Waters Now are our Pains profitable our Tears acceptable our Groans audible our Grief pacifieth God and purgeth the Heart hereafter there shall be weeping without Comfort and gnashing of Teeth and irremediable Vexation Prayer Gracious Redeemer the Fountain of Pardon I have sinned against thee in denying thee by my works and estranging my heart from thee who art desirable above all things And where shall I find punishment enough to avenge me of my self and tears sufficient to wash away my guilt Every slight Worldly sorrow is apt to draw plenty of Waters in mine Eyes but when I would weep for my Sins which are the greatest Calamities either my Eyes are dry or my Tears too few to bewail so many provocations O merciful Saviour break this heart for thou only canst do it with thy compassionate Look and melt it into Tears of true Contrition That since I cannot be Innocent yet I may be Penitent and what is wanting in my Repentance may be supplyed by thy Mercy and I may owe my Salvation to thy boundless Liberality SECT XIX Of the Barbarity of the Multitude towards Christ. JEsus had pity upon his offending Servant but his own Innocence found none among his Enemies who begin now to treat him with all the Circumstances of Scorn Cruelty and Diabolical Malice O God! What Frenzies and what Furies are there in a Brutish Multitude when it is once let loose The Lamb of God himself is not secure from their Insults What barbarous Passions what blind Will what enchanted Desires after inhumane Cruelty towards their own Image They b Mat. 26.67 spit in his Face in whose presence the Angels ravisht with wonder do cover their Faces with their Wings and have no sweeter Extasies than the Admiration of his Beauties They c Luk. 22.64 blindfold his Eyes the Light of whose Countenance the Fathers have so much desir'd to see They d Mat. 26.67 strike and buffet him with the Palms of their hands who descended from Glory to heal them by his Stripes They sport themselves in Railery with the Eternal Word who In the beginning e John 1.3 4. made all things and in whom was Life and that Life the Light of Men saying f Mat. 26.68 Prophesie unto us thou Christ who is he that smote thee And many g Luk. 22.65 other things which neither the Prophets did foretell nor the Evangelists have related did they blasphemously speak against him Thus did our Lord h Isai 50.6 give his Back to the Smiters and his Cheeks to them that pull'd off the hair and hid not his Face from Shame and Spitting Thus did his i Psal 118.12 Enemies come about him like Bees regardless whether they lost their Fruitfulness for ever so they might infix in him the Sting of their Malice Thus did he pass the sorrowful Night among the k Psal 57.5 Children of Men that were set on fire whose Teeth were Spears and Arrows and their Tongue a sharp Sword made the extream Scorn Contempt and Sport of the most insolent and insulting Enemy Go now ingrateful and Perfidious Sinner seek and Covet the Pleasures of this Life while Christ suffers these Indignities for thy sake Behold what miserable Comforts he has in this Passover which to his People was a Festival of the greatest Joy See here what Returns of Gratitude they make for all the inestimable Benefits they have received This night was the Blood of the Typical Lamb sprinkled upon their doors and sav'd 'em from Destruction and now they tarnish with the Filth of their Infernal Mouths the Mirrour of Angels the true Lamb and condemn him to Destruction who came to save them from Damnation And has he been less kind to thee or hast thou been more grateful to him O the unaccountable Perversness of Man O the Ineffable Long-Suffering of Christ For what wonder had it been had he again destroyed the World for so great an Affront and Wickedness as this But thus the Scriptures were to be fulfilled and thus it l Luk. 24.46 behoved Christ to suffer Prayer O my Soul what wilt thou say Thy Redeemer is mockt thy Master is spit upon thy Lord is smitten thy Christ is vilified more than ever was any Man and of all these Indignities thy Sins are the Cause For if thou hadst not sinned nor thy Forefathers the innocent Jesus had never thus suffer'd His manifold Miseries are the several Indications how wicked how Guilty how full of Sin thou art and always hast been For as abject as thy Saviour did appear before his Adversaries so vile wert thou truly before God and must for ever have appear'd before thy Tormentors in Hell if he had not transferr'd these Sufferings upon himself and his Righteousness upon thee I will prostrate my self in Dust and Ashes I will humble my Spirit with Abstinence and Sorrow My Tears shall be my Meat Day and Night and I will ever call upon God till of his Mercy he speak Peace unto me I will follow my Jesus sorrowing and embrace his Cross and confess him dying for me till he assist me with his Grace and receive me with his Mercy and turn my temporal Sorrows into everlasting Joys SECT XX. Of the Prosecution of Christ before Pilate and the miserable Despair of Judas thereupon WHile our Saviour was passing the sorrowful Night vilified spit upon buffeted and mockt as the very Scorn of Men and the Out-cast of the People Fame which is more speedy than a thousand Posts and has abundance of Voices to make it self heard had dispers'd the News through the whole City and the People m Luke 22.66 rais'd early in the Morning by various Reports and restless Expectations flockt together and the Council re-assembled so much the more incens'd by how much their Witnesses had failed and Christ had answer'd prudently and suffer'd patiently hoping by the semblance of a judicial Process they might persuade Pilate whose Authority they were to use to accept their Examination and Conviction without Enquiry And Christ is n Luke 22.66 brought again bound before 'em that at least they might satisfie their Cruelty in seeing him if they could not their Malice in falsly accusing him For as the Force of Love has this Effect that it sufficeth not to have once seen its beloved so Envy and Hatred desire more and more to reiterate their Cruelty upon what they hate And because Christ had as yet only confest himself the Son of God and Judge of the World which would bear but little stress before Pilate who was a Pagan and Idolatrous and whose Religion maintain'd the frequent Descent of the Gods they worshipt they urge him again with the former Question Whether he were the Messiah or Christ saying o Luke 22.67 Art thou the Christ tell us For the promis'd Messiah in Scripture being there also called the p John 1.49 King of Israel if he confest himself to be the Messiah they would by consequence
him mournfully afar off And the pious Women who had believ'd and abhor'd his Death would bewail him Suffering Dying and Dead Our Gracious Lord regardless of the furious Multitude and q 2 Tim. 2.19 knowing who are his turns to these saying r Luke 23.28 Daughters of Jerusalem weep not for me but for your selves and for your Children For behold the days are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Wombs that never bare and the Paps that never gave suck and so great shall be the Terror they shall begin to say to the Mountains fall on us and to the Hills cover us as if the dreadful Day of Judgment were then appearing Not that it was indecent to bewail his Passion for humanity commands a Sympathy and some pity towards the Sufferings of a real offender much more towards the misfortunes of an Innocent Person But because it was not fit to bewail him as others who died not as others die for we come to Death by Sin but Christ came to Death by Righteousness therefore he says Daughters of Jerusalem there is no necessity you should weep for me who have long since been prepar'd to go this sad procession I suffer not this for my own Sins And what you are Ignorant of this my end will bring Joy to the whole World Such Grief becomes not those who Triumph nor is Lamentation suitable to Victory But if your tenderness must vent in Tears you have reason to shed abundance for your selves and your Posterity to avert if possible those Dreadful Judgments which hang over this City and Nation For behold those adverse times are coming when Men as well as Women Young and Old Rich and Poor shall be reduc'd to such streights that they shall wish they had never been Born nor ever had Sons or Daughters Yea so great shall be the afrightment that ye shall wish your selves under the Earth rather than upon it in the Bowels of the Mountains and the Caverns of the Hills least any one should see or find you out For if they do these things in a ſ Luke 23.31 green tree in me and my Disciples What shall be done in the dry If I who have done t Heb. 4.15 no Sin who am the u John 15.1 living Vine and the * John 6.35 bread of Life pass not out of the World without this fiery tryal What shall become of those who are void of all fruit who are near to x Heb. 6.8 cursing and whose end is to be burned If Judgment begin at the House of God and all that will live Godly shall suffer persecution What shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel Ah my dear Reader how Quick and Powerful how Sharp and Piercing is this word of God even to the dividing asunder the Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow What a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the Heart How shall God punish us for our own Sins who is so wrathfully displeas'd with our Redeemer for the Sins which are none of his If Christ his Obedient Son were thus grievously Afflicted how shall his Rebellious Servants hope to escape unpunish'd And what must the Reprobate undergo in the day of Judgment if such be the sufferings of the best beloved Oh the infinite anger of God! Oh the inestimable rigour of his Justice who is thus enraged against his only Son his beloved Son his Son the partaker of his Essence And that not for his own Sin but because he interceded for Sinners What will become of the polluted Soul which continues still to go on securely in Sin when the Immaculate Jesus is thus tormented Let the Creature fear which has Crucified the Creator Let the Servant tremble who has slain his Lord. Prayer O thou Great God of Power and Mercy whose Lightning Flashes preceed the Thunder to give warning of thy Wrath and Terror to the Universe and who never punishest Sinners without premonition let thy sore judgments threatned against others and at last inflicted on 'em because of their Obstinacy waken our Souls out of their Sinful security to a due consideration of those means which may avoid them that we turning from our Sins thou mayest turn from thy fierce anger and leave a blessing and we Perish not For if the present punishments of the Impenitent are the fore-runners of the Eternal Torments to be inflicted on 'em in Hell thy Temporal Mercies towards returning Sinners shall be their assurances of they everlasting Favours SECT XXXV Of the Bitter Potion given to Christ at Golgotha WHile Jesus was thus painfully Travelling in the way either because they thought he went too slowly under the weight and their fury was impatient of any delay or that they fear'd he might Faint and Die and Frustrate the cruel end shame they had designed or that they would reserve his Spirits for his greater Torture having found a man of Cyrene y Matt. 27.32 Simon by name him they compell'd to bear his Cross a person by Providence z Mark 15.21 passing the road at this juncture and his name by interpretation signifying Obedient as if God would thereby teach us that none can bear it profitably but such as are attentive and submissive to his Will and that he will not suffer the faithful to be tempteà a 1 Cor. 10.13 above their ability but together with the temptation give a means to escape There were also two Malefactors led with him to be put to Death for his greater disgrace and increase of Grief by dying in their Company after he had first seen them struggle in the pangs of Death before him At last they came to b Mark 15.22 Golgotha which is the same with c Luke 23.33 Calvary a mount on the West side of the City and by signification the place of a Scull for being the common place of Execution there lay the Bones of such as before had Suffered the Frightful remains of what the ravenous Birds or Beasts had left of their devoured Carcasses a place among the Jews of the greatest impurity for none might touch a dead body and be d Num. 19.11 clean much less the Bones of a cursed Malefactor and such was every one that e Deut. 21.23 hanged upon a tree nor was any thing thought by 'em to give a greater Contagion of Pollution then the f 1 King 13.2 2 King 23.16 burning Mens Bones upon what they intended to prophane Nevertheless our Saviour who had himself also g Matt. 23.27 represented the abominations of the Hypocrites by these Emblems of defilement would descend himself to the extreamest impurities that the might sanctifie and cleanse whatsoever was impure and by humbling himself teach us the true way to Glory So different are the ways of Christ from those of the World which aims at high things by hasty ascents and the more it is lifted up falls with the greater
you and for many for the Remission of Sins another Representation of that Innocent Blood which was now barbarously designed to be shed enough to have wounded a heart of Marble or turn'd a Rock into a Fountain of Tears Since by both it may appear the perfidious Traitor was not more studious to deliver his Lord to the barbarous cruelty of his implacable Enemies then the Benign Jesus was to pursue him with Kindness and to contrive how he might reap the Advantages of his Sufferings out of an unalterable purpose to do more then die for us by finding out a way whereby he might live in us for ever But it seems the unbelieving and the Slaves of Sin cannot have experience of the Divine Bounty because through the Blindness and Hardness of their Hearts they will not weigh so unspeakable a Gift as the Death of Christ for taking away their Guilt Something less Mysterious may possibly suit better with a Carnal mind and a Corrupt understanding and an Action of Humility from the most High may draw the Admiration of the most insensible Jesus therefore knowing that the Father had given * John 13.3 all things into his Hands and that he was come from God and went to God and what could the Evangelists have said more proper to make us Sensible of his wonderful Condescension For we can never truly esteem his Humiliation unless at the same time we consider his Sublimity as we cannot rightly estimate his Charity without considering how unworthy they were on whom he bestow'd it He knew himself to be Lord of all and that he came from God by Eternal Generation and was shortly to sit in Glory at his Right Hand Yet for the love of Men and to draw them to himself he laid aside his Power or rather hid it and took upon him the form of a Servant with all the Circumstances of an humble Ministration x Joh. 13.4 c. He rose from Supper put off his Garment girded himself with a Towel pour'd Water into a Bason kneel'd down and wash'd his Disciples Feet Who would have thought the Messiah was to come among Men to execute the Office of a Moabite or Slave for thus saith David y Psal 108.9 Moab is my Washpot implying he would humble the Moabites so low they should serve only to bring Water to wash away Impurities What Force has conquered him What Arms have brought him under What Power has subjected him to so dishonourable a Servitude Are they not the Charms of his own infinite Love which have render'd him thus enamour'd of his Spouse the Church that to wooe and gain her he will become any thing And are they not a Token he intends shortly to cleanse and purifie her in his expiatory Blood I am not surprized that Peter should be afraid and contract himself saying z Joh. 13.6 Lord dost thou wash my Feet when he saw Heaven stoop to Earth and the Vility of Man next to infinite exceeded by a Mercy equal to the Immensity of God I rather wonder to see so many Christians burn Incense daily to that Idol call'd Point of Honour when the Son of Man came not to be Ministred unto but to a Mark 10.45 Minister and to give his Life a Ransom for many He did not disdain to wash the Feet of his Betrayer with those Hands which had opened the Eyes of the Blind cured Lepers heal'd Diseases and when lift up to Heaven restor'd the Dead to Life He might have washed the Head or Hands a Service something more honourable but he bends rather to the Feet for the Opportunity of a more humble Posture and apter Signification of his infinite Charity Prayer Adorable Jesu I burn with Love among thy Purifying Waters I desire affectionately to humble my self But where shall I find so low a Place as thine when thou wast humbled before Judas to wash his Traiterous Feet I therefore resign my self with thy faithful b Joh. 13.9 Disciple and not my Feet only but my Hands and my Head even all that I am Beseeching thee to work in me what shall be pleasing to thy Will and to Grant That by the Waters of Repentance and Regeneration my Soul may be renew'd to everlasting Life SECT III. Of the Divine Predestination in respect of the Betrayer I Know not whether Simon shew'd more Love to his Master in violently c Joh. 13.8 refusing at first and as eagerly d 9. permitting him at last to wash his Feet among the rest of the Disciples or Judas more Obstinacy in continuing insensible under such an admirable Dispensation of Goodness For our Saviour pronounces against his invincible Infidelity enough to strike Terrour into the most confident and assured e 10. Ye are clean but not all f 18. I speak not of you all I know whom I have chosen g Luk. 22.22 The Son of Man goeth as it was determined but wo unto that Man by whom he is betrayed h Joh. 13.19 Now I tell you before it come that when it is come to pass ye may believe that I am He. O God! what Lightnings what Darts are here what a Night without a Day what a Precipice without a bottom what an Ocean without a Shore O Height of the Wisdom and Knowledge of the Almighty how fearful and horrible are the Mysteries of thy Secrets All this was long since praedicted by the i Esai 53. Zec. 11 12 13. Prophets All this is acted according to the Counsel and k Act. 4.28 Praedetermination of the Divine Majesty and yet the Actor is in fault Judas is admitted into the Apostolate and yet not chosen to present Grace but not to final May it not suffice to believe That no Man is Reprobated without Justice no Man Saved without Mercy and that what was decreed from the Beginning to be done by Judas was now to be fulfill'd without any new Counsel in a certain Order of Time long before seen and determined Not that Judas was compell'd to betray Christ lest the Scriptures should be found false for otherwise he were not to be blamed but rather praised yea his Sin would be charged upon God But because he was ready to do this of his own accord the Holy Spirit foreseeing it foretold it to come to pass Prayer O dreadful Majesty who dost justly Condemn and undeservedly Save Souls I tremble at thy Judgments I prostrate my self before thy Mercy if thou enterest into Judgment with me I cannot be justified if thou thinkest upon me in Mercy I cannot be condemned Pierce thou my Heart with a Fear of thy Judgments that I may always dread them and never feel them If I forget thee awake my Memory If I fly from thee recall me again If I defer my Amendment stay for me in Mercy and when I return O cast not out my Soul but think upon the Rigorous Justice that thou hast executed upon the Son of thy Love for the
Satisfaction of my Sins SECT IV. Of the Grief of Christ for the Apostasie of his Servant The dreadful Condition of such as fall from him and the happy Privileges of Persevering in the Faith WE may perceive the great Lover of Souls was extreamly troubled at the Apostasie of one of his Disciples when he express'd so much Satisfaction in the Preservation of the rest l Joh. 17.12 13. Holy Father keep through thine own Name those whom thou hast given me that they may be one as we are While I was with them in the World I kept them in thy Name Those that thou gavest me I have kept and none is lost but the Son of Perdition Nor would he conceal the Grief of his Spirit foreseeing in him a Representation of all those who should afterwards reject his Admonitions and Benefits and trample his Love under their Feet For though we may have hitherto thought but of one Judas who falling from his Profession sold his Lord deliver'd him to his Enemies betray'd him to be crucified yet such is every one who renouncing the Faith and following the Motions of Satan and his own Lusts m Heb. 6.6 Crucifies to himself the Son of God afresh and puts him to an open Shame The Wonder if not the Grief of the blessed Angels in Heaven who n Luk. 15.7 rejoyce at the Conversion of every penitent Sinner as o Heb. 1.14 ministring to those who shall be Heirs of Salvation is to see so many Christians falling from the Truth and abasing the great Mystery of the Religion which they profess by a settled Tendency to Sin and Death Who have given up their Names but not their Hearts to Christ who have begun well and are not established who have partaken of the Holy-Ghost and have chased him away again who have eat and drunk at their Master's Table and are the chief that lift up their Heel against him A most miserable Spectacle and not to be exceeded unless by that of their departure into everlasting Punishment For as an Angel falling became the Devil so a revolting Christian is the worst of Men because of the Eminency of his former Station and will have his p Mat. 25 41. Portion allotted him with that Apostate Rebel This was that which q Joh. 13.21 troubled the Spirit of the Holy Jesus when he testified and said Verily verily I say unto you That one of you shall betray me This was that which made the Disciples exceeding r Mat. 26.22 sorrowful and to begin to say Lord is it I And O that it might have the same effect upon us to search our Hearts to examine our Faith and all our Thoughts Words and Works that we fall not among those who draw back to Perdition How sad was this Feast where both the Master and the Disciples sympathize in an inexpressible Grief One that he must be betray'd to Death by his Friend the others that one of them should be the accursed Betrayer One that he knew the miserable Estate of that Wretch for whom it had been Å¿ Mark 14.21 better that he had never been born the others that they are not yet deliver'd from their Fear which it should be of whom he spake and whose Being should be worse than not to be at all Ah! Sinners where are we Alas do we not remain under the same Suspence One of you shall betray me is a fearful Saying and the Eccho of this Voice is addrest to all and loudly resounds the Danger of Sin and Impenitency Is this to live to have a Being worse than none And can we call that a desirable Estate which will inevitably tend to the Abyss of Misery through Pains Torments Terrors and Deaths O Life how sweet art thou when thou dost fear and love nothing but God! O Death how dreadful art thou when we have forsaken him and devoted our selves to the Creature What Favours and Benedictions are there in the Life and Death of a Virtuous Man But what Horrours Anathema's and Maledictions during the Course and at the End of the wicked Life of a Sinner Blessed was that Disciple who all this while might rest securely in the t Joh. 13.23 Bosome of his Lord. Whether Grief or Fear had inclin'd his Head or whether it were the Sweetness of his Master's Actions which ever drew the Admiration of the Beholders or whether it were Love which minds not what it does but silent in a sublime Tranquility of Passions adheres to its Beloved for an Eternity not admitting the least Disunion or whether it were Excess of Rapture and Contemplation of what he writ afterwards of the u Joh. 1. Divinity of the Word surely never any Mortal had so sweet a Repose or near Approach to the Beatifick Vision Since he might lean on his Breast to be admitted to whose Feet many Prophets and Kings would have accounted it the greatest Felicity A Spirit separated from the Pretensions of the World and purified from all the Forms of the Creatures intire to God and which lives by the flames of holy Love has a mighty Privilege with the Prince of Purity and neither doubts to ask nor fears to be deny'd while ungovernable Zeal receives many Repulses and hinders not a Votary from being less * Matt. 16.23 Satan than he that favoureth not the things that be of God but those that be of Men. Peter therefore whose Rashness had often been rebuk'd yet impatient and desirous to be rid of his Fear x Joh. 13.24 c. beckon'd to him who was lying on Jesus Breast that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake And Jesus answered He it is to whom I shall give a Sop when I have dipped it And when he had dipped the Sop he gave it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon That the y Joh. 13.18 Psal 41.9 Scripture might be fulfilled He that eateth Bread with me hath lift up his Heel against me And after the Sop Satan entred into him A Speech truly dreadful but much more the thing it self for a Man to arrive at that height of Misery through the Obstinacy and Impenitency of his Heart as to be cast off reprobated and given up to the Devil Yet such is the admirable Analogy and Proportion between the Judgments of God and our Sins when we continue to despise the means of Grace He z Libravit Iter Psal 78.51 weighs a way to his Anger as it were in Scales punishing our Sins with evil Habits our evil Habits with hard Hearts our hard Hearts with Obstinacy our Obstinacy with Impenitency our Impenitency with Damnation Judas who had wilfully given up himself to Covetousness Hypocrisie Ingratitude and Contempt of all that was Holy is now deliver'd to be obsirmated by Satan and made incurable of his Sin that being like the Devil he might never return And this is the Malediction which the Holy Ghost had long since imprecated by the mouth of David
Prov. 28.13 For he that covereth his Sins shall not prosper but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have Mercy SECT XIV Of the Rigour of Christ's Enemies at his Apprehension THere are Hearts of Wax capable of Divine Impression and blessed are all they that are ready to receive it and there are Hearts of Marble Rocky Hearts reverberating Minds which beat back all Kindnesses and are rather hardned than softned by 'em it being the Purpose of the Almighty That either Grace shall cure Sin or accidentally encrease it Such were the hearts of these Ravenous Wolves who now furiously storm against the Lamb of God it being their k Luk. 22.53 Hour and the Power of Darkness All Thoughts of Divinity Truth Justice and Humanity it self are in the mean time suspended by the Malice of Satan instigating their Rage who represents him to their Fancies as the worst of Mankind a most pernicious Seducer and Subverter of their Religion whose Ignominy and Punishment would be so much more grateful to their Princes by how much more Cruelty it was executed upon him With their Swords and their Staves they proclaim their Malice and there were some had hardly Patience to wait his Tryal as usually happens in popular Tumults for how should they spare him in their first heat who never after left persecuting him till he expir'd on the Cross It is in vain for the Disciples to attempt a Rescue and Peter's Zeal is here more unseasonable than ever He draws his l Joh. 18.10 Sword and strikes one of the forwardest a Servant of the High-Priest by name Malchus and cut off his Ear but is immediately rebuked for the Intemperance of his Passion and the Mischief he had done Jesus m Luk. 22.51 heals with a Touch. For the Christian Religion was not so to be Planted nor were such to be the Arms of the Catholick Church whom Tears and Prayers were to become better than any illegal Expresses of Revenge The Lord himself will now be wounded of Sinners rather than the meanest Slave shall suffer nor may the n Mat. 26.53 Angels themselves assist him who had ministred to him at all other Seasons of his o Mat. 2.13.4.11 Necessity and preserv'd the Faithful from the hand of their Enemies For the Scriptures were to be fulfill'd That thus it must be It is the p John 18.11 Cup which the Father has given him and he resolves to drink it Thus being permitted they took Jesus and q Joh. 18.12 bound him These cruel Robbers lay violent hands upon the Bishop of their Souls This degenerate of-spring rise against their Father These Children of Darkness seize the true Light These hardned Sinners captivate their God and regardless of all the Miracles and Mercies he had wrought for 'em who lent not his hand of Pity to the lapsed Angels but took on him the perishing Seed of their r Heb. 2.16 Father and daily supported them by the Arm of his Power and went about doing good They bind him with Cords as Judas had premonisht 'em That same is he hold him fast hoping thereby to secure themselves from the Å¿ John 11.48 Romans who upon pretence of some Insurrection to have been made by him might have come and taken away their Place and Nation But as Men have different Sentiments of Christ's Sufferings so have his Sufferings different Effects on them and as t Judg. 16.30 Sampson taken by the Philistines slew more at his Death than he had done in all his Life and the Captive u 1 Sam. 5.7 Ark was the Cause of great Affliction so Christ's Bonds became the Destruction of the Jews for which they were shortly after given up to the Romans and ever since have sought for a Deliverance in vain Whereas to those who look on 'em with the Eye of Faith how they were in order to our Deliverance from the Tyranny of Sin Death and the Devil they are become Liberty Redemption and Salvation Prayer O Sweetest Jesu who didst receive Judas with the Affection of a Saviour and suffer'd him to kiss thy Cheek with the Serenity of God and didst cure the wound of the Enemy with the kindness of a Parent and the tenderness of an infinite Pity and didst permit the Soldiers to bind thee with Patience exemplary to all Ages of Martyrs O kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mouth embrace me with the Entertainments of a Gracious Lord and let my Soul dwell and Feast in thee who art the Repository of eternal Sweetnesses Bind me with those Bands which tyed thee fast the Chains of Love that I may get my Liberty Cure my Wounds by the touch of thy hand and let the Breath of thy Mouth restore me to the Integrity of a holy Penitent That so I may please thee and love thee and sing Praises to thee for my Deliverance for ever and ever SECT XV. Of the sorrowful Separation of Christ and his Disciples his first Examination before Caiaphas and incomparable Clemency towards his Disciples THE Disciples terrified with the Insolence of the Multitude who were now practising all things that might signifie their Contempt and encrease their Rage towards their silent Captive b Mat. 26.56 forsook him and fled but with trembling Hearts and pierc'd through with a thousand Darts of Grief For their Condition must needs be miserable and this a lamentable Separation when having left all for him they must leave him too whom they loved better than their own Parents and that in the hands of his cruel Enemies The time past caus'd 'em to remember all the Gracious Words they had heard all the mighty Works they had seen the present with the greatest Affliction that might be represented to their Fancies all the Blessings they were to lose and that which was to come could be nothing else to 'em but a bottomless Pit of Terrour and Affrightment They apprehended both for themselves and their Master as many Dangers as there are Thorns in the Woods could promise to themselves nothing but endless Miseries Days without Comfort and Nights full of Horrour in the deep Sense of which they pour'd out their Tears frequently intermingling the most dolorous Sighs having no other Eloquence but that of their hearts On the other hand the compassionate Jesus was much more troubled to be parted from those whom he had chosen from among all Men and carried about with him as it were in his Bosom for the Prophet Isaia speaking in his Person x Isai 49 15. says Can a Woman forget her sucking Child that she should not have Compassion on the Son of her Womb Yea they may forget yet will I not forget thee Especially now he had some need of their Society being given up to the Necessities of humane Nature and to suffer whatsoever might be found to afflict it for it is not the least point of Consolation to have in our Sorrows our Friends about us by complaining to whom we
40. cloak to him that taketh away their Coat to Å¿ verse 44. love their Enemies to bless them that curse them to do good to those that hate them to pray for those who despitefully use and persecute them And can you believe these probable grounds on which may be raised the Superstructure of an Empire or that I aspire to Soveraignty by Sufferings to Riches by Poverty to Greatness by Humility and to Dethrone Cesar by preaching the Cross Pilate tho' convinc'd and almost freed from all suspition by the unlikeliness of Christ's Temporal Dominion nevertheless sticks at the name of a King A King he confest himself and of what nature soever the Title clash'd with the Imperial Dignity He therefore urges him a second time saying t John 18.37 Art thou a King then Jesus answered Thou sayest that I am a King To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the World that I should bear witness unto the Truth Every one that is of the Truth heareth my voice I repent not nor am ashamed of my Celestial and Spiritual Kingdom and would have all Men know it and even Cesar himself For the good of Mankind depends wholy upon it since I govern over the Heart to infuse Grace and Truth and the Word which is the Power of God to Salvation That I may give Righteousness for Sin Life for Death Joy for Sufferings Heaven for Hell These are the chief feudal Rights of my Crown This is the Scepter of my Kingdom and this no ways undermines Cesar's Cesar can never be unwilling that his Subjects should become Virtuous nor will it be any detriment to his Arms to have his Soldiers live Soberly and justly and his people Conscientiously and Obediently The very name of Truth is Amiable and the most Barbarous Nations have a reverence for it Prayer O God Eternal and Heavenly Father who wouldst draw us from Temporal and Earthly things which pass away or shall be consumed with Fire to the Love of Celestial and Spiritual Joys to be possest by an everlasting undefiled Inheritance and teachest us it ist he highest piece of Wisdom by despising the the World to arrive at Heaven Grant me a true sense of the Vanity of the Creature which whosoever cleaveth to shall also become vain himself and of all Worldly pleasures which whosoever seeketh will become mutable as they That I may only admire the excellency of thy Spiritual power raising my Affections above the Earth and that seeking for true Riches in thee alone when I shall go out of this World Naked and Poor I may find a Treasury in the Repositories of thy Bounty which thou hast laid up for them that serve thee SECT XXIV Of Pilate 's first Declaration of Christ 's Innocence AS v Acts 24.25 Felix trembled when he heard the Apostle reasoning of Righteousness Temperance and Judgment to come So Pilate taken with the Excellent notion of Truth either out of Admiration or Contempt of Jesus saith unto him * John 18.38 What is Truth as desirous to know what he had further to say or rebuking him for pretending to be more knowing then the Chief Priests and the expositors of the Jewish Law who had deliver'd him for an Impostor and Traitor But being unworthy to be further instructed who had heard enough already if he would have believed and because our Saviour would not hinder his passion which was now begun and to be compleated he receives no answer and being unable to condemn him for any thing he had already said or done he goes out again to the impatient Jews and says unto 'em x John 18.38 I find in him no fault at all Pilate it seems had more fear of God out of a Natural Notion and common sense of Justice then the Jewish people had out of the Law and the Prophets And notwithstanding they were very Rich and Powerful and he might expect reward or damage from 'em while Christ on the other side was alone poor forsaken of all and from whom he could neither expect profit nor detriment ye the stands up for him according to the office of a just Judge who should be free from Avarice and Partiality and proclaims him faultless as the y Matt. 27.3 Betrayer had done But the Jews were a people of whom Ezekiel complains they were z Ezek. 3.7 impudent and hard hearted And when their Reason Conscience Witnesses and and all other endeavours had failed as a furious multitude without any regard of Shame or Compassion they grew stronger in clamour and more fierce a Luke 23.5 saying he stirreth up the People teaching throughout all Jewry beginning from Galilee to this place Can this man be innocent who comes from Galilce the b Joseph de bello jud l. 3. c. 4. Nursery of Fierceness and Animosity where the Rebel c Acts 5.37 Judas began his faction so lately who taught it to be unlawful to pay tribute to strangers and to d Joseph de bello Jud. l. 2. c. 12. acknowledge Mortal Rulers after God had been their King and whose Disciples e Luke 13.1 Blood thou thy self when they refused to communicate with us and would offer part didst mingle with their Sacrifices Art thou not yet satisfied what Seditious Fellows these Preaching Galileans are Is he not sprung from that Man's Principles Does he not tend to the same end And is he not more dangerous by how much his pernicious doctrines have spread themselves throughout all Jewry O how deaf is Malice and Envy How Eternally Insatiable a misguided Zeal How restless and unwearied in its designs of cruelty from which the Judge himself is not able to deliver But how much more detestable in the Chief Priests the Scribes and Elders of the People who ought to be the Examples of the Virtues they teach Who can but tremble at the gross Stupidity to which they were given over for their Sins that f Matt. 13.3 Isai 6.9 hearing they should hear and not understand and seeing they should see and not perceive Of so little advantage are all other gifts without grace they are nothing worth they end in Licentiousness Pride and Injustice and lay us open to the indignation of God whose great work is to put down the Mighty from their Seats and to scatter the Proud in the Imagination of their Hearts Prayer O Gracious Father of Eternal Charity never let me have that affection of the Desperate and Damned that it should be ill with me when it is well with others that I should envy the Prosperity or traduce the Virtues or detract from the Merits or rejoyce at the Affliction or spitefully upbraid the Infelicities of my Neighbour But following the beautiful president of Candour shining in all the actions of the Bountiful Jesus I may joyn in the Holy Communion of Saints in the measures of Grace and Glory for ever SECT XXV Of Christ's being brought before Herod and the
in Rivers of Blood with so horrible a Slaughter that in the Siege of their City the Living sufficed not to bury the Dead He x Numb 20.11 opened the sides of the hard Rocks to quench their thirst in the barren Wilderness And why has he dried up the paths of their Women who saw their little ones die in their arms themselves unable to moisten their lips unless it were with the Tears of their Eyes He showr'd down y Exod. 16.13 14. Manna and Quails about their Camp and by a z Exod. 16.19 daily Providence supplied their wants And why has he afflicted 'em with such enraged famine that the hands of the Mothers slew their Infants and roasted 'em on Coals to satisfie their Hunger and the People greedily devour'd the Bodys Dead partly by Famine partly by Pestilence He a Deut. 32.10 11. led 'em through the Desert and the waste howling Wilderness as the Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young and beareth them on her wings And why did he abandon 'em to Eagles and Vultures which so often made Carrion of the Flesh of his Children who were cast over the walls into the ditch of the City till it was fill'd with their putrefaction He gave them strength as a consuming Fire before which all the Nations were but as Straw their Hearts b Deut. 2.25 trembling and being in Anguish because of them And why did they become the prey of the Arms of Infidels He gave them liberty for an Inheritance and c John 8.33 freedom from Bondage as being the Seed of Abraham And why obtain'd they not so much as an honourable Servitude that there being not Crosses enough to Crucifie 'em their Enemies reserv'd 'em for Beasts to devour rather than they would derive any Service from 'em and that those who were sixteen years of age and under were sold by Cesar for thirty a penny He gave them knowledge above all Nations and made 'em a d Deut. 4.6 wise and understanding People the Admiration of the World for the Statutes he had given them And why are they become Blockish Idle and Stupid with a perpetual e 2 Cor. ◠vail over their hearts He ordain'd for 'em the Protection and Assistance of Angels and sent 'em f Exod. 23.20 before them to keep them in the way and to bring them into the place which he had prepared And why did those holy Presidents forsake the Temple crying aloud g Joseph de bello jud Let us depart hence He had destin'd 'em for Royalty and h Deut. 9.3 Empire over their Neighbours and had brought'em into the possesion of a Blessed Countrey a land i Deut. 26.9 flowing with milk and Honey And why have they not one Inch of ground now especially of that where Jerusalem was formerly built unless they purchase it with their Money only to enjoy it one hour or two in a Year and to bedew it with the Water of their Eyes after they have so often moistened it with their blood He established 'em with a Priesthood an Altar and Services such as distinguisht 'em from the rest of the World and showed 'em to be the peculiar care of Heaven and where is the Temple that Seat of his Holiness Where is the Propitiatory the Table of the Shew Bread the Rationale the Majesty of the High Priests the Comeliness of the Prelates the perpetuity of Sacrifices From whence comes it that 't is sixteen hundred years ago since this miserable Nation goes wandring through the Regions of the Earth as abandoned into an Eternal Exile without Temple without Priests without Offerings without King or Government O God Eternal how hast thou thrown down thy Footstool O God of Justice how hast thou made desolate thy Royal Priesthood O God of Vengeance how hast thou suffer'd thine Admirable Sanctuary to be prophan'd To what Sin may we attribute this but to the neglect of the Essence of the Word Incarnate and to that dreadful Imprecation of guilt on the whole Nation His Blood be upon us and upon our children For after the Son of God had shut his Eyes steep'd in Tears and Blood over the miserable Jerusalem he never yet has open'd 'em to afford it Mercy Prayer Great Eye of God which art ever open upon the Sins of all the Earth who can steal from thy piercing rages Great Hand of God who Thund rest and Lightnest perpetually over Rebellious Heads who is able to resist thy Judgments O injur'd Goodness who for the satisfaction of thy Justice rewardest the obstinate according to their desires and returnest the Wickedness of Sinners upon their Heads when they have rejected the tenders of thy Grace since thou hast given up thine own Inheritance to be punish'd in this World according to their choice what will become of those profligate Souls who have impiously devoted themselves so frequently to the Devil and importun'd thee to confound and damn ' em If such hideous Punishments to all Posterity have pursued Israel for having neglected thy Son in Bonds Afflictions Ignominy and Death What will become of those who have dishonour'd the Lord Jesus in the Chariot of his Triumph with all the Glory Power Wisdom and Sanctity of the Universe under his Feet Set a watch O Lord before my Mouth and keep the door of thy Servant's Lips let nothing proceed thence but what being in Subjection to thy Will and Holy and Harmless in its self may tend to the Glory of the Kingdom of Christ and the Advantage of my Soul Let me kiss the Son lest he be Angry and I perish in mine infidelity Let me Embrace him in his Abasement and Exinanition that he may Crown me in his Exaltation SECT XXXIII Of the Procession of Christ to Golgotha IT was now the k Mark 15.25 third hour and about the l John 19.14 sixth or near Noon For the Jews divided the day into four equal parts which they call'd hours the first from Six in the Morning till Nine the third from about Nine to High-noon the sixth from thence to Three in the Afternoon the ninth from Three to about Six in the Evening and whatsoever was done in any part of these four spaces was said to be done in that Hour and so of the Night when Pilate having wash'd away as he thought the guilt from himself thô he did not afterwards go unpunish'd for he was m Euseh in Eccles Hist l. 7. c. 8. Joseph l. 18. c. 7. banish'd to Vienna where he lived ingloriously till in despair he Slew himself gave sentence that it should be as they required und n Luke 23.25 released unto 'em him that for Sedition and Murder was cast into Prison whom they desired but deliver'd Jesus to their will to be o Matt. 27.26 Crucified Then did the Jews having obtain'd what they so much desir'd and the Roman Soldiers who could have no Tenderness for a Person Condemned under the Notion
Enemies could reduce him and when they had spent all the poison of their lips that they were now reduc'd to an involuntary silence He that he might leave nothing undone which might magnifie his Mercy above all their provocations and to give an undeniable proof of his Ministery that he came to reconcile the World to God broke into this most admirable intercession for them m Luke 23.34 Father forgive them for they know not what they do O God! O Goodness O Love What Word what Speech what Voice is this He was not more sensible of the madness of the People then he was compassionate of their infirmities nor griev'd with their Malice so much as Merciful to their Sins Hitherto they had objected against his being the Messiah and now he will give them an undoubted demonstration opposing himself by Prayer to the Anger of his God Heavenly Father whose Honour I have observ'd whose Commandments I have fulfill'd and at whose Will and Pleasure I was sent into the World and being of thy substance took humane Nature to be a Pacifier Intercessor and High-Priest to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People who now hang bleeding and dying upon the Cross in the midst of so many Reproaches Torments and Griefs offering up my self to thee in Tears and Crys for the Sins of all whoever offend thee Spare thy people Good Lord spare them and wash away their Sins in my propitiatory Blood Adam transgress'd and his posterity became abominable and the whole World lies in wickedness Even thine own Inheritance which thou hast chosen out of all People and lov'd above the rest of the works of thy Hands have added this weight to the guilt of all their Sins to deny the Holy one whom thou hast sent and to spill my innocent Blood upon the Earth For how great is my Dignity which they have set at nought How infinite is thy Majesty they have despis'd in me Nevertheless tho' hitherto thou hast justly dealt with Man in shutting Heaven against his transgressions and opening Hell and sending Death into the World nor shouldst thou ever justly spare without satisfaction to thy Eternal Justice nor could all the Blood of Men make that atonement yet now behold me who am come to satisfie thee by the dignity of my Divinity joyn'd to the nature of offending Man Man's Salvation depends on me on me alone who came an exile hither from those Essential Joys I had in thy Bosom to suffer Cold and Heat Hunger and Thirst Nakedness and Weariness Watchings and Temptations Afflictions Persecutions and this cruel Death What Griefs what Torments have I not endur'd in this tender body of Flesh What Sorrow what Streights what Agonies have I not experienc'd in this frail constitution of Mortals Was there ever any grief like mine wherewith thou hast afflicted me in thy fierce anger What remains then O Father of Mercies who hast n Exod. 34.6 proclaim'd thy self Gracious Long-Suffering and abundant in Goodness and in Truth forgiving Iniquity Transgression and Sin but that thou should'st lay aside thine Anger Remit Pardon and Pour forth thn Grace My Blood crys not for Vengeance as o Gen. 4.10 Heb. 12.24 Abel's did against his Murderer nor do I appeal to thee now as a Judge but as to a Father I implore thy Mercy unless there shall be any who shall account it unholy and trample my Covenant under their Feet I have Pardon'd who Suffer'd and am Crucified Pardon thou those whom that thou mightest Pardon thou sentest me into the World thus to suffer Now all manner of Sinners which shall ever be in the World they are my Tormentors they are my Crucifiers as well as these Jews and Romans about me I Pray therefore for all as I Suffer for all and offer my self a ransom for all But more particularly for these my Brethren because no Sin can equal theirs that thou wouldst be pleased to be favourable to their Blindness for they know not what they do The vail of Darkness is over their Hearts and this covering of Flesh has clouded me that they cannot discern my Divinity but hereafter they will look on him whom they have pierced and mourn and the World shall acknowledge me their Crucified Lord. Is it not by thy permission that Satan has thus blinded them and hid from their understandings the Mystery of my Incarnation Destroy not therefore an ignorant Nation who are to fulfil the designs of thy Wisdom and Mercy For did they know me they would not Crucifie me and notknowing me they are subservient thy Providence After the same goodness likewise do thou ever pardon all that offend against thee ignorantly and out of Infirmity that they may return to thee and Repent and be acceptable through the Merits of this my Sacrifice which I here offer for their Ransom Let my Death overcome their Death Let my Resurrection despoil their Hell And when I return Triumphantly to thee let me also make a way for my Ransomed to pass Prayer O Bleeding Love my Dear Intercessor who hadst the Patience thus to Pray for thine Enemies among so many Torments and Deaths wherefore didst thou not Pray thy Heavenly Father that he should mitigate thy own Griefs for thou neglected'st the Beloved of God and interceededest for his rebellious Servants Thy Hands and Feet were nailed to the Cross thy tender Flesh torn with Whips thy languishing Head pierced with Thorns and all the parts of thy Body disjoynted and strugling under inexpressible pains Why would'st thou not pitty thy Sacred Body who hadst such compassion of thy Tormentors Why would'st thou not be eas'd from temporal pains who wast so desirous to have them freed from the Eternal Art thou not bound to defend the Innocent And why dost thou not defend thy self who art most eminently and undoubtedly such by the Testimonies of thy Betrayer and Judge But thou becomst an Advocate for the guilty Thou excusest a Sin which cannot be paralel'd Without being desir'd thou Prayest for the Actors and for the love of those who kill thee art content to die And why all this Gracious Lord but for my instruction that I a Sinner should have compassion towards Sinners that I who commit so many Sins my self should not only forgive such as do offend me but also excuse and Pray for them that so I may become a Son of thy Eternal Father and a true Disciple of thy Beneficent Love O fill my Heart with thy Exuberant Charity and transform me into thine own likeness Dissolve into meekness all pittiless Spirits abolish with thy Grace all Mortal Vengeances and convert with thy Clemency those Tyrannous Souls who know not what it is to Pardon when once Offended That after thy Example we may embrace our Adversaries quench their passions with Tears of Love and become acceptable to that infinite Charity wherewith thou redeemest the the Sinning World SECT XLI Of the Penitent Thief and Christ 's Mercy towards him NO sooner had the
Let them on their Knees approach him on the Cross and reverently cover his naked Body We cover him when our Charity clothes his Servants and hides the infirmities of his little ones Let them with diligence unfasten the Nails and gently draw them out of his Hands and Feet We draw them out when we freely obey his Will and loosen our Affections from cleaving to the World And when they have thus rescued their adorable Lord let them Nail themselves in his stead to the Cross And this we do when we put off the old Man and Crucifie the Flesh with its Affections and Lusts Prayer O Blessed Jesu whose Sacred Body was laid in a Sepulchre after thou hadst Suffer'd Death for the life of my Soul make me so frequently to renew in my mind the memory of thy precious Death and Burial as may put me upon a serious preparation for my own And since thou didst not design to stay any longer on Earth then till thou hadst made a way for thy ransomed to pass let not my heart be set on any condition how comfortable soever it may appear to my senses which may make my Soul desire to be absent from thee But cause me to grow daily less and less affected towards the uncertain pleasures of Life and more and more in love with thy Eternal Joys Grant me My Redeemer a true Penitent Heart for all my former neglects of Thee Deliver me from the punishment my Sins deserve and from the Sins that deserve those Punishments That when I close mine Eyes in Death I may rest in thee and being absent from the Body may be refresht in the Repositories of thy Mercy So shall my Time be govern'd with thy Grace and my Eternity Crown'd with thy Glory SECT XLIX Of the Sealing and Watching the Sepulchre of Christ NOW the Chief Priests and Pharisees upon mature Consideration revolving all the accidents of the past day and comparing the circumstances of his Words and Actions with the Predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah and the wonderful ways by which they were compleated and especially remembring those Mystical words which before they pretended they could not understand and z Vid. Sect. 16 r.s wrested to a seditious intent against their worship of his building again in three days the Temple they should destroy and that he had given such his restoration from the Dead as a a Luk. 14.29 30. sign at their request to convince the World of his Truth they came to Pilate early on the next day that followed the day of the Preparation being the great Sabbath of the Pascal week wherein all other People were at their devotion and Prayers so restless and industrious were the Powers of Darkness to have buryed the Gospel in the Grave of Christ and said b Mat 27.63 64 65 66. Sir we remember that that deceiver said while he was yet alive after three days I will rise again Command therefore that the Sepulchre be made sure until the third day lest his Disciples come by night and steal him away and say unto the People he is risen from the dead So the last error shall be worse then the first Pilate said unto them ye have a watch go your way make it as sure as you can So they went and made the Sepulchre sure sealing the stone and setting a watch Thus did that obdurate and impenitent People harden themselves by those wonders which should have wrought their Faith and Conversion and justly feared the last error would be worse then the first hereby Prophesying ignorantly against themselves For their Sin became unpardonable because seeing they would not see But blessed be God all their obstinacy has been subservient to the Magistery of his Providence which orders all things prudently by the means of others They thought to have accomplished their malice against Christ and at the same time fulfill'd the determinations of his Will They thought by sealing the mouth of the Grave and setting a strict Guard over the Corps to have buried his Memory in perpetual silence and all the while were giving Testimony to his Resurrection and setting a sure seal to the Truth of his Divinity For securing and watching the Sepulchre with such diligence they have placed the Resurrection the Foundation of our Faith beyond doubt to future Ages and much firmer then if they had never watcht This is that which gives Glory to the Empire of Christ and whereby we perceive its Divine Power and the miraculous extent of its Conquests whose establishments have been so contrary to all humane ways When we consider how he was exalted by the lowest abasements glorified by his ignominies enriched by his Poverty lives by his Death and is Eterniz'd by his Sufferings And that our Religion ever oppos'd by the Wicked is nevertheless Victorious and Triumphant over impiety enricht by its Losses Glorious by its Persecutions establish'd by its Totterings and honour'd by its Wounds This is that which transports humane understanding into an admiration of the greatest of our Christian Profession Prayer O Crucified Jesu the Fountain of Love Let the wonders of thy Mysterious Incarnation and Death set all the Powers of my Soul on work that I may desire and pant after thee that I may Admire Adore and Imitate thee that I may take sweet and Heavenly delight in the Communion of thy Cross that I may with Praise and Thanksgiving receive thee into my Soul attend and watch thee till thou arise with thy Graces there There will I Love only Love always love to entertain thee SECT L. A Reflection on the foregoing History with Thanksgiving for the Death of Christ AND now my Soul thou hast seen this Great Mystery God Incarnate dying on the Cross to make satisfaction to the infinite Justice by the dignity of his Person Suffering in the Nature which had offended whereby thou art raised to a lively hope of obtaining Heaven which otherwise thou hadst lost and been for ever miserable in Hell with what words with what Affections with what Actions wilt thou glorifie the Author of so inestimable a gift as this O depth of Love Abyss unsearchable of the infinite Mercies of God! That God should delight to make his own Son a Sacrifice who would not suffer Abraham to offer his That God should design it from the foundation of the World foreseeing we should stand in need of it and without it perish Everlastingly That God should reveal it when we no ways deserv'd it nor could on any account hope for it and command us to seek the Benefits of it and enable us to obtain them by his preventing and assisting Grace O God Eternal who hast redeemed my Soul by the precious Blood of thy dear Son I am less then the least of all thy Mercies and of all that Truth which thou hast revealed to thy Servant I praise thee I bless thee I worship thee I extol thee I give thee thanks for thine infinite Compassion O Lord God Heavenly King God the Father Almighty O Lord the only begotten Son Jesu Christ Lamb of God Son of the Father that takest away the Sins of the World have Mercy upon me receivâ— my Prayer and unite me to thy self in the flames of Love For thou only art the Saviour thou only O Christ with the Holy Ghost art most high in the Glory of God the Father Glory and Honour and continual Thanks be given to Thee Lord God Almighty The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the Redemption of the World by the Death and Passion of Christ whereby thou mightst exalt us to Eternal Life Amen FINIS