of this world 'T is the remembrance of these extream bright and perfect beauties which should ever entertain our thoughts and not the dark shadowes of our cares Bestir thee then let 's not longer stay on these earthly cares which are so many spiritual Divorces and Adulteries My Soul entertain not other discourse my heart have no other wishes my mouth pronounce no other name than that of our Saviour and thy salvation Let 's up and anchor here our bark in these fair desires let 's perfect this man finish this body let 's forbear to corrupt and ulcerate our wounds to encrease our woes to open again our miseries that our dolors that our convulsions that our fleames if it seem good to them hail us quick and drag us alive to the Tomb that our carcasses be consum'd with wormes that our bones may be reduc't to dust it matters not seeing that the Saviour of the world renders as possessors of the fruit of so signaland happy a victory that he bestowes on us our share and lot in his land that he covers us with Lawrels and with Palmes O God this Crown is very high 't is above this aspiring rock whose way is narrow and uneven incumber'd with thornes and bryars I lye tumbling on my Bed I cannot pull up my feet not raise my head above my bolster my carcasse is nothing but dung and my Soul then corruption I am laden with a counter-wait which ever presseth me down my offences are bolts and shackles on my feet which makes me ever stumble The Devil places them near the avenues to close up the passage to render the way dreadful and to drive me to despair of my salvation But what shall I say good God! I must not require the endeavours of my attenuated legs and my carcasse half benum'd to climb this Mountain to pierce the thicknesse of the clouds and raise my self even to the heighth 'T is onely requisite that I dive into the contrition of my heart the confession of my month I need but lift up my eyes and taise up my cogitations toward the great Saviour of the World who openeth his armes to transport me O my Rock thou art not then any longer hard for me to prevail with Christ the object of my faith Christ the only medicine who can close and consolidate my wounds Christ in whom I establish all my present and future felicity Christ my guide and my Bare star who must conduct me to the light of his ensign he shall open to me the way shall make my faith to surmount all despaires he shall deliver me from these hindrances he shall raise me up free and conduct me even into heaven making me mount by his divine degrees and shall guide by the might of his holy Spirit my blessed and happy soul into his high place where the seasons passe eternally I will leave to him this Triumph I will leave to him the accomplishment of this great work the honour shall be to his blood to his blood
forbear to aggravate my torments regard my afflictions and my travel and forgive me all my offences Lord I suffer in my groanings I mingle my Couch with my tears I am pierc't with afflictions on the bed of languishing The earth is not capable to deliver me out of this extremity The heavens alone have the glory of the medicines that are requisite for me Make hast then to come to my deliverance my God who doth dayly comfort me in my distresse and shelter me in all my stormes Lord I am afflicted that I cannot depart more than that I cannot live But good God who hast freed from death the great Shepheard of the flock by the blood of the perpetual Covenant turn thy compallionate countenance towards my torment and cause it to shine upon me in joy and in salvation Lord thou hast instructed me to understand my end and what is the wretchednesse of my dayes But good God since thou hast ordain'd that I must die cause me to depart in thee that Imay live again I have sinned my God I have displeased thee I have a thousand and a thousand times every day provoked thy fury but thou art the God of my deliverance I am washt I am sanctifi'd I am justified by thy grace in the name of Jesus Christ who hath taken my sorrowes upon him and charged my offences upon himself I am a fellow-Citizen of the Saints of thy Houshold I am built upon the foundation of the Prophets and the Apostles Pardon then my sinnes Lord in the name of thy well-beloved Son correct me not in thy displeasure neither chasten me in thy fury have mercy on me that am destitute of strength I beseech thee my God in the bitternesse of my Soul in the words of the Propher David Lord heare my request and make my supplication come unto thee Hide not thy face from me in the time that I am in calamity encline thine ear unto me in the day that I cry unto thee hast thee to answer me for my bones are dryed as an hearth and they cleave to my flesh by reason of my groaning and my time vanisheth away like smoke and as a shadow which passeth away and as for me I am become withered as the grasse Lord I said once again with David Eternal reprove me not in thine indignation thine arrowes have pierc't me and thy hand hath overwhelm'd me there is no entire part in my flesh there is no rest in my bones by reason of my sinne for mine iniquities are gone over my head and are too weighty as â—n heavy burthen above my strength I am bowed down and swerve beyond measure I am weakned and bruised more and more Lord all my desires are before thee and my afflictions are not hid from thee Forsake me not my God be not far from me hast thee and help me All my hope is in thy mercy Lord thou hast spoken by the mouth of thy Prophet Esay I have heard thee in an acceptable season and succoured thee in the day of salvation My God now behold the agreeable time see now the day of salvation Be thou now Lord my Rock and my Fortresse be thou my Deliverer and sure Retrait The snares of death hath surpriz'd me destruction hath environ'd me but I lift up my self to thee my God hearken to my supplication from thy holy place and let my cry enter into thine ears Give me by thy free mercy the wages and entire reward notwithstanding that I entred not into thy Vineyard till at the close of the day shew me thy sight give me life eternal after this fleeting languishing and cransitory life and assure me of heaven to the intent that the grave swallow me not up for ever Grant me my God that when the Saviour of the World shall appear I may appear with him in glory Grant me that I may accompany that infinite number of thine which shall be before the Throne cloathed in long white Robes holding Palms in their hands and that I sing with a loud voyce with them salvation is of our God who is set upon the Throne and of the Lamb. Wash my garment and cleanse it in his innocent blood to the end that I may eternally serve thee in his holy Temple wherein I shall never suffer hunger nor thirst that I be no more molested nor distemper'd with the Sun nor with the Winter nor with miseries my tears and my pains wip't away with thy hand O Lord I am at the last gasp of my life in the agony and shadow of death to thee I direct my latest vowes my last words All my actions have not been better than vanity in respect hereof Good God arme not thy self with vengeance against me I render to thee my penitent Soul deploring languishing which savours of nought but earth and dust to which this carcasse shall be incontinently reduc't I oppose my cryes my tears my requests my plaints and my groans against my condemnation and my fall Let the confession of my mouth the contrition of my heart cause thy Sword to tumble out of thy hands let my gasping move thy goodnesse magnifie not thy power and might against a languishing attenuated immoveable carcasse against withered grasse laid on the earth expecting nought but to be driven away by the smallest blast I am at my end I neither have more power nor heart to offend thee but I may still serve thee to publish thy elemency the foundation of my hope and thy bounty the spring of my life I am thine from the Cradle thou hast sanctified me I have been redeem'd and ransom'd by the blood of thy Son who died innocent to give life to the guilty by the blood of thy Son who must open to me the door of felicity I have my recourse to him I beseech thee in his Name It is not reasonable that my sinnes should violate me in so holy a Sanctuary Rouse thee good God a rise speedily the extremity of my affliction will not admit any delay to the end that these sinnes be not too powerful for me hearken to my prayers give me strength to prevail against these billowes that drive me off from the heavenly shoar hast thee to absolve me preserve in thy hands my Soul lest it remain a prey drive these sins our of thy presence which are the work of thine enemy and Lord pardon me that am the work of thine hands Lord I render praise for that thou hast made me capable to participate of the heritage of Saints in thy light for that thou hast delivered me from the power of darknesse and hast transported me to the Kingdome of thy well-beloved Son in whom I have deliverance and remission from my sins Lord I perceive the establishment of thine assistance I feel my self replenish't with thy Holy Spirit who effaces my transgressions and ravisheth my Soul even unto heaven to shew him the inheritance which the mercy of thy Son hath bestowed on me in thy presence O good God! how blessed shall I be to hear from thy Holy Spirit that the last of my dayes shall be the first of my repose that I am not farther from my satisfaction than the length of the last groan of my life I am approaching Lord to thy Throne of grace with assurance to obtain mercy by the vertue of my High Priest who hath compassion on my infirmities I am coming to behold thee face to face whereas now I discern thee but darkly as in a mirrour I am quitting these miseries for a fulness of delight from these dolors into the Mountain of Syon from this Militant to the Triumphant Jerusalem from this World to the City of the living God I voluntarily cease to live on the Earth to survive in heaven I contentedly part with this wretched life for that which is most happy I chearfully quit my self to follow thee I abandon this carcasse and render my Soul into thy hands FINIS
infused into him all the treasure of those merits which he acquir'd on the Crosse is conferred on thee by the communion of this holy Sacrament of his Supper which is the Fountain of spiritual sweetnesse by the which God nourisheth sustaineth and conserveth the life he hath confer'd on us in Baptisme and hath united us unto himself making â—s as saith Saint Paul flesh of his flesh bones of his bones and members of his proper body But my God all times are ever present with thee thou mindest not the past nor attendest the future Thou watchest over my cogitations thou art the Judge of my intentions nothing is hid from thee all things to thee are naked and entirely manifest my heart is fast closed in my breast but my bosome is not other than glasse in thy sight and thou beholdest Lord that the fervour of my faith is as it were quite extinct that my brow hath neither sincerity nor candor that I take not repose but under the branches cracking with fruits of iniquity and that my soul is more defil'd than the mire of which my body is form'd I cannot then great God approach thy holy Table till I have in thy presence with a true resentment and entire affection without hypocrisie and with an open and free heart confessed my shame acknowledging thy glory Lord I am oppressed with fear and astonishment I humble my self at thy feet I poure forth in thy sight all my offences which appeal my countenance I accuse I blame and condemne my ingratitude and my failings I acknowledge I am the most infirme the most abject of all thy creatures the very scorn of the earth and the most vile and detestable of all that the heaven covers I have suffered my self to be carried away with the deceitful delusions and enticements of the world I am quite over-spread with foul and filthy scales which â—â—â—ke me stumble into precipices and inâ—â—ead that thou hast opened my mouth to the end I should exalt thee and hast given me the knowledge of thy truth to declare it on the earth I am ever backward to that which concerne thy glory and my salvation Lord thou mayest dart thy lightning from heaven thou canst consume and over-whelme me with thy storms but I am nothing and in punishing me thou losest thy labour and thy thunder thou art the Omnipotent God from all eternity and I a fraile man yet the work of thy hands as thou art powerful in thy wrath so art thou Omnipotent in thy clemency Rend not him then who is humbled I am thine now thou canst have no delight in my Funerals I am a great sinner but thou art yet greater in thy mercies thou holdest the lives of men in thy hands 't is thy mouth which pronounces their absolution have pity then on me my God by the infinite number of thy compassions blot out my innumerable iniquities and save by thy grace him whom thou mayst damne in thy justice deliver him who is ransom'd by the precious blood of thy Sonne of thy Sonne who all glittering and resplendent with glory hath so far humbled himself as to be cloathed with our flesh to raise up the mud and refuse of the earth toward the Throne of thy Grandure Cause Lord that my Repentance and Confession may be to thee sweet sacrifices agreeable and of pleasant odour I knock at the gate let it not be closed seeing thou art merciful with thee the word and effect are the same grant me pardon from deserved punishment and mollifie the hardnesse of my heart which is in thy power Lord in times past thou drewest out and deliverest thy people from the fetters of Egypt thou hast divided the Red Sea and formed a Rampart of waters against the waters continue then thy goodnesse towards thine own Deliver me Lord Deliver me immediately by the merits of thy Sonne from the servitude of mine iniquities under the bondage whereof with anguish I emplore thy succours Bow down thy greatnesse over me display upon my soul the rayes of thy holy Spirit and enlighten me with the lustre of thy divinity to the end that I may meditate and fully comprehend how the body of Jesus Christ my Saviour is given and broken for thine elect and his blood spil't on the Crosse is made mine by the communion of thy holy Sacrament I am unable of my self to raise me up from this miserable earth to a subject so High and Excellent But Lord Thou hast cleft the obscurity thence to draw out light Thy divine eye enlightens the darknesse touch my spirit with thy brightnesse as thou didst that of Saint Paul render me uncapable and untractable to the vanities of the World and clear-sighted in the inestimable treasures of thy Gospel Assure my faith establish my faith Lord stay it upon thy promises fortifie me mightly according to the riches of thy divinity so that Christ may abide in me and that I may comprehend with the Saints his love and greatresse Ephes 3.16 which passeth all understanding That we who when enemies having been reconciled by the death of the Saviour of the World may now much rather being justiâ—ed by his blond Rom. 5.10 Shall I be preserved from thine ire Regulate Lord the disordred affections and appetites of my heart mundifie the impure cogitations of my spirit cleanse all the pollutions of my lips and wrench my sins in the blood of thy Son to the intent I may present my self pure at thy Table Grant that my understanding may comprehend Thee that my heart may affect Thee my soul adore Thee and that all my powers and faculties may render and yield thee the obedience which is thy due Father of glory grant me the spirit of wisdome enlighten my eyes Eph. 1.18 to the end I may apprehend what is the excellency of thy Son whom thou hast caused to sit at thy right hand in the heâ—venly places and whom thou hast prefer'd to all principalities and powers and above every name which is invoked not onely in this world but likewise in that which is to come Give eare to me Thou onely object of the Angels through thy Sonne Jesus Christ our Lord who liveth and reigneth in unity with Thee and thy holy Spirit for ever and ever Lord after having formed the light after having stretched out the heavens with thy hands separated the earth from the flood and finishest the creation of such a multitude of starres of so many creeping things of such a variety of Fowles who have a being to thy Glory Thou tookest dust thou embellished it and formed man subjecting the earth under his feet giving him dominion over the fishes of the Sea and over the Fowles of the Ayre And this man good God instead of lifting up without ceasing his vowes to thy honour and praise and to possesse with joy eternally the delights of Eden hath open'd his mouth against thee and contrary to thy expresse command and menaces hath tasted the fruit