therein the solemne offices and services performed by the Priests and Levites in the middle Temple and the beauteous lustre of Sanctum Sanctorum So likewise this worke or building hath a porch or door which is this briefe Survey of this Annuall World for I have set it here in this place as a Preface or Introduction to the following Meditations wherein you may take a short view of this outward square court in briefe descriptions of the foure Seasons of the yeare and foure Elements which are as the foure corners thereof The first is the Spring and Aire the second Summer and Fire the third Autumne Earth and the last is Winter and Water As the four sides of the court you shall finde foure pleasant Meditations The first is of a Flower opening with the Sunne Christ which is a Meditation on the Purification of the Virgin Mary The second is a Tree set with the Sun Christ which is a meditation on Palme-sunday on the third side you shall finde a Rainbow as on the South which is a meditation on Great Britains Feast the fifth of November and on the last side you shall behold the Aequator or Aequinoctiall line as on the North which is a meditation on the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary After you have taken a view of this outward court you may behold the glory of the true High Priest Christ Jesus in the inner Temple First how he prepares an Immaculate Lambe his innocent selfe to become a Man for a Sacrifice for the sinnes of the people on Christmasse day under the Metaphor of the Sunne Then how he sprinckles the precious blood of the Covenant on New yeares day under the Metaphor of the Moon Then how he dresses and trims the Sacrifice on Ashwednesday under the Metaphor of Mars After how he layes the Lambe thus prepared on the Altar of the Crosse on Good friday under the Metaphor of Saturne Then how he distributes or communicates the Sacrifice to the people on Easterday under the Metaphor of Jupiter Then how the sweet incense therof ascends up to heaven on Ascension day in the Metaphor of Mercury And lastly how the fire from heaven consumes the Sacrifice on Whitsunday in the Metaphor of Venus After you have seene the priest execute his Office you may behold the Glory of Sanctum Sanctorum where first you may take a view of the Ark wherein the Law of God was put the precious Manna kept and Aarons flourishing Rod preserved on All-Saints day under the Metaphor of the starry heaven And as there were three things in the Arke so Astrologers note three things in the starry firmament First the North-pole which I name the East-pole on the Epiphany Then the South-pole which I fix on Innocents day and lastly the Zodiake with which I encompasse all the particular Saints dayes in the yeare Then you may behold the glorious Cherubins that looke toward the Mercy-seat on the Feast of Saint Michael the Arch-Angell in the Metaphor of the Christalline heaven And last of all you may have a glimpse of the glorious Propitiatory or Oracle from whence God revealed himselfe to the children of Israel on Trinity Sunday in the metaphor of Primum mobile Thus having seene the out side of this goodly Fabrick Now let me demonstrate the reasons which induced my fancy to cal this Book A description of an Annuall World And they are but two First because as the World is round so is the Yeare likewise Secondly as the World consists of the four Elements and the firmament of the heavens so doth the Yeare also consist of elements and celestiall bodies To shew that the world is round I shall only write what the Geographers who are the describers of the Earth say that the Earth and Waters make one entire Globe and what the Mathematicians or Astrologians who bend their study in the nature of celestiall bodies affirme That this Globe of Earth and Water is incompassed round about with the Elements of Aire and Fâ—re and that those elements are circled about with the seven Planets in seven severall Spheares and that those Planets are embraced with the starry Firmament and that included within the circuit of the Christallin Heaven which is comprehended in the Primum mobile or first moving heaven which three first are in three proper Orbs beyond which is Coelum Empyreum which they nor no man is able to describe And all these doe shew that the compasse of the world is round as a bowle or circle which is signified by the severall terms of Globes Sphears and Orbes And that the Yeare likewise is round the very name thereof doth import for the Latin name Annus signifies a Ring or Circle But besides the Name the Nature of the yeare doth shew its Annuall or circular Motion for times and seasons in the yeare swiftly whirle round about and still where it last ended there it begins againe As in a cart wheele the severall spokes follow one another in their round or winding motion that as that spoke which was but now upon thâ— earth is presently ascended up in the aire and so comes to the earth againe so the seasons of the yeare follow one another The Spring followes the Winter the Summer succeeds the Spring Autumne followes the Summer and so comes to be Winter againe Secondly as the world consists of foure Elements seven Planets the starry Firmament Christallin and first moving heaven so I have shewed and by the assistance of the Almighty I doe intend in this following treatise to make manifest that the seasons of the yeare may have an equivalent correspondence with the elements the dayes which our Church hath ordained to be solemnely kept in remembrance oâ— the meritorious acts of our Saviour may well be compared to the Planets and the particular Saints dayes and other Festivities to the other three celestiall Spheares Now I will conclude this Proeme with a prayer to God that it would please him so to assist direct and guide me in this worke and all other godly resolutions and enterprises that I shall take in hand that as the yeare keeps and continues in its annuall or circular course so I likewise may be never weary of well doing nor give over my heavenly race of piety but hold out to the end that still as I end so I may begin againe in new obedience and new wayes of godlinesse that so having lived the life of grace here on this globe of earth and water I may hereafter live the life of glory in that most glorious Orbe or Spheare of the highest heaven whose circumference is past all humane capacity Amen A briefe description of the foure Quarters of the Yeare AS in mans body there are foure humours Sanguine Choler Melâ—ncholy and Phlegme as all compounded bodies consist of foure elements Aire Fire Eaâ—th and Water so likewise in the yeare agreeable to these are foure seasons the Spring Summer Harvest and Winter or as the Earth is
bed me thought I was upon the sudden wrapt into the element of fire looking about me I saw no living creature therein And being much scorched by the fervent heat thereof I descended from thence into the coole aire and there I beheld a glorious Rain-bow upon which I was going to sit downe but me thought Jove seeing my insolency and pride cast me into the sea where I swimming like a fish in troubled waters could not meet either fish or any other creature so being weary with swimming got on shore And as soone as I arrived on the land I beheld a glorious Tree under the branches whereof I thought to repose my selfe and rest but being cold and wet I was enforced to go into the fresh aire to receive the comfortable heat of the Sun to drie and warme me And walking in a garden I beheld the fairest flower that ever was seene and being ravished with the sight thereof but much more with the smell I had a desire to pluck it up by the roots as I was taking hold on it presently the Gardiner came to me and told me that I must take heed that I doe not too rashly touch it lest I might deerely pay for it for that it was set there for show and savour but not to be toucht by me nor any which threatning I fearing presently awaked and understood the morall thereof to be to this effect that I having undertaken to make a description of the whole Universe in the Holydayes of the yeare and having according to my dâ—ll fancy in the former Meditation demonstrated the foure parts thereof my mind was much troubled to find some daies in the yeare equivalent to the effects of the elements And having examined every Festivall day throughout the yeare I could not finde any one day to make a fit resemblance either of fish in the water or of the Worme Piransta in the fire but only found a delightfull Flower and a flourishing Tree which came from the element of the earth and a glorious Rainebow an effect of the aire The Flower I found on this daies solemnity in the life of the Virgin Mary And to shew that she was a blessed Flower sprung from the root of Jesse Nazareth which was the place of her Nativity signifies a Flower and our Saviour that sprung from her is called The flower of the field So here we have a Flower Christ sprung from a Flower Mary in a Flower Nazareth Now as a Flower is fragrant for smell and delightfull to look upon so was the Virgin Mary odoriferous in bearing the sweet savour of life unto life in her wombe and much more pleasant for our imitation in the variety of her beautifull and excellent vertues bearing Christ in her heart by faith Therefore I will write of this blessed Flower as she is learnedly coÌ„pared to King Solomons Throne in these particulars First that Throne was the royall Seat of a King and she the royall Mother the receptacle of the King of Kings Secondly in that Throne none but the King only sate in her wombe Christ only lay Thirdly in that seat Salomon sat to judge all the people and in that flesh which Christ took of her shall he sit to Iudge all the people even the quick and dead Fourthly that Throne was made of Ivory a part of a most chaste beast and she of the most purest Ivory even Chastity it selfe being an Immaculate and perpetuall Virgin And as long kept Ivory turnes red so long kept Virginity as in her turnes into martyrdome Fifthly that Ivory was covered over with the best gold and her chaste body was gloriously enriched with the beames of the Godhead when the Holy Ghost came upon her Sixthly the top of the Throne was not covered but round the most perfect figure And she all round without any base corners of iniquity a most perfect and good woman Seventhly this Throne had six steps that made it high and Mary had six graces that made her eminent grace upon grace A modest woman is a ladder of graces The first step whereof in her was her wisdome Luke 1. 29. when the Angell came unto her and declared a blessed message shee thought what manner of saluation that might be And in the Chapter following vers 19. she pondered considered And in the 52. verse after she kept these sayings in her heart she thought she pondered and laid to heart the Contents of the Gospell A great signe of wisdome nay indeed the truest wisdome of all The second dâ—gree is her modesty like a good Maid she feared or was abashed at the presence of a man And she answered the Angell in very few words this sweet silence is a great vertue in a woman kinde And she was troubled at the manner of the salutation to heare her owne commendations from the Angell The more that goodnesse is commended the more it feares Theeves steale our goods and commendations our vertues therfore she was troubled a great signe of modesty The third degree is her chastity she was a Virgin we have proofes â—nough of it she her selfe sayes so I have not knowne man And the Angell findes her where a Virgin should be she was not gadding abroad he found her at home and within The fourth degree is her Faith she doubts not of the great mystery of that wonderfull conception nor requires a signe as Zachary did at the conception of Iohn Baptist her How can this be is not like his Whence shall I know this She only enquires of the meanes since she knowes not man she had read in the Law and beleeved that a virgin should conceive but she never read of the meanes that was never before revealed to man but reserved for the mouth of an Angell Zachary doubted of the Angell Gabriels words even in the ordinary course of nature and required a signe therefore he was dumbe and sung not his Benedictus till his son Iohn was born She asked no signe but admiring a worke above nature beleeves the same Angell and was made a signe her selfe Behold a Virgin shall conceive was a signe to Ahaz And she sings her Magnificat before her sonne was borne And a further demonstration of her strong Faith was at the Mariage in Canaan in that she was assured whatsoever Christ commanded should be accomplished though it was against the ordinary course of nature to turne water into wine The fifth degree was her obedience she consents and becomes readily obedient to the will of God in saying Be it unto me according to thy word The last degree is her h 〈…〉 ity which is the adjunct to her obedience the last words before the Act of the Incarnation the â—e it unto me are behold the Hand-maide of the Lord. That is her profession to be a servant in humility what sublime humility is this she is made the Mother of God and yet she cals her selfe an Hand-maid This made one say that the humility of the Virgin was
divided into foure parts Europe Asia Africa and America And as in the World are foure corners commonly called the foure winds East West North and South so accordingly the yeare is divided into foure parts which I terme the foure corners of the outward court of this rough hew'd building to wit Ver Aestas Autumnus and Hyems First Ver or the Spring like a young lively youth of a sanguine complexion rosie cheeks smooth face of light and nimble motion casteth a cheerefull and lovely look upon the face of the earth and with a greene fragrant and lightsome mantle cloathes her grosse body in variety of wholesome hearbs sweet flowers delicious fruit and nourishing grain for the use of Man and all creatures Now it is that Fowles of the aire couple beasts of the earth increase and fish of the water multiply in abundance and leave the deepe to live in more shallow places The countrey life is most pleasant and the aire most pure and wholesome to which element this season is resembled For as the nature of the aire is hot and moist so is the Spring or sanguine complexion of a cheerefull and comfortable condition Therfore I conclude this season with a prayer to God that as in the spring all vegetative and sensitive creatures begin to grow and increase upon the face of the earth and waters so it would please him to sow in my heart such saving seed that now I may begin to grow and increase in spirituall knowledge and bring forth the pleasant fruit of a holy life and righteous conversation to the glory and praise of God the good of my neighbour and salvation of my owne soule Secondly Aestas or Summer like a man of full growth strong and lusty in the prime of his strength with a fierce and fiery aspect parcheth withereth grasse and graine for now heaâ— is at the highest floods at the lowest the seas most patient and the winds most calme the earth suted in her richest imbroidery distributeth her bounty to the use of living creatures flowers are now in their bravery fruits in their prime and all creatures in their lustre The Sun is now in his chiefest strength and is as hot as fire which is the Metaphor to which I compare this quarter of the yeare for as the element of fire is hot and dry so is the quality of Summer or humour of choler The lesson that I gather from hence is that as the Summer ripens all grains fruits so doe I desire of God to send downe the Son of righteousnesse into my soule to quicken inflame and ripen the graces of his Spirit sowne therein by the seed of his sacred Word that I may seeme beautifull and lovely as a burning and shining lampe in the midst of a froward generation that others of greater gifts seeing some little sparke of goodnesse in me may be incited thereby far to exceed and excell me in vertuous qualities and commendable works Thirdly Autumnus or Harvest like an ancient man with a white head and gray beard of a ripe age full of good workes in his youth and strength performed with an austere solid melancholy and sage countenance looking upon the face of the earth with a favourable aspect renders to the toyling Husband-man the fruits of his former labours for now grasse is mowne corne reaped fruits gathered leaves fall flowers fade and the earth loseth her former beauty floods increase springs decrease and all creatures lose their strength and vigour and the most part of sensible creatures seeke shelter against the stormy ensuing Winter and therefore well compared to the earth being cold and dry of a solid temper grosse body and lumpish disposition though the naturall quality of this quarter is cold and moist as water Now the use that I learn from hence is to pray to God to send his illuminating Spirit into my heart that I may seriously consider and wisely ponder all my former actions from thence gather and receive the comfortable fruit of the good God hath enabled me to performe and truly heartily and unfeinedly repent of those things I have done that I should not against God my neighbour or my selfe that thereby I may prepare and labour to make my selfe ready with such strong and approved furniture as may be able to defend me against the blustrous and stormy assaults of the flesh the world and the devill at the winter of pale fac't death Fourthly Hyems or Winter like an angry old man worne out with cares perplexed with griefe and impatient in suffering with a waspish fretfull and phlegmatick countenance looketh upon the face of the earth for now the blustring winds break forth causing the billowes of the Ocean to swell threatning to swallow the sea-tost Mariner floods are up and the cold aire taketh away the strength and vigour from all creatures The pores of the earth are shut by the extreame coldnesse of the aire beasts and cattell seeke for shelters Monsters Serpents and ravenous creatures for dens fowles betake themselves to the warmest regions and fishes to the deepest waters so that whatsoever the cheerfull Spring and comfortable Summer did bring forth and nourish this quarter doth destroy and vanish In nature it is cold and moist as the waters yet the true naturall quality of this quarter is cold and dry as earth and well likened thereto because of their roaring and turbulent motions for the Winter is for the most part tempestuous and stormy in mighty winds slabby rain thrilling haiel and snow nipping frost and chilling cold Now the use that I draw from hence is the consideration of old age that I having by the enablement of Gods Spirit finished the delightfull and pleasant flower of my age in the growth of piety the flourishing Summer of my dayes in vertuous and commendable actions and the fruitfull contemplation and meditation of the good I have performed may by Faith and Love seeke and provide for my poore soule a safe harbour in the Merits of my blessed Saviour against the approaching winter of old age when the sun of naturall heat declineth the frost of chilling griefs perplex mee and the blustrous stormes of slanderous tongues backbite me And so laying and bequeathing my body quietly and comfortably in the bed of the grave my soule may with joy and alacrity ascend to receive a new growth in eternall glory with God and the rest of his chosen vessels A Flower or a Meditation on the Purification of the Virgin MARY THus having shaped the foure corners of the outward Court of this building I should now let you take a view of the foure sides thereof Therefore as on the East you may be pleased to behold a fragrant and glorious Flower on which or rather in which the Sun of Righteousnesse did arise Now that I may with more pleasure demonstrate the vertues thereof as a praeludium to the following discourse I am bold to make relation of this fancy As I lay musing in my
and delightfull fruit of Humility which growes upon the top of this Tree and yet it is to be seene in every branch thereof for Humility the higher it is the lower it will stoope therefore as it is the conclusion of his so it shall be the period of my meditation for this day on which our blessed Saviour by his Humility triumphed over the Pride of the world and ascended to true glory by suffering death upon the ignominious crosse For better explanation hereof view the story and you shall find that among all his Pompe and applause of the people when all the Citie of Jerusalem was moved at his Magnificent entrance hee himselfe gave a great example of Humility in riding so simply on a poore Asse with no better a saâ—dle than a cloake or some such slight thing cast on him however the people triumph round about him he was humble enough himselfe he tooke small Pride in it for while they applauded he wept there was Humility running downe his cheekes Indeed it honoured the Citie that hee would thus ride into it but it humbled him He was never in any great Honour in all his life but twice at this time and in the Transfiguration there he talked with Moses and Elias concerning his Death and charged his Disciples to tell no man of his Glory And here he is going to his Death indeed and Weepes in the midst of his Glory And this Honour continued with him but a small time neither for they that thus admir'd him in the morning would none of them give him a lodging at night he was to goe back againe to Bethany to bed and within lesse than a weeke after they were much worse altered toward him which hee full well knew that knew the thoughts of all men therefore looking on and fore-seeing them a sort of false Traytors to his life hee had little cause to bee proud or Ioyfull at their acclamations though he suffered them for will you see what followed Now they cry Hosanna to the Sonne of David then they cry Take him away take him away Crucifie him crucifiehim Now they cry King of Israel then they cry wee have no King but Caesar Now they cut down boughs to strew the way for him to ride on then they cut down a Tree to make a crosse to hang him on Now they cast their garments before him then they cast lots for his Garments Now they cry Blessed is he that commeth in the Name of the Lord but then cursed is hee that hangs on the crosse We see what became of this exaltation and how it ended If he were ever truly exalted indeed it was his Humility that exalted him nay he only tooke Humility for his Exaltation for when he meant one of his greatest Humiliations even that on the crosse hee sayes of it When the Sonne of Man shall be exalted c. No exaltation would he admit in this life unmingled with humility for which cause the Apostle saith That after death God hath exalted nay God hath highly exalted him It may well be his Song as it was his Mothers He hath exalted the humble and meeke But this is not the day of that Catastrophe and small exaltation that was an unmingled one and is an Argument fit for Easter-day wee are now meditating of the beginning of his Passion in Teares even this day of his seeming Glory and therefore our object is principally his humility his emptying himselfe even to the bottome and becomming of no accompt his humility in going to his death for us from which if I could learne this one short rule of Saint Bernard it will be use enough that since the lower he made himselfe in humility the greater hee shewed himselfe in Charity I might say from the bottome of my soule In as much as Christ made himselfe vile for me so and much more should I make him precious and deare to me Mark O man that art but earth see thy God humbled and be not Proud and since he is Ioyned to thee bee not ungrateful to him so shalt thou in the end be exalted to him that for his Humility was exalted to the right hand of God Thus if I could be as a Tree planted by the waters side rooted in Faith growne up in Humility spread abroad by Charity and fruitfull in all kinde of good workes I should in due time bee transplanted from this valley of Teares to a Garden of Pleasure the Paradise of God where I should for ever reigne in perfect glory with Christ who is gone before to prepare a place for those that are followers of him in Humility OF A RAINBOW Or A Meditation on the fifth day of November THe third side or wall of this outward Court is as on the South in which I have fixed a delightsome Rainbow But I am no Astronomer and therefore cannot artificially show you how the Rainbow becomes ingeÌ„dred in the Aire when the glorious Sun with his golden and bright beames is just opposite against a waterish cloud which presently causeth its moist Timpany to powre out and empty it selfe upon the place from whence it receives its borrowed liquor neither doe I intend to show you the variety of colours that are to be found therein But I will briefly write thereof as it is a signe or token of Gods love and mercy to mankind Gen. 9. 13. Behold saith God I set my Bow in the cloud and it shall be for a signe of the Covenant betweene me and the earth So this day is by Act of Parliament according to a like president in the Word of God Hester 9. 27. set in the yeare as a signe or pledge of Gods love and mercy to us of this Nation in commemoration of that great and miraculous deliverance from that unparallel'd entended Gunpowder Treason to assure us that if we continue in the true Religion depend and put our whole trust and confidence in God and walke in the way of his Precepts he will never leave nor forsake us so that neither of those two mercilesse enemies of mankind Water or Fire complotted by the accursed crafty inventions of bloody minded men shall ever have power to destroy us For though sometimes he may for our triall suffer the little Pinace of his Church to be almost covered with waves yet in his due time he will arise out of his slumber to still the raging of the tempestuous Sea for the safegard of his little Barke When the proud papistical and presumptuous Spanyard in 88. thought himselfe sure of this little Island and was upon the brinck of victory in his own imagination though his ships were many and strong his warlike provision and munition great and his people without number yet God by one small blast of his fury in a moment of time by weak means did dissipate overwhelme his ships in the narrow Seas where his strong and warlike provision was confounded and his numerous multitude drowned even as Pharaoh and his Hoast
such like should all have been comprehended under that fearfull Chaos and so the Earth as it were opened should have sent forth such sulphur'd smoke furious flames and fearfull thunder as should by their diabolicall doomesday have destroyed and defaced in the twinkling of an eye not only our then living Princes and people but even our insensible Monuments reserved for future ages And so not only we but the memory of us and ours should have beene thus extinguished in an instant O Lord what wonderfull distractions and dismall confusion would have beene then in the Land when they who alone could set order in such a time were all on the sudden swept away when the blame of so horrible a Massacre should have beene laid upon the most zealous professors of the truth when the Popes Buls should have been fixed upon the Gates of our chiefest Cities exposing the lives and estates of all that had not the mark of the Beast in their forehead to spoile ruine and destruction How would Atheists Papists Banckrupts and all kind of male-contents have made havock of all things how would they have triumphed in the downefall and danced in the ashes of the Church and Common-wealth How soone would they have turned this most flourishing Island into a desert Our ancient River the river Thames into the dead Sea our land into Acheldama a field of blood our strongest Towers and most magnificent buildings into a Babel of confusion our chiefe Cities into Golgotha's places of dead mens sculs Cursed bee the wrath of all traiterous Papists for it was fierce and their rage for it was cruell nay monstrous and prodigious to cut off the root and all the branches at one blow to remove and overthrow the foundation of Religion and Policy with one lift to offer up the royall stem and the flower of all the Nobility and Gentry the Lords Spirituall and Temporall the Bishops Earles Barons Judges Knights and Burgesses as a Holocaust or whole burnt offering to the Moloch of Rome O let it not be told in Gath nor published in Askalon lest the Heathen and Infidels abhor the name of our Nation that bred up such Vipers or blaspheme the holy profession of Christians for their sakes Or if the report of such a crying or rather thundring sinne cannot but be heard to the uttermost parts of the Earth let the authors and actors be descried to be no true beleevers but Hereticks and Miscreants no servants of Christ but factors for Antichrist and let the Turks Mores and Indians and all Pagans together with seduced Papists in the world know that thou O Lord whom we worship in spirit and truth didst miraculously detect and graciously prevent this bloody design intrapping the wicked devisers in the work of their own hands and taking the Incendiary in his own traine The waters saw thee O God the waters saw and swelled against the proud Spanish Fleet the winds saw thee O God the windes saw thee and furiously blustered at it and both windes and Seas obeyed thee in dissipating and overwhelming it in the narrow Seas And now the fire and Powder saw thee O God and it flew in the eyes and faces of them that would have put out all the eyes of this Island and defaced the whole beauty of this Kingdome for ever Death received the word and destruction observed Law confusion it selfe kept order in blowing up their estates and carrying up their quarters and fixing them for a terror to all Iesuited traitors over that house and in the very place which they would have with Gunpowder sent up all the principall Members of our body Politique every eye may now see that dreadfull judgement denounced in thy Word fallen upon the eyes that waited for the destruction of our Church and Commonwealth The young Ravens of the valley peck at them and the fowles of heaven have eaten them Thus hast thou hitherto fought for thine anointed and thy dearest Spouse and thou art still the same God with whom there are Issues even out of death it selfe Wherefore we beseech thee set our affiance in Thee and fashion our love more and more unto thee imprint the memory of this wonderfull deliverance in our hearts and the hearts of our seed with the point of a Diamond that the children that are yet unborn may in succeeding ages praise thee for it Give us a sight and sence of our crimson and skarlet sinnes that brought us so nâ—ere even to the brink of so bloody a destruction and utter desolation and open the eyes of the Seens of Israel that they may in this our day looke to those things that belong to our peace and prevent the danger and hinder the growth of that Romish weed which if it be not cut off by the execution of wholesome lawes in that kinde provided in time will overrunne the Garden of thy Spouse and destroy all her pleasant plants and flowers Stir them up seriously to consider that though the match by thy providence be taken out of the hand of the Traitors that the danger is not yet past but that they must follow the traine and search the lowest and darkest corners of the Vault and dig into the Barrels of Powder and finding that it was digged out of the rock and foundation of the Iesuits Trent faith that they ought to bend all their forces and by armes and lawes suppresse it and keepe out the grand enemy of the Truth and our peace that he never get footing in this Kingdome Let no such mysts of faire glosses and pretences be cast before their eyes but that they may cleerly see that the Bishop of Rome is the Engineer of these workes Iesuiticall doctrines and perswasions are the traine disloyall hearts the Vaults seditious councels practises the Powder and idolatrous blinde zeale is the fire that hath heretofore and is alwayes ready to set all Kingdomes and States professing the truth of the Gospell in a combustion Discover O Lord more and more the man of sin and make him seeme as odious to us as he is abominable in thy sight Alter their temper or spew them out of this kingdome who are neither hot nor cold among us O let the joyfull Mattens on our fifth of November and the dolefull even-song on theirs convince all enemies of the truth that thou mightily supportest the frame and fabrick of our Sion but hast pulled downe the floore and wilt in due time the wals of their Babylon So let thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love thee be as the Bunne that goeth forth in his full strength Amen A description of the Aequator Or A Meditation on the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary AS opposite to the foregoing Rainbow you may behold the Aequinoctiall which I have placed as in the North side of this Court. Now the Reasons why I name this dayes commemoration a description of the Aequator are first because as the Aequator or Aequinoctiall is a line drawne in
thy triumph over them O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory O my soule where is all thy comfort If in this life thou art most miserable If thy life be hid with Christ in God then when Christ which is thy life shall appeare thou shalt also appeare in glory What though I mourne here I shall be comforted what though I fast here I shall be satisfied what though I be disgraced here I shal be glorified What though I am here trampled under feet I shall be there crowned What though my flesh bee eaten with wormes and these wormes turned into dust and that dust blowed by the wind over the face of the earth yet after thou turnest man to destruction Againe thou sayest Come againe yee children of men I know thou my Redeemer livest and shalt stand up at the last day and I shall see thâ—e in my flesh with these eyes and none other Lord establish this beleefe in me beat downe all the forts that naturall reason reareth against it Grant that I may every day more and more feel as the power of thy birth in my regeneration and of thy death in my mortification so also of thy Resurrection in my rising from the death of sinne to the life of grace Lord thou restoredst life to three men to one in his bed to another on the beare a third in the grave They who conceive sinne in their hearts are like him that was dead in his bed they who bring it forth into action are like him that was brought forth dead on the beare but they that continue in sinne and all impurity and putrifie in the custome therof are like him that was foure dayes dead and stanke in the grave such a one or worse am I for I have laine not foure dayes but many years in this loathsome grave and am even devoured of the worme of conscience Yet Lord this day of thy glorious Resurrection say unto mee as thou didst to him Come forth awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and I will give thee light Make this day of thy Resurrection from the death of nature the day of my rising from the death of sin and corruption first to the life of Grace and after to the life of Glory Amen MERCVRY OR A Meditation on Ascension day ACcording to my proposed method I should in this place shew how the sweet Incense of the blessed Sacrifice Christ Jesus ascended into heaven to bee as the Leviticall Sacrifices were an Oblation of a sweet savour unto the Lord for as God after the universall Deluge smelled a pleasant savour of Rest in the offering of Noah so likewise God the Father after the inundation of sin overflowing the whole world for the space of 4000. years and upwards did smell a sweet savour of Pacification Reconciliation and satisfaction in this last meritorious act of our blessed Saviour which I compare to the flight of winged Mercury who by Poets is fained to descend and ascend to keepe unity and concord between their fained gods being their observant Messenger And Christ the Angell or Messenger of the everlasting Covenant descended from heaven in the day of his Nativity and brought those blessed tidings of Salvation revealed in the Gospell to mankind and as this day ascended into heaven to accomplish the work of mans redemption but this glorious Act of our Saviour is so divinely pathetically and excellently accomplished by Mr. Austin in his divine Meditations that though I like foolish Icarus because as on this day I first drew breath received the common aire doe strive with waxen wings to take an higher flight than my learning is able to performe am so melted with the rayes of the scorching heat of his devotions that I am forced to dash out my dim taper before his bright Sonne and conclude with Master Doctor Featleyes divine Prayer saying Glorious and gracious Redeemer Lord Iesus Christ who huÌ„bledst thy selfe and didst become obedient to death even the death of the Crosse and therefore thy Father highly exalted thee above the Grave in thy Resurrection above the earth in thy Ascension above the heavens in thy session at his right hand and then He gave thee a Name above all names that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow both of things in heaven and in earth and of things under the earth I humbly bow the knees not only of my body but of my heart and soule unto thee I never heare of thee or remember never think or speak of thee but with greatest reverence and love that heart can conceive or tongue expresse I admire the mystery of thy Incarnation I tremble at the horror of thy passion I adore the power of thy Resurrection and triumph in the glory of thy Ascension My God and my Lord make me wholly thine as thou art mine Thy birth was my life thy life my merit thy death my ransome thy Resurrection my delivery out of the prison of death where thy Father laid thee for my debt thy Ascension my assurance and taking possession of an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance reserved in the heavens O Saviour if thou haddest not been borne I never had been born a new if thou hadst not dâ—ed for my sinnes I had dyed in my sins If thou haddest not risen from the dead my soule might have been with thee in Paradise but my body should not have rested in hope neither should I have seene God in my flesh If thou hadst not ascended I might have been freed from hell but I should never have had a place prepared for me in heaven O Lord when thou camest to us on earth Iohn was thy fore-runner but thou wert my fore-runner in thy returne into heaven Iohn prepared the way before thee on Earth but thou preparedst a way before me into heaven That way and those Regions in the aire which Lucifer defiled and cursed by his fall through them from heaven thou hast clensed and blessed by thy marching triumphantly thorow them into heaven O blessed Creator and Repairer of nature in thee not onely all the kindred of the Earth but all creatures under the cope of heaven are blessed and therefore they sigh and groane together with us desiring fervently thy second comming The earth was blessed and sanctified by thy birth and thy treading upon it The water by thy descending into the River Iordan at thy Baptisme and walking on the Seas Now the Aire likewise and fire expected an honour and a blessing from thee and both received it the Aire by thy Ascending thorow it the Fire by sending downe the Holy Ghost in the likenesse of fiery cloven tongues O Lord my Redeemer how excellent is thy Name in all the world Creatures without voice praise thee as the Heavens and Earth without understanding know thee as the Star that lighted the Sages to thee without will obey thee as winds and Seas without â—ares hearken to thee as the Fig-tree which