is lost we even divide this very day we now enjoy betweene death and our selves Wretched man why disposest thou not of thy selfe every houre Think thou mayest now die because thou knowest thou must die call to mind that the time is comming upon the wings wherein thy eyes must sinke into thy head the veines of thy body shall be crackt in pieces and thy heart shall be cleft with sorrow remember thine owne frailtie remember the miserable estate of thy pilgrimage call to mind in the bitternesse of thy soule thy yeares past and the dangers of mans life Amidst the most uncertaine things of man yet is death most certaine yet what is found more uncertaine than the houre of death it takes no pitie upon want it reverenceth not riches and to conclude it spareth neither wisdome manners nor age this only is the difference that death standeth at the old mans doore and for the young man he lyes in ambush every one therefore ought well to feare this last day because every one in the day of Judgement shall be judged for such as he shall be found at his day of death Upon this only moment of our life depends eternity that hath no end What is more terrible than judgement and what can bee imagined more intolerable than hell What will a man feare if hee feare not these things if horrour seize not on him and if dread doe not cause him to tremble O man if thou have lost the shame which belongs to so noble a creature if thou bee not sensible of the sorrows of affliction which is also a property that belongs to mortall creatures yet lose not at least thy feare Feare therefore O man because in death thou must be parted from all the good things of this thy body and the sweet marriage knot of thy united soule and body must be cut in sunder by this most bitter divorce Feare because in that terrible Judgement thou must stand before him into whose hands it is a most fearfull thing to fall even before such an Examiner from whom nothing can be hid if iniquitie be found in thee thou must be banished the society of blisse and glory and bee severed from the number of the blessed Feare because in hell thou must be exposed to insufferable and everlasting torments and receive thy portion with the devill and his angels even in the everlasting fire prepared for them Dost thou not yet feare the face of the Judge which is even terrible to the angelicall Powers Dost not thou tremble at the wrath of that powerfull One at his angry countenance and his sharp words Art thou not affraid of the teeth of the infernall beast of the belly of hell of those yellings fore-runners of our devourings Are we not yet affraid of the gnawing worme scorching flames smoak and vapour brimstone and stormie tempests O! who shall give water to my head and a fountaine of teares unto mine eyes that by my weeping I may prevent that weeping and gnashing of teeth and those hard bands of hands and feet and that weight of oppressing fettering burning and yet not consuming chaines and that I may come to thee my Lord and my God Yet if any be so cursedly obdurate so fierce and steely that hee cannot be troubled with the feare of ill yet who can be so madde and senselesse that he will not be touched with the desire of good things There are laid up endlesse good things for them that make a godly end even things which the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive which God hath prepared for those that love him those things the preparer and worker whereof is God What things must they be thinkest thou The eye hath not seene them because they are not colour the eare hath not heard them for they are not a sound nor hath it entred into mans heart to conceive them because the heart of man must ascend unto them Why labour I then to make my tongue to utter that which my heart cannot conceive which is to be beleeved and not to be beheld nay it is not onely invisible but also unspeakable O Lord Jesus Christ when that most perilous moment approacheth wherein I shall enter into the way of immortality then give mee a quiet and pleasing repose that in the true acknowledgement and confession of thy grace I may yeeld up my spirit and my poore soule with peace and gladnesse and may deliver it into thy hands Neither let mee bee long tormented as I have a thousand times deserved and that I may enjoy peace on the earth in my body and may watch and be made coheire of the resurrection to life of all the beleevers that I may praise and glorifie thee with gladnesse and may give thee thanks for evermore for all the innumerable blessings which thou hast bestowed upon mee through the whole space of my pilgrimage Call me not to an account for my old scores and remember not the sins of my youth but be mercifull unto me according to thy great mercies and sustaine me in a firme faith and comfort even to my last gaspe that neither sinne death or the divell doe me any hurt nor that my own flesh make me impatient but that I may enter in unto thee that I may dwell with thee and may remaine with thee for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 45. Of Eternity IS it this that divideth the entrailes parteth the bowels woundeth the heart tyes the tongue shutteth the lips distracteth the senses and overwhelmes all our members with feare Rivers slow from our eyes our cheekes are watered with teares and all this torrent hath its originall from this one word a terrible word by the force and threates whereof feare and anguish are bred in us a word that no day no voice shall determine no starre-light shall shadow no constellation shall darken a word that melts the marrow and softens breakes and even minces the heart and bones though harder than the Adamant or Marble This word is Eternity a word of longer continuance than the Heavens more terrible than thunder and lightning or any tempest whatsoever It is Eternity that hath neither pause measure nor end and drives on the minds of men as it were with goades and spurs and pricks so that they search not after mutable or transitory things This word hath moved many to pluck of their glittering crownes from their ayery heads and to despise the lofty bayes and made them let fall their towring plumes and putting on a courser habit to contemplate higher and more divine things This word doth wholely possesse me nor suffers me to enjoy any encrease of content it infuses into my most disquieted soule care feare and griefe O end most remote from any end ô time without time O yeare and no yeare O number not to bee summed up of any Descend descend my soule to hell not to mix thy selfe with flames but to avoid
danger and so is the esteeme of the medicine as is the heaping up of my griefe and feare O the sweetnesse and greatnesse of thy love although O Lord my God the world was placed in the middest of mischiefe and is full of misery yet sentest thou thy blessed Sonne into the world for us and for this diddest thou send him into the world that he being sold might ransome us being put to death might restore us to life might honour us by suffering disgrace and might adopt us for his sonnes If I would reckon up what he suffered for most miserable man what voice would suffice me for it what eares would not be weary to heare it for he was no sooner borne but his blood was spilt in the circumcision he was scarcely circumcised but forthwith was he designed to the slaughter he no sooner professed his doctrine openly but he was called the impious blasphemous and raging stirrer up of the people even by them whose God he had alwayes beene after a peculiar manner I doe every where behold misery calamity disgraces reproaches griefes poverty wearinesse sadnesse hunger thirst that he seemes but onely to have finished in his passion what he had continually suffered in the whole course of his life After that the Son coeternall and consubstantiall with his Father the Omnipotent Patron of the Church ordained for a judge of the quicke and the dead had fervently powred forth those prayers which he had conceived for mans salvation wherin he at the point of death more especially recommēded to his Father that deare pledge his Church for whose sake he suffered not onely valiantly but most willingly and freely not a drop but streames of blood to flow from his five wounds Walking with his disciples beyond the brook that tooke it's name from the shady vale the traitour meets him with an armed troope of servants and officers his neighbours flie from him his Disciples retire a friend and companion saluting the innocent betrayes him for a malefactour but it was the same whom before O cruell mischiefe hee had sold for a little money and for a base price his hands are tyed his armes are bound thus tyed and bound is he led away and the most deare young man that a little before leaned upon his most holy bosome followes after and Peter also but a farre off and with great feare none of the rest are present those whom he had loved whom he had full fed whom he had taken care of whom he had healed doe not so much as looke backe upon him they all forsake him that never forsooke any man he is made an unhappy spectacle in the house called Pratorium his shamefast body is made naked that off-spring of the most pure Virgin and was scourged even to death by those beastly Serjeants ordained to scourge malefactors they are instant both with words and stripes and drunk no lesse with blood than wine they binde him to a pillar they load him with stripes they multiply strokes upon strokes the place did ring with their smart blowes streames of bloud issue from his torne body and now there is scarce the resemblance of a body to be seene throughout him Behold the man saith Pilate And here lift up thy eyes O my soule and looke stedfastly upon the face of the Lord thy God leave awhile all thy vanities to which thou hast all thy life addicted thy selfe and if thou canst collect for one moment all thy thoughts and bestow them this day upon thy Saviour Behold the man behold a man of sorrow behold him that is beautifull above the sonnes of men ruddy chosen out of thousands whose haire is as the palme branches blacke as the ravens whose eyes are like the doves eyes by the fountaines of waters which are washed with milke whose lips distill the choisest myrrh like the lillies behold then it now raines nothing but blood his haire cleaves together with blood his head pierced with thornes doth dart forth blood his nostrils bruised with the strokes of the fist have besmeared his face with swart blood and which is most miserable of all being tyed bound he hath not wherewith to wipe of his blood he hath not I say wherewith to wipe away his blood forcing as it were from all parts of his body Behold the man This is that face which the heavens cannot behold and hell dares not behold this is he that now keeps silence whose voice is heard in the clouds whose thunder daunteth the courages of men with his fearful claps Behold the man behold the Lord of all things stands in want amidst all those things which he doth possesse he standeth bound who frees all he stands wounded that heales all Behold the man for thy cause O man stands he before the judge before us all doth he stand for us all he stands without a garment he stands robbed that no wound of his body might be hid from the beholders Learn O man out of these things which he suffered for thee what account Christ made of thee to the end by how much the viler thou art for whom he suffered by so much the dearer thy Christ may be unto thee Learne O man to avoid those things which may offend thy God Behold with how much sweat with what labour with what griefe he stood that he the Son of God might reconcile thee to his Father I have said many things yet if thou considerest the rest they are very few for the officers adde reproach to his punishments while they cloath his body with a purple garment made more purple with his most innocent bloud They fasten a prickly crown made of stiffe thornes upon his reverend head they salute him for a King and strike their King over the face and they blow upon the glasse of Angels with the worst sort of mixed stincks even the stench of their breaths corrupted by surfeting and mingled with spittle and by and by when they come to Calvary the prophane wretches doe prepare themselves for the butchery and lay upon his fainting body that most accursed punishment of the Crosse his most innocent hands are fastened with nailes which never did wrong to any but had wrought salvation for all men his most holy feet are fastened with an iron band wretch that I am they must be joyned together that had been exercised in so frequent travell for mine and for the salvation of all men His eyes swim in blood those two that were wont to be the lights of the good but lightning to the wicked his pure mouth is silent from which had rained honey combes his tongue is tyed which with its very silence convinces the cruelty of the parricides heaven was afraid of this spectacle and in it its mourning weed bewailes its Creatour the Lord of the Starres it withdrew it selfe within a sudden darknesse as ashamed of so great a wickednesse the Angels groane the Citizens of heaven breake forth into teares O face of man harder than
possession of us when the Sunnes last shadow flyes from us and enraged death sharpens his Dart to strike thorow our breast But thou O Lord dost witnesse thy power even in death it selfe not onely by crying out at the last gaspe but also by shaking the earth by cleaving the rocks opening the graves rending the vaile of the Temple The Centurion himselfe being a man conversing with the members of the Church but beleeving out of the Church confessed from hence and said This man was indeed the Sonne of God But the last word thou utteredst in thy mortality is diligently to be noted and seriously to be weighed Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit This was thy last word Ah would to God it might bee also mine and I trust Lord it shall be so and God I hope will heare it for thou hast obtained this for me because thou hast both prayed for me upon the Crosse and hast as my chiefe high Priest suffered all things nor didst thou commend thine own Spirit alone unto thy Father but mine also and of all the faithfull who are members of thy body thou hast bound my soule together with thine owne in the bundle of life and hast delivered it into the hands of the Almighty O how doe the words pierce my soule and spirit which thou utteredst before thou didst passe that deadly way and in which thou didst most devoutly speake unto thy Father I pray for them I pray not for the world but for those whom thou hast given me for they are thine Holy Father keepe them in thy name whom thou hast given me that they may bee one as we are one preserve them from the world sanctifie them in thy truth I pray not only for these but for those also who shall beleeve in me through their word that they may all be one as thou O Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in us that the world may beleeve that thou hast sent mee and I have given them the glory which thou gavest mee that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou hast sent me and hast loved them as thou hast loved me Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be where I am that they may see my glory which thou hast given me because thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world What father can more earnestly recommend a son what mother a daughter or what brother his brother to anothers care than thou O Son of the living God hast recommended us to thy Father Thy Father doth heare us his degenerate adopted sonnes how much rather will he heare thee his Sonne obedient even to the death and his issue begotten of his owne substance from all eternity yea he hath already heard him Can saith he even he thy Father a woman forget her owne childe that she should not have compassion upon the sonne of her owne wombe Though she should be so forgetfull yet will not I forget thee behold I have graven thee upon my hands Thou also O Christ my Saviour sayest My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow mee and I give unto them eternall life and they shall not perish for ever and no man shall snatch them out of my hands My Father who gave me them is greater than all and none can take them out of my Fathers hands Resting upon these thine attracting sentences I may be startled at the remembrance of death but I shall not be dismayed because I shall also bee mindfull of thy promises merits and intercessions When at length by thy permission a sharpe sicknesse shall weaken my sinewes and shall gnaw and feed upon my bloodlesse and halfe rotten skinne when my face shall bee bedewed with a cold sweat and I shall be moistned with the drops of death when my wan lips shal be widowed of their rednesse and a sad murmure shall be heard from the horrid noise of the gnashing teeth when my Sunne shall be darkened by my funerall clouds and death shall involve my head in everlasting darknesse yet thou Son of righteousnesse shalt shine cleare unto me thou shalt furnish my soule wrastling and triumphing by the vertue of thy Spirit with thine owne word Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit CONTEMP c. 23. Of the opening of Christs side COme hither come hither O my soule behold him hanging on the Crosse ascend ascend O my soule and pluck out the nailes from his hands and feet wherewith hee is fastened to the Crosse Thou needst no ladder it is devotion it is faith which elevates and lifts thee up thither O miserable spectacle O lamentable carcasse how ill-favourdly in what an ugly manner art thou butchered They could not glut their malice upon him while he lived they insult also upon him being dead and goare him with a speare whence blood and water did flow most holy Symbols of thy two Sacraments Who is he O Lord that hath overcome the world but he that beleeveth that Jesus is the Sonne of God This is that Jesus Christ that came by water and blood not by water alone but by water and blood Thou camest unto us in water in Baptisme thou camest to us in blood in the holy Supper this is that double testimony that we are reconciled to the Father by thee and that wee are washed and purged from our sinnes thou wast very much besotted and soiled yet wast thou lovely to thy Father because thou becamest obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse thou art also most lovely to mee whilst I dive into thy side and into thy wounds not with the eyes of my body with Thomas but with the eyes of faith which are the instruments of life the perspective glasse of the world to come when I see I am freed from death by the death of my Lord and my God When I locke on the immense and love without bounds love without end the love that wee want understanding to conceive and our reason waxeth darke to apprehend For I have sinned and thou hast suffered yea I who have sinned have suffered in thee our flesh was so joyned to the Deitie so as that which was to die everlastingly for sinne became dead in another for us and we neither felt grief nor death yet were we in like manner restored to life for as Christ put upon him our flesh in the wombe so he dyed our death upon the Crosse For whatsoever the God made man did suffer he suffered for man from whom hee can now no more be severed than from his other Nature with which he united this to the end he might save it O great clemencie O unspeakable clemencie O bounty that cannot be expressed with words of mans eloquence God who is for ever blessed is first made man and at length is made a curse
and give me daily a part in the first resurrection that I may truly deserve to receive a part in thy resurrection Most sweet benigne loving deare precious desired lovely beautifull Jesus thou didst ascend into heaven in triumph of thy glory and sittest most mighty King at the right hand of thy Father draw me up to thee that I may runne after thee for the odour of thy perfumes I will runne and never be weary if thou wilt assist me joyne the mouth of the soule that thirsts after thee to the heavenly streames of eternall satiety yea draw me to thy selfe thou living fountaine that thence I may drinke my fill whence I may alwayes live my God and my life CONTEMP c. 26. Of Christs Ascention CLap your hands O all ye Nations rejoyce in the Lord with an exulting voice because the Lord is high terrible a great King above all the earth he hath subjected the people unto us and nations under our feet he hath chosen us out for an inheritance to himselfe the excellency of Iacob which he loved God hath ascended in a shout the Lord in the voice of the trumpet Sing unto our God sing ye sing unto our King because God is the King of all the earth sing unto him with understanding God hath reigned over the nations God sitteth upon his holy seat the Princes of the people are gathered together with the people of the God of Abraham because God is exceedingly exalted by them that defend the earth This O my soule was the voice and song of the faithfull Jewes in the old Testament wherein they gratulated their Saviour when in spirit and in faith they saw he was to come and did exhort one another that they should sing unto and trust in him that was exalted in his Majesty Say thou also O clap your hands rejoyce in the Lord in the voice of exultation that which they proclaimed in hope doe thou proclaime in fruition for Christ is ascended the eternall offspring of the eternall God and the Sonne of temporary man borne in time Sing O my soule to thy great God and Saviour to the true peacefull Prince of peace Emperour of heaven and earth King of kings Lord of lords The Angels praise his Majesty Principalities adore him Majesties tremble at him the powers of the heaven of heavens and the Society of the blessed Seraphins doe celebrate his praises with exultation doe thou also cry out to thy Messiah be life and victory blessing and honour glory and power for evermore Those sell soules not satisfied with his death torments and Crosse did even warre against him being dead and did most diligently observe all things lest any should steale his body out of the grave yet returnes he the Conquerour returnes cloathed with the brightnesse of his glory as it were with most pure garments he returnes and hastens to higher things he flies up to the highest heavens compassed with quires of Angels and heavenly citizens some of whom as I guesse sing songs of triumph to the Conquerour others dance for joy others offer him palme and bayes others strew handfuls of a most pleasing crop of heavenly flowers Where are now thy pale lips where is that filthy besmearing with spittle where is the congealed blood where the pricks of the thornes where his black and blew shoulders where those streames of blood gushing forth where his torne sinewes by the lashes of whips In so short a moment is this so thicke a mist of ignominy exhaled and the brightnesse of his glory possesses all things And now is the fore-head cleare the eyes sparkling the comely cheeks blushing red now are the lips died scarlet now doth he shake his golden and glittering tresses in briefe he is all over like the Sunne breaking out of a cloud Where now Lord is thy abjection after thou hast pierced the skies and ascended above all heavens when thou wast higher than the heavens and hadst entred into thy Fathers house in which are many mansions where was thy contemptible estate when the glory of the heavens gave place to thee and thou ruledst every where and filledst all places from sea to sea even to the ends of the earth for evermore Thou fillest all things O Lord therefore art thou most present and although thou seemest sometime to be departed from us yet if thou wouldest open our eyes we should finde thee about us and in us Thou art most present therefore let not my sinnes defile me because they offend thee that wast scourged crucified and slaine for them and cause me to be condemned for offending of thee Thou art cleane and dost dwell with those that are pure in heart those that burthen their soules with the filth of sinne doe expell thee the guest of their soule Thou art most present therefore whatever betides me and howsoever the devill batter me and in what manner soever the world afflict me or the flesh doe tempt me yet thou seest it and art both able and joyfull to deliver me When upon mount Olivet thou madest preparation to depart to the full enjoying of thy heavenly kingdome thou didst hold up thy hands to heaven and didst blesse thy Disciples I am also thy disciple therefore thou wilt not withdraw thy blessing from me but wilt make thy ascention to become unto me a descention of many sorts of gifts Thy graces did descend as thy body did ascend so shall I ascend in my heart I will runne after thee not with the steps of my feet but with the desires of my soule and flying from worldly desires I will follow thee thither in heart whither I beleeve thou art in body ascended let me now take no pleasure in vile things here below that am possessed of thee in heaven I will ascend in my affections I will ascend in my progresse and I wil ascend in effect I shall ascend in my affections if I relish heavenly things I shall ascend in my progresse if I shall daily profit in thy ministery and I shall ascend in effect if I have my conversation where thou art even in the heavens And I trust I shall easily obtaine this for thou art ascended to the Father to be my Intercessor The high Priest when he entred the Holy of Holyes made an atonement for the people thou art entred into the Sanctuary of blessed immortality a Sanctuary not made with hands but heaven it selfe thou wilt therefore appear in the presence of God for us Thou art ascended not leaving upon the earth thy humanity which thou tookest from the earth and didst carry about thee on the earth but hast so exalted it that thou hast made it a partaker of heaven Why therefore O man shouldest thou feare why O man shouldest thou afflict thy selfe Be secure flesh and blood you are possessors of heaven and Gods Kingdome in Christ if any deny you are in Christ he denies also that Christ is in heaven the flesh and blood and portion of every of us is in
I should be begotten and borne of such parents that sate not in darknesse nor had their habitation in the region of the shadow of death but were called out of darknesse into thy admirable light to an elect stocke a kingly priesthood a holy nation to an honoured people O God my God thou soughtest me when I knew not of thee thou gavest unto me when I asked not of thee thou openedst unto me when I did not knocke for when I was yet a bawling infant in my bepissed clouts when I yet savoured ill of my mothers coutch when I was putrified as well with mine owne as with the naturall and spirituall uncleannesse of my parents yet thou not disheartned with all this didst take me up cherish and purge me that was thus conceived and chafed in my sins Thou leddest me to the pure waters living waters to the divine oracle to the lavacre in the word of regeneration and renovation thou broughtest me O God my God to baptisme the first gate to be entred to the kingdome of heaven into the armes and to the kisses of my Saviour by which he â—ranslates us out of the lap of our parents into his heavenly habitation and enroles us into the number of Gods elect and citizens of heaven and makes us members of his body which being one with the head become partakers of the heavenly treasures O God my God thou hast promised this by thy Prophet Ye shall draw waters with joy out of the wholsome fountaines And I will powre out my waters upon the thirsty and my streames upon the dry ground I will powre out my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy posterity and they shall grow amongst the grasse like willowes by the rivers of waters And againe they shall bring their sonnes in their armes and carry their daughters upon their shoulders And I O most mercifull Lord was brought carried sprinkled and washed amongst them and did mount up unto thee as it were upon the wings of an Eagle I laid aside the decrepit age of my sinnes and put on the vigorous youth of grace this did this heavenly Sacrament worke in me I began to be a true Eagle who by thy grace doe soare to heaven and doe loath all earthly things As often as I behold earthly water I should remember this divine water which hath wrough so many and so great things in us The naturall water doth wash and take away spots doth quench fire cooles and allayes the heat of thirst incorporates many and sundry things into one body it ascends as high in heighth as it doth descend below in depth The heavenly water of Baptisme washes away the leprosie of sinne and wipes away our iniquities and makes us whiter than snow Our sins in themselves are like scarlet yet are they whitened as white as snow they are red like crimson yet they grow white as wooll The water of Baptisme by a divine and admirable way and means doth quench the fire of our fleshly desires How pleasing is it to us so soone as the heavenly Spirit slides into us in this washing for us to want these trifling sweets The true and chiefest sweetnesse doth cast out those other which else wee would feare to lose it casteth them out and there enters in their stead the hidden and heavenly pleasure which is sweeter than all other pleasure yet not to flesh and blood is brighter than any other light yet more hidden than any secret higher than any other honour but not to men that are high in their owne conceits It quencheth also the flames of hell fire those devillish brands of hell which no helpe of man can put out The divine water of Baptisme sets an end to the various and troublesome desires of mans heart and makes us onely rest upon God The divine water of Baptisme makes one nation of all the nations of the Israelites and of the Heathen that did differ so exceedingly in most things that they might become one body and one soule one hope of calling till at length they may be made perfect in one The divine water of Baptisme is given us from heaven above from the Father of lights and it flowing from the fountaine that springs to eternall life doth not onely draw our hearts to their owne originals but doth wholly lead us to that most blessed fountain Farewell World avoid Satan be gone each worldly thing for I call to minde these words that my Godfather holding me in his armes pronounced for me I renounce thee Satan and thy pompe and worship with these words am I received into Gods covenant and enrolled in the number of Christs souldiers What ever thou shalt say O Serpent I will presently reply what ever thou shalt speake I will not hearken unto thee Then that thou catch me not by other meanes I have renounced also thy pompe and thy worship and thy messengers I was prest for the warre of the living God when I answered to the words in the Sacrament Whatsoever earthly things are received in this world and shall here remaine in this world are to be despised as much as the world it selfe is to be contemned the pomps and delights whereof I did then renounce when in my better passage I went unto my Lord. In Baptisme I was cloathed in white that I might be taught most devoutly to rely upon Christs innocency and to be willing to lead my life sincerely and purely I confesse indeed my God that I have beene sometime forgetfull of my covenant made with thee that I have forsaken the hoaste of righteousnesse and have runne away to thy enemy and have most grievously offended thee my Captaine by my transgressions and treasons that I have beene worthy thy most severe punishment but I returne to thee I fall before thee and beseech thee for thine unspeakable goodnesse that thou wilt receive me and acknowledge me for thy souldier and servant and at length of thy grace grant me the prize of victory that being freed and saved I may at length erect a trophee to thy name and praises Amen CONTEMP c. 32. Of a Christians practise IT is an easie thing for one to call himselfe a Christian but a hard thing to performe the part of a Christian He that desires to fulfill the measure of that name let him marke diligently these things that follow Acknowledge O man thine owne basenesse consider how wretched and of how little account thou art thou hast nothing from thy selfe but all things from God he gave thee all things for thy use to whom thou must repay them yea and even thy life it selfe at what moment soever he shall require them and thou must depart as naked from hence as thou camest naked into this world and although all the world with it inhabitants doe keepe thee companys yet they can profit thee nothing for all things are fleeting brittle transitory and nothing can free thee from death give not thy selfe therefore over to security
downe from heaven thy holy Spirit the teacher of truth and worke in my tough and hard heart inward and divine repentance that I may never repent me of And now thou love of that heavenly power thou holy communication of the omnipotent Father and the blessed issue thou Spirit the Omnipotent Comforter slide within the most secret places of my heart by thy powerfull operation and enlighten every darke lurking place of this my neglected habitation by the brightnesse of thy glorious light Come come now thou most courteous Comforter of the languishing soul that defendst it in its necessities art its helper in tribulation Come thou cleanser of my filthinesse thou curer of my wounds Come thou Strength of the weake thou Sustainer of those that slide Come thou Instructer of the humble and Confounder of the haughty Come thou holy Father of the orphans thou milde Judge of the widowes Come thou Hope of the poore thou Refresher of those that faint Come thou sea-mans Starre thou Haven against shipwracke Come thou singular Beauty of all that live thou only Safety of those that die Come most holy Spirit come and take pity upon me Fit me for thy selfe and mercifully condescend to my weaknesse that according to the multitude of thy mercies my meannesse may be acceptable to thy Majestie and my weaknesse to thy power There was a time my God when I had no being which I cannot remember and then thou madest me to have a being thou formedst me of the clay of the earth and madest me according to thine owne image and representation Thou broughtest me out of my mothers wombe thou wast my hope when I hung upon my mothers breasts from the wombe was I cast upon thy providence for from the very time that I first drew my vitall breath and entred this tabernacle of the world and my soule tooke possession of her earthly house thou art my Father thou art my Redeemer thou art my Saviour thou art my Helper Thou didst create my body and all the members thereof thou gavest me my soule and all the faculties thereof and hast most mercifully preserved my life even to this present houre Thou hast added another blessing farre more pretious than the rest that thou mightest tie me the nearer unto thee Thou descendedst O God from heaven to finde me out thou soughtest for me being lost of all hands By thy incarnation didst thou rid my weake and miserable flesh out of the ignominy and basenesse which by the devils seducing suggestions it was fallen into Thou sanctifiedst my sinfull nativity by thy most holy birth by thy bonds and captivity thou hast freed me from the bonds of my enthralling sinnes Whilst thou deliveredst thy selfe into the hands of sinners thou hast snatched me out of the power of sinne in the forme of sinfull flesh thou hast abolished my sinfull life which is the worke of Satan by this thy great mercy thou hast most straightly tied me unto thy selfe thou hast enticed me unto thee with those benefits thou hast confirmed and strengthned my hope with those great merits thou wouldest stirre up in me a hatred and detestation of my sins in that thou hast wrought and endured so many and so great things that thou mightest reconcile me to thy heavenly Father and overthrow the kingdome of sinne so thou hast kindled bright coales over my head that thou mightest thereby set my heart on fire that overwhelmed as it were with the works of thy mercy which are included in this thy worke of Redemption I might love him with all my heart who hath wholly loved me and imparted himselfe wholly unto mee Thou hast redeemed me O Lord my God but what good had it beene unto me except thou hadst permitted me to be baptized amongst so great a multitude therefore of Infidels thou wast pleased I should be borne of faithfull parents and hast blessed me so farre above all unbeleeving Ethnicks Turks and Jewes that I might be regenerated by the lavacre in thy word and according to thy Word and might put on my Christ with all his benefits There thou hast adopted me for thy sonne and made me thy heire there make I that wonderfull covenant with thee that I should be thine and that thou shouldest be mine that thou shouldest be my Lord and I should be thy servant that thou shouldest be my father and I should be thy sonne there is it so so covenanted betwixt us that thou shouldest manifest thy fatherly affection to me and that I should with a filiall obedience hearken unto thee What need I rehearse the other use of this Sacrament namely that thou hast made it the curing physicke of our sins that by thine own blood thou mightest heal my unhappy and festring wounds and mightest thereby more and more adde perfection unto me But though I have received so many blessings of thee and have in a readinesse so many antidotes against sinne yet have I not continued in obedience but have often broken that covenant and yet hast thou bin so mercifull and so milde a God that thou didst endure my disobedience O God my salvation and hope how can I recount thy mercy and clemency without shedding of teares for how often O just judge mightest thou kill and bring me to nothing and yet none of these things is befallen me how many thousands of soules are already thrust into hell to be punished with eternall plagues and fire that never came neare my sinnes either in number or weight and yet am not I burned what had become of me if thou hadst cut me off together with them How ought I to feare thy terrible and fearfull judgement if thou shouldest punish me in thy immutable and severe judgement according to the foulnesse of my iniquities O my God who tied thy hands who was my Intercessor when I most securely slept the sleep of sin who held the scourge of thy wrath when as day by day I provoked urged thy vengeance what was there in me to please thee what was there in me so worthy of thy acceptation that thou shouldest spare me when thou didst root out others who wallowing in the mud of their sinnes thou didst summon to thy most righteous judgement seat in the midst of their dayes My sins did cry to heaven and thou didst stop thine eares my wickednesses were daily multiplied and thy mercy was likewise encreased to me I did sinne and thou didst expect my repentance I fled from thee and thou didst draw neare to me I provoked thee so often to wrath that I might weary thee by my provocations yet wast not thou weary of taking pity upon me as if my transgressions against thee being abominable ingratitude in me were pleasing in thy sight Thou hast suggested unto me many good thoughts and given me many profitable admonitions to turne me from my transgressions even in my full speed of sinning How many times standing before the doore of my heart hast thou knocked and called saying
the holy Church but pure simplicity and innocencie of life in one house the holy Catholique Church Christ is offered to the faithfull departing out of Aegypt being cleansed in their affections by his blood in their passage in the red Sea O Jesu Christ our omnipotent Lord God thou Fountaine of life and immortalitie thou Creator of every visible and invisible thing that art the eternall Son of the everlasting Father who of thy abundant goodnesse in the last times didst take our flesh upon thee and wast delivered and crucified for us sinfull and unthankful creatures thou by thine owne blood hast restored our nature corrupted by sin and givest me thy flesh for my food But thou art a fire and consumest those that be unworthy destroy me not my Maker rather come into the union of my members into all my sinewes into my reines into my heart burne up the sting of my sinnes cleanse my soule sanctifie my minde enlighten my five senses glew me firmely to thy selfe in love alwayes protect and defend mee preserve mee from every word and work that may hurt my soule purge cleanse and direct me adorne instruct and make mee famous make mee the temple of thy Spirit only and not the habitation of sinne that being made thy house by the entrance of thy holy Communion all impiety and all evill may fly from mee Let thy holy body be made everlasting Bread unto mee Mercifull Lord let thy precious blood become a remedy of sundry diseases unto me fearfull and wicked wretch that I am defiled with absurd works I am unworthy of thy pure body and heavenly blood O Christ doe thou make me worthy to be partaker of thee give me O Christ the drops of teares to wash my filthy heart that having a pure conscience I may come in faith and feare to receive thy heavenly gifts O most mercifull Saviour let thy unspotted body and divine blood be made unto mee the participation of thy holy Spirit eternall life and a change of my sufferings and miseries Heale the wounds of my soule O Lord and sanctifie me through-out and make mee unworthy wretch worthy to be partaker of thy mysticall divine Supper be it unto thy most vile servant as thou hast promised and remaine in mee as thou hast said For behold I eat thy divine body and doe drink thy blood Thou Word of God and God him selfe let the flame of thy body enlighten me that am all obscurity and let thy blood be also a purgation to my corrupted soule Sanctifie my understanding soule heart and body O my Saviour and make it worthy O Lord to come to these fearfull mysteries without being condemned I shall obtaine new effects and will receive the increase of thy grace and preservation of my life by the participation of thy mysteries O Christ O holy Word of God God himselfe sanctifie mee throughly that am comming to thy divine mysteries Despise mee not O Christ when I receive the bread which is thy body and whilst wretch that I am I am made partaker of thy most pure and fearfull mysteries that they prove not condemnation unto me But let them be unto me O Christ eternall and everlasting life O Christ thou Fountaine of goodnesse let the receiving of thy immortall mysteries become light and life unto me and cause the avoyding of vitious affections and the encrease of heavenly vertues in me O thou only Goodnesse that I may glorifie thee Amen CONTEMP c. 41. Of those things which are to be meditated upon after the receiving of the Sacrament of the Supper LEt thy servant speak thine owne Word in thy eares that thou be not angry with thy servant O Lord my King Thou hast slaine thy Sacrifices thou hast mingled thy wine and prepared thy Table thou hast sent forth thy maydens that they might invite to thy tower of defence that if there were any little one he might come unto thee Thou hast said Goe forth yee daughters of Sion and behold your King crowned with the Crowne wherewith his mother begirt his head in the day of his betrothing in the day of the gladnesse of his heart Thou hast said O Lord unto thy servant Go out quickly into the wayes and streets of the citie and bring in hither both the poore and the weak both the lame and the blind and compell them to come in that my house may bee full I being called came and saw was led in and tasted thou turnedst not thy selfe away from thy servant nor saidst thou Thou shalt not see my face Thou hast shewed thy selfe unto me my Comforter I beheld thee thou Light of mine eyes I felt the joy of spirit and was touched with gladnesse of heart Thou didst prepare great things for me O my Delight and sweet content O Lord my God my Life and sole Glory of my soule I have found thee out O thou Desire of my heart I have held thee fast O thou Love of my soule O let me retaine thee thou Life of my soule I will love thee O Lord my Strength my Castle my Refuge and my Deliverer Let me love thee my God the Tower of my might and my pleasing hope in all my tribulations I will enbrace thee who art that Good without which nothing can be good I will enjoy thee the Best without whom nothing is best I will exalt thee my God and King and will blesse thy Name for ever and ever every day will I praise thee and blesse thy Name for ever and ever The Lord is great and exceedingly to be praised and of his greatnesse there is no end Generation from generation shall praise thy works and shall declare thy power shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of thy holinesse and shall tell of thy wonderfull works They shal break forth in remembrance of thy abundant sweetnesse and shall exult in thy righteousnesse O mercifull and pitifull Lord patient and full of compassion the Lord is sweet to all and his mercies are over all his works All thy works O Lord do praise thee and thy Saints doe blesse thee they speak of the glory of thy Kingdome and tell of thy power for thou art my true and living God my great King my guide to my Countrey my true light my holy sweetnesse my true life my excellent wisdome my pure simplicity my peacefull concord my safe protection my good portion my everlasting safety my great mercy my strongest patience my unspotted Sacrifice my holy Redemption my firme hope my perfect Charity my true Resurrection my life eternall my most happie ever enduring exultation and most blessed vision Thou my God wast pleased for no merits of mine but onely by vouchsafing me thy mercies to satisfie thy unworthy servant with the precious body and blood of thy Sonne our Lord Jesus Christ What manner of food What drink was this O the memoriall of the Lords death What shall I repay unto the Lord for all that he hath bestowed upon me O know
O Lord my King in that thou hast created me I owe my selfe unto thee and in that thou hast redeemed me yea and wast made man for mee I should owe thee more than my selfe if I had it by how much more thou art greater than he is for whom thou hast given thy selfe behold though I have more yet cannot I give thee that I have without thee But doe thou receive me and draw me unto thee that I may become thine by love and imitation as I am thine by creation and redemption Let my life it selfe be thine O Lord I freely offer up my whole selfe unto thee let my whole spirit my whole heart my whole body and my whole life even my sweet life it selfe live unto thee for thou hast wholly delivered me that thou mightest wholly possesse mee thou hast wholly refreshed mee that I might bee wholly thine owne But how canst thou have mee except this holy Communion may not prove a guilt to draw downe punishment upon me but an wholesome intercession to obtaine pardon the armour of faith and shield of good will except it may bee an emptying of my sinnes a banishing of lust and concupiscence an encrease of charity and patience humility and obedience a firme defence against the slights of all our enemies as well visible as invisible a perfect appeasing as well of my carnall as spirituall perturbations a fast cleaving to thee the true and onely God Ah let me obtaine these things of thee who art most mercifull and hast commanded me therefore to pray for them that I might obtaine them and might come to that unspeakable Banquet wherein thou with thy Sonne and the holy Spirit art to thy holy Ones a true Light full Content everlasting Joy perfect Delight and absolute Felicitie Amen CONTEMP c. 42. Of beginning the day holily I Am awaked out of sleep O my soule I shall also one day awake out of the grave which perpetually consider of with thy selfe The Sunne breaks forth of the clouds and day succeeds in the place of night one day also shall break forth the eternall day after the long lasting nights are past and the Sunne of righteousnesse Christ Jesus shall returne with his glorious light whom many thousands of Saints shall accompany shining most beautifully and farre above the brightnesse of our Sun So prepare thy selfe O my soule in this entry that in that day thou maist have admittance into the house it selfe nor that the Sunne may hide his face from thee and thou be involved in thicke darknesse Let no flattering of gaine no invitation of honour nor delight of pleasure so seduce thee that thou lose the gladnesse of that day Let the brute beasts be they that do only behold the light of this our Sun doe thou with the eyes of faith behold the light of that day Remember O man that the devill like a roaring lion walketh about night and day seeking whom he may devoure Dost thou doubt whether he be about thy bed when thou art buried in sleepe and that he then labours to devoure thee but who resisteth him why thou weake wretch art laid prostrate before him It is the onely keeper of Israel that neither slumbers not sleeps that preserveth thee Dost thou heare the cocke crowing thinke upon Peter who though he was eminent in the dignity of being an Apostle and did heare the great Doctor the Son of God yet did he greatly erre What shall become of thee thinkest thou except by thy fervent prayers thou daily stick close unto God Thinke thou hearest that heavenly trumpet which the Angell the Judges companion shall blow and consider how thou couldest stand before that Judge if he were now come and did presently exact thee to appeare before him Remember God is about and in thy bed and by his omnipresence doth looke into all thy thoughts and sees all thy behaviour and actions Call to minde the holy troops of Angels which by night defend thee stand about thee observe thy sleeping and waking and that rejoyce at thy holinesse and grieve at thy ungodlinesse Live therefore so as if thou didst live in the sight of God and his Angels and thus if thou beest wise beleeve thou dost When thou puttest on thy cloaths remember they are the coverings of sinne nor is there any cause thou shouldest be proud of them What I pray is most of our cloaths are they not the rejected things the excrements and spoiles of beasts it is madnesse therefore for a man that is endued with reason to be proud and to brag of the reliques the excrements and spoiles of brute beasts Thou cloathest thy body with a covering but think this more necessary far that thou defend thy soule with the most pure robe of Christs righteousnesse and that thou put it on not by a luke-warme faith He that cloatheth not himselfe in this manner shall be tormented with everlasting cold Ah! with how many precious cloaths have many covered their bodies whose soules remaine cold and naked Consider that Gods mercy and goodnesse are daily renued and that he doth daily as it were bestow a new life upon us whilst he repaires the power of our senses and restores thee the enlivening heat of the Sunne Let therefore no creature divert thy prayers let no thoughts arise in thee before thou hast given God his praises O Omnipotent Lord God that art the Trinity in Unity that art alwayes in all things and hadst thy being from all eternity and shall be alwayes in all things O thou my God take pity upon me that I may speake The house of my soule is straight but doe thou enlarge it that thou mayest come into it it is ruinous but doe thou repaire it There are in it those things which may offend both thine eare and eye I know acknowledge it but who shall make it cleane or to whom else shall I call but to thy selfe Cleanse me O Lord from my hidden offences and pardon me my open sinnes I beleeve and therefore I speake thou knowest it My sinnes doe plead against me before thee pardon me therefore the impiety of my heart and cast my sinnes into the depth of the sea that they confound me not in this world nor condemne me in the world to come O God that art for ever blessed I doe this day and at all times commend unto thee and into thy powerfull hand my soule my body all my thoughts all my affections my words my actions all my outward and inward things my senses and understanding my memory faith and beliefe that thou mightest keepe them day and night houres and minutes Heare me holy Trinity and preserve me from all evill and from all scandall and from all deadly sin and from all the snares and assaults of the devill and from my visible and invisible enemies Expell out of me all boasting of minde and encrease in me contrition of heart lessen my pride and perfect in me true humility give me tendernesse
to weepe and soften my hard and stony heart Teach me O Lord to doe thy will because thou art my God Give me O Lord a heart that may stand in awe of thee a minde to love thee an understanding to know thee eares to hearken to thee eyes to see thee Take pity upon me O God take pity upon me and looke downe upon me from the holy throne of thy Majesty Lord Jesus give concord to thy Ministers peace and quietnesse to Princes that judge righteously repentance unto those that live unjustly I beseech thee O Lord for the holy universall Church for the Clergy and Layety for all Christian Governours and all that beleeve in thy Name that labour in thy holy Word that they may obtaine perseverance in good works Grant O Lord eternall King unto young men chastity to those of riper yeares holinesse and unto all innocency pardon to the repentant succour to the Orphans and Widowes to the poore protection to the travellers a happy returne comfort to them that mourne eternall rest to the faithfull a safe haven to those that rove upon the sea to the better sort of Christians that they may persevere in goodnesse to the weaker sort that they may grow better to them that commit wickednesse and still offend thee that they speedily correct their wayes with me a miserable sinner O most sweet and most mercifull Lord Jesus Christ thou Son of the living God thou Redeemer of the world that art amongst us all and in all things be mercifull to me a sinner Amen CONTEMP c. 43. Of ending the day religiously AS nights and dayes have their returnes so let the thought and celebration of Gods mercy have their returnes in thy heart For therefore are the vicissitudes of light and darknesse granted us that there might be an interchangeable restoring of labour and rest and that each of them might have its fit and appointed time If God would have made the Sunne to stand still there must have beene a perpetuall day Also if the starres had had no motion who can doubt but their must have beene an everlasting night but he gave them motion that there might be changes of nights and dayes and such various motions that there might be mutuall vicissitudes of light and darknesse in which alternate spaces of labour and of rest might appeare unto us Blesse the Lord O my soule that hath appointed the Moone for its determinate seasons and the Sunne to know her going downe that it may be night wherein all beasts of the forrest steale abroad the young Lions roaring after their prey doe seeke their food and when the Sunne ariseth they retire themselves and lay themselves downe in their dens but man goeth forth to his worke and his tillage untill the evening How ample O God are thy works how wisely hast thou made them all how full is the earth of thy possessions Consider well O man what thy work and labour hath beene this day If thy endevours have beene honest ascribe them to God if thou hast learned any good impute it to God but if thou hast done any evill and hast offended either God or thy neighbour humbly crave pardon for it nor sleepe the sleepe of oblivion or security with thy sinnes upon thee That is an accursed and darksome night in which thou goest to bed without reconciling thy selfe unto God Cast up thy reckoning and wipe out thy scores being to account with thy God and if thou finde thy account faire which alas seldome or never fals out give praises to the Lord but if it appeare soule cast thy selfe groveling at the feet of thy Lord and implore his unspeakable mercy that if thou wert even this night to be called to his judgement seat thou mightest by it be excused If thou have moved any man to anger and indignation desire his pardon nor let the Sunne set under this troubled cloud If he forgive thee beware afterwards but if he refuse thee pardon faile not earnestly to begge of God forgivenesse of thy offence And thou doe that willingly to another that thou wouldest have another doe to thee Revenge not thine owne quarrell for God hath reserved vengeance to himselfe Surely he must needs be accounted very bold that dares wrest Gods sword out of his hand The Heathens were wont to doe this when the day was ended and they retired themselves to their rest they asked their soule what wound of it was that day healed what vice it had resisted in what part it was growne better Let anger cease and it will be more temperate let thy soule know that she must daily come before her Judge What shouldest thou that art a Christian thinke of is not thy soule also a secret searcher and censurer of thee she knowes thy manner she retires into the closet of her thoughts and sees what she hath secretly wished for O heavenly Lord to whose bottomlesse goodnesse and infinite kindnesse we owe all things that hast given the most cleare light of the day as well to the bad as to the good to undertake the works of their calling and hast lovingly afforded us the friendly silence of the night to refresh the strength of our bodies and to wipe out the cares of the minde I beseech thee that those things which I have this day committed either through humane negligence or inbred malice may for thy unspeakable mercies sake be forgiven me and vouchsafe unto me also that this night by thy blessing may be happy unto me and thou being my pure keeper and protector I may be free in it from the nightly illusions of the devill that my sleepe make both my body and soule more cheerfull the next day to serve thee And because in this life there is not an houre wherein we can assure our selves from the cōming of that evening when thou shalt come and the dead be raised at the sounding of thy holy Angels trumpet I beseech thee that thou wilt enlighten the eyes of my soule that my faith may not bee extinguished and I sleepe in everlasting death but that I may rest in thee in whom even the dead do live who livest and raignest for ever more Amen CONTEMP c. 44. Of Death the last Judgement Hell and Happinesse IN all thy words remember thy last things and thou shalt never sin no artificiall medicine nor any doctrine doth so overcome pride so conquer malice so quench lust or so trample upon the vanities of this world as the remembrance of our last things What are those our last things let others here dispute what they be but let the godly weigh the matter diligently with themselves thy Death the last Judgement the glory of Heaven the paines of Hell these are the things thou must meditate of What comes more suddenly and when we lesse think of it than Death We die daily for part of our life is daily diminished and even while we encrease doth our life grow lesse the time that passeth away
what manner to end the strings of my tongue are ready to move something concerning thee but can find neither Prologue nor Epilogue neither exordium nor conclusion of thee O my God guide mee and instruct mee cherish and help mee If I behold thee what is it that in the first second third and last place doth offer it selfe unto me it is love I observe it is love that I see and feele all the objects of my eyes are love the fishes in the Sea are sparkes each pile of grasse in the feild is a spark the trees in the orchards are sparks the leaves upon those trees are sparks the often rising and setting Sun is a spark and his beames enlightning all the world are sparks the Moon 's a spark and her hornes are sparks the glittering Sarrs and all the host of Heaven are sparks of it If all the members which thou hast bestowed upon my body were tongues if I had the understanding of an Angell yet could I not comprehend or set forth the footsteps of thy love O violent love burning love vehement love love that cannot be kept within thee When I was nothing thou wouldest make me something and thou didest not create mee after the likenesse of the Sun or Moon nor yet of the Angells but after thine own likenesse that I might serve thee in this life and after this life changed not by death but by an easie passage that I might reigne with thee and prayse thee for evermore Thou didst place mee in Paradise the garden of pleasure not to warre with beasts or to terrifie me with the Lyons roaring or the grumbling of Beares but that all the beasts should be subject to me and stand in awe at my beck and faune upon me in an humble observance I would O God find out thy works but cannot Moyses writ something but he did but write and straight went hence unto thee nor have J him now here present for if he were I would hold him and beseech him and beg of him for thy sake that hee would freely lay open to mee the wonderfull things of the Creation wherein the fountaine of thy love did flow and bubble up most plentifully and I would fasten my bodily eares to the words that should break from his mouth I would also admit them within the harbour of my breast and hee should make me sensible and even touch my very soule but hee is gone who did but shaddow forth unto me thy wonders and there is not one left that can unfold the whole and surely thou wouldest have mee understand thy works but in part only whilst I am absent from thee with thee I shall be most fully instructed Neither yet doe I O most Mighty enough understand that part which thou hast granted and permitted mee that I may understand spare therefore thou Mercy it selfe thy servant the work of thy hands thy hands have moulded mee thy spirit gave mee a soule and added life to my life it gave mee what I can neither value nor number and such is God and such are Gods gifts alas give mee this also that I may obtaine this neere tye of thy love that as thou art my Creatour thou wilt bee also my father and that thou wilt not refuse or reject or disinherit of thy love a sonne unworthy so great a father CONTEMP c. 2 Of the Originall Nobility of Man and his falling away from it I was in honour O lord and heavenly King even so great that I cannot now set it forth but when I was in honour I understood not what that honour was In what an honoured place did I inhabit in a place of delight My life found neither trouble nor want I was compassed with fragrant apples I was propped up with honours crowned with glory and honour and placed above the works made of clay But I was the more excellent in regard of the badge of thy divine image and my lot and company was the society of Angels and the whole Army of the Host of Heaven but I did change that glory into the similitude of a calfe that eateth hay How many virtues was I cloathed with What did I want whom mercy protected truth instructed justice did governe and peace did cherish But alas what shall I say O my God thou bestowedst that property of reason upon me whereby I might excell all living creatures and didst so sublime it by a peculiar gift that I wanted but little of attaining to those thy most pure Ministers I knew this but did not acknowledge it nor did I weigh for what end thou gavestime this wisdome I call not that a good ship that is painted with gaudy colours nor which hath a guilded or silvered head nor whose hull is inlayed with ivory nor which is fraught with Kingly wares and treasures but that is strong and firme and hath thick ribs to shut out the waters and tough to endure the assaulting Seas that is pliant to her rudder can make good way and fetch all winds I call that a good sword not that hath an embroydered belt or whose scabard is set with pretious stones but that that hath both a keene edge to cut and a point that can pierce any armour Men desire a straight rule and not a faire one wee commend a thing so farre only as it is usefull for that end for which it was made So I who did then know these things better than now ought to have acknowledged that I received all good from thee if I would have ordered my selfe according to the rule of thy heavenly government the obedience only which thou requiredst and which without thy command was due unto thee had made mee blessed and perfect if I would and had not obeyed the detestable suggestions of the old Serpent From my originall I was good but that goodnesse came only from thee none of it was from mee yet thou wouldest have some goodnesse come from mee to the end that thou mightest see I did acknowledge that thy goodnesse but I obeyed that traytour Satan thy enemy more willingly and more readily than thee when I might with more ease have contemned his slights than I can now those foresaid poysons which are mixed in my draughts and that even by my friends I am undone I am undone I have neglected my perfection O sad and mournfull change O man the inhabitant of Paradise the lord of the earth Citizen of Heaven one of the Lord of Saboths family and fellow heire of Heavenly vertues from whence by a sudden change art thou cast headlong by reason of infirmity hee lyes in a stable for his likenesse to beasts hee even needeth hay for his untamed fiercenesse hee is tyed to a manger I am undone I am undone and nothing can repaire mee but thou O most Mercifull CONTEMP c. 3. Of Mans departing from God of the subtilties of Satan the omnipresence and Clemency of God THou art wonderfull O God and very much to bee praised thy
absolute Creature or little world the Compendium and Epitome of the great world yet not properly a world but a man framed by thy hands by the Communion of the Son and the holy Ghost an image enlivened by the breath of thy mouth and a representation of thy selfe Heaven thy habitation is resplendant with shining and sparkling lights the earth thy footstoole doth swell with a thousand sort of fruits and yet none of them is said to be made as man was O God I am thy Image I am thy likenesse therefore I will be thy pleasure thy delight thy content thou wilt take care of me and never forsake me for who will neglect an image and a worke made after his owne likenesse To what end O my God hast thou done all this why didst thou forme and fashion me in so excellent a manner Thou madest man first of al that he might be the stock of us all from which so many branches so many leafes and so many fruits should spring Thou wouldest that all should have one originall and a like beginning that no man should preferre himselfe before another as if he were the seed of a more noble father that none should despise another that one should not hurt another but that we should every one mutually assist each other in his labour that we should be all of one mind will the same thing covet and desire the same thing and that there might not be heard any brawles contentions enviousnesse or deceits amongst us For concord is that most fragrant Balsum that breathes thee that excellent odour Thousand thousands in heaven do serve thee and there is found no discord thousand thousands should also serve thee on earth and there should be found no discord Thou didst make us all that we should be the cleere mirrour of thy Majesty of thy Glory of thy Dignity of thy Power and of thy Wisdome The work commends the workman and the effect shewes the cause O unspeakeable Artist O unvaluable causer of all things Let us take heed that we neither break nor spot that we nor fully nor make dusky this glasse let us beware that we cause not Satans vizard to be seene in this glasse but let wisdome piety goodnesse curtesie chastity and whatsoever is most excellent in thee in part reflect in us Thou madest us all that wee should bee the worlds perfection beauty and ornament The world was a Cage cunningly and wonderfully wrought but it wanted a singing bird by whose warbling notes al things might be expressed let us wordlings beware that we be not to the world like a Crow or dunghill bird or a Jay but a Lark that doth night and day in the evening and at morne celebrate and proclaime his Creatours praise let us not be a disgrace an unprofitable and reproachfull burden that the world may labour to expell with groans and be glad not sorry to be rid of it rather than wish for its returne Thou hast made us all that we should admire and set forth thee and thy works Thou hast endued me with an understanding enlightned with heavenly fire that by thy selfe I might distinguish thee from my selfe and the world Thou hast given me a will that knowing thee I might love thee above all things because thou excellest all things and dost comprehend all good things within thee Thou gavest me a tongue that knowing and loving thee I should lively expresse and redouble thy praises Be present my understanding be present my will be present my tongue know him love him praise him praise the Lord O my soule I will praise the Lord all my life long I will sing unto my God while I have any being Praise ye the Lord for it is good to sing unto our God it is a pleasant and comely thing to be thankfull unto him Thou hast made us all that wee should live with thee and that wee should be made partakers of thy glory and gladnesse The better any thing is the more it communicates its goodnesse to others but thou my God art the best of bests therefore thy goodnesse doth most plentifully flow to all so that they will lay hold and embrace it Vouchsafe safe O Lord that whilst I walke in the way I may dwell and remaine with thee in life Thou ordainest me to life O suffer me not to fall by death death is not of thee but from my selfe life is not from me but from thee take that from me which proceeds from me and give me that which comes from thee and I will praise thee in thine own holinesse I will praise thee in the firmament of thine owne power I will praise thee in thy virtues I will praise thee according to the magnitude of thy greatnesse I will praise thee in the sound of the Trumpet I will praise thee upon the Psaltery and Harpe I will praise thee in the Cymball and Quire I will praise thee upon the stringed instruments and Organs I will praise thee in the well sounding Cymballs I will prayse thee on the loud Cymballs every thing that hath breath shall praise thee Hallelujah My spirit shall leap for joy in God my Saviour for evermore O most blessed God give me a blessed age CONTEMP c. V. Of Paradise and of casting forth of Man from thence OMnipotent Creatour thou didest bestow a threefold grace upon man the grace of the soule originall righteousnesse and the grace of the body immortality and the grace of a most pleasant place to inhabit but what is that place my God wherein thou didest place my first parent and mee in him I read the words of thy penman but what meane those words what is Paradise what is Eden teach me O my God for no man although hee think he hath gotten much knowledg can instruct me sufficiently I collect that thou plantedst a garden and that it looked toward the East I heare of foure rivers Ganges Nile Tigris and Euphrates but yet I am not satisfied for the doubts of Disputants and their wrangling makes the matter very intricate unto me But why doe I seeke for that which is not and neglect that which is give me the heavenly Paradise and the earthly Paradise shall never trouble me I understand it was a most fruitfull Garden and stuffed with joy pleasure and delight in which the eyes did want nothing nor the ears or any other part of that body which it did not enjoy Within thou hadst furnished man with wisdome and understanding without thou sufferedst him not to want any thing All the creatures came about that new king enthroned by the King of kings did tender him homage and did reverence him with humble subjection The tall fertile odoriferous pruned comely and pregnant trees how much did they refresh him the Alder tree Almond tree Cherry tree Fig tree Cidonian Punick aurea and what ever else doe beautifie the fields But above the rest notable are those two which thy booke describes unto me which did most of
God he saw his owne nakednesse His first nakednesse was nothing else than tokens of chiefe happinesse and of the greatest riches but the nakednesse that this man saw after he had sinned was meere ruine a testimony of everlasting woe and want That first man saw his body naked but his soule was more naked spoyled and disrobed of knowledge wisdome integrity and originall innocency hee covered his nakednesse being enwrapped with shame but this was a wretched garment he sowed together figg leaves and made aprons to cover himselfe and his seducing wife O vaine mantles O lamentable coverings And what are all mens cloathings that seeme so sumptuous and glittering but figge leafes that quickly vanish to nothing and gald those that weare them O would to God that as often as we cloath our selves wee were urged with the sharp and stinging point of repentance for they are tokens of our wants signes of our shame arguments of our misery and comforts for our extreme infirmities Thou sinfull and fallen man why art thou proud in setting forth thy impieties thou thiefe why braggest thou of a halter why dost thou vauntingly boast of anothers fleece what carriest thou under it but a sack full of dung the rotten bag of thy soule thy skin is not enough to cover thee nor except thou beest most impudent dost thou let any one see it but gettest some other thing to supply the want of thine owne I behold mine owne clothes I see a hell of evills yet I consider the depth of thy care providence and mercy for thou helpest mee thus naked before I can understand mine owne want and nakednesse and commandest all the creatures to haste unto me that they might cover my nakednesse and supply my wants Thou thy selfe most mercifull God as I remember didst clothe sinnefull man in a Lambs skinne not in Lyons Beares Foxes or Wolves skins that thou mightest teach him thy hatred to cruelty greedinesse deceit and wrath and thy love to unspotted simplicity thou madest his garment of the skins of dead cattell that thou mightest shew us how we were fallen from life to death how of immortall we were become mortall that we were from the earth and must returne to the earth againe Thou tookest a skin of a Lamb slaine that thou mightest witnesse unto us that our Fall was only to bee healed by a Lambe to be slaine O thou garment of the golden age thou unspotted Lamb slaine to the beleevers before the beginning of the world O thou Messias that wast promised and food appointed from all eternity thou who wast made the seed of the Woman and hast bruised the Serpents head cloath me with thy merits and mine owne deserts shall nothing hurt mee cloath mee with thy righteousnesse and mine owne unrighteousnesse shall not condemne mee cloath me with thy holinesse and mine owne iniquity shall not accuse mee cloath me with faith in thee and I shall one day receive the robe of happinesse Nothing can cover the filthy nakednesse of a sinner nothing can hide me from Gods judgement but thy coat O heavenly Lambe but the holes of thy wounds but the yawning scarres of thy body I will put thee on by a steadfast faith and with the Church of old I will triumph before thee CONTEMP c. 9. Of Noahs Ark Crow and Dove THou art my God very long suffering and thy wrath grants sinners a very large time nor dost thou root out sinners on a suddaine Mans malice was great and every thought of his heart was continually bent to mischief they neglected thy Word nor did they obey thy Spirit that was to lead them thou therefore didst repent thee of thy Creation and didst resolve to destroy this Inne of the World with all the guests thereof yet did not thy justice haste very much to execute judgement but thy mercy interposed a hundred and twenty yeares that thou mightst see whether by often preaching any could be moved to worke repentance Ah my God thou goest with two feet one of justice the other of mercy but mercy alwayes makes the first step and justice the later nor dost thou delight in the death or destruction of a sinner but thou wilt and commandest that he bee converted and live But all thy expectation was in vaine and thy mercies were entertained with scorne the wrath therfore of thy justice was kindled and the waters of the Flood broke in upon the earth the fountaines of the great deepe were broken up and the Cataracts of heaven were opened and it rained upon the earth for many dayes and almost all thy creatures perished and among men none but thy Noah and his family were preserved in the Ark. Thou forsakest not my God thou most just and most bountifull God those that worship adore thee but dost preserve them in fire and water and amidst the storme of growing miseries thou dost nor despise or reject any thou dost not affright any one except he who is so mad as to abhorr thee My God the horne of my salvation thou that takest me up thou Father of mercies God of all Consolation O Lord my Strength my Fortresse my Refuge my Deliverer Canst thou draw the sword of justice and not annoynt the point with the oile of mercy He lyes therefore hid in safety in that wonderfull ship out of which not life but present death was to bee found What shall I say that that ship did represent but thy Church which is tossed to and fro with sundry Stormes of persecution and waves of adversitie and hath no fixed station yet the true and eternall safety is contained there which out of it is offered to none Noah was the Steere-man hereof but thou O God art the Governour both of Noah and it and thou wast Noahs true and heavenly Comforter who dost not suffer it to sinke The waters of the Flood overwhelmed the palaces of Kings but did every day better than other beare aloft the Ark of Noah so doe persecutions destroy earthly kingdomes but thou sufferest not thine owne Kingdome to be overthrowne but dost even encrease and enlarge it by stormes of temptations Noah sent a Raven and a Dove out of the Ark the Raven pursued his prey and did never returne to the Arke of Noah the Dove did returne and was received in againe of this Steeres-man O Christ let mee abandon the Raven-like gluttony the lovelinesse of pleasures for it is very rare that any one seated amongst the delights of the age should remaine free from a smatch of vice in which although hee bee not forthwith inthralled yet is hee sometimes drawne away by them nor can he be long safe who stands next to danger let me remember that I am to play the Souldier in such a kind of warfare wherein there is no rest given I will resolve to overcome pleasures which have destroyed many good ingenuities The Dove finding no seat to rest upon returned to the Ark and was admitted into it O Christ my repose my
mouth I view the letters graven with the finger of God the learning people and teaching God and that there is as it were but one schoole of heaven and earth mixed of men and Angels For so it is written that when Moses had reported to the Lord the peoples words the Lord said unto him Now will I come to thee in a thick cloud that the people may hear me speake to thee And behold a while after they began to heare thunders and lightnings and thicke clouds began to cover the mountains And again He did descend upon the top of Mount Sinah And afterwards he spake with Moses all of them seeing that the Pillar of the Cloud did rest at the doore of the Tabernacle and they stood and worshipped in their Tent doors Thou didst speak O Lord to Moses face to face as one friend useth to doe with another O what a care hast thou of thy creature man thou God that affordst and performest these so great things for him making vile man partaker of thy Word and as it were admitting him to the fellowship of thy holy company opening thy hands full of immortall riches nourishing him with the cup of Nectar and feeding him with heavenly food What greater care I beseech thee couldest thou performe in that thy government or what greater affection couldest thou use that whereas they were but in the action of this present life they did notwithstanding then enjoy a representation of their future blisse Nor let any man here murmure that thou hadst this care of mankinde heretofore but that thou now hast it not Whence shall I beleeve this repining doth proceed by chance because we are not daily fed with Manna as they were although we reap from our fields most plentifull Wheat-harvests or is it because wee catch not Quailes flying as it were into our hands whereas we devour all kinde of birds of cattell and beasts or because we doe not with open mouthes receive the waters springing from the rockes whereas wee drench our Tavernes with the juice of the grapes Somthing I adde more that we our selves who thinke that God did then take care of them and do suppose that God doth now neglect us if wee could exchange our present blessings for theirs which are past wee would utterly refuse to wish to bee in their Condition For we would not lose the things wee now have that wee might possesse the things which they then used Not that wee have better things than that Nation then had but because even they who were fed by the daily ministery of heaven and of God himselfe did preferre the old gluttony of their bellies before the present good things they received beeing sad with the calling to minde of their carnall meates and falling sicke for the filthy love of leeks and oyons not that these things which they formerly used were better but because even as we now do so did they then they loathed the things they had and desired the things they had not We doe rather extol the things that were then than the things which now are not that we had alwayes rather have them if we might choose but because this is an usuall fault that mans soule is incident to to desire the things are absent and for other mens things to please us better than our owne and for ours to please others more than the things they doe enjoy so fastidious are we most miserable men that we are not worthy to live much lesse of life with the good things appertaining to it But what ere thou givest or deniest thou art alwayes a Father and dost never forsake a sonne that trusts and hopes in thee Give if thou wilt but onely five loaves and two fishes a handfull of meale a little oyle in a pitcher a few shreds and branches of trees and no more I will boast of the care thou hast of mee O my God in thee will I boast my heavenly Father who takest me up nor can I receive disquietnesse from thee for ever Thou wilt say to my soul I am thy salvation no good thing shall be diminished to them that seeke thee they shall not bee confounded in the evill day and in a time of famine they shall have enough Although I fall I shall not bee dashed to peeces because thou settest to thine hand I never saw the just man forsaken nor his seed begging their bread I will seeke thee O Lord and thou shalt heare mee and shalt snatch mee out of all my troubles being poore I will call unto thee and thou shalt save mee from all my cares those that feare thee cannot truly suffer want Thou wilt command that the meale in the vessell faile not that the oyle in the pitcher decrease not because I have need of all these things I will first seeke the Kingdome of God and other things shall be added unto me It is so far from thee my God and Lord that thou shouldest forsake thine that thou makest even dogs to helpe and give them ease I will expect thee O Lord I will play the Man I will suffer thine hand O Lord and my heart shall receive comfort let my father and mother forsake mee thou Lord shalt take mee up O God thou shalt be my helpe nor wilt thou despise me O God my salvation Thou shalt set me upon a rock thou shalt hide me in thy Tabernacle in the time of afflictions thou shalt hide me in the depth of thy Tabernacle in the time of affliction that I may see thy goodnesse in the land of the living CONTEMP c. 12. Of the Tabernacle of the Children of Israel Of the Cloud wherein Gods especiall presence was manifested Of the Mercy-seat Of the Arke Of the Manna and Of Aarons rod. I Creepe before thy Tabernacle my God I cōsider how thou didst appear to thy people I find many terrible things but yet comfortable also thou wrappest thy selfe in a Cloud yet is not thy Majesty the lesse resplendent it is so great that thou affrightest and art feared like a consuming fire and how shall I beleeve that an Intellect severed from all mixtion of mortality most excellent most wife and most holy a spirit piercing through all things and intent even to each particular part of the Universe which doth as it were to the strings of a most exquisite Harpe modulate the song of vanishing things in a most pleasing variety a Spirit unbegotten immortall everlasting that is onely a place yea a world able to conteyne it selfe and the greatest world of wisdome of holinesse of understanding of reason of life of formes to whom intelligible nature it selfe doth breath forth and ceases not to frame and render praises can be cloathed in a cloud yet thou cloathest thy selfe with a cloud that thou mightest then exhibit thy selfe according to the time of faith not as thou art a God but as men might endure to behold thee Thou teachest us spirituall things by corporall things and dost demonstrate
unto us invisible things by things visible thou art the sun O my God but my weake eyes cannot looke stedfastly upon thy most resplendant light except a cloud be interposed if I will try the strength of my eyes farther I may easily be blind if I will soare higher I may be in danger to bee burnt to ashes Let me alwayes beare in mind that which one of thy Saints was wont seriously to ruminate upon I am a man and understand not Gods secrets I dare not search after them and therefore I am affraid even to make an essay upon them because it is a kinde of sacrilegious rashnesse to desire to know more than is permitted unto me In thy Tabernacle I see the Arke of thy Covenant besides the Arke I see the Mercy-seat I see Manna in the Arke and those rocky leafes and Volume of stone wherein the Law was written published amiddest thunders amiddest lightnings amiddest the horrid sounds of heavenly trumpets amiddest the deadly savour of the ambient ayre amiddest the poles of heaven bellowing with these sacred noises amiddest those fires mists and clouds replenished with the holy Deity O my God how many mysteries do here lie hid that I would I might understand mee thinks I see Christ in all these things for hee is the true Mercy-seat who alone hath done away the sinnes of the whole world by the onely sacrifice of his passion and hath made thee a God propitious unto us Hee was represented by that golden peece of workmanship wherein thou diddest promise that thou wouldest dwell and hearken unto those that should call upon thee for thou lovedst us also in him thy beloved one and in him art mercifull unto us Hee defends his Church as that golden tent did cover the Arke and did hide the Law which was laid up in it from the face of God that dwelt above it that hee should not according to the rigour thereof take notice of our sinnes or enter into judgement with us Thou thy selfe my God hast promised him unto mee that he might be a sacrifice for me in his owne blood Thou hast made him a propitiation both for mine and for the sinnes of the whole world O Christ my reconciler my place of refuge O my hope redeeme mee and reconcile mee that I lose thee not and bee forced to beare the wrath of my everlasting Father for ever He is the true Arke for as the Arke was made of pure gold and the neatest wood so my Redeemer God and Man is consubstantiall of the most high Godhead and the most perfect humanity The Tables were put in the Arke because my Redeemer hath in him the perfect fulfilling of the Law by whose benefits apprehended by faith our disobedience becomes unhurtfull unto us What more sweet than Manna And what more wholesome than Christ the bread of heaven which whosoever by faith shall eat shall never bee bitten with hunger but nourished for ever by an unspeakable happinesse I also find Aarons rod sometimes dry sometimes flourishing the rod of Jesse the tree of life Christ my Redeemer with suffring upon the crosse gives up the ghost forthwith returns to life and flourisheth without end O the riches of the wisdome and understanding which thy Book affords them that love and hearken unto thee O Christ be thou my Propitiatory if the infernall tempter shall accuse mee bee thou my Arke where I may bee hid when sinne doth tyranously grow cruel against me be thou my staffe whereon I may leane when I shall enter the vale of death bee thou my Manna wherewith I may bee continually refreshed after death in thine everlasting Kingdome CONTEMP c. 13. Of the Conception of Christ O What humility O what a desire to save me hadst thou O Christ my Saviour there was no truth in my mouth my throat was an open sepulchre I have dealt deceitfully with my tongue and my spirit is not pure and thou that art the very mouth of truth the throat of sweetnesse the tongue of virtue my most unspotted Saviour and free from all contagion of sinne dost kisse mee with the kisses of thy mouth O blessed kisse and to bee wondred at for its admirable value in which one mouth makes not an impression upon another but God and Man are united together With what else shall I compare thy incarnation but to a kisse a kisse a token of peace and reconciliation and by thy incarnation was peace and reconciliation restored to the world O what a blessed day is that when thwarting thy paths I receive a kisse from thy offended mouth in stead of a deserved reproofe as thy Spouse the Church cries out burning with impatient love shee cryes out Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth with a desire kindled from the promises and benefits of Christ she beseeches the Messiah might be sent unto her that she might heare him speaking and behold him instructing her in his flesh shee requires him to descend and to bee united to the humanity Consider the Church O my soule who having of a long time had a promise of her Lords comming from the mouth of the Prophets and having beene a great while in suspence raiseth her selfe from the body abandoning luxury and carnall pleasures and delights and disroabing her selfe of the care of secular vanities doth wish for the infusion of the divine presence and grace of the saving Word and how is shee tortured and afflicted that hee comes so late wounded as it were with love not able longer to endure his delay turning to the Father shee beseecheth him that he will send God the Word unto her I will not have him speak by Moses nor by the Prophets no let him take my body upon him let him kisse me in the flesh Follow my soule thou which art a part of that most happy assembly follow the example of that groaning Church and think on nothing more love cherish vow unto and expect nothing more than thy Messias See I beseech you and consider the familiar and friendly communication of those soules sighing in the flesh with the heavenly powers they rejoyce in those kisses they aske for what they desire yet they name not him they love because they doubt not but that hee knowes them with whom they have been accustomed so often to converse withall therefore they say not let this or that particular kisse me but only let him kisse us as Mary Magdalen did not expresse his name whom she sought but only said to him she thought had been the Gardner Sir if thou hast taken him What him she utters it not because she thought that must needs be manifest to all which could not for one moment depart out of her heart neither doth that betrothed Virgin desire one kisse burning continually with chaste love and impatient of delayes but she askes for many kisses that her desires may bee satiate For she that loves is not content with the parcimony of one kisse but requires
many chalenges many and so useth to commend her selfe often unto her beloved Kisse thou also the Lord O my soule lest at any time he be angry and thou perish in the way Who will give thee unto me O Lord O let me find thee and I will kisse not my hands or any thing my hands can touch but even thee O Lord. Let the tumultuous flesh be silent let the phansies of earth and water of ayre and of the vault of heaven hold their peace let dreams and imaginary revelations bee still let every tongue every signe and whatsoever is acted in a trice be quiet say nothing to thy selfe O my soule passe by thy selfe and have no thought upon thy selfe but upon my God For he is truly all my hope and trust For in God and our Lord Jesus Christ most sweet most bountifull and most pitifull is every of our portions our bloud and flesh the lover doth as much as possible desire to be one with the thing beloved and therefore they cling together and glew as it were their bodies in one and they strive to make of both their soules but one by the conjunction of kisses Thou O Jesus my love thou my desire thou my thought thou my hope thou my wish I would I could alwayes cleave unto thee Would to God that where thou my portion doest raigne there I may at least be a subject and where thou my blood doest rule there I may obey and where thou my flesh art glorified I may not bee there confounded I am indeed a sinner but yet I distrust not of the communion of grace and if my sinnes doe forbid it yet my substance requireth it if mine owne offences exclude me the fellowship of my nature drives mee not back for God is not so great an enemie that hee should not love his owne flesh his members and bowels I might indeed despaire by reason of my too too many sinnes and offences my infinite faults and negligences which I have committed and which I daily and without ceasing doe act in heart mouth and worke and by all wayes that humane frailtie can offend except thou haddest kissed me except O Word thou haddest beene made flesh except thou shouldest dwell in me Let reason here be silent and let faith speak the things are true which I say for thy Spirit hath revealed them unto me yet are they so profound that I cannot pierce into them they are so high that my abjectnesse will not suffer me to reach them I will adore them in silence and admire in my adoration And thy miraculous incarnation shall clense my spotted conception Let not reason conceive that which thy overshadowing doth work so that my Salvation may be firme sure and unshaken CONTEMP c. 14. Of Christs Nativitie THat which none ever saw now all the world beholds that which none ever heard now all the world doth heare God the Sonne of God undergoes the shame of our humane nature and takes upon him the reproachfull principles of our earthly originall he lyes in a manger to whom Angels doe yeeld their service he suffers himselfe to be wrapped in swadling cloathes who gives cloathing to the heavens no ambition seene in his house a bare couch in a stable and his Mother lodged in hay such an Inne doth the worlds Creator make choice of these were the dainties of the holy Virgins child-bed ragges in stead of purple for silke and princely trimming nothing but plaine hemmes hee that was before the foundation of the world was laid borne from the heart of his Father who had Alpha and Omega for his surname the beginning and the close of all things which were or are or shall be hereafter now in the end of the determined time put on the shape of a servant and is borne of a poore Virgin Let the vault of heaven sing let every Angell sing let all that belong to vertue sing to the praises of God let no tongue be silent and let every voyce for ever and ever sound forth his praises Old-age and youth quires of Infants troopes of matrons and virgins the simple maydens with tunable voyces let them with chast consorts chaunt forth his praises let every age acknowledge that the reward of our life is come after the bondage of our sharpe enemie Whence is this that not the Mother of our Lord but that the very Lord himselfe comes unto us How great is he that is given to mee hee is the Angell of peace the Lambe of God the Benefactour of all the horne of salvation the Bruiser of the Serpents head the Governour of Israel he is the desire of the Gentiles the guide of our life and the expectation of the Nations He is the Son of the most High the branch of Jesse the humble Caller of mankind he is our Intercessour he is our Righteousnesse he is our Deliverer hee is our Mediatour hee is our Nourisher hee is our Helper He is the Prince of Peace he is the great Prophet the Restorer of our quiet he is our Redeemer Hee is our Reconciler he is King of Sion a Saviour an Expiatory Sacrifice he is the heavenly Bridegroome the Expeller of sadnesse he is the Word made flesh the most ample Present the heavenly Zelote he is all things Let the bright heaven thunder let the glad earth personate let yawning hell mourne but let mankind keepe a Jubily we groaped in darknesse and were blinded and covered in a most thick night he proceedeth out of the darknesse and night that expelleth these mists of ignorance and night of sinnes Our nature is not now strange to God since that in it even in Christ our Mediatour the fulnesse of the Godhead doth now dwell for the Virgins womb was made choice of for the Lord of heaven and earth to spring in nor was that blessed masse the Sonne of God incarnate for her onely but that of his fulnesse all wee might be made pertakers God did not onely make mee but hee made many things for me seeing that the Word is made flesh for me and dwelleth in us he is become one flesh with me that he might make mee one Spirit with him Christ would become that which man is that man might become what God is it is impossible for mee to understand the secret of his Nativity My understanding failes my voice nay not mine only but even the voice of the Angels is stopped it is above Powers above Cherubin and Seraphin and above all sense I therefore lay my hand upon my mouth I may not search after these so high mysteries It may bee knowne that he was borne It is not to bee disputed how hee was borne it is rashnesse to enquire after this This is an unutterable Birth who shall declare it An Angell shewes it the Vertue overshadowes the Spirit assists the Virgin beleeves a Virgin brings forth and yet continues a Virgin who doth not admire the Word is born an Infant 8c length is acknowledged to be
were likewise many that were called Saviours as Othniel Ehud and others but these were onely deliverers of the body and did onely for a time deliver the people from their outward enemies and did for a while keep them free from the spoylers of this world but this my Jesus is the true Saviour for he not onely frees and preserveth his people from outward enemies but from spirituall subtilties in high places Sometimes indeed he delivers us to outward enemies nor is he presently Jesus or a Saviour he sends amongst us warre plague haile cold poverty disgrace diseases captivity bondage but it is for our eternall salvation He is also a faithfull Jesus nor suffers he any one to be tempted above his strength but giveth our temptations such a measure that we may endure them and although our Jesus doth seeme too cruelly and too long to leave us in these externall evils and to lay too heavie a burden upon us that we are in feare to be overcharged to yeeld and to faile under it yet let us expect the comming of our Jesus wwhich will be in a fit season My Jesus best knoweth our strength and how much we can beare and as the pilot doth diligently take care that the ship be not over-fraighted or fall into any fearfull danger so my Iesus doth weigh and ballance our abilities before he layes any crosse upon us that it may not exceed them Thinke alwayes O my soule upon Iesus because thou hast alwayes need of thy Iesus If thy sinnes do vex thee and Satan doth paint them forth and set them before thee that he may perswade thee they are more in number than can be forgiven that they be larger than heaven and earth for magnitude call upon thy Iesus and make Satan thy laughing-stocke Iesus is my Saviour who hath delivered me from my sins and hath taken them upon himselfe he is become for me and all the world a ransome a sacrifice a reconciliation And because it appeares that he is not conquered but is truly a Saviour they must needs be sinners indeed and not feighned sinners that he doth save for this sentence can never be recalled Christ is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world If the feare of death doth presse thee and if Satan endeavour to dishearten thee with the expectation thereof and doth portrait the figure of death before thee in a most bloody horrible manner and repeats unto thee the threats which God denounces against sinners and the vengeance which he reserves for them protect thy selfe with the Name of Iesus and oppose it to the terrors of death Why should I feare death that I should feare the paines thereof when as my Iesus as himselfe doth teach us hath slaine my death O death I will be thy death Doth Satan strive to make thee sad himselfe being punished and overwhelmed with everlasting woe desiring to draw others into his company pronounce thou therefore but the Name of Iesus with beliefe and he vanisheth away for hee is therefore a Iesus because he hath ransomed thee from the curse of thy sinnes and hath reconciled thee to the everlasting Father that thou mightest for ever rejoyce with him Why then art thou sad What ever befals thee let the Name of Iesus still come into thy heart and betweene thy lips that the force thereof may asswage all afflictions Nothing is more sweetly sung nothing is heard more pleasingly than Iesus the Sonne of God No kinde of sin is so great but the Name of Iesus is above it O thou therefore pleasant Name of Iesus a delightfull Name a comfortable Name O Lord Iesus if I have done that for which thou mayest damne me yet hast not thou lost that whereby thou mightest save me O most mercifull Iesus O most sweet Iesus O most gracious Iesus O Iesu Iesu O Iesus the salvation of those that trust in thee O Iesus the salvation of those that beleeve in thee O Iesus the salvation of those that flie unto thee O sweet Iesu the remission of all our sinnes O Iesu for thy holy Name sake save me that I perish not O Iesus have mercy upon me while there is a time for mercy and condemne me not in the time of thy judgement Iesus Christ have mercy upon me for this thy Names sake doe unto mee according to this thy Name looke on me miserable wretch invoking thy Name it is true my soule hath deserved damnation and my repentance is no satisfaction but it is certaine that thy mercy is farre exceeding all my offences give me therefore for thy Names sake that mercy O my Iesus for thou savest thy people freely by faith alone without all merit of works onely for thy Names sake onely by the power of thy Name onely by the blood of thy body whereby thou diddest appease thy Father and obtainedst redemption and therefore dost thou save thy people freely and not for their works that our soules might be sure of redemption it could not be sure if thou shouldest not save us but for the merit of our works for either we have no merits by manifestly sinning against the Law of God or we have not merits enough because our works are imperfect which can by no meanes satisfie Gods Law therefore that our consciences may be sure of the forgivenesse of sinnes it is needfull that thou be a Iesus gratis unto me who seeing thou art true and constant in thy promises it cannot be that I can be deceived if I trust in thy Name O most bountifull Iesus O Iesu my most sweet Lord keep me in this faith and confidence even to the end let thy last word upon the crosse be my last word in this life and when I can speak no more heare my last desire Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit thou God of truth and God of my salvation thou even thou hast redeemed me O little Jesus I onely require thee comfort my soule thou best of Babes draw mee O draw me after thee by thy sweet favour thou Prince of Glory Lead me O thou our true salvation to thine owne Countrey after thine own victory wherein praise be unto thee for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 16. Of Christ's and of our Circumcision BEhold my eyes your Jesus my soule consider thy Christ the knife is taken in hand and the Sonne of the most High is drawn away to be wounded stay knife from touching the Innocent let the Synagogue spare the innocent send him away thou Circumcisor without touching him but my Jesus why wouldst thou be so circūcised be so wounded spill thy most tender blood Why doest thou so hasten O Lord to the shedding of thy milky blood it is my salvation which makes thee thus to hasten but why didst thou submit thy self to be circumcised which art the Lord of the Law nay the Law-giver himselfe was it to confirme the Circumcision that thou haddest long before ordained to be rightly observed even till
sharpe nailes which pierced and fastned thy feet and hooked them to the Crosse O Iesus have mercy upon me and intercede for mee to thy heavenly Father intercede for me to day this houre this moment that he may pardon me my sins In the second place he said Verily I say unto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise How milde O Lord how courteous art thou to sinners thy delight is amongst the sonnes of men even in thy strongest and most unutterable torments Thou wast hanged betweene a most wicked paire of theeves thou stretchest forth thy hand that one of them might take hold of it and that thou mightest draw him to thee with it and gather him to thee as a hen gathereth her young ones under her wings How pleasing is the society to thee when a sinner joynes himselfe to thee and if they will with what affection dost thou receive and heale them The Theefe on the left-hand thinking reproachfully of thee doth revile and blaspheme thee most virulently therefore thy sorrowes sweat labour drops of blood streams of blood prayers and intercession could nothing profit him the Theefe on the right-hand having a zealous opinion of thee acknowledgeth thee and though he cannot with his hands yet doth hee embrace thee with a contrite and devout heart he begges a great thing of thee and obtaines the greatest he begges for a favourable remembrance of him and he obtains eternall gladnesse O example of true and wonderful repentance For what is true repentance what but that which is sorrowfull for offences confesseth them and hath recourse to Christ their Deliverer by a stedfaâ—â— faith but it is miraculous because then at length Christ is acknowledged the expiation of his sin when his most sick soule doth meditate the forsaking of the habitation of his body and the Redeemer himselfe is in suffering the last and most horrid punishment O Christ my Lord and my God grant that I also may bewaile and confesse my sinnes and aske thee pardon for them and alwayes weigh with my selfe thy merits grant that I may doe this with the Theefe but that I may not put off my desire of thee to the last period of my life as many doe who naughtily excuse their most wicked procrastination by the example of the Theefe Let me not come to that hardnesse of heart that the late gained salvation of the converted Theefe should make me more carelesse nor let me say my conscience tortures me not my life shall not trouble me because I see the Theefe had all his sinnes pardoned in a moment Consider ô my soule thou guest and companion of my body not so much the concise confession and faith of the Theefe but the earnest devotion and mournfull time wherein the Apostles themselves did wander and forsake their Master then imitate the faith and zeale of the Theefe and at last promise to thy selfe his salvation Now that unplacable enemie of our soules tries to leade thee into this security that in the fatall houre of death he may thrust thee head-long into infernall destruction It is impossible to be spoken how many are circumvented and damned by the shadow of this deceitfull hope he deceives himselfe and makes a sport of his damnation whosoever seekes not for the mercie of God but at the houre of his death they are abominable to God that sinne with a hope that it will be time enough to be converted to God in their old age The Theefe that at this time did so miraculously apply Christs death to himselfe had not formerly put off his repentance for he had never before heard of the doctrine of Christ therefore in this minute of an houre in this twinckling of an eye make mee pray unto thee and convert thee unto me lest securely promising my selfe salvation I fall from my salvation Grant that being converted I may be charitable to my neighbour and take care for his conversion and salvation as the penitent Theefe did admonish the impenitent Theefe and did labour to bring him unto thee Ah my Lord remember me also in thy Kingdome if thou wilt at least think me worthy to be remembred and cast a gratious eye upon mee and I shall have enough because I am sure of thy power and wisdome and I am confident of thy pitie and charitie Ah suffer me to be with thee in Paradise where is the soules happinesse and the beautifull vision of God I cannot be well without thee nor can any ill be with thee CONTEMP c. 19. Of the third and fourth word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse WHo are they O Lord Jesus Christ who not onely followed thee to the Crosse but doe also abide under thy Crosse Who are they not only spectators of thy most cruell punishment but exposed also to the cruell torment of their eyes and soules It is Christs Mother the crowne of Virgins it is Mary thy Mother it is John thy kinsman it is thy most loving Disciple who leaned upon his Masters brest when he was at supper him whom thy soule loved a sword doth pierce their soules thornes and needles doe pricke their eyes whilst they see thee stretched upon the Crosse with all thy sinewes torne all bloody even springing forth with blood thou hast taught me by those thy distressed beholders made wet with showres of teares that thy most deare children are most neare to the Crosse those whom thou dost most fervently love they are most grievously and most often made subject to the Crosse There cannot bee a true Church that cannot bee miserable thou thy selfe dost drinke to her in the cup of affliction which if she refuse or loath it she is a bastard We ought to be like thee let us be contented that we may be as our Master whosoever desires to be above his Master is proud and not worthy of his Master we are a burning bush which is burnt but not consumed we are a citie besieged but not taken we are the Moone labouring under an eclipse but not perpetually losing her light wee are the Arke of Noah exposed to the Flood yet not over whelmed with it we are the woman in travell whom the dragon pursues but yet kills her not we are the lilly amongst the thornes and yet wee wither not thy most cruell torments O Lord could not so farre afflict and torture thee but that thou haddest a care of thine but that thou wouldest speak to thy mother and to thy disciple for thy third word upon the crosse was uttered to them behold thy Sonne behold thy Mother Me thinks O Lord I see into thy bowells into the depth of thy thoughts thou complainest the sorrowes of death have compassed mee about but yet that sword doth no lesse break and wound my heart which hath with unspeakable torment peirced thy soule most sweet mother I behold also thee most loving yong man the most inimate of my friends most sweet desciple I behold thy groanes and sighes for the losse
shall Sun or heat fall on us because thou dost governe us and leadest us to the fountaines of waters and shalt wipe away all teares from our eyes thou shalt make us drunk with the plenteousnesse of thy house and refresh us with the streames of thy pleasure O Lord as the hart desireth the fountaines of water so longeth my soule after thee O Lord my soule hath thirsted after God the living fountaine when shall I come and appeare before the face of God O Lord when shall I worthily call to mind thy mercyes thy praises which are farre above all things which thou hast given me and exceeding the multitude of the goods of my house which thou hast bestowed upon mee according to the multitude of thy mercyes CONTEMP 21. c. Of Christs sixt word uttered upon the Crosse THou hast performed all and every of those things which thou knewest necessary to recover our salvation most willingly and with all thy heart And therefore thy sixt word was not it shall be finished as thou diddest say in thy journey to Jerusalem behold we goe up to Jerusalem and all things shall be fulfilled which are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man for hee shall be delivered up to the Gentiles shall bee mocked shall be scourged and spitt upon and after they have scourged him they shall put him to death But hee saies it is finished whatsoever the wicked nation could invent to exasperate thy torments is finished thou truly diddest foretell the houre and power of darkenesse and the time of thy crucifying I have finished sayest thou the work which thou gavest me to doe but that was another work namely the work of Preaching the Gospell as thou thy selfe doest intimate unto mee when thou addest I have manifested thy name unto men this work which thou sayest is finished is the work of suffering for mankind the work of drinking off the cup of the passion which thy father hath given thee thou hast now drunk it all off so that there remaines nothing but that thou give up the ghost the power which was given the apostate Angels and the filthy rabble of wicked men is finished thy pilgrimage wherein thou wentest out from thy father and diddest come into the world is finished wherein thou wast upon the earth like a husbandman and a travailer the mortality of thy humanity is at an end every prophecy which the prophets had foretold concerning thy life or death is finished the greatest sacrifice of all sacrifices is finished that upon which all the sacrifices of the old covenant as types and shaddows did reflect for by one oblation thou hast for ever made perfect those that are sanctified and art become the end of the Law to every one that beleeveth Now the variety of carnall sacrifices ceasing thou fulfillest all those distinctions of beasts by once offering up of thy body and blood thou hast O Lord drawne all things unto thy selfe for by rending the vaile of the temple the Sanctum Sanctorum departed from the unworthy high Preists that the figure might bee turned into a truth the prophecy into a manifestation and the Law into a Gospell O cleane O unspotted sacrifice whose Altar was the Crosse which the viler it was before Christ overcame it so much the more famous and noble did it afterwards become the fire thereof that consumes the burnt offering and perfecteth the sacrifice is this immeasurable charity which like a furnace exceedingly heated did burne in thy heart O Jesus which the many waters of thy sufferings could not extinguish O Jesus my redeemer my mercy my Saviour I praise thee I give thanks unto thee though farre unproportionable to thy benefits though very voyd of devotion though leane in comparison of that fatnesse which thy most sweet affection towards us doth require in them yet my soule doth pay unto thee what thanks shee is able not such as shee knowes are due unto thee from mee Thou hope of my heart thou vertue of my soule let thy most powerfull worth perfect that which my most chill weaknesse doth endeavour my life thou end of my intention though I have not loved thee so much as I ought to love thee yet doe I at least desire to love thee as much as I ought O Jesus let this word alwayes stick in my memory It is finished When sinne and damnation shall band themselves against mee wrastling with the pangs of death and shall present unto mee my ugly life made deformed by my sinnes let me be able then to say the sacrifice for my sinnes is finished For thou art the Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world Thou hast not redeemed me with corruptible silver and gold but with thy most precious blood as it were of an unspotted undefiled lamb When the law shall accuse me and shall exact punishment let me say each tittle of it is accomplished For when the fulnes of time was come God sent his Son made under the Law that he might redeem those which were under the Law and that we also might receive the adoption of children When death shall infest and terrifie me let me say thy power is determined thou art conquered by my Lord who hath spoiled thee of thy power hath taken out thy sting and purged out thy poyson that death may be to me a sweet repose great gaine a dismission in peace a recalling from evils a momentary hiding me till wrath is past and till heaven gates be opned for me When kindred friends and acquaintance shall at the time of my departure bewaile my going hence and compasse my bed with groanes and teares let me say my course is finished the appointed time is past the period is fixed which we cannot passe the glasse is runne the houre of freedome drawes neare here my misery makes a stand and the haven I make to is neare where all teares shall be wiped away behold I leave unto you a Fulfiller of all good and an asswager and ender of all evill hee shall comfort you if you flie unto him hee shall keepe and defend you to whom I recommend my soule and to whom I recommend you the beloved of my soule for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 22. Of the seventh and last word of Christ uttered upon the Crosse ALthough Lord Jesus Christ great is thy humility great thy abasement and great is thy affliction that thou seemest scarce a man but a worm yet in thy seventh and last word before thou gavest up the ghost tho-shewedst thy selfe not a man only but even set above the reach of mans power for when thou wast about to breathe out thy most holy Spirit thou criedst out Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Ah what a mournfull lamentable sad and miserable silence is there when mournfull lamentable sad and miserable man is commanded to breathe forth his soule how silent faint and how dead as it were are all things before death our death-bed takes
and make all his praises to be heard O Lord my God thou art exceedingly exalted thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as it were with a garment Ioseph was thrust into a most noysome darknesse of a prison but the third yeere was hee taken thence and made the great commander over all Aegypt Christ was put in the bowells of the earth but the third day he came out thence alive and was made governour of heaven and earth Moses was cast forth into the river being shut into an Arke of bulrushes but was presently drawne from thence and made the people of Israels Captaine and deliverer Christ Jesus was shut into the tomb but was in good time raised thence and designed for a Saviour unto all men The bush in the wildernesse did burne but was not consumed by the fire Jesus burned upon the Crosse and was exposed to the flames of Gods wrath and the assaults of Satan but this fire was put out and now the beames of his fatherly favour shine forth Aarons rod was withered but it flourished againe all Christs bones were dryed by his passion but vigour returned to them from the grave Josuah trampled the five Kings that were brought unto him under his feet and hung them upon five trees Jesus Christ trampled upon our five enemies the world satan sinne death and the grave and carried away most great spoyles and set up glorious trophyes of his victory Sampson was taken in Gaza but hee plucked up the gates of the City and escaped Christ Jesus was taken of death but not kept and having conquered death hee triumphed David overthrew Goliah the Philistims champion with a sling Christ with his blood overthrew and vanquished the devill the leader and captaine of the wicked We blesse thee famous Saviour we laud thee most invincible captaine we reverence thee most triumphant victour arise make haste my soule and come away now winter's past the storme is over and gone the flowers deck our feilds the spring is come the voyce of the turtle is heard in our land the figgtree is budded the flourishing vines send forth a sweet savour arise make haste my soule and come away it is no time for sloth but to make speed it is no time to sleepe but to awake it is no time to weepe but to rejoyce it is no time to complaine but to bee glad wee have beene too indulgent to sadnesse wee have shed teares enough let sadnesse depart let mirth returne the time of the passion is past the time of the resurrection is come all anxiety must fly away when the message sent by the Angell is heard all greife of heart must vanish when the Gospell is received hee is risen hee is risen whom his friend betrayed whom the company of his disciples forsook whom Peter denied whom the Priests delivered up whom the serjeants smot whom the high Priests mocked whom the Iudges condemned whom the hangmen put to death whom the souldiers pierced whom the accursed burden of our sinns did oppresse whom the wrath due to our sinns had tormented hee is risen the Lord our God is risen our brother is risen who hath in his sepulcher buried all our iniquities and by his resurrection hath brought forth for us freedome and salvation Confesse unto the Lord and call upon his name set forth his works amongst the Gentiles sing unto him sing psalmes unto him declare all his wonderfull works This is the day wherein hath fallen what ever lifted up the head against the Lord for the Lord himselfe after hee had drunk of the brock in the way exalted his own head and brake to peeces the heads of his adversaries this is the day wherein hell was overthrowne and the abhominable Kingdome of Satan conquered the devill bound the old dragon spoyled death disabled and the miserable Christian people freed Remember the wonderfull things of the Lord which hee hath done his marvailes and the judgements of his mouth who shall set forth the power of the Lord and make all his praises to be heard this is the day wherein did vanish away the snares of the serpent of paradise which hee layd for the seede of the woman they vanished away and the head of the serpent was cleft in sunder and the enmity betwixt mankinde and the serpents brood brake forth into extreamity of deeds This is the day wherein the second Adam from heaven awaked out of sleepe and received his only beloved and married her to himselfe blesse the Lord O my soule O Lord my God thou hast been wonderfully magnified thou hast put on praise and comelinesse and art clothed with light as with a garment rejoyce in the Lord O my soule this ought to be the solemnity above all solemnities wherein Christ the Lord by his divine power arose from death 〈…〉 as before handled like a 〈…〉 theefe this day is better than tha◠wherein the world did first appeare For that was created for mans labour this was made for his rest that deserved death this frees him from the feare of death the light of that day is buried in darknesse the brightnesse of this day doth even enlighten the graves to conclude the dead see not the light of that day but the light of this day hath even showne forth to the dead let us therefore rejoyce in this day which both shines about the living and quickneth the dead and illuminates those who are to come Let all the world exult with joy for it is meet that as every creature did lament with mournfull teares the death of their Creator and did follow the hearse of him that was put to death upon the Crosse in the dark funerals of the night so they should now joyfully receive him triumphantly returning in his resurrection from the dead And thou also my soule rowse thy selfe from the sleepe of sinne that thou crucifie him not againe after his resurrection awake if thou be asleepe and rise from the dead when the Lord arose from the tabernacle the campe removed and all the people followed to day is the Lord of life and death risen from the grave thou must not lie snorting but follow him by thy fervent devotion the old leaven must be purged out the leaven of malice and wickednesse wee must feed on the unleavened bread of truth and sincerity I am willing O God but not able thou who hast given mee grace to hate the way of the flesh and studies of this age vouchsafe that I may never set foot in that way nor ever be deceived by these inventions Lord Jesus Holy Iesus Good Iesus if thou wilt I shall be able for it is thy will that makes mee able will therefore I may have ability and will I may bring this good work to perfection Thou who did'st vouchfafe to dye for our sinns and to rise againe for our justification I beseech thee by thy glorious resurrection to raise me from the grave of all my sinnes and offences
the man Christ Iesus Therefore where my portion reignes I beleeve I reigne where my blood doth rule I perceive my selfe to rule where my flesh is glorified I know I am glorious Thou wentest to prepare a place for mee that I might be with thee in a most plesant City thou laydst open the way that I might come into thy most loving society Thou didst first break through that I might also enter into most ample felicity in everlasting health of body in perfect purity of our soules in all fullnesse of glory and divine pleasure into the perpetuall familiarity of the Saints to have kindred hope resting place grace and dignity in the heavens CONTEMP 27. c. Of the sending downe of the Holy Ghost HOw great and what an unutterable piety of my redeemer is this hee carried man into heaven and sent God downe upon the earth behold therefore a new Redeemer is sent from heaven behold againe divinity and humanity are mixed together Thou didst foretell O my God by thy spirit which thou hast given us I will powre out my waters to the thirsty and my streames upon those that are scorched I will powr out my spirit upon thy seede my blessing upon thy posterity I will powre out my spirit upon all flesh and your sonns shall prophecy I will sprinckle pure water upon you and you shall be clensed from all your pollutions I will send my spirit into the midst of you Now O my God is thy prophecy fulfilled and the showers of thy graces and streames of thy blessings are powred forth That common expected time of gladnesse of all the righteous is now come the sweet guest of the soule is come the comfortable refreshing the rest in our labour the temper in heate comfort in mourning the washing of that which was foule watering that which was partched with heate healing that which is wounded straightning what was crooked cherishing that which was cold ordering what was gone astray The inspiter of our faith the teacher of knowledge the fountaine of love the ensigne of chastity and the cause of all our vertue is come Hee came when the twelve ministers and dispensors of thy mysteries were unanimously gathered together at Ierusalem in the house of prayer chosen by thine owne selfe in the holy City the City of perfect beauty and a sudden noyse comming from heaven as it were the rushing of a mighty wind cloven tongues appeared to them like fire and sate upon each of them so that they were all filled with the Holy ghost and they began to speak in divers languages They were gathered together with one accord and indeed that spirit loves agreement and doth bind faster together mens peacefull minds it drives away all brawles and contentions and is it selfe driven away by brawles and contentions They were gathered together in Jerusalem it loves a holy place and where thy word is preached there it gratiously abideth This word is not without the spirit nor thy word without the spirit there was a sound like a wind the holy spirit is not still but its voyce is heard hee is not dumbe but speaketh and preacheth redemption to sinners revelations to those in misery comfort to those that bee sad exaltation to those that are opressed deliverance to the captives liberty to the bondmen and rersurrection to the dead There was a sudden and vehement sound from heaven the holy spirit is not the gift of men but of the Almighty God it brings not momentary but things eternall not earthly but heavenly things Gods helpe is also for the most part sudden and unlooked for when wee despaire of all mens ayd the power of the most High is sent us and cures us in a most fit time The holy spirit is cheerefull and makes them nimble and ready in whom it operates for the grace of the holy spirit is not acquainted with sluggish endevours The tongues appeared devided like fire the tongue is the instrument of the holy ghost whereby it prepares and enlargeth the spirituall Kingdome and as the tongue doth distinguish tastes so doth the holy spirit shew us good from ill and to discerne between spirits it also bestowes on us the gift of variety of languages and gathers together in one the multitudes of men dispersed by reason of the difference of their tongues The love of God is lastly fiery it enlightens the understandings drowned in darknesse it warmes the soules by charity makes them shine in good works consumes wicked affections and actions O most wholsome fire descende from heaven into us We burne with the filthy brands of our lusts that the earth seemes rather an Aetna of uncleane flames than an habitation of men For as the hill Aetna doth continually boyle with certaine inward fiery vapors so doth that with the abhominable flames of fornications by this meanes we kindle the fire of wrath the fire of destruction the fire of the Lord the fire of indignation which went out from the Lord and consumed Nadab and Abihu How grievously doth the prophet cry out behold all of you doe kindle his fire and adde fuell to the flames enter yee into the light of your fire and the flames which yee have kindled For after this manner as the scripture mentioneth doth all mankind rush into eternall damnation For first they kindle the fire then they put fuell to the flames and finally they enter into the flames which they have kindled And first doe wee begin to kindle the eternall fire for our selves when first we begin to sinne and we adde fuell to the flames when we heap sins upon sins We enter into the eternall fire when we fulfill the remedilesse summe of all our mischiefes by the iniquity of our multiplyed offences As our Saviour spake to the Rulers of the Jewes Yee serpents yee generation of vipers fulfill yee the measure of your fathers O heavenly Spirit let plentifull showres fall from heaven and quench the accursed flames of this fire that I be not delivered into the unsufferable flames which no water no brooke no river no sea can quench Filth sticks to me on all sides who will wash it off I am polluted with the dirt of my sins who shall make mee cleane My soule is wounded and altogether defiled who shall heale and purifie it My bones are dried up who shall moisten them Shalt not thou wash mee shalt not thou purge mee shalt not thou heale mee shalt not thou cleanse me shalt not thou moysten me Thou didst never yet suffer me to receive a repulse shall this be the first time that thou wilt reject my prayer Surely thou wilt not deny that which I pray for because thou hast bid me pray unto thee because it tendeth to my salvation which thou so much desirest and belongs unto thine owne honour whereof thou art so jealous Give me drink therefore out of the streames of thy pleasure that I may take no pleasure to taste of the poysoned sweets of the world Thou
art the light and guide of my mind as thou art the Author so be also the Actor of all the good that is in me for I humbly rely upon thee I beleeve in thee the true God who prâ—ceedest from the Father and the Son from all eternity and art in time sent unto me what ever I am I am it in thee and by thee I am righteous by thee by thee am I chaste by thee am I patient by thee am I strong by thee humble by thee am I courteous by thee am I long-suffering by thee am I wise by thee liberall and by thee am I thrifty O thou Comforter teach me to doe thy will because thou art my God I beleeve therefore that whomsoever thou possessest thou fittest him for a dwelling both of the Father and of the Son happie is he that shall be thought worthy to lodge thee because by thee the Father and the Son shall make his abode with him CONTEMP 28. c. Of the mystery of the Trinity O Three coequall and coeternall Persons one true God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who dost onely inhabit eternity and light inaccessible who in thy might didst lay the foundation of the earth and dost governe the whole world by thy wisdome Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaths terrible strong just and mercifull wonderfull laudable and lovely One God three Persons one Essence one Power one Wisdome one Goodnesse and one undivided Trinitie Blessed be alwayes the holy Trinitie one Diety and coequall Majesty The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost are three names all of them one substance God the begetter God the begotten the Holy Spirit equall God contained in them both yet they are not three Gods but one true God so the Father is Lord the Son Lord and the Holy Ghost Lord there is propriety in the Persons and unity in the Essence an equall Majesty and Power equal Beauty Honour in all things comprehending the Starres the Seas the Fields nay the whole Creation at whom wicked hell doth tremble and whom the lowest depths doe reverence Let every voice and tongue now confesse him worthy this praise whom Sunne and Moone doe magnifie and the Angelicall dignity doth adore and let us all with strained voyce with musicall songs and sweet melody warble forth his praises O let us now sing together before the Throne of our God that is exalted in the highest O Trinity to be adored O Unity to be reverenced Thou true Eternity by thee are we created thou most perfect charity by thee are we redeemed doe thou protect save deliver set free and cleanse all people we worship thee Almighty we sing unto thee to thee be praise and glory for ever and ever For it is truly a worthy and a just thing a right and a saving thing that we should at all times and in all places give thanks unto thee O Lord holy Father God Almighty who with thy only begotten Son and the Holy Ghost are one God attone Lord not in the singularity of one Person but in the substance of one Trinity for that which wee beleeve from thy revelation concerning thy glory this wee understand without difference of distinction both of the Son and also of the Holy Ghost that the propriety of Persons the unitie of Essence and equality of Majestie may be adored in the confession of a true and an eternall Deitie One man is not so much as three men joyned together and two men are something more than one but in God it is not so for the Father and Son together are not a greater Essence than the Father alone or the Son alone but those three Persons together are equall one to another The consideration of the word One extends farre to the making evident of this single Unity There is an unitie which may bee called collective as when many stones make up one heape of stones there is also an unitie constitutive when many members make up one body or many parts of any thing make up the whole thing it selfe There is also an unity conjugative whence it comes to passe that two by marriage are now no more two but one flesh And there is a native unity whence by the soule and body one man is borne There is a potestative unity whereby a vertuous man is not instable or unlike himselfe but doth alwayes endevour to bee found like to himselfe It is a consentaneous unitie when by charity many men have one heart and one soule There is a votive unitie when the soule adhering to God in all its desires becomes one spirit There is a dignitative unitie whereby our corrupt flesh is by God the Word assumed into one Person But what are all these things to that most high and as I may so say that onely unitie where consubstantiality maketh the unity If thou liken any of the former unities to this unity it will be after a sort alike but if you compare it with it it will bee nothing therefore amongst all things which are rightly said to be one the unity of the Trinity wherein three Persons are one substance doth hold the preheminence each particular Person is in each particular Person all the Persons conjoyned are in each particular Person and each distinct Person in all the Persons conjoyned all are in all and all is but one none of these precedes another in eternitie or exceeds another in greatnesse or excells another in power that which is there said to be great is not otherwise great than as it is truly so indeed because there greatnesse is truth it selfe and truth is Essence therefore that is not greater which is not truer but one Person is not truer than another of them or two of them than any one or all three together than all three separated each from other therefore one hath no more truth than another or two than any one or all together than each asunder So then also the Trinitie it selfe is not any thing greater than every distinct Person in it but is equally great with them These are wonderfull things and set farre above the reach of any creature therefore mans understanding doth very hardly assent to these mysteries which are set so farre from our view and the minde easily begins to wander after speculations if wee have not before us a more sublime doctrine which may recall our phansies into the right bounds and limits set for us by God himselfe That doctrine is divine No man can take another by the hand if he want his owne we cannot see the Sunne without the Sunne nor can any conceive divine things without divine assistance nor can we know God without God Be present therefore thou true Light Almighty God and Father bee present thou Light of lights thou Word and Son of God God Almighty be present holy Spirit thou concord of the Father and the Son God Almighty bee present one omnipotent God Father Son and Holy Ghost we confesse in thee by thee and
the more ignoble I ought to beare patiently if I understand not the Creator of the Universe who must even in the smallest parcels of his works professe mine owne blindnesse Let me not then proceed farther in other things than my small capacity wil beare not curiously pry into those things which are so high above me I will say with reason and constancie I know not his secrets and I am ignorant of his divine councell the oracle of the heavenly word is enough for me to try all causes God sayes he sees all things governes all things judges all things If thou wilt know what thou art to hold thou hast the holy Scripture it is perfect reason to hold what thou hast read But I will not suffer my selfe to aske for what cause God doth these things in such a manner I am a man I understand not the secrets of God I dare not search after them and therefore I even feare to meddle with them because even this is a kinde of sacrilegious rashnesse to desire to know more than is permitted unto thee Let it suffice thee that God doth testifie that himselfe doth act and dispose of all things leaving therefore these things let us rather seeke like good merchants to gaine the inheritance of heaven and those things that may profit our soules let us learne to get goods which will continue with us let us first seeke to have Gods seale stamped upon us because in the day of judgement when God shal make that separation when all the nations of the whole earth the sonnes of Adam shall be gathered together when the shepherd shall call his flocke whosoever have beene sealed shall know their shepherd and the shepherd shall know those he hath sealed and shall gather them together out of all nations Every man naturally desireth knowledge but what doth knowledge profit without the feare of God certainly an humble rudenesse is better that is employed in Gods service than a proud Prelate or Philosopher who neglects himselfe and is alwayes contemplating upon God or the motion of the heavens How many are there who in this life by many curious enquiries have endevoured to know God who shall never see his face how many in this life doe labour to measure the heavens and to finde out all things belonging to them that shall never enter into them He that doth well know himselfe thinks meanly of himselfe and is not delighted in the praises of men If I did know all things in the world and were not in charity what would this knowledge profit me in the presence of God who then will judge acccording to my works I will therefore at length rest from the too much desire of knowledge because the more I know the more grievously will the most high God judge me except I live the more holily Give mee most blessed and most wise God the highest and most profitable knowledge that I may know thee God the Father Son and Holy Ghost with moderation and may inwardly know my selfe to be miserable and of no account that I may attribute nothing to my selfe and alwayes have a good opinion of others This is great wisdome and some sort of perfection Though I see another sinne openly and even to commit some grievous sinnes let me not think my selfe better because I know not how long I may continue in goodnesse we are all undoubtedly fraile but let me judge none frailer than my selfe that I may obtaine true strength in goodnesse CONTEMP c. 30. Of the Custodie of Angels BLesse the Lord O my soule all my bowels give praise unto his holy Name Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not any of his benefits praise the Lord yee Angels of his yee that excell in strength fulfilling his Word giving eare to the voyce of his Word Praise the Lord all his Hoasts yee servants of his that doe his pleasure Praise the Lord all yee works of the Lord praise the Lord O my soule in all places of his dominion My heart is ready O God my heart is ready He hath commanded his Angels saith thy faithfull servant David speaking of man to preserve thee in all thy wayes they shall hold thee up with their hands that thou strike not thy foot against a stone God hath commanded it God the true and most excellent Life in whom and from whom are all things the Creator Governor of the world the Sweetnesse Beauty of the Angels the Creator and Preserver of men that God who is God of gods so great a God that no tongue can rightly expresse him hee hath commanded and hath commanded his Angels his holy Angels that are instructed of God by the eternall contemplating of which truth they become blessed hee hath commanded them concerning thee O man What is man that thou tookest notice of him or the sonne of man that thou didst esteeme him Thou sentest unto him thy only begotten Son thou sendest into him thy holy Spirit and that there should be no want of thy carefull working for him in the heavens thou dost also for our sakes send forth those blessed Spirits to minister unto us the most mercifull God sendeth forth those Spirits as it were so many bright sparks of his Deity sparkling from the Torches of his everlasting light who are conceived to bee divided into so great hoastes and into so many orders to prompt us not only with matter of prayer to God but of admiration of his greatnesse and goodnesse when I speake thus O my soule phansie not to thy selfe little faire Boyes whose countenances are over-spread with an admirable splendour whose soft dissheveld haire of colour like the finest gold hangs dangling to their shoulders fanned with the gentle breath of the peacefull westerne wind doth kisse the smooth pillars of their milkie necks if thou phansie such Angels thou art utterly ignorant of their power They have a pure nature subtill and aiery not to be represented in the shape of any body no spot of matter doth cloud it no mole of corruption doth sprinkle it and that I may speak briefly our best part is our soule an Angell is nothing but a soule But what soule not relishing of that fire whereby the Starres doe twinkle and the Axeltree of Heaven is moved but a vigour of a most quick moved understanding made so much the nearer to resemble the patterne the eternal Beauty by how much it approacheth nearer to and is the more plentifully sprinkled with that holy Fountaine Hence truely comes that notable comlinesse of all their ornaments and the immortall concurrence of goodnesse which they with a most acceptable ingenuity of will doe yeeld to their Creator they out-strip in speed the swiftest shippe sailing on the maine and driven by force of windane oares they out-fly a bullet in the aire sent from the sulphury mouth of a thundring Cannon these most excellent mentall Intelligences most wisely foresee all things with no trouble or interposition of time
and most readily untie any the most intricate knots of difficulties If thou consider the grace with which they were ennobled even from the first beginning of things when God the Author of all things was in the Angels framing nature and bestowing grace thou mayst call them vessels of transparent Gumme or Christall framed by the worlds Creator into which the streames of the Divinitie did disburthen so great and unusuall fragrancie of graces if thou weigh the glory and what a large measure of grace this Nature obtained thou shalt see them all emptied and swallowed up with the similitude of the love they have towards God These these are those whom that great workman hath given us men made of durt and clay in this our dwelling place the earth to guide nourish and instruct us to defend us in our way to salvation to drive calamity from us to consult for our happinesse to be fathers in the care of us brethren in the love of us and servants in their obedience to us These these are present for thee O my soule they are not only with thee but they are for thee that they may protect thee that they may profit thee and while we are yet but little ones we are it is thought committed to the charge of Angels as it were to Tutors and instructors to the set time appointed by our Father Thou overwhelmest thou overwhelmest me O my God with thy benefits that I might delight to abide with thee and desire to dwell by thee continually and never to depart from thee Thou settest a watch round about me that I might not escape thee thou environest me with protectours that I be not snatched from thee O my God I will sing I will sing Psalmes unto thee O my glory with my heart lifted up Awake Psaltery and Harpe I my selfe will awake very early I will celebrate thy praises O Jehovah amongst the people and sing unto thee amongst the Nations for thy kindnesse is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth above the uppermost clouds I will exalt thee O God above the heavens and thy glory is above all the earth I can give thee thanks but I cannot render thee due thanks O my God but thou desirest not thy due thanks because thou knowest I have not the power to performe it it is the custome of people of meane qualitie to shew themselves munificent amongst themselves thy benefits as they excell in Majestie so they require not that which is lent O most bountifull God as thou hast freely set thy Angels over mee so make them freely to abide by to dwell and remaine with mee Troops of the winged Holyes met Jacob at Mahanaim as he was on his way to his Countrey I am also upon my way and am hastening to my Countrey give mee therefore in like manner bands of such most valiant souldiers that may direct admonish and guide me and keepe mee both behind and also before and may on no side leave me open or unguarded O my God send those thy ministers to us from out thy glorious Tower of heaven to us thy weake creatures staggering amidst these mournfull tents of our cumbersome mortalitie that they may encompasse us in our feares comfort us in our griefes and purge us from our growing and oppressing miseries Sicknesses doe devour and overthrow us the plague infests us send Raphael that may heale and cure us rumours of warres doe dishearten us the drawne swords doe prey upon us send Michael to fight for us our ill abetting flesh solicites us devillish suggestions doe assault us send Gabriel that may reconcile thy will to our will Woe is mee if provoked by my sinnes and negligences thou shalt judge me unworthy the presence and visitation of thy holy Angels by whose presence thou usest to protect me and repulse my enemies Seeing then the familiarity of the Angelicall dignity is so profitable for me make me to abstain frō evil which doth offend them and to exercise holinesse in which I know they take delight But they are pleased with such things as they delight to find in me such as is sobriety patient bearing of poverty often sending up sighes to heaven and above all they love truth and peace Let me be Lot in righteousnesse Isaac in obedience Eleazer in fidelitie let me bee Jacob in piety let me be Elias in my zeale let me be Elizeus in my courage Ezechias in devotion Daniel in my constancie Judith in my chastitie Tobias in honesty and let me be Lazarus in my patience Grant me these things O my God and I shall alwayes have thy Angels my companions without separation they will accompany me they will accompany both my soule and also my body and they will accompany my soule after it's departure out of my body and shall bring it into Paradise where is the societie beholding of Angels and Archangels and above all the blessed beholding of Christ my Saviour Grant me these things O my God and I will praise thee with the Cherubims and Seraphims and will sing of thy mercies uncessantly for evermore Amen CONTEMP c. 31. Of Baptisme THey are fearfull words O man which we reade Yee were at that time without Christ and yee were strangers from the conversation of Israel and were aliens from the covenants of the promise and yee were without hope and without God in the world What O wretch can be more miserable for thee and what canst thou heare that can be more terrible unto thee He that is without Christ is without faith he that is excluded from the congregation of Israel knowes not what grace is he that is without hope hath no comfort he that is without God hath no helper O depth of misery what understanding can rightly conceive it or what tongue sufficienly expresse it how many myriades of men are enveloped in more than Egyptian darknesse in superstitions and abominable Gentilisme who are still without Christ being estranged from the common-wealth of Israel strangers to the covenant of the promise without hope and without God in the world they have it may be something which they call by the name of God but what ever they paint unto themselves or what ever they forme unto themselves they are but apparitions of the night fearfull sights amongst the graves terrible noises amidst sepulchers or tame Statues of silver or gold the works of mens hands which have mouthes but speake not eyes but see not eares but heare not noses but smell not hands but handle not feet but walk not nor speake they through their throats O gods without a deity without understanding without life And I my selfe was to be reckoned amongst those many thousands of damned men for the like sentence of damnation did attend them who were all guilty of the same offence But eternall thanks are due to thee O eternal God that thou hast freely separated me from them with whom I had fellowship by reason of my sins it was thy pleasure
salvation is left for him that turnes repentance it selfe into sinne which is the meanes of salvation O miserable soule that desires to see holy things and lives a heathenish life Observe in what a manner the wicked end their dayes so that thou mayest detest their lives See how the godly end their lives that thou mayest run the same course as they doe Obey thy Superiours honour those that are wise keepe company with those that be honest and religiously given And seeing mans corrupt nature doth much love hypocrisie touch not nor use the Sacrament before thou have founded the depth of thine owne heart most accurately Rule over those that are subject to thy command more by courtesie than severity courtesie is full of hope and tyranny of feare Gods justice will not suffer a tyrant to continue long for though subjects both by Gods laws and also by mans ought to yeeld obedience to Magistrates yet the Magistrates themselves are but Gods Ministers and if wee consider them as they are Christians they are not only servants but our brethren also in Christ Christians therefore must rule like Christians in charity and mercie as Christ hath taught us by his own example Art thou made a Judge give right judgement remembring that thy selfe must appeare before Gods Judgement Seat he is cursed that blesseth the wicked but blessed that blesseth the blessed O man how dangerous is mans life what a great account hath he to give what a short space is it but thou must appeare at Gods Tribunall What then must thou doe What deed hast thou committed How wouldest thou appeare if thou wert this houre to depart If thou wert to appeare this moment before thy Examiner It would quickly be determined concerning thee Thou art to day a man shalt thou appeare to morrow O dulnesse and hardnesse of mans heart that only meditates upon things present and foresees nothing what shall be hereafter Thou oughtest so to behave thy selfe in every action as if thou wert this day to dye in the morning think thou mayst not live to the evening and in the evening dare not promise thy selfe the next ensuing morning be alwayes prepared and so live that death may never take thee unprovided How happie and wise is he that labours to be such whilst he lives as he wisheth to be found at his death O Jesu give me the perfect contempt of the world give me a fervent desire to profit in vertue give me the love of instruction the labour of repentance the readinesse of obedience O my God grant that I may desire thee in my heart to seeke thee in my desires to find thee in my search and love thee being found Give me my Lord and God repentance for my heart contrition to my spirit a flood of teares to my eyes and a liberall distribution of almes to my hands O my King extinguish in me the desire of the flesh and kindle in mee the fire of thy love O my Redeemer drive out of me the spirit of pride and favourably grant me the treasure of thy humilitie O my Saviour remove from mee the madnesse of anger and indulgently afford me the shield of patience O my Creator pluck out all rancour out of my mind and bestow on me the sweetnesse of a milde spirit give mee most mercifull Father a firme faith a congruous hope and continuall charitie my Governour doe thou divert all vanity from mee all inconstancie of mind wandring of the heart scurrility of the tongue pride of the eyes gluttony of the belly reproaching of my neighbours the sins of detraction the itch of curiosity the desire of riches the extortion of great men the desire of vain-glory the evill of hypocrisie the poyson of flattery the contempt of the poore the oppression of the weak the thirst of covetousnesse the rust of envie and the death of blasphemie O my Maker cut off from me rashnesse iniquity lewdnesse disquietnesse idlenesse drowsinesse sloth dulnesse of mind blindnesse of heart obstinacie of sense bloodinesse of conditions disobedience to goodnesse resistance of good counsell unbridlenesse of my tongue preying upon the poore wronging the weak slandering the innocent neglecting my inferiours cruelty in my family impiety towards my familiars and hardnesse of heart to my neighbours O God my mercy I beseech thee by thy beloved Son give mee the works of mercy the study of godlinesse to suffer with those in affliction to counsell those that erre to helpe the miserable to succor the needy to comfort the sad to releeve the oppressed to refresh the poore to cheare those that weepe to forgive our debtors to spare them that sin against me to love those that hate me to render good for evill to despise no man but to honour all to imitate the good to beware of the wicked to embrace vertue to reject vice to be patient in adversity to be moderate in prosperity to set a watch over my mouth and a doore before my lips give mee uprightnesse in my dealings and a true testimony of my faith to trample upon earthly things to thirst after heavenly things that thou mayst one day say to me Well done good and faithfull servant thou hast been faithfull in a little I will set thee over much enter into the joy of thy Master Amen CONTEMP c. 37. Of the exceeding number of Gods benefits and of mans contempt of them by the multitude of his sinnes WHo will give water to my head and a fountaine of tears to mine eyes and I will weepe both night and day Let my eyes drop tears and my eye-lids flow with waters I will convey my selfe into the place of weeping and of teares I will take paines in my groaning I will every night wash my bed and water my couch with my teares My teares shall be my meat day and night and I will not hide my mourning I will prostrate my selfe and let the reines loose to my teares and rivers shall gush from mine eyes I will weepe in the bitternesse of my soule I will continue in weeping and the teares shall trickle downe my cheeks wherewith I will deplore my most grievous sinnes and will detest my impious ingratitude wherewith I have repayed my God and Lord. O that I could weepe out my eyes with teares that my bowels might be disturbed and my liver might be powred forth upon the earth for my great enormities The causes are great and many O God why my eyes should streame forth wates yea blood it selfe But I will now contemplate of nothing but the greatnesse multitude of thy blessings that thou hast bestowed upon me when I was yet thine enemy That therefore my soule may be astonished my cheeks blush my eyes cast downe and that I may eternally hate my malicious and most polluted life I will begin to reckon up thy blessings and my cursed deeds that I may see what thou art and what I am what thou hast done for me and how I have requited thee Send
inheritance yet O my Father thou hast not lost the heart of a Father though I have fallen from thee my Father yet wilt not thou fall from me or cease to be my Father that word never failed As I live I will not the death of a sinner but that hee may bee converted and live And although my sins be innumerable and my wounds may seeme incurable yet art not thou ignorant of a way to cure me confirme therefore and fulfill thy promises wash me effectually with the blood of thy Son that as to me his death prove not in vaine I am as well a part of his flesh and he a part of mine as Peter David or Paul he is as well to me an Emmanuel as to any other Hee bare the sins of the whole world and therefore hee bore mine also Looke back therefore look back therefore O Lord upon this lost sheepe regard thy creature nor contend with him in thy fury whom thou hast made with thy hands take care O Lord of the soule which thou hast redeemed I come creeping to thee wounded with many wounds but thou most experienced Physitian of soules and Maâ—â—er of the diseased canst heale them all I come being blinded but thou canst enlighten me I come dead unto thee but thou canst give me life I come full of leprosie but thou canst cleanse me Sprinkle me with Hysop and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall be whiter than snow O my God the God of my life thy mercy is greater than my sins thy clemencie exceeds all my iniquities Thou canst forgiue more O Lord than I can offend thy mercies are bottomlesse and numberlesse but as many as my sins are and as great as they are they are neither bottomlesse nor numberlesse Take me out therefore and deliver mee forgive mee my great injustice take away my stony and hard heart and create in me a soft and a cleane heart that even in this life I may give thee thanks let me by my faith and good example bring sinners to thee and let me glorifie thee and celebrate thee for these and other thy innumerable blessings for evermore Amen my God be it so even so be it my Lord Jesus Christ CONTEMP c. 38. Of the greatnesse and foulnesse of our sinnes and of the Confession of them I Am affraid of my rashnesse when I consider with my selfe what a Majestie I have offended with my sins when I consider how benigne and wonderfull a Father I have forsaken I detest mine owne ingratitude when I consider from how happie a libertie of spirit into how miserable servitude I have cast my selfe I condemne mine owne madnesse and am wholly displeasing to my selfe nor have any other object before my eyes but hell and desperation namely that doth terrifie my conscience by Gods inevitable Justice I am to be consumed like rottennesse sin is rottennesse indeed for it destroyes the beauty of the soule the sweet savour of a good name the worth of grace the relish of glory it is truly durt being wallowed therein we become abominable to honest men the good Angels and the just God It is truely smoak that foretels us that hell-fire is not farre from it and doth drive away the heavenly Dove It is indeed the Devils taverne in which for the price of soules hee sels the world the wine of pleasure it is the dart with which our soule is pierced thorow and is deprived of all vigour and life It is true sicknesse because it leaves us no health in our flesh nor from the presence of Gods wrath grants us any quietnesse in our bones It is truly a Sea for it swels over our head and easily swalloweth up our whole body It is truly a burden because a sinner is most burdened therewith and is even pressed downe unto hell it selfe But whither shall I goe where shall I withdraw my selfe Ah! be mercifull unto me O take pitie upon mee according to thy great mercy and according to the multitude of thy compassions wash away mine iniquities Against thee against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight behold I am begotten in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceived me I have gone astray like a sheepe that perisheth seeke out thy lost sheep O Lord remember not the faults and transgressions of my youth O Lord who understands his owne sins Cleanse me from my secret offences Enter not into judgement with thy servant because no man living can be justified before thee Remember O Lord thy mercies and compassions which have been of old Remember me according to thy mercies even for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. O Lord be mercifull unto mine offences make thy mercies wonderfull thou who savest those that trust in thee Turne not thy face from me nor cast away thy servant in displeasure for in death no man remembreth thee nor shall any praise thee in the grave What profit is in my bloud when I descend into corruption Shall dust give praise unto thee or set forth thy truth Regard and heare me O God lighten mine eyes that I sleepe not in death Set not thy mercies farre from me for thy mercy and truth doe alwayes preserve in thee O Lord have I trusted let me never be confounded Amen CONTEMP c. 39. Of Gods readinesse to forgive sinnes and our thankesgiving for the forgivenesse of them WHo can despaire of pardon from him who doth so often in the writings of the Prophets of his owne accord invite sinners to repentance crying out That he would not the death of a sinner but rather that he should bee converted and live How ready is also his pardon to them that repent he hath inculcated unto us by his only begotten Son in many of his Parables as of the groat that was lost and found againe the strayed sheepe brought back upon the shoulders but more plainly by that of the prodigall sonne whose very image I am No man O God is so ready to sinne but thou art far more ready in thy good time to pardon our sinnes O pitifull and mercifull Lord slow to anger and very pitifull He strives not with us for ever neither is he alwayes wrath with us Because as the heaven is higher than the earth so hath he made his mercies to prevaile over me As farre as the East is distant from the West so far hath he set my sins from me As a father taketh pity upon his sonne so hath the Lord taken pity upon me he hath washed me from my iniquity he hath clensed me from my sins he knows whereof we be made he remembers we are but dust Why art thou sad ô my soule and why art thou troubled returne ô my soule into thy rest for the Lord hath done thee good He hath delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven and whose offences are covered Blessed is the man unto whom the
Lord imputeth not sin Rejoyce in the Lord ô ye righteous for praise becommeth the Just taste and see for the Lord is sweet Blessed is the man that hopeth in him Blesse the Lord ô my soule and all that is within me praise his holy Name who is mercifull to all thy iniquities and healeth all thy infirmities who hath redeemed thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with mercy and pity His goodnesse and mercy shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shall dwell in the House of the Lord for evermore I desire and beseech thee ô God by the death of thine owne son give me thy Spirit to purifie my heart and with his grace to strengthen me that by mine own unadvisednesse I fall not thither whence by thy mercy I have been called Create in me ô God a new heart and renew a firme spirit within me restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me by thy free spirit Wash mee daily by pardoning my daily offences translate me from the fennes of this age and the mud of this present life to the excellent kingdome of thy glory where is neither scab nor blindnesse nor doth any one suffer any uncleane issue of blood nor is any one uncleane where is no farther need of a lavacre thy glorious body being joyned unto our body Thou must needs fulfill thy promise made and both finish and confirme the good worke thou hast begun in me through Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen CONTEMP c. 40. Of the worthy preparation to the holy Sacrament I Will make an entrance unto the Altar of God even to the God that maketh my youth rejoyce Laying aside the garments of my inveterate iniquity I will renew my youth like an Eagle and hasten to approach that heavenly banquet A plentifull and delicate banquet is prepared which is a medicine to the sicke a way to those that wander a banquet that comforteth the weake delights those that are in health cures sicknesse preserves health a banquet that makes a man more pliant to reproofe more patient to labour more zealous to love more wise to warinesse more ready to obedience more devout to thanksgiving a banquet by which our daily sinnes are forgiven the powers of Satan expelled strength given to undertake even martyrdome it selfe finally a banquet by which all good things are brought unto thee because a man partaking of it doth even become the same thing he receives This banquet compared with Ahasuerus his banquet relisheth farre above it compare it with the table spread in the Wildernesse for the children of Israel and it refresheth thee far more For though that Table contained in it the figure of this our Eucharist when God rained downe Manna for our Fathers in the Wildernesse and they were daily fed with food from heaven and men did eat Angels bread yet they that did eat that bread did die but this living bread that is set before thee in this costly banquet did come from heaven and hath given life to the world That Manna came from heaven this from above the heavens That being reserved to the next day was full of worms this is free from all corruption whosoever shall religiously taste thereof shall not see corruption That was given the Fathers after their passage over the red sea where the Egyptians were drowned and the Israelites were delivered so this heavenly Manna can profit none but the regenerate That corporall bread sustained the ancient people in their passage thorow the Wildernesse to the Land of promise this heavenly food sustaines the faithfull of these times in their passage to heaven Moses was Master of their Table and here Christ is ready at hand who hath furnished this Table and blessed it For it is not man that makes the bread and wine set on this Table to be the body and blood of Christ but Christ himselfe that is crucified for us words are uttered by the Priests mouth but the things set before thee are consecrated by the power of Christ who used these words unto his Disciples This is my Bodie this is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you It is Christ in whom doth dwell all the fulnesse of the God-head bodily who is the power of God unto whom is given all power in heaven and earth Hee when hee was to put an end to the Ceremonies of the Law would prepare for himselfe the Passeover and before he would be condemned to death and be nailed to the Crosse he was pleased according to the solemnitie to celebrate the Passeover the roasted lambe unleavened bread and sowre herbs When this Supper was so prepared amidst these sacramentall dainties both the old and also the new institutions offered themselves to him and having eaten the Lambe that the old tradition did set before them This great Master sets before his Disciples a meat not to be consumed nor are here the people invited to a banquet made exquisite both by cost and paines but the nourishment of immortality is given them differing from common food keeping the forme of a corporeall substance but by the invisible efficacie of the divine power working in us and proving Gods especiall presence accompanying it Come hither yee faithfull soules refresh and recollect your selves cheere and fill your selves joyne in one by your faith your remembrance of Christ with the application of his merits with hearty thanksgiving for your deliverance made through his blood receive the pledge testimony and assurance of your holy communion and fellowship with Christ your Head and by him with the Father and the Holy Ghost also encrease cherish comfort and hold fast the faith of the remission of your sins your faith is imperfect perfect it not only by the hearing of the Word preached but by using this holy Supper the Word offers but this Supper applies Christ unto us Encourage your selves to the studie of good works How too often are we hindred stopt and grow stupid in performing this work Here Christ keepes us company in exhibiting unto us his bodie and blood hee doth daily more and more mortifie in us the body of sinne and beginne in us the newnesse of a spirituall life performe each to other the offices of concord peace and love for we eat the same flesh we drink the same blood we are nourished with the same food we are refreshed with the same drink we are made one body under the same head but who hath ever seene the members of one and the same body to disagree to strive jarre or contend Cast out rancour pluck up hatred purge out the old leaven The faithfull under the Gospell must not be made of leaven The holy Banquet requires pure and sincere mindes The sweet savour that comes from Christs scorching upon the Crosse doth concoct all crudities of our carnall senses and doth harden and settle the affections of the minde nor let there bee any spot in the Sacrament of