inward man in all godlinesse and vertue Iesus shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead I Giue thee thankes O bountifull IESVS that when thou shalt come at that last day to iudge the world thou wilt render to euery one according to his workes eyther the ioy of eternal life or euerlasting punishment Grant ô my louing Father that I may haue grace to spend the course of my life in innocencie according to thy holy will that at length my Soule leauing the imprisonment of the body may be presented blamelesse before thee and being garnished with many vertues may through thy mercy be receiued into thy Tabernacle of glory and that it may glorifie and praise thee in the fellowship and company of Saints world without end Amen A PRAYER or Meditation on the Name of IESVS O Good IESV ô sweet Iesu the Sonne of the Virgin Mary full of pittie and mercy ô sweet Iesu after thine infinite goodnesse haue mercy vpon mee ô bountifull Iesu through that thy precious bloud which thou didst plentifully shed vpon the Altar of the Crosse for wicked Sinners that thou wash mee from all my sinnes and iniquities and that thou despise not thy Seruant which humbly praieth and calleth vpon thee by this holy Name Iesus This Name Iesus is a sweet Name yea it is sweeter then any Nectar Ambrosia This Name of Iesus bringeth life and saluation for what is Iesus but a Sauiour Therfore ô good Iesus which of thy goodnesse hast created me and by thy precious bloud hast redeemed mee suffer not my Soule to be ouercome with the multitude of sinnes and offences O good IESVS let not mine iniquities condemne my Soule which thou hast made of thine infinite goodnesse acknowledge in me ô good Iesu that which is thine and take from me all my sinfull and filthy enormities O good Iesu haue mercy vpon mee so long as I am in this world least at that terrible day of Iudgement I be damned with the wicked and reprobate O good Iesus if according to thy Iustice I being a peruerse sinner deserue to be condemned by reason of my grieuous sinnes and offences I humbly appeale from thy seuere Iustice to thy mercy and compassion trusting altogether ô my Lord Iesus that thou wilt be gracious vnto mee and wilt haue mercy on my soule as a louing and pittifull Father What profit will be to thee O good IESVS in my flesh if my Soule descend into hell for it is certaine that in hell none shall confesse the holy Name of Iesus O most merciful Iesus haue mercy on vs ô most sweet Iesus deliuer vs from all our tribulations and aduersities ô excellent Iesus be good vnto vs miserable sinners ô most holy IESVS grant that our soules may enioy the fellowship of the Elect in thy heauenly habitation Strengthen mee ô most louing Iesus with the sauing health of all that trust in thee O Iesu the Son of the most holy Virgin Mary giue vnto vs thy Mercy Grace Wisedome Charitie Chastitie Humilitie and Patience in all our aduersities that wee may alwayes praise and glorifie thee our Lord IESVS which liuest and raignest God world without end Amen A short Prayer for Morning I Thanke thee most mercifull Father my maker and preseruer that thou hast so louingly vouchsafed to tender my safetie this night past giuing me sweet sleepe to the refreshment of my soule and weake body So of thy goodnesse vouchsafe to extend thy louing fauour towards me this day that thereby I may be both safely preserued from all kinde of euill and imploy my selfe diligently vnto the execution of my vocation to thy glory and to the reliefe of me mine through Iesus Christ Amen A short Prayer for Euening O Almightie Lord God I thanke thee that this day past thou hast of thy mercy vouchsafed vnto me thy poore creature not onely protection against all dangers and euils but also all things necessarie I humbly beseech thee of that same thy mercy and for thy Son Iesus Christ his sake to extend the like protection and fauor toward me this night that I may enioy at thine hands safe and quiet rest to the comfort and refreshment both of my body and soule for Iesus Christs sake Amen FINIS
THE SEAVEN SPIRITVALL Exercises of a deuout Soule CONTAINING the Life and Death of our Sauiour CHRIST compiled in seauen Meditations replenished with most godly and deuout motions and seruing for the seauen dayes in the Weeke PSALME 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes LONDON Printed by T. S. for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at the great South-doore of Paules and at Britaines Bursse 1613. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL Mr. William Bull MAYOR of the Citie of WELS I. B. Wisheth all prosperitie in this life and eternall happinesse in the life to come IF all men are by nature and duty bound to gratifie their wel-deseruing Friends most deare and much respected VNCLE then must I not ouerslip time to make requitall of your manifold kindnesses by some slender gift such as the zeale of my dutie and the abilitie of my minde is able to performe And now to make it appeare not so much in complements as in action I haue sent you a small Treatise which in the iudgement of some Diuines whom I reuerence in my heart is for matter of worthy respect for method plaine for practise godly and I hope for the fruits of it profitable for what of higher regard of more facilitie of deeper deuotion and of greater comfort then the meditation of the Historie of our Sauiour CHRIST which you see here parted into seauen dayes practise and may be the Christians daily taske I will say no more of it onely vse it peruse it practise it and after your charitable censure if it may seeme worthy your patronage claime it as your owne your owne you may then call it for without you it had neuer seene the Sunne nor the Sunne it The reflexe of your fauours towards me and the vndeserued kindnesse of Some that are neare allyed to you whom I onely point at R. B. c. I neede no more as also the godly disposition of you all in matters of pietie and deuotion haue called this light out of darknesse and made it that long hath wandred from the Author like a wearyed Pilgrime to flye to you for protection As you loue Christ so fauour it and as you fauour godlinesse so loue It. Make it your daily Viz. This Booke though not your whole taske and resolue of this that Christ cals men as well to Mount Tabor by diuine Meditation to admire his goodnesse and glory as Caesar cals them to beare the Sword for the defence and countenance of authoritie Thus crauing your fauourable acceptance of this poore mite vndertaking the patronage of the same I wish you all health and happinesse Leauing this to you with the remembrance of my humble dutie London this 3. of October 1612. Your Cosen in all seruice to be commanded I. B. THE PREFACE to the seauen Meditations of the Life and Death of our SAVIOVR CHRIST AMongst all spirituall Exercises if we may giue credit to an Ancient Writer there is none more profitable In Prol. of the Medit. of the Life of Iesus then the Meditations of the Life and Death of our Sauiour For as they worke in vs a despising and contempt of all visible things so doe they arme vs against all the power of the world the flesh and the Diuell They purchase familiaritie with God they procure his loue towards vs they make vs confident and they bring our soules to the Paradise of all vertues and height of all heauenly perfections For where may wee finde the force vertue and true effects of pouerti humilitie patience meeknesse loue obedience and other celesliall Graces more perfectly displayed then in the life of our Sauiour Therefore Bernard speaketh rightly when he saith That man that would get vnto himselfe vertue laboureth in vaine if hee seeke it any where else or desire it of any other then of him that is Lord of all vertues whose doctrine is the rule of Wisedome whose mercy is the work of Iustice whose life is the example of Temperance and whose death is the perfect president of Patience In this Exercise this sweet and holy Teacher spent and consumed his whole time making benefit and fruit of the godly collections which hee gathered together of the anxieties and bitternesse of Christ his Passion in whose person he pasionately speaketh Sup. Can. Serm. 63. O homo vide quae pro te patior non est dolor sicut dolor meus Whereof also he was not at any time vnmindfull as he witnesseth of himselfe Therefore a man shall doe a worke of exceeding worth if once at the least in euery weeke eyther by prayer or Meditation hee runne ouer the whole life of our Sauiour Iesus seeing there is no prayer more acceptable vnto him then that in which is made a remembrance and commemoration of his life and death of his merits and benefits which hee hath done for vs. And that this may be done more fitly the Authour hath comprehended the Life Death and Resurrection of Christ in seauen Prayers or Meditations following that they might serue for the seauen dayes in the weeke and the same in manner of a thanksgiuing seeing there is no benefit for which wee owe greater thanks vnto Almightie God Then let God haue the glory that requires no more of vs then the Confession and remembrance of his benefits optima beneficiorum custos est ipsa memoria beneficiorum Hom 25. sup Mat. perpetua confessio gratiarum saith Chrisostome The best preseruer of the graces of God is the mention and confession of his graces SEAVEN MEDITATIONS of the Life of IESVS MEDITAT I. Christ descendeth from heauen and is conceiued in the Virgines Wombe I Render vnto thee immortall thanks oh sweet Iesu that for the loue of mee didst descend from thy Regall Pallace and high bosome of thy Father into this low vaile of all miseries and vouchsafedst to take vpon thee humane flesh in the holy wombe of thy blessed Mother Mat. 1.18 I beseech thee O Lord to prepare my heart a Tabernacle for thee and to that end to adorne the same with all manner of vertues that thou maist therein make perpetuall habitation Oh would to God it might please thy goodnesse to make my heart to be such towards thee that I be not afraid to inuite thee but that thou maist come to dwell in mee and that I may be fit to receiue thee with spirituall delight Luke 19.6 as Zacheus which receiued thee ioyfully and that thou maist sweetly rest in my heart without end Oh that I could embrace thee with the armes of strong affection that at any time I be not drawne from thee by thought word deed or vaine imagination Mary visiteth Elizabeth I Giue thee thankes O sweet Iesu for that after thou wert conceiued in the wombe of the blessed Virgin Mary thou willedst her by thy Angell Gabriel Luke 1.39 to goe by the Mountaines and visit Elizabeth that she might salute and congratulate with her for that GOD had made
her barren wombe to beare Thou didst not disdaine to be shut nine Moneths in the glorious bowels of thy Mother Therefore I beseech thee to giue me the grace of true Humilitie and so to imprint the same in my heart that thou maist alwayes finde me ready in those things that appertaine vnto the godly worship and seruice of thee Grant O Lord that my heart may still disdaine all worldly things and that I may continually desire to rest and dwell in thee and that my heart may be humbled to endure any low estate for thee that willingly enduredst the lowest degree of humilitie for my sake Phil. 2.7.8 Christ is borne I Giue thee thanks O my sweet Iesus which art borne of the most holy Virgine without damage of Virgines puritie and who laid thee straightway being borne in a Manger or Cribbe as poore and mortall and humbly worshipped thee as immortall God Luke 1.46 and Creator of all things I pray thy diuine mercy that thou wouldest vouchsafe to be continually borne in mee by a new desire of Charitie and that thou alone maist be my whole desire my onely fulnes and firme hope of my heart Let it be pleasing vnto thee that I alwayes seeke thee alwayes thinke on thee and alwayes feruently loue thee Christ is wrapped in base clothing I Giue vnto thee infinite thankes O sweet Iesu that being borne wast subiect to the bitternesse of the ayre and cold seasons and yet createdst the ayre and orderest the seasons thou didst not disdaine to be wrapped in base clothing and to partake of my weakenesse and miserie to sucke virgines Milke from the brest of thy glorious Mother as the innocent Lambe of God in the forme of a poore and simple Babe when thou wast indeed the true omnipotent God Thou becamest poore for our sakes that art indeed the King of heauen and earth that we through thy pouertie 2 Cor. 8.9 might be made rich Grant then O Lord that in thy sight I may alwayes be a true Infant in Humilitie thy Childe in Innocencie and that I may be alwayes truely poore in spirit but rich in grace and plentifull in goodnesse Grant that for the loue of thee I refuse nothing in this World that is eyther bitter or laborious that I loue nothing in this world but thee desire to possesse nothing aboue thee nor esteem any worldly thing in comparison of thee Christ is worshipped of the Shepheards I Giue thee thankes O bountifull Iesu that as soone as thou wast borne was celebrated with the sweet Hymnes of holy Angels Luke 2.14 and worshipped of the Shepheards Luke 2.20 with great ioy and admiration whom thou diddest choose to publish thy praise non sapientes Beda sed simplices qui fucare audita nescirent not the wisemen of the world but plaine and simple men that knew to publish no more then they heard Giue mee grace O Lord to perseuere alwayes in thy praise with gladnes that I may seeke therein the societie of the godly and in seeking may finde thee and found may ioy in thee and ioying may enioy thee eternally Finally that my ioy may burst forth with them to publish abroad these glad tidings to the comfort of others as they haue comforted me Christ is Circumcised and called Iesus BE euer praised and glorified O sweet Iesu for that the eight day according to the custome of other Infants thou wouldest be circumcised Luke 2.21 and diddest begin to shed thy bloud for the loue of mee in thy most tender age and that thou wouldst comsort me with ineffable cōsolation wert called Iesus a Sauiour Mat. 1.21 to saue mee that otherwise had vtterly perished I beseech thee O Lord to account mee in the number of thy elect and to write my name in the booke of the blessed And that thou wouldest circumcise my hart from all superfluitie that is from idle and hurtfull speeches from vniust workes and from impure and vaine thoughts and cogitations Set a watch before mine eyes keepe the dore of my lips and so search my heart that I may confine my selfe within the bounds of thy will Oh my Redeemer thou art called Iesus that is a Sauiour for to thee onely it belongeth to giue saluation Therfore I pray thee O Lord that the remembrance of this sweet Name of Sauiour may expell from mee all despaire al inordinate faintnesse of heart and sloathfulnesse that it may endue mee with a stedfast hope of thy mercy and may saue mee from all the power of sin the rage of Sathan and the deceitfull delights of this present world Christ is worshipped of the Wise men I Giue thee thankes O sweet Iesu that wert found of the Magi or wisemen seeking thee with sincere faith and inward deuotion by the appearing of a Starre who falling downe vpon their knees before thee offered Gold Frankencense and Mirrhe Grant O Lord that I may seeke thee in the companie and societie of those Wise-men not in Bethlehem but euen in the center of my heart and being found in the same I may worship thee in spirit and in truth that I may offer vnto thee the Gold of pure Charitie Gregor in Homil. the Incense of true Deuotion and the Mirrhe of perfect Mortification finally grant me grace that with readinesse of heart and willingnesse of minde I may bestow all my strength and power in the imitation and following of thy most holy life And if at any time I erre from thy truth make O Lord thy Word to be the starre of my guide to leade mee till I finde thee Iesus is presented in the Temple I Giue thee thankes O Lord Iesus Christ for that thou to leaue vs the example of Obedience and Humilitie wouldest be subiect to the Law for the loue of vs Luke 2.22 for that thou wouldest be presented in the Temple in the Armes of thy blessed Mother and wouldest the Oblation of two Turtle Doues not of him that was rich Leu. 12.6 but of a poore man to be offered for thee Luke 2.25.38 When Simeon with Anna the Prophetesse reioycing at thy presence did giue a worthy testimonie of thy glory Grant that it may please thee O Lord not to suffer the least thought or imagination of vanitie at any time hereafter to enter into my heart and more especially that I be not lifted vp with pride nor carryed with presumption O how happy were I if all manner of presumption were banisht from mee and all desire of worldly fauours together with the inordinate conceit of Selfe-affection were extinguished in mee Grant to me thy grace O Lord that I may be carelesse of vaine oftentations that I submit my selfe to all men and willingly obey them for thy ordinance sake And as thou O Lord camest not to destroy but to fulfill the Law so direct and sanctifie my heart and helpe me with thy righteousnesse that I may be obedient to thy Law and performe those duties
patiently diddest suffer a cruell blow which one of his wicked ministers strucke on thy face Oh Lord I beseech thee mortifie in me all wrath and indignation take from me all manner of enuy and hate and extinguish in mee all desires of reuenge that when any one doth wrong and iniure me I may not be troubled or molested neither deuise at any time to be reuenged but suffering all things with patience for thy sake and by thy example I may for thy loue render to euery man good for euil Amen MEDITAT IIII. Iesus is diuersly molested the night in which he is apprehended I Giue THEE thankes O sweet IESVS that in the night of thy Passion thou wert scorned and deluded Luke 22. Chap. 23. smitten of thine enemies and diuersly iniured and molested Thou knowest O LORD how grieuous troublesome it is to mee to beare and suffer the least wrong or iniurie Thou knowest that my will and desire is slow and slacke to all vertue and that all good affections and appetites waxe cold in me O Lord for thy mercy help my infirmitie mortifie in mee all carnall affections as heate of anger hope of reuenge and quicken thy graces within mee Grant that for no aduersitie my minde be throwne downe or deiected Help me that I faint not vnder the burden of tribulations which shall fall vpon mee neyther let me repine at the iniuries done vnto mee by others but giuing thee thankes for all things I may referre all things to the honour and glory of thy Name Iesus is accused before Pilate I Giue thee thankes O Lord Iesu that standing before Pontius Pilate Mar. 12.17 thou diddest not answere vnto the false complaints and accusations wherewith they did iniure thee diddest passe ouer all things with silence euen like a meek lambe which openeth not his mouth but is mute before the shearer Grant mee ô Lord that the reproches murmurings or reuilings of wicked men make me not to swel against them or puffe me vp with enuy but that being taught by thy example I may ouercome all them when the case so requires by silence and taciturnitie that slander or impeach my good name Giue me the grace of perfect Humilitie that I may neyther desire that men praise me nor be afraid to be dispraised for thee But to comfort mee with the reward of blessednes that thou hast assured them that are reuiled and suffer persecution for righteousnes sake namely that theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.10.11.12 quod eis magna est merces in coelis that great is their reward in heauen Iesus brought before Herod I Giue thee thankes O sweet IESVS King of Heauen and Earth that with great stirre and fury of the people thou wert brought before Herod Luke 23.7 by the commandement of Pilate Giue mee fortitude ô Lord that persecutions may not confound mee nor the iniuries of my enemies prouoke mee to anger nor that their impudencie make mee to blush or be ashamed but that I may beare all things with meeknesse patience and ouer-come with silence according to the prescript of thy Commandements remembring alwaies whose cause I haue in hand and that thou denyest them before thy Father that deny thee before men Strengthen me ô Lord in thy cause and quarrell for thou art greater then the Princes of the earth and canst make thy seruants to stand against them Iesus is accused before Herod I Giue thee thankes O holy IESVS that standing before Herod Luke 23.9 10. and accused before the chiefe Priests and Elders of many crimes and iniquities thou wouldest answere to nothing but didst iustifie thy cause by holding thy peace Giue mee the gift of silence ô Lord that I haue not at any time a desire to speak vaine idle or vnclean speeches nor that I waste not my time in discoursing of barraine and vnfruitfull matters but grant that my tongue vtter nothing that is not iust honest profitable and consonant to thy holy will Let mee detest ô Lord the vice of backebiting and that I be still pleased to heare speake well of all men And when they shall band themselues to plot my destruction yet make me to pray for them and in all things to be milde and mercifull Luke 6.36 as my heauenly father is mercifull Iesus is iudged more wicked then Barrabas I Giue thee thankes O sweet Iesu that being compared with that infamous murderer Barrabas Marke 15.15 Act. 3.14 thou wert iudged worse and more vnworthy of life then hee so that homycide was set at libertie and thou the author of life condemned to dye O King of eternall glory what greater infamie could thy maiestie be afflicted with From hence O LORD from hence it appeares that thou art that liuely stone disallowed of men which God neuerthelesse hath chosen to himselfe and placed in the head corner Grant ô Lord that I may preferre nothing before thee that for any thing I be not changed from thee but that I may account all things as vile and base that are compared vnto thee Grant that the poyson of enuy neuer infect my minde but that I may alwayes rest in thee and place my saluation in thee Iesus is whipped IEsu I giue thee thanks that being spoyled of thy garments Mar. 15.15 thou sufferedst thy chaste holy and naked flesh to be looked vpon and afterwards wouldest abide to be scourged and whipped that by thy wounds our wounds might be healed O Lord despoyle my heart of all vncleane cogitations dis-robe me of the old man with all his workes and cloath mee with the new man which is created to thy image and similitude in Iustice and holinesse and grant that with all patience and humilitie I may abide the scourge of thy fatherly visitation Iesus is crowned with thornes I Giue thee thankes O bountifull Iesu for that thou wert so diuersly illuded after so great enuies so many wounds Mar. 15.17 and after thy bloud so plentifully shed through thy whole body to thy greater reproach they attyred thee with a purple garment put a crowne of thornes vpon thy head with a Reed in thy hand in stead of a Scepter and bending their knees saluted thee as King or rather mocked thee saying Haile King of the Iewes Let ô Lord the memorie of this miserable Tragedie be euer imprinted in my heart and neuer blotted out of my remembrance Fixe thy charitie in my mind that I may onely loue thee thinke of thee and of thy iniuries and so euer rest and depend on thee That neyther tribulation miseries nor persecutions separate mee from thee neyther let it be grieuous vnto me at any time if I be dispised contemned mocked and derided of men for thy sake Iesus speaketh to the women I Giue thee thankes O good Iesu that in this laborsome iourney when thou wert brought forth to be crucified thou diddest louingly admonish the women that were lamenting Luk. 23.28 not to