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
Iesus was led to Annas and how he was there beaten and buffeted c. page 152 Med. 9. How the Lord Iesus was led from Annas to Caiphas and of his scourging there c. page 172 Med. 10. How Peter denied his Master thrice of his repentant weeping c. page 184 Med. 11. How Iesus was sent vnto Pilate of his vsage there pag. 205 Med. 12. How Pilate caused Iesus to be scourged and then pronounced sentence of death against him pag. 213 Med. 13. How Christ bearing his crosse on his shoulders is led to Mount Caluarie to be crucified page 250 Med. 14. Of the cruell and bitter crucifying of our Lord Iesu performed on Mount-Caluary page 285 Med. 15. Of the derisions and scornfull speeches vttered to the Lord Iesus when hee was nayled on the Crosse page 319 Med. 16. Concerning the lamentation of the Virgin Mary beholding her Son vpon the Crosse page 331 Med. 17. Of the Eclipse and obscuration of the Sunne about the ninth houre and of the fourth speech which Christ vsed vpon the Crosse page 343 Med. 18. Of the fift sixt words which the Lord Iesus spake vpon the Crosse to wit I thirst and it is finished page 355 Med. 19. How Christ gaue vp the ghost of the wonders then wrought and his death page 369 Med. 20. Of Iesus Christ his buriall and of the lamentation of his Mother and other women for his death page 381 Med. 21. Of the Lord Iesus his Resurrection of his appearance to his Disciples of his ascention into heauen and of his comming to iudgement page 397 FINIS O my Father if it be possible let this Cup passe from me He kneeled downe and Prayed but beinge in an agonie he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was like droppes of blood trikling downe to the ground Luke 22.44 Sit ye here whil I goe and Pray yonder MOST DEVOVT MEDITATIONS vpon the most holy and bitter Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ MED I. A Meditation of the comming of the Lord Iesus into Hierusalem riding vpon an Asse and the bringing in of him into the Citie with Songs and Praises and of his returne into Bethany the same day Into a Mat. 21.5 Hierusalem our Sauiour rides Vpon an b Mat. 21.7 Asse a simple harmlesse beast The people spread their c Mat. 21.8 cloathes and boughes besides Crying d Mat. 21.9 Hosanna Thou in Heauen highest THe time approaching which the Diuine prouidence had from eternity prefixed in which my most kinde and louing Iesus should come to his preordained Passion cruell death of the Crosse which he willingly came to vndergoe being the onely begotten of God incarnated in the wombe of the Virgin as through the whole course of his life he shewed exceeding great humility so toward the houre of his Passion comming to the place where hee should endure the torments of a most shamefull cruel death he tooke his entrance from humility when riding meekly vpon an Asse he came to the Citie where he should sustaine the vndeserued punishment of the Crosse Therefore when the Lord Iesus sixe dayes before the Passeouer had made his Supper with his Disciples in Bethanie the towne of Marie and Martha in the house of Simon the Leaper which was a friend to the said Mary and Martha where Mary also had powred an Alablaster boxe of precious oyntment vpon his head the morning following very earely most kind Iesus calling two of his Disciples said Goe into the towne which is ouer against you where you shall find a she-Asse tied and her Colt loose them and bring them vnto me And if any man shall say any thing against you say that the Lord hath neede of them and strait-way they will let them goe The lowly and louing Disciples obeying the commandement of their Master license being freely graunted to them by the Lord of all creatures they presented the shee-Asse and her Colt to their beloued Redeemer Then Iesus riding vpon the Asse directeth his iourney towards Hierusalem And when hee came to the going downe of the mount Oliues many people which were come thither hauing heard of the strange miracle of Lazarus whom Iesus raised out of his graue went forth to meete him And that they might doe him the greater honour some spread their garments vpon the ground others cut down boughes from the Trees and strewed them vpon the earth and all of them some going before and some comming behinde cried Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid blessed is hee which commeth in the name of the Lord. And vvith these praises and Iubilies they brought louing Iesus euen to the Gates of Hierusalem following after him with his Disciples And after Iesus beheld the Citie he now fore-knowing the destruction of it to come moued with compassion powred forth teares ouer it but the Pharises and Scribes enflamed with the fire of enuie seeing Iesus to be extolled with admiration and honour rebuked sole redemption to deliuer vs out of the bondage of eternall death and from the intollerable paines of euerlasting damnation to be made coheires with him of a most blessed life in the Kingdome of Heauen Learne therefore oh my soule to imitate thy blessed Sauiour who abstained from meate to doe the will of his heauenly Father by seeking by all meanes to winne their soules who being void of all humanitie sent him fasting out of their Citie Oh hard-hearted Iewes to giue such vnkinde entertainment to my bountifull Lord and louing Iesus But be thou kinde oh my soule like Lazarus and ready like Mary and Martha to receiue thy Sauiour that hee may giue thee euerlasting bread for thy foode and water of eternall life for thy drinke Come and suppe with mee my sweet Sauiour vouchsafe to enter into my simple cottage I confesse I am vnworthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe yet I know that thou art alwayes willing to come where thou art kindly and friendly inuited Open thou the dore of my heart that thou maist enter and dwell with mee for euer then saluation shall come to my whole house then I shall lie downe to sleepe in peace and rise againe without any dread of danger for I shall be safely couered vnder the shadow of thy wings and remaine in peaceable securitie vnder thy mightie protection Consider Oh my Soule and meditate often in thine inward thoughts of the strange ingratitude of the stony-hearted Iewes toward thy Sauiour IESVS who would not afford him so much as a meales meate at night for his great paines hee tooke with them all the day but hee was constrained to returne hungry with his Disciples from so oppulent and populous a Citie to Bethanie a poore and small village there to refresh his weary and weake body where hee made so small a supper that he returned hungry to Hierusalem the next morning and spying a Figge-tree which had onely faire leaues Beware of hypocrisie but no fruit to slake his hunger or to
Disciples which follow him hauing their faces pale with feare their mindes perplexed with doubts and their hearts drowned with flouds of sorrow Oh that thou mightst be so happie as to haue a little taste of the sweetnesse of his words and to haue some rellish of his comfortable Admonitions which hee made by the way to his sorrowfull Disciples to refresh their fainting spirits and to establish their doubtfull mindes What plentie of bitter teares did the Apostles poure downe by their cheekes when they saw and heard their Lord and Master speaking so gentlie vnto them Hee propounded vnto them as I suppose all things which hee had done with them at his last Supper and the words he had spoken vnto them and also after what manner hee should be deliuered to death that night Behold his Disciples amazed at his wofull words and hearing with attentiue eares the sweet admonitions of their carefull Master They all gaue heedy attention to euery word that came out of the mouth of their beloued Lord communicating so gentlie with them Oh wofull separation oh lamentable departure Now a most kinde and louing Master shall be separated from his beloued Disciples a wakefull Shepheard from his harmelesse sheepe yea a louing Father from his beloued Children What maruell is it then if their mirth be changed into mourning their ioy into sadnesse and their solace into sorrow They knew well by experience how ioyfull how pleasant it was to remaine with their beloued Iesus and to enioy his blessed societie therefore they had good cause to be amazed with sadnesse and to be wounded with sorrow for the losse of their louing Redeemer Oh what pittifull words as I suppose what lamentable voices did they vtter saying Wilt thou leaue vs our most gracious Master like silly Orphanes depriued of comfort Wilt thou leaue vs in a Sea of sorrow without a Pilot Where shall wee hope for consolation where shall we seeke for helpe in thy absence And as they could not refraine themselues from sorrow so hee their most louing Shepheard was readie to giue them sweet comfort chearing vp their drooping mindes with assured hope of his powerfull helpe and comforting their sorrowfull hearts with his neuer-failing promise of his euerlasting loue telling them that although he were absent from them in bodie yet he would alwayes be present with them by his holy Spirit I thinke our most mercifull LORD could not containe his teares he had such tender compassion towards his sorrowfull Disciples so kinde was his affection towards them so great was their reciprocall loue towards him Cleaue thou also oh my soule to this most holie and heauenly companie and follow thy Lord weeping and sighing sorrowing and lamenting for him which goeth to die for thy transgressions and to be sacrificed for thy sinnes say vnto him faithfully Lord I will follow thee wheresoeuer thou goest I am readie to goe with thee into prison and to death Now alas oh my louing Iesus thou doest arme thy beloued Disciples with spirituall weapons and dost labor by comfortable exhortations to expell cowardly feare out of their hearts and to settle a constant courage in their doubtfull mindes that they might not be dismayed in the day of perill nor falsifie their Faith for dread of any worldly affliction But most wicked Iudas was busied to furnish the Iewes with deadly weapons that they might wrongfully apprehend thee and cruelly condemne thee to a shamefull death What damnable deed hast thou done thou detestable Traytor What infernall Phrensie possessed thy minde What hellish furie peruerted thy vnderstanding Thou didst leaue a most gentle Master sitting at the Table with his Disciples friendly eating and familiarly talking with them the KING OF HEAVEN and soueraigne Lord of the whole earth who was able to haue made thee partaker of his eternall kingdome where thou mightest haue liued in happinesse without measure and ioy without end and thou didst follow the Diuell who led thee to the Iewes to bargaine with them to betray into their hands thy gracious Lord and bountious Master And as thou hast beene obedient to his will so shalt thou be partaker of his reward who abideth in the prison of euerlasting darkenesse tormented in the fire whose flame is neuer slaked nor shall euer be extinguished But now oh my soule let vs leaue damned Iudas a fearefull spectacle for all horrible Traitors and let vs returne to innocent IESVS entring into the Garden with his Disciples where hee exhorted them to watch carefullie and to pray earnestly that they might not fall into temptation nor runne into danger Here my Sauiour beganne to taste of the bitter Cup of sorrow and to feele the pangs of humane affliction his spirits wearied with heauinesse and his minde tyred with sadnesse so that he craued comfort of his Disciples saying Can yee not watch with me one houre Stay here oh my soule straine forth teares from thine eyes and throng forth sighes from thy heart draw neare and expresse thy compassion towards thine afflicted Iesus Behold how his countenance is changed his face couered with palenesse he is scant able to vtter in words the sorrow of his heauy heart And what doth hee say My soule is heauie euen vnto death Thy words oh my most mercifull Iesus doe not a little amaze my minde and affright my perplexed thoughts For what doest thou feare why art thou touched with sorrow why art thou pressed with heauinesse From whence oh my louing Lord doth arise the cause of thy sadnes doest thou feare any imminent danger Dost thou dread the punishment which thou art about to suffer But for what other thing oh sweet Lord diddest thou come into the world For what other end most blessed Sauiour didst thou assume flesh vnto thee in the wombe of the blessed Virgin but that by thy death thou shouldest destroy our death and saue that which was lost What benefit had we reaped by thy birth how could we haue reioyced for the happie day of thy blessed Natiuitie if our condemned soules had not beene redeemed to life by thy most precious death If thou oh my louing IESVS hadst refused to die for mee who should haue satisfied for my sins what could haue cured my loathsome Leprosie but the drops of thy Bloud What could restore mee to life but thy innocent death What did moue thee to dye for mee but thy exceeding mercie whereas my louing Sauiour thou wert subiect to feare and heauie with the terrour of death there appeared vnto vs the veritie of thy Humanitie not exempted from the passions of our nature yet alwayes free from the infection of sinne and cleare from the spots of iniquitie Wherefore wee may the more boldlie bee most earnest Sutors vnto thee to obtaine thy succour in the time of our necessitie and to call for thy sweet mercie in our bitter miserie because wee are assured that thou in thy Humanitie hast had a sense of our sufferings Behold also now my soule his faithfull
poisoned thy affections Thou goest about in thy monstrous madnesse and vnbrideled furie to kill the immortall Lord who is Truth it selfe to direct vs and Life it selfe to quicken vs and to bring him to the slaughter who onely is able and none but hee to bring all men to death to restore all men to life Tell me I pray thee thou wicked and foolish mad-man wert not thou also as well as the other Disciples with the Lord IESVS when he reuiued the mayden which was dead when he cured the Sonne of the Ruler when he raised Lazarus out of his graue when he cleansed the Lepers healed the man sicke of the Palsie deliuered them which were possessed with Diuels when he made him to see which was borne blinde and restored many others to their sight Tell mee I pray thee had hee beene able to haue done these miracles if God had not beene with him What Aegiptian darknesse had blinded thine eyes that thou couldest not see his diuinitie what Ignorance had blinde-folded thy vnderstanding that thou couldest not know him to be the Sonne of God by his admirable workes Where wert thou when at two sundrie times he fed a great multitude of people with a little bread and a few fishes But to let these mercifull and miraculous workes passe which hee did for others why did not these gracious and charitable deedes which hee performed toward thee so mooue thy minde that although thou hadst imagined yet thou mightest not haue practised thy horrible intended mischiefe against him Remember thou most wretched creature and vngratefull Disciple how thy humble Master washed thy feete Iohn 13.5 How should this wonderfull humilitie of so great a Master haue humbled thy minde being so base a Seruant Remember how hee alwaies extended the tokens of his loue to thee as hee did to the other Apostles yet no kindnesse could restraine thy wicked will nor change thy couetous minde Consider thou most vngratefull and cruell Traitor how often my louing Iesus did mildely admonish thee that thou shouldest retire from thy wicked purpose whose all-seeing eye was able to penetrate into the darkest corners of thy heart and to search the secrets of thy inward bowels It might haue checked thy guiltie conscience when hee said after hee had washed his Disciples feete Yee are cleane but not all Iohn 13.11 And againe I speake not of all of you I know whom I haue chosen Iohn 13.18 But although these generall reprehensions were motiues of small moment to mollifie thy stonie heart yet hee spake vnto thee particularly saying Doe that quickely which thou art about to doe Iohn 13.27 Didst thou not clearely see that hee knew thy inward thoughts and the secret plot of thy wicked counsell And who but God is able to know the secrets of the heart and to discouer our hidden cogitations But was not thy heart as flintie as an Adamant that it did not relent with sorrow was not thy fore-head as hard as brasse that thou didst not blush for shame Were not thine eyes more drie then a rocke that they could shed no teares when thy louing Master and my beloued Lord said mildelie vnto thee What Iudas doest thou betray the Sonne of man with a kisse Luke 22.48 Oh great humilitie exceeding meekenesse most admirable clemencie of my Sauiour Iesus Yet neither the mildnes of his words nor wonderfulnesse of his works could soften thy obdurate heart or reclaime thy obstinate minde oh thou pernicious Traitor My Sauiour called him friend Mat. 26.10 whom hee knew to be a direfull foe that the meeknesse of the name might haue a little calmed the furie of his nature but the Diuell had sowed such naughtie seede in the furrowes of his couetous heart that hee became a wicked guide to deliuer his louing Master into the hands of his bloudie enemies who hating his innocent life had longed for opportunitie to put him to a cruell and shamefull death Tell mee thou damned Iudas what brought thee into such an hellish Phrensie that thou didst complot with the bloudie Iewes to betray thy gracious Lord with a token of kindnesse Had thirstie Couetousnesse so inflamed thy minde that thou didst run headlong to sell thy soule for a little piece of monie If thou hadst come like a foe thy crime had not beene so haynous nor thy crueltie so odious But thou like a cousening hypocrite didst cunningly maske thy deadly hate with the vizard of counterfeit loue Thou didst salute my louing Iesus with no friendly but a deadly kisse that with this token of peace and kindnesse thou mightest cast a mist before the eyes of his faithfull Disciples that they might thinke thou hadst nothing to doe with those wicked persons who came to apprehend their Lord Master thou thoughtest thou haddest complotted so cunningly and contriued thy matters so carefully that all should haue beene hidden in darknesse and no man haue knowne thy damnable practise but onely the cursed crue of thy confederates but the Diuill who was the author to allure thee to this mischiefe did beguile thee with a deceitfull imagination and so he will doe all others that follow thy crooked steppes and walke in thy cursed waies Such iugling hypocriticall trickes may often be hooded from the dim sight of men but they can neuer be hidden from the all-seeing eye of Almightie God thou camest with a word of peace in thy mouth when thou didst pretend nothing but warre in thy heart thy speech was as soft as Butter but thy inward thoughts were more sharpe then a Raisor thou didst presume to offer a Traitors kisse Mat. 26.49 to my blessed Sauiour when thy lips were full of poyson and thy throate an open Sepulcher thou camest like a subtle Foxe to salute him with a word of health when thou wert a wicked guide to a hand of cruell Souldiers who meant him nothing but hurt so strong was the desire of filthie lucre to hale thee to mischiefe so eager was thy greedie appetite to bite at this pleasant baite that thou couldest not see the killing hooke For when thou didst sell the precious life of thy louing Master thou didst giue thy damned Soule to the Diuell to be tormented with him for euer in the fire which flameth continually and burneth so extreamely that the paines of the least sparkle of it are more then intollerable wherefore my sweet Iesu so mollifie my heart and moderate my minde which am thy most vnworthy Seruant that I may not giue such direfull and deadly kisses vnto thee which art my most kinde and louing Master And grant vnto mee by thy gracious clemencie that I may offer vnto thee the sweet kisses of loyall Obedience and constant Loue that my Soule may say vnto thee Kisse me with the kisses of thy mouth Cant. 1.1 for thy loue is better then wine Run oh my soule and neither let the baites of terrene pleasure nor the brunts of worldlie sorrow hinder thee in thy way when thou goest to kisse thy
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
did not know his owne imbecilitie his eyes were blinded that hee could not see his owne infirmitie the spirit indeede was willing but the flesh was weake He began to shew some courage when he drew his sword and cut of Malchus his eare but alas it was soone abated and he fled from his Maister when hee saw him in the hands of his enemies and surprised by his cruell foes And albeit hee was so bolde spirited then that hee durst resist a multitude of men yet hee was so timerous now that being terrified with the voyce of a Mayde hee did renounce his gratious LORD and flatly denie his louing Maister so soone were his boasting words turned into cowardly deeds the professed constancie of his loue found most inconstant in the day of tryall So we may note that Peter presumed hee was able to haue done great exploits while hee was with Iesus but we see the vigor of his courage was soone diminished and the heate of his loue cooled when hee was separated from his Lord Iesus so long as he did enioy peaceably his blessed societie so long he dreaded no danger he liued in securitie In time of peace he thought of no war In time of calme weather he feared no suddaine storme But when he entered into the house of the high Priest where hee saw his poore Master spightfully derided mocked and cruelly scourged then his courage was cooled his haughtie words proued no deedes and hee became a starke coward Learne thou also oh my soule by the example of Peter to loue thy Lord Iesus but so to loue him that no affliction or calamitie may compell thee to leaue him But say with the Apostle Who shall separate me from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish shall persecution or hunger I am readie not onely to be bound but also to die in Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus Learne likewise by the example of Peter not fondly to vaunt of thine owne courage or to boast of thy strength let the remembrance of his fall be as a bridle to restraine thee from running headlong into the like fault Say not in the prosperous time of thine aboundance vvhen all things succeede happily according to thy wish and nothing falleth out contrarie to thy desire I shall neuer be moued least afterward thou be constrained to change thy note vveeping vvith bitter teares for thy folly and lamenting for thy presumption with sorrowfull sighes saying Thou didst turne away thy face from mee and I was troubled Teach mee oh Lord to know mine owne weakenesse open the eies of my vnderstanding that I may see the frailtie of my flesh and ficklenesse of my minde when any cloud of persecution doth appeare ouer my head or any dread of future affliction trouble my heart I often presume vvith Peter that I could goe to prison vvith thee abide any torment for thy sake yea lose my life for thy loue my louing Sauiour but alas I see by the frailtie of thy beloued Disciple that I should proue but a dastard when I come to fight thy battell and begin to seeke some couerture to hide my head from danger For how can I boast of my valour or bragge of my manhood when as one of thy stoutest Souldiers who had beene so long trained vp vnder thee and had receiued so many encouragements by thee began to faint at the word of so weake an enemie that hee did denie the seruice of so good a Master onely for feare before he felt the bitternesse of affliction What is man that hee may boast of his strength or be proud of his vertue when the best is so vnable to performe a good action that he is altogether vnable to conceiue a good motion Lighten thou oh my gratious Lord my darke and obscure vnderstanding that I may not fondly runne into the snares of temptation through a vaine confidence of my owne power or through a fond presumption of my owne strength seeing I am so weake that I cannot conceiue any good thought in my heart nor do any good deed with my hands vnlesse thy diuine grace doe gouerne mine affections and direct the course of my actions But oh my most mercifull Sauiour although the allurements of the flattering world should so intice me the pleasures of the wanton flesh so ouercome mee and the feare of persecution so terrifie me that I should be ashamed of thy liuerie and denie so gracious a Lord yet vouchsafe oh my sweet Iesu to turne thy fauourable eies towards mee that my faith may not vtterly faile though it begin to quaile and that thou wilt neuer leaue mee vvhen I begin to shrinke from thee Oh let me not presume of thy loue nor dispaire of thy mercy Let remembrance of thy words wound my heart and awake my sleepie conscience that my soule may be cast downe with true sorrow and that I may vveepe yea vveepe bitterly vvith sorrowfull Peter Luk. 22.62 for my sinnes that I may be made partaker of the benefit of thy comfortable mercie and obtaine remission of my grieuous transgressions by true Repentance as he did Thou hast left this example of the fall of thy louing Disciple recorded in thy holy word not to animate vs to commit the sinne of presumption but to comfort vs that wee runne not into the pit of wofull desperation when wee are ouertaken with the like fault and haue committed the like folly therefore teach me oh Lord so to presume of thy mercie that I may alwaies stand in awe of thy Iustice I am not assured that thou wilt turne thine eies towards mee as thou didst towards him so that my heart may be smitten with sorrow and mine eies streame forth bitter teares of true Repentance and that thou wilt receiue me into thy blessed seruice againe as thou didst him after I haue denied thee to be my Lord and Master It was thy free mercie to afford vnto him such an vnspeakeable grace of thy extraordinarie loue he could plead no worthinesse of words nor merit of workes to deserue thy fauour But oh most gratious Lord if my guiltie conscience doe at anie time tell mee that I haue or doe commit the same offence yet vouchsafe that I may resort to the euerlasting fountaine of thy plentifull mercie that there my thirstie soule may bee refreshed with the sweet waters of comfort so that it may neither be drowned in the Sea of excessiue sorrow nor wounded with the Darts of curelesse dispaire Now consider thou oh my soule the place where Peter was and the conditions of the people who were vvith him vvhen hee made such a fearefull defection from his gracious Lord and failed in his loue towards his kinde and louing Master He was in the Palace of the high Priest who sate in counsell with the Scribes and Pharises against the Lord and his annointed amongst a wicked crewe of these cruell Ministers vvhose mindes were incensed with furie and hands armed with crueltie to
neither dispaire with the heauy burden of my sinnes nor presume without feare to transgresse the bounds of thy holy law that although I haue runne long the wilde race of vnbrideled iniquitie yet at last I may returne home vnto thee out of the way of impietie vvith this faithfull and true repenting offender and be a companion vvith him in thy Paradice of euerlasting felicitie A Meditation concerning the lamentation of the Virgine MARY beholding her Sonne lifted vp vpon the Crosse standing by it accompanied with Iohn the Euangelist and Mary Magdalene MED XVI The blessed Virgin a Iohn 9.25 standing by the Crosse Of Christ our Lord Behold thy b Ibid. 26. Sonne sayd he Vnto his Mother Oh most grieuous losse That he must die who from all c Luke 23.14 faults was free NOw turne thy thoughts Oh my sorrowfull soule from the blasphemous reproches scornfull derisions and malicious slanders of the wicked Iewes insulting against my innocent IESVS And now thou hast heard how bountifull thy Sauiour was vnto the penitent Theefe that was sorrowfull for his owne iniquity and couragious to iustifie my mercifull Redeemer for his vnspotted innocency Meditate a while on the Lamentation of his blessed Mother whose heart was wounded with sorrow to see her Sonne so cruelly tormented when hee had neuer offended in word nor imagined any euill in thought How sharpe was the sting of dolour to wound her heart how intollerable was the griefe that did trouble her minde when shee saw his body bleeding with so many wounds before her wofull eyes and heard their bitter words and diuelish reproches cast out against him in the audience of her dolefull eares As shee had cause to reioyce at his blessed Birth so now shee had good occasion to mourne for his cruell death For though no doubt she was annointed with oyle of graces aboue her fellowes yet we may not thinke shee vvas quite exempted from the passions of a woman or void of the tender affections of a Mother when shee saw the harmlesse head of her louing and beloued Son bleeding with a Crowne of Thornes his innocent hands and blessed feete fastened to the Crosse with iron nailes Certainely shee knew that his Conception vvas so sanctified by the holy Ghost in her wombe that his most blessed body vvas alwaies free from the infection of impiety and his flesh neuer tainted vvith the corruption of iniquitie But yet shee knew hee did not suffer without sense of his paines and although he was endued with a supernaturall patience yet shee knew that he felt the pangs of his bitter Passion subiect by his humane nature to many infirmities as we are yet euer hauing a pure heart and cleane hands from the spots of sinne vvherewith our soules are polluted our bodies continually infected Wherefore thinke oh my soule that as her afflictions were grieuous so her lamentation vvas great suppose that thou doest see her with her face discolored with palenesse discouering her motherly sorrow to thy outward eies and that thou didst heare her mournefull tongue telling this dolefull tale to thy attentiue eares vvhich should cause thee to be a partner with her in her woe and sigh for thy sinnes which vvere the cause of her sorrow to see her beloued Sonne so cruelly crucified by the Gentiles and so disdainfully derided by the Iewes Thinke I say that thou doest see her vvatering her eyes vvith store of teares vttering these or the like words with her sorrowfull lips to her dearely beloued Son which words should draw out teares from thine eyes and driue out groanes from thy hart which shee pronounced with a dolefull accent in this or the like manner Oh what medicine be it neuer so soueraigne can asswage the rigour of my malady what salue be it neuer so precious can heale the wounds of my bleeding heart vvhat vvords be they neuer so comfortable can cheare vp my dolefull minde when I see thee my beloued Sonne so cruelly tormented and so ignominiously taunted Alas for me poore wretch thy sorrowfull Mother How intollerable is the paine how grieuous is the punishment that is inflicted vpon thee Thy death is not so bitter vnto mee and yet how loath I am to forgoe thee as these cruell torments which I see doe torture thy innocent body and doe greatly augment the sorrow of my perplexed minde As thy blessed life was the cause of my chiefest felicity so will thy bitter death be the beginning of my miserie Who shall afford mee comfort in the time of my calamity who shall giue me counsell who shall be my succour in the time of my necessitie vvhen I am separated from thee How shall I spend the daies with sorrowing and passe through the teadious nights with mourning But thou oh my GOD omnipotent vvhich art his eternall Father vvho canst not shut thine eies of compassion from thine afflicted Sonne comfort mee his sorrowfull Mother Thou seest the wounds of his body thou knowest the sorrowes of my heart and because thou art a Father of mercies and a GOD of all consolation looke downe vpon me out of thy holy Sanctuarie and as thou hast proued me to be thy faithfull Handmaide so let the sweetnesse of thy Fatherly loue temper the bitternesse of my griefe that although I be depriued from the humane societie of my Sonne yet the vvings of thy prouidence may still ouershadow mee and thy omnipotent arme safely protect me But as the Virgine Marie did bewaile the cruell and bloudie death of her innocent Sonne so Marie Magdalene vvith many teares gushing out of her eyes began to lament the wofull case of him her louing Master on this or such like manner Oh my deere Master oh my gracious Lord oh my blessed and bountifull benefactor I cannot liue without thy louing company I cannot abide without thy amiable Societie What tongue though it speake neuer so dolefull can truly relate my sorrow What vvords be they neuer so rhetoricall can ease my inward griefe vvhen I see I shall be separated from so louing and so kinde a Master Oh how tyrannous are the torments wherewith the bloudy tormentors doe torment thine afflicted body How sharpe are the arrowes of their malice vvherewith they vvound thy righteous soule How grieuous is the sight of their cruell deedes vnto mine eyes How odious are their dogged words vnto mine eares Yet my constant loue vnto thee will not giue mee leaue to leaue thee though it be a death vnto mee to see thy calamity so long as mine eyes may behold thee The sight of the bitter pangs of thy Passion doth affright me with horrour The signes of thy approaching death doth confound my senses with continuall terror I see thy head which I annointed with pretious oyntment cruelly pierced with Thornes pittifully bleedihg with many wounds I see thy harmlesse hands pierced with iron nayles and thy innocent feete stained vvith bloud which I bathed with the teares of mine eyes and vviped vvith the
that the infinitenesse of thy mercie may appeare the clearer in the cure of my grieuous maladie and the beames of thy glorie shine the brighter by my deliuerance Therefore I will come confidentlie vnto thee my most milde and mercifull Iesus because thy mercies are infinite that I may enioy with thee the euerlasting delights of the blessed Giue me therefore thy heauenlie bread oh my good Iesus thou which art the life of the world and graunt oh bountifull Lord that I may be enabled by thy grace to eate worthilie that I may remaine in thee eternallie and thou in mee euerlastingly for I desire this one thing it is the ioy of my heart and the contentment of my longing affections that I may dwell inseparablie with thee for euer and I will cleaue vnto none other but onely vnto thee oh my sweet Iesus because with thee is the fountaine of life and in thy light I shall see light A Meditation how the Lord Iesus fore-told his Disciples that hee should be betrayed by one of them that same night MED V. Amongst the a Mat. 26.20.21 twelue as Iesus sate at meates At his b Marke 14.14 last Supper thus to them he said Who c Luke 22.22 dips his hand in dish and with me eates By d Iohn 18.5 him the Sonne of man shall be betraid AFter our most louing and most gracious Iesus had fed his Disciples with his precious Bodie and refreshed them with his Bloud hee was troubled in spirit and said to his Disciples Verily verily I say vnto you that one of you shall betray mee which eateth with mee that the Scripture may be fulfilled he which eateth my bread shall lift vp his heele against mee Oh how hard is this saying my blessed and bountifull Sauiour Oh how harsh and bitter meats hadst thou reserued for thy Disciples at the end of thy Supper Thou didst feede them with sweet milke in the beginning and thou gauest them delicious honie in the middle when thou didst wash their feete and refreshedst them with thy precious body for their meate and with thy roiall bloud for their drinke But now in the end thou hadst reserued gall and Wormwood sowre sauce for their sweet meate when these sorrowfull words did passe out of thy blessed lips and that dreadfull speech was vttered by thy honie-flowing mouth Woe is me my sweet and louing Iesus I seeme to see the cheerefull countenance of thy deare disciples sodainely changed their hearts ouer-whelmed with floods of sorrow their mindes perplexed with excessiue griefe the heate of their desires quite extinguished and all their hopes whollie dashed so soone as those fearefull words had passed through their eares and pierced their hearts who of so sweet a beginning little expected so sowre a conclusion Had they not much matter of mourning and was it not a world of sorrow vnto them that thou being their Master Captaine Gouernour Gardian and Ruler shouldst be betraied to death and it did much more augment the matter of their woe and increase the heapes of their griefe that one of them should contriue this horrible Treason and be the Author of this bloudie attempt The first was a violent motiue to moue them to exceeding sorrow because they so dearly loued and were so entirely beloued of their louing Maister But the latter was so horrible to their eares and so terrible to their hearts that it quite abated all their former ioy vtterly amazed their perplexed mindes maruelling in their troubled cogitations who amongst such a little flocke of Sheepe should proue so woluish as to deuoure so good a Shepheard admiring that any one in their holie societie should so farre degenerate from his faithfull fidelitie as to betray the life of so bountious so milde and so mercifull a Master But heare oh my soule what his faithfull Disciples answered when they heard those lamentable words pronounced They looked one vpon another their faces being pale with feare and their hearts full fraughted with sorrow and scarcely could their tongues vtter any part of their inward griefe the floud of their woes did flow fast and rise to so high a tide in their hearts and they said with a trembling voyce what sorrowfull words are these which our deare Master doth vtter Who amongst vs shall proue such a cursed wretch as once to imagine or such a horrible traitor as once to complot such a detestable deede and execrable fact Such a hainous intention said euery one of them was farre from my thoughts such a hellish motion did neuer enter into my breast For how should such a Diuellish cogitation enter into our mindes or finde any harbour in our harts but our Lord cannot be deceiued Wherefore euery one of them turning to the Lord said Is it I Rabbi to whom blessed Iesus answered One of the twelue which dips his hand with me in the dish shall betray me But peraduenture many of them shouing their hand in the dish at that time they were not able to discerne who it should be Wherefore Iudas said What is it I Rabbi But louing Iesus otherwise not discouering him answered Thou hast said as though hee should say thou hast said and not I for we may thinke truely that if my louing Iesus had plainely discouered that cursed man to the rest of his louing and beloued Disciples they if we should compare their affections with other mens passions had not beene able to haue contained their hands but with one accord would haue assailed that most wicked traitor and haue ended his hatefull daies with a speedie death who allured with the baites of the Diuell went about to make sale of the blessed life of their deare and best beloued Maister For how wouldest thou haue beene able oh bold and couragious Peter to haue cooled the heate of thy furie and to haue held thy hands from taking vengeance vpon such a damnable Traitor when as thou didst not feare to make resistance against a great band of Souldiers in the defence of thy beloued Master For as their loue toward louing Iesus was without meane so their hatred toward hatefull Iudas would haue beene without moderation if his treacherous plot had beene openly discouered vnto them But I pray thee stay here a while oh my soule and ponder within thy inward thoughts with deuout meditation the sacred words and diuine speeches more sweet then honie the honie-combe which my most sweet Iesus vttered to his faithfull Disciples as he went to the place of his vniust apprehension which the Euangelist Iohn retaining in his memorie through the holy Ghost hath faithfully recorded in his heauenlie and most sacred Gospell Meditate there seriouslie vpon the wonderfull loue which hee had towards his loyall Disciples hee was their Lord and Master yet he did not disdaine to eate meate conforting with the meanest of them hee washed their feete hee gaue his bodie and bloud vnto them and after all these things did not cease to teach them the
I render vnto thee for thy great bountie What shall I yeeld vnto thee for thy gracious mercie I haue nothing O Lord thou knowest my pouertie I acknowledge my needy necessitie I haue confessed my most haynous sinnes and grieuous offences before thy face I haue not hidden mine vnrighteousnesse out of thy sight Wherefore oh my most bountifull Lord supply that by thy infinite liberalitie which is wanting by reason of my vile ingratitude And thou which art onely able create a thankfull heart in me thy poore vnworthy seruant that it may euermore be delighted with the remembrance of thy goodnes and still be ioyfull with the sweet meditation of thy mercies But now oh my Soule meditate a while how sodaine feare had quailed the loue of the Disciples of my distressed Sauiour For being terrified with his vnexpected and cruell apprehension and dreading their owne danger they fled away leauing their Lord and beloued Master Mark 14.50 Then thou mightest truely say oh most sweet Iesu They which saw me fled from me I am forgotten as a dead man out of minde And againe Thou hast put my friends my neighbours and acquaintance farre from mee Also that was verified which the Prophet had fore-tolde All my friends haue forsaken mee and they that lay in waite haue preuailed against me He whom I loued hath betrayed mee For so wert thou left alone my louing Iesus and they which were neere vnto thee made hast to be gone and would tarrie no longer with thee Consider further oh my soule the disciples of my Sauiour flying for feare and lamenting with sorrow when they saw their most beloued master traiterously betrayed ignominiously abused and led like an innocent Lambe to the shambles Attend to their sighing and groning to their weeping and moning for loath they were to leaue so louing and so well beloued a Master But why should feare of danger haue bin so violent or dread of death so strong as to pull them from so deare a friend They professed they would remaine constant and that no affliction should abate their courage but their words proued no deedes and all was but vaine presumption Selfe-loue of their owne securitie made them forsake their distressed Master in his captiuitie But tell mee bold-hearted Peter why didst thou like a coward forsake thy faithfull Maister Didst thou professe so much and performe so little Was thy manhood so soone quailed when thou was put to thy triall I know thou didst shew some signe of courage and thou beganst to play the man when thy Maister was first apprehended but it was but done in a fit of thine anger and thy heate was soone cooled thy promise great and thy performance little when thou wert in mount Tabor and saw but some beames yea rather some sparkles of the eternall glory of thy blessed Maister then thy senses were so rauished and thy minde so amazed that thou diddest crie out Bonum est esse hic Mat. 17.1 Marke 9.2 Luke 9.28 It is good to be here let vs build three Tabernacles but now thou doest not say Bonum est esse hic It is good to tarry here with my poore disgraced Master Say thou didst loue thy Master well yet it appeareth thou didst loue thy selfe better oh why diddest thou make such a vaine ostentation of thy courage and yet afterwards shew thy selfe such a coward But take heed oh my soule that thou dost not so vehemently inueigh against faint-hearted Peter and the rest of his fearefull fellowes that thou forget thy selfe and passe by thine owne infirmity Wee all loue Christ when our cups may ouerflow with wine and our bellies be filled with the finest wheate but the heate of our loue is quickly cooled if but a small blast of stormie persecution doe bluster against vs. Wee all desire to dwell vvith him as did rauished Peter when his eyes vvere dazeled vvith the beames of his glory appearing vnto him on Mount Tabor But all of vs flye from him or follow him a-loofe-off when wee see him going to Golgotha We dare presume to say with forward Peter Lord if all leaue thee I will not forsake thee Mat. 26.33 Mark 14.29 Iohn 13.37 But alas when wee come to the tryall we are readie to flie and leaue the field at the first alarme Wee could all be content to eate pleasant hony and to feede our selues with sweet milke but our mouthes are filled with murmuring and our hearts with grudging the time is long and the iourney tedious while wee trauell in the wildernes of this world towards heauenly Canaan Exod. 17.2 Alas were the Disciples of my Sauiour so fearefull at the first encounter who had beene so often fore-tolde of that day and had beene so well instructed by their louing Maister to arme themselues against the assaults of affliction Then how can I poore worme boast of my strength and vaunt of my manly courage How should I holde out vnto the end when such stout Souldiers begin to shrinke at the beginning of the battell I know mine owne imbecilitie my powerfull Lord I confesse mine infirmitie I feele my heart quake and I perceiue my courage to quaile so soone as I see but a darke cloud of affliction and stand in dread of euery storme of persecution Strengthen my heart oh Lord with Christian Fortitude that my minde may not be dismayed with feare nor my senses drowned with the streames of immoderate sorrow whensoeuer I must drinke of the bitter waters of affliction for the profession of thy name or feele the pricking thornes of persecution in my sides for the confession of thy truth Teach me to take vp my crosse and to follow thee and that I may not be ashamed of this noble badge of true Christianitie Instruct mee to know that affliction is the lot of thy Children and that thou vvilt haue their Faith tryed in the fiery furnace and graunt mee oh Lord such a plentifull measure of thy quickning grace that although my fraile flesh beginne to tremble and my weake heart to faint at the first assault of danger and I seeke a corner to hide my head in in the time of trouble yet that I may not flye so farre from thee but that I may quickly returne to thee as Peter and Iohn did who loued and were so dearely beloued of thee and as the rest of thy Disciples did after thy glorious resurrection and in the sorrowfull time of calamitie trouble and persecution so mittigate the dolor of my passions that I may endure all extremities with Christian patience knowing that all the afflictions of this world are but momentarie and that the ioyes prepared for the faithfull after this life are innumerable and shall endure eternally Now let vs leaue the sorrowfull Disciples and come to our louing Iesus who being bound was presented to Annas by the wicked Iewes who examined him concerning his Disciples and concerning his doctrine Ioh. 18.19 And although the humilitie of my Sauiour was great and his modestie no
tongue did not cease to prattle when multitudes did flocke after thee through the Cities and when the base people did swarme after thee through the villages and desarts And art not thou hee which preaching to the rude multitude in the Temple and pleasing their giddie humor with thy long orations was so impudent to inueigh against vs Pharises Doctors of law and Rulers of the people calling vs hypocrites checking vs rudely for our Manners and reproouing vs rashly for our Doctrine neither respecting the dignitie of our persons nor dreading the force of our authoritie Now behold wee haue thee sure enough thou canst not escape our hands thou art bound for feare of starting we are no babes to be wonne with faire wordes Now we haue thee thou wretch as thy wicked deedes haue deserued such shall be thy recompense Wee are none of the rude and base multitude thou canst not gull vs with thy flattering speeches nor beguile vs with false apparitions Suppose oh my wofull soule that thou doest heare the cruell Iewes bellowing out such bitter taunts against my harmelesse and innocent Iesus in the heate of their rage adding more cruell deeds to their cruell words for all of them like mad-men rush vpon him in their violent furie Some thumpe him with their hands some spurne him vvith their feet some strike him on the necke and as their hands vvere nimble to load him with blowes so their tongues were not idle from rayling and reuiling him with scornefull words Oh how wonderfully is my Lord derided how vnworthily is hee scorned Yea some so barbarous was their mindes and so brutish was their manners do spit in his face Who euer did see such grosse inhumanitie who doth not abhor such beastly inciuillitie They all striue who should doe him most hurt and contend one with another to doe him most mischiefe seeking by spightfull words to vexe his minde and by cruell blowes to wound his bodie Oh my louing Iesus how bitter are their speeches direfullie breathed out against thee How terrible are their practises so bloodilie inflicted vpon thee Why are not my vitall spirits damped with woe why are not mine eyes drowned in a flood of teares and why is not my soule ouer-whelmed with the waues of sorrow in this my sadde Meditation of thine afflictions and deuout contemplation of thy humane miseries Wherefore gush forth oh yee teares from the inward fountaine of my heart and ouerflow mine eies with your plentifull shewers But art thou made of flint Oh my hard heart that thou doest not breake into pieces Is thy substance of marble that thou doest not cleaue asunder when I meditate vpon these cursed inuectiue reproches and wicked deedes done to my innocent Iesus by the stony-hearted Iewes Alas for mee a most wretched sinner that my Lord should suffer such great and grieuous affliction for my sake and yet that I should still remaine sencelesse in my sins and haue no remorse of conscience for my hainous offences Haue mercy vpon mee most mercifull Lord because I call all these things to minde and haue them in my meditation but for want of true loue I am depriued of true deuotion and my hard heart is without all sense of sorrowfull contrition Therefore wound my heart my louing Iesus that I may be grieued with thee and suffer for thee that thou maist vouchsafe to shew me mercie that I may with more boldnesse approach vnto thy Maiestie Thou wert humbled and I disdaine my brethren vvith pride Thou wert pinched vvith hunger and I surfeit with abundance thou wert afflicted with torments and I spend my dayes in wanton pleasure Thou didst weepe to thinke vpon the vvofull destruction of Ierusalem but I am not touched with any tender affection of mercie when I see thousands oppressed vvith miserie I can finde no place my sweet Iesu to hide my face from confusion I can finde no remedie for my deadly maladie but in the vertue of thy comfortable mercie Oh cure my disease with this excellent medicine and salue all my vvounds with this pretious Balme that all mine affections may be so kindled vvith thy loue that I may reioyce to suffer and suffer vvith reioycing for thy glorious name vvho wert content to bee scorned and scourged to be accounted as an abiect amongst the vile and wicked that I might be raised out of the pit of endlesse miserie to be exalted for euer vvith thee in the Pallace of eternall glorie A Meditation how Peter denied his Maister three times in the house of Cayphas and of his weeping for the same MED X. Trembling with feare caus'd by a silly a Iohn 18.17 Maid Once twise yea b Luk. 22.60.61 thrice Saint Peter doth deny His blessed Lord c Mar. 14.72 Remembring what Christ sayd Goes forth repents and d Mat. 26.75 weeps most bitterly NOw let vs cease a while to meditate on my Sauiour and consider how Peter carried himself in the afflictions of his Master He was loath to leaue him because he did loue him and therefore although at the first hee fled yet hee returned againe with the other Disciple who by friendship brought him into the Pallace of the high Priest and as Peter stood there by the fire a maide looked vpon him and said to them that were by This man also was with Iesus of Nazareth But Peter who not long before had made such great brags of his loue was now so daunted with feare that he flatly denied his seruice saying I know not the man And a little after another sayd vnto him Art not thou also one of his Disciples So that now Peter was not content simply to denie him but hee beganne earnestly to forsweare him Now within a while after another came and said Verily thou art one of them And then Peter began to curse and sweare saying I know not the man whom thou speakest of and immediately the Cocke crew And the Lord who stood not far off in the hands of the wicked looked back vpon Peter not refusing faint-hearted Peter to be his seruant although he had denied and abiured him for his Maister Then Peter remembred the words which Iesus had spoken to him and he went out wept bitterly Mat. 26. Now let vs seriously meditate on the frailtie of Peter that seeing so stout a Souldier so soone daunted with feare we may take heed not to presume too much vpon our owne weakenesse lest we play the cowards and start backe as he did when wee are put to our tryall Consider oh my soule the feruency of his loue and greatnesse of his feare the willingnesse of his minde and weakenesse of his might I dare not say but that Peter did loue his Lord and was sorry for the distressed estate of his master although his heart fainted and his stomacke failed in the time of danger hee thought hee should haue beene able to haue performed in deedes that which he had so boldly boasted in wordes but alas hee
exception Oh how bitter was the malice how horrible was the enuie how blinde were the eyes how bloody were the hearts of the cruell Iewes to crucifie my deare Sonne my innocent Iesus how dolefull is it to mine eyes and dolorous to my heart to behold thy bright eyes obscured with deadly darknesse thy blessed hand depriued of action and thy beautifull feete senslesse vvithout any motion to see thy cheerefull countenance couered with an ashy palenesse thy skinne blacke and blew with blowes and thy flesh mangled with wounds This spectacle is so wofull that I can no longer behold thee with mine eyes and the waues of sorrow doe ouerflow my heart so fast that they stop my words and stay the current of my mournfull speech Now as Marie Magdalene did behold the blessed body of my Sauiour with his mourning Mother so she did not cease to lament his death who had beene so kinde a Master vnto her in his life What a plentifull streame of teares ran downe her cheekes What a spring of sorrow arose in her heart How did her sorrowfull sighes second her heauie sobs How did her dolefull sobs preuent her lamentable sighes Thinke thou doest see her kisse his senslesse hands thinke thou doest see her kisse his breathlesse feet speaking vnto her louing Master with her trembling voice being dead as if he did heare her and were aliue bathing them with her teares and giuing a little ease to her sore diseased heart by vttering these or the like words with her feeble lips Mary Magdalens lamentation for the losse of her Master Alas my sweet Master alas my most louing Lord the staffe of my stay the onely ioy of my heart the sole comfort of my perplexed spirit Alas for me how comfortlesse doest thou leaue mee how sorrowfull shall I bee by being without thee To whom shall I haue recourse for comfort in the straightnesse of my sorrow To whom shall I goe for succour in time of my trouble How lamentable is the view of thy vvounded head vnto mine eies How grieuous is the view of thy sacred hands and feet vnto my sight pierced with iron-nailes and depriued of sense which I so carefully annoynted bathing them with the teares of mine eies and drying them with the haires of my head Ioh. 11.2 and 12.3 Mat. 26.7 But now alas in stead of odoriferous oyntment they are mangled with wounds and spotted with blood Oh wretched woman oh miserable creature because I am depriued of such a louing and welbeloued Master Where shall I find one who will loue me so deerely and regard me so entierly Thou art hee which diddest often vouchsafe to come into my cottage and to sit downe at my Table and didst vouchsafe to honour my poore house with thy gratious presence when alas I was not able to afford thee any such entertainement as might in any sort requite thy kindenesse or recompence thy loue Iohn 11.28 Oh my most sweet Iesu thou didst defend me from the Pharisie who disdained me for my trespasses and loathed me for my sinnes Thou didst kindely excuse mee speaking in my cause and pleading my case when my sister began to be angry with me and to conceiue displeasure against mee Thou didst commend me when I did annoynt thee with a pretious oyntment washing thy feete with my teares and wiping them with my haire thou didst mittigate my sorrow thou didst remit my sins thou didst kindely aske for mee when I was not present with thee and commanded my sister to call me vnto thee Oh what great and how many demonstrations of thy loue how many tokens of thy kindnesse how many signes of thy charity how many arguments of thy mercie Oh my most sweet Lord hast thou shewed vnto mee vvhat a rich treasure of thy bounty hast thou conferred vpon mee When thou didst see my mourning for the death of my Brother thou didst comfort mee in my sorrow thou didst asswage my griefe thou didst weepe with me such was thy kinde affection towards my louing brother such was thy tender compassion towards mee his sorrowfull sister and thou didst not onely shed teares as signes of thy loue but thou didst raise my dead brother out of his graue for my consolation and restored him to life againe for my comfort Iohn 11.35 Ibidem 43. As nothing was more sweet and pleasant vnto me then to enioy thy blessed company so nothing can be more sowre and sharpe vnto me then want of thy comfortable societie But alas sorrowfull words are too weake a medicine to cure my maladie and although I haue cause to say much yet extreamity of griefe vvill suffer mee to say no more Now thou hast heard oh my soule the lamentation of a tender Mother deploring the death of her Sonne and also the pittifull mourning of a faithfull seruant bewayling the want of him who was her louing Master and bountifull benefactor canst thou be so stonie-hearted that thou art moued with no feeling compassion Is thy heart so hard that it cannot giue a groane Are thine eyes so dry that they vvill not yeeld a teare at the meditation of the death and buriall of thy Sauiour who died for thy sinnes and was slaine for thine iniquities I flie vnto thee my most mercifull Lord that thou maist mollifie and moysten my hard and dry heart with plentifull showres of thy graces turne my head into a spring of water and change mine eyes into a fountaine of teares I know not how to excuse my selfe because I haue beene so vnthankfull for thy benefits so forgetfull of thy mercies and so vnkinde vnto thee for thy loue What shall I say but woe and alas for me a most wretched and wicked sinner Who can measure the quantity of mine infelicitie Who can describe the horrour of my miserie Who can quiet the troubles of my minde Who can pacifie my troubled conscience because my hard heart hath not beene touched with any compunction nor my bowels moued with any compassion when I did think on thy cruell death and meditate on thy bitter Passion Oh wretched man that I am oh miserable creature for when others doe mourne at the meditation of thy Passion shed teares and send forth sighes at the remembrance of thy death my hart is so ouer-growne with hardnesse that it cannot be touched with sorrow and mine eyes are so dry without moisture that they vvill not send forth a teare Oh why doe I not sigh sob and weepe in my Meditation of the bitter Passion of my Sauiour my gratious and bountifull benefactor who did abide so many painefull torments and reproachfull taunts for my sinnes and suffered a most shamefull and cruell death on the Crosse for my transgressions How can I excuse the coldnesse of my loue How should I cleare my vnthankfull minde If Death take away my Father or depriue me of my Mother I water my cheekes vvith teares and vvearie my heart vvith groaning I can weepe for the death of a Brother and wring my