Morning meditation of the first Day.

I Doe present my self, O LORD, before thy sacred Majestie, a poore sinfull creature, filthy within and filthie without: but where shall I goe to bee cleansed? the wa­ters [Page 2] of Iordan cleansed the lepro­sie of Naamans bodie,2 King. 5.14. but all the waters in the Ocean can not cleanse the leprosie of my soule: I am enforced to come to thee, O Lord, for where shall I goe? Thou hast the words of eternall Life.Iohn. 6.47. If thou wash mee not, I can haue no part with thee;Iohn. 13.8 Wash, I beseech thee, O Lord, not my feete onelie, but my hands, and my head also. Mer­cifull Father, let not the gates of thy mercie bee closed vpon mee, which haue beene ope­ned to so manie poore sinners before me. If thou refuse to be mercifull, where shall mercie bee found?Luc. 23.43. O Lord, thou didst not abhorre the penitent Theef, nor the woman of Canaan, when shee requested thee:Mat. 15.22 neither the [Page 3] woman apprehended in adulte­rie,Iohn. 11 8. nor the Publican praying to thee,Mat. 26 74. neither yet the Disci­ple that denyed thee. In the smell of these thine Oyntments doth my soule runne after thee.Cant. 4.10. I doe confesse in sinceritie,1. Tim. 1 15. O Lord, that of all sinners I am the chiefe, where sinne hath aboun­ded, Lord let thy mercie su­perabound. I say vnto thee, O Lord, with that poore leper, Lord, if thou wilt,Mat. 8.2 thou canst make mee cleane; yea, although I bee spotted as the Leopard, and blacke as a Moore, one drop of the blood of Iesus Christ is able to make mee as white as snow. I beleeue, Lord,Psal. 51.7. helpe my vnbeliefe. It is thy praise O Lord, that thou makest the barren wombe the mother of [Page 4] manie children, and turneth the barren wildernes into a fruit­full Land.Psal. 107 35. Exod. 15 25. Iohn. 2.9. Mat. 12 10. Thou Lord, canst make bitter waters, sweet; and canst turne water into Wine. O Lord! pittie my withered heart, as thou pittied the wi­thered hand. Quicken this dead heart of mine, by the quicke­ning vertue of thy Spirit: yea Lord,Act. 16.14. Numb. 17.8. open my heart, as thou openedst the heart of Lydia; thou that madest the rodde of Aaron to blossome, make my soule to floorish in true repentance. It is no small mercie, O Lorde, that thou hast spared mee so long. If thou hadst dealt with mee, as I haue deserved, thou mightest haue taken the Axe in thine hand,Mat. 3.10. and hewed mee downe, as an vnprofitable tree, [Page 5] and casten mee into the fire. Long hast thou spared mee, O Lord, but let mee not bee re­served to anie further wrath; as I am partaker of thy sparing mercies, make mee partaker al­so of thy converting mercie. Create into mee a new heart,Psal. 51.10. and renew a right Spirit with­in mee. Let mee finde that change into my soule, that is proper to the children of God, Translate mee yet further out of the Kingdome of darknesse,Col. 1.13 into the Kingdome of thy deare Sonne. Fashion me so to thine owne image,Gal. 2.20. that I no longer live; but Christ may live in me. Marke mee with that new Name which no man knoweth, but hee that hath received it. Giue mee to taste of that hidde Man­na, [Page 6] which no man can decerne, but he that hath tasted of it. Cre­ate in my soule spirituall senses, that in a spirituall manner I may take thee vp; who is the spirit of spirits. Furnish my languish­ing soule with some of the first fruits of thy heavenlie Canaan, that in the strength thereof I may walke, vntill thou possesse mee into that promised rest.

Bee with mee in all my tenta­tions, and lead mee through all difficulties, that I may sing that joyfull triumph with thine owne Apostle; Thankes bee to GOD, who hath given vs victo­rie through Iesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Evening Meditation of the first Day.

SINNE makes mee a­shamed to speake vn­to thee, O Lord, but my Saviour encourageth mee to present my selfe before thee; vnder the shaddow of his me­rits, doe I appeare in thy sight, and in his Name doe I present my selfe, and my supplications to thy Majestie. O Lord, dost thou not number my steppes? If the conscience of the sinnes of this one day doe so dash, and confound mee, what feares may arise in my soule through [Page 8] the memorie of sinnes commit­ted my whole lifetime? I doe confesse, O Lord, my whole life hath beene a wandring from thee: and all my dayes I haue beene doing nothing, but ma­king vp a d [...]tt [...]y against my selfe; thou needst not, O Lord, to lead any processe against mee for my conviction; the consci­ence may both accuse, witnesse, and condemne; O Lord, all my life hath beene either sin­full, or vnfruitfull. If I haue done anie thing that seemed good; it was either counterfeit, or corrupt, or some way vn­perfite; the dung of all my sa­crifices justlie mightest thou cast vpon my face. I haue rather seemed, nor truelie beene reli­gious; therefore doe I seeke sal­vation [Page 9] without my selfe.Mat. 3.17. I seek it in him, in whom thou art well pleased. Israel stinged with fyrie Serpents,Numb. 21 6. were healed by looking to the brasen Serpent, which Moses lifted vp in the Wildernesse. I am stinged with the fyrie Serpent of sinne; I looke for health in Christ, lifted vp at thy right hand. Poore sicke creatures gotte health to their bodies at the poole of Si­loam; Iohn. 9.3. I looke for health to my soule at Silo, in Christ my Sa­viour. Come, Lord Iesus,Isai. 61.1. thou that deliverest the prisoner, and openest the eyes of the blinde; Deliver my soule from the bon­dage of sinne; anoint mee with thy eye salve. Come, as the sweete Samaritane, and poure of thine Oyle into my woun­ded [Page 10] spirit, Come, my one­lie Comforter; leade mee to thy cellars,Cant. 2.5. refresh mee with thy flagons, comfort mee with thine apples. Come, the Husband of my soule, furnish out of thy Ward-robe a garment to cloath my inward nakednesse. Come, Light of the World,Iohn. 1.9 bring light to my soule plunged in palpa­ble darknesse. Streatch foorth thy wings, O my Soule! mount above vpon the chariot of spi­rituall meditations; Delite thy selfe in the memories of the joyes to bee revealed, the like whereof, the eye never sawe, the eare never heard,1. Cor. 2.9. neither ever entred in the heart of man to vnerstand. Abide not still in Babell, neither long for the flesh pots of Aegypt. Sighe to [Page 11] the Lord, vntill thou bee deli­vered out of the prison-house of this bodie,Phil. 1.23. and so bee with Him, which is best of all.

And to this purpose, my gra­tious Lord, sanctifie my rest this night; when the bodie sleepeth,Psal. 11. let the Spirit watch. Bee thou ever in my minde, and let thy word bee the matter of my me­ditation. Keepe mee out of the hands of that roaring Lyon,1. Pet. 5.8. who greedilie hunteth for my soule; let him get no vantage of mee in the night, who temp­teth mee continuallie in the day. Let my thoughts, and visions, bee pure, and holie, being set on thee, & on thy heavenly king­dome. Let my last thought this night, and my first thought to morrow bee of thee: that so my [Page 12] spirit, being ever with the Lord, while I am absent in the bodie, in thine owne time both bodie, and spirit may rest with thee for ever, through Iesus, who hath prepared that rest. Amen.

Morning meditation of the second Day.

LET thy servant, O Lord, haue ac­cesse this mor­ning vnto the throne of thy grace. Lift vp the light of thy countenance v­pon mee. Oh Lord, I come as emptie of grace to thy Ma­jestie [Page 13] at this time, as I had ne­ [...]er received grace. It grieveth mee, O LORD, to bee so [...]rodigall of thy spirituall bles­ [...]inges. Thou gavest mee, O Lord, some faith, some mea­sure of divine light, some feel­ [...]ing, some assurance of thy fa­vour, which bred such joy, and peace into my soule, as passed all naturall vnderstanding, but in stead of these; infidelitie, dark­nesse, and senselesse doubtings are stolne in into my soule.

O Lord,Hos. 13.9. my destruction com­meth of my selfe, but my de­liverance commeth of thee.

The prodigall childe,Luc. 15.17. when hee had wasted all, hee had no o­ther refuge, but returne to his father. O Lord, where shall I go now in my greatest distresse? [Page 14] to whom shall I make my mone: I will returne vnto thee; my loving Father; I know thy trea­sure cannot bee emptied. I do confesse, I haue sinned against Heaven, and against Earth, and against thee;Luke. 15 21.22. and is no more worthie to bee called thy sonne. As thou opened the eyes of Hagar, when her bottle of wa­ter was spent, and made her see a Well of water; so Lord, open the eye of my soule, that I may see that fountaine of Life, from whence my soule may re­ceiue the waters of true con­solation. Father, send downe that lightening Spirit of thine, to renew my faith, my feellings, and my assurance, seeing I am content to forsake all things, to enjoy thee, and counts all things [Page 15] doung in respect of thee. I con­fesse, O Lord, that these de­sertions are just punishments of my negligence in thy service, I take no such paines to enter­taine thy Spirit, as I should doe. I watch not so narrowlie over my heart as I ought. I labour not so painfullie to mortifie, and subdue my sinfull affecti­ons,Col. 3.5. as becommeth my Christi­an calling. Show mee, O thou whom my soule loveth,Cant. 1.6. where thou feedest, where thou lyest at noone;Psal. 23. leade mee to thy pa­sture; put in thine hand at the hole of the doore of my soule,Cant. 5.4. and my heart shall bee affecti­onat towards thee. Many times O Lord, by doing of evill,Rom. 7.19. and by leaving of the good vndone, haue I grieved thy Spirit; yea, [Page 16] (allace) I doe what in mee ly­eth to quench the Spirit,Ephes. 4.30. but O Lord,1. Thess. 5.19. thou knowest, that I am grieved in grieving thee; I am displeased with my selfe, for displeasing thee. I know O Lord, it is some great sinne that hath moved thee to pu­nish mee with these desertions. Lord, open mine eyes, that I may see it. Lord, open mine heart, that I may repent for it. I am content, O Lord, to quite anie thing, to enjoy thee. If thou looke blytlilie vpon mee, I care not, who frowne vpon mee. Ah Lord! that sinne, which is not thy creature, should so mightilie prevaile a­gainst thy creatures. I sinne, Lord, but with a wrestling; there is indeed a lawe in my [Page 17] members rebelling against the law of my spirit:Rom. 7 13. the evill I would not doe, that I doe, the good I would faine doe, I doe it not. I take thy Majestie to witnesse, Lord, it is my hearts desire, that the flesh, and powers of corruption be weakened, that the Spirit, and renewed part of my soule bee strengthened. There was long warres betwixt the house of Saul, 2 Sam. 3.1. and the house of David, but in end, the house of David was strengthened, and the house of Saul weakened. O Lord, weaken the power of my corruption, and strengthen the power of the grace of God in mee. Ismael and Isaac will not aggree in one familie,Gen. 21.10. there can bee no agreement betwixt the flesh, and the Spirit. Lord, [Page 18] crucifie the slesh, with the lusts thereof, quicken the Spirit, that my inner man may grow. Thou knowest, O Lord, that I am crossed mightilie by the rem­nants of the olde man. When my soule woulde mount vp v­pon the wings of prayer to the Heaven, I am borne downe to the Earth. When I resolve to go forward into a good course; I am drawne backward by the cords of a corrupt nature. If Iehoshua found fault with the people of God, that they were slow in marching forward to­wards earthlie Canaan, how may Iesus finde fault with mee? hee brought mee indeede out of spi­rituall Aegypt, but slowlie make I forward to heavenlie Canaan. O Lord, thou that sent thy An­gell [Page] to Eliah, 1. Ki [...] 19. when hee was sleeping vnder the juniper tree, and commanded him to arise, and eate, for hee had a longe journey to goe. Send downe thy Spirit to put vpon my soule, that I may awake out of the deep sleep of vnrighteousnesse; & take the staffe of God in mine hand, and never to looke backe with Lots wife,Gen. 26. but ever to haue my face towards the new Ieru­salem, that in the end I may say with thy servant Paul, 2. T [...] 4. [...] I haue runne a good race, I haue fough­ten a good fight, from this time foorth is the Crowne laid vp for mee. Leade mee tho­row the snares of this day. See my feete vpon a rocke,Psal. 2. and or­der my going [...]. Furnish me with wisdome, that I may go in, and [Page 20] out wiselie before thy people, set a watch before my lippes,Psal. and the doore of my speech, let all my speeches bee seaso­ned with grace, and tend to e­difieing. Let my heart ever be with thee, what ever I bee do­ing beneath. And finallie, as thou led thy servant Moses vnto mount Pisga, and did let him see Canaan a farre off;Deut. 34.1 let my soule delite to walke vpon the mountaine of heavenlie me­ditations, looking a farre off to that heavenlie Canaan, while in thine owne good time, thou bring mee through the waters of Iordan, even through death it self and enter me into that rest. Now to my blessed Lord, the purcha­ser of this rest, with the Father, who from all eternity appoin­ted [Page 21] the same, & the holie Spirit who daylie confirmeth me in the hope of it, bee praise for ever.3 Eph. 1.13. Amen.

Evening meditation of the second Day.

O LORD, let that same Spirit, which indyted thy holy Word, where­by thou speakes to my Soule; indyte my prayers,Rom. 8.26. whereby my soule speaketh to thee; thou knowest the voyce of thine owne Spirit, but the voyce of a stranger thou wilt not heare.

I continue my complaint to thy Majestie, still lamenting this [Page 22] ignorance, and yet remaineth into the mind, notwithstanding I am ever endevouring to know thee. Who can take thee vp, who is such an infinite, and in­comprehensible Spirit? thou dwellest into a light,1. Iohn. 4.12. wherevn­no man can haue accesse. No man can take thee vp by natu­rall light,1. Cor. 2.14. for the naturall man knoweth not the things that are of God, they are foolishnesse vnto him. I crave therefore such a measure of that vncreated light, even the light of thy Spi­rit, as may breed into the mind a continuall reverence of thee; bring the heart to an holie obe­dience to thee, and make all my affections, and actions di­rectlie to tend to thy glorie.

True it is, O LORD, now [Page 23] and then I haue enjoyed sen­siblie this light, but ever after humiliation, and fervent pray­er. I am become colde in prayer; I seek thee not with that hunger, and thirst, as I should doe; and this maketh my feel­lings not so frequent. Lord, stirre vp my spirit, that I may seeke thee continuallie with that holie zeale, and fervencie that becommeth mee. Indeede O LORD, these desertions are [...]earefull, and terrible to fall vnto thy Children. Truelie, I am most certaine, that grea­ter deadnesse, darknesse, and senselesnesse, can not fall vnto a reprobat. If the memorie of by past experiences did not com­fort me, these fearfull desertions wold mak me faint, & fall a back. [Page 24] Lord, let not thy servant bee tempted aboue his strength.1. Cor. 10.13.

Returne, O Lord, deliver my soule,Psal. 119.8. save mee for thy mercies sake, forsake mee not over long. And if it shall please thee, O Lord, to hold mee vnder the bitter sense of those fearefull de­sertions for a time for my fur­ther humiliation; let this ever bee my greatest griefe, that I misse thy presence. Teach mee to seeke vncessantlie vntill I finde thee; to knocke vntill thou open, to call vntill thou answere.Psal. 39.7. What waite I for, O Lord? Is not mine hope even in thee. Yea, let the hope I haue to enjoye thee, and thy presence for ever, make mee to possesse my soule, with the greater pa­tience in the middest of all these [Page 25] feares. And now, O Lord, in this absence from thee, albeit the body be here on earth,Phil. 3.20. let my conversation ever bee in heaven. Giue me grace, this night to examine my heart vpon my bed. Teach thou my reines in the night:Psal. 4.4. let mee lye down in thy peace; and rest vnder the shadow of thy protection.Psal. 4.9. Let my bed remember mee of the grave, and my rising againe; of the last resurrection.

Make [...]ee alwayes w [...]tch­full, and suffer not Oyle to bee inlacking to my lampe.Mat. 25.8. When my Lord shall come, grant I may meet h m with joy, & ever bee with him in heaven, whom my soul hat [...] sought on earth. Amen.

Morning meditation of the third Day.

O LORD, my God, if I had eyes to see the miserie of this time, where­in I doe live, I could take vp, both the v­niversall defection of the whole world, and the parti­cular desolation of my owne soule, then would mine ey­es bee a fountaine of teares. Thy servant David powred out rivers of teares,Psal. 119.136. when hee did see the wicked not [Page 27] keepe thy Law.2. Pet. 2.8 Lots heart was vexed within him, when hee saw the iniquitie of So­dome, but alaace Lord, I am not so sensible, these things are hidde from mee, there­fore I pray thee, remove this vaile that overshaddow­eth my soule.Act. 9.18. Make the skales to fall from mine eyes, that I may take vp those de­cayes into a clearer light; from the Priest, to the peo­ple,Hos. 4.9. all haue a part in this defection. Where is that wonted zeale to thy glorie? Who are they; who in sin­glenesse of heart seeke thee? All doe seeke their owne thinges,Phil 2.21. but few the things which are Christs. Religi­on, which should overrule [Page 28] mens wayes are made a co­verture to vice, and sinne. O Lord, demaske them, and let them appeare, who turne the trueth of GOD into a lie, and laboure to co­ver vngodlinesse, with a clo [...]ke of an holie professi­on.Mat. 2.12.13. Take the scourge in­to thine hand, and purge thy Temple; put to the door those buyers, and sellers, who make the house of God a denne of theeves; and touch mine heart, with a livelie feeling of my parti­cular defects. I confesse, O Lord, I haue fallen from my first love, from my for­mer zeale,Revel. 2.4. from my former care, and diligence in thy service. Where is the mel­ting [Page 29] hearte, the mourning eye, the painfull diligence, night; and day, at home, and abroad, to seek thy face? Where I was wont to pray with delite, with libertie, and with teares, now I wea­rie of prayer. I finde no inwarde libertie, no soft­nesse of heart. I come vn­to thee, with a senselesse heart; I depart from thee, with as senselesse a heart. Where my heart was wont to bee pricked at the hea­ring of thy Worde,Act. 2. [...]. where I was wont to depart from Sermons with great com­fort; now I finde my selfe neither casten downe, nor raised vp. Thy Word, O Lord, worketh not vpon my [Page 30] heart as it was wont to doe, this is one token that my spirituall Life is weakened: therefore as thou hast brea­thed in my nostrels,Gen. 2.7. the breath of a naturall life; breath vpon my soule,Cant. 4.16. that I may finde the motions of a spirituall Life. Call v­pon my soule out of the grave of sinne,Iohn. 12.43.44. as thou cal­led Lazarus his bodie, out of the grave. Let me find a quickening vertue flow­ing from thy livelie Spirit, to quicken my dead spirit. Lord, teach mee to redeeme these losses, and grant I may ever count it my greatest losse, to lose the signes of thy presence Suffer not mine heart to bee oppressed [Page 31] with the thornie cares of this life;Luc. 8. but learne mee to cast my care vpon the Lord. What ever I bee doing in these worldlie things,1. Cor. 7.29.30. let mee so doe them, as I were not doing them. Giue me that dexteritie to discharge such a duetie in mine earth­lie calling, as may ever a­gree with mine heavenlie calling. Furnish mee with wisedome, that I may walke wiselie even towards them that are without.1. Thess. 1 [...] Make my life a patterne of godlinesse, that where ever I come, or goe, I may smell of Iesus Christ. Giue mee grace to bee carefull not onlie of mine owne soule, but of the soules of all them, of whom [Page 32] I haue anie charge, that so thy glorie ever beeing be­fore mine eyes; thou may­est glorifie mee one day, through Iesus Christ, my Saviour, who fitteth at thy right hand. Amen.

Evening Meditation of the third Day.

O LORD, I never prease to draw nere vnto thee; but that Evill one draweth neere to mee. If Iehoshua come in before the LORD;Zach. 3.1. Satan will bee at his right hand [Page 33] to resist him: hee troubleth, and distracteth my minde with Armies of vnrulie co­gitations. It is my greatest difficultie, O Lord, at anie time to get a free minde to serve thee.Exod. 5.3. When Israel desired to goe to the Wil­dernesse, and sacrifice to the Lorde; Pharaoh doubled their burdens, so doth Sa­tan double his tentations vpon me, when I would goe out of my self, to serve thee. What am I; poore weak cre­ature, that I should resist such mightie spirituall pow­ers? O Lord,1. Cor. 12.9. it is thy bat­tell I fight, and thy grace, is sufficient for mee. Thy people when they builded the wall of Ierusalem, Neh. 4.17. they [Page 34] did hold their weapons in the one hand, and builded with the other hand. Lord, furnishe mee with a double portion of thy Spirit, that I may resist Satan with the one hand, and draw neere to thee with the other. O Lord, I am come to thine Holinesse, to repent my sins. Ah Lorde! my sinnes are great, but my repentance is slender. Lord, giue me that repentance, which thou gavest vnto Peter; hee sin­ned grievouslie, but repen­ted earnestlie; yea, hee wee­ped bitterlie. O Lord, hast not thou the keyes of David, which openeth,Rev. 3.7. and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth? Open [Page 35] mine heart, that I may make such a repentance, as [...]ought to doe. Thou didst keepe Ionas, that hee drowned not. Thou, O Lorde, diddest streatch foorth thine help­ing hand, and keeped Peter, Mat. 14.31. that hee did not sinke, when hee did walke on the wa­ters. Lord, streatch foorth thine helping hand, let not thy servant sinke into the sea of sinne. O Lord, thou prepared an Arke for thine owne Noah, and the Whales bellie, for thine owne Ionas. Lord, if I shall get my foot once within the Arke, I shall bee safe. Iesus Christ is mine Arke, let me be found in him; then shall there be no condemnation to mee,Rom. 8.1. [Page 36] my sinnes indeed are great, O Lord, but shall I ballance the sinnes of a finite crea­ture, with the mercies of the infinite Creator?Psal. 25.9. Nay Lorde, all thy wayes are mercie, and trueth to these that feare thee. I haue no­thing to lay betweene mee, and Hell, but thy vndeser­ved mercie. O Lord, my God, thou art a strength vn­to the poore, a refuge against the tempest, and a shadow against the heat. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most Hie,Psal. 91.1. shall abyde in the shadow of the Almightie. I will say vnto the Lord, O my hope,Psal. 42.10. and my fortresse, hee is my God, in him will I trust. Confirme my soule [Page 37] O Lorde, in the certaintie of this perswasion. Streng­then also, the arme of thy feeble, and weake servant, that I may fight with the greater courage against that spirituall Gohab. Let mee not depart from thee at this time without some spiritu­all comfort. Thou wouldst not suffer the multitude,Mat. 14.19. that waited vpon thee, three dayes in the Wildernesse, to depart vntill they were refreshed. Lorde, refresh my soule with some crum­mes of grace, falling from thy Table. When Ionathan was wearie,1. Sam. 14.28. and put foorth his rodde, and tasted of the honie; his dimme eyes re­ceived sight, and his feeble [Page 38] bodie was strengthened. O Lord,Luc. 8.46. if I shall touch Ie­sus by the rodde of faith, my dimme eyes shall receive sight; and my feeble soule new strength. O my Lord! am not I seeking this strenth of thee, to bruise the head of the old Serpent,Gen. 3.15. a sworne enemie to thy Kingdome? Denie not armour to thine owne weake souldiour, that in the power of thy might, I may subdue that great dra­gon Sinne; that it may bee borne downe, and Iesus his throne may bee set vp in the secret corner of mine heart. Sanctifie my rest this night in such sort, that when this wearied bodie hath received its bodilie refreshment; I [Page 39] maye rise, by thy grace, to morrow, to doe thee better service in Iesus Christ.

Amen.

Morning meditation of the fourth Day.

THY sacrifices O Lord,Ps [...] 5.17. are a contrite, & a broken heart. I come to thy Altar, but I want the sacrifice. O Lord, who vouchsafedst a sacrifice vpon Abraham; Gen. 22.13. vouchsafe a sacrifice vpon me. I would [Page 40] wish mine heart could bee dissolved in bitter teares, but such is my present hard­nesse, that neither can I re­pent as I should; neither is mine heart so softened, as it should bee.EZek. 11.19. It is thy praise O Lord, to take the stonie heart away, and to giue an heart of flesh. Lord, I haue a stonie heart; rent it, O Lord, take it away, and giue mee a soft heart; that I may make such a repen­tance, as my great offences require. Lord, there is no contentment to my soule, but either when thou hum­blest mee with a sense of sinne, or raisest mee vp with a sense of mercie, ra­ther than I bee senselesse, let [Page 41] mee be sensible of my sinne, that in the bitternesse of my heart, I may bewaile it. Teach mee now to mourne with thy children,2. Thess. 1.7. that I may rejoyce in the day of their rejoysing. Cherish, O Lord, those litle sparkles of grace, which in thy great mercie, thou hast kindled in my soule. Increase my faith, my love, and my light. Learne mee to forget those things that are behind mee,Phi. 3.13. and follow hard towards the mark. O Lord, open thine owne Treasures; and sende downe of thy spirituall gra­ces. Let mee finde a lift­ing vp vertue in thy spirit, continuallie raising vp my spirit. Speake peaceable [Page 42] things to my soule this mor­ning; that all the day long, I may rejoyce in thee. Giue mee faith, to applye the sweete promises of mer­cie made in thy Worde. Hedge mee so about with thy grace, that my secreet corruptions breake not out. Let my whole life bee a wal­king with thee, and a mo­ving towards thee.Iohn. 12.32. Draw mee everie day somewhat neerer to thy selfe, and de­face the image of sinne in me; that the image of Christ may bee set vp in my soule. Bee thou, O Lord, a bul­warke to thy servant, that the violent spait of the cor­ruption of this time, dryve mee not away. Save mee, [Page 43] that I communicat not with the sinnes of other men,1. Tim. 5.22. and cleanse mee from my owne sinnes. As this bodie of clay weareth, and wasteth, graunt O Lord, that sinne may weare, and waste in me. Bring the worke of thine owne grace to perfection; and leade mee from faith,Rom. 1.17. to faith, and from feeling, to feeeling,1. Cor. 13.12. vntill faith end in sight, and feelling into an endlesse fellowship, which I hope to enjoy in the Hea­vens with my blessed Head, and Husband Iesus Christ, Amen.

Evening meditation of the fourth Day.

I Blesse the time, wherein I was ac­quainted with thy Majestie. If thou hadst not sent the light of thine owne Spirit;Eph. 2.12. as I was borne a stranger, I had died a strāger. I confesse, O Lord, that be­fore my calling I was do­ing the workes of the flesh,Eph. 2.3. and of the minde, and was by nature the child of wrath, as well as others. But thou O Lorde, who art riche in [Page 45] mercie through the great love, that thou hast loved mee in Christ Iesus,Eph. 2.4. hast made mee to see, that I was walking in a way to mine owne damnation; Thou in mercie reclaimedst mee, and broughtest mee backe; yea, thou diddest pardon those selfe-same sinnes in mee; for the which, thou hast con­demned others. O Lord, what didst thou see in mee, more than in others? No­thing but matter of wrath, and condemnation. Yea, Lord, as thou didst separate Eliah from Elisha, 2. King. 2.11. walking in one way together, by a fyrie chariot; so hast thou shedde mee from the repro­bat, sometime walking in [Page 46] one course with them. I say with thy servant David; Not vnto mee,Psal. 115.1. not vnto mee, O Lord, but vnto thy Name let the glorie bee given. Who is able to thinke aright of thy mercy? all thy wayes are mercy & truth to them that feare thee.Psal. 25.1. When I remember, what I haue beene, I am en­forced to wonder at thy mercie. If thou hadst beene as readie to punish mee for my sinne; as I was readie to commit sinne; I had had my portion amongest the damned Spirites ere now.

What follie was there, wherein I did not take plea­sure? I stopped mine care at the voyce of GOD, and hearkened vnto the [Page 47] voyce of the Serpent. The deceitfull pleasures of sinne, ensnared my soule, but thou hast broken the grinne,Psal. 124.6. and my soule, like a bird, hath escaped: all thinges are na­ked, and patent before him,Heb. 4.13. with whom we haue to do. Thou didst see Nathanael vnder the figge tree.Iohn. 1.48. I do therefore in all humilitie, crave thee mercie for all my sinnes, before my calling, and also after my calling. Like a Dogge, I haue re­turned to my vomite,2. Pet. 2.22. and like a Sowe washed, I haue defiled my selfe in the myre againe. After that thou hadst made mee cleane, these same sinnes, for the which I haue lamented, and repen­ted, [Page 48] I haue falne into againe. As my salvation was be­gunne of thy mercie; so let it bee continued, and per­fected of that same mercie; for mercie is all I leane to. At that last houre, when all these outward comforts, as false friends will flie from mee in my greatest neede; then Lord, bee at my right hand; yea, bee in the secreet corner of mine heart, that my death, as well as my life, may edifie others in the faith of Christ. Let my mouth, whilst I haue breath, vtter foorth a good matter.Psal. 45.1.2. Then leade thou mee through the valley of death, and in end bring mee into that glori­ous, and lightsome Pallace: [Page 49] where the glorie of God shineth most brightlie, [...]sal. 17.15. that my soule may ever bee de­lighted with the brightnesse of his Face; and may haue my part in that Songe of Thankes [...]giving,Rev. 5.9.10. &c. which the glorified Spirites sound to the praise of GOD, to whom be everlasting praise.

Amen.

Morning meditation of the fift Day.

O Heavenly Father, as all the waters runne into the Oce­an, so doth all poore sin­ners powre out their com­plaintes in thy bosome. Thou art the onelie refuge of a wearied soule; to thee onelie doe wee flie in our greatest necessities, and at thy mouth, doe wee seeke resolution in our most per­plexed [Page 51] affaires. I haue ma­nie things to lament to thy Majestie, but in speciall, I lament to thee that my me­ditations are so confused, and mixed, with imperti­nent cogitations. Lorde, this is a token of a confused heart. I am sorie that the heart, which should bee the dwelling place of thy Spi­rit; should bee so preoccu­pied by earthlie, fleshlie, and profane cogitations.

I may withdrawe my selfe from the companie of the Worlde; but (allace) I can not with drawe my selfe, from a profane heart; where ever I goe, I carrie a pro­fane heart about with mee, and albeit, thou givest mee [Page 52] an outward libertie to bow the knee of my bodie, yet my spirite is bound. Ah Lord! I can neither speake nor thinke of thee, as I should doe. Thou art in­finite, vnmeasureable, in­comprehensible; what can a finite creature take vp of an infinite God. Forgive mee, Lord, that I worship thee in such ignorance, let mee see thee in a clearer light, and I shall worshippe thee with a greater affecti­on. The better, O Lord, that I know thee, the bet­ter I loue thee, the more will I reverence thee. That woman of Samaria, Iohn. 4.9. before Thee knew thee, preferred a drinke of water to thee; but [Page 53] from time shee knew thee, shee esteemed much of thee, and preferred thee vnto all things. To the end there­fore, O Lorde, that thou may haue that rowme in mine heart, that thou ought­est to haue; manifest thy selfe more clearelie to my soule. Drawe abacke this curtaine off my soule, that I may take thee vp more sensiblie, I crave light, with the increase of light, and grace, with the increase of grace; faith, with the in­crease of faith; (and because that heere is no perfection) Graunt I may studie to a growth; vntill thou perfite thine owne worke, and in the meane time, O Lorde, [Page 54] consider what I am, and where I am a weak creature, in a waste Wildernesse. Therefore, as thou carried thy own Israel vpon Eagles winges, through the wilder­nesse towards that earthlie Canaan, carrie mee through this waste Wildernesse of the Worlde, vntill I come to mine heavenlie Canaan. Thou knowest, O Lorde, my soule is as a shippe tos­sed to, and fro, with conti­nuall tempests; manie times when I haue a straight course to Heaven; I am driven a­side by the contrarie windes of my corrupt affections. Lord Iesus, bee thou Pylote to the Shippe of my soule; that I make no shipwracke; [Page 55] as tentations, followeth ten­tations, like the waues of the sea, everie one vpon the backe of another; so let grace bee doubled, that although Satan seek to winnow me as wheat, yet he prevaile not. I long O Lord to be with thee, where Satan will not tempt, sin will not accuse, and these vnrulie affections will not trouble me. Ah, when shall this poore spirit bee disbur­thened of this lodging of clay, that that, which is di­vine, may behold thy divine Majestie alwayes so long as I am heere in the bodie. Thou that teachedst Davids fingers heere to fight;Psal. 18.33. so that a Bow of brasse, was not able to withstand him. [Page 56] So, strengthen thou mine arme, that I may bee able to resist these malitious enemi­es. Thy servant David o­vercame the Lyon, and the Beare, and the vncircum­cised Philistim; yet was hee overcome with his vncir­cumcised heart. Of all dif­ficulties, it is the greatest to [...]me man to overcome him­selfe. Lord, helpe mee by grace, to sight against my selfe. I will not despare, Lord, notwithstanding of all these enemies, so long as I may make my plaint to thee. Thy eyes are vpon the lust,Psal. 34.15. thine eares open vnto their crye. Thou didst heare the groanings of thine owne Is­rael; Lorde, heare the gro­nings [Page 57] of my soule. Thine eare, O Lorde, is not hea­vie,Esay. 59:1. nor is thine hand shorte­ned; streatche foorthe the arme of thy mercie, and help my distressed soule. Didst not thou command the stor­mie windes; and raging seas when thy Disciples were in hazard! and they obeyed thee. If my small affections never rage so mightilie, if thou wilt command peace, they will settle, and bee o­bedient to thy voice. And now, O Lorde, this daye wherein I am entred, I know not what inconvenient I may meete with, leade me safelie through all difficulties (O thou) that art the shep­heard of my soule,Psal. 23.1. that I [Page 58] safelie going through the snares of this daye; at eve­ning I may bow my knees, and sound thy praises in Ie­sus Christ. Amen.

Evening meditation of the fifth Day.

I Haue wandred frō thee, O Lord, this day. That trouble­some Spirit, hath oppres­sed my Spirit, with varie­tie of vnnecessarie affaires. I bussie my selfe about ma­nie thinges,Luc. 10.42. but yet one [Page 59] thing is needfull, I finde by daylie experience, that the cares of this worlde are thornie cares; they pricke, and annoy my soule;Mat. 13.7. they chocke the seede of grace, which in mercie thou didst sowe I to mine heart: they are mightie impediments to the growth of my inner man. I pray thee, let not these earthlie cares diminish mine inward peace, nor pre­judg my vnion with thy Ma­jestie; nor draw on darknes vpon my mind but O Lord, let the secret beames of thy lightsome face continuallie shine vpon my soule. Let mee ever live in a spirituall sense of my vnion, from the which, such inward joy may [Page 60] flow to my spirit, as may make all estates acceptable to mee. O Lorde, of all difficulties, I finde it the greatest, to keepe the heart in a sense of thy presence. I confesse, O Lorde, for all the paines I haue yet taken in thy worship; if thou yet leave mee, I may fall into as great Athisme, as they who never knew thee. Therefore, waken my Spi­rit; renew my senses; lift vp all the powers of my soule,Phil. 3.19. that I may ever minde heavenlie things. True it is, O Lord my earth­ly calling is a great impedi­ment to my heavenlie cal­ling; althogh I were no ways distracted, but all times gave [Page 61] my selfe to reading, pray­er, and meditation; it were litle enough for the inter­taining the life of Christ in my soule. But O Lorde, as thou hast laide a double burthen vpon mee; so dou­ble thy Spirite vpon mee, that even whilest I am do­ing the points of my earth­lie calling; my spirit may bee above. Lorde, open mine eyes, that I may see my predominant sinnes; let mee not bee a slave to my affections, but give mee grace to strive against eve­rie sinfull motion And as thou O Lord, dost now co­ver all thinges heere beneath with darknesse; so cover my sinnes, that they bee not [Page 62] seene againe. Let never mine heart bee so farre from thee, as it hath beene; nei­ther bee thou so longe ab­sent from my soule.Esay. Write my name vpon the palmes of thine hands, and let mee be as a signet vpon thy right hand. O thou the Watch­man of Israel, Psal. 121.3. who neither slumbrest, nor sleepest; bee thou my keeper this night. Let this temporall rest, bee a pledgde to mee of that e­verlasting rest, which I hope to enjoye in the Heavens through Iesus Christ.

Amen.

Morning meditation of the sixt Day.

I Complaine to thy Majestie, of the vnces­sant malice of my sworne e­nemie, hee is a restlesse tempter, and I am a carelesse resister: hee knoweth my weaknesse, and taketh his advantage of my infirmities. When I haue best resolutions to serve thee; then rageth hee most against mee; and when I [Page 64] set my face towards heaven, then hee laboureth to dryve me frō the right mark, that Evill one albeit I went not to my rest, after in calling vpon thy name, yet hath ca­ryed my fantasie after pro­fane, earthlie, and carnall thinges. Ah Lorde I what hee cannot accomplishe in the daye, hee laboureth to bring it to passe in the night. Take not these for mine a­ctions, but for mine enemies divelish suggestions. I wold wish the minde were so pure, and the heart so spirituallie disposed, that ever, sleep­ing, or waking I were about spirituall matters. And be­cause, O Lord, thou canst not dwell inro a filthy heart, [Page 65] sweepe the house of my soule; wash mee a-new,Psal. 51.7. and make mee cleane: prepare a lodging for thine owne Spirit into the secreet cor­ners of mine heart: possesse tho [...] thine owne dwelling, for thou h [...]st bought it with the bloode of thine owne Sonne. Keepe me, O Lord,1. Iohn. 1.7. 1. Pet. 1.5. vnto that Life, which thou hast keeping for mee, and whilest I am heere in the bodie; save mee from car­nall securitie. Let my de­lite ever bee to watch, and praye, and multiplie the spirit of prayer vpon mee.Mat. 6.6. Let mee not wearie of wel­doing, but leade mee in thy pathes. I am sorie that my time hath beene so wasted, [Page 66] time slydeth away, and I profite litle, or nothing in it. Let no day slippe away without some spirituall ad­vantage. O Lord I count it my greatest gaine, to gaine Christ:Phil. 3.8. yea, I esteeme all things doung in respect of him. Let mee feele sensi­blie, O Lorde, that I am rooted,Eph. 2.20. and builded in him. Let vertue proceed from him to heale my diseased soule, in him, Lord, bee well plea­sed with mee thy weake ser­vant. Furnishe mee with grace, to doe everie point of thy worshippe with some peece of good conscience: that in the end thou bee not ashamed of mee, nor denie mee not to bee thine; but [Page 67] mayest call vpon mee, say­ing; Come faithfull servant, Mat. 25.21. enter into thy Masters rest; vn­to the which rest, O Lord of thy infinite mercie bring this poore soule of mine, in thy owne good time.

Amen.

Evening Meditation of the sixt Day.

WHAT shall I ren­der vnto the Lord for all his benefites bestowed vpon mee a sinfull worme.Psal. 116.12. I haue found thy kindnesse in outward things [Page 68] I haue had a proofe of thy favour in inward mercies. If Ruth, Ruth. 2.3. when she found fa­vour with Boaz, in suffering her to gather cornes on his field amongst his slaves, and give her bodilie refreshment with his servants, made such an humble confession, say­ing, What am I, that I should haue found favour in thine eyes, and that thou shoul­dest knowe mee, seeing I am a stranger? What may I say to thy Majestie; who albeit I was a stranger from the wombe, yet hast thou O Lord, received mee to mercie, and communicatest of thy spirituall Treasure to my soule. O Lord, thou h [...]st powred in life in my [Page 69] soule, where Death had ta­ken seasing; yea, as thou quickened Lazarus his dead bodie,Iohn. 11.43. so hast thou quicke­ned my dead soule; thou madest light to breake vp, where there was nothing but darknesse. As the mor­ning clowde passeth away at the rising of the Sunne, so the clowde of naturall darknesse, passeth away at the breaking vp of the light of thy Face Thou hast O Lorde, brought libertie to my soule, where I was fet­tered in the chaines of an vnbelieving heart, whereas at my first wakeninges, I found terrours, feares, ac­cusations, and great inward griefes; thou hast now paci­fied [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 68] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page 70] my soule, and brought peace, and joye, to mine heart. Blessed bee the time that ever I knew thee! hap­pie was that houre, where­in thou manifested thy selfe vnto mee. Peter, Iames, and Iohn were so ravished with the glorie of Christ his trans­figuration,Mat. 17.1.2. that they desi­red never to have removed off that mountaine; so Lord, the smallest glimmering of thy light doeth so delight the heate; that it maketh vs to forsake all, that wee may abyde with thee. I say to thee,Ruth. 1.16. O Lord, as Ruth said to Naomi, where thou go­est I will goe. My deare Lord, strengthen my weak faith, that day, by day, I [Page 71] may get a faster grippe of Iesus Christ; and howbeit I continue not at all times in the like degree of feeling: yet let never my faith faile mee, and whensoever I misse thee; give mee grace to seeke thee with a sorrowfull heart vn­till I finde thee. Leade me forward from faith, to faith, and feeling, to feeling, vn­till faith end in sight, and feeling in a perfite fruition of these supernaturall joyes, which I longe for, and day­lie awaite in Christ Iesus, our Lorde, and Saviour, Amen.

Morning meditation of of the seventh Day.

IT hath plea­sed thee, O Lord, to sepa­rate this Day from the rest of the dayes for thine onelie worshippe. LORD, in like manner separate mee from my cor­ruptions; and in some mea­sure sanctifie mee this Day to thy service; that I may dedicate the same whollie to thy service; and not onelie [Page 73] cease from medling with my worldlie businesse, but I may cease from sinne, and haue all the powers of my soule lifted vpward, (O Lord) warme mine heart with the loue of thee, inslame mine affections with the zeale of thy Glorie: Oh, Lord, how long shall I dwell in the tentes of Kedar, Psal. 120.5 when shall this wearisome pilgrimage be ended? when shal that blessed Iubile come, when all thy Saintes shall be set at libertie? and wee to enjoye perfect rest with thee for euer. Heere I am op­pressed with feares, doub­tinges, deadnesse of spirit, blindnesse of minde: In the meane time, sweet Christ Ie­sus, leaue me not in this place [Page 74] of my banishment, for thou art Light, and without thee I can doe nothing but walke in darknesse:Iohn. 8.12. Thou art Life, and without thee; there is no­thing but present Death: Thou art the Way, and with­out thee I can doe nothing but walke in the broad way. Goe thou before mee, my deare Sauiour, then shall I cheerefulie follow thee; let mee see the way I should walke into, and lead mee in­to that way: Make the light of thy face continually shine vpon my soule, that in thy light, I may see light. And now (O Lord) since I am to goe to thy house to heare thy will out of thy Word, be thou my convoy: and giue [Page 75] mee grace to take heede to my feete,Eccl. 4 5.1 when I goe to the house of the Lord; grant I may watch so narrowly over mine heart and minde, that I bee not wandring in tyme of thy worshippe; make thy word comfortable vnto my soule, yea, let it bee sweeter to mee, than the honey and the honey combe; that I may returne from thy Service, with a minde more illumi­nated, and heart by grace bet­ter established, and affection better informed, and all the powers of my soule in a grea­ter measure sanctified, finally so rule me by thy good Spi­rit this day, that no part of it bee stollen away from thy service, but that I may spend [Page 76] it so regiouslie, that when the Evening shall come, I may reape the peace of a good conscience; the which peace is to mee an arles pennie of that endlesse Peace I hope to enjoye in the Heavens, through Iesus Christe our Lord, Amen.

Evening Meditation of the seaventh Day.

O Lord, my God, al­though thy Maje­sty knoweth it was my purpose in the Morning, to haue spent this whollie day in thy service, yet [Page 77] I haue stollen a part of it frō thee, my minde hath gone a whooring after other vani­ties, no, I dare not, but con­fesse, that euen in the verie houre of preaching and pra­yer, my heart hath wandred from thee: Oh, Lord, it is easie to promise obedience, but not so easie to performe; I perceiue by doolefull expe­rience, that my soule is sub­ject to such inconstancie, that I can not keep it in the state with thy Majestie, no, not the space of one day, no, Lord, not one houre, yea, scarse a quarter of an houre; I resolve wel,Rom. 7.18. but practise no­thing; my desire is euer to walke with thee, but (alace) everie moment I wander frō [Page 76] thee, manie are the changes whervnto I am subject, some­time I finde the Spirit-sligh­tering vpward; incontinent drawing downe to the earth: sometimes delighting to talk with GOD, at other times wearying of spirituall exerci­ses; sometime marveilouslie enlightned with a great light at other times plight with a palpable darknes: [...]. Pet. 1. sometimes rejoycing with an vnspeaka­ble joye, other times, refu­sing all comfort: sometimes doubting and distrusting, o­thertimes firmelie belieuing, & stedfastlie apprehending: sometimes longing for to be dissolved, [...]hil. 1. other times loving to Iudge still in this taberna­cle of clay: in all these things [Page 77] where is my comfort but in this? that thou art vnchang­ [...]ble. As for mee, O Lord, I confesse,Malach. 1. for my best action thou mightst condemne me, for the sinnes of my prayer, hearing of thy word: what then should bee mine estate, if thou woldst enter in judg­ment with mee? Teach mee to vvalke in trembling, and feare before thee let it be my first care to keepe thy pre­sence saue mee (O Lord) that by my vnclean thoghts, profane speeches, & vngod­lie actions, I quench not thy Spirit, but let mee euer finde that Spirit working & moving into my soule; when I wander, bring me home a­gaine, when I fall, raise mee: when I sleepe, waken me, & [Page 80] hold me waking (O Lord) that when the Bridegrome shall come, I may bee in the ranke of the wise Virgines,Mat. 25. with my lampe clearlie bur­ning attending his cōming. And finallie, forgiue mee all the infirmities of my pra­yers, and accept of my leane and vnworthie sacrifice,in & through that alsufficient Sa­crifice, that my blessed Lord hath offered in my name, & in the name of all these that loud his second coming, To him therefore bee praise, ho­nour & glory for euer Amen.

Nowe vnto the King everla­sting, immortall, invisible, vnto God onelie wise, bee honour and Glorie, for euer, Amen.

THE FIRST STEPPE in this Ladder to ascend, are of thinges which went before his Crosse.

HERE consider (my Soule) how hee was betrayed by Iudas with a kisse:Mat. 26.48. Whose delight was to be with the children of men. Pro. 8.31. Accused of the Iewes, who is the Iudge of the World. Condemned vnder Pilate, who would all to be saued, 1. Tim. 2.4. and come to the knowledge of Trueth. Cruci­fied between two malefactors, who is among the middest, and in the middest of two, or three gathered in his Name, his Soule sore troubled,Luc. 2.25. who is the con­solation [Page 121] of his owne secrete ones, his heart grieved, who is the joye and mirth of his Elect; Psal. 66.1. his Bodie tormented with the nailing of his blessed Hands and Feete, who created the Hea­vens, and the Earth, Deut. 32 18. Psal. 110 1. and these bee the workes of his hands, whose enemies shall bee made his foote-stoole. With the pearcing of his gracious side, which yeel­ded streames of Iordan-like blood,Mat. 26.28. and water to cleanse our leprosie, whereof one drop was sufficient satisfaction for infinite worlds be reason of the personall vnion of the Deitie therewith.1. Pet. 1.12. The bespitting and beating of that Face, on which the Angels of the Heaven take pleasure to behold. So the Son of God, the Lord of glorie, [Page 122] the Prince of peace, was hai­nouslie, ignominiouslie, and cruellie entreated of miserable miscreants: so hee which knew no sinne, was made a sacri­fice for sinne,2. Cor. 5.21. that wee might bee made the righteousnesse of God through him. The De­vill the prince of this world, albeit a Lyar, Iohn. 8.44 a man-slayer from the beginning, came, and found in him nothing, Iohn. 8.46 yea, who could rebuke him of sinne? Now if the vaile of the Temple of sens­lesse stones was rent, if the Earth did tremble, which of it selfe was so firmelie sounded, Psal. 104.4. that it could not bee moued, to condole the manifestatioun of that strange passion: and hard Rockes raue asunder, which thunder-boltes, and Earth­quakes [Page 123] could not divide. If these creatures (I say) voyde of reason and sense, expressed their sorrow; reverence, and o­bedience, thus to their Crea­tor,Phil. 2.8. who had emptied and a­based himselfe, so to bee han­dled, by the children of dark­nesse; how can it be? but thou (my Soule) who did the same, and for whome it was done, should bee much affected, and feelinglie take to heart, these vndeserved favours, purchased for thee: thy Bowells maye quake, thy Reason bee asto­nished, thy Vnderstanding a­mazed to thinke of it; and so may thy Tongue to speake of it: Yet may (thou sorrowfull Soule) rejoyce in Christ cru­cified;Gal. 6.14 which is the onely true [Page 124] object of all thy solide Ioye, for by vertue of his painefull Passion,1. Cor. 1.30. thine hudge ransome is payed; thy running wounds are healed, perfite and absolute sa­tisfaction for all thy sinnes made: The first Death converted to Life, the seconde valiantlie conquered, the reid Dragon Sathan, 1. Pet. 5.8. that Lyon goeth about to devour thee, couragiouslie sub­dued:Rev. 20.14 Hell that gapeth for thee overcom, Col. 2.14. that Obligation that was against thee, cancelled, sinning sinne, and that sinne that han­geth so fast on, Heb. 12.1. killed: thy just­ly offended God, pacified, and thou with strong cords of love and everlasting mercie betro­thed and reconcealed to him.Hos. 2.19.

And now to call to memory (wretched Soule) these actions [Page 125] which went before his Crosse, mayest thou not thinke that his suffrings were exceiding great, when he did sweate blood?Luc. 2.7 Hee spent his Bloode in his circumci­si [...] in our behalfe before: and now in mount Oliues, beeing in an agonie, kneeling downe devotelie, Luc. 22 44. and praying most earnestlie, drops of Blood doeth burst through his sacred Bodie. It is an vsuall thing for man in anguish to sweate, but to sweate bloode, and that in such quantitie and aboundance; that it should tric­kle from him vpon the groūd; is a strange thinge, and an vn­accustomable thing, and only proper to such an eminent personage, whose Griefe was vnspeakeable, and Paine vn­tolerable.

And did he thus shed drops of blood for thy sinne (poore Soule?) and canst thou not, nor wilt thou not, shed teares for the same? thou canst bewaile and mourne for vanishing and deceiuing toyes of this earth: but for thy trespasses, thy eyes are dryed and shoote vp. Ob that mine head were a well of wa­ter! Ier. 9.1. and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that thou mayest bewaile thy blindnesse, forgetfulnesse, and vngratitude!

And truelie it was not without cause, that this terrible p [...]ssion did so sease vpon him, for the matter which hee had in hand,Col. 1.22. was weigh ie,2. Pet. 3.13 Eph. 6.12 Eph. 2.2. the worke which hee had to accomplishe was great; the conflict strong, the enemies mightie,Luc. 4.13 their assaultes [Page 127] many, the worke was mans e­ternall redemption; the battell was with detestable Sinne: de­stroying Death, devouring Sa­than, insatiable Hell, accusing Law, and with the consuming Wrath of God; and would not (deare Soule) these enemies, so manie in number, so mightie in power, so terrible to be­hold, make a man to feare, to tremble, to sweate: Truelie, if Christe had beene meere man onelie, hee could not haue en­countred with them, for hee should haue succumbed vnder the burden of his owne sinne, much lesse, should haue relea­ved others. But beeing very GOD, and very Man, Iesus Chr [...]ste the Iust; 1. Iohn. 2 [...] hee did fight them all, overcame them all, led [Page 128] captiue all,Eph. 4.8. and hath triumph­ed over them all, it cost them all their liues for ever; and h m drops of blood, with strong cry­ing and teares? Heb. 5.7. What, say I droppes of bloode? costed him no more? yes, yes, that which was dearest vnto him, his verie Life; which could not bee taken from him, but laid it downe for thee, Mat. 20.28. and hath the power to take it again, according to his Fathers commandement. But now, thou seest him crow­ned with Glory and Honour, which is made a little inferior to the An­gels through the suffring of death, Heb, 2.9. that by Gods grace, he might taste Death for all men. Hee is that stronger man, that entred in the strong mans house, spoyled all that he had; and this and much [Page 129] more hee did,Mat. 18.11. before hee could bring vnder so mightie ene­mies as man had, and so ac­complish so painfull a worke as Redemption is;Rom. 4.10. and pacifie so great a Person, as is the most hie, Almightie, & everlasting God.

O (my Soule) diligentlie remember, & often cal to mind the heauenlie droppes of that inesteemable Blood, which he shed for thy sake, thy soule & vile sinnes, for (thee vnworthy soule) and salvation.1. Iohn. [...] 19. Eph. 5.5 [...]sal. [...]. Rom. 8.3 Loue him for it dearelie, thanke him for it earnestlie, serue him in humi­litie, obedience, and simplicity.

And that thou mayst receiue deeper impression of his blood: marke heere diligentlie (my Soule) to how many seve­rall respects, and diverse ends [Page 130] hee had in this worke: For first,Rom. 8.32 GOD the Father, delive­red him, who spared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him for vs all to death: It was bee that smote the Sheepe-Heard, Zach. 13. and the Sheepe was scattered. For the sinnes of his people hee smote him, I say,Esay. 53. for the Lord had laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all: And it behoued him to drinke of the cup that the Father had giuen him; but what shall I say, they persecute him whom they haue smitten, Psal. 69.26. and they adde vnto the sorrowes of them, whom thou hast wounded. As Iudas, who said, What will yee giue mee, Mat. 28.15. and I will deliver him vnto you: not as­sisting, or cooperating to Gods will, but perfecting his owne maliciousnesse, as did the rest. [Page 131] The Iewes also tooke him, Iohn. 18 13. and bound him, and ledde him away vnto Annas, Pilate also delive­red him to bee crucified at their owne will: Yea,Iohn. 19 16. Sathan had a enterest heerein, who from the his Nativitie persued him, euen to his Baptisme, Mat. 4. where he hand to hand combated him; but got the foyle, and now hath en­tered in Iudas. O!Eph. 5.2 but most of all (deare Christ) thou gauest thy selfe to death for the loue of thy Church, for thou loued thy Church, and gaue thy selfe for it.

Truelie,Psal. 1 [...] 3. thou mightest haue said, The snares of Death com­passed mee, and the grieues of the Graue caught mee; I haue found trouble and sorrow: Psal. 22. many young Bulles haue compassed mee, mighty [Page 132] Bulles of Basan haue closed mee about, they gape vpon mee with their mouthes, as a ramping and roaring Lyon, Dogges haue com­passed mee, and the assemblie of the wicked haue inclosed mee

The chiefe Priestes who should haue defēded the Shepe-Heard & Bishop of our Soules,1. Pet. 2.25. 1. Cor. 8.2.3. who pretended knowledge, & in whose handes were the Ora­cles of God, most of all both privatlie and publicklie did procure his Death. For Envy corrupted the whole masse of their learning: They knew where Christ should bee borne, Mat. 2.4. they had ofttimes disputed with him, after that Iohn had testified of him;Iohn. 1.19. hee himselfe, confessed and denyed not that hee was the Son of God, Luc. 22.67.69.70. yet they never pretermitted [Page 133] no opportunitie while they had his life.

It is good to vnderstand according to sobrietie: Rom. 12 13. Mat. 11 25. Luc. 10.21 Iohn. 7.4.46.49. 1. Cor. 13.2. The Lord did bide those thinges from the wise and learned, and reveiled them to Babes: They were blind leaders of the blind: learning profiteth not, vnlesse it bee ac­companied with Humilitie and Love: Thus seeing, they see not, and groping, they finde nothing.Act. 17.17 The Athenian Philosophers, Epicures, and stoicks,Act. 2.13. most of al withstood Paul. The religious of everie Nation vnder heauen, moc­ked Peter The Syrenians,Act. 6.12. & they of Alexādria, desputed with Steven, and falslie ac­cused him.

And finally, the whole Ie­wish [Page 134] nation at Ierusalem, [...] little handful only excepted which did not dreame of [...] spirituall Kingdome, com­bined to conclude his death, as was fore-spoken: The peo­ple raged, Psal. 2.1. the kinges of th [...] earth band themselues, and the Princes are assembled togethe [...] against the Lord, and agains [...] his Christ: Destitute of a [...] Consolation,Col. 1.16. in so much a the Creator of the Armeis o [...] Angels had neede of one o [...] them,Heb. 2.7. Luc. 22.43 Luc. 16.22. (O! but One) fr [...] Heaven to comfort him; so gre­atlie was hee forsaken of hi [...] Father for our sinnes: Nei­ther yet shall the Angels leave thee in the like houre of death, and necessitie of helpe, if thou trust in him, [Page 135] which alwayes beholde the face of his Father in Heaven. Mat 18.10.

By which, Christ evident­lie declared, it was no jest, nor collusion betwixt his Fa­ther & him; but that in deed, & in truth he was terriblie a­stonished, and agast, Mat. 26.37. while his Bloode did so copious­lie runne from him; but his Father was highlie offended, Psal. 6.1. and greatly inraged at our sinnes; for hee is a GOD, Psal. 11.5. that loveth righteousnesse, but the wicked, and him that loueth iniquitie, doth his Soule hate: Wherefore, Christ was woun­ded for our transgressions, Esay. 53.7 hee was broken for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was vpon him, though hee had done no wickednesse, neither [Page 136] was there fraude in his mouth.

Despise not thou (deare Soule) those who at the feare of Death are most dejected, humbled, and stupefied; neither yet judge those to haue the better cause, who yeelde themselves foolishlie, and too boldlie to Death. But bee thou taught, to bee god-lie afrayed of the sepa­ration of the Soule,Luc. 12.40 from the Body, and ever as (Death were instant) to foresee the same, and learne to die; which follow­eth thee at the heeles, as the shaddow doeth the Body. LORD, Psal. 90.12 teach vs to number our dayes, and apply our hearts to wisedome: For the medita­tion of Death is greatest Philosophie. Remember (my [Page 137] Soule) thine ende, and thou wilt not sinne for euer, and the more the outwarde man decay, be thou renewed, & strengthened in the inner­man: And heere the first and second Adam doe meete, for the first in the Garden made a beginning of our mi­serie;Gen. 3.2. and the second buil­ded the ground of his Passion for our Redemption in the Gar­den.2. Cor. 5.18 That (is I say) that amongst greatest pleasures meditate of thy mortalitie. There Christ was taken, and bound,Iohn. 18.2. the place was knowne to Iudas, because Christe would not shunne the oc­casion of our deliverance, but hee would not haue him to know the person, with [Page 138] whom hee was to eate the Pas­sover by name, least he should had sought meanes to pre­vent the same, which hee could not, because his houre was not come.

The second Step to ascend by.

SEcoundlie, thou mayest conceive (poore Soule) that thy Spouse suffe­ring was exceeding great, when beeing sorrowfull and grieuouslie troubled, hee said,Mar. 14.34. My Soule is heavie even vnto death: Hee that said vn­to his servant in the Prison, Act. 23.11 [Page 139] Bee of good courage, now is afrayed of his imminent pas­sion, beeing like to vs in soule and bodie, and infirmities, Heb. 4.15. and all thinges, Sinne excepted: As God hath said, I am the Life, and restoreth the dead to life; exhorting his Dis­ciples,Iohn. 5.25. not to feare them that can kill the bodie, but not harme the soule; as God, I say, howe can hee bee afrayed to whome the Sainctes doe sing. The Lord is with mee, Psal. 117.6. therefore I will not feare what man can doe vnto mee. The humane nature was borne to suffer, and to bee parta­ker of all our afflictions, that hee might communicate solide constancie of his po­wer to vs; for vnto the world [Page 140] hee came as a rich Mar­chant traffecting with vs, that of his fulnesse wee might all receiue; Iohn. 1.16. taking ours by a marveilous translation,Col. 1.13. and exchange:Iam. 1.5. Mat. 26.53. and giving his most liberallie, and reproached no man, giuing (I say) for shame, Honour, Salvation, for Do­lour, for Death, Life, and though hee might command moe than twelue Legions of Angels to aide him, hee had rather receiue our feare, than exercise his owne po­wer; yea, it aggreged his griefe,Mat. 26.24.31. Iohn. 13.1 Iudas treason, the scan­dall of the Apostles whom hee loved to the end: rejection of the Iewes,Esay. 48.4 for whome hee had done so much: And the fearfull destruction of Ierusa­lem, [Page 141] on which there was not to bee left a stone vpon a stone: Mat. 23.38. So that hee had forewarned the mourners thereof,Luc. 23.28 weepe not for mee, but weepe for your sevels, sayeth hee; and your children.

When thy Loue (belo­ved Soule) was transfigured on mount Tabor, Mat. 17.2 his face shi­ned as the Sunne; but now he is despised, and esteemed no­thing, both pale and wan, for there was no bewtie in him now, who before was fairer, Esay. 53.2.3. than the Chrildren of men; but now, despised, Psal. 45.2 and rejected of men: A man full of sorrowes, and bad experience of infir­mities; that by sufferinges, hee might learne obedience. And he who taught his Dis­ciples [Page 142] to pray for vs, and for himselfe,Iohn. 16.26. Heb. 7.25 & 9.24. practised the same lesson; by blessing prayer by his owne mouth, not once in that short mo­ment of time, but thrice ac­cording to the weight of that imminent necessitie: O Fa­ther! Mat. 26.39. if it bee possible, let this Cuppe passe from mee! mea­ning, his bitter passion, and the dregges of the vialles of Gods wrath, not that hee was vnwilling to drinke ther­of (for hee went alwayes a­bout his Fathers bussinesse: Mat. 3.15. and it was meate for him to doe his Fathers will, submitting himselfe, that hee might ful­fill all righteousnes.) But these earnest speeches declared the heavie burthen of sinne, [Page 143] which lay on him, the painful griefe which hee endured, the greatest tormentes and ter­rors which hee sustained for (thee vnthankefull Soule) and his Elect.

The Soule (of thy Bride-groome) was from Heaven, Mat. 1.20. heavenlie, never bespotted and defyled with any vnclean­nesse, 1. Pet. 1.19 Act. 2.27. but pure without corrup­tion. Notwithstanding, that it was sadde, and touched with the feare of Death for thee, which hath deserved the same:1. Pet. 2.22 24. all which were fastned on his shoulders, and hee did beare them; who never dis­pleased God, nor offended man: and of whom his verie enemies did confesse, He had done all thinges well, yet did [Page 144] the Lorde broke him, and made him subject to infirmities, Esay. 53.10. and layd vpon him the iniquities of vs all.

And what griefe thinkest thou was hee in? when hee sweate so powerfully, and prayed so ferventlie? No doubt, he felt the vnsuppor­table weight of thy sinne, Mat. 11.28 the fierce wrath of God against it, Rom. 2.8. the justice of the righteous God requiring due punishment for it, 1. Thess. 1.10. the killing power of the Law, Rom. 5.12. pronuncing condem­nation to it, the strong force of Death,Rom. 7.11. the Stipend and reward addebted to it, the tyrannie of Sathan, Iohn. 8.34. insulting on thee for it, the infinite and eternall tormentes of Hell, 1. Pet. 2.19 just desert to it, which no tongue [Page 145] can expresse,1. Pet. 3.19 Mat. 24.41. Mat. 13.42. nor heart con­ceiue, where the worme dieth not, and the fire not quenched, where there is weeping, and gnashing of teeth.

This (I say) made thy sweete Saviour in anguish of spirit so to bemone him­selfe,Iohn. 3.16. yet to show that God so loved the world, that bee gave his onely begotten Sonne for it: And that bee came hither to save sinners, Ioh. 12.47. for whom hee was contented to die: Hee yeelded his wil to Gods, say­ing; neverthelesse, not as I will, but as thou wilt.

THE THIRD STEP to ascend by.

THirdlie, this did aggravate his mi­series, that hee was betrayed by his fa­miliar friend whom he trusted, Psal. 44.9 which did eate of his bread, his own Purse-master,Iohn. 13.12 whose feete hee had washed and that with a kisse, speaking as the custome of this worlde is, pea [...]eablie with his mouth, Ier. 9.8. but in his heart bee layed waite for his neighbour. Psal. 28.3. Bee thou not drawne away (poore Soule) with the wicked, Psal. 120.2. and with the [Page 147] workers of iniquitie: which speakes friendlie to their neigh­bours, Psal. 105.17.18. when malice is in their heart. Deliver my Soule, O Lord, from the lying lippes, and from a deceitfull tongue. So did Ioab kill Amasa, 2. Sam. 20.4. Iudg. 16.20. and Cain slewe Abel, Sampson is betrayed by Philistimes, so Ioseph was solde for a slaue, they helde his feete in stockes, vntill his appointed time came, and the counsell of the Lord had tryed him.

Hypocriticall was thy sa­lutation, O sonne of perdi­tion (Sayest thou, Haile Ma­ster? Thy Master, Iudas, whom thou wast bound to defend: But what will not the hungrie desire of money doe? by it, hee lost Christ, Col. 3.5. [Page 148] hee lost his Soule, hee lost Heauen, Iohn. 3.36. and damned him­selfe. The Traitor had a fit end, hee hanged himselfe, but that was not all, hee hanges in Hell perpetuallie for it,2. Thess. 1.6.7. Iudg. 1.7 Gen. 9.6. as hee deserved, so is hee served, for blood will have blood; for had hee repented, truely, he had not put hands in himselfe, the word was in his mouthe, but the thing was not in his heart. Such is the force of conscience, set­ting before him the hainous­nesse of his fact, the grie­vousnes of GODS vvrath; judgement without mercie, and hells fire without re­demption: For an evill con­science is a Witnesse, a Sum­monder, a Iudge, a Tormenter, [Page 149] a Prison of sinners. What thing more grieuous, thā day and night, to cary about such a one; a man may avoide all thinges, but his owne heart, for whither soeuer he goeth, it goeth with him, either to accuse, or excuse. Rom. 2.15 The testimonie of a good conscience, is a continuall feast, which maketh a man alvvayes mer­rie:1. Tim. 1 19. The putting avvay of a good conscience, maketh ship-vvracke of Faith.

Endevour therefore (O my Soule) to haue a cleare Conscience towardes GOD, and towardes man. For if thy heart condemne thee, God is greater than thine hearte, and knoweth all thinges: But if thine heart condemne thee not, [Page 149] then hast thou boldnesse towards him, and whatsoeuer thou seekest in faith, shall thou re­ceiue from him: A sicke con­science can no Physician in the world cure, but that hea­venlie Physician Iesus.

1. Tim. 6.10. Thou seest the desire of mo­ney, is the roote of all mischiefe, they who are poysoned therwith, doe erre from the Faith, Pro. 27.20 these pierce themselves through with many sorrowes, they fall into tentations, into snares, into manie foolish and noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction; which is too e­vident in this miserable creature Iudas.

But thou (my Soule) flie thou those thinges, Tim. 6.11.12. and follow after righteousnesse, god­linesse, [Page 150] faith, love, patience, meeknesse, laying hold on eter­nall Life, wherevnto thou art called. Thus there is no griefe to that of thy minde, no losse to that of life no, feare, to that of destruction: so there is no enemie to a covetous and a dissembling friend, no treachrie, to that which one of a mans own may pra­ctise; Iudas was amongst the Apostles by externall vo­cation, but not of them by inwarde sanctification, as Christ often foretold them: that twelue hee had chosen, Iohn. 6.70. and one of them was a devill. Where the Lordes mercie is evident and thy prodigious malice manifest; neither did the faith and firmitie of the A­postles [Page 151] fall, by reason of this Traitours defection, for what though some did not be­lieue, Rom. 3.3.4. shall their vnbeliefe make the promises of GOD without effect? God forbid: Let GOD bee true, and all men lyears. Hee departed from Christ, the rest did abide, vnto the end, they that continued, Luc. 23.28 shall bee saved. He went to the chiefe Priestes, hee might haue knowne,Psal. 1.1. That blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked: And Iacob in the spirite of pro­phesie; saw this Tragedie, and abhorred the Actors Simeon and Levi, Gen. 49.5.6. brethren in evill, the instruments of cruel­tie are in their habitations, vn­to their secrets let not my soule [Page 152] come, my glorie, bee not thou joyned with their assemblies, for in their wrath they slew the man (Christ) and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall.

Hee vvent (I say) not called, or sent for, or se­duced by his Lordes ene­mies, but vvillingly offered himselfe: the sinne is more tole­rable, that hath a preceeding cause. Adam was deceiued by the Serpent, but the De­vill hatched and brotched these venemous contagions of himself, and in himselfe: No man motioned this bu­sinesse to him, hee intruded himselfe, separating himselfe in soule and bodie from his Master. It is good to haue the [Page 153] heart established by grace, Heb. 13.9. and alwayes to cleaue vnto the Lord. Hee would recompense the losse hee had by the pou­ring out of Maries box of Oyntment, but hee came short.

Neither seeketh he a cer­tain summe, as to gain much by the bargane, but as selling a vyle slaue, or base thing, referreth the price to them­selves, what they would giue: neither calleth he Christ his Master, or Lord, but I shall deliver (Him) as a con­temptible creature, neither inquyreth of the quarrell, what they wil doe with him, for his minde was onely on the money.

And heere remember (my [Page 154] Soule) that for a small price hee betrayed the Worde, which was in the beginning, which Word, was GOD.Iohn. 1.1. Hast thou receiued earthly or temporall goodes to ex­pell from (thy soule) thy Sa­viour? or by Brybrie, and Symonie perverted I [...]stice, and the word of Trueth that was in thee? betimes repent, many sinnes dost thou com­mit for the thirst of gold, desire of Preferment, and Ambition, climming to Pro­motion: He sought the world, forsooke heaven, but found none of them. Cast from thee therefore, 2. Cor. 4.2. cloakes of sinne and shame, and walke not in craf­tinesse, neither handle the word of God deceitfullie, but in de­claration [Page 155] of the Trueth: Ap­proue thy selfe to euerie mans conscience. Iudas sold his Re­demer, and hanged himselfe, lost his grace; and justlie, for no man can keepe that which hee hath sold. Woe vnto them, Iud. 11. that are cast away by the deceite of Balaams wa­ges.

This wretch could not be moued by his Masters hu­militie, good-will, and cur­tesie to repentance, albeit that milde Lambe sitting at Table with him, had giuen him a savory and well-tasted morsell, which bee had dip­ped in the platter, and reached with his owne hand; to sig­nifie, that hee would feed and benefite his very known [Page 156] enemie, and also to giue e­vident demonstration, that not of infirmitie, but moste willinglie hee did lay down his life for man-kinde.

THE FOVRTH STEP in the Soules ascension, by heauenlie contem­plation.

FOurthlie, consider diligently with thy selfe (my Soule) how naughtily thy Christ was esteemed, when the Iudge Pontius Pilate pre­ferred [Page 157] an arrant Male-factour,Mat. 27.16. a notable prisoner, Barabbas to him who is the I­mage of the invisible GOD, the first borne of everie creature, Col. 1.15.18. hee is before all thinges, and in him all thinges consist; hee is the bead of the body of the Church, hee is the beginning and first borne of the dead, that in all things bee might haue the preheminence; and good reason it were so, for hee is the brightnesse of his Glorie, and the ingraued forme of his Father, Heb. 1.3. and beareth vp all things by his mightie Word. Now is hee that Stone casten aside of the builders, and vilipended of all men, yet is become the head of the Corner: Psal. 118.22. A Stone (I say) tryed, and most pre­cious, [Page 158] so that, Esay. 28.16. whosoever shall fall on this Stone, hee shall be broken, Mat. 21.44. and on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grinde him to powder.

And notwithstanding, this timorous Iudge knewe that for envie they bad delivered him, Mat. 27.18. and though his wife sent vn­to him vpon the Iudgement seat, to haue nothing to doe with that just man, and though he found by his owne sentence, no cause of death in him, bee tooke water and washed his handes, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this Iust man: And albeit that Christe himselfe our Lord and Saviour, vn­der Pontius Pilate, witnessed a good confession, for this cause was hee borne, and for this [Page 159] came hee into the world, Iohn. 18.37. that hee should beare witnesse vnto the Trueth. Yet, (I say) for all these things, the mul­titude of the Iewes denyed the holie One, and the Iust, and de­sired a murtherer to bee given to them, Act. 3.14. and killed the LORD of Life. O what villanie, and indignitie is this! But con­sider (O thou my Soule!) that Iesus of N [...]zareth, a man approued of God amongst them with great workes, Act. 2.22.23. and wonders, and signes which God did by him in the midst of them, as they themselues also knew, (him I say) did they take by the hands of the wicked, being delivered by the determinat cou [...]sell and fore-knowledge of GOD, and haue crucified, and slaine him: [Page 160] Doest thou condemne this base, and vyle contempte of the Sonne of God? con­sider that through Ignorance they did it, 1. Cor. 2.8. as also their Go­vernours, for had they knowne, they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie.

But alas, (poore Soule) how often doest thou not prefer a mans life, but any foolishe toye, and vanish­ing shade of thy Lust and fil­thy pleasure, to thy Redee­mer For in euery sinne thou doest commit, thou hast a secret discourse in judge­ment, and a corrupt rea­son of election, what shall bee rejected, or imbraced, avoyded, or excepted And thou (such is thy vainitie) [Page 161] doest make thy idle concu­piscence (not so heavie as a feather) to proponderat, and weigh downe in the wron­gous & false ballance of thy fantasie, the Loue, Feare, and Obedience, that thou oughtest to Christ.

But these thinges (Igno­rant Soule) that thou supposest bee vantage vnto thee, Phil. 3.7.8. the same count losse for Christs sake, yea, doubtlesse, thinke all thinges but losse for the excelling know­ledge sake of Christ Iesus thy Lord, for whom counpt all things losse, and judge them to bee dongue, Iohn. 12.32. that thou mayst winne Christ; who doeth draw all men to himselfe.

And shall this Ignorance excuse them? no truelie, for [Page 162] ignorāce in those that would not vnderstād without doubt is a sinne: Ignorance in those that could not vnderstand, is a punishment for sinne. But thou (my Soule) after thou hast escaped from the filthinesse of the world, 2. Pet. 20.21. through the know­ledge of the Lorde, and of thy Saviour Iesus Christ, if thou bee yet intangled therein and o­vercome, the latter end is worse with thee, than the beginning, for it had beene better for thee not to haue knowne the way of righte­ousnesse, than after thou hast knowne it, to turne from the holy commandement given vnto thee, for the servant that kno­weth the will of his Master, and doeth it not, shall bee beaten with many stripes, yea, hee [Page 163] that neither knoweth nor doeth, shall bee beaten with few, Iam. 4.17. Luc. 1.77. al­wayes shall be beaten, but to him that knoweth, and doeth it not, 2. Pet. 3.18. to him it is sinne, For Christ giueth vs grace to grow in this knowledge.

But before thou come (poore Soule) to a deeper contemplation of this Step foresaid, consider how our Saviour entered into this conflict with Sinne, and the Wrath of God due thereto, which was, when hee had discharged the dutie to them who were committed vnto him, instructed them, and commended them to God, Thē was it a seasonable time in Peace, Rest, and Securi­tie, with a good conscience to lay downe his life, this [Page 164] should bee especiallie medi­tated, (of thee) my Soule.

And so went hee on to the Mount,Iohn. 18.2. which place was well knowne to Iudas: so vo­luntarie was his sacrifice, for wee should not haue rea­ped benefite by it, vnlesse willinglie, and with such a readinesse to pleasour his Fa­ther, and satisfie Gods anger, hee had died, as man nor Angell cannot expresse.

Then to Iudas againe, bee was familiare and acquainted with Christe, Luc. 22.21 if it had not beene so, he would not haue come hither to haue taken him, and now (de [...]re Soule) no man betrayeth Christ, but he that knoweth him, and his Trueth. Take heede to thy [Page 165] knowledge, and looke that it bee in sinceritie and not in hypocrisie, or else in the end thou shalt proue an A­postate: The thoughts of the Iust are right, Pro. 12.5. but the counsells of the wicked are deceitfull.

And thus Iudas lost securi­tie, arming himselfe with the power of the guarde of the high Priestes: It is the peace of God that passeth all vn­derstanding, that fortifieth the heart of man; for peace is nothing, but a good conscience: Although I were compassed a­bout with ten thousand men, Psal. 3.6. yet would I not bee affrayed, for I know assuredlie that thou wilt bee with mee.

It is a dangerous matter to harden the hearte against [Page 166] Christ, or if it bee once in­d [...]red, t [...]ou shalt not stay, vntill thou come into ex­treame induration.

I pray the LORDE, preserue thee my Soule frō the hardnes of heart against the Trueth, Rom. 9.18. 2. Pet. 3.17 and against Ie­sus Christ, for seldome is it that one going forward ther­in, and ever returneth to grace,Gen. 18.14 but with the Lord all thinges are possible: For it is an hard matter to bee given over to a reprobate sense, and when the Lord taketh out of the Soule,Zach. 8.6. all sight and sense of his judgements thou shall never leaue off from evill do­ing. Stryue therefore (O my Soule) to keepe thy selfe in fe [...]ing; Rom. 1.26. and let not that mi­serable [Page 167] sward and scroofe to growe over thy vnderstan­ding; but waken the conscience with the acknowledging of the power and mercie of God, and suffer not it to come to such fatnesse, Act. 28.26 27. as seeing thou shouldest not see, and become vncurable.

In the Garden then, the cup of Gods indignatiō was presented vnto him: even as the good master of the house distributeth to his servants their taske, so doth the Lord dispose the measure of af­flictions vnto his owne: But vnto the wicked, in his hand hee hath a cup, and the wine is red, Psal. 75.8.9. it is mixed, and hee shall poure out of the same; surelie all the vngodly of the earth shall wring out and drinke the [Page 168] dregges thereof. But well kno­weth the wise God, 1. Cor. 10.13. how strong a measure of temptation his own can beare.

What is the reason then, that thou doest not fully re­ly on thy God, to whom all thy bones are knowne? Psal. 139.15. though thou wast made in a secret place, and fashioned beneath in the earth. And why dost not thou wil­lingly receiue at his handes wha [...]soever quantitie of try­all it pleaseth him to send?Psal. 50.15. Call on him therefore in the day of trouble, he will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorifie him.

The translation of this Cup, he craved then of his Father, whome hee knewe caried a favourable affection towardes him,Esay. 65.24 who will be­fore [Page 169] wee call, answere, & whiles wee speake hee will beare, for it is not the will of our Father which is in heaven, Mat. 18.13. that one of these little ones should perish.

Parents may neglect duetie to the children, Esay. 49.15.16. and a woman whose loue is most vehement, may for­get her childe, and not haue compassion on the sonne of her wombe, though they should for­get, yet will I not forget sayth the Lord, behold, I ha [...]e gra­ven thee vpon the palmes of my handes.

But alas (poore Soule) thy sinnes made him both kneele, and bee cast below on the earth, and wilt thou with a stiffe necke, and out-strea­ched arme proudlie walke therein: hee sweate blood [Page 170] for vs, and wee draw the blood of our brethren, by Avarice, oppression, and vsu­rie. Woulde to God, the Blood of Iesus woulde sof­ten our hard heartes as the blood of Goates doe breake Adamantes, that beeing san­ctified by the same, wee may render new obedience vnto him, by feeling and lamenting our sinnes and im­perfections, and ever haue recourse from the angry God to the pacified god, giuing eare in reverence and feare to the admonitions, and ex­hortations out of the word, least it befall vs, because hee hath called, and wee refused, And be streatched out his band, and none would regarde, bee [Page 171] also laugh at our destruction, and mocke when our feare com­meth: Pro. 1.24. for this is the nature of Gods invitation, that the men doe die that speak the word, but the worde shall bee founde living: Zach. 1.4.5.6. And so it is that the Prophets dyed with their fathers, but the word never left them, vntill it brought a judgement vpon the diso­bedient.

With Teares therefore (poore Soule) confesse thy sinnes vnto the Lord, [...]sal. 6.6. for if thou hyde them, thou accusest thy selfe,Psal. 32.5. bee forgets them, when thou rememberest them, thou art deare vnto him, whē thou art vyle vnto thy selfe, hee findeth thee, when thou art lost, and annibilated, he much regar­deth [Page 172] thee, when thou art no­thing in thine owne eyes, Beg­gers doe show their wounds to moue compassion, let vs open to God the sores of our festered conscience without delay, least by the occasion of sinne, and delay of repen­tance, grace bee intercepted from vs. Remember what t [...]y Saviour hath done for thee, and with what vnkindnesse thou hast recompensed h m. Consider the wrath of God against sinne, which maye moue verie senselesse crea­tures: but joyne heere with­all, a liuelie faith, taking holde on the mercie of God, which hee hath manifested in his beloued Sonne, 1. Iohn. 2.1.2. for his mercie is the port vnto the which [Page 173] sinners should aryue, the com­fort of the offenders, and great securitie of the righte­ous. I know his mercies are great, but can not compre­hend the quantitie, and am ignorant of the qualitie of the greatnesse thereof, for vnlesse it had beene great, few or none should haue e­ver beene saved. When Christe came in the fleshe, hee called Magicians, Mat. 2.1. or wise­men, then the Publicans, then the Whoores, the Malefectors, and whom last? the Blasphe­mers: these are, the first fruits of his calling, even those who be tyed with the bonds of Sinne. Art thou therefore vngodly? remember the Ma­gicians, art thou an oppres­sour, [Page 174] thinke on the Publican, art thou vncleane, the LORD pittied the whoore; art thou blood-thirstie, let that Trai­tour and Malefactor bee ob­versant vnto thine eyes, art thou profanelie wicked, re­member Paul, who was first a blasphemer, and then an A­postle, first a Persecuter, and then an Evangelist, for this is a true word, and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued, 1. Tim. 1.15.16. that Christ Iesus came into the world to save Sinners, of whom I am chiefe (sayeth hee.) Notwith­standing, for this cause was I re­ceiued vnto mercie, that Iesus Christ should first show on me long suffering, to the exam­ple of them, which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eter­nall [Page 175] life.

But heere there is requi­red especiallie, that thou shoul­dest fight a good fight, keeping faith and a good conscience, in surrendring obedience, in holi­nesse to God, Charitie to thy neighbour, puritie of life, and diligence in thy calling, that the Lord may direct thy steps in his Trueth, may guyde thee by his Counsell, and reserve thee to his Glorie.

For thy Armour are Teares, and Prayers, other-wise thou neither can resist, nor pos­siblie prevaile. Iacob against Esau vsed these spirituall meanes, Patience, and Devo­tion, for a slender and light wind of temptation, can shortlie cut vs off from con­fidence: [Page 176] for Peter was a de­se [...]bler, a lyar, and per­jure, vntill that grace redu­ced him: So man is nothing, yea, hee is much in him­selfe to his owne minde, vn­till hee haue the experience of his owne deficiencie; but beeing tempted, hee will learne from whom hee hath receiued strength, and with howe much vigilancie hee should keepe the same. For who denyeth mee before men, I will denye him (saith hee) before my Father, which is in Heaven, hee that denyeth him by mouth, doeth not belee [...]e by [...]eart, the faith in the hearte is the roote of confession, confession is the fruite of Faith, while the Roote is [Page 177] liuing, there are blossomes and leaues, if not, dead: For [...]y the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnes, Rom. 10.10. and by the mouth, wee confesse to salvation: And therefore (Soule) the confession of the mouth with­out faith in heart, neither faith in heart, without con­fession of the mouth availeth.

Lord, giue that thou askest, and aske what thou wilt, Peter was prompt in promising, feare­full in keeping, but diligent in amending, greatest spirits gather strength to them­selves the greatest occasion of sinne. If we consider how feeble we are to resist evill, and changeable to persever in goodnes, we wold quake.

But (O dead Soule) thou [Page 178] art nothing else, than a va­nitie and shaddow of death, and gulfe of darknesse, in earth with­out forme, and voyde, which without Gods blessing, can bring out no good thing, I haue confu­sion, sinne, and death of my self, whilest I stand, it is by thy gift, if I fall, it is of me, and ever should lye, vnlesse thou raised mee. Blinde am I, vn­lesse thou enlighten me, and when I fell, vnlesse thou laid thine hand vnder mee, there should I haue lyen: yea, e­ver haue fallen, vnlesse thou had sustained mee, oft-times peri­shed, vnlesse thou hadst gover­ned mee. And now (dead Soule) remember the occa­sion of this Peter his fall: Preachers, are Cockes to crow the glad tythinges of [Page 179] salvation, so Nathan to Da­vid, Ier. 7.26. and Ionas to the Ninivites, but yee would, not heare me, nor incline thine eare, but har­dened the necke (saith hee.)

The Lord looke on vs with the eyes of his mercie, that we may bitterly & worthilie weep for our transgressions, applying the merites of Iesus Christ by a true faith vn­to our soules, for wee haue many sweete promises of sal­vation, and favour of our God offered vnto vs, who came not to call the righteous, Mat. 9.13.14. but sinners to repentance, for the whole need not a Physician, but these that are sicke. For it is not onelie requisite, that thou accuse thy selfe for sin but thou first accuse thy selfe [Page 180] and looke not for rebuking from others, but who can build without God? keepe witho t God, begin with­out God. O!Rom. 11.33 the vnsear­cheable, and infinite, and vn­speakable goodnesse of God! amongst the railinges of the Priestes, falshoodes of wit­nesses against Christ, being buft and bespitted; Christ casteth a glanse of his eye vnto Peters tossed faith. Turne vnto mee, beleeue in mee, followe mee, this is the tyme of my Passion, the tyme of my marriage; wilt thou followe mee; bee not afrayed, thou shalt over­come, let not the infirmitie that I haue taken for thy sake, make thee swarue, [Page 181] bee strong in me. Thus, he that sleepeth, is wakened, the feeble, confirmed, the casten downe, raised, out of the dry rock of his heart, floods of teares doe spring, once beeing touched with the rod, & meditation of his bitter Passion. For Thou art hee who will not the death of a Sinner, but rather to convert, and liue: for Thou camest not into the world to judge it, but to saue it.

THE SECOND DE­gree in this Ladder of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, by the meditatiō, of the Passion of Ie­sus Christ, And the first Steppe thereof.

INto this Gar­den, then in Mounte O­lives, over the Brooke Ke­dron, came out a multitude with Iudas, and bound Christ, and ca­ried him to Annas the high Priest.

Heere hast thou deepe matter (poore Soule) of spirituall contemplation, thy Saviour of his wisedome did see all these thinges, yea, the verie houre of his death. But hee that dwelleth in hea­ven shall laugh, Psal. 2.4. and haue his enemies in derision: For their counsells are not hid from him, who by his word on­lie was able to cast them to the ground: Which is like a fire, I [...]r. 5.14. and men as woode, to de­vour them, for it is liuelie, and mightie in opereation, and shar­per than any two edged sword, and entreth through, even vnto the dividing asu [...]er of th [...] Soule, Heb. 4.12. and the Spirit, and of the joyntes, and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts, [Page 184] and intents of the hearte.

If such a mylde worde did cast his enemies downe, what shall become of them in that day,Psal. 37.12.13. when hee shall rebuke them in his wrath? so the wicked practised them against the just,Mat. 25.47. but the Lord shall laugh him to scorne, for hee seeth his day com­meth.

Neither is our sweete Sa­viour so much moued with his owne cause (as indeed hee was verie much) that hee did forget his Fatherly care over his own Disciples. Let these goe; Iob. 1.10. The Lord hath a hedge about his owne against Sathan: Zach. 2.5. hee is (I say) a wall of fire round about his owne, yea, hee is patient, [Page 185] and long suffering with his enemies, who beeing cast downe, hee permitteth to ryse, and not to bee swal­lowed vp of the earth,Num. 16.32. with Corah, Dathan, and Abiram.

Thou canst not marveill sufficiētly on the blindnes of this companie; they had oft­ten seene him before, yet Iudas (to be sure that Christ should not escape) as by his divinitie hee had done sun­drie times gaue them the signe of a kisse. The Lord can keepe his owne, and not suffer them to bee exposed to the pleasure of their foes. They that sought for Lot, were smitten with blindnesse by the Angels, Gen. 19.11 and so the Lord did to the Syrians at the word 2. King. 6.28. [Page 186] of Elisha, but small was their power against him, for how soone Christ professed that it was hee, they fell, and beeing risen againe, are no whit bettered, but perse­vere in their wicked course.

O! the riches of the mer­cie of God,Ezek. 33.11. as I liue sayeth the Lord, I desire not the death of the wicked, but that bee turne from his way, and liue. Ier. 20.12. Turne you, turne you from your evill way, for why will ye die, yee house of Israel. Hee might haue casten them to the lo­west hell, for hee is the Lord that searcheth the hearte and reines.

Thus they bound him, they play thy part (sinfull Soule) as Dalilia in behalfe Iudg. 16.5. [Page 187] of the Philistims bound Samp­son: and thus did David con­fesse in our name, Behold, Lord, Psal. 116.16. for I am thy servant, I am thy servant, and the sonne of thine hand-maide: thou hast broken my bones. Wee should not raile on the Iewes but detaste our sinnes, which bounde our Sauiour: Wee were (allas) bound by the set­ters of sin, and death, to loose our bonds, and bring vs out of captivitie. Was hee thus intreated? his captivitie was our libertie, his ign [...]mi­nie, is our glorie, his volunta­rie infirmitie, is Gods power to our salvation. Thus we are saued through the Blood of the Covenant: [...]ach. 9.11. Hee hath loosed the Prisoners out of the Pit, where­in [Page 188] there was no water; Psal. 124.7. our soule hath escaped euen as a bird out of the snare of the Fowler, the snare is broken, and wee are delivered, our helpe is in the Name of the Lord, that made heaven and earth, who delive­red vs (I say) from the po­wer of darknesse, Col. 1.13. and transla­ted vs in the Kingdome of his Sonne, and glorious libertie of his adopted inheritance.

When thou (poore Soule) feeles thy selfe fast tyed with the snares of thy sins, haste thee to Christ, who bid­deth all come that are wearie and laden, Mat. 11.28. that hee may r [...] ­lieue them: And this delive­rance from sinne, & Sathan, hath hee sealed vp vnto vs, by his holy Sacraments, as [Page 189] vndoubted pledge; & earnest thereof, Hee that shall beleeue, and be baptized, Mar. 16.16. shall be saved. As the other, This is the Blood of the New-Testament, that is shed for many, Mat. 26.28. for the re­mission of Sinnes. And there­fore, carefullie shouldst thou beware of Sinne, that bee­ing made free from it, Rom. 6.18. thou be the servant of Righteousnesse: for as Sampson often bound, Iudg. 16.22. at last was made a mocke to the of Philistims; so beeing loo­sed from the cordes and grinnes of sinne, must not serue our own concupiscence but liue the life of God, least wee bee bound hand and foote, Mat. 22.13. and cast out into vtter darknesse.

But heere (deare Soule) meditate to learne Patience, [Page 190] whereof thou hast much need, Heb. 10.36 that after thou hast done the will of God, thou mayst receiue the promise; for if wrongous­lie thou bee committed or bound, or if the Lord to daunt and chastise thy cor­rupt nature; suffer the bonds of sicknesse, povertie, or other whatsoever adversitie to bee laid on thee, Christe knoweth, and hath felt the same himself, and hath learned to remember them that are in bonds, Heb. 13. [...]. as though he were bound with them, and them that are in affliction, as if bee were afflicted in the bodie.

And if it come to passe, as (alas) thou often dost cast fetters of sinne of thine owne accord vpon thy selfe, giue [Page 189] [...] [Page 190] [...] [Page 191] not over, nor despare, but then most of all, direct the eye of Faith to beholde Christ that was bound,Zach. 12. who doeth sanctifie thy captivie, and sa­tisfieth for all thy sinnes by his captivitie.

Indeed the binding of him made all his Disciples to flie, oblivious of the oath that they made at the entrie to the Garden, for besides that, Christ had truelie foretold them, they would all leaue him; so was it not in mans power to presever in good­nesse, wee are so weake to resist, and easie to fall. The faithfull must goe out of themselves, and judge them­selves as [...]roken vessels, for as the sting of the smallest [Page 192] pinne doth make the wind in a blowne bladder to burst out; so the least temptation will overthrow the strongest Champion, if wee bee not guarded with mercy and vp­holden by the Lord. Dese [...] ­tion is dangerous, thinke mo­destlie therefore of thy selfe, yea, bee that thinkes he standeth, 1. Cor. 10.12. beware least bee fall.

The Disciples did flee (I say,) Christ had no hel­per, nor support in this bu­sinesse, that all the glorie & praise thereof might be his;Esay. 6.33. who did tread the winepresse a­lone, neither is there salvation in any other, Act. 4.12. neither is there any name given vnder Heaven amongst men, by which we must bee saved. And as the first [Page 193] Adam merited by his rebel­lion; that all the creatures should fall from his obedi­ence, yea, and to make in­surrection against him: so it behoued our Suretie; and Cautioner to bee left of all; that by his obedience all our debt being payed, we might bee receiued in favour; and with all the Sainctes to be made free Denisanes, and Citizens in Heaven.

He then that loosed Lazarus, foure dayes dead from the bonds of death, Iohn. 11.39 and Peter frō the yron bondes in prison, and them that dwell in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death, being bound in miserie and yrons, so that bee broke the gates of Brasse, Psal. 107.10.13. & burst the bars of yron asunder, [Page 194] could he not loose himself? for the loue hee caried to thee, hee would not: for he knew that God would raise him vp, Act. 1.24. and loose the sorrowes of death: because it was impossible that bee shoulde bee holden of it, Act. 8.28. (for they did nothing, but what­soever thine holie hand, O Lord, and thy counsell had determined before to be done.) But thou, O God, verilie hydest thy selfe, Esay. 45.15. O Saviour of Israel.

Say thou therefore (my Soule) I greatlie rejoyce in the Lord, and my soule shall bee joyfull in my God, Esay. 61.10. for bee hath cloathed mee with the gar­ments of saluation, and cove­red me with the robe of righteousnesse, hee hath decked me like a Bride-groome, and as a Bride [Page 163] [...] [Page 195] [...] [Page 163] tyeth her selfe with her Iewels. For thy Christ is to preach good tydings vnto thee, Esay. 61.4. to bind vp the broken hearted, to preach libertie to the captiues, and to them that are bound the opening of the prison.

But before thou passe the Garden and his bondes, me­ditate the resemblance of the first and second Adam, the first was accompanied with Eua, Gen. 3.22. the second alone, left of all his owne, for Adam did not alone sin, but Christ alone payed the price of our redemption. The first Adam beeing thrust out, that hee should not haue regresse, a firie sword was appointed to stay him from entrie: but our second Adam was smit­ten, [Page 195] yet Paradice opened. To what purpose should the Garden bee keeped, when the Tree of Life which is (Iesus Christ) that giueth immortalie, is caried from the Garden? Now is there no more the wrath of God; but Reconciliation, no Ven­geance, but Mercie, no Ha­tred, but Loue with this Tree of Life, which is made a Sa­crifice for vs, purchased to vs all.

THE THIRD STEP of the ascension of the Soule, by meditation of those things which were done in the house of Annas, Father in Law to Caia­phas.

Mat. 26. ANd now here, (sicke Soule) consider wel Christs pre­sentatiō,Iohn. 18. Luc. 2 [...]. ex­aminatioun, boxing, and answere to that wicked fact.

Ioseph. lib. 28. antiq. cap. 8. Valerius Gratus deposed this Annas, and planted in his place Ismael the sonne [Page 198] Fabius, who is thereafter rejected, and Annas his son substitute, But the yeere af­ter, Symon the son of Canu­thus is promoted to that dignitie. Miserable was the condition in these times, those thinges which should be done by the holie Ghost in the warrand of his Word, Exod. 29.29. were traversed by Symonie, such was the greedines and pride of the Romane Precuratours, a presage of their fall, which is to bee feared, where the like had place also.

This Annas house appa­rantlie was in the way they came. And they woulde gratifie him, to see this mi­serable spectacle, the most mischieuous fact that euer [Page 199] was done in the world, the crucifying of the GOD of Glorie. Woe vnto them that deliteth to see the bondes of Christ, in his servants.

From thence hee is caried to his greatest enemie,Iohn. 11.49. that gaue counsell, that one should die for the people; it is a prophe­sie whose tongue was guy­ded by the Lord, as Ba­laams was: Men would haue their Counsell put in execu­tion, and before it faile, they had rather hang themselves as A [...]hitophell did.2. Sam. 17.23.

O remember (my Soule) many servantes to humour their masters, doe villanous factes,1. Sam. 22.9.10. Manie Doegs now a­dayes who to hunt their Superiours favoures, will [Page 200] not spare the life of foure score and fyue Priestes.

Cajaphas minde was to cut by all meanes Christ off, but God moste wise in his eter­nall decree, found it most expedient, that Christ shuld die for thee, else, wee should all haue beene lost.Gal. 3.28. All (I say,) for there is neither Iew, nor Grecian, there is neither bond, nor free, there is neither male nor female, but all are one in Christ Iesus.

Yea God shall never bee destitute of his owne glory, for if men would suppresse it, God would draw it out of verie dumbe beastes, Num. 22.2 [...]. Luc. 19.40 as hee did out of Balaams Asse, yea, make verie stones to speake.

The Iudges therefore in [Page 201] great hate doe meete by day, which if they had done for decerning of a good cause and just, it had beene worthie of praise and com­mendation:Esay. 59.7.8. But their foote ranne to euill, and they make haste to shedde innocent blood: Their thoughtes are wicked thoughtes, desolation and de­struction is in their pathes, the way of peace they knowe not, and there is none equitie in their goinges, they haue made them crooked pathes, whosoever goeth therein, shall not know peace.

Psal. 82.6.Iudges that delayes the righteous cause, and proro­gates it from time to time, hath cause to bee affrayed, seeing they are Vicars to God, Rom. 13.1. to minister justice indiffe­rentlie [Page 202] to all.

But heere (deare Soule) consider this high Priestes negligence & slouth, should hee not haue knowne those thinges, which were done and spoken in his owne Church? O! but the mali­tious fellow sought the oc­casion, if possiblie he could of binding on Christs backe the crime of Heresie, and Se­dition.

But our Saviour ap­pealed to his Auditours, whose judgement hee is not affraied of, beeing a paterne heere to Preachers of the Gospell, not to be like dumbe Dogges: Mar. 16.15. But to preach the E­vangell to everie creature, nei­ther to bee affrayed of their [Page 203] sincere dispensation of the word, but to render an accompt of the hope that is in them. Mar. 16.15. And thus the servant of the high Priest voyd of all hu­manitie, gaue Christ a boxe, to showe his loyaltie to his master. But trueth breeds hatred, Ieremias, & Mica, hath proved the same before. Light is noysome to sore eyes: Such master, and such servants,Hos. 4.9. such Priests, such people; and good reason it is, for like in sinne, like in pu­nishment.

But heere a notable image of flatterers, Christ is ac­cused of Treason, and beaten besids, because he had so an­swered the hic Priest. Great mens courtes are full of Ca­terpillars, [Page 204] which are Mothes to destroye the best constant Common-wealth. Hee that rebuketh a man, Pro. 28.13 shall finde more favour at the length, than bee that flattereth with his tong; for why? a man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his steppes: Pro. 29.5. But good King David served the Amalakite, 2. Sam. 1.15.16. hypocrite, and flatterer o­therwise. Neither is t [...]is to be passed, that as the malici­ousnes of the servant was in­excuseable, so the Prieste was to bee blamed also, for the servants fault redundeth to the master. Baana [...], and Rechab which did slay Ishbosheth the sonne of Saul, 2. Sam. 4.7. David com­manded them to bee slaine, and therefore, all in place and au­thoritie, [Page 205] should obserue that Princelie counsell of King Dauid, Psal. 101.8 to cut off all the wor­kers of iniquitie bee times from the house of the Lord.

But heere the patience, and long suffering of the Sonne of God, passeth all commen­dation, by his power he did not punish this sinfull ser­vant;Psal. 103.10. but delayeth, looking for amendement, and is not moued to vengeance. Far be it from thee (my Soule) thou abuse his patience, not one blow, but a number hast thou giuen him, when thou purse west him in his members grieuouslie, Act. 9.5. Rom. 2.24. and blasphemest his holie Name, denying thy Christ for bellie and favour; Philip. 3.19. contra­dicting his word, and dissem­bling [Page 206] the trueth: but hee that boldlie shall put hand in the members of Christ,2. King. 13.4. let him but thinke what became of Ieroboam.

And yet just defence with meeknesse is tolerable, so did Paul tell Ananias who gaue commandemēt to beat him: Act. 24.10 In­deed captiues should not be hardlie entertained,; for the Iayler vsed great humilitie, and favour to Ioseph. Gen. 39.

And nowe (deare Soule,) behold Christs innocencie, hee spake nothing in secret, wherof he culd be chalēged, indeed he did not cast pearls before Swine, Mat. 7.6. the substance of his Doctrine was ever one, both to the people, and to the disciples. But after divers manner [Page 207] of his passion, he taught and admonished his Apo­stles of the ruine of Ierusa­lem, Luc. 18. Luc. 22. and mysteries of the king­dome of God, and sundrie pas­sages at the supper, which the world was not capable of, that it might bee fulfilled which was said, I haue not spoken in secret, Esay. 65.2.3. neither in a place of darknesse in the earth. And againe, I haue spread out mine handes all the daye vnto a rebellious people, which wal­keth in a way which was not goood, even after their owne i­maginations, a people that pro­voketh mee euer vnto my face.

But thou (vile creature) shuld thy Creator who hath made thee of the dust of the earth (by grace,) receiue a [Page 208] blow? Servants, when they are made free-men, doe re­ceiue such a stroke to enjoye libertie.

But thou (my Soule) re­member thy Saviour giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him, Lam. 3.30. be is filled full with reproaches, and hath giuen his backe vnto the smitters, and his cheeke to the nippers, Esay. 50.7. neither hid be his face from shame; and spitting; that thou mayst bee admo­nished of the greatnesse of thy sin, and weight of Gods anger, thou didst merite for thy sinnes, in everlasting punishments in Hell.

So didst thou not (O Lambe of God) resist euill,Mat. 3.39. but who­soeuer did smite thee on thy right cheek, didst turne to him the [Page 209] other also, euer beaten while life did laste thee. By thy shame, bloody & blew-face, bewtifull doe wee appeare, who were deformed in sin.

Nowe it restes: His exa­mination and processe there­of, to bee discussed.

Woe is mee (poor Soule) that not onely false recordes, witnesses for wicked endes but that the Princes & Elders, should haue admitted, subor­ned & cōstituted them, with­out respect to the law of God.Act. 6.11. So Steven had proofe thereof, God will never suffer his follo­wers in this,Ier. 7.4.5.6.7. to be destitute of comfort.

Mat. 7.21.For wee should not haue Christ in our mouth, but doe the will of him that sent him, else, all [Page 210] boasting of the Temple of God is to no effect, for what hath the wicked adoe to declare his ordinances, Psal. 50.16 17. or take his Cove­nant in their mouth, seeing they hate to bee reformed, and doe cast his words behind them.

But what did these false witnesses? they could doe no other, than to mixe Trueth with Falset, or interprete against the minde of the spea­ker, right done, or thinges spoken falslie. Our Saviour had said, Destroy this Temple, Iohn. 2.19. and in three dayes I will raise it vp againe: But they said, I can destroy this Temple, he mea­ning of his bodie, they of the materiall temple; Christ said, I will raise it vp againe, they said, hee would build it.

Great are the offences, (deare Soule) which false wit­nesses commit against God,Exod. 20. whose commandement they wilfully break against the Son, who is Trueth it selfe, against the holy Ghost, whose habitation they defile with lies. For the mouth that lieth, killeth the Soule, yea, and offendeth against the Iudge, who belee­ueth them, and against their neighbour, who falleth in the hazard of his life, and goods, as of Naboth.

1. King. 21.9.And therefore, Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but they that deale truely are his delight, Pro. 12.22. and reason, for false witnesses shall not bee v [...]puni­shed, Pro. 19.9. and bee that speaketh lies, shall perish.

And therefore (deare Soule) come never in custome here­of, for both spirituall & cor­porall punishments abideth them: For he that slandereth not with his tongue, nor doeth evill to his neighbour, nor recei­ueth a false report against his neighbour, Psal. 15.2.3. shal rest in the Lords Mountaine. And therefore, speake trueth in the heart, for when inquisition shall bee made, and thy witnesse bee found false; Deut. 19.19. shall bee done vnto thee, as thou thoughtest to doe vn­to thy brother.

Therefore (my Soule) es­chew the thing that is euill, and bee not ashamed to say the truth for thy life. Accept no person against thine own conscience, that thou bee not [Page 213] confounded to thy owne decay.Eccl. 4.33.

Heere then, hee admits al, while the witnesse proue no­thing, but appointeth as Da­rius did, in favours of his No­bles,Dan. 6.16. our Daniel to be casten in the Den of Lyons.

Now what is Christ thy Saviours part in all this busi­nesse, he holds his peace, First to accomplish the prophesie, Esay. 53.7. next, a graue example of pa­tience. If the Iudge doe thee wronge, thou art no better, than Christ was, commit thy cause vnto God,Psal. 146.7. which execu­teth justice for the oppressed, & looseth the prisoners. Trueth may bee hid, but not over­come, iniquitie may floorish for a time, but can not bee permanent.

His innocencie also heere appeares, which behoued to be, that we might be made the righteousnes of God by him. 2. Cor. 5.21. And these things he suffered the night-tyde, that the licentious in a soft bed, whē his head, Prince and King did suffer these thinges by night, should ear­nestlie regard them.

I see Annas doth not loose our Saviour, which of com­passion did loose the Daughter of Abraham, whom Sathā bound many yeeres, Sampson by vertue of the haire of his heade could burst the bonds of strange womē, but Christ after so many mi­racles, wonders, and powers done by him, willinglie gaue himself bound to releiue our bondes.

Our Saviour being asked if hee was Messias, not onelie confessed, but told he should come in judgement in visible forme, at which the high Priest rent his rayment, and accused the most Innocent of blasphemie.

I pray thee, why doest thou adjure the Sonne of GOD? it was not to find out trueth, but occasion of death, if any could bee, such as was in Achab who a­jured Micha the sonne of Iem­lie, whom he presentlie com­mitted to fetters.

The sleeping of the Con­science is common both to the wicked, and to the godlie, and it should bee diligentlie attended vnto, that it may be [Page 216] tymouslie wakened, for the longer the Conscience lyeth in sinne, the bitterer and har­der the wakening will bee: David did lye a yeare in this stū ­ber, and after adulterie,2. Sam. 11 4. com­mitted murther, yet the Lord in mercie wakened him.

Ready is it to bee lulled a­sleepe, and of all judgements a sleeping conscience is the grea­test, happie is hee that finds him reconceiled to his God, a wakening conscience will tell thee when thou hast done euill, that thou mayst haue displeasure & repent, & whē thou hast don well, thou mayst haue joy through Iesus Christ, Rom. 2.19 of whom wee haue our sufficiencie, and without whom wee cannot thinke a good thought.

What is it then that he asketh of Christe? is it concerning his Doctrine and his Disci­ples; he did not point out any particular, because hee had many to laye to his charge, his dittay should haue beene made before hee was taken. How should the high Priest bene ignorant that Christ was both Messias, and the Son of God? for hee saw his marvei­lous workes, which testified of him, he saw the Prophesies onelie fulfilled in his person. Yet our Saviour did with his mouth confesse freely that he was the Sonne of the liuing God, Heb. 4.15. which is the greatest cōfort that euer can befal any soule, that he hath the Sonne of the liuing God his Mediatour, Priest, [Page 218] and King, and companion in all his calamities. And shall not such a mightie King re­venge the injuries done to his members? Truely he will not onely take the defence of thē in this world, but draw them, as his own flesh & bones to him­selfe, for hee is gone to prepare a place for them, Iohn. 14.3. and will come againe, and receiue them to him­selfe, that where hee is, they may bee also.

For what can bee more comfortable (my Soule,) thā to remember wee haue such an omnipotent and everlast­ing King, not onely night & day to haue care over vs, but that our flesh also doeth pos­sesse the heavens; where we shall bee in the presence of [Page 219] God for euer, hee went alone to heaven, but he, all entered into it, for a bone was not broken of him, both head & members shall bee found in heaven.

Hee hath giuen vs the ear­nest of his Spirit, and taken the earnest of our flesh, and ca­ried it as a pawnd to Heaven, where wee and all they that haue true faith shall bee brought, and here withall, to lance this vnrighteous Iud­ges heart, hee maketh men­tion of the latter day, which is his day, wherein hee shall judge all flesh, as Daniel hath fore-spoken, who behelde in visions by night, one like the Sonne of man, Dan. 7.13. comming in the cloudes of heaven, and approa­ching [Page 220] to the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him before him, and hee gaue him dominion, and honour, & a Kingdome that all people, Nations and Langua­ges should serve him: And so said another,Zach. 10. They shall looke vpon mee whom they haue pear­sed, and shall lament for him, as one mourning for his only sonne, and bee sorie for him, as one is sorte for his first borne.

Which second comming,1 Thess. 4.16. seeing it is at hand, we should remember of our accomptes to bee giuen to him, and the precisnesse of that Iustice wherein wee shall render a reckoning for everie idle word: Mat. 12.36. Let it not depart from our memorie, but what-soever thou takest in hand, Eccl. 7.36. remem­ber [Page 221] thy end and thou shall neuer doe amisse: Christ suffered for a good cause, [...]. Pet. 4.15.16. even for righteousnesse sake, who al­though hee was in bonds & afflicted, as though hee were an evill doer, yet the word of God that was in his mouth, was not bound. Iudges as they ex­ercise their judgement, shall be ju [...]ged againe, for he that for thy cause was presented to jugdement, shal be Iudge, who hath said, That God hath sent his Sonne, not to condemne the world, but that bee world by him should bee saued. Beleeue in Christ, and thou needest not to bee affraid of judge­ment, will be condemne them for whom he hath suffered all these things? Iohn. 3.17. suffered (I say,) both [Page 222] of the hie Priest who spak to him, against order of Law, & of the hie Priests servant, who strooke him against order of law, for maintaining the truth before he had beene judged, neither was it a fitte place to punish a man in judgement thogh he were never so bad.

And now the high Priest at this innocent Lambes an­swere, rent his choathes,Ioel. 2.13. but thou shouldst haue so done to thy heart. He pretended the Ma­jestie of God, to bee hurt be this externall behaviour, but inwardlie well pleased; that now hee might haue occasion to fulfill his wicked counsell.

The godlie indeed should burne in zeale when they see the glorie of God to bee im­pared,Mat. 22. [Page 223] as Lot was vexed with the vncleanly conversation of the wicked, for hee beeing righteous & dwelling amōgst them, 1. Pet. 2 7.8. in see­ing and hearing, vexed his righ­teous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deedes.

But alas (poore Soule) how oftimes dost thou both pol­lute thy selfe, & dost heare the holie Name of God blas­phemed by oaths and per­juries, it becommeth thee to avert the wrath of God by all meanes, [...]. King. 11.30. whē thou shalt heare such Rabsakeas blasphemies, as Hezakiah did. Nothing should more grieue thee, thā when wee see the glorie of God his Majestie to be hin­dred or hurt, by any; Who is weake? and I am not weake, [Page 224] who is offended? and I burne not. 2. Cor. 11.24.

Now by this outward ge­sture, hee would declare the punishment of the Lawe in commiting blasphemy justie to appertaine to Christ, Lev. 24.13 to bee sto­ned to death by the whole multi­tude; but this is our greatest comfort, that by these means hee hath redeemed vs from the condemnatorie sentence of the Law, Gal. 3.13. for as the Father hath life in himselfe, so likewise hath he given to the Sonne, to haue life in himselfe, and hath giuen him power also to execute judgement in that hee is the Sonne of man.

But the high Priest did not vnderstand what he was do­ing, for being risen from his place, hee might haue pre­saged the losse of his Priest­hood, [Page 225] & chaire therin; & that in this rage, in rēting his cloths, he did signifie the translatiō of the Law, for the change of the Priest-hoode imported the change of the Law also. The like was done to Ieroboam, whose vpper garment was cut in twelue pieces by the Prophet, who did deliuer vnto him, with the ten pieces, the ten Tribes.

Now as if they had not tor­mented him enough, the hie Priests leaue him to be moc­ked of their servants, vntill the dawning of the day that the Counsel should sit: For what marveill is it, when the Magi­strates giue evill examples, that vnrighteousnesse, vio­lence, and oppression reigne every where.

And now (deare Soule) raise vp thy selfe to thankful­nesse, and let thy heart bee inflamed with his loue, when thou shalt remember, what, and how great bitter things all that whole night thy Redeemer suffered. For his face was bespitted, as if it had bene most ignominious; with their Fistes they boxt him, and spitefullie mocked him, covering his face, that being stricken, hee should tell them who had done it. Great ther­fore, must be the anger, and wrath of God for sinne, for which Christ did suffer so much, and therefore, wee should abhorre it from our heartes. But most of all hast thou to consider the infinite [Page 227] mercie of thy heauenlie Fa­ther, who to vindicate & as­soilyle thee from everlasting ignominie, suffered his be­loued Sonne so shamefullie to bee intreated; well might hee haue said,Psal. 22.7. I am a worme, and not a man.

Remember therefore, thy vncleannes, and inward cor­ruption, who is borne in iniqui­tie, [...]sal. 51.5. and in sinne hath thy mother conceiued thee, to purge thee from these spots, and to pre­sent thee without blotte or wrin­kle. Eph. 5.25. Was this blessed face of Iesus embrued with spittell▪ Iustlie may wee deplore the impuritie of our nature which must bee cleansed by the Blood Christ.1. Iohn. 1.7

Yet doeth not the wicked [Page 128] now cease to beate Iesus in his members, and which is most abominable, doe scorne the divine Majestie, as if he did not see, nor had care, nor were to craue vengeance for that they doe: but doe cover the face of Iesus, (in their o­pinion) while they afflict his members, giuing themselves to carelesse securitie, but hee doeth see, and beholdeth all these thinges, for their oppression, and their sighes are before him, and their wandringes are comp­ted, their teares put vp in his bottle. But although hee ap­peare not to see [...] neither the God of Iacob to regarde, yet vnder­stand yee vnwise among the people, and yee fooles, when will [...]ee bee wise; bee that planted [Page 229] the care, shall bee not heare, [...]r hee that formed the eye, shall bee not see, or hee that chastiseth the nations, Psal. 94.7.8.9.10. shall bee not correct, hee that teacheth men know­ledge, shall bee not know, yea, the Lord knoweth the thoughtes of men, that they are vanitie.

But heere is a notable i­mage of eternall punishment represented vnto vs, which wee ha e deserved in bodie and soule, for if we examine our life and conversation (not to speake of our thoughtes) and weigh them in the bal­lance of Gods Law, wee cannot but judge our selves to bee worthie of eternall con­tempt, rebuke, and shame, & if we would not with euer­lasting punishments be pla­gued, [Page 230] let vs in all possible haste, repent and turne our selves.

But here is abundant conso­lations offered against perse­cution & contumelies which the wicked doe inflicte on the godlie. His shame was changed in an vnspeakeable glorie, the ignominie redun­ded on the head of his ene­mies: so shall the persecutions of his members receiue a cō ­pensation of eternall life. Re­joyce therefore, in asmuch as ye are partakers of Christs suffrings, that when his Glorie shall ap­peare, yee may bee glad and re­joyce, if yee bee railed on for the Name of Christ; blessed are yee, for the Spirit of Glorie, and of God resteth on you, which on [Page 231] their part is evill spoken of, 1. Pet. 4.13.14. but on your part is glorified.

O! but heere h [...]ue wee a notable defence against the wrath of God, and everlast­ing cōdemnation, for if God hadde suted vs before his judgement, and appointed the due punishment for vs, wee should not haue beene thoght worthy of a temporal but, an everlasting confusiō. But Christ (such was his mer­cie) hath become debter for vs, and hath remoued al our shame and ignominie; sancti­fied and cleansed vs, that he might make vs vnto himselfe a glorious Church, holie and without blame. What shall wee [...]ander vnto the Lord, for all his goodnesse bestowed vpon vs most [Page 232] vndeservedlie? Psal. 116.12. wee will take the cup of salvation and call on his Name in presenting to him a mindfull, and thankefull heart.

By the spetle therefore, that hee was defiled with, hath he washt the face of our soule, by the covering of his face; hath he taken away the veile from our heartes, his head was beaten, that all his members might receiue spi­rituall motion, life, sense, & influence; and with Fists was hee rigorouslie stricken, that we may render glorie, praise, and honour vnto him with heart, and clapping of our hands.

THE THIRD DEGREE, and first Step of the ascension of the Soule vnto heavē by comtemplation of Christs exaltation on the Crosse.

ANd now heere consider, the hie Priests & Elders their diligence in conveening their Counsell.Mat. 27. Iudas the tra­tour his conterfeit Repen­tance, Mar. 15. whose end was despe­ration; and the consultation of the Elders, Luc. 23. for buying a Potters fielde.

They pretermitted no time, so speedily would they haue, yea, even before the Sunne a­rose, [Page 234] the Sunne of righte­ousnes dispatched, & fearing least hee should escape, the more short deliberation take they for killing of him, al­thogh their meeting did hold by the 70. and one which was their Sanhendrin, for the which cause, the kingdome was taken from them, the Scepter from Iu­da, Gen. 49.10. Iudgement and the Priest­hood from that Nation. Hos. 13.9. Thy destruction is from thee O I­srael:Esay. 5.4. What more could he haue done to his Vine-yarde, than he hath done? Gen. 3.11. That which Adam had commited, our Saviour payed, Christs silence made a defence for Adam, for hee heard from Euah, that whic [...] was not lawfull, and spake things also, which he should [Page 235] not, hee heard and obeyed his wife, counselling wron­gouslie, & excused himselfe, when the Lord accused him. But contrarily, Christ accu­sed by the wicked; holdeth his peace, & as a deafe man ne­glecteth their forgeries, for well knew he their malice, to come to such hight, that nei­ther would they heare him, nor put him to liberty, and yet constātly professed him­selfe,Luc. 22.69. to bee Son of man, & the Sonne of God, and one that should sit at the right hand of [...]he Maj [...]stie in Heaven, Mat. 26.64. which, to make a way to their ovvne decree against him, as hauing testimonie out of his owne mouth, vvith many vvords they insult against him.

But what is Iudas part, see­ing that thus Christ had in­curred their sentence of cōdem­nation, Mat. 27.3.4.6.7. whose Conscience be­ing raised from sleepe, by the sting thereof, and sense of Gods fierce anger, ren­dered the money, and testified Christes innocencie, which they imployed for a buriall for strangers.

Well beleeued Iudas, that he had bene in a good cace, when hee once had receiued the money, but hauing done this mishant fact, his eyes vvere so opened, that he not onely did feele his abomi­nable offence, but also is tormēted with such horrour in soule, that he beleeued no no remedie to bee left, but [Page 237] hanging of himselfe.

But more particularlie, (poore Soule,) examine these circumstances, the time whē hee did see Christ adjudged to death, soone enough if wel enough, late repentance is seldome true, but true repen­tance is never late:Ezek. 18.27.28. For when the wicked turneth away frō his wickednesse that hee hath com­mitted, and doeth that which is lawfull and right, he shal saue his soule aliue, because hee conside­reth and turneth away frō all his transgressions that hee hath com­mitted, Ezek. 23.16. hee shall surelie liue & not die, for none of his sinnes that hee hath committed, shall be mentioned vnto him, as is evi­dent in the Malefactor that hang on Christes right hand.

But this goodnesse of God should not breed security in thee, abyde not, nor prolong the time, Rom. 2.4. when thou shalt not bee ma­ster of thy owne thoughts. They that are in Fever, raue before they coole; and many die before they intend to re­pent, because the time, Luc. 12.40. and houre of death is vncertaine.

Consider, he brought the thirtie silver pieces, and re­stored them,Ezek. 33.15. which some­times, was a vndoubted token of repentance, as in Zacheus. Luc. 19.8.10. But he was destitute of true Faith, in applying to him the mer­cie of God, Who came to seeke and saue that which was lost. Mat. 18.14. Hee also made a free confes­sion of his sinne, which is very requisit in repentance, but it was [Page 239] not to the Priests, but to God, and to his onlie begot­ten Sonne. What marveile therefore he be voyde of comfort: And this hee proclamed in the verie Temple; but, alace, many doe we find, who doth not come so far off, although their wickednesse witnesse to their face, Psal. 3.8. but doe deny or threa­ten those which admonish them of it. But this is remarkable, that he bare record of Chirsts innocencie, for such an high Priest, it became vs to haue which is holie, harmelesse, vn­defiled, Heb. 7.26. separate from Sinners. The high Priests did answere, What is that to vs, looke thou to it.

Neither for promise, norre­warde, or pleasure of any [Page 240] man, fall vnder the wrath of God by sinning; whose breath is in their nose-thirles, and whose helpe is vaine. They would not acknowledg that it belō ­ged to them, surelie, both they and their posterity feele the smarte of that Innocent Blood Which men, though they know the Law of God, how that they which committe such things, are worthie of death, yet not onelie doe they sinne, Rom. 1.32. but also favour them that doe them. For to sin by himselfe, or by another, is all one, and he that consenteth, is access [...] ­ [...]ie to the fact. But heere is their great blindnesse, that they did not revoke, and re­treat their sentence, hearing his innocencie justie by the [Page 241] traitor confessed. In no ways speake thou against the word of Trueth, (my Soule) but bee ashamed of the lyes of thine ignorance, striue for the Trueth vnto death, Eccl. 4.25.28. and defend Iustice for thy life, and the Lord God shall sight for thee against thine enimies.

But hardest of all, is that rough answere that Iudas re­ceiued, they ministred no comfort vnto him, but increa­sed the flamme of despare that was kindled in the heart of him. The weak haue ye not strength­ned, EZek. 34.4. as he complaineth just­ly of them; the sicke ye haue not healed, neither haue ye bund vp the broken, nor broght againe that which was dryven away, nei­ther haue yee sought that which [Page 242] was lost, but with cruelty & rigor haue ye ruled them. But the good Sbepherd never resteth, but goeth after that which was lost, while he find it, Luc. 15.4.6. and maketh his rejoycing the compensation of his trauell.

He did cast the money in the Temple from him, which was so deere vnto him, that for it, hee post-poned the life of his Master. Now he became so execrable, that he gained nothing of it, but a conscience burnt with an hote yron, evill acquired goods shall neuer benefite the possessor, nor the poste­ritie.1. King. 21.16. Achab beleeued all was well, when by violence and fraud hee had obtained Na­boths Vine-yard, which hee [Page 243] lost with his life, and the fa­vour of God most of all: For what availeth it to gaine the whole world, Mat. 16.26. and losse his soule, And what fruit haue they then in those thinges, Rom. 6.21. whereof they are now ashamed? for the end of these thinges are death.

But terrible, was his exe­cution, for when hee had thro­wen downe himselfe head-longs, hee burst asunder in the middes, Act. 1.18. and all his bowels gushed out; how great destruction doth abide them, that serve the vn­cleane spirit: this was not an evasion by death from Gods judgement, but a more short & compendious way therto. Let not Sathan by his deceit allure thee, neither for feare of Ignominie, as hee did Saul, [Page 244] or with loathsomnesse of thy life, to such abominable practises.

But (alace) many now a­dayes, doe harden their hearts at wholesome exhor­tation, whereby they make the Lord to cut the threed of this life, & adjudge them vn­to eternall death, besids, that many by drinking, and glut­tonie, doeth shorten their dayes; And doth not whore­dome, & vitious venery pro­cure sudden death? What can bee said of Avarice, and Co­vetousnesse, which, whiles it thirsts for the blood of others they are pearsed by that vnrigh­te [...]us Māmon, whereby they are [...]beacked, and killed: And what shalbe thought of those, who [Page 245] provoke the single combat, & thinketh it a great indigni­tie vnlesse they kill not them­selves, or their neighbour.

Lord grant everie mo­ment, while wee enjoye this life, wee may consecra [...]e it to the glorie of the Giuer, that wee may bee readie at all occasions, to giue an ac­count of our times spēt here, that we may say with Simeon, Now let thy servant depart in peace, Lu [...]. 2.29. according to thy word, for my eyes haue seene my salvation.

Then learne heere (my Soule) by this his despera­tion, the nature of sinne, for before it bee perfected, it maketh men drunke, but be­ing put in executiō the plea­sure is extinguished, the con­science [Page 426] remaineth heavier than Leed, which vnlesse the Lord prevent, maye dryue thee to despaire, For the de­ceitfulnesse of sinne and delite thereof for a season, maketh men so brutish, that they can not decerne betwixt good and e­vill, yea causeth them beleuee they are most blessed in grea­test sinnes.

And therfore (my Soule) resist the Devill, and hee will flee from thee, whilst thou dost not resist the custome of sin­ning, it brings necessitie vp­on thee, for it hardneth the senses, that they cānot clear­lie see, it blindeth the vnder­standing, lest punishment should terrifie it, fettereth the heart, to make filthie thinges [Page 247] pleasant, it weakeneth the strength, that beeing over­come, they succumbe. The sicknes of their Soule is much more sensible, than the dis­eases of the bodie. There is no greater dolour, than the wound of the conscience for sin, nor any greater burden, than the heavie weight of our vile transgressions.

Heere Sathan is a great po­litician, for he changeth him­selfe into an Angel of light, while hee lessens our sins, & extenuateth thē, intysing mē to fall. But when the deede is done, like lightening hee shineth in mē, casting his sins suddenlie before him, at the which thunderbolt, he is be­nummed & stupified, feeling [Page 248] the bitter pangues of an euill conscience, and doth so cast him downe, with this great stroke, that hee, who before gloried in sinne, now thinks himselfe secluded from mer­cie and salvation. Lord hide thy face from my sinnes, Psal. 51.9.10.11. and put a­way all mine iniquities, creat in mee [...] cleane heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within mee. Cast mee not away from thy pre­sence, and take not thy holy Spi­rite from mee.

But diligentlie perpend Peters, and Iudas repentance by comparing them together, that thou mayst vnderstand (deare Soule,) in what state their iniquity was cōmitted. Their falls heavily wounded their cōsciences doubtlesse, [Page 249] for Peter not onelie denyed Christ, but bound himselfe to cursings if hee had known him, which was a sin almost to death: And the other Iudas did commit an haynous tres­passe, worthy of everlasting condemnation; but Peters was of frailtie of the flesh, and feare of death: But Iudas was of set purpose, and of desti­nate malice did atempt that detestable fact. And Peters a­gaine, not in a cause of it selfe so much blameable, but of immoderate timeritie con­joyned therewith: And to Iu­das desperat malice, was an insatiable greedinesse annex­ed, but the forgetfulnesse of the word of God was the foun­taine of both their falls, It con­cerneth [Page 250] vs euer to pray the liuing God, to giue vs ears to hear, & to lay vp in our hearts his promises, & threatnings, to strengthē vs, or beat down our pride, & to say,Esay. 50.5. The Lord hath opened my eare, & I was not rebellious, neither turned I back.

But as their fall was, so was not their repentance, both were Apostles, both had woundes of conscience, and frighted with the sting ther­of, but Iudas gaue such place to the overburdēing strēgth, thereof, that hee despared of Gods mercie.

But Peter belieued, that Christ is the reconciliation of our sins, 1. Iohn 2.3 and not for ours onelie, but for the sins of the whole world, by Faith applying the merites [Page 251] of Christe vnto himselfe, to doe this businesse, whereof Iudas destitute, contemning the deepenesse of his mercie, and riches of grace, lost hope of recovering: no man can seriouslie repent, but he that looketh for forgiuenes. And therefore, to wrestle with temptation, is first to look to the promises of God, which is so sure and certaine, that it is more easie, that beaven & earth should passe away, Luc. 16.17 than they should faile, or that any ti­tle of the Law should faile: For the Lord is strong, Exod. 34.6.7. mercifull, and gracious, slow to anger, and a­boundant in goodnes, an [...] truth, reserving mercie for thousandes, forgiuing iniquities and trans­gressions, and sinnes, for the [Page 252] Lord is gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, Psal. 145.89. and of great mer­cie, the Lord is good to all, and his mercie is over all his workes. In this conflict cast the eyes of thy faith on Christ Iesus, to whom a voyce from Hea­uen came, Saying,Mat. 3.17. This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am wel pleased. For hee receiued of God the Father, honour and glorie, 2. Pet. 1 17 and there came such a voyce to him f [...]om the excellent. It is reported that Alexander the Great, when he saw Iaddus the hie Priest, with his priest­lie apparel meeting him, cea­sed from his rage against Ty­rus; and also richlie rewarded him: How much more, when our euerlasting Priest, Iesu [...] Christ, who is just, yea, our [Page 253] righteousnesse shall appeare in the sight of God his Father, making intercession for vs, to mitigate his wrath,Heb. 7.26. and shall giue vs forgiuenesse of sins, and life everlasting, for he is a­ble perfectlie to saue them that are able to come vnto God by him, seeing hee ever liueth to make intercession for them.

Let not therefore Sathan bereaue thee of Gods loue & mercie towardes thee, the merite of his passion & effi­cacie of his death. For the gift is not so, as is the offence for if by the offence of one, many bee dead, much more the grace of God, Rom. 5.15. and the gift by grace, which is by one Man, Iesus Christ hath aboūded vnto many.

Moreouer, neuer sinner [Page 254] yet to this day, desiring to bee reconcealed with his God, was euer secluded frō mercie, if the sinne be great, his mercies is aboundantlie more, and so much more, as all the whole globe of the Sea exceedeth the smallest droppe of water.

If thy sinne be old, which thou hast drunken in from thy mothers breast, and in pro­cesse of time hath euer aug­mented the same: bee thinke thee of Gods mercie, is from al eternitie, & if thy iniquity bee latelie committed, Gods mercies are daylie renewed, which euerie moment hee poureth vpon vs.

And therfore (poore Soule) because of the savour of thy [Page 255] Bridgromes oyntmēts, Cant. 1.2.3. his Name is as an oyntment poured out, therefore, the Virgines love him, draw mee, wee will runne after thee, the King hath brought mee vnto his chamber, wee will re­joyce and bee glad in thee, wee will remember thy loue, more than wine, the righteous doe loue thee, yea, thou despysest not the poore sinner, thou abhorredst not the confessing Thiefe, neither the weeping woman, neither her that was found in adulterie, neither him that sate at the receipt of custome, nor the humble Pu­blican, nor the denying Disci­ple, nor the persecuting Paul, yea, not these that crucified thee, but prayed for them.

Strengthen thy faith ther­fore [Page 256] in the spirituall fight, by the holy meditation, & vse of the Sacraments, for whosoeuer are baptized in Christ, Gal. 3.27. hath put on Christ; he covereth our nakednesse, and doth wash away the filth of our Soules, whose sinnes, if they were as Crimson, Esay. 1.18. shall bee made white as Snow; for it is the [...]lood of Iesus Christ that cleanseth vs from all sinne. 1. [...]ohn. 1.7. Bee not therefore af­fraied (sinful Soule) Art thou baptized in Christ? hee will h [...]ue care of thy cause, as if it were his proper owne: The Rainebow was a signe of the Covenant betwixt God and man; That the earth sh [...]uld ne­ver be destroyed by deluge of wa­ter therafter; Gen. 9.13. So baptisme is a vndoubted seale of our pur­gation [Page 257] by Christ, & at Gods hand he made a league with vs for our foule sins, never to bee cast from his presence.

But in the Sacrament of the blood & bodie of Iesus, haue we a most certaine and liuelie pawne, which is our Passeover offred for vs, who by his obedi­ence hath delivered vs from the Tyrannie of death, and made vs partakers of life e­ternall.

It was worthie of conside­ration, how precislie Peters falles are registrate in the booke God, For whatsoeuer thinges are written afore-time, are written for our learning, Rom. 15. 4 that wee through patience and com­fort of the Scriptures might haue hope. Peter therefore denyed [Page 258] his Master, seven times. Foure times to Maides,Mat. 26.69. and three times to men. First, to Maides (I say) when he sate without the Hall, and the Maide came vnto him, say­ing, that, Thou wast with Iesus of Galile.

Secondlie, as Peter was be­neath in the Hall (for now hee had entered, but before hee was not come in) There came one of the Maides of the high Priests, Mar. 14.66. and when shee saw Pe­ter warming him, shee looked on him, and said, Thou wast also with Iesus of Nazareth.

Thirdlie, then a Maide saw him againe, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.

Fourthlie, when hee went [Page 259] out into the Porch (from the common Hall) And another Maide saw him, and said vnto them that were there, Mat. 26.71. This man was also with Iesus of Nazareth. Thus foure times denyed he his Master before these weak Vessels. Man never should be courageous & stout in his owne conceite. The Lord is my strength, my buckler, and the horne of my salvation. If the Lord leaue vs to our selues, wee are a prey to Sathan, & to euerie winde and blast of temptation.

Thrice also denyed he be­fore men, and first,Iohn. 18.25. before the Souldiers, standing and warming himselfe.

Iohn. 18.26.Secondlie, hee denyed before Malohus coosen, whose [Page 260] eare hee smote off.

Thirdlie, hee denyed him anone to them that stood by, who saide vnto him againe, Mat. 26.70. Mar. 14.70. Surelie thou art one of them, for thou art of Galile, and thy speech is like.

Neither doe I so punctual­ly set these dolorours specta­cles before thine eyes (sinful Soule,) to dig vp the Sepul­chres of these glorious Saints which are in heauen, who re­pented and weeped bitterlie for their sinnes, & who were patterns to others, not to di­strust; And thou Peter, being converted, confirme thy brethren. And Dauid after his fall; did teach the Lordes wayes vnto the wicked, Psal. 51.13 that sinners might bee converted to him. The belee­ving [Page 261] and repenting sinner, therefore may be perswaded that there is euer mercie to bee found, how great soever his sins hath beene; Peter was taught this lesson of his Sa­viour. That hee loued much, to whom much is forgiuen, and so being demanded, if he loved him more than the rest of the Disciples did; hee (accor­ding to the multitude of his compassions bestowed vpon him) referred the answere to his Master,Iohn. 21.15. whom hee knew, did know all things, & knew how much, and in what de­gree hee loved him.

Neither is this contradi­cent to the word, which say­eth, Thou shalt denie mee thrise, for Christ said not thrise (on­lie,) [Page 262] but thrise, and hee that denyeth seven times, deny­eth also thrise.

Peter had said before, shall I forgiue my brother seven times, to whome Christe answered, not seven times, but seaven­tie times seven times. Christs favour to his owne, is aboue the affection of men, or loue of women, as Dauid said of Io­nathan; and according to his everlasting mercies, doth hee so much more freely and rea­dilie forgiue, yea, this was also to strengthen Peter, that when hee should fall (which Christ did foresee) he should not bee swallowed vp in des­peration, but constantlie be­leeue with a liuelie and justi­fying faith in the Sonne of [Page 263] God; as hee had professed before his Master, To wh [...]m shall we goe, Iohn. 6.68 69. thou hast the words of eternall life, and wee beleeue and know, that thou art the Christ the Son of the liuing God. Mat. 16.16

Thus haue wee spoken of these two Disciples Peter & Iudas, their falles and repen­tance, which are as different, as Heaven is aboue Hell.

How are now the Priests & Elders of the people imployed, they are about the counsell, for buying of the Potters fielde, because they would not put his money in their Treasures. Narrow and strait is their conscience in small things, but rowme, large, & broade in greater affaires. They are constrained to per­fect [Page 264] the Lordes decree, pro­nounced by the Prophet Za­charie. It is impossible that the enemies of Christ can stoppe the course & strength of the Trueth: There is neither wise­dome, neither vnderstanding, Pro. 21.30. nor counsell against the Lord.

O propheticall certaintie! O great & vnspeakable know­ledge of the holie Ghost! He said not ten, or twentie, but preciselie thirtie, as if he had told & debursed to them these pieces of silver. Let nothing diswade vs from the certanty of Gods promises, although there appeare vnto flesh, and bloode, no reason how they shall bee accomplished, yea, and that all thinges tend to the flat contrarie, never doe [Page 265] thou swerue nor shrinke, but beleeue against hope vnder hope. Rom. 4.18.

Many beautifull showes of outward holinesse doeth these represent; they knewe vnlawfully purchased almes was displeasing vnto God. They knew, a care should be had of the poore, and stran­gers departing this life, that they be buried; and for the perpetuall memorie thereof did giue the place a name. Heere is their Pharisaicall hypocrisie, they attend out­ward religion, but lacke in­ternall worship of the minde; which is not looked to. Well said Christ of thē, Woe be vnto you Scribes & Pharisees, Hypo­crits: for yeare like vnto whited Tombs, which appeare beautifull [Page 266] outward, Mat. 23.27.28. but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all filthi­nesse: So are yee also; for out­wardlie yee appeare, righteous vnto men, but within, yee are full of hypocrisie and iniquitie. Yet the faithfull should not omit their dueties of human­ty, to support the indigencie of their brethren while they liue, & duetiful care of them, when they are dead, neither not to pull the goodes from their heires vnto themselves.

Yet one thing heere thou must learne (poore Soule,) of their hypocrisie, to be­stow thy charitie and almes vpon the poore, of thy own lawfull goods: For I the Lord, Esay. 61.8. loue Iudgement, and hate rob­berie for burnt offering; and I [Page 267] will direct their work in truth, & will make an euerlasting Cove­nant with them; for the sacri­fice of the wicked is an abomina­tion to the Lord, Pro. 15.8. to present him in his members, with such, is to associat him to their villa­ny, he that taketh away his neighbours liuing, Esay. 1.11.12. slayeth him, and be that defraudeth the labourer of his hyre, Eccl. 34.23 is a blood-shedder.

But heere behold an ever­lasting monument raised by them, of their impietie and malice against Christ, for whiles dissemblars will cover their wickednesse, then most of all, it is made manifest by reason of Aceldama.

But this was long time be­fore figured in Ioseph, who at the desire of Iuda, was sold to [Page 268] the Ishmaelites, Gen. 47.5 6. wherby it came to passe, that the Land of Goshan was giuen his brethren to dwell in; So Iesus, sold and deli­vered to death;Iohn. 14.2.3. prepared a place for vs, where, beeing delivered from all troubles,Iohn. 17.24. we might enjoy rest for euer.

Remember (my Soule,) that thou art solde vnder the tyrannie of sinne; But by Ie­sus Christ, who was solde for thee, thou art restored to li­bertie, Beeing then made free from sinne, wee are made the ser­vants of righteousnesse, and as ye haue giuen your members ser­vants to vncleannes, Rom. 6.18.19.22. and iniqui­tie to commit iniquitie, so now giue your members servants vnto righteousnesse and holinesse, that beeing fred from sinne, yee haue [Page 269] your fruit in holinesse, and the end euerlasting Life.

Mat. 13.18.Wherfore, this Field is the world, the Potter is God, who made mā of the slime of the earth. Gen. 2.7. The strangers are Christians, who haue no abiding Citie heere, Rom. 9.21. but haue renoūced the world. The buriall place is our rest in Christ whose sepulchrs are sanctified by him, Col. 2.11. 1. Cor. 15.42.43.44. and who shall restore our bo­dies committed vnto him, as vn­to a faithfull Creator, the price of blood is the merite and vertue of his Passion. 1. Pet. 1.19

The second Step in the third de­gree of the as [...]ension of the Soule vnto Heauen, &c.

NOw haue we conve­yed our Saviour frō the Garden, to Ca­japhas, [Page 270] now wee would ac­companie him to Pilat, Iohn. 19. there false accusation against him,Mat. 27. of the sending of him to He­rod, Luc. 23. and of most wrongous excambing of him with Ba­rabbas with the most mishant condemnation of that Inno­cent Lambe of God.Mar. 15.

Pilat at the desire of the Iewes is deafe for hee heares nothing worthie of death in him: The Iewes vvere verie dili­gent to take all occasions to put Iustice to execution, if any had bene against him, which now is oft times delayed; But the cause that hee should bee presented before his Tribu­nall, was,Mat. 20.19. that it behoued the Sonne of man to bee delivered to the Gentiles, to mocke, and to [Page 271] scourge, and to crucifice him, that both Iew and Gentile as they had conspired his death, so should both bee partakers of his Life: And the first, If they abide not still in vnbeliefe, Rom. 11.23. should bee graffed in, for God is able to graffe them in againe. And for the second, God hath concluded all vnder sinne, Gal. 3.22. that the promise of faith by Iesus Christ should bee giuen to them that beleeue.

Wherefore (my Soule) be not affrayed, by him thou hast accesse to the Throne of Grace; neither sicknesse, nor calamitie shall bereaue vs of comfort. Hee was pre­sēted to the Barre of Gods Iu­stice that wee should remem­ber our Absolution from it, [Page 272] therefore boldlie mayst thou say,Psal. 42.11. Why art thou cast down my soule, and why art thou this dis­quieted within me? waite on God, for I will yet giue him thankes, be is my present hope & my God. The superstition & hypocri­sie of the Iewes is verie clear, they would not enter into Pi­lates house, least they should bee debarred from eating of the Passeouer, Numb. 9.10. according to the Law, giuen against the vn­cleane, they indeede were affraid, to bee polluted in this strangers Iudge his consisto­riall place, yet were not asha­med to shed the blood of their innocent countrie-man; they will not be defyled with the dwelling place of Pilat, but never examine the pollution of [Page 273] their own sins in their heart. They left the weightier matters of the Law, Mat. 23.23. as Iudgement, mer­cie, and fidelitie, which are rare in such false seditious people, for they could pre­tend no excuse, wherfore the Lord did reject and forsake them, seeing of their owne mouth, that they did cōfesse they had no power of death and life, but their authoritie was devolved in the Romanes hands. For the Scepter shall not depart from Iuda, nor a Law-giuer from betweene his feete, Gen. 49.10. vntill Shiloh come, and the peo­ple shall bee gathered together vnto him, but God in his righ­teous judgement hath given thē the spirit of slumbering; eyes that they should not see, Rom. 11.8. & eares, that [Page 274] they should not heare to this day.

But was it not lawfull to kill a man for blasphemie, Lev. 24. Lev. 20. Numb. 25. Lev. 26. for a­dulterie, for profanation of the Sabboth day, for murther, for I­dolatrie,Deut. 21.and for wilfull disobe­dience to Parents, yea,Deut. 17. and for neglect, & not due reverence to the high Priest, yea,Iohn. 18.31 and did they not stone Steven to death? But this was, that the word of Iesus should bee fulfilled, signifying, by what death bee should die. Besides this, they accused Christ of sedition, & vproare; they might stone, burne, kill, & strangle, but to crucifie they had no power, for the very Nations did wor­ship idolatrouslie stones and timber; but Christs forwar­ning culd not be but accōplished, Mat. 20.19. [Page 275] they shall deliver him to the Gen­tiles, to mock and to scourge, and to crucifie him: Thus Christs enemies are meanes, and in­struments, to manifest Gods Trueth, and to perfect mans Salvation. The covetousnes of Iudas, procured remission to all beleeuers; so the rage of the Pharisees and deceit of Sathan, did serue to the glo­rie of God, For all things worke for the best, Rom. 8.27 to them that feare him.

Now Pilat inquireth what they had to object against him; they attribute so much to their justice and authoritie, that there needed no more inquisition, but to rest on their Conscience, yet by rea­son of his place, hee would [Page 274] haue a Processe, which is, that Christ subverted the peo­ple, denyed tribute to be giuen to Caesar, and to make himselfe a King, which Pilat (in their minde) could not abide.

O! but what sinne is it, (my Soule) to make Pilat & the communalitie g [...]iltie of Christs death? a lesse sinne it had beene, if they had killed him privatelie: but to cause a Iudge against conscience by the testomonie of false witnes, to decree, or intise ignorant men, by bud, and promises to offend, is the greater sin. For Christ never meaned of an earthlie dignitie heere, For when Iesus perceiued that they would come, and make him a King, hee de­parted againe vnto a mountaine Iohn. 6.15. [Page 275] [...] [Page 279] [...] [Page 275] himselfe alone; Neither did he euer denye tribute to be giuē to Caesar, but directed to giue to Caesar, Mat. 22.21. thinges which are Ca­sars, and giue vnto God, these things which are Gods.

Remember heere (poore Soule) that all these, (more than false calumnies,) were spewed out against him, that not onelie hee might satisfie the Iustice of God, but also signifie, that his Churche should euer bee exposed to hatred, and envye. Achab called Elias, 1. King. 18.17. the troubler of Is­rael. If they were of the world, the world would loue them, Iohn. 8. and yet they are in the world; where­fore hee prayeth to his Father, not to take them out of the worl [...] but to keepe them from euill: Iohn. 17. for [Page 279] he hath made vs vnto his Fa­ther, Kings, and Priestes, whom bee hath gathered out of everie Tongue, Tribe, and Nation. Rev. 5.10.

Heere therefore (poore Soule) great is thy comfort; not onelie against false accu­sations of the wicked, but al­so against Sathans impudent reproaches, whereby he ceaseth not night and day to accuse the Sai [...]ctes before their God, whom they doe ouercome by the blood of the Lambe, Rev. 12.10.11. and by the word of their testimonie, and they loued not their liues vnto the death. So by his bondes, wee are deli­vered from the bondage of sin, death, and hell, by his moc­kings, wee are made honou­rable in the sight of God, and by his accusation, wee are [Page 277] fred from all guiltinesse. Thus hee hath made our sins to be his; that hee might make his righte­ousnesse, ours.

An euill turne can not be done, but by euill meanes; The Iewes haue heere their parte, and so hadde Herod, but the sinne of Pilat is laide vpon the Iewes, and hee may forethinke, that euer hee was Governour of Iudea: In con­science he was perswaded of Christs innocencie, and their calumnie, but hee was intan­gled in his Iudgement so deepe, that he could not free himselfe. Such a thing is it to satisfie the appetit of wicked men In Pilats deeds & words, many excellēt vertues which are rare to be foūd in Iudges [Page 278] doe appeare, as the great mo­deration of his minde, being supreame Magistrate, to whom belonged honour. The Iewes woulde not superstitiouslie come in to him; hee maketh the trauell, and went out to them. A Magistrate should be such a one to others, Pro. 19.1 [...] as he would wish others to bee to him, if hee were a private man. The Kinges wrath is like the roaring of a Ly­on, but his favour is like the dew vpon the grasse: To this, his ci­vile Iustice in searching the trueth is eminent; rash judge­ments are dangerous, and there­fore, wil not cōdemne Christ, vntill he heare him.Gen. 39.16.20. Pothiphar did otherwise to Ioseph. And therfore, now he entred vnto Christ, with whom softlie, [Page 279] moderatelie, and friendlie he reasons, not with disdain­full speechs, as did the Iewes, for it was not grieuous vnto him to bow downe his eare vnto the poore. Eccl. 4.8. Being therfore deman­ded, if he was a King, our Sa­viour denyes not, but a spiri­tuall King. It was not nowe time, to teach and play the Doctor to Pilat, for that part was ended. Now hee must play the Priest, and suffer pa­tientlie his death, which hee would not stay.

Thou should vse (poore Soule) the opportunitie of the worde, verie earnestlie while the raine thereof from Heaven doeth water the dry and thirstie soules of men, and whilst it is called to day, let vs not bar­den our hearts.

The Lord, therefore, will knowe the inventer of this accusation, and in all the History wil haue every mans part knowne in this action. I am no Iew said hee; cleansing himselfe: Thine owne Nation doeth accuse thee, I count not for the Messias, religion troubles me not so much. The Cleargie and Church-men must take heed thereto. A liuelie image of wordlings, who in the mat­ters of the earth, are more thā curious. But spiritual things are spirituallie decerned: For he in­quireth not what a King hee was, & where his Kingdome was, that he might haue a part and sh [...]re thereof; but breakes off in an accusation of Iesus, if he was a King, The [Page 281] naturall man knoweth not the thinges of the sp [...]rit of God, 1. Cor. 1.14. for they are f [...]clishn [...]sse to him: And therefore Christ taketh the mouth of Pilat to bee witnes that hee was a King: Who al­beit hee was equall with the Fa­ther, Phil. 2.6. and thought it no robberie, made himselfe of no reputation, by taking on him the forme of a servant to his Father, to be wit­nes to the Truth. He wold haue hereby wonne Pilat if it had been possible, but he was in­terrupted, for the word is euer a sweet odour to God, 2. Cor. 2.15. either to salvation, or damnation, in mercie, or Iustice. With great constancie and grauitie with­out respect of persons doeth Christ answere: & so should his servants defend Gods ho­nour, [Page 282] and not to turne their faile, to everie Winde, and therefore, hee did avouch his Kingdome as anonynted of the Father, Psal. 2.6. and sat vpon M [...]unt Sy­on his holie Mountaine, Zac. 9.9. who is just, and saued himselfe, and his people from their sinnes. Mat. 2.21. Bles­sed is hee, that commeth in the Name of the Lord, Hosanna, Mat. 21.9. thou which art in the highest heavens, who hath giuen vs to inherite the Kingdome prepared for vs, Mat. 25.34. from the f [...]undation of the world.

And therefore (weak Soule) Why art thou aff [...]aied? Is it of the Devill? hee can not hurt one haire of t [...]i [...]e head, Mat. 8.31.32. without thy Kings will. Art thou trou­bled with sickenesses? At his command they depart: Mar. 1.31. Are e­nemies risen against thee? Hee [Page 283] can crushe with a Scepter of Iron, Psal. 2.9. and breake them in pieces, like a Potters vessell. Art thou astonished at Death?1. Cor. 15.55. Death is swallowed vp in victorie, feare not therefore (feeble Soule,) For it pleaseth the Father to giue thee his Kingdome, Luc. 12.32. who can ther­fore separate thee from the loue of Christ? bee perswaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor An­gels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor thinges present, nor thinges to come, nor hight, nor deepe, nor any other creature shal bee able to separate thee from the loue of God, Rom. 8.35 38.39. which is in Christ Ie­sus our Lord, for he hath al power in heaven, Mat. 11. [...]7 and in earth; His Kingdome is not subject to change and vanitie, but eter­nall,Iohn. 3.35. and reacheth aboue the [Page 284] heavens, and the earth, and the depths therof.Ier. 6.7. Therefore (poore Soule) place thy trea­s [...]e in heaven, but (alace) as the Fountaine casteth out her wa­ters, so doe wee cast out our ma­lice. Let the world bee crucified to vs, and vs to the world: Gal. 6.14. For if wee bee dead with him, wee shall also liue with him, 2. Tim. 2.11.22. if wee suffer with him, wee shall reigne with him; if wee be therefore troubled with the Children of this vvorld, remember (my Soule) his Kingdome is not of this world, Iohn. 16.33 in the world thou shall suffer affliction, but be of good comfort, bee hath over­come the world.

This his Kingdome is from Sea to Sea, Psal. 72.8. and to the last parts of the earth, and it is governed [Page 285] by the preaching of the Go­spel,Heb. 2.8. who in place of taking tribute from his subjects,Luc. 24.47. hath caried vpon him our sorrowes, plagued of God, Esay. 53.4. and smitten of God and humbled, who hath giuen vs eternall goods, as Righteousnesse, Rom. 14.17. Peace, and joye in the holie Ghost. And there­fore (my Soule) bee wise, serue the Lord in feare, and rejoyce in trembling, Psal. 2.10.11.12. kisse the Sonne, least hee bee angrie, and thou pe­rish in the way, when his wrath shall suddenlie burne, blessed are all they that trust in him.

I came in the world to witnes the Trueth, Iohn. 14.6. who am the Way, Veritie, and Life, to giue know­ledg of salvation vnto my people by remission of their sins; Luc. 1.77. that all that beleeue in mee, [...]ohn. 3.15. should not [Page 286] perish, but haue everlasting life.

Hee is therefore, not onlie the Teacher of that heavenly wisedome,Iohn. 3.32. but is also made our wisdome from God. 1. Cor. 1.30 Receiue therefore (comfortles Soule) receiue his testimonie, Hee that receiueth his testimony, Iohn. 3.33. hath sealed that God is true, for hee whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God, for God giueth him not the spirit by measure, Iohn. 8.47. he that is of the Trueth, doeth heare his voice; & be that is not of God, Iohn. 10.27 heares not Gods word, Iohn. 12 48. for the word that hee hath spoken, shall judge him in the last day. Verily he that heareth his word, Iohn. 5.24. and beleeueth in him that sent him, hath ever­lasting life, and shall not come vnto con [...]emnation, but hath pas­sed from death, vnto Life.

So Pilat comming from the Common-Hall testified Christs innocencie, but here­in hee offended, that hee did not deliver him, who suffred wrong from the band of the op­pressor, Eccl. 4.9. but was faint hearted, when he judged. Iam. 1.26. All this while in silence and patience our Saviour possessed his soule, vseing great moderation in speeches.1. Pet. 3.10 If thou lay thy in­jurie (poore Soule) at Christs feete, hee will avenge it, if thy wrong, hee will repare it,1. Cor. 6.7. if thy sorrow, he will care it. And therefore, learne to suf­fer wrong, and sustaine harme.

Thy Christ (sad Soule) is thy patron, and Advocate in the presence of God, who by his silence hath opened [Page 288] thy mouth, & giuē thee liber­tie to speak for, because thou art his son, hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into thy heart, Gal. 4.9. which cryeth, Abba Father. Let not therefore thy vnworthinesse dash thee, so that thou should bee frighted: Therefore come boldlie vnto the Throne of grace, Heb. 4.16. that thou mayest receiue mercie and grace in the time of need.

The third Step of the third de­gree, of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, &c.

NOw must Christ pas to Herod, Tetrach of Galile in such pe­rilous cace where­in Pilate coulde not ab­solve the innocent, and haue [Page 289] the favour of the Iewes, vn­lesse hee hadde perverted Iustice, but casteth this fire in Herod his enemies skirt, for that he was of his jurisdictiō, and that hee had punisht Iudas and Theudas, Galileans, for in­surrection before. But most of all, would God draw out of Herod, a testimonie of Christ Iesus innocencie. Such sub­tersuges & evasions did Pilat brotch, & because they were at fead: hee presented him, and gifted the Person of Ie­sus Christ: (the best gift that ever was giuen, if he had rightlie vnderstood,) for by this meanes, Luc. 23.12 Herod and Pilat were reconcealed the same day. But the providence of God doeth shine most heere, For [Page 290] as Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repen­tance, Mat. 9.13. but sinners to repen­tance, so to diverse sortes & degrees of people, doth hee offer himselfe, to Herod, & his Courteours; which will not admit his Grace, but despise the day of their peace. Hee loo­keth for some miracle of his curiosity to be don by Christ as a Iugler, so doeth the chil­dren of this world hunt after their pleasure in the Gospel, which, when it will not af­scord, they loath the same.

Herod therefore, did aske Christ of many things, as fooles which doe not knowe, what they would haue. His mind was not to be instructed, but to haue occasion of calumny. H [...]e that will bee informed of [Page 291] Christe, muste as a Disciple come with humilitie, and earnest desire to learne, but the Iewes inquired a signe, 1. Cor. 1.22 23. as the Grecians sought after wisedom: But Christ crucified, vnto the Iewes is a stumbling block, & vnto the Gre­cians foolishnesse. This Herod was Archilans brother,Mat. 2. the sonne of that Herod, who kil­led the Infantes, Luc. 9. and beheaded Iohn. In great policie there­fore demanded he questions of Christ, to catch occasion against our Saviour: For af­ter his Fathers example, hee would haue the whole seed of Da­vid rooted out, that hee might reign alone. But Christ will not cast pearles before Swine, neither giue that that is holie vnto Dogs. Mat. 7.6. And therefore, he is mocked [Page 292] of the Courteours; for as the Iudge of the people is him­selfe, so are his Officers, and what manner of man the Ruler of the Citie is, Eccl. 10. [...]. such are they that dwell therein. Thus was he, in whom the God-head dwelleth bodilie, and in whom are all the treasures of wisedome, Col. 2. knowledge, and vnderstanding, disdainfullie intertained of these Courteours, and vsually it is so; that in highest places where wealth and pleasure a­bounds, small regarde is had of Christ and his word. The servants of Saul would not kill Abimelech at his command. 1. Sam. 22.17. 1. King. 18 3. Abdiab hid an hund [...]eth Pro­phets, whom King Achab bad appointed to death. These doe accompt Christ a foole, [Page 293] in cloathing him in white rayment: For so doth the world esteeme the preaching of the Go­spel, 1. Cor. 1.23 to bee foolishnesse. But Herod ignorantlie, by this Badge declared the inno­cencie of Christe, and that shortlie, Christe should en­ter into his Kingdome, yea, they honour him, while as they contemne him in cloa­thing him with this Vesture as an Ephod, he being both Priest, and Lambe, the sacri­fice, and sacrificer: Herod ther­fore, and Pilat, who were be­fore divided, entered in friendship, and conspired a­gainst Christ, to take him out of the Land of the liuing; but all in vaine:Psal. 2.1. The Kings of the Earth & people may rage against [Page 294] God, and his Anoynted; but the Lord shall haue them in derision: If Infidels could so shortlie be reconcealed, laying apart all dissention,Eph. 4.32. should wee not bee courteous one to another, and tender hearted, forgiving one a­nother, euen as God for Christes sake forgaue vs. And so much the more,Eph. 2.14. because Christ is our Peace-maker, and our peace also, who hath broken downe the par­tition wall, and made of both Iewe, and Gentile one.

Christ must be then broght home againe to Pilat, who sought by all meanes to put Christe to libertie, in com­mending of his innocency, in making choyce of him with Barabbas, & in gratifying the Iewes by scourging of him, [Page 295] & exponing of him to the cru­elty of Souldiers, far against al Iustice seeing there was no­thing to lay to his charge; For such a Saviour it behoueth vs to haue, H [...]b. 7.26. who should be free from all sinnes; 1. Pet. 2.22 and that his verie ene­mies should beare record of his integritie, for Herod was well acquainted with the Ie­wish religiō, as Pilat was with the affaires of the Romanes, but neither the one nor the o­ther could impute anie thing to that Innocent, who satis­fied for vs, that were guiltie.

And therefore, Pilat be­thought himself, that the Iewes should not bee so starke mad and obstinate, as to preferre a seditious murtherer to Christ: giueth them option, which of [Page 296] them to choose:Iohn. 5.25. but the blin­ded Iewe would kill him, that quickned the dead, Lev. 24.21 and deliver him that killed the liuing. And this was a custome brought in besides the word of God,Deut. 19.11.12. at the solemne day of the Passeouer, Exod. 12.3. who were not con­tented of the Pascall Lambe onelie, to signifie the deliverance from Egypt, but would adde this ceremonie against reason and Iustice: For Magistrates are the Ministers of God, Rom. 136. to take vengeance on them that doe evill, Gen. 9.6. and a blood-shedder should bee punished by the Law, but we should not follow customes, but Gods truth, & not suffer an evill vse to become a law.

Pilate knew that they had de­livered Christ vnto him for envie, Mat. 27.18 [Page 297] for Iesus did taxe their corrupt doctrine, 1. Tim. 3.6. & vitious maners: This Envy is the daughter of Pride, Gen. 4.5. for the proud must bee invy­ous. This did cast downe the Devill, Adam and Eue, this made Cain kill his brother. And what evill hath it not done?Wis [...]. 2.24. For by the envie of the Devill, Death came into the world: Iohn. 6.15. Verie vnconstant is the voyce of the common multi­tude: A little while before, they would haue given him Princely honours, but now they desire him to be crucified, and that at the instigation of the El­ders:Ier. 23.1.2.3. Evill Magistrates either in Church or Common-wealth, are noysome Pestilences. The people did in great pompe,Mar. 1.33. and frequent solemnitie oft­times [Page 288] resort to Iesus; but now they turne to bee his adver­saries, and they that should haue carried the keyes of the Kingdom, Mat. 23.13. they will not enter, nor suffer o­thers to enter; but bloweth the bellowes of malice against Christ, not in heart onelie, Esay. 48.4 by cogitation or privie grudge, as the Iewes did before against Christ; but by outward ex­clamation, not one of the multi­tude, but all; Esay. 1.6. impietie had so crept in, as a canker and fire to consume the communali­tie. Beleeuest thou that whē the Sonne of man shall come, that bee shall find faith and trueth in the earth? They therefore desire, this bloodie Fellow to bee put to liberty,Deut. 11.12.13. & that against the Law; and the Innocent to be [Page 299] condemned. Whosoeuer in place of Iustice, doth not stay sin when hee may, by his o­ver-sight giueth waye to it: Punish thou them therefore, that thou bee not punisht for them.

How odious is this com­parison:Mat. 12.2. Christ, the Author and Prince of Peace and Sal­vation; Barabbas, a mutinous bloodie Rogue: Christ, the Physician of al our sores, the restorer of the dead vnto life; Barabbas, a inflicter of woūds and man slayer: Christ a most perfite and absolute Patron, 1. Pet. 2.21. and example of all vertue: Barabbas filthily defiled within & with our, with all kind of vices. Infinite is the difference be­twixt them; and yet Barabas [Page 300] by vote and voyce of the people, is delivered: The pu­nishment of One, Rom. 5.15. doth satisfie for the wickednesse of many: So, the libertie to sin, breedes occa­sion to verie many to doe the like, better burne, and cut one member, rather than the whole bodie perish.

Thus is the prophesie ful­filled,Esay. 53.12 Hee hath poured out his Soule vnto death, hee was coun­ted with the transg [...]essors: and bee bare the sinnes of many, and prayed for the trespassers.

Consider heere (my Soule) howe vile and filthie a thing Sinne is, which did dryue Christ to such deepe ignominy, that hee is judged more con­temptiblie, than a common Briggand and Villane. But [Page 301] this is thy sure cōfort against the wrath of God, that heere­by, hee hath delivered thee from euerlasting shame, and giuen thee a beautifull and happie Inheritance in the hea­vens: For it doeth not appeare now what wee are, but when this corruption shall put on incorrup­tion, 1. Cor. 15.53. and bee translated in the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God, Rom. 8.21. then shall wee bee like vn­to him, gathered from the shame of eternall death, to the Citie of the liuing God, the ce­lestiall Ierusalem, into the com­panie of innumerable Angels, and to God the Iudge of all, and to the spirites of just and perfect men, Heb. 12.22.23. and to Iesus, the Mediator of the New-Testament, & to the Blood of sprinkling.

And not onelie Herods re­sembling the Iew, and Pilate representing the Gentile, two supreame Magistrates, but al so Pilates vvife hauing her dreame gouerned by Gods providence, giueth testimo­nie of Christs innocencie, to make both Iudge & Iewes the more inexcuseable.

A Woman truelie for mo­destie to bee commended, that did not take vpon her,Esay. 45.24. any civile government, but made intimation by message to her husband, not to medle with Iesus Christ; And for Counsell, admirable, farre contrarie to Iezabel, 1. King. [...]1.7.8. who gaue advyse to idolatrous Achab, how to possesse himselfe in Naboths Vine-yard, for the which im­pietie, [Page 303] shee was justlie puni­shed, and not shee onlie, but the whole house and posteri­tie of Achab destroyed.

Let women here learne what it is to giue their husbandes bad and sinistrous informa­tions, lest the iniquitie re­downd to both their poste­rities. Indeede womens coun­sell is not to bee rejected, but wiselie to bee ballanced, Such was Abigall, her counsell to Dauid, 1. Sam. 25.23.24. which broght great loue before God, and credite before men. Men should not always ly vnder the directiō of their wiues, but they shuld bee a sounding bell in their eares, not to sin against Chr [...]st & his members. Pilat should haue pittied Christ, if hee had [Page 304] loved his wife, who had suffred much for him. Now it is to be fulfilled, which was prophe­sied, He looked for judgment, but behold oppression, Esay. 5.7. for righteous­nesse, behold a crying. And a­gaine, I haue forsaken my house, I haue left mine heritage, I haue giuen the dearlie beloued of my Soule vnto the hands of enemies, mine heritage is vnto mee as a Lyon in the Forrest, it cryeth out against mee, therefore haue I bated it.

But beholde Pilate heere greatly contraveened the law of Iustice, hee knew of mali­cious envie Christ to bee ac­cused; yet to mitigate the Ie­wes mind, so highlie incensed against our Saviour, and to free him from the punishmēt [Page 305] of death commanded him to be whipped. If they had known the God of Glorie, 1. Cor. 2.8. they had not delt so contumeliouslie with him. Great things, such as are hea­venlie and spirituall, are con­temned by the worlde: But vanitie, and such as are foo­lish deceitfulnesse, and plea­sures heere belowe, are in great admiration: but far o­ther ways was Moses choice, whē he came to age, refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter, and choose rather to suffer adversitie with the people of God, Heb. 11.24 25.26. than to enjoye the plea­sures of sinne for a season, estee­ming the rebuke of Christ great riches, more than the treasures of Egypt; for hee had respect vn­to the recompense of the reward.

And heere consider (my Soule,) that Christ was scour­ged, not of one, but of many; this shame would thy Cauti­oner vnder-goe,Mat. 5.1 [...]. not onelie to leaue thee heere an exsample of his patience, Act. 5.41. &. 11.1 [...]. &. 11.15. but also to sancti­fie the diseases, & sicknesses, which hee vseth as scourges to daunt, and chastise thy wantonesse.

Now a crowne of Thornes is platted on his head, for the Lord vseth their hands,Psal. 1.16. for his Coronation. Heere me­ditate (my Soule) the repara­tion of Adams curse, Gen. 3.18. to whom thornes and briers, for his rebel­lion was a punishment, 1. Cor. 1 [...].56.57. and the point and sharpnesse of our sinnes are blunted by his satisfaction for them, which are briers to [Page 307] pierce vs through. Come forth yee Daughters of Syon, and be­hold thy King Salomon, (a type of Christ) with the crown wher­with his mother the (Iewish Church) crowned him in the day of his marriage, Cant. 3.11. and in the day of the gladnesse of his heart, for earnestlie desired be to eate that Pascall Lambe with them; his greatest triumph is in his sufferings.

Hee is cloathed with a Pur­ple garment, the signe of La­bour, wrestling, and victorie, for hee was all imbrodered with his own blood. This combat with Death, he tooke in hand for vs, for it was we that clad him there with all: And all our life here, is nothing else, but a continuall war-fare, but in the [Page 308] end, we shall be more, than Con­querours by him who loueth vs, Rom. 8.3 [...] and washed vs in that Lambes blood. He is buffetted, that we should not bee plagued euer­lastingly with Sathan. There is a R [...]ed put in his right hād, in place of a kinglie Scepter, wherby they wold insinuate that his Kingdome was waste and voyde, and brittle, subject to euery winde and blast of stor­mie tempest, as the R [...]ede is. And that his Kingdome was not guarded with anie humane helpe, far are they deceiued; His Kingdome is an euerlasting Kingdome, for hee hath recei­ued the Heathen for his Inheri­tance, & the ends of the earth for his possession: Psal. 1.8.9 whom hee shall crush with a Scepter of yron, and [Page 307] [...] [Page 308] [...] [Page 309] breake them in pieces, like a Po­ters vessel.

In all these things, Christ is innocent, and so declared foure times by Pilate; other­wayes hee could neuer haue justified vs, nor yet could our Faith rest in him. But it is wonderfull, that the Lord wrought so with this repro­bate Pilate before he put the decr [...]e of reprobation in execu­tion, inviting him to Re­pentance, and suffering, with long suffering, the Vessel of wrath prepared to destruction: but he according to his heart, Rom. 2.4. that could not repent, heapes vp vengeance against the day of the revelation of the just wrath of God.

And that nothing should be left, of vnspeakeable dis­daine, [Page 310] and rigorous dealing with Christ, they spitted in his Face; on which, the verie Angels delited to behold: accor­ding to the prophesie, which went before of him,Esay. 5.6 I hid not my face from shame and spitting: and making a knee, they sa­luted him as King: they said truelie, but it was not an earth­lie, but an heavenlie Kingdome.

Now (deare Soule) con­sider the estate of Christes Kingdome in this world. It is not accompanied with Plea­sures, or Power, or Strengt [...] of man, but replenished with Thornes, labours, and dan­gers. For whosoeuer will follow mee, let him forsake himselfe, Mat. 16.24. & take vp his crosse, and follow me,

Confirme therefore thine [Page 311] heart, that thou mayest con­tinue in thy faith, for thou must goe throgh many afflictions, ere thou enter into the Kingdome of God. Act. 14.22 Wherefore these illu­sions, and mockings of Christ, doe strengthen vs against the wounds of Conscience, & all the bitter sorrowes of this life: for his stripes are the plasters, Esay. 53.5 whereby our soules are cured, and healed. Adam fell from his innocencie, for which, Christe was [...]ladde with Purple, and was crowned with Thornes, that hee might plat on the heads of the faithfull, an eternall Crowne of Glorie.

Thus apparelled, (as a most miserable spectacle) is hee brought foorth to the Iewes, if possible hee might moue [Page 312] them to commiseration, say­ing, Behold the man: Would euer such a despised creature vsurpe a Kingdome? What thinke yee of him, (now so miserablie casten downe) as yee see? Hee is a man like vn­to your selfe, and not a beast: He is your flesh, & your Brother, Iohn. 1.11. why are yee so cruellie bent against him? Can not your hearts be inclined to pittie? Vnto verie brutish crea­tures, one would show more rueth; and none would doe so muche outrage: For a good man will haue pittie on his owne beast, but the mercies of the wicked are cruell. Well did the Prophet foresee this, Who is this that commeth from Edom, with red garmentes from Boz­rah? [Page 313] hee is glorious in his ap­parell, and walketh in his great strength, I speak in righteousnes, and mightie to saue. Where­fore is thine apparell red? and thy garments like him that trea­deth the wine-presse? I haue tro­den the wine-presse alone, and of all the people, Esay. 63.1.2.3. there was none with mee, my blood is sprinkled vpon my garmentes, and hath stained all my rayment. Let vs therefore bee ashamed of sin, whē we looke vpon this face of Christ; but especiallie, de­test Pride, since the Sonne of God did so humble himselfe be­neath all men, Phil. 2.5.6.7.8. that hee might mount vs into the heauens.

But such is, (that more than barbarous crueltie) of the Ie­wes, yet not onlie are they not [Page 311] touched with any sense of mercie, but becomme to bee more fierce & raging against Christ: and therfore put they in a new false delation, That bee made himselfe the Sonne of God, hee professed indeede,Mat. 3.17. and that truelie, that he was the Son of God; for the voyce from heauen did testifie it, but Veritie beside such stiffenec­ked people had no place, & therefore condemned him to die: But O Iew! if it bee the law against blasphemies, that thou accusest the Saviour of the world of! Deut. 13.13.14. why should hee not bee rather stoned to death? why doest thou make the Law of God a courting to thy knaue­rie? should it be thy pleasure and not Gods will to be obe­yed?

Wherfore, Pilat hearing this recent accusation against the Son of God, asketh him, not of his Country, for he knew him to bee a Galilean, but of his pedegrie, parentage, and de­scent, fearing he had takē his beginning from some of the gods of the Gentiles, as Sa­turn, Iupiter, or Mars: & there­fore, should haue incurred their wrath and hatred, be cause he had made Christ to be whipped. For such were the fabulous foolish ignorances of the Gētiles, that they made vnto themselues demi-gods or semi-goddes, or children of the goddes, as Bacchus to come from Iupiter, & Herculas to haue hadde his beginning from them: This was it, that [Page 316] made them of Listra, Act. 14.11.12. whē Paul & Barnabas curing an impotent in his feete, which was a creple from his mothers wombe, to say, Gods are come downe in the likenesse of men, and they called Bar­nabas Iupiter, and Paul, Act. 14.12 Mercu­rius. And therefore hee ima­gined gods to be avengers of these, who disdained their progenie, as Pentheus was [...]ēt because he despised Bacchus.

And now (my Soule) con­sider of these Iewes, How doe yee say, wee are wise, Ier. 8.8. and the Lawe of the Lord is with vs? should ye not haue searched,Luc. 24.43 who, and from whom Christ was, when he called himselfe the Son of God,Tit. 1.2. if bee had ly­ed (which he could not) why doe yee not punish him? and if he [Page 314] spake the trueth, why doe yee not worship him? why doe ye not search your Scrip­tures, Tit. 1.2. which testifie of him? why doe yee not produce his workes to Pilate? that it may appeare, if hee bee the Sonne of God? Why speakee ye not of him, Iohn. 11. & 12. that was foure dayes dead, and restored to life? where is that widowes onely son? the Prince of the Synagogues daughter. Mat. 9.25. why doe yee not declare the way, and meanes these miracles were perfected: If thou belee­u [...]st not him, beleeue his workes, that hee doeth, Iohn. 1.14. told not hee, that the word should bee made flesh, was it not forespoken? Behold a Virgine shall conceiue, and beare a Sonne, and they shall cal his Name Immanuel. Esay. 7.14. Can this [Page 317] Name agree to any, but to him, that is both God and Man? And yet forsooth came shouting to an Heathen man, Act. 14.16 that knew no Scripture, and saw Iesus onely a man (said they) who hath made himselfe the Son of God. Indeed he respe­cted his false gods more, thā the true and onelie God: 1. Cor. 8.6. he was more affrayed of his acounts in the administration of the Common-weale, and Presi­dencie of Iudea, to bee ren­dered to the Romane Em­perour, than of that great charge shall bee preciselie ex­acted of him in that day, Esay. 2.19. & 26.11. whē we shall all bee presented before the tribunall seat of God to receiue what wee haue done in this flesh good or badde. The verie Ro­manes [Page 319] Lysias Faelix & Festus, had a conscience of the inno­cencie of Paul, who had one­lie the light of Nature; but they had light by the word, yet the malice of their hearts put out that illumination & cor­ruption blotted it. Whence it cōmeth of Gods just judg­ment, that all conscience is scraped out, and they be­came like beastes, & fell into a Reprobate sense.

What euer was the Iews part, or Herods, or Pilates, the Lord had his decree therein, & will haue his onely begotten Son to die for the sinnes of the world: But look to the Lords dispensation, hee will haue the Iudge protesting his in­nocencie, hee will haue the [Page 320] hearts of the accusers hardned to sue after Christes blood, for if their cōscience had bin wakened, it had not beene so.

Consider here (my Soule) how willingly Christ came vn­to his passion, not that he did smite & crucifie himself, but that he did not gainst and the wickednesse of the Iewes, nor approuing their impiety, but wisely disponing the benefit that should redowned thereby. One and the same, was the passion of Christ, but the actions & intentions in God & the Iewes, farre different and diverse; but euen amongst the Iewes and Governours was there lesser & greater sins in this action. He that delivered thee vnto me, Iohn. 19.11 hath the greater sinne, yet thou [Page 320] Pilate art sinfull in this busi­nesse also, all sinnes are not a­like, as all the glorie is not a­like,1. Cor. 15.41. for one star differeth from another in glorie. In my Fathers house (said hee) there are many dwelling places. Iohn. 14.2.

Now then Pilate beleeued hee had done amisse, as he did in deede, when hee had scour­ged the Sonne of God, hee knew nothing, but vvhat na­ture furnished him, yet his conscience within him did tell him powerfullie, that be ought to feare and honour God: This na­turall spunck of light is left to bridle man from sinne, but it will not hold vs, Rom. 2.14 beeing so weake in the feare of God; yet if it had beene taken away, wee should be more miserable, than the bru­tish [Page 321] beastes. Psal. 49.20. Trust neuer to na­ture, but striue to acquire grace, by the holie Spirit, Luc. 11.13. who ouer­cōmeth the cāker of the hart. This Pilate, hath glances and glimmerings of Christiā ver­tues, but they evanished. Whē the Lord giueth light, Iohn. 1.4. & boweth the heart, establishing grace in it, and grace abiding with thee, thou art not farre from the King­dome of heaven, but is happie & blessed in deede.

Now Pilate, in anger begin­neth directlie against Christ, whom oftimes before he had pronounced innocent, (be­cause hee had not answered him) with insolent brag­ging, glorying of the power that he had aboue him: & falling out in blasphemie against God, [Page 322] his hart being never truely rene­wed, Act. 8.23. nor hauing any feare & re­verence to Iesus, but being ful of the gall of bitternesse, claimed vnto himselfe an absolute power, which God hath not gi­uen neither to man nor Angel, Rom. 13.1. for it is proper to himself, but a power restrained & limited by Gods Law. Naturall men in high places, hauing power frō God without sanctifica­tion,Tit. 3.3. are but mad men, as here he protesteth, that Iesus was innocent, and now, that he had power to doe with him what hee pleased, which is in effect to be a murtherer, for what else is hee, who will take the life from an Innocent; pride in his heart, made his mouth so foolish.1. Pet. 5.5. The proud dishonour [Page 323] the Majestie of God, therefore, caused hee his lips to speake to his shame, to accuse him­selfe; but woe vnto them,Esay. 5.21. that call euil good, and good euill.

The Magistrate is the or­dinance of God indeede, Rom. 1.3.4 to pu­nish the guiltie,1. Pet. 2.13.14. and main­taine the righteous, as Christ sayeth, Thou shouldest haue no power, Psal. 82.6. vnlesse it were giuen thee from aboue. But because, Pro. 8.15. Kings doe reigne by God, they should therefore vse their power ac­cord ng to his will.

And happie are Iudges, if they follow the direction of I [...]hosaphat, King of Iuda, 2. Chro. 19 6. who said to the Iudges, whom he had set ouer his Cities, Take heede what ye doe, for ye execute [Page 324] not the judgements of man, but of God, and hee will bee in the cause of judgement. Wherefore now, let the feare of the Lord bee vpon you, take heede and doe it, for there is none iniquity with the Lord our God, neither respect of persons, nor receiuing of rewards: And although Tyrants, and wicked men, as Pilate was, haue power from aboue, yet the wise God can vse it to the glorie of his Name, as he did by the hand of Nabuchodona­zar King of Babel, Ier. 27.6.7 his servant. And heere Pilate deceiueth himselfe, beleeuing hee had his power of Caesar only. Christ did holde his peace before; but now wil speak in defence of his Fathers honour, and make him vnderstand, albeit [Page 325] he was in his hāds, yet he was in Gods hands also, without whose speciall dispensation, nothing can bee done,1. Sam. 14.45. as is evident in Saul and Ionathan: for it was not in Sauls hands to kill him howsoeuer he had giuen out sentence against him: Hee ordained that Agag should liue, 1. Sam. 15.33. but Samuell killed him. For Gods eternall decree and power over-ruleth all, which, while men wil not ac­knowledge,Dan. 4.29 they become like beasts. God wil never denude himselfe of his owne power,Esay 10.15. for what was Ashur, but an Axe or a Saw in the hand of the Sa­wer, or a rod and staffe, which should not exalt it selfe, as if were no wood? But O Ashur! Esay. 10.5. the rod of my wrath, I will send him to a [Page 326] dissembling Nation, I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath. Neither is it amisse, that wicked men should haue power to hurt, to try the patience of the godlie, and punish the iniquitie of the wicked.

But heere is thy comfort, (my Soule,) that Tyrantes doe not according to their pleasure & perverse wil rage against the Saintes, but when and how far it pleaseth God by speciall permission, and yeelding; grant to them, for the Lord hath put a bounds vnto them which they can not exceed, for while they abuse their power to tyran­nie,Exod. 14.28. the higher they ascend, the nearer destruction they are: For [Page 327] they are rods,Act. 12.23 which when the wrath of God doeth re­lent, and our punishmentes are ended, shalbe burnt with euerlasting fire, as in Pharaoh, and Herod is evident. Christ submitteth him to the power which hee acknowlegded Pilate to haue of God, and so should subjectes, not so much looke to men, as to God, who hath armed them vvith that power which is the ground of our obedience to Ma­gistrates, when wee see Gods providence to over-rule all things; for they are but Vice­gerents, and Leiu-tenants of God, and to bee obeyed, by heartie subjection of their people, For he that resisteth the Power, resisteth the ordinance of [Page 328] God, 1. Pet, 2.13 and shall receiue to them­selves judgement, And now, Pilate is not offended at his answere, nor provoked to revenge vpon Christ, but ta­keth a course how hee might put him to libertie. And yet there is some spuncke of Iu­stice lying vnder the corrupt ashes of feare and dread our in Pi­lates heart, wherfore the Iewes giueth an peremptorie in­stance, If thou deliver him, thou art not Caesars friend. Before, they laide the cryme of trea­son to Iesus charge, Now, they devolue that accusation against Pilate, who studied to keepe a good conscience, tovvardes the Innocent (Ie­sus.) But the tentation growes the more, for it is impossible to [Page 329] keepe a good conscience without temptation, either inwardlie, or outwardlie. For Pilate must either lose his good consci­ence, or his life, for hee is challenged of treason; but (alace) hee savv no better life, than this present life, for Caesar was his god. That natu­ral conscience of his vvas not vnderpropped, and suppor­ted by Faith, vvith better and higher things, than these of this vvorld.Rev. 3.11. Hee shall bee crowned, that perseuereth to the end, for whosoeuer will saue his life, shall lose it, and whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake, shall finde it; Mat. 16.26.27. For what shall it profite a man, though hee should winne the whole Worlde, if hee lose his owne soule. Happie [Page 330] is the man that hath his con­science strengthened vvith faith in Iesus Christ, and hath a sight of heaven, & of God: That man onlie shall stand in temptation against the De­vill, and the vvorld.

This assault was so vehemēt, that hee beginneth by little & litle to lose his conscience, for he is astonished, & bring­eth foorth Iesus, crowned to the people, & sitteth down in his Tribunal, vvhere he beginneth to shrink, & decline from justifying Christs inno­cencie, vvhere he had a privy battell betvvixt the spuncke of his conscience, & the ma­lice of his heart. Hee had a doubt in his heart, and did not first pronounce the sen­tence, [Page 331] but said. Beholde your King. This strife of conscience, albeit it bee once dumbe, yet will it come a­gaine, and will fasten it selfe in thy soule, that it can not bee shaken off. Pilate by this, concludes al that ever he can or would doe for Christ, whē hee hath sought all the shiftes hee could; he would say (alas) this is a silly King, who wold think that euer he wold seek a Kingdome, much lesse this of Caesars? But all will not availe, Christ must goe to the tree, to please his Father, and end willinglie the great worke of our Salvation. Lev. 19.15 But the Iudges should not doe vnjustly in judge­ment, thou shalt not favour the person of the poore, nor honour [Page 632] the person of the mightie, but thou shall judge thy neighbour justlie. But woe bee to him which justifieth the wicked for a re­ward, Esay. 5.23. and taketh away the righ­teousnesse of the righteous from him.

It was verie true, as Pilate said, that hee was their King, and promised Messias, of whom all the Prophetes did beare wit­nesse, so doth the Lord direct the speeches of his enemies to the glorie of his Name: for as in an armie, diverse are the intentions & designes of the Souldiers; some for spoile & riches, some for glorie and promotion, some for hatred and revenge: yet all doe fight for their Prince, and for victorie: so did both good & [Page 333] evill wills of men serve Gods purpose, whose decree can by no meanes bee illuded.

And seeing him at the de­cay & swerving from conscience they multiplied the tentati­on, and spake no more mo­destlie, but vvith forcible ex­clamations cryed, Away with him, away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him. It is diligent­lie to bee observed (poore Soule) to keep a strong watch over thy conscience, for if Sa­than once get thy cōscience in a weake case, he benum­meth, & stupifieth thee, be­siedging thee with double & triple temptations, making thee like an Horse, & Mule, Psal. 32.9. that hath no vnderstanding, or like a deafe Adder, that will not beare [Page 334] the voyce of the inchanter: much like these idolaters, who burnt their children, and when they wept, they caused Timbrelles to sound, that they might not heare their lamentable out cryes.

Great was this blindnesse and malice of the Iewes, yea, vnremeidable, for the worse & worse is their mindes kin­dled in spyte against Christ, by how much more testimo­nies of his innocencie are ex­hibited, euen as clay is hardned at the heate of the Sunne.

And truelie, if thou wilt not slatter thy selfe (poore Soule) thou vvilt confesse thine own contumacie to bee as great: because the brightnes of the Evangel doth shine to thee. Luc. 1.79. (As a owle at the light of the Sunne) so [Page 335] art thou blinded in perfect­ing the works of darknesse. And what else is the greatest part of vs all, but hypocrites, hauing Iesus in our mouth, but serving wickednes against the known Trueth, Iohn. 8.34 Rom. 4.20. 2. Pet. 2.19. approaching to him with our lips, but our hearts are farre from him: But this is worthie of admiration, that these hardened Iewes, rather will obey the cōmandement of Caesar, than be the servants of Iesus Christ, They say, wee haue none other King but Caesar. Woe to them, that renounce such a King; Hee and Caesar, might both haue beene their King. But loued the Iewes Caesar? No, but pretended his authoritie, to kill the Iudges consciences, and to crucifie [Page 336] Christ. They that loue not God, will never loue their King, nor the Church. Easie was this yock which the Iewes did cast off thē, Mat. 11.30 vvhich their posteritie feeles this day. Let vs not therfore (beeing taught by their exam­ple) withdraw our selves from his obedience; for if God, spared not the naturall branches, thin­kest thou that hee will spare the wilde Oliue? Deut. 32.15.29. O Israel! thou hast forsaken God, who made thee: and regarded not the strong God of thy salvation! Oh! that they had beene wise, then they would vnderstand this; they would con­sider their latter end, my people haue done two euill things, they left mee the fountaine of liuing water, Ierem. 2. and digged vnto them­selves broken cisternes, which cā hold none.

And to ridde, and transferre the burden from Pilate, they laid it vpon themselves, and their posterities: For malice joyned with ignorance is euer temerarious, the blinder the man is, the more rashlie will hee endanger himselfe: they had the light of Nature, and the Light that came dovvne from heaven, his Word, which they contraveined, as Steven vpbraided them, Yee alway resist the holie Ghoste, Act. 7.51. as did your fathers, so doe you: for they killed the Lord Iesus, and their owne Prophets, and haue perse­cuted the Apostles, and God they please not, 1. Thess. 2.14.15.16. and are contrarie to all men; and forbid to preach vnto the Gentiles, that they may ful­fill their sinnes alwayes. For the [Page 338] vvrath of God is come vpon them to the vtmost, both vpon them, and on their po­steritie: For vpon them is come all the righteous blood, that was shedde vpon the earth, from the blood of Abel the righteous, Mat. 23.35. and the blood of Zacharias the son of Barachias, whom they slew be­tweene the Temple & the Altar.

Euerie man detesteth this haynous crueltie, and thou (my Soule) sayeth, That if thou hadst beene in those dayes, t [...]ou wouldst not haue put hand in thy Saviour. But thou lackest nothing but tyme, for thou resistest the known Trueth of Christ, and hatest the professors therof, whereby thou crucifiest againe the Sonne of God, Eph. 4.19 and makest a mocke of him: For he that despi­sed [Page 339] Moses Lawe, died without mercie, vnder two or three wit­nesses, of how much sorer punish­ment suppose yee shall he be wor­thie, which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God, and counteth the blood of the New-Testament as an vnholie thing, Heb. 10.28 wherwith he was sanctified; and doeth despite the Spirit of Grace. And there­fore, well might Christ haue said, As for mee, b [...]hold, I am in your hands, doe with mee, Ier. 26.14.15. as yee thinke good and right, but know yee for certaine, that if yee put mee to death, yee shall surelie bring innocent blood vpon your selves, and vpon your citie, Luc. 19. and vpon the inhabitantes thereof, for of a trueth, the Lord hath sent mee vnto you, for to speake all these words in your eares, but [Page 340] for three transgressions of Is­rael, Amos. 2.6. and for foure, the Lord will not turne to it, because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poore for shooes; for the which their cities were left desolate, & Ierusalem without an inhabitāt, for the flight did perish from the swift, and the strong doeth not strengthen his force, neither did the mightie saue his life; nor bee that handleth the bowe, doeth stand, and hee that is swiftest of foote doeth not escape: neither doeth hee that rideth, Amos. 2.14.15.16 saue his life, and hee that is of mightie courage among the strong men, did flee away naked in that day. Wherof Iosephus that saw all these things with his eys doth vvrite, that there was slaine at the same siedge of Ierusa­lem, [Page 341] eleven hundreth thou­sand, besides nyntie thou­sand that were takē captiues, and the Citie lamentablie de­stroyed and sacked. Thus ven­geance is mine, sayeth Lord, I will repay it.

But heere (deare Soule,) far be it from thee, that once the least conception of shed­ding of blood come in thy mind: yea, remember this, be that hateth his brother, is a man slayer: be therefore voide and free of such inordinate pas­sions: Bee angrie, and sinne not, let not the Sunne goe down vpon thy wrath, but overcome euill with good. But heere especial­lie call to minde these im­precations, and cursings the Iewes vse against themselues; [Page 342] There is nothing more effe­ctual to destruction, than the vvordes which proceede out of thine own mouth, beware therefore of violent and immo­derate perturbations, which louse the bridle raines of the tongue: neither excuse thy selfe by incōsideration, rash­nesse and anger to haue done the same. Accustome not therefore thy mouth (deare Soule) to swearing, Eccl. 23.9.10.11. for in it, there are many falls, neither tak vp f [...]r a custome, the naming of the holie One, for thou shall n t bee vnpunished for such thinges: For as a servant which is oft pu­nished, can not bee without some skarre, so, bee that sweareth and nameth God continuallie, shall not bee faultlesse. A man that [Page 343] vseth much swearing, shall bee filled with wickednesse, and the plague shall never depart from his house, when hee shall offend, bi [...] fault shall bee vpon him, and if hee acknowledge not his sinne, hee maketh a double offence, and if hee sweare in vaine, hee shall not bee innocent, but bis house shall bee full of plagues.

Now Pilat thinketh himselfe secure, when he is exonered to be enemie to Caesar; sitteth downe, absolues Barabbas, & vvhich is worse, condemnes the Innocent, beateth and scourgeth him; then delive­reth him to the Iewes, to sa­tisfie their wicked appetite, his Conscience fast a sleepe, run­neth on, Heb. 6.6. as the arrow out of the Bow to a mischief [...]: For vvhen [Page 344] man is past feeling, and without remorse, Mar. 15.15 hee giueth himselfe to wantonnes, to worke all vnclean­nesse, euen with greedinesse, and with such speede, as an horse rusheth into battell: For Pilate did this to gratifie the people had he their fauour for it? no; they delated & accused him to the Emperour, which banished him, and for feare of greater shame, being par­ticipāt also of Christs blood, put violent hands in himself, & slew himselfe. How is the matter Pilate? is this the form of judgement that thou hast learned from the Romanes? vvherein thou neither hast regard of reason, examinatiō of vvitnesses, the guiltie, of Lawes, but onelie respecteth [Page 345] the desire of tumultuous mē: Was it not to asswadge vp­roare, and establish Law and Iustice that thou was sent President to Ierusalem? Will it mitigate sedition to kill the Iust? No; rather increase it: what did these wicked Ie­wes throgh all Palestina & Sy­ria cōmit vnder Caius Claudius Nero, vntill Ve [...]pasian & Titus were sēt to overthrow them? and thou in thy time didst know what it was to hūt after the applause of the people.

The third Step in the third de­gree of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, &c.

NOw is Barabbas let loose, and Christ de­livered vnto the [Page 346] Souldiers in purple apparell to be crucified. The mur­therer Barabbas, did liue by the bounty of Christ; (for there was but one to bee set free at the Passeouer, not two) and Christ adjudged to die. This Barabbas represented all the Children of Adam, Eph. 2. for wee were al the childrē of wrath, lyable in Gods just judgment to eternall death, neither was any deliuerance to be looked for, but by his death, who was condemned for vs, so that now there is no condemnation to thē that are in Iesus Christ: Rom. 8.1. now the souldiers were as ready to receiue him, as Pilat was to deliver him to put this wicked sentence in execution:1. Sam. 22.18. Good Iudges, shall never find goods Of­ficers [Page 347] to execute so readily a good action, 2. Sam. 3 39. as the wicked doe finde for an evill: For the devil hath many servants in the world, but God hath few. Neither suffered they him any where to rest, scarse while the crosse was in preparatiō, but taketh him to the Cōmon-Hall: For the malice of men against wic­kednesse will end, but against an Innocent who suffreth for Christ, will neuer end.

But these torturers were in­strumentes of that terrible wrath of the Father vpon his Son, who is a cōsuming fire. He was stripped of his purple vesture, least the people shuld haue beene more inraged at that royall apparell hee was clad with, and despise autho­ritie, [Page 348] when they saw him cru­cified in the same. But sure it was their minde, to renew his recent blood, and freshe wounds, and to adde more afflictiō to his running sores. And therefore, they did put on him his owne cloathes, that hee might bee more ful­lie known, and contemptibly esteemed of al the beholders; & the Souldiers were to di­vide his vestments amongst them, Psal. 22.17. for it was not in a Gentilish, but a Iewish apparell that hee was crucified in, that al the sins that then were committed, might redownd on the head of the Iews. And that, as the parti-co­loured garment of Ioseph was dipped in the Kids blood, so our inward man was dyed in [Page 349] the Blood of this innocent Lambe: And blessed are they, who haue washed their robes therein.

But as he was stripped first of his owne cloathes, which signified the rejection of the Iewes, and thereafter arrayed in Purple, which is the gathe­ring of the Churche of the Gen­tiles, so last, shall that Iewish cloathing bee put on, that, when the fulnesse of the Gentiles are come in, then all Israel shall bee saued. But most of all, it was, that his verie enemies should not thereafter haue fained, that some other did suffer in his place. And that the cloaths of righteousnesse and holinesse, which Adam had lost (for after his fall, he was found naked) [Page 350] this second. Adam might restore to the beleeuers, for we had ne­ver so much hurt in Adams fall, as wee haue a thousand folde and aboue, restitution by Iesus, if wee relye on him by a lyuelie faith.

The fourth Degree and first Step of the ascension of the Soule vnto Heaven, by me­ditation of the exalta­tion of Iesus Christ our Saviour vpon the Crosse.

THus being delivered to these bloody Hel houndes, who had shifted Christ of his cloathes, and arayed him in Purple. And againe, to renew [Page 351] the fresh stripes, haue vnclo­thed him, puting on his own, bringing him out vnto the place of execution, carying his own Crosse, accōpanied with two euill doers (so wea­rie) that Simon of Cyrene was compelled to beare the end thereof.

All this was, that he shuld suffer extreame shame, which alwayes followeth vpon Sin, for as he took the one, so did he the other vpon him. But heere are heap [...]s of shames, the death of the Crosse; the world gazing on him, two Theeues led with him, but the more ignominious the death vvas, the glory and tri­umph vvas the greater, and the more stinking Golgotha, [Page 352] vvas, the more sweetlie sa­voured his sacrifice, & smel­led in the Nose-thirles of his Father.Lev. 4.11. Now, therefore, was hee caried out, for the bodies of those beastes, whose bloode was brought into the holie Place by the his Priest for sin, were burnt without the Campe: Heb. 13.11 13.14.15. Therefore, euen Iesus, that he might sancti­fie vs with his own Blood; suffred without the gate. And should not thou (deare Soule) goe foorth, out of the Campe bearing his reproach. Thou there­fore, shouldest cast off the care of this world, denying thy selfe, and thirsting for that eternall countrie, vvher thy title, and burgesship is: For wee haue not heere a conti­nuing citie, but wee seeke for one [Page 353] to come.

Wherefore, vvhensoeuer thou shalt bee cast out, and put in exyle for his Names sake, thou hast Christe thy Chiftan & Companion with thee. But most of all, was he caried out of the ports, that vve might haue accesse vnto the face of his Father, and ne­ver bee thrust into those e­ternall punishments. For he, as an off s [...]ouring of the world, vnworthy of the fellowship of men, vvas caried out of the citie, to open that hea­venlie Paradise to vs: and therefore, that hee did not suffer for Ierusalem, nor for Iudea, or for one part of the world only, but for the sinnes of the whole world, who shall be­leeue [Page 354] in him. Wee children of Adam vvere cast out of Para­dise, hee is als [...] gone out of the gate, to seeke vs, & bring vs home againe.

Here hast thou (sinful Soule) thy Abel caried out into the fields & killed by his brother.Gen. 4. Thy Isaac, Gen. 22.6. ascēding the mon­taine to bee sacrificed. The Masters Sonne [...] of the Vine­yarde, Mat. 16.24. who sought fruite of it, killed by the husb [...]nd men, and cast out of it.

Novve must his wearied Corps carie this Crosse also, vvhich should bee diligent­lie learned to bee done of all Christians. But wee should earnestlie consider, Christ ca­ried his ovvn Crosse appoin­ted to him, by divine dispen­sation, [Page 355] & not to bring vpon our selues,1. Pet. 2.20 without the bounds of our calling vnnecessary crosses. 1. Pet. 4.15

The bearing of his Crosse should comfort thee (poore Soule) against the weight of sinne, for hee his own selfe bare them in his bodie on the tree: Esay. 53.5. 1. Pet. 2.42 now therfore, calamities and miseries beeing sanctified by him, are not tokens of the Lords wrath,Heb. 12.5.6.7.8. but meanes to make vs conformable to his Son: for hee did beare the burden, not only of murther & theft, but of al the sinnes of the E­lect. For hee vvent out with two Theeues, bearing the burden of one of them, and releiving him of his sins, who did sup with him that night in Paradise. And to a greadge [Page 356] his ignominie the more; tvvo euill doers are brought out with him, as if hee had beene a Captaine of vvickednes, & that all Nations which had conveened at the Passeouer in Ierusalem, might tak the clea­rer notice of him.

Now must Simon, (little thinking of this businesse) helpe to carie his Crosse, for when vvee promise greatest trāquillitie to our selves, thē are we most object to calami­ties. Hee is compelled to doe this fauour to Christ, for it is properlie in borne in vs, to loue the pleasures of this vvorld, and seeke for glorie, riches, and quietnesse, vntill this vyle flesh be constrained to vndergoe afflictions. For it [Page 357] is good that wee be afflicted, that wee may learne his statutes, [...]sal. 119.71. be­cause none shall know himselfe without temptation, and none shall bee crowned, Esay. 26.17.18. but hee that hath overcome, and none can overcome, vnlesse hee fight, and none can fight, Iam. 1.3.4. vnlesse hee haue an enemi [...].

But heere consider, (my Soule,) how this Simon did meete Christ, now miserablie debilitated (God so provi­ding) him to lift the ende of the Crosse, that Christ shuld not faint in the vvay: For God is faythfull, Cor. 10.13. which will not suf­fer his to be tempted aboue that they are able, but will euen giue the issue with the temptatiō, that they may be able to beare it Whensoeuer therfore (poore [Page 356] [...] [Page 357] [...] [Page 358] Soule) thou art cast dovvne in the depth of sorrovve, re­member, that as thou art par­taker of the sufferinges, so shall thou bee also of the consolation, 1. Cor. 1.7. yea, 1. Pet. 4.13 14. rejoyce in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings, that vvhen his glory shall ap­peare, yee may bee glad and rejoyce.

But this Ioseph was a Gentile, to signifie the Gentiles also shuld be paricipant of the benefite of Christs sufferings: For the preaching of the Gospel to them that perish, 1. Cor. 1.18. is foolishnesse, but vnto vs, that are saued, it is the power of God; neither did the Iew touch this cursed tree, to helpe Christ to the hight of Mount Calvarie, but con­strained this Lybian famous [Page 359] for his two vertuous & god­lie sonnes, Alexander & Ru­fus to suppor our Saviour, not for any compassion or louing affectiō they caried to him, for they hated him to death: but euē to declare the acceptation of the Gentiles to the participation of grace in the Lords accepted time.

And now is Iesus come to the place of Golgotha, who had sanctified it vnto his martyredome, and those publick torments to whōsoeuer shuld die in constant profession of his Name. For, Num. 24. he is that brasen Serpent, that whosoeuer looketh on him, by a livelie, and true faith, Iohn. 14. shall bee healed of all their infirmities, for our Saviour did die the cursed and execrable [Page 360] death, to releiue vs from the curse, & therefore, seeing wee are bought for a price, Gal. 3.13. we should glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits, 1 Cor. 6.20. for they are Gods.

Nowe did hee hang (sor­rowfull Soule) with out strea­tched armes, to welcome and imbrace readily all that wold come vnto him,Mat. 11.28 hee is lifted on high, as exposed vnto all that would beleeue in him; & to show, that by crosse and calamitie we must enter to glo­rie. He would hang (I say) betwixt heaven and earth, to reconceale them together, for vvhen hee was exalted frō the earth hee did draw all things to him, and naked did hee hang, to cloath thee with his righteousnesse and holinesse, & [Page 361] confirme thee against cros­ses and povertie, when thou shall know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ: 2. Cor. 8.9. that he being rich, for thy sake became poore; that thou through his povertie, mightst be made rich, for more are wee in obligation to his povertie, by which we were redeemed, than by his riches by which we wer created, for what benefite was it, to haue beene borne, if vvee should not haue beene delivered frō eternall death? And therfore, neither hunger, nor nakednesse, nor death it selfe, can separat vs from this loue and conjunction with him. Rom. 8.38 The pride of our Progenitours Adam and Eue brought this base condition on Christ, when as the Lord [Page 362] cladde them, for hyding of their nakednes: but now the world is giuen to supersluity of vanitie in their rayment, Esay. 3.19. [...]26.21. which is a conspicuous badge of their rebellion against God. But our David is scorned of Mi­chal for his nakednesse, but more glorious is be, than the ve­rie Angels in heaven, for brin­ging home the Arke of the promi­ses, and the sealing vp the Cove­nant betwixt God and man by his blood & death. He is the Tree in the midst of the Paradise of God, which sweetneth the bitter waters of Meribab. 1. Sam. 6.16. O giue vs grace, (deare Iesus!) that wee may comprehend with all Saintes, which is the breadth, and length, and deepth, Eph. 3.18.19. and hight, and to know this thy loue, which passeth [Page 363] knowledge that wee may bee filled with all fulnesse of God.

Now may they tell all thy bones, all thy nerves, sinewes and veins are drawne in len­gth;Psal. 22. thy whole body disjoyn­ted: they pierced thy hands and feet and rivers of blood did burst out: Behold, all that goe by the way, Lam. if there bee anie dolour like vnto my dolour.

The second Steppe of the fourth degree of the ascension of the Soule to Heauen, &c.

NOwe in this Mount Calvarie, hee be­ginneth to thirste, wherefore the Iewes to fulfill the Scripture (thogh far beside their mindes) They [Page 364] gaue mee gall in my meat, and in my thirst they gaue mee Vinegar to drinke: But Salomon hath counselled more charitably, Giue yee strong drinke vnto him that is readie to perish, Pro. 21.9. & wine to them that haue griefe in heart: but the Son of God was desti­tute of all consolatiō, that we might receiue aboundance of comfort in him:Psal. 16.11 For in his presence is fulnesse of joy, and at his right hand, there is pleasures for euermore. But hee vvould suffer thirst, that hee should not hasten death vnto him­selfe, before the appointed houre; for he knew the Lord vvould bring all this busines to a blessed event.

Hee would (I say) beside these tormentes inwardlie [Page 365] in his Soule, against the wrath of God, Hell, Death, Law, and condemnation, suffer also in all his outward senses: in his Ta­sting, the bitternesse of gall: in his Sight, the bespitting, & watching: in his Hearing, blasphemie & mocking: in his Touching, beating, buf­feting, whiping, & crowning with thornes: in his Smelling the filthy bespitting, and vile odour over-spreading that precious Bodie, whereby it was imbrued, and these ma­ny stripes receiued he for vs.

And nowe consider (my Soule) what shalbe the pains they shall suffer in soule and bodie, who shal not be found in Christ. The rich glutton in Hell could not obtaine one [Page 366] drop of vvater to coole his tongue in that burning tor­ment. Terrible is that drouth and hotnesse that sinne brin­geth with it,Mat. 5. But blessed are they, that hungers, and thirste for righteousnesse, for they shall bee filled, Iohn. 4. and haue in their bel­lie the fountaine of living water (Iesus Christ.) Whilst thou art quaffing and scolling sweete and delicious cuppes, to the contempt and abuse of Gods creatures, remember this bitter and sowre drinke of Christ, which wee doe make him drinke againe, how oft soeuer wee doe injurie to his members.

Then beware of all that can separate thee from this thy Christ, especiallie of bad, pro­phane [Page 367] & idolatrous society, for their god is not as our God, and their wine is of Sodom, and Gomorrha, their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter, their wine is the poyson of Dragons, and the cruell gall of Aspes. Well might Christ haue said, My strength, & hope is pe­rished from the Lord, Lam. 3.19. remem­bring mine affliction & my mour­ning, the wormwood and the gall.

Now, vvhile our Saviour is thus fastned to the Crosse hands and feete, as our high Priest, at his Altar, (For eve­rie high Priest is taken from a­mong men, and is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that hee may offer both giftes, & sacrifices for sinnes, so likewise, bee in the dayes of flesh, did of­fer [Page 368] prayers & supplications, Rom. 12.15. Mat. 18.35. yea, for his verie enemies) and so should wee, forgiue, and it shall bee forgiuen vs.

Heere hast thou deare Soule) great matter of com­fort and consolation, neuer to bee casten down, & despare with the opinion of thy own sinnes. Thou hast an high Priest,1. Iohn. 2. Esay. 63.12. and Advocat with the Father euen Iesus Christ the lust, to whom thou shouldest haue recourse in all thy ten­tations, and boldlie approach to the Throne of grace, that thou mayst receiue mercie & grace in tyme of neede. When the Prin­ces did stone Zacharias, hee said, Lord looke to it, and re­quire it, and so did the blood Abel call for vengeance. But [Page 369] this mylde Lambe of God,Heb. 12.24. the Mediator of the new Cove­nant, his blood speaketh better thinges, than those: Hee regar­ded not the injurie, shame, and paine hee was in, and forgotte not to haue pittie on them that cruelly tormen­ted him: Hee suffered toge­ther with them, of whom he did suffer: hee cured them, that wounded him, and pro­cured life for them, that kil­led him. And therefore, by this his prayer, full of Ma­jestie, Hee was heard in that which he feared, for he is his be­loved Sonne, Mat. 17.5. in whom hee is well pleased.

But heere diligentlie consi­der, what was the companie he was crucified with, for hee [Page 370] came not to saue the just, Mat. 9.13. but sin­ners: an example, whereof he manifested in sauing of one of the Theeues, touched with repentance, wherof his faith & confession gaue notice. So is hee on the Crosse, as if hee were in that great Daye of judgment, giuing out sētence of salvation to the Elect, and condemnation to the Repro­bate.

Perillous is it to delay Re­pentance, and to promise our selves securitie to the last day: It is a fooilsh thing to ne­glect the maters that concer­neth eternity in glory; or pain, & imbrace the changable oc­casions of this world, which is all put in evil. The priviledge of a few is not a lavv to all [Page 371] yet where vndoubted signes of Gods grace & goodnesse doeth appeare; there, may Christian charitie interprete vnfained repentance to fol­low; for there is neither mea­sure, nor tyme can bee ap­pointed to the Lordes mer­cie: For what day soeuer a Sin­ner shall repent, hee shall liue, EZek. 18.22. & not die. As this Malefactor did confesse Christs immortality, in that hee desired to bee re­membred, when hee came to his Kingdome, who had takē the life of others before. The Lord being tyed to the Crosse, hands and feete, and nothing free, but Heart and Tongue, which hee gaue to that Penitent, who by the bear beleeued to righteousnesse, and [Page 372] by the tongue confessed to salua­tion. Rom. 10. By Faith he did see that Christ should reigne, whom he did see die vvith him. By Hope, he looked for an entrie to his Kingdome, & by Loue, defended the innocencie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ a­gainst the reproach of his fel­low: Great is this his Faith, Who had taught him? had hee seene miracles (who had bene kept in prison) either of giving sight to the blind, or raising of the dead? yet he confessed him to be an euer­lasting King, who was com­panion to him in punishmēt, despising the present paine, & praying for things to come; re­quiring rather to be exemed from eternall judgement, thā [Page 373] delivered frō tēporall punish­ment, sorrowing and longing for that, that hee hoped for, thā feele that, that he suffred. In Christs extreamities, hee beleeued in him, and was not ashamed to haue the Iewes witnesses of his Faith (vvho rai­led on Christ) in the midst of all the scandals and reproa­ches of the people; and now when Christ was in his wea­kest & most miserable estate, vvhat didst thou see sinfull convert to aske heere for a Kingdome? thou hadst onlie before thine eyes, the Crosse and the Nailes: O! but the crosse is the ensigne of a King­dome, and it is the duetie of a King even to expone his life for his Subjectes, As the [Page 374] good shep-heard doeth his Soule for his sheepe: Ioh. 10.11. Gen. 17.1. Gen. 18.3. Abraham belee­ved, but taught from hea­ven, and by the Angels which came vnto to him. Esay. 6.1. And Esaias, but hee saw the Lord sitting vp­on his Throne, and lifted vp, and the lower parts thereof filled the Temple. Ezekiel beleeued, but hee saw the Lord vpon the Che­rubines, Ezek. 1.4. and so did the other Prophetes, but after diuerse manners God spake.Heb. 1.1. Mo­ses beleeved, but the Lord spake vnto him out of the bur­ning Bush, but none of these occasions did this penitent haue, but saw no Majestie of glorie, but equality of paine: hee saw him tormented, but worshipped him as if he had beene in glorie: hee saw him [Page 375] on the Crosse, but praised his Saviour, as if hee hadde sitten in the heavens; hee saw him cōdemned, yet acknow­ledged him to bee a free and absolute King, and wold not shrinke but died in that pro­fession, in spyte of all the the argumentes that Sathan could object, or flesh and blood vrge in the contrarie. Truelie Faith is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8.9. that no man should boast him­selfe: Therefore should wee pray, Lord increase our Faith: So where Sin aboundeth, Grace super-aboundeth: The Lord is more ample in his grace, than hee in his prayer, hee gaue more, than hee could seeke. Hee sought to bee remembred, when hee came into his King­dome, [Page 376] but the Lord promised, that this day hee should be with him in Paradise. O the great goodnes of God! vnspeake­able is thy fauour towardes them whome thou lovest. Thou as the bright Sun, hast made thy hote beames to shine vpon our soules, therby to draw vs to the Knowledge of Thee, and to warme our heartes, that wee may loue Thee. Expell this darknesse, (O Lord,) wherewith our heartes is replenished and thaw, by the heate of thy mercie, the frozen condi­tion of our soules, that they may melt, considering that euerlasting and vnsearchable favour thou hast borne to­wards mankind.

The third Step in the fourth de­gree of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, &c.

ONelie Iohn and some vvomen, in great cōstancie, did attēd Christ on the crosse; Whose grace was sufficient for them; 2. Cor. 2.9. whose power is made per­fect through weaknesse, in whose infirmities, the power of Christ is showne: who tooke plea­sure in infirmities, in reproa­ches, in necessities, in perse­cutions, & anguish for Christs sake: For when they were weake then were they made strong. That is true friendship which is founded in God, & whose knot is Christ: they that bee [Page 378] touched with the sense of the miserie of his members, shal neuer lacke that is good.

Marie the Virgine, Marie Cleophas, & Marie Magdalene, accōpanied, were inspectors of this lamentable spectacle; his owne Mother he called, & Iohn, whom hee ever loued; his Mother he honoured & wold haue her provided for, for he knew it spoken by Simeon, that the sworde should passe through her Soule, Luc. 2.35. and with the eye of mercie, did see her wrestling with such calami­ties. He especially, of singu­lare favour looked on her, be­cause shee loued mee, Psal. 91.14.15. therefore will I deliver her, because shee hath knowne my Name. So did David (fugitiue from the face [Page 379] of Saul) commend his parents to the King of Gath. But the obedience, promptitude, and ala­critie of Iohn, in receiuing his Mother, declareth the wil­ling heart of a Disciple, to ac­complish the minde of his Master, so he acquited loue for loue. Nothing is compara­ble to the sense of the loue of God in the heart of man: If it had beene no more, than na­tural love, Marie wold neuer haue followed her Sonne to such a vile death, if shee had not belieued, that that Death shuld not haue turned into a glorious life. Shee knew the conference betwixt her, and the Angel before, for Faith and Hope will not extinguish Displeasure, & naturall Ioy, but [Page 380] will mitigate them both, for she looked to haue with him a joyfull meeting, her heart was knit with him, whilst hee hang on the Crosse; not asha­med of him, neither hee for­getfull of her: Hee called her woman,2. Cor. 5.16. not Mother, raised from all earthly thinges which men count much of, for hee knew nothing according to the flesh, for in heaven we shall be like Angels, to the end, that wee may enjoye that heavenlie life. And her (I say) Hee commended to Iohn, whom hee loued inteirelie, neither will he translate her from the world, but will haue everie member of his Churche to keepe one another, as he com­mended his mother to Iohn to [Page 381] be entertained: in his suffring forgetting (as it were) him­selfe, yet forgetting not her, not willing to divide the first and second Table; in the first, keeping his duetie to his Fa­ther to the death, and in the midst of that obedience to his Father, hauing regard & respect to his Mother: for if thou hatest not father or mo­ther for his sake, Lu. 14.26 thou art not worthie of him: Preferre God to any naturall affection, which Christ, notwithstan­ding in the middest of tor­ment of blasphemies, & com­bate with everlasting Death, with the wrath of the Father, and with all the infernall po­wers, is carefull to obserue. Sāctified affections do enter­taine [Page 382] naturall loue, or else they are suffocated: for this duetie standeth not in cere­monies, but in performing of necessary adoes: this registra­tion will rent the conscience of these, who procure their mothers curse; Iohn ha [...] [...] rection from the Crosse, wee from the heavenly Throne, hee tooke an others Mother, not his owne, and that to his owne house. Seeing Christe therfore hath suffred in the flesh, it is convenient, that wee bee of the like minde.

Naomi, destitute of her two Children,Ruth. 1. did say when shee came to Bethlehem, Call mee not Naomi, that is (beau­tifull). but Mara, which is, bitternesse.Tob. 10. What did Tobias [Page 383] mother, when her Son went away? Did not King Salo­mon acknowledge the true mother of the Childe,1 King. 3.24. while shee would not haue him cut in two? And what did Riz­pah, in hanging vp the sacke­cloathes from the beginning of Harvest vpon the Rocke, vntill water dropped vpon them from the heaven, 2. Sam. 21.10. neither suffering the Birds of heaven to light on the sonnes of Saul by day, nor beasts of the fielde by night: But what doloure (I say) can be com­pared to this of his Mothers, whose heart was so deepelie wounded thorow? Shee did not extinguish those affecti­ons, but moderated them, for she stood by the Crosse of Christ seeing them, whom hee had [Page 384] fed in the wildernes with Māna, broght throgh the red Sea presēt her Son Gall for Manna, & Vine­gar for water. Thou didst feede fiue thousand with fiue loaues, & filled all Iudea with the wordes of Life; and now is that Sunne eclipsed, the bright Moone dar­kned, the creatures acknowledge their Creator; but the misera­ble Iews shut their eyes from the tender mercie of God, where­by, Luc. 1.78. the day-spring from on high hath visited them: but it could not bee that either affection, or the tender bowels of com­passion could stay this sweet Iesus from perfecting the will of his Father, and that glorious worke of the Re­demption of his owne Elect.

The fourth Steppe of the fourth degree of the ascension of the Soule to Heauen, &c.

BEtweene eleven and twelue a clocke, both sentence of condemnation and execution thereof fell out. From twelue houres to three afternoon, the space of three houres, a fearefull and terri­ble darknesse was ouer the face of the earth, & yeelded the Spirit betweene three & foure houres: His Father did testifie by this darknesse, not onelie of his innocencie, as hee was man, but also of his Glory as he was God; the crea­tures did vtter their sorrow, [Page 384] and began to teach that sens­lesse & hardned people, such a judgement is it, to fall into a reprobate sense. This E­clipse fell out beyond natu­rall course, in the full Moone, for the Passeouer was to be ce­lebrated in March, the four­teenth day thereof, when the Sunne & the Moone are far from other, and the whole Globe of the car [...]h casten be­twixt them; but in this E­clipse, the Moone which was opposed to the Sunne, turned suddenlie, and came vnder the Sunne, which made this darknesse. For the which cause,Act. 17. the Philosophers in Athens, not finding natural reasons, erected an altar to the vnknowne God.

At this time beganne his greatest agony, which was in his Soule with he vvrath of his Father frō Heaven, which were the dolours of death, so extreame, like as a woman hath in hearing her birth, Act. 2. vvhich doth expresse also the paines of hell,1. Thess. 5.3. vvhere mountaines of dolour & heapes of wrath are laid vp for the reprobate: as the waues of the sea follo­weth one another, so are they in growing everlastinglie.

His God-head never left him, nor never shall; but the God-head kept it selfe so close, that it vvould let him haue no joy, vntill he should pay that ransome to the ut­most farthing, vvhereby the Iustice of God was satisfied, [Page 388] for our sinnes: And therfore hee cryed out on the Crosse, as deserted of God, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken mee. Confidence in God will oftimes bee without feeling of joy, albeit the spirit be not taken from the Soule, yet at last, it doeth reviue: For [...]s knowledge availeth wher feeling is alwayes dead, & no sense of the old canker of sinne mortified, and quickened with a new life, to liue to God.

Those then are not words of Diffidence or Indignation but of combate of the flesh with Faith, in the which, hee felt the eternall curse, that was due for sinne, otherwayes, he would never haue called, God his God: the burden of one sin, [Page 389] yea, of an evill thought, can not be born of all the world, how heavie must all the sins of the Elect bee, that Iesus ba [...]e on his backe.

And now (poore Soule,) behold the dealing of God with his own, albeit he loued them never so well, hee will touch them with the sense of wrath for sinne in some mea­sure from heaven, that thou mayst vnderstand how heavy a wrath Iesus suffered, that he might conquesse vnto thee mercie and peace of conscience, which was bought & payed for with his Blood. Detesta­ble, and filthie must sinne be that made him thus double his crying: Fie on the filthie works of the flesh, which drowne [Page 380] men in perdition: Esay. 34.7.8. Hee did take him to prayer; vvilling thee ever to haue refuge into thy God in all trouble,Psal. 22. who neither can, nor will leaue thee: He choosed this armor to resist out of the Scripture. Which is, Eph. 6.13. the sword he hath put in our hands, for it vvas in our persons that hee found him­selfe deserted, but in him are we takē vp & saued. Martyrs, and witnesses of the trueth, haue suffered great and grie­vous tormentes, but divine consolation from aboue did aboundantlie shine in their soules, the part which tyrantes could not kill nor touch; looking vnto Iesus, the author and fini­sher of their faith, who for the joy that was sett before him, in­dured [Page 391] the Crosse, Heb. 12.2. and despised the shame and mocking of them that stood by, who turned his holie word in scornefull jest, as though hee had called for Elias.

Christs Soule now beeing burnt vp with the wrath of God for Sinne: Psal. 69.22. and all the moi­sture of his body dryed vp with the same, yet did hee not quensh his thirst, vntill the wrath of his Father was satis­fied,Iohn. 19.28. the infinite wrath of God thirsted after the blood of the mediator, bearing our sins, Mat. 11.2.8. Esay. 12.3. & was not quenshed, till the Blood of the Mediator was dryed vp. But blessed bee Iesus, that had a spirituall thirst & pleasure to obey his Father to the death,Esay. 55.1. to saue thy soule from hell, [Page 392] and yet in bitter malice and scorne, they tooke a water­sponge, and putt it to his mouth on a reede: The wrath of his Father was begun to bee mitigated, yet the wrath of the Iewes could not be asswaged, for when hee was liuing, they raged against him, when hee was dead, they persecut him, when hee vvas in glorie they would shame him: The Lord seeketh but chastismēt, the wicked seeke overthrow of bodie, and soule, if it were possible. For E­vahs sweet Apple, Christ must drink this bit er liquor, both thy bread & drinke must bee boght with the blood of Ie­sus: To them who are sanctified, all things are sanctified: If thou bee not found in him, thou [Page 393] shall bee accused as a violent possessour of what-soeuer thou hast.

Now thou dost heare him daylie in his members calling vpon thee, I hunger, I thirst, Mat. 25.35. but thou convertest Gods good creatures to the fulfil­ling of thy lust, & rather be­reaueth the servants of Christ that, that they haue, than vouchsafe anie thing on thē. Christ, after he had drunken, cryed out in the audience of them al, It is finished, the work of Redemption is ended, the ransome is payed, to buy hea­ven, & conquere life, which is the first vvorke, and to put vs in possession of it, which hee began at his Resurrection, & shall continue till his com­ming [Page 394] againe: & declared that no mā did take his life from him but layde it downe, Iohn. 10.17.18. and would tak it vp againe; for he was not a cōmon man, but God also to keepe his life, or put it out at his pleasure. Hee might haue liued lōger by the stren­gth of Nature, for the other two out-liued him, and were not dead, till they came, and broke their legges. And now when he yeelded vp the Spi­rit, he had a divine power a­boue Nature, which put out the life, saying, Father, in­to thine handes, Psal. 31.5. I commend my Spirit, vvhile his Soule was loused from his bodie vvith joye. Which sweete death, hee did communicate vnto his Martyres,Act. 7.59. as Steven, & all his members.

Consider heere (vveake Soule) that Christ hath pur­chast vnto thee, the great be­nefite of Adoption: Iohn. 20.1 [...]. For thy Brother (Christ) hath made his Father thy Father, & ther­fore vvil haue a Fatherly care of thee for euer. For vvho is more faithfull,1. Pet. 4.19. than our Fa­ther, to vvhō vve commend our soules, vvhich doe not perish, but are kept by him,1. Cor. 15.21.22. while they bee joyned to the bodie at the resurrection, & are receiued, vvhen vvee depart this life in his Armes, vvho will not suffer them to be ta­ken from his hands, but vvill surelie keepe them in peace. Be thou therefore carefull of thy Soule at al times, but spe­ciallie at the houre of separa­tion, [Page 396] for then the devil is bu­sie to devour thee, For be kno­weth his time to bee short, & the gulfe of hell open to swallow thee vp. If Iesus, who had no sin, be so careful for his Soule, how carefull shuldst thou be who is nothing else, but a masse of sinne? yea, he cryed so loud, that the Earth qua­ked againe, and the Temple raue asunder, now to declare his Power and Victorie, to terri­fie the Iewes, of whom hee is so mishantly handled, and to bring, if it were possible, that stubborn people to Faith and Repentance. Now hath the Doue gone out of the Arke, which wil returne with an O­liue branch in signe of peace. The Deludge is the wrath of [Page 397] God for Sinne, the Arke, is Christs Bodie, the Doue, his Soule, At his Resurrection. how great joye, peace, and com­fort doeth hee purchase to man-kinde:Rom. 4.25. For as he dyed for our sinnes, so rose he for our righ­teousnesse. Thē yeelded & de­livered hee his Spirit, which was not taken from him a­gainst his vvill: For hee han­ging on the Crosse, did make all the creatures quake, and tremble. Great was his hu­militie, beeing made obedient to his Father vnto the death, euen the death of the Crosse; of the vvhich thou may learne the exceeding greatnesse of his Majestie, who euen then whē hee was exalted from the earth, did draw all things vnto himself, [Page 498] for where a Testament is, there must bee the death of him that made the Testament, Heb. 9.16. for the Te­stament is confirmed, when men are dead, for it is yet of no force, as long as hee that made it is aliue. So behoued this Testament (leauing such an inheritance to his Saintes, in that exceeding great glorie) bee ratified by the blood of the Testator, which is the ground of thy Salvation: His death is thine honour, the assu­rance of thy life, is the assurance of his death, his ignominie and shame, is thy Glorie.

Now haue we heard of the Passion and death of Christ: novv shall wee touch briefe­lie the thinges vvhich follo­wed thereafter.

The fift Steppe of the fourth degree of the ascension of the Soule to Heauen, &c.

THere fell out imme­diatly foure things, of the which, two did teach the peo­ple. The other two, the qua­king of the earth, & renting of the Rockes, did threaten destruction: for no man (to take all excuses away) shall perish without advertisemēt. The first of these, the vaile of the Temple is rēt after the dar­kening of the Sun in Christes greatest humiliation: The Fa­ther gaue greatest tokens of his Glorie, who is the Lord of Life, for dumbe & senselesse crea­tures [Page 400] did shame the Iews, and glorified their Maker.

The Temple was divided in two: For the Priest went alwayes into the first Tabernacle and ac­complished his office, Heb. 9.6.7.8. but into the second went the high Priest alone, once everie year, not with­out blood, which hee offered for himselfe, and ignorances of the people. Betwixt these was a faire vvall overgilt with fine gold, vpon the which hang a glorious Tapestrie, wroght curiously, which did hide the Sanctuarie, as by a courtaine, from [...]he sight of the people and Priests. But at Christs suffering, these shadows were taken away, & no more vse of that Vaile. Whereby the holie Ghoste signifieeth this, that the [Page 401] way into the boliest of all was not yet opened, whilest as yet the first Tabernacle was stan­ding, this earthlie vaile rave asunder at the voyce of the Lord. But the Iewes mindes are hardened, for vntill this day remaineth the covering vntaken away,2. Cor. 3.15 for the Vaile is laid over their hearts, but when their heartes shall bee turned to the Lord, the Vaile shall bee ta­ken away. So hard and evill it is, to doe against the know­ledge and conscience, wher­of cōmeth a reprobate sense, which is past all-feeling, that sooner a stone shall heare, thā they will obey: They were admonished of the subversiō of the Temple, and of their Citie, and that there was no [Page 402] difference now betwixt Iew nor Gentile, Gal. 3.28. but the partition wall beeing demolished, they had [...] ­like communion by faith in Iesus Christ. Act. 10.34

The Earth also did tremble whilst the Soule of the Lord separated from his Bodie, threatening to swallow them vp, Num. 16.32. as it had done to other re­bellious & obstinate before, which were not worthie that the earth shouldst beare, but either to receiue them in her mouth to consume them, or else to spew them out, ac­cording to the Lordes com­mination in his Law. Lev. 20.22 Thus the Earth did preach & groane, Rom. 8.22. and travell in pain, but they harde­ned their neckes, and would no returne to bee healed. It [Page 403] quaked, & the foundations of the Mountaines moued & shooke, Psal. 18.7. because bee was angrie at their obduration, And should not the Land tremble for this, and euerie one mourne that dwelleth therein. Amos. 8.8.

The Mountaines also did cleaue to fall on them, which would not suffer the disho­nour of their Maker; but they were nothing moued with it; so much were they voyde of light in their soule. A mighty strong wind rent the Mountains, and broke the Rockes before the Lord; but this people,1. King 9.11. neither by the word of God, by na­tural sense, or creatures voyd of reason will be taught: no, even then, vvhen the Dead did rise, for the Graues did ly [Page 404] open from three a clocke af­ternoone, about which time; the Lord gaue vp the ghost, all that day, & all that night, the nixt day & the nixt night till that day in the morning, that the Lord did rise; by ver­tue of whose resurectiō, Hos. 13.14. the Saints arose and went into the Citie, lowsing the bandes of the Graue; 1. Co. 15.54.55. by his death; but their hearts could not be opened. But it behoueth vs all to com­peare before his Tribunall Seate & to receiue what we haue done in the bodie, 2. Cor. 5.10. Rom. 14.10. good or evill. The Saintes (I say) arose, for his glorious resurrection belon­ged onelie to them, vvhich beeing sanctified in Christ, did die in the Lord, and they all shall goe into that holy Citie Dan. 12.25 [Page 405] even that Ierusalem, Gal. 4.26. the Mother of vs all, which is aboue, to abide with Christ for euer. 1. Thess. 4.6.

The senselesse creatures, the Saintes departed, the Gentiles, Centurion, and Offi­cers did all testifie of Christ, everie one in their owne de­gre; but the Pharises, Scribes and Elders, vvere no whit moued. For this Centurion confessed of a suretie, that this man was just. And such as be­fore lacked the feare of God, feared greatlie, saying, Truelie this man is the Sonne of God: the poore multitud which cried, Crucifie him, went smiting their breasts, but the Priests wer not touched, neither by worde, nor vvorke: they had judg­ment and vnderstanding, & [Page 406] had read the Prophetes, yet repined against the hol [...]e Ghost, Act. 7.51. and against their conscience opponing themselves to the knowne trueth. The Centurion was rather prickt in his soule, (as the Iewes were at Peters Sermon) and Christ is glorified of him,Act. 2.37. when hee ap­peared to be quite forgotten, and gotte moe friendes in his death, than in his life: for this precious Sacrifice hanging on the Crosse, did cast such a sweete smell on the earth, that they w [...]o vvere his ene­mies, went away mourning, & beating their breastes, Luc. 18.13 testify­ing their dolour, resolving, that if God wold deale with them in his judgement,Psal. 143.2. they were worthy of eternal dam­nation [Page 407] Neither were women ashamed to beare record of the Loue, and Faith they had to the Lord Iesus; for some stood so neare, that hee did speak to them frō the crosse, and they heard him; and whē he was dead,Luc. 23.59 they would not depart frō him, their hearts were so linked with him, & he who is a sweete perfume, & incense in the nose thirles of the Father, is a fragrant odour and smell vnto them: For moe of them followed Christ to the Crosse, (than men, which were favourers of him) & did minister to him on their own charges. Christs innocencie made them not to shrink, but constantly to fight vnto the end against al temptations, 2. Tim. 4.7.8. that they [Page 408] may receiue the Crowne.

They vvere fed vvith that Bread of Life, that came out of his mouth,1. Tim. 5.17.18. and they communi­cated vnto him freely & liberal­lie, that which they had. Christ was poore,2. Cor. 8.9. to mak vs rich: Iohn and Peter, had not a farthing to giue the Creple; Act. 3.6. and Paul wrought vvith his hands for his bread. Act. 18.3 That, that thou can not doe to Christ in his owne person,1. Cor. 4.10 11. doe to his members. But this is remarkable, that these vvomen haue the ho­nour to be ey witnesses of the death and resurrection of Ie­sus Christe,Deu. 15.11 and themselves to bee preachers of it to the Apostles; Esay. 51.7. and to haue the names of some of them to bee registrated perpetuallie, to [Page 409] their everlasting praise: yea, and to bee written in heaven eternallie, for so it falls out of­ten, that the weaker and simpler the sex bee, the more spiritually it is disposed and affectionated to heavenlie thinges, for if any man seeme to bee wise in this world, 1. Cor. 3.18 let him bee a foole, that hee may bee wise.

Novv the taking down of his Bodie from the Crosse, commeth by a request made by his enemies to Pilate, Deut. 21.23. That there shuld not be a breach of the Law, for these that were hanged. They straine a gnat, Mat. 23.23 and swallow a camel, they were spoilde of all power, they can neither put on, nor tak off the crosse, slaues were they, which wold not acknowledge the true [Page 410] King of Glorie, vvho would haue made thē free. And this petition they sought not for any pittie they had on him, but the Lord so appointed it,Exod. 12.46. that hee should not lacke even the support of his foes, & yet it lay not in their hands to breake one bone of him, 1. Cor. 5.7. for he is our Passeover, who, sacrificed for vs, died & was peirced with a lance, yet his Legges was not broken. His members may be tossed with many calamities, but shall not bee utterlie for­saken, for many bee the trou­bles of the righteous, but the Lord shall deliver him out of them all. Psal. 34.19.20.

The Lord would haue ma­nie witnesses of his death, the executioners, the Souldier [Page 411] with his speare, and the testi­monye that the creatures gaue: For without shedding of blood and death, there had beene no remission of sins for vs: They vvere enemies to the Crosse of Iesus Christ; yet did they record the truth for our well.

Neither did this Souldier alone, but m [...]nie moe now, doe pierce his side,Rom. 6.9. whilest he sitteth at the right hād of the F [...]ther by mocking and contem­ning him in his word, Mal. 3.8. Zach. 2.8. & defrau­ding him of the meanes of his glo­rie, Act. 9.4 for hee that toucheth his Saintes, toucheth the apple of his eye, as it was spoken of Paul, persecuting him. And this was done, to confirme Gods po­wer,Zach. 12.10. and providence forespo­ken, by the Prophet, vvhich [Page 412] vvhich they did accomplish of meere ignorance

Therefore out of his heart came Blood, and Water. Blood, for the finest & clea­nest, is about the heart: and Water, by the which liquor, the heate of the heart is coo­led, and refreshed; for as yet the Body was warme. No man can liue, when his heart blood is shed, which is the seat of Life. This signifieth, a power flowing from his death, to the remission of sinnes, 1. Iohn. 6.6 & wa­shing of our foule nature; which tvvo great blessinges are re­presented vnto vs in two Sa­craments, of Baptisme & the Lordes Supper:Num. 20.11. for as Moses, while hee smote the Rocke, water did come foorth to refresh the [Page 413] people: So Blood and Water did gush out at Christs side, for the benefite of the vvhole vvorld, which is that Laver, 1. Cor. 10.4 wherein our soules are purged from their inward spottes: 1. Iohn. 1.7 For as in Egypt, when the first be­gotten was killed, so many as had the posts of their doores marked with the blood, were free; so by this Lambes Blood that bringeth salvation to the world, Heb. 9.13. are wee delivered by Faith from destruction, that wee may serue him in righte­ousnes, and holines. And not presume to be so bold,Tit. 2.11 as by our profane life, to tread his Blood vnder foote. Nowe heere is a place for thee, at his verie heart (deare Soule,) where thou mayst creepe in, [Page 414] and rest thee: for as out of the side Eue was taken, while A­dam did sleepe, so now is hee cleanseing and purifying his Church by redemption, & regeneration in this time of his death.

The fift Degree and first Steppe of the ascension of the Soule vnto Heaven, by me­ditation of the buriall of our Lord Iesus Christ.

NOwe hath his verie enemies procured at Pilate, that hee should bee taken from the Crosse. Iohn. 19.31. That blessed Corps beeing layde on the ground, Ioseph, a rich, just, godlie Disci­ple of Christ, boldlie begged [Page 415] the dead Corps at the hands of Pilat, that as his death was notable, so should his buriall be also, & his glorious resur­rection, bee made famous. Hee was not taken from the Crosse without leaue of the Magistrate nor buryed with out the same, as he vvas not condemned but by the Ma­gistrate, that thou migh [...]st be fullie fred from all points of the Iustice of Gods wrath for sinne. For if this power had beene in the Iewes hands, they wold haue opponed themsel­ves to heape more shame and ignominy vpon him, but the Lord will haue a noble man, and a notable faire place ap­pointed to this worke, that the honour of the Son, and [Page 416] his glorie should beginne at the buriall, which was shame­full in it selfe, and that hee should bee instrument,1 Pet. 3.7. who shuld be hiere with him of that Kingdome of glorie, and of that life. All the glorie of this world pertaineth to the faithfull, howsoeuer they apeare to haue least part thereof. Io­seph is called to this great honour,1. Cor. 1.26 which is rare to be seene in men of like conditiō, for the Lord in his death was more mightie, thē in his life. For when the corne of wheat ly­eth in the ground, and dieth (as Christ foretold of the power of his death) it fructifieth, Iohn. 12.24. and bringeth foorth much fruite, for where euer the dead Carcase is, thither doe the Eagles resort: Of [Page 417] the which number this Coun­sellour was, who looked for the Kingdome of God, and there is no mention of such another great man, but Nicodemus, Iohn. 7.50. who opponed himself to the death of Christ in the counsel, for God hath his own in eve­rie part,2. King. 19 10. Rom. 11.4 of whom hee vvill bee served: & albeit he durst not for feare of the Iewes open­lie professe, [...]say. 42.3 yet the Lord will not breake the bruised reede, nor quensh the smoaking flaxe.

To the supplication of Io­seph Pilat yeelded, but won­dred that Christ was so seene dead, whose miracles was so many, the shortnesse of his life vpon the Crosse, & floo­rishing time of his age, which was thirtie three yeares, and [Page 418] some od months, which im­ported that the death of Ie­sus was extraordinarie,Iohn. 10.17. who onelie had power to lay it downe.

Ioseph therefore bought a fine linnen cloath, to wrappe the Bodie of Iesus in, and Nicodemus an hun­dreth pound weight of a mix­ture of Myrrhe, & Aloes. The wisedome, the learning, and the riches of these men, were cast at Christs feete, vvhere­of they coun [...]ed much of be­fore they had a sight of Iesus, nowe they counted all but dongue.Phil. 1. They felt a sweet sa­vour and odour comming to them frō his death; therfore would they meete it with a sweet savour. But there nee­ded no odours to preserue it, [Page 419] beeing filled with the pre­sence of God. Wherefore with one concord, cōstantlie they accomplished his buri­all after the custome of the Ie­wes (that is) honourablie,Act. 9.37. for never was a more honourable Man than Christ, and all these vvere ceremonies, & the rest of their washings were figurs of him to come, vvho is the earnest of our resurrection, For he shall raise all these which doe sleepe in monuments. In a newe graue therefore he­wen out of a stone, by Ioseph, to his owne vse was hee laide in a Garden, neare by Ierusalem, that Christs buriall might be the more honourable, in how much as he was aboue all the kinges of the world, separated [Page 420] from sinners, and made higher, than the heavens.

The Father had his loving care of him, albeit he appea­red to haue forsaken him on the Crosse: Hee is buried in another mans Sepulchre, for hee died for the sins and salva­tion of others, that hee might sanctifie our burials, by comming vnto them, and from them, to ascend to the heavens.

But remember (poore Soule) it is a new buriall place, that hee will bee laide in; so a renewed heart by the Spirit, is his dwelling place, for hee can not rest in the ludging of that soule, that hath sold it selfe to sinne: as he will haue also a cleane & a pure bodie [Page 421] as a winding-sheete, to bee wrapped in as sweetly smelling savours of Vertues, Faith, Re­pentance, Loue, Patience, &c. joyned thereto.

To the mouth of this Bu­riall doe they rolle a great stone, by the Lordes provi­dence, to stop the mouthes of his enemies: Eph. 1.19. for it was hee that raised him from death to life, wherein, most of all thinges, his power did appeare: And this vvas done in the prepa­ration to the Sabbath: For as God the Father perfected the work of creation then, so the Sonne hath accomplished the work of redemption; and did rest the Sabbath from his worke, 1. Cor. 15.24 & shall giue sweete securitie and peace to our bodies and soules.

Novv hast thou (woefull Soule) the accomplishment of the Prophets concerning his buriall,Psal. 16.9. that his flesh should rest in peace: and the type of Io­nah perfected. [...]y. 53.9 And therefore seeing in Christ & by Christ our sinnes are buried; let vs not digge them vp againe of new,Math. 12.39. but since wee are buried with him by Baptisme, vnto his death, Rom. 6.4. that like as Christ raised vp from the dead by the glorie of the Father, so, wee also should walke in newnes of life, And al­beit our buriall was a part of the punishment inflicted to Adam, Gen. 3.19. that he shuld turne to dust, yet now they are not filthie prisō houses of the body, but glorious Bed-chambers of the Sonne of God, from whence [Page 423] hee shall raise vs to that hea­venlie inheritance,Esay. 57.2. after that wee haue sleeped a little while therin for hee hath sanctified them by the vertue and po­wer of his buriall.Dan. 12.2. For as hee caried our sinnes in his Bodie vp­on the tree, so hath hee hidde them in the graue with him­selfe; to the vvhich place we must ever send Sathan, when hee shall trouble and assault our vveake consciences with the terrible face of Sinne. For Ionas being cast in the sea, it was quieted: So Christs resting in the womb of the earth, as in a whales bellie, doeth mitigate the Lordes anger. For as Death now hath beene pursued by Christ to the utermost, yea, euen vnto the graue, and bo­vvels [Page 424] of the earth, so can it not hurt,Iohn. 5.24. but greatlie benefite the beleeuers to e [...]ernall life. And therefore, nowe mayst thou boldly say,Phil. 1.23. I desire to bee dissolved, and bee with Christ.

The second Step of the fift De­gree, of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, on the buriall of Christ Iesus our Saviour.

WHile Ioseph and Ni­codemus thus hand­led the glorious Bo­die of Iesus, & laide it in the Graue; the women that followed him, heavie hearted, looking on that spe­ctacle, yet had they great hope to see him rise againe, [Page 425] when the graue was closed; with sadnes & joy mixt toge­ther, prepared for embalming of him: The third day follow­ing, the morow was the Sab­bath, wherein they rested, & the third day, Christ did rise before they came, & they dis­appointed of their commen­dable intention, wherein shi­ned their godlines, Liberalitie, Loue, Diligence, Abilitie, and more than manlie fortitude, 1. Cor. 1.17 whereby, God to his glorie, out of the weakest instru­ments doeth effectuate great things. For as they were go­ing to the Graue, the Lord of glorie sent an Angel to tell the resurrection to these wo­men. An Angel vvas a witnes before the women, and the [Page 426] womē before the men, which rolled away the stone from the doore of the Graue: For neither in death, nor in buriall, the God-head had uttered it selfe, but in the resurrection it brake out: And there­fore the Lord, hauing respect to the weakenes of these wo­men, which were not so able to remoue the stone; did send an Angel, that when they came, they should see that Christ was risen frō the dead: They heard before, that the third day hee should rise, but they beeing weake in Faith, were supplied by the Angel, vvho testified of his resurre­ction.

The Lord did promise to make an everlasting Cove­nant [Page 427] with his people of the sure mercies of David: Esay. 55.3. There­fore sayd hee,Act. 13.34 It behoued the Lord to rise from death, for mer­cie had never continued, if Christ had not risen, For all the promises of God are in him, Yea, and Amen, 2. Cor. 1.20. For hee would not suffer his holie One to see corruption. [...]sal. 16.10. Had hee not ri­sen, his Bodie behoued to rotte, but God did raise him vp, who said,Psal. 2.7. Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten Thee. Esay. 538. And who is able to count his Generation? for hee is that everlasting Essence, & albeit hee died, hee arose to liue without end.

And now (my Soule) since thou art dead with Christ, Col. 2.20. and risen with him: Seeke these thinges [Page 428] which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God: Sette thy affections on thinges which are aboue, Col. 3.1.2.3. & not on things which are on earth, for thou art dead, and thy life is hid with God in Christ: When Christ which is thy life, shall appeare, then shalt thou also appeare with him in glorie. Be carefull therfore, to get this excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus thy Lord, for whō coūt al this losse, that thou mayst winne Christ, & mayst be found in him, not hauing thine owne righteousnesse, which is of the Law, Phil. 3.8.9.8.10. but that which is through Faith of Christ, that thou mayst know him (I say) and the vertue of his resurrectiō and the fellow­shippe of his afflictions, and hee made conformable vnto his death, [Page 329] if by any meanes thou mayst at­taine vnto the resurrection of the dead. Let thine heart [...]ee fil­led with the vvord and pro­mises of salvation, that it may be established by grace. And now seeing Christ is thy ri­ches, thy treasure, & all that thou stādest in need of, let thy heart be where hee is. Ascend with him, liue in this vvorld, as not liuing here, for thy con­versation is in heaven, it is not thou now that liuest, Gal. 2.20. but Christ that liueth in thee, and in that, that thou liuest in the flesh, vntill thine appointed time, thou liuest by Faith in the Son of God, who loued thee, 1. Cor. 6.17 and hath giuen himself for thee. Be thou therefore joyned to the Lord, that thou mayest bee [Page 430] one spirit with him. And be­hold as in a mirror, the glorie of the Lord with open face, and be changed in the same image frō glorie to glorie, 2. Cor. 3.18. as by the Spi­rit of the Lord. Let all thy vn­derstanding, vvisedome, co­gitation, and memorie bee bent on him vvho is risen, and Death shall no more pre­vaile over him. Poure out thy best affections on him. Bee sorowfull to offend him. Re­joyce in serving of him ac­cording to his will, be afraied of his justice, vvhereby hee will surelie punish the wic­ked. Place thine hope in his eternall mercie, bottomlesse grace and euerlasting glorie.

The third and last Steppe of the fift Degree, of the ascension of the Soule to Heaven, by contemplation of Christs entrance there.

ANd now (Pilgrime Soule,) wilt thou aspire vpward? yea, let mee heare (Lord) thy loving kindnesse in the mor­ning, for in Thee is my trust: Psal. 143.8.9. Show mee the way that I should walke in, for I lift vp mine heart vnto thee: Deliver me from mine enemies, for I hide me with Thee: Remember mee with the favour of thy people: Psal. 106.4.5. Visite mee with thy Salvation, that I may see the felicitie of thy chosen, and re­joyce in the joye of thy people, & glorie with thine Inheritance: [Page 432] Poure cleane water vpon mee, & make mee cleane from my filthi­nesse: Ezek. 36.36.37. Giue me a new heart and a newe spirit: Take away that stonie heart out of my bodie, and put in an heart of flesh, that I may walke in thy Statutes, and keep thy Iudgements; For thou art the Poole of Bethesda, Iohn. 5.4. with fiue porches, vvithin the vvhich vvhosoeuer step­peth in, and doth cast the an­ker of Faith in the depth of thy wounds, sh [...]ll be made whole of whatsoeuer disease hee hath.

But (alace) whosoeuer wa­sheth himselfe because of a dead bodie, Eccl. 34.26 & toucheth it againe, what availeth his washing, for no vn­cleane thing shall enter into thy Kingdome: Such as doe returne [Page 433] with the Dogge to his vomit, & beleeue but for a season, Pro. 26.11 and in the day of temptation goe away

But (I) (sorrowfull Soule) as the Hart brayeth for the ri­vers of waters, Luc. 8.13. Psal. 42.1. so doe I pant af­ter thee (O God ascended.) But woe is mee, sinne is a sick­nesse incurable, which none can forgiue, but thou O Christ, Luc. 5.21. who putteth away iniquitie for thine owne sake, Luc. 7.48. and will not re­member sinnes. For this purpose will I (weake Soule) make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, Esay. 43.25. 2. Chro. 29 1 [...]. that hee may turne away his face from me: and now will sorrowe that I doe not feele my selfe so much sorrowfull for the weight, filthinesse, & multitude of my sins, whose number doth passe the sand in the [Page 434] Sea-shore, and doe beare mee downe as a heavy burden, & are growne over mine head. With Peter, not of infirmitie, once and againe, but infinite times haue I denyed Thee. With Iudas, I, euen I haue be­trayed Thee.Heb. 6.10. With Iewes & Gentiles I crucified Thee: often haue I renewed thy wounds, & trode thy precious blood vnder foote: vvith my louers hath my soule gone a whooring, notwithstanding of that pro­mise of marriage in my Bap­tisme, vvhereinto I vvas be­troathed vnto thee, confir­med in thy blessed Supper, ratified on the Crosse, in thy blood, to bee solemnized in thy glorie, vvhereof I recei­ved the first fruites and ear­nest [Page 435] of the spirit. Now (alas) doe I know and behold that it is a bitter and an evill thing, to haue forsaken thee my God, Ier. 2.19. and that thy feare was not in mee.

And these displeasures haue I (O my Christ) be­cause I dearlie loue thee, al­though there were no hell, nor punishment at all. I doe acknowledge all the tor­mentes of the world can not satisfie for the least imaginati­on of the thought of mans heart, Gen. 6.5. which is onely evill con [...]inually, yea, my righteousnesse (if any I haue) vvhich is the beautie and flowre of all that is best in mee, is as a fi [...]thie clout. But t [...]ou promisedst in trueth, [...]s [...]y 64.6 & wilt performe in mercie, that thou wilt not the death of a Sin­ner, [Page 436] but whensoeuer hee shall re­pent, bee shall liue. Lord, ac­cept of the desires & groanes of my heart. Heare my cryes and vveeping; forgiue my frailtie, wipe awaye the filth and corruption of my soule, furnish mee strength and spirituall courage against the life of sinne, so pregnant and powerfull vvithin mee: Inflame mine affections zea­louslie to bee disposed to thy glory, grāt Perseverance Loue, Hope and all Christian ver­tues, vnto my last breath, for I resolve by thy grace (O my God) to walke in thy vvayes the rest of my dayes I haue to spend; lamēting for by past offences, & promise to shunne all occasions of e­vill hereafter.

O of how short continu­ance is this life!Esay. 40.7. endles is the eternitie in that life to come,Iob. 2.7. & plentifull is that reward:Wisd. 2.3.4.21. it is momētary that pleasureth, euerlasting, that annoyeth, yet as the Lordes greatnesse is, so is his mercie.Rom. 8.28

And therfore doe I account that the afflictions of this present time are not worthy of the glory which shall bee showne; 2. Cor. 4.17.18. for the light af­fliction, which is but a moment, causeth a farre more excellent, and an eternall weight of glorie, The thinges which are seene, are temporall, Gal. 3.1. but the things which are not seene, are eternall. I know (troubled Soule) it be­boued Christ (whom thou didst see) suffer, and so enter into his glorie, Luc. 24.26 in thy Place to take [Page 438] state and possession, that wher hee is, thou mayst be also, for he hath married thee vnto himselfe for ever, [...]os. 2.19. yea, hee did marrie thee in righteousnes, and judgements, and in mercie, and in compassion, he hath euen married thee in faith fulnesse, and thou shalt know the Lord. [...]ant. 2.16. Therefore thy beloued is thine, and thou art his, it is the voyce of thy welbeloued that knocketh, saying. Opē to me, my Doue my Sister, [...]ant. 5.2. my Loue, my well-belo­ved, for mine head is full of dew, and my lockes are wet with the drops of the night. Say not (de­ceitfull Soule) to thy Christ, Goe and come againe, [...]ro. 3.28. and to mo­row I will giue thee, if thou now haue it. Remember the por­tion thou shalt haue vvith him in wed-locke, who hath [Page 439] acquired vnto thee, by his Po­verie a Kingdome, by his so­rowes thy joy, by his travles, thy rest, by his shame thy glo­rie, by his Death thy life, & vvho vvould buy a match at such a deare and costlie rate. Returne therefore (disobe­dient Soule) vnto the Lord, & hee will not let his wrath fall vp­on thee, for hee is mercifull, Lam. 3.12. and will not keepe his anger. And who is great like vnto him? who tak [...]th away iniquitie, and pas­seth by the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage? hee re­taineth not his wrath for euer, because mercie pleaseth him, hee will turne againe, Micah. 17.18.19. and haue compassion, yea, hee will subdue thy i [...]iquitie, and cast all thy sins in the bottome of the Sea: For [Page 440] thy Christ did come into this world to finish the wickednes, Dan. 9.24 & to seale vp the sinnes, and to re­conceale the iniquitie, and to bring in euerlasting righteous­nesse. Rev. 3.20.

And novv behold (poore Soule) he standeth at the doore, and knocketh, if thou will heare his voyce, and open the doore, hee will come in vnto thee, and supp with thee, Esay. 60.19.20. and thou with him, where there shall bee no more Sunne to shine by day, neither the brightnesse of the Moone, Iohn. 14.23. to shine to thee, for the Lord shall bee thine euerlasting light, and thy God thy glorie, and the dayes of thy sorrow shall bee ended.

Loue him therfore, freelie (beloued Soule) and keepe his word, 2. Iohn. 3.24. and his Father will loue [Page 441] thee, hee will come vnto thee, & dwell with thee, for hee that kee­peth his commandements, dwel­leth in him and Christ in him, and heereby shalt thou know, that hee abideth in thee, even by the Spirit, which hee hath given thee.

I will intreate thee of all fa­vour (poore Soule) to me­ditate thy omission of good thinges, commission of evill, and losse of wholesome time, & occasion; which three are past by: and these three present the shortnes of this life, the diffi­cultie to bee saved,1 Pet. 4.17 18. and the fewnes of them that do enter in that strait way: For if judge­ment beginne first at the house of God, what shall be the end of them which obey not the Gospel of God, [Page 442] and if the righteous scarcelie hee saued where shall the vngod­lie and sinners appeare. Doe not forget these three things to come, Death, than the which nothing is more terrible: the last Iudgment, than the which nothing is more horrible: e­ternall Punishment, than the which nothing is more vn­tolerable. O that thou were wise! then wouldst thou vnder­stand this, Deut. 32.29. thou wouldst consider thy letter end.

But I (poore Soule) doe not know what to doe, [...]. Chro. 20.12. but mine eyes are towards thee, O Lord, for trulie great travel doe sin­ners take to perfect their ini­quities: they imagine no­thing impossible, so they may aquire their designes. [Page 443] The way of sinners is made plaine with stones (so smooth thinke they i [...], Wisd. 5.7.) but the end thereof is hell, darknesse, and paine. Flee from sinne, as from a Serpent: the teeth thereof are the teeth of a Lyon, Eccl. 21.10 to slay the soules of men, All iniquitie is as a two edged sword, the wounds there­of can not bee healed. And if thou hast sinned, doe so no more, but pray for thy fore-sinnes, that they may bee forgiuen thee: Eccl. 5.5.6.7. And because thy sinne is forgiuen, bee not without feare, to heape sinne vpon sinne: And say not, The mercie of God is great, hee will forgiue my manifold sinnes: for mercie and wrath come from him, & his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners. Make no tarying to turne vnto Lord, and [Page 444] put not off from day to day, for suddenlie shall the wrath of the wrath of the Lord breake foorth, and in thy securitie, thou shalt bee destroyed: But blessed is that people, whose God is the Lord; for peace shall bee vpon them, [...]l. 6.16. and mercie, and vpon the Israel of God. Vnto him there­fore, [...]h. 3 20. that is able to doe exceeding aboundantlie, aboue all that wee aske or thinke, accor­ding to the power that worketh in vs; be praise in the Church, by Christ Iesus, tho­rowout all ge­nerations for euer. Amen.