and sorrowfull Disciples looke vpon them and view what store of teares doe fall from their eyes heare what pittifull sighes and grieuous grones doe come from their hearts while they see their louing Master vexed in his bodie and afflicted in his soule suffering the wrath of his Father for the guilt of our sinnes After my louing IESVS had told his sadfull Disciples the heauinesse of his soule pressed with the ponderous waight of our sinnes he departed from them about a stones cast and kneeling on the earth prayed vnto his heauenly Father saying My Father all things are possible to thee if it be possible remoue this Cup from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Learne here oh my soule of thine afflicted Sauiour where to seeke a salue for thy wounds and from whence thou maist hope for help when any fearefull danger doth hang ouer thy head or any present anguish torment thy hart poure forth thy prayers in his holy Sanctuarie let thy deuotion ascend vp to him that his benediction may descend downe vpon thee learne alwayes to submit thy wish to his will for if it be not his will to deliuer thee it will be his will alwayes to comfort thee if thou continue thy prayers with perseuerance and attend his appointed time with patience Consider how thy Sauiour prayed three times vttering the same words when his pangs in his Agonie were so grieuous and his paines so dolorous that his sweate ranne downe like drops of bloud so heauie was the displeasure of his Father against him for our sinnes so great was the burden of our iniquities imposed vpon his shoulders But in the extremitie of his passions and sorrow of his soule his heauenly father sent downe an Angell from heauen to comfort him for the Lord will neuer leaue them forsaken in their sorrow that call vpon him faithfully he hath commanded vs to call vpon him in our trouble and he will deliuer vs and as he hath commanded the one so will hee neuer faile to performe the other Draw me oh my louing Lord to the Garden where thou wert that I may see thee praying and suffer with thee in thy afflictions call me and say Come into my garden my sister my spouse make hast oh my Soule to come to thy Beloued because thy Beloued is gone vp into his garden to his bed of spices that hee may feede there and gather Lillies Let vs consider oh my Soule and meditate attentiuely vpon all things which our Iesus hath done let vs ruminate his feuerall actions which may afford vs consolation and tend to our instruction For we may take many examples from our louing Master which should euermore be proposed before our eyes that wee might alwayes imitate them in the course of our life Thou seest how our most gentle Master hath commanded his Disciples to lincke their hearts together with the bands of true loue and to arme themselues with patience against the daies of danger when he went to the mount Oliuet to pray Wherefore being about to enter into a fearefull fight to beginne a dangerous battell and to encounter many deadly foes hee animateth his courage and armeth himselfe with prayers Learne thou also by this his example in the day of thy tribulation and houre of thy affliction to haue thy speedy recourse vnto Prayer Wee can finde no better weapon wherewith to offend our foes Wee can vse no better shield wherewith to defend our friends Thou seest also my soule how thy Sauiour Iesus preparing himselfe to Prayer did leaue the companie of his Disciples and he onely selected three out of his number so that they three which before had beene spectators in mount Tabor of his glorious Transfiguration might now be companions and eye-witnesses of his grieuous Passion that in the mouth of two or three euery word might be established Learne thou also to leaue the societie of men when thou doest addresse thy selfe to talke with God When thy Sauiour did pray he ascended vp into a mountaine to teach vs that although our bodies doe remaine vpon earth yet our cogitations should mount and soare vp into heauen by the wings of deuout prayer he poured forth the compassion of his heart he being a good Shepheard doth diligently watch ouer his flocke the extremitie of his owne passions doe not make him forgetfull of his Brethren Oh great loue how constantly euen vnto the end did he tender and loue the little flocke of his faithfull Disciples being indeede their most kinde and louing Pastor when in the most grieuous fits of his heauy Agonie and greatest pangs of his Passion he was carefull to procure their rest in that little time which was limited vnto them Teach me my mercifull Iesu not onely to be tender-hearted towards my poore Brethren in the bright dayes of my flourishing prosperitie but breed also within my bowels such a feeling compassion towards them in the hard time of my clowdie aduersitie that I may not onely wish mine owne ease and labour for mine owne cause but also that I may be mindfull of others afflicted and doe for them what I may which are in the like wofull case Attend also to the lowly demeanour and humble gesture of thy gentle Lord when hee prayeth who kneeling meekely on his knees and falling flat on the earth with his face Luke 22.41 Mark 14.35 doth plainely discouer by the submissiue humiliation of his bodie the sincere humilitie of his minde Oh great worthy and wonderfull humilitie when as he being equall and coeternall with God doth prostrate himselfe to the earth when he prayeth his father as though hee were a most base and wretched creature and submitteth the issue of his Petition to the pleasure and will of his Father Oh how should I learne to humble my soule and prostrate my bodie which am indeed nothing else but a sinke of sinne and an vnsauorie lumpe of iniquitie When I addresse my selfe vnto holy prayer and come to put vp my petition to a God of such infinite glory should I not cast downe my high lookes should I not curbe mine aspiring thoughts should I not lay aside my proud attyre and put on the mourning garment of sorrowfull and true Repentance Oh how should I which am but dust and ashes yea indeede nothing else but a very masse of grieuous misery humble and cast downe my selfe when I approach to speake to such a glorious Maiestie I confesse I must stand aloofe off with the poore publican terrified with the horrour of my sinnes which lye so heauie vpon my head that I cannot lift vp mine eyes vnto heauen Teach me oh Lord for none but thou can teach me to learne this hard lesson of true humilitie This is the Ladder by which my prayers must ascend vp vnto thee and thy Graces descend downe vpon mee I cannot enter into the Palace of thy most ioyfull and glorious Eternitie vnlesse I passe through the straite dore of selfe-debasing humilitie But now oh my
let the time come I pray thee let that blessed time come wherein I may see that with my inward eyes which now I beleeue by faith which now I enioy by hope and apprehend a farre off And that I may embrace that with mine armes and kisse that with my ioyfull lips which I now long to haue with such thirstie desires as will neuer be satisfied vntill they be wholy possessed of it and that I be swallowed vp in the deepe Sea of thine infinite goodnesse oh my Sauiour and my God But praise thou oh my Soule my God my Sauiour and magnifie his Name For it is holy replenished with store of most holy delights whose quantitie is stinted with no measure nor qualitie subiect to any mutability Oh how good how sweet art thou Lord Iesus to the soule that seeketh thee Oh Iesus the Redeemer of those which were lost the Sauiour of those which are redeemed the hope of the banished the strength of those that are troubled the libertie of a Spirit afflicted with bondage the comfortable solace and sweet refreshing of a sorrowfull Soule which sheddeth teares and sendeth forth sweat while it runneth after thee the Crowne of the Tryumphing the onely reward and ioy of all celestiall Citizens the most plentifull Fountaine of all Graces the glorious Sonne of the highest God and also the highest God Roman 3.25 Matth. 9.12 Zach. 13.1 Psal 16.5 Iohn 10.7.9 Let all things praise thee which are in Heauen aboue and which are in Earth beneath Thou art great and thy name is wonderfull Oh exceeding glory of the high God and most pure brightnesse of eternall light oh life quickening euery life oh light illuminating euery light and preseruing them in eternall brightnesse A thousand thousands of glistering lights are before the Throne of thy Diuinity for euer Oh eternall and vnaccessible substance the most cleere sweet streame of a Fountaine hidden from the eyes of all mortall Creatures whose water is without beginning profunditie without any bottome depth without any end amplitude vnsearchable purity vncorruptible The heart of the highest God hath sent thee out from his bottomlesse deepenesse life hath sent forth life light hath sent forth light the Eternall hath sent forth the Eternall the incomprehensible hath sent forth the incomprehensible and coequall to himselfe in all things all of vs receiue from thy fulnesse For thou a most plentifull Fountaine doest send out from thy Treasures a precious Riuer of euery good thing of thy seauen-folde Graces vvith vvhose pleasant sweetnesse thou dost vouchsafe to sweeten the saltnesse of the salt Sea of our infirmities A riuer of the oyle of gladnesse a riuer of pure Wine a riuer of fierie courage The holy spirit the comforter is poured forth from thee and the Father into the World equall to both filling all things contayning all things the Spirit proceeding from thee proceeding from the Father one Spirit proceeding from both vniting both to wit the vnseparable connexion the glewe of perfect Vnion the Cyment that can neuer be dissolued the euerlasting knot of eternall coniunction of both and peace passing all vnderstanding This is the flood oh Lord of abounding and exceeding pleasure wherewith thou doest water continually that pleasant and glorious Citie Ierusalem which is aboue so that the furrowes thereof are filled with the streames of eternall delight Where the bright and glistering Organs sound out sweet songs of continuall reioycing whose melody exceedeth in sweetnesse neuer ceaseth but hath an euerlasting continuance With the sweet drops of this pleasant riuer the thirsty iawes of thy banished people oh Lord doe waite continually to bee refreshed by thee Suffer oh Lord the whelpes to drinke vp the droppes that fall from the Table of their Masters Let the Heauens send downe from aboue the comfortable deaw and let the clouds poure forth a gracious rayne oh Lord of that righteous Spirit vvhich thou diddest cause to streame downe vpon the famous first fruits of thy people an euident demonstration of our future tryumphing With the heauenly distillation of those fierie drops we pray thee oh Lord that thou wilt vouchsafe to purge renew illuminate enflame to make ioyfull confirme and vnite the harts of them which beleeue in thee that they may be one sauour one thing require and apprehend one thing with one minde that they may see and laud thee the GOD of Gods in Sion Glory thanks-giuing honour and dominion be ascribed to the inseparable Trinitie now and for euer AMEN Daemona non armis sed morte subegit Iesus The Authors deprecation or Petition for himselfe DEliuer mee from mine enemies oh my God and from them which hate mee because of their multitude I dread them and because of their might I am too weake to encounter them And I which euen vntill this day haue liued against my selfe vvill euen now begin through thy grace to liue to my selfe For we ought to liue so here in this World that when the body shall be deuoured of the Wormes in the graue the soule may reioyce with the Saints in Heauen We ought to seeke after the heauenly Ierusalem The Spirit is to bee directed towards that place to which it shall goe and wee ought to make hast thither where wee may alwaies liue and neuer stand any more in feare of our loue If we so deerely loue and highly esteeme this sliding fickle and fraile life in which wee liue vvith toyle labour and yet by eating drinking and sleeping can scant satisfie the necessities of the flesh and supply her daily wants wee ought farre dearer to esteeme and feruently to desire to attaine to eternall life in the Hauen of rest where we shall sustaine no labour where is alwaies the chiefest pleasure greatest happinesse happy liberty and endlesse blessednesse where men shall be like vnto the Angels of God and the righteous shine like the Sunne in the Kingdome of their Father How wonderfully and gloriously doest thou thinke that the soules of the iust shall excell in brightnesse when as the light of their bodies shall equall the splendour of the Sunne when as his golden beames doe shine clearest There shall be no sadnesse no pensiuenesse no paine no feare there shall be no labour no death but perpetuall health dwelleth there and abideth for euer there breedeth no spitefull malice no miserie of the flesh no dolefull calamitie There is no grieuous sicknesse no pinching want no carefull necessitie There is no hunger no thirst no colde no heate no wearisomnesse of Fasting no temptation of the enemie neither is there any will to sinne nor facultie to offend but ioy and gladnesse ouer-spreadeth all reioycing and exultation possesseth all Men there also associated with the Angels and freed from all fleshly infirmitie shall remaine and continue for euer There shall be infinite pleasure euerlasting blessednesse in which whosoeuer shall once be happily inuested hee shall surely and securely liue possessed with it for euer There shall be quiet rest from our toyling and tyring labours perpetuall peace vvithout any dreadfull feare of our enemies delightfull pleasantnesse proceeding from flourishing and continuall newnesse securitie arising from Eternitie delectablenesse and sweetnesse flowing from the glorious vision of GOD our omnipotent Creatour And who doth not hourely long and daily desire to dwell and remaine in this heauenly Paradise and celestiall Pallace of true and euerlasting pleasure both in regard of that perpetuall peace delightfull pleasantnesse neuer-decaying eternity and also in respect of the glorious Vision and sight of God who shall replenish vs with infinite ioy and immeasurable gladnesse No man shall be there a Pilgrime and Stranger but whosoeuer shall be admitted as vvorthy to come and enter into this celestiall City they shall dwell there for euer in their owne Country secure from all feare of any dreadfull danger alwayes ioyfull alwayes satisfied with the most delightfull sight of GOD their Creator And by how much the greater obedience any one shall performe towards God heere by so much the more bountifull reward hee shall receiue of him there and by how much the more entierly and deerely he shall long after God by so much the neerer hee shall approach vnto him and see him vvhom so exceedingly hee coueteth to view and desireth to behold To this Kingdome bring mee oh God by the merits of thy Sonne Christ IESVS FINIS
had a Diuell These thy children my most louing Iesus doe sit like Oliue branches round about thy Table They sate downe with thee lincked together with the bond of perfect loue the mindes of all them being faithfull vnto thee and all their affections longing after thee onely Iudas was an odious Traytor and thou knewest well enough that he should betray thee They all eate with thee the meat set before them and they eate the pure Paschall Lambe after the manner of the Iewes Oh blessed house oh happie supping-parlour worthy of great honour in which my gracious Lord vouchsafed to make his blessed Supper Wherefore was not I there then my sweet Sauiour to attend vpon thee and thy faithfull Disciples I would haue esteemed it as my greatest honour to haue done thee any seruice Certainely I would haue gathered vp some of the crummes which fell from the Table of my Lord. Oh how ioyfull would it haue beene to my hart Oh how would it haue pleased mine eyes to haue had but a view of thy amiable countenance I would haue fallen downe flat at thy feete and with Mary Magdalene I would haue washed them with my teares And thou oh my most mercifull Lord which didst not despise the teares of a sinfull and a sorrowfull Woman wouldst not haue reiected mee a poore Publican and grieuous sinner and as thou wert compassionate towards her so thou wouldst also haue beene mercifull to me Oh how comfortable would thy most pleasant speeches my sweet Sauiour haue beene to my sorrowfull soule how quickly would thy most wholsome words wherwith thou didst refresh thy louing Disciples haue healed the wounds of my grieued conscience What did my Lord beginne to speake what were thy first words when thou wert set at the Table Thou saist I haue earnestly desired to eate this Passeouer with you before I suffer Oh how great is thy Charitie how immeasurable is thy loue my louing Iesus Thou didst earnestlie desire to eate with thy Disciples but it was not to slake thy hunger or to refresh thy feeble nature thou hadst no such neede of corporall food but it was thy meate to doe the will of thy Father Thou wert desirous to leaue some tokens of thy exceeding loue with thy louing Disciples before thy departure and to seale them an euerlasting assurance of thy continuall prouidence ouer them let the precious balme of thy soueraigne mercie heale the deepe and deadly wounds of mine iniquitie Oh my God open thy pittifull eares to heare my petition answere me graciously and despise not my prayer Command my wandring heart to come out of the broad way that leadeth to Hell and damnation and to returne into the narrow path which conducteth to heauen and euerlasting saluation so that being once againe returned into it it may neuer hereafter wander out of it Shut all worldly cares and wicked cogitations out of my heart that neither the heauie burthen of them may so depresse my minde that the deuotion of my Prayer cannot ascend vp vnto thee nor so stop the passage of my soule that the comfort of thy grace cannot descend downe vpon me Draw mee vnto thee my most louing Iesus thou which art mine assured saluation in the day of my greatest miserie and my onelie comfort and consolation in the last and latest houre of my deadly agonie for I am wounded and my heart is consumed because I haue forgotten to eate my bread which should haue nourished me to euerlasting life Indeed I haue beene altogether forgetfull of thee my beloued Iesus for I haue not called to my minde thy most holy Passion with any zealous or serious meditation I haue had no delight to thinke vpon thy precious wounds which thou didst suffer to heale my sores neither haue I found any comfort in the pure streames of thy innocent bloud powred out to wash away my sinnes and to purge my corrupted soule I haue not looked after my beloued in the day I haue not longed for my Bride-groome in the night I confesse my gracious Lord I haue not beene mindefull of thee my thoughts haue beene wandring abroad my minde hath not been exercised with any sweet meditation of thy mercie my spirit hath not beene troubled with sorrow for my sinnes mine eyes haue shed no teares nor my heart sent forth any sighes for my manifold transgressions Therefore what shall I doe I will returne to the Lord my God and I will call vpon him I will not cease to reiterate the most holy Name of Iesus vntill thy voice sound in mine eares there there Come therefore oh good Iesus and haue mercie vpon me Heare oh sweet Iesus the prayer of thy seruant infuse and dip my heart in thy bloud and diffuse thy grace into my soule oh most mercifull Iesus let my heart oh most louing Iesus be like waxe melting in the middest of thy bloudy side Cloath my minde with the mourning garment of thy Passion and let my zealous affections burne like fire in my serious meditation Leade me oh my most milde and kinde Iesus to thy most holy Supper where I may heare thee speaking to thy Disciples sitting at thy Table after thou haddest washed their feete Tell mee oh my soule if thou hast read what the Lord my Iesus did when he sate downe againe to the Table after the washing of his Disciples feete Verily while they were yet eating Iesus tooke bread and giuing thanks he blessed it brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and said Take and eate this is my body which is giuen for you doe this in remembrance of mee And when hee had giuen euery one a morsell hee tooke the cup and powring wine into it giuing thankes hee likewise gaue it to them saying Drinke yee all of this for this is my bloud of the new Testament which is shed for you and for many for the remission of sinnes and they all dranke of it Let vs pause a while oh my soule and with deuout meditation ponder in our mindes and treasure vp in our hearts the wonderfull things which our blessed IESVS hath done for vs for our mercifull and gracious Lord hath made a memoriall of his wonders hee hath giuen meate to them which feare him Oh wonderfull Supper in which so many admirable things were done and effected This was thy last Supper oh most sweet Iesu which thou didst make when thou wert about to depart out of the world to thy Father How many admirable wonders of thy exceeding loue how many miracles of thy infinite mercy are presented vnto vs in this thy blessed Supper but thou hast most speciallie ordained this mysticall sweet delightfull and heauenlie sacrament of thy body and bloud that the memorie of thy Passion might remaine for euer in the mindes of the faithfull Oh wonderfull Sacrament in which is contained such abundance of all kinde of sweenesse no sweetnesse be it neuer so dilicious can come neere it in goodnesse no pleasure be it neuer so incomparable is
sweet and louing Iesus But first of all kisse his blessed feete and bathe them as Mary did with the teares of true repentance sighing and groaning with sense of thy sinnes that the comfort of his mercie may be extended vnto thee when such welcome tokens of thy loue are bestowed vpon him Prostrate thy selfe oh my Soule on the earth that thou maist cease to be wretched Imbrace the feete of thy IESV pacifie them with thy teares who spared not to poure forth bloud out of his feet hands heart and side to clense thy pollution and to wash away thy sinnes so that after thy sorrowfull contrition thou maist heare him pronounce vnto thee the ioyfull word of saluation saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And now my Soule after wee haue fallen downe before the Lord in true humilitie and haue powred out before him the teares of an vnfained contrition let vs arise with a comfortable heart to kisse his blessed hands And then doe we kisse his gracious hands with a reuerent and lowly heart when our mouthes are filled with his worthy praises for his bountifull benefits freely bestowed vpon vs proclaiming his wonderfull mercie and disclaiming our vnworthie merit whose hand hath raised vs vp out of the mire and hath aduanced vs to euerlasting honor Lastly after wee haue reuerently kissed his hands wee may more boldlie approach to kisse his blessed mouth to behold the glorie of our Creator that the bright beames of his countenance may illuminate our obscure vnderstanding and that his sweet breath may so inspire our soules that all our cogitations may be consonable and our actions conformable to his most holy will Shew vs the light of thy countenance oh my louing Iesus and then our hearts shall be filled with gladnesse and wee shall be satisfied with the abundance of thine euerlasting goodnesse for to see the beautie of thy face is our chiefest felicitie and to be banished from thy face is our endlesse miserie Therefore kisse the Sonne lest he be angry for if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that trust in him Psal 2.12 Thou hast heard oh my soule how traiterous Iudas betrayed my innocent Iesus consider the crueltie of the one wonder at the mildenesse of the other Oh that all treacherous persons and bloudie minded Traitors might haue a view of desperate Iudas strangling himselfe with an Halter that the horror of his cursed death vpon earth and the terror of his continuall paines in hell might stay the rage of their furious mindes and manacle their bloudie hands For although desperate Iudas was so tormented with horror of a guiltie conscience that hee could haue no peace in his fearefull thoughts nor chuse but crie in his tormenting miseries depriued of all hope of comfortable mercie I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud Matth. 27.4 and could finde no other medicine to cure his desperate maladie but the helpe of an halter being his owne Hang-man to shorten his woefull dayes vpon earth that hee might make the more haste to abide euerlasting torments in hell yet there are manie whose hearts are so sore infected with his venemous humour and their thoughts so poisoned with greedie desires of vnlawfull gaine that they make no conscience to betray their Prince and Countrie to prooue disobedient and cruell to their naturall Parents and faithlesse to their dearest friends yea to sell Heauen their soules and themselues for a base piece of money but woefull is their inheritance which buy Hell for their purchase Yet let mee not so bitterly inueigh against the monstrous fact of cursed Iudas that I forget the mildenesse of my mercifull IESVS who did not rate and reuile him calling him in name as hee was indeede a damnable Traitor saluting his Master with a kisse as a token of his loue but alas it was onely to betray him My patient Sauiour Iesus called him by the name of a friend Mat. 26.50 whom hee knew to be a deadly foe that the mildnesse of the name might haue bred remorse in his heart but that the Diuell had taken full possession in his minde and ruled powerfully ouer his thoughts But why did my louing Sauiour vse such affable words to such a detestable Traitor It was to teach mee to represse mine affections from raging furie when any of his wicked brood lie in waite to take away my life and secretly seeke to contriue my death Teach mee my Iesu to imitate thy patience when my curtesie is rewarded with crueltie when supposed friends proue faithlesse and when my kindnesse is recompenced with bad words and rewarded with worse deedes Thou hast willed vs to blesse them that curse vs and to pray for our persecutors Mat. 5.44 But our flesh is wayward and it cannot away with this doctrine wherefore I beseech thee my gracious Lord to lend me thy helping hand it is thine owne worke to conforme my minde to thy blessed will that I may be made obsequious and obedient to thy sacred Law But now my Soule turne aside thine eies from hatefull Iudas to looke vpon louing Peter who beganne to be touched with the heate of true loue when hee saw his Master attached by the hands of his enemies and did boldlie obiect his owne life vnto danger that hee might deliuer his harmelesse Master out of perill and that hee might performe in deede that which a little before he had professed in word Mat. 26.35 Ioh. 18.10 As his loue was much so his courage was great in the defence of his dearelie beloued Master hee regarded not the multitude that came against him hee respected not how well they were armed his true heart dreaded no danger But so soone as hee saw his dread master Iudasly betraied and cruellie apprehended by his malicious foes he drew out his sword and laid about him and cut off Malchus his eare Thy loue was strong louing Peter although thy strength was feeble to resist so manie so ill-minded and so well armed I cannot but commend thee for thy loue although thy louing Master doth not praise thee for thy deede thou diddest shew a token of thy feruent loue and affection although alas he stood not in neede of thy weake protection my louing Sauiour came to fulfill the will of his Father to suffer death yea to suffer a cruell and shamefull death on the crosse that we might be restored to life be freed and deliuered from the curse It was the feruencie of thy loue that had inflamed thy aged heart with courage thou couldest not hold thy hands when thou diddest see thy beloued Master so violently apprehended so currishly handled and haled to the slaughter For whosoeuer my louing Sauiour hath his heart knit vnto thee with bands of true loue hee dreadeth no danger for thy sake but will be more willing to forgoe his life then to leaue his true loue But thou diddest not desire my louing Iesus nay thou didst not allow that Peter should shew his manhood or
innocent blood and so eagerly desired to haue him put to a shamefull death that they cried out in a rage and exclaimed in their fury Set Barrabas at libertie and crucifie Iesus But when Pilate perceiued that nothing could calme the storme of their rage and represse the violence of their madnesse but effusion of his innocent blood then he commanded that my harmelesse Iesus should be cruelly scourged thinking that the streames of bloud running downe from his sacred body would haue allaide the heat of their malice quenched the flame of their fury But alas it was his life that they onely sought nothing but his innocent death could satisfie their bloody mindes yea nothing but cruell death could tame their bruitish rage Matth. 26. But stay here my soule that thou mayest reuiew againe thy innocent Iesus accused vniustly reuiled malitiously spitefully scorned and cruelly scourged by the commaundement of Pilate they crowned his head scornefully with pricking Thornes and did teare his tender flesh with their cruell whips Oh my most louing Lord oh my most mercifull Iesus mollifie my hard hart that it may be wholy dissolued into streames of sorrow with the memory of thy bitter scourging and that my soule may be wounded so that it may send forth deepe groanes at the meditation of thine afflictions Grant me oh my most mercifull LORD that my thoughts and affections may be so seriously affected vvith the remembrance of thy tedious Passion that my senses may be made partakers of thy grieuous paines for I my selfe most louing Lord am nothing able to performe that indeed which I doe desire and conceiue in my minde I doe often times purpose with my selfe to meditate on thy Passion and to thinke seriously vpon thine affliction and to ruminate in my secret thoughts what ignominious crueltie was acted against thee vvhen thou didst finish the worke of my redemption But alas my senses are replenished with such stupiditie and dulnesse that I am not touched vvith any sensible compassion because my vnderstanding is distempered with vaine and fond cogitations and my heart is become so hard that it is vnapt to conceiue any tender affection while I meditate vpon the grieuous paines and muse on the great afflictions which thou didst sustaine and patiently endure to satisfie the vvrath of thy Father due vnto me for my sinnes I cannot taste the sweetnesse I cannot relish the goodnesse of thy passion because the matter is tedious to my corrupted thoghts and vnpleasant to my carnall desires For so vnconstant and instable is my heart so mutable and variable are the motions of my minde that they are both soone distracted alienated and diuorced from that heauenly meditation by swarms of idle fantasies foolish cogitations But from whence oh Lord doe these noysome vveeds grow vp in my hart how is it that they finde such a fertile soile in my minde truly because my heart is not planted vvith thy loue nor my mind furnished with thy graces For I can neuer haue my fill of those things vvherein I take too much delight my minde cannot be drawne from their societie because they haue wonne my fauor haue gotten my loue Wherefore oh my most mercifull Iesus because I loue thee so little and dote vpon worldly vanities so much my hart slideth away from thee mine affections are diuerted from thee and I know oh Lord how prone ready I am to consent to euery wicked motion and how impotent and feeble I am to go about any good action Therfore I pray thee not to correct me in thy wrath nor to proceed against mee with seuerity of thy Iustice but to haue pitty on me a most miserable sinner and to confirme my vnconstant hart with a stedfast delight in thy loue to establish my wandring minde according to the multitude of thy mercies so that no pleasure be it neuer so sweet may be able to allure me to leaue thy blessed loue nor any tribulation be it neuer so bitter constraine me to forsake thy happy seruice driue all idle cares out of my minde purge all corrupt thoughts out of my hart and draw me wholy vnto thee that I may remember with a deuout compassion call to minde with a serious meditation how many what great grieuous torments what scornefull derisions thou didst suffer in thy most pretious body by the commaundement of Pontius Pilate who contrary to the equitie of thy cause and testimony of his owne conscience Ioh. 19.4 commaunded thee to be scourged without all pitty when as he himselfe with his owne words had iustified thy innocency Oh vvhat a flood of teares should streame from mine eyes what groanes and sorrowfull sighes should arise from the depth of my heart how should all my senses be ouer-whelmed with a sea of sorrow when I meditate on the flinty hearts and cruell hands of those tormentors who scourged my louing Redeemer My heart cannot conceiue the outrage of their tyranny my tongue is too weake to expresse their barbarous inhumanitie Who vvere as eager to lay violent hands vpon my poore Iesus as rauenous Wolues are greedy to deuoure a tender Lambe or hungry Lyons to ceaze vpon their prey They make haste to vnbinde his armes and to vntie his hands but it was not done to release him of his cruell bands or to afford him any little ease but that they might strip him of his garments to scourge his naked body with their tormenting whips and to make his veines spout out bloud with their cruell stripes Ah ruthfull spectacle to pittifull eyes and able to haue made a deepe impression of tender compassion in their hearts if they had not beene more heard then Marble What sauage thoughts raigned in their murdering mindes What monstrous indignitie was done vnto my louing Redeemer to be stripped of his garments and to stand naked before such vile and base vassals who cloathed the Heauens with exceeding glory and adorned the earth with admirable beauty Now when they had stripped him of his cloathes they bound him to a pillar to endure their cruell stripes hauing banished pitty from their hearts and imbraced cruelty with their hands somtime they lash him on the backe sometime they scourge him on the brest Now they let their smarting whips flie on his shoulders anon they strike him on his armes they suffer no part of his body to bee free from blowes and they grieue his righteous soule with bitter words whilest yet they are executing their cruell deeds But what Tygers heart harboured in their brest oh my innocent Sauiour which robbed them of grace and they disrobed thee of thy cloathes What hellish fury armed their hands which bound thee to a pillar and scourged thy blessed body how exceeding execrable is their sauage crueltie How rare and admirable is thy silent patience It was I it was I oh my most sweet Iesu which deserued to bee scourged with the whips of euerlasting torments And thou my most mercifull Sauiour
torture thy body and such furious tyrants to vexe thy soule how great oh my sweet Iesu are the tortures which thou doest patiently endure for my sake how painefull how shamefull and cursed vvas the death vvhich thou didst suffer for my sinnes the punishment was great wherewith thy body was afflicted the anguish was grieuous wherewith thy soule was affected the thornes vvere sharpe that wounded thy sacred head the whips were terrible that scourged thy naked body the nailes were painefull that entred through thy hands and pierced thy feete nothing but markes of cruelty appeared to thine eyes nothing but scornefull reproaches of thine enemies sounded in thy eares But as thy outward afflictions were vnspeakeable so thy inward sorrow was more intollerable vvhen thou didst thinke how forgetfull vvee vvould be of thy mercies and how vnthankfull we would be for thy benefits And as thou my most deare Iesu in the fiercest fittes of thine agonie and sorest pangs of thy Passion didst call and crie to thy heauenly Father for succour so teach mee to lift vp my deuout heart pure hands and a lowde voice towards the seat of mercy when any outward affliction doth pinch my body or any inward tribulation presse my soule teach me oh Lord in the stormie daies of my greatest persecutions to meditate on thy vvonted goodnesse and when my soule is most perplexed with the horror of my guilty conscience to thinke on the multitude of thy mercies But forsake mee not my sweet Iesu vvhen my strength faileth vphold mee when my feete begin to slide and raise mee vp vvhen I begin to fall thou doest neuer leaue them vvithout comfort in time of their trouble vvho come vnto thee vvith confidence of thy promises and faithfully craue thy succour Oh suffer not my soule to be cast downe vvith immoderate mourning or my mouth to be filled vvith murmuring when thy hand lieth heauie vpon mee Comfort my drouping heart with some taste of thy heauenly consolation vvhen either the sword of persecution doth vvound my body or sorrow for my sinnes doth afflict my minde Let mee remember that thy children are in this vvorld as the Israelites were in the Desart they shall haue many cruell foes abide hunger and thirst runne through many dangers and drinke of the bitter waters of Mara before they can come into heauenly Canaan and chaw the Wormewood of affliction before they can eate of the fruit of the tree of life more sweet then milke and more delicate then hony Let me remember that Abraham the Father of the faithfull was often afflicted that Iacob thy beloued was constrained to flye for feare of Esau his rough-handed and hard-harted brother and then vngently intreated and vniustly rewarded for his faithfull seruice by Laban his churlish Vnckle That Dauid thy chosen vvas often in danger of his life pursued and persecuted by furious Saul before he was aduanced to his Kingdome Oh let mee not forget the many miseries and bitter afflictions which tumbled in heapes vpon Iob thy faithfull seruant Let their patience calme the turbulent motions of my repining minde and let the remembrance of their deliuerance arme my hart with a confident and stedfast resolution that the eye of thy carefull prouidence neuer sleepeth nor slumbreth but continually watcheth ouer thy faithfull and beloued and that thine omnipotent arme is then stretched out to rid them out of perill vvhen they seeme to be in a desperate case past all hope and farthest from succour And let me know that affliction is the best hope that thy children may expect in this worldly Lotterie but yet let the anchor of my hope take such sure hold on thy promises in the time of my misery that I may alwaies be assured that thou art able and neuer vnwilling to cure my maladie if I call faithfully vpon thy name and waite thy appointed time with patience abiding constant in thy loue and confident in thy vvord Grant mee oh my Lord Iesus to crie out vnto thee in the daies of my trouble to craue thy strong aide in the houre of my tribulation O let mee drinke a deepe draught of the fountaine of thy mercie vvhen my poore heart is parched with thirst in this world of miserie Heare me from Heauen and let my voice sound in thine eares that I may receiue comfort when I am distressed helpe me vvhen I am oppressed and peace of conscience when my soule is afflicted that when I feele the sweet taste of thy mercy my lips may shew thy praise and my tongue declare thy glory saying With my voyce I cried vnto the Lord with my voyce I prayed vnto the Lord and hee heard mee A Meditation concerning the fift and sixt words which the Lord Iesus spake on the Crosse to wit I thirst and It is finished MED XVIII When Christ our Lord the a Zach. 13.1 fountaine of all blisse Had said I b Ioh. 19.28 thirst and that the houre was come That hee to Death must yeeld for our c Rom. 4.25 amisse He said It 's d Ioh. 19.30 finisht now and all is done HEere Oh my soule consider not onely the woes but mark the words of thy dying Iesus thou didst heare him cry vnto his heauenly Father with feruencie of his affection vttering the vehemencie of his affliction and now heare thy wofull Iesus speaking vnto the wilfull deafe-eard and dead-hearted Iewes saying I thirst And although enuie had so parched vp their hearts that they had no sap of relenting pittie yet let his words pierce so deepe into thy tender heart that it may be wounded vvith true compunction and stirre vp actiue and liuely motions of compassion vvithin thy bowels so often as thou dost thinke on his necessity and so often as thou dost meditate on his calamity but alas thou dost seldome or neuer meditate on his humane misery Oh what grieuous infirmities miseries distresses and calamities did our fraile assumed nature bring vpon thee my louing sweet and mercifull Iesu How many great and vnsupportable torments did our sinne yea my sinnes made thine by imputation compell thee to suffer What did cause thee to doe it my blessed Sauiour but the ardent feruour of thy exceeding loue What worthinesse of merit was there in vs as a motiue to mooue thee it was thine vnspeakeable mercy and nothing but thine inestimable mercy which did induce thee But canst thou oh my sorrowfull soule containe thy teares within the little caue of thine eyes and suppresse thy groanes and represse thy sighes within the hollow corners and cauernes of thy heart when thou doest thinke on the extreame thirst of thy louing Iesus and of the small compassion that was shewed vnto him by the vnmercifull Iewes wherefore cry out with the voyce of mourning and lament in thy crying say vnto thy beloued Iesus Oh my most louing Lord oh my most gracious Reconciler oh my most mercifull Redeemer how should my sad sorrowfull soule be afflicted with heauinesse how
so separate the vnderstanding from the loue of the world nothing doth so fortifie the minde against temptations The profitable fruits of deuout meditation nothing doth so stirre vp man and further him to euery good worke and labour as the Grace and benefit of diuine meditation and heauenly contemplation In what manner a man ought to pray deuoutly MOTIVE VIII HAue mercy vpon mee oh God because I offend there most where I ought to amend my sinnes For while I pray often in the place of prayer I doe not marke what I say I pray truly with the mouth but my minde wandering abroad I am depriued of the fruit of prayer With my body I am within but with my heart I am without And therefore I loose that I say For it profiteth little to sing or pray with the voyce onely without the deuotion of the hart Therefore it is great foolishnesse yea rather great madnesse vvhen wee doe presume to speake with the Lord of Maiestie in prayer It is presumption to pray without hearty and true deuotion and being without vnderstanding doe turne our minde from him and turne our heart I know not to what fooleries and toyes It is also great madnesse and grieuously to be punished when most vile and base dust doth disdaine to heare the Creatour of the whole world speaking to it But it is an vnspeakeable grace of the Diuine goodnesse which doth daily behold vs vnhappy vvretches turning away our eares hardning our hearts and neuerthelesse cryeth out to vs saying Returne yee Transgressors vvith your heart attend and see because I am God God speaketh to me in a Psalme neither yet when I say a Psalme doe I consider whose Psalme it is Wherefore I doe great iniurie to God when I pray to him to heare my prayer which I doe not heare my selfe who doe vtter the same I intreat him that he attend to mee The prayer of the wicked is turned into abhomination but I neither attend to my selfe nor to him but that which is farre worse by thinking filthy and vnprofitable things within my heart I bring an horrible stinke before his sight Of the instabilitie and wandering of the heart MOTIVE IX The heart of man is tossed to and fro in the stream of euill cogitations NOthing is more vnconstant instable and fugitiue in mee then my heart the which so often as it leaueth me floweth and fleeteth away by euill cogitations so often it offendeth God My heart great heart wandering vnstable while it is led by his owne will cannot remaine constant in it selfe but being more moueable then any moueable thing is distracted and drawne through infinite things and runneth vp downe hither and thither through innumerable matters And vvhile it seeketh rest and content by diuers things it cannot finde the same but continueth in the labour and turmoyle of miserie voyd of rest and contentment and seeketh here and there where it may rest and findeth nothing which may suffice it vntill it doth returne to him backe againe who gaue it It is ledde from cogitation to cogitation and it is altered and changed by diuers imployments and affections that at least it may be filled with varietie and change of those things with whose qualitie it cannot any way possibly be satisfied So the heart is troubled with it's owne illusions and fantasies The heart reuolting from God can finde no rest vntill it returne to God All that we haue is Gods owne yet hee saith giue mee thy heart the Diuine grace being remoued and substracted And when it is returned to it selfe and discusseth and examineth that vvhich it thought it findeth nothing because it was not a worke but an vnsauoury and vnseasonable thought which compoundeth and frameth many things of little or nothing at all And lastly imagination deceiueth it which the illusion of the Deuill formeth and shapeth God commaundeth me that I giue him my heart and because I am not obedient and subiect to God commanding I am rebellious and contrary to my selfe Whereby I cannot be brought in subiection to my selfe vntill I shall be subiect to him and serue my selfe with an euill will which would not serue him with a good will Therefore my heart plotteth endeauoureth and goeth about more things in one moment then all men are able to performe in a yeere I am not vnited with God and therefore I am diuided in my selfe I cannot be truly vnited with him but by loue neither be subiect to him but by humility neither can I be truly humble but by truth It is expedient therefore that I examine my selfe in Truth and know how vile how fraile how vnconstant and slipperie I am Afterwards when I shal know all my wants and miseries it is needfull that I cleaue vnto him by whom I am and without whom I am nothing and can doe nothing and because I haue departed from the Lord by sinning I cannot returne vnto him but by true confession Therefore I must now confesse in truth and sinceritie because I haue neuer confessed my sinnes in that measure and manner in which I haue sinned neither haue I remembred all eyther because of the antiquitie or multitude of them But if I haue confessed them I haue not sincerely confessed them but haue flattered the flesh in my confession and haue dealt falsely in casting vp the sum of my great and grieuous transgressions And it is a cursed dissimulation to make but a slight and counterfeit confession of our rebellions towards GOD and of our injurious and vncharitable actions towards men and onely to pare the outside of sinne away and as it were to wash our hands with a little water not to pluck vp sinne by the rootes that it may neuer afterwards grow vp in our hearts Our Confession must bee true and sincere For confession is not profitable but in the Truth and puritie of the heart that there may be three which may beare vs witnesse in Heauen The Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost And as men haue beene beholders of our manifolde transgressions so let vs make them witnesses of our humble repentance and hartie contrition And although we must and ought to acknowledge GOD alone to bee All-sufficient to graunt vs free pardon and absolution yet wee should not refuse to shew forth manifest testimonies to men of our true and sincere Humiliation To vvhich the Apostle Saint Iames doth counsell and perswade vs saying Confesse your sinnes one to another For it is very conuenient that vvee vvhich haue beene stubborne and rebellious by sinning against GOD should be humble also towards men whom vve haue offended eyther by the euill example of our wicked life or else by our wrongfull dealing and false deeds For it is most healthfull to the soule that a man repent in heart and acknowledge his fault with his mouth so that God which is present in Mercy and Grace may pricke his heart by compunction and bitter repentance
Thou didst mildely suffer the temptations and illusions of the Deuill and at last with thy holy word didst put him to a shamefull foyle and forced him like a coward to flie the field Matth. 4.10.11 to make such bickerments more tollerable and easie vnto vs and to instruct vs that whensoeuer Christian warriours shall manage this double-edged sword aright that their common enemie will soone be danted take himselfe to flight and they alwayes obtain a glorious conquest SECTION VII AT length thou camest to the lost sheepe of the house of Israell lifting vp the bright lampe of thy diuine word openly to giue light to the world which was obscured with thicke clouds of sinfull darkenesse that men seeing their sinnes might then sigh for their forepassed iniquities seeke by speedy and true repentance to saue their soules Matth. 5.1.2.3.4.5.6.7 c. And thou also proclaiming the Kingdome of God to all obeying the word didst confirme the verity of thy infallible words with many wonderous and miraculous deeds thou diddest plainely declare the vertue of thy diuinitie and manifest the incomprehensible essence of thy God-head in all things to those which vvere diseased and were affected and grieuously afflicted with many infirmities Luke 5.12.18 Performing all things of thy free mercy without any merits to all nations that by thy gratious words and mercifull workes thou mightest gaine the Saluation of all truly repenting for their sins seeking by thy only mercy to saue their soules But their foolish heart oh Lord was darkened their reason infatuated their vnderstanding blinded they maliciously despised proudly contemned and carelesly reiected thy blessed words behind them neither did they Oh Lord admire no not so much as regard thy wondrous workes which by the Finger of thine owne hand thou hadst powerfully wrought among them except a few Noble Champions which thou diddest chuse among the weake and abiect things of the World that by them thou mightst batter downe strong holds throw downe high Towers that thy inuincible power might appeare in their weaknes so the glory of thy Maiestie might shine the brighter Neither vvere they onely vnthankefull to thee for thy gracious benefits and great kindnesse but they did very spightfully reproach thee oh Lord of Lords and spit out the Gall of their malice against thee plotting in their Diuellish mindes and performing with their desperate hands whatsoeuer their vnbridled lust did command them For thou doing the workes of God which no other hath done how malignant were their words How malicious were their speeches For they sayd in their mad mood and furious folly This man is not of God he casteth out Deuils by the Prince of Deuils he hath the Deuill hee seduceth the people hee is a Glutton and a Drinker of Wine a Friend of Publicanes and sinners Matth. 11.9 Why dost thou weepe oh man why are thy thoughts perplexed and the peace of thy minde disturbed when thou doest feele the sting of venemous tongues or endure the stormy tempest of iniurious words Doest thou not heare what monstrous slanders bitter taunts and opprobrious speeches vvere belched out against the Lord thy God onely for thy cause and thy sinnes yet he did patiently disgest the extreame bitternesse of their cruell malice and did alwayes seeke by gentle mildenesse and workes of mercy to mollifie their hard hearts and to induce them to true repentance If they haue called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more will they call them of his household Mat. 10.25 Luke 11.15 But thou oh righteous and innocent Iesus diddest patiently heare and constantly sustaine their blasphemous words spightfull derisions and taunting speeches although oftentimes they were carried with such a violent streame of raging fury against thee that they assailed thee vvith stones hating nothing so much as thy blessed life and hastning nothing so much as thy cursed death And thou becamest before them as a man vvhich heareth not all and as one that is dumbe hauing no word of reproofe in thy mouth SECTION VIII LAstly they valued thy righteous and precious bloud but at thirtie peeces of siluer betrayed vnto them by thy vnkinde Disciple the sonne of Perdition greedily desiring with extreame hate vvithout any shadow of iust cause to hasten thy cruell death It was not a strange thing or a concealed secret excluded from the search of thy knowledge because the most couert cogitations of euery heart are open vnto thee that one of thine owne Disciples should proue disloyall treacherously conspire against thee and like a Traytour sell thee his gratious Lord kind Master for a small piece of money When as at the Supper where thou didst wash thy Disciples feet thou didst not disdaine to handle wash and wipe with thy most holy hands the cursed feet of that damned Traytor swift to shedde bloud kneeling downe before him Iohn 13.4.5 Oh wonderfull example of humilitie oh patience most worthy of continuall admiration But why dost thou walke with thy out-stretched necke oh earth and ashes Doth Pride still lift thee vp Doth fretting anger euermore molest thee Behold and looke vpon the Lord Iesus the mirror of Humilitie and Meekenesse the Creator of euery Creature the fearefull Iudge of the quicke and the dead bowing his knees before the feet of a man that should traiterously betray him into the hands of his deadly Foes who long thirsted for his innocent bloud loathed his godly life and could neuer quench the raging flame of their furie vntill they had acted the lamentable Tragedy of his most cruell death Learne therefore of him because he is meeke in minde and lowly in heart debase thy high and loftie lookes and let the feeling sence of thy scornfull Pride confound and cast downe thy haughty thoughts and blush at thy furious madnesse and sigh at the inward sight of thy impatient folly This also oh louing Lord was a plaine argument of thy meruailous kindnesse and extraordinary fauour that thou wouldest not publikely detect the mischieuous malice and openly disclose the horrible Treason of thy gracelesse Disciple and odious Traitor but diddest onely in the assembly of his brethren very slightly admonish him to hasten his intented purpose Iohn 13.27 Neuerthelesse neither the sweet streames of thy mercy could quench the burning fire of his fury nor the graces of thy Humility stay the rage of his madnesse but he departing out of the house laboured diligently to bring his wicked designement into act which as yet lay couered in his treacherous heart Iohn 13.30 SECTION IX HOW didst thou fall from Heauen oh cleere-shining Lucifer which didst appeare so bright at thy rising in the morning Thou once wert beautifull with exceeding glory placed in pleasant Paradise where all things were abounding which might breed delight whose happy state did stand still at a stay subiect to no contrary change hauing the Citizens of Heauen for thy louing companions pure Manna of the Diuine Word for thy daily food How art thou now tumbled
with an honourable triumph hath entred the heauens And behold he being crowned with glory and honour sitteth at the right hand of thy Maiestie who being our Aduocate maketh continuall intercession for vs that we being the children of wrath and disobedience by Nature may bee reconciled vnto thee for euer by the exceeding riches of thy grace For hee is flesh he is our brother Looke oh Lord vpon the amiable face of thy sweet Christ which became obedient vnto thee euen vnto death that thou being well pleased in beholding him mayest send downe the comfortable dewe of thy mercy vpon vs neither let his scarres depart for euer out of thy sight that thou mayest remember what a great satisfaction thou hast receiued of him for our sinnes I wish it might please thee to ballance the sinnes wherewith vvee haue deserued thy wrath and indignation together with the calamitie and sorrow which thy innocent Sonne hath suffered for vs. Certainely the waight of his heauy miserie vvill more then counterpoyse the waight of all our iniquities and it hath rather deserued that thou shouldest raine downe the sweet shewers of thy mercy vpon vs then that our sinnes haue demerited to kindle the fire of thy deuouring vvrath against vs that wee should vtterly be depriued of thy wonted clemency which should slake the fury of thine incensed ire and put out the flame of thy burning indignation But oh gratious and mercifull Father let euery tongue proclaime immortall thankes vnto thee and sound forth aloud thine eternall praises for the exceeding largenesse of thine immeasurable bounty vvhich hast not spared thine onely Sonne which was as deere and neere as thine owne heart vnto thee but hast deliuered him vp vnto death for vs all that we might haue him as a faithfull Aduocate and louing Mediatour before thee in Heauen And to thee oh Lord Iesus a most couragious and constant Louer and my gratious Redeemer what thankes be they neuer so many can I returne or what praises be they neuer so great may I vtter which might counteruaile the least iot of thy vvorthy merit when as I am but a base creature made of dust and shaped out of the clay whose breath is in my Nosthrils and I subiect euery moment to forgoe it although I commonly forget it and to returne againe into the wombe of the Earth from vvhence I vvas taken SECTION XIX FOR what oh sweet Sauiour shouldest thou haue done which thou hast not vvillingly done to finish the great worke of my saluation Thou hast diued and cast thy selfe ouer head and eares into the troublesome Ocean of thy stormy Passions that thou mightest draw mee wholly out aliue from those perillous Waters when the waues haue entered euen into thy Soule For thou diddest willingly subiect thy selfe to the paines of Death that thou mightest restore my soule vnto mee which I had so wilfully lost Luke 1.71 And now behold I am obliged vnto thee by a double debt because thou hast twise giuen mee my soule once by Creation and once by Redemption what haue I that I may more iustly giue thee then my soule But for thy precious soule vexed perplexed and troubled vvith so many and such heauy tribulations I finde not what recompence man can bee able to render vnto thee in any sort to gratifie the worthinesse of thy desert For if I should be able to giue thee Heauen and Earth and all their beautifull furniture and the glorious ornaments of them I could in no wise attaine the measure or discharge the infinite sum of such an euerlasting debt But that I may render both that which I owe and also that which is possible for mee is a matter wholly belonging to thy liberall bountie and must onely flowe from the sweet fountaine of thy beneficiall goodnesse Thou art to be loued oh Lord with all my heart vvith all my strength I must tread in thy path and follow thy steps vvhich hast endured all the extreamities of thy bitter Passions with exceeding patience and being Lord of life hast of thine owne accord vouchsafed to yeeld thy selfe vnto death to redeeme mee and all faithfull repentant sinners to the ioyes of eternall life And how shall that thing bee effected and wrought to mee but onely and wholy by thee through thy mightie power which is able to worke all things in Heauen aboue and in the Earth beneath Let my Soule cleaue vnto thee let it be vnited vnto thee with the bond of euerlasting loue because all the vertue and faculties of it depend onely vpon thee and because it must needs sinke into a bottomlesse pit of endles misery if it bee but a moment debarred from thy louing mercy And now oh Lord my gracious Redeemer I worship thee as true God I trust in thee I hope in thee I couet long to approach so neere vnto thee as the feeble wings of my mounting desires will carry me Let thy strong hand support my weakenesse Let the rich treasure of thy mercy supply the wants of mine infirmity Let the greatnesse of thine vnsearchable goodnesse neuer depart out of my remembrance Let a memoriall of thy bitter passion by which thou hast wrought mine euerlasting Saluation be perfectly written vvithin the palmes of my hands so that mine eyes may still be viewing it and let it be deepely ingrauen in my heart that mine inward thoughts and cogitations may euermore be meditating and musing vpon it Let thy Crowne of Thornes thy redde bloudy nailes thy pierced side thy grieuous vvounds thy precious bloud thy death and buriall bee euermore presented before the eyes of mine vnderstanding that I may vvater my Couch and make my bedde to swimme vvith teares of true sorrowfull repentance that I may duely and truely bewaile the multitude of my haynous sinnes vvhich haue beene like so many Iron-nayles to enter through thy harmelesse hands and innocent feete and like so many sharpe Speares to pierce thy blessed side to make thy wounded heart send forth plentifull streams of thy deere and precious bloud Lastly let the fresh remembrance of thy most glorious and victorious Resurrection and the blessed memory of thy triumphant Ascention comfort the fainting Spirits of my drooping soule with a sweet taste of ioy mittigate the sorrowes of my perplexed minde For in all these the sweet odour of life doth ascend vp into my nosthrils Raise thou oh Lord my spirit with their reuiuing odour from the death of sinne and out of the Graue of perpetuall darkenesse Touch my heart oh Christ that I may touch thee yea although it bee but the hemme of thy Garment that Vertue may come out of thee Matth. 14.32 Marke 6.56 Which may keepe me from the snares of Sathan and comfort me in the houre of tribulation so that the yoake of thy commaundements may be made easie vnto mee and the burthen of the Crosse which thou commandest mee to carry after thee may be light to my soule What am I a silly worme What is