Experience, historie, and divinitie Divided into five books. Written by Richard Carpenter, vicar of Poling, a small and obscure village by the sea-side, neere to Arundel in Sussex. Who being, first a scholar of Eaton Colledge, and afterwards, a student in Cambridge, forsooke the Vniversity, and immediatly travelled, in his raw, green, and ignorant yeares, beyond the seas; ... and is now at last, by the speciall favour of God, reconciled to the faire Church of Christ in England? Printed by order from the House of Commons.

CHAP. 7.

THe Spaniards are odiously proud, and boasting both in their words, and car∣riage. But the Jesuits have a plaister for the deformity; and say: The pride of the Spaniard, is onely the outward representa∣tion of pride, and the acting of a proud man's part; but the Englishman is proud in heart, and the true Lucifer. But what man, can measure the abundance of the heart, but by the out-side? Their women paint, till they are old; and then, their faces be∣ing corrupted, (as God will have it) they are most ugly. But the Jesuits cover this too; saying they must paint, to keepe their Husbands from other women, and in due respect to them.

I remember a word, which an old Monk, and a deep one, said to me, speaking of Re∣ligion; Nothing is so foule, but words, and discourse will white it over. Saint Cyprian was not of their Religion, who introdu∣ceth

Christ, saying in the Day of judgment, of such a painted Sepulchre, Opus hoc meum non est; nec imago haec nostra est: This is not my work; nor is this, my Image. I do not like the Cruelty of the Spaniards, who bur∣ned a man, differing from them in opinions, part after part, limbe after limbe, begin∣ning at his toes, with a slow, and gentle fire: till hee was driven into such horrible out∣rages of desperation, that he cryed out with a lamentable tone, and asked the people a hundred times over, if they would send Letters to the Devill; for hee was going, (he said) and would carry them. They say, their intention was, to convert him. But, Lord deliver my body, and my soule, from being converted by them. All in God, is most excellent; but wee call that, more then most excellent in him, which We are best acquainted with, his mercy, and his Gentlenesse. And, not to be like God in that, in which he most shews himself to us, is high neglect. You see, I take but heere and there, and where I take, I do but touch. I will keep some thing for hereafter, to be used if they goe on to trouble the peace of my sweet reposall in the bosome of my deare Mother; the Church of England. In Spain, according to the Law of the Realme (but not according to Gods Law) if a man

finde his wife in the actuall commission of Adultery, he may kill both his wife, and the Adulterer.

The Jesuits know a Gentleman, who sent a dish of hot meat covered to a Friary, the shaved head of a Friar; and it was pre∣sented to the Friars being at dinner; with this Message, that such a Gentleman, a good Benefactor of theirs, had sent them a dish from his Table; and many thanks were gi∣ven, with acknowledgment, that they were much beholding to him, and alwayes bound to him by new favours. But the Messenger, uncovering the dish, began with the other end of his Message, and fairely told the Friars, that as many of them as came where he was found (for, he had spared his wife) his Master would serve with the same sawce. Had this Friar married, hee might have died with his head upon his shoul∣ders.

Upon the last good Friday, which I saw in Spain; the upper part of a Church fell, standing in a Town, not far distant from us. And, as the manner is the women sitting in the body of the Church, many of them were oppressed. The Preacher, seeing it when it first yielded, turned to go downe: (the Pulpit was joyned to a side pillar:) but he was beaten down, and lost the use of both

his legs. The noise went presently abroad, and brought in, all sorts of people. And, the women wearing many Rings, they pulled them off, and where they came not at the first pull, cut off their fingers, when ma∣ny of them were alive, and onely stunnied. And presently came downe another part of the roof, and destroyed them, and their cru∣eltie. This is the day, when the Crosse is adored, crept to, and kissed; and brought into the Pulpit, and there spoke to. And as my Discourses are altogether occasionall; so, heere, in place of these follies of Devo∣tion, I will give matter of Meditation for this, and other good times.

MEDIT. 1.

CHrist being promised to the sicke, and wounded World, in those acceptable words, The seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head: God in his wisdome, suf∣fered the World to walk many hundreds of yeares, by the twilight of Nature: And then also, there was a Church, and Mel∣chisedech was a Priest of the most high God. The breach of this Law, bringing a deluge upon the whole World; and an overflow of corruption upon Faith, and Manners: God

gave an addition of the written Law. But that likewise, little helping to the perfect cure••: and the World having now fully seene in the Glasse of long Experience, that man of himselfe, was altogether un∣able, and that there was extream need of a Saviour; God sent his own and onely Son, in the fulnesse of time; the Prince of Peace, when the World was setled in a firm peace; to promulgate the Law of Grace, a Law which bindeth, vinculo pacis, with the bond of peace. And when both the Law of Na∣ture, and the written Law, passed by the manifold necessities of the miserable world; the good Samaritan performed all the busi∣nesse, with a little Balsam. It is generally true, which is commonly said, that exam∣ple doth more forcibly move, then words. For, it is not onely true of ordinary words, delivered by the tongue, the hearts Inter∣preter: but also, of that great Word, the Son of God: by whom wee were not so strongly, and efficaciously moved, when in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; and when he remained invisibly with the Father: as when the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. Every man was lost, and lost before he was found, and lost for ever: and a great Father without a Father, sent his Son, being also a Son with∣out a Son, and without a brother (for there

could not be many such Sons) to labour till hee dyed, in the recovery. And lest vaine men should say, God made the World, in∣deed a goodly piece of work: but alasse, he brought about all this fair diversitie of buil∣ding, with a word or two, & a word is soon spoken. He said, let there be this, & let there be that, and both that and this came present∣ly, and shewed themselves: but hee did not labour, he did not sweat in the performance: his works are great, but they are not pain∣full. Dealing now, the great work of our Redemption, hee labours to extinguish the flames of sin, with teares, (for, hee was of∣ten seene to weep, but never to laugh) with sweat, with bloud; with sweat of bloud. And as the Unicorne is taken in the Wil∣dernesse, by laying his head in a Virgins lap, and there sleeping, till he is bound, and car∣ried away with his precious horne, the so∣vereigne cure of poyson: So while Christ laid himselfe down in the Virgins lap, hee was bound and carried away, to be the one∣ly cure of spirituall poyson. No marvell now, if the whole World favoured the time of his birth, and the great Sea was at quiet, while the little Halcyon was in building her Nest. No marvell if, as in his eternall generation, he hath a Father with∣out a Mother; so in his temporall generati∣on,

he hath a Father without a Mother; so, in his temporall generation, hee came of a Mother without a Father; and from her, into the World, without opening the doore in his entrance. No marvell, if the Kings of the East, animated with the pro∣phecies of Iob, or Balaam, came hastily to him, under the strange conduct of a new∣made Star. No marvell, though as hee en∣tred into Egypt, the trees, to which, others bowed, and gave idolatrous worship; bow∣ed themselves to worship him: and though the Idols fell in pieces. No marvell, if O∣racles lost their voices; and that of Apollo answered Augustus, Me puer Hebraeus, &c. An Hebrew Boy hath silenced mee: and no marvell, if a false God complained the very day of Christs passion, to certaine Mariners at Sea; that he was now utterly destroyed. For, that, to which, these won∣ders were directed; or, from which, they were derived, was it felfe superlatively wonderfull: The Son of the Ever-living God, being life it self, died for us.

MEDIT. 2

THe terms of Divinitie are to be taken into the mouth, as the Canonists speak, cum grano salis, with a grain of salt, that is, wisely tasted, and understood: otherwise, they will not prove good nourishment. The Son of the living God was crucified; and being God, was crucified: but God was not crucified. Saint Paul saith, Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But hee doth not meane, that the Lord of glory was crucified. For, the nature of the Deitie is not passible; neither is glory lyable to pain: As likewise, it is said, No man goeth up into heaven, but he that came downe from Heaven, the Sonne of Man. And yet notwithstanding, it was onely the Son of God, that came down from Heaven: for he was not yet, the Son of Man. In re∣spect therefore, of the personall Unitie in Christ, the things which are proper to God, are sometimes referred to man: and the things, which pertaine to man, are ascribed to the Divinity. It is a similitude much ap∣proved in the Councell of Chalcedon; As, when the body of man suffereth, the soule indeed knoweth that, and what the

body suffereth; but in it self, remayneth im∣passible. So Christ suffering, in whom, the Godhead was; the Godhead in him, could not suffer with him. If, as in God there are three persons, and one nature; and three persons in one nature; so in Christ, we con∣sider two natures in one person; and lay them out to their proper acts; all is easily perceived. Excellently, Cyril of Alexan∣dria, alleaged in the first generall Councell of Ephesus, Factus est homo, remansit Deus, servi formam accepit, sed liber ut filius, glo∣riam accepit, gloriae Dominus, in omnes acce∣pit potestatem, rex simul cum Deo rerum om∣nium: He was made man, but he continued God, he took the forme of a servant, but he remayned free as a sonne, he received glo∣ry, but was the Lord of glory, hee received power over all, but was King, together with God, of all things. With what a rea∣dy finger, the holy Evangelists touch every particular string, in the dolorous discourse of our Saviours Passion? They were not or∣dinary men, drawn every way, with car∣nall desires; but extraordinary persons, car∣ried aloft upon the wings of a divine spirit. For, in the relation of those things, which manifested the glory of Christ, and pertai∣ned to the demonstration of his God-head; they do not stay; they give a naked decla∣ration;

and passe to that which followeth. But in the cloudy matters of his disgrace, and especially, in the Funerall Song of his Passion; they are copious, and full of mat∣ter. Which, if they had vainly affected the glory of the World, they neither should, nor would have done. Thus evidently shewing, they did not glory in any thing, but with Saint Paul, in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. Saint Luke, opening the glory of Christs Nativitie, openeth and shutteth all, as it were, with one action: And sud∣denly there was with the Angel, a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men. That strange comming of the Wisemen, or Eastern Prin∣ces; Saint Matthew comes as quickly over: And fell down, and worshipped him: And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him Gifts, Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrhe. In blazing the Transfigurati∣on of Christ, they put it off without any blazing figure, without a transfiguration of words: as willing onely to insinuate, that Christ opened a chink of Heaven, and gave a little glympse of his glory before his Passion, to prepare and confirme his Disci∣ples. And forced at last, upon his Ascension, it fals from them in short, Hee was received

up into Heaven. All which, they might have amplified by the help of their infused knowledge, which virtually contained the inferiour art of speaking; with glorious descriptions. But in the dolefull Historie of his Passion, wee have a large discourse of apprehending, binding, judging, buffeting, whipping, scorning, reviling, condemning, wounding, killing; and if any thing slip un∣der the rehearsall, it is to be a scarff over the face, and to shew, the griefe could not be expressed; and moreover, to stirre mens thoughts, to expresse more in themselves: to which, wee may referre that of Saint Luke, And many other things blasphemously spake they against him. These blessed Evan∣gelists proved themselves to be the true Di∣sciples of Christ: For Saint Matthew saith, From that time forth began Iesus to shew unto his Disciples, how that he must goe to Hieru∣salem, and suffer many things of the Elders, and chiefe Priests, and Scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. The Resur∣rection had but a very little roome: and it should have had no roome; had it not fitly served, to sweeten the relation of his sufferings. Hee did not much stirre his head in his passion, without a Record, with∣out a Chronicle. Saint Iohn saith, hee bowed his head. And thus doth the flower, when it

beginneth to wither. Hee bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. He bowed his head. Stay there; it is too soone to give up the ghost. Father of Heaven, wilt thou suffer this? O all yee creatures, help, help your Creatour. But, they stir not; because he hath bowed his head; the most high, and most majesticall part of his body. Did hee bow his head? Hee, the great God of Heaven, and of the World; betrayed by his owne Disciple, crucified by his owne people, led by him to the knowledge of him, when all the World was given into their own hands; and brought by a strange, and a strong hand, out of Egypt, the house of bondage, the black figure of this World; into the Land of Canaan, the Land which flowed with milk and honey, the beautifull Embleme of Heaven? Did hee bow his head, no instru∣ments but his own creatures, being used to his destruction; when the weighty sins of the whole world were laid upon his guilt∣lesse back; and when he could in one quick instant, have turned all the World to a vain, and foolish nothing? And shall one of us dirty creatures, frowne and be troubled, lift up the head, speak rashly, and kick against the thorn, moved by every small, and easie occasion? Shall we murmure, and trouble all with the smoake, and fames of angry

words? As thus, (for the deceits of the Devill are wonderfull) If that Miscreant, that shape of a man, had not put my honour upon the hooke, I had not beene troubled. Such another man is not extant, me thinks, hee has not the face of an honest man. The carriage of his body is most ridiculous. God forgive me, if I think amisse: my heart gives mee, hee never says his prayers. Pray God, he believe in Christ. This makes the Devil sport. What are we? How soone we take fire? how quickly we give fire? how long we keep fire? In what mists, or ra∣ther fogs wee lose our selves? Why did God send some of us now living, into the World, and not rather create us in glory; if he did not mean, we should passe through a field of thornes, into a garden of flowers; through the Temple of Vertue, into the Temple of Honour; by pain, to pleasure?

MEDIT. 3.

HE gave up the ghost. They say, men that die, give up the ghost. Did Christ die? It cannot be. Yes: and more. He died wil∣lingly, like a meeke Lambe sobbing out his life. For, hee gave up the ghost; it was not taken from him. And therefore, a good man hath not feared to say, that Christ held his life by mayn strength, some little while, beyond the date of nature; that it might

not seem to bee taken from him by force of armes. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man lay downe his life for his friends. Life is the last of all our possessions in this World: and laying downe life, wee lay downe all: and love, that layes downe all for one, loves one better then all. It was an unspeakable act of love, & not sufficiently utterable by the great Angels of heaven, that the most glorious Majesty of God, not capa∣ble of pain; nor yet, able with all his power, to inflict paine upon himselfe, should come down, though not in his Majesty, and close with a body subject to pain: in which, hee would experimentally know al that, which man could bodily suffer: and more then all: for, no man ever suffered in such a delicate constitution of body: and therefore, no man ever endured such rage, and vehemencie of pain. O Lord, whither do'st thou come? we are creatures: yes truly, bodily creatures; we must be fed, cloathed and kept warme: we are lyable to paine, and shak't with a little pain, we turn colour from red to pale. Lord, the Angels, they have likewise fallen; and their nature is more noble; as being free from grosse, and earthy matter. What stir∣red thee to put thy selfe in the livery of our fraile nature? thy love, thy will, thy most loving will. Looke upon him, ô my soule,

thou daughter of Jerusalem; look upon thy dear Friend, who died temporally, that thou mayest live eternally; and who, out of his singular tendernesse, would not suffer thee to burn in Hell, for a hundred yeeres, and then recover thee; by which notwithstand∣ing, he might have more imprinted in thee, the blessed memory of a Redeemer: but ex∣presly required in his Articles, that if thou wouldest cleave to the benefit of his Passi∣on, thou shouldest never come there: now look upon him. Hee hangs upon the Crosse, all naked, all torne, all bloudie; betwixt heaven & earth, as if he were cast out of hea∣ven, and also, rejected by earth: betwixt two thieves, but above them, tanquam ca∣put latronum, as the Prince of thieves: hee has a Crown indeed, but such a one, as few men will touch, no man will take from him; and if any rash man will have it, hee must teare haire, skin and all, or it will not come: his haire is all clodded with bloud; his face clouded with blacke and blue; his eyes, almost sunk in the swelling of his face: his mouth opens hastily for breath, to re∣lieve decaying nature: the veins of his brest rise beyond themselves; and the whole brest rises and fals, while the pangs of death doe revell in it. Behold: hee stretcheth out his armes to imbrace his Persecutors; and

they naile them to the Crosse, that he cannot imbrace them. Look you: hee sets one leg before another, with a desire of comming to them: and they naile his legs together; that he cannot come. Now trust mee hee is all over, so pittifully rent—: I wil think the rest. My soule, this, Christ did for thee: and this, Christ would have done for thee; if thou hadst been the onely Sinner, and wan∣ted his help. What a grievous mischiefe, is sin? by which, this great, great? I have not words: most great, most glorious passion of Christ, is trod under foot, and spoiled of the latitude of its effect: and which ma∣keth Jews of Christians. For, by sin Christ is every day crucifyed by mee; every day forced to bow his head, and give up the ghost. I have farther to goe. If from the price, and qualitie of the medicine, wee may in reason, draw arguments, to prove the state, and condition of the soare: Sin is indeed, a grievous wound: I never heard of such another. Agnosce, ô homo, saith Saint Bernard, quàm gravia sint vulnera, pro qui∣bus necesse est, Dominum Christum vulnera∣ri: Acknowledge, ô man, how grievous those wounds are, for which it was neces∣sary, our Lord Christ should be woun∣ded. He goes on: Si non essent haec ad mor∣tem, & mortem sempiternam, nunquam pro

eorum remedio Dei filius moreretur: Had they not beene even to death, and to eternall death, the Son of God assuredly, had never given his deare life for the remedie. If I go to the depth of it: the Jewes did not kill Christ, sin killed him.

MEDIT. 4.

AS sin killed him, so he killeth sin. Then let every sinner come, & my self with them: and open his wound, and receive his Cure. The young of the Pelican are stung by a Serpent, and shee bleedeth upon them, even the blood, wherein her vitall spirits harbour. Is a man a Drunkard? Let him soberly consider, what haste hee makes to purchase a Fever, or a surfet; which might suddenly passe him away to hell: let him ponder, how often hee hath drowned rea∣son, and grace, and quenched the fire of Gods Spirit in himself; how often hee hath bowed Gods good creatures, and put them besides the just end of their Creation; and how often in his cups, he hath defiled Gods white, and holy Name, and beat hard upon his patience: and let him now come hither, and give all again, in teares; and cry with the Centurion in the Gospel, Lord, I am

not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roofe: For, my house is a sink of dregs, and lees, and loathsomnesse: but speake the word onely, and my soul shall be healed. And truly, ô thou that didst complaine of thirst upon the Crosse, I will hereafter, thirst with thee. Is a man a covetous person? Let him search the Scriptures, and learn what Saint Paul learned in the third Heaven, that the love of money is the root of all evill: For, what evill will not a man commit, to get the money which hee loves? and money being ill-got, is not well spent; and sooner, or later, The love of money is the root of all evill. Let him think, how he sweats, and breaks himselfe in catching flyes; in gathe∣ring dirt and trifles, which give no setled rest to his desire; and, to use the words of a good one, quibus, solutus corpore, non indige∣bit, which when he hath laid down his body, he shall not have, or have need to have: And let him now come hither, and be fully sa∣tisfied with the unvaluable riches of Christ his precious death: let him take off his heart from passing riches, and betroth it to Christs passion: let him looke upon him with the eyes of faith, and conceive, in what a poore, and neglected manner, hee hangs upon the Crosse; and lament for his owne manifold oppressions of the poore: let him

pitty the desolate nakednesse of Christ, and in his absence cover the naked: and let him say, Sweet God, I doe heere lay downe all my vain, and boundlesse desires, and wholly desire thee, and nothing but thee, and no∣thing with thee, but thee. Is a man, a bur∣ning fire-brand of rage, and anger? let him understand, that irafuror brevis, anger is a short madnesse, and a long vexation; that it subverteth the whole work of Peace, and all the fabrick of piety in the heart: robbeth it moreover, of the sweets of life; and lea∣veth a man, a silly man, to be the daily sub∣ject of other mens laughter, and scorne: let him consider, that the God of peace, dwel∣leth not in a troubled & discontented soul: And let him now come hither; & the shed∣ding of this bloud, shal satisfie, & still his an∣ger: for, the bloud of Christ will breake the Adamant of his heart, and let out the passion; hee hath crushed water out of a Rock: For what Lion-hearted man can be angry, when hee calleth to mind, how this innocent Lambe, heaven and earth be∣ing moved above and beneath him, remai∣ned calme in the midst, and died in the ful∣nesse of content and patience: and let him say, come, O come, great example of sweet∣nesse, open thy armes wide, wider yet, yet wider, that I may run into the Circle of thy

sweet imbraces. O my beloved Lord, I am a spotted Leopard; and yet I am not, for, I am all black: and one drop of thy cleane bloud will transform all into perfect beau∣ty. O God, how beautifull are thy Taber∣nacles? I will prayse thee in Jerusalem, the holy Citie of peace. Is a man, a back-biter, or a talkative person? Let him seriously think, that he hath out-done the Basiliske, and killed where and when hee hath not seene: let it sinke into him, that hee scatte∣reth coles, and is able to set on fire a whole Kingdome: for, if all were known to all persons, that is done and said; the dearest friends would bare of their love, and there would be little, if any friendship amongst men: let him observe, that words which have flown out of one mouth, flie from one mouth to another, and never leave flying: & let him now come hither, & look upon him, that opened his mouth in speech, but seven times in three long houres upon the Crosse; when happily another would have roared in the extremity, and have decla∣med against the ravenous greedinesse of the Jewish cruelty: let him here admire in si∣lence; for, hee will see that, which, if hee would speak, he could not speak worthily: let him heere contemplate him, that knew the darke hearts, and secret sinnes of all the

world, and yet, did not reveal them to his tongue: And let him say; Deare Lord, and Master, I perceive now, that I am not ma∣ster of my brother's good name, and that I ought not to break silence, and speak every true thing; and though my neighbour hath stained his credit in one place, yet, if it be not wholly prostituted by him, if it be not a general, publike and over-spreading stain; I may not recount his weaknesse in places, where his good name is firme, and entire, or at least, not bruised in that part. O my bles∣sednesse, I will make a covenant with my lips, and a branch of the covenant shall be, My lips shall praise thee. Is a man a lover of pleasure? Let it enter into his heart, that as money profiteth onely, when it goeth from us; so pleasure delighteth only, when it pas∣seth; and that it passeth, as it commeth; and that never any earthly pleasure, did please when it was past: let him keepe in his minde, that whosoever is overcome with the vain ticklings of pleasure, is more bu∣sied in the exercise of those faculties, which he hath common with beasts, then of those, in which he is like to Angels, and in the in∣ference, is a man-beast; and let him believe, (for, it is certainly true) that the greatest pain, grief, and torment, which Christ suffe∣red on the Crosse, and all the time of his

life, rose from a fore-sight, in which hee be∣held, how many would doat upon the short, and lightning flashes of the World; and how few-would cleave to the great, and ever-during benefit of his passion: and let him now come hither, and fix upon him, whose whole life was a map of misery, and a sad history of pain; who as he hung upon the Crosse, suffered most heavy pains in eve∣ry small part of his body, died in pain, and left to his Church, a large legacie of most painfull sufferings: and let him say, O thou true lover of souls, I will henceforth pursue pain, more then pleasure; I will prove my selfe to be a naturall member, and suffer with my head: O goodnesse, make me conforma∣ble to thee; and though I weep, and bleed, and beare crosses, and though I am born up my self from earth, and all earthly pleasure, on a Crosse; I shall not repine at my con∣dition; because the servant is not more worthy, then his Master. Come all kinds of Sinners, come on, come neere the Crosse; take a full view of this bloudy sacrifice, of∣fered once for all: touch it, lay your hands freely upon the wounds and bruises; they belong to you. Come, let us fall down be∣fore him, and tell him, of what weake and glassie matter he hath made us, how prone we are to slip, what great enemies threaten

our ruine; that the quarrell is, because wee beare his Image, and that we are persecuted even to death, only because wee are like to him; and that in the matter, it is his quar∣rell. And then, let us humbly dedicate our parts that have sinned, to his service. For doubtlesse, hee that suffered Magdalene to wipe his feet with her hair, so often kemb'd, sweetned, tied up in knots, let downe in books, and spread in Nets, to catch the carelesse youth of Ierusalem, and the Coun∣try; will not reject you, or mee; or yours or mine. Hee that hath feet, which have beene swift to shed bloud, and quicke in ac∣complishing the acts of sinne, let him kisse these feet, and beg part of the satisfaction, which they have made for the sinnes of the feet: hee that hath hands, dipped in bloud, and bathed in all the sinks of mischiefe; let him kisse these hands, and beg part of the satisfaction, which they have made for the sins of the hands: hee that hath set the case∣ments of his curious eyes, wide open to va∣nitie, and never shut them against vaine, and wanton fights, let him kisse these eyes: hee that hath eares, blistred with slanders, and blurred with foule discourses, let him kisse these eares: he that hath a mouth, plenum amaritudine, full of bitternesse, delibutum mendaciis, bedaub'd with lyes, and be∣smear'd

with oaths; let him kisse this mouth, and beg part of the satisfaction, which this mouth hath made for the sins of the mouth: he that hath a heart fraught with ill habits, and alwayes at worke in hammering sinne, let him kisse, not with his lips, but with his heart, this wounded side; and a mingled drop of bloud and water, from this royall heart, shall meet the lips of his heart; while hee beggeth part of the satisfaction, which this heart hath made for the sinnes of the heart. Come all, the dying man refuseth no living man; you beggar with the crutch, come forward; no man, woman, or childe is excepted from the fruit of his passion. Every one, that is endued with a reasonable soule, hath title to it. It is only required, that we believe in him, and keep his Com∣mandements; (for we ought likewise, to give evidence of our faith, by our works.) It is Christian doctrine, which Christ teach∣eth: As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wildernesse; even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternall life. Saint Leo strikes home: Effusio pro injustis san∣guinis justi tam potens fuit ad privilegium, tam dives ad pretium; ut si universitas capti∣vorum in redemptorem suum credoret, nullum tyrannica vincula retinerent: The powring

out of the just mans bloud for the unjust, was so powerfull by way of priviledge, so rich by way of price; that if every captive soul had believed in Christ Jesus, hel should not have held one damned soule in it. Who then, can despaire? He permitted himselfe to be fastned to the Crosse, to proclame, that he could not run away from any man. Press on boldly, hee cannot stirre. His feet are sure, and therefore, you may be sure, he can∣not run away: Nor can he free his feet with his hands, for the hands are as sure as the feet. And if hee were loose hands and feet, poore wounded man, he could not go farre; for, he is now parting with all the bloud in his body. And when hee does withdraw himselfe from those that call upon him, it is onely, that he may give them opportunity to call more earnestly, and that hee may be, more honoured. These are the cunning tricks of Lovers. Saint Gregory Nazianzen, writing to his Friend Nicobulus, objecteth to him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: you flie, when I follow you, loves practitioner, to make your selfe more precious.

MEDIT. 5.

O Lord, how should a poore man do, to passe his life in the due, and solid consideration of the great secret of Christs Passion? to consider, that he would appear to men, in a vile, and despicable manner; that he would weare a Crowne of thornes, an old purple Robe, and beare a Reed in place of a Scepter; to be firme occasions of dispensing his heavenly gifts, and orna∣ments to us: to consider, how Pilate and Herod joyned hands, and met in his destru∣ction; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and contraries concurred to his pu∣nishment; as Saint Gregorie Nazianzen wrote of a Martyr, burned alive in an old Ship, to whose death, fire and water did a∣gree: to consider, how the Sun, as Diony∣sius declareth in his Epistle to his Master Apollophanes, in ipsius verae lucis occubitu, lu∣cere non potuit, in the setting of the true Sun, could not shine: to consider, that hee did not take a phantasticall body in the Incar∣nation, that hee might seeme to suffer when he did not, as some vainly thought; and that he did not chase away the bitternesse of his Passion by the power of his Divinity, as o∣thers

imagined; but that hee drew up, and concealed his Divinitie, and gave nature no succour in her pain, when hee giveth to his Martyrs, power above nature: to consider, that all the parts of the body, in which, sins are committed, were in him, accordingly punished; even though the sins were not in him: to consider, that hee stretched out his armes, to imbrace sinners; bowed his head low, to kisse sinners; gave water with bloud, to signifie, that his bloud was able to make white the blackest and most deformed sinners: to consider, that hee died. Hee died, and yet, the World stands, the earth stirs not, and the cruell Jewes are not swallowed alive into Hell. O pietie! O pittie! whatsoever Histories have men∣tioned, Verses have sung, Fables have fra∣med, is to this a trifle. And is he dead! Good soule, when hee was alive, hee was the best man living: And when hee died, hee died sweetly; he bowed his head to all that were about him, and so died. O the strange in∣ventions of love! O the bottomlesse abysse of love! Unhappy Jews! they sold Christ for 30 pence, & Titus, son to Vespasian the Emperour, after the destruction of Ierusa∣lem, sold them, thirty for a peny: they cried, they forsooth, had no King but Caesar, and the Statue of Caligula the Emperour, was

soon brought, & set up in their great temple: they crucified Christ, & were crucified thē∣selves, under Florus the President, till there was no roome in the fields adjoyning to Je∣rusalē, wherin to raise a crosse. The death of his forerunner was in like maner revenged: for, the body of the dancing-maid slipped, under the yce, while her head was seene to dance above it. And thus God dealt with Leo the Emperour (if the Popish Writers doe not juggle with us:) for having took by violence from the great Church of S. So∣phia in Constantinople, a pretious Carbuncle; an ulcer rose in his head, called a Carbuncle, of which, hee miserably dyed. And shall not vengeance be severely taken of those, that murder Christ every houre? I will strike my brest with the Publican, and cry to my selfe; Remember alwayes, when thou art brooding sinne in thy heart, that then thou art breeding a most bloody, and stubborne intention to kill Christ; and that thou, bloudy man, doest to the full extent of thy power, actually kill him; and there∣fore, thou art a murderer, a murderer of Christ: and it is a wonder, that as thou passest in the streets, the stones doe not cry out from under thee, stop, stop the murde∣rer; stop the man, that kill'd his Master, his Lord, his Redeemer, his Father, his

King, his God, and all at a blow. Goe thy wayes, ungratefull world; thou hast lost a jewell, of the sight of which, thou wert not worthy. Good God, how naked the world is, now Christ is out of it? for when he was in it, it was very full. O my spirit, since he is gone, solace thy selfe with his memory; and being dead, let him live in thee; in thy thoughts, in thy discourse, in thy actions; he will be very sweet company. And my spirit, goe with mee a little. Christ being dead, it is pitty, but he should have a Fune∣rall. Let the Usurer come first, with his bags of money, and distribute to the poore as he goes. The drunkard shall follow with the spunge, filled with gall and vinegar, in his hand; and check his wanton thirst. Then the young Gallant, barefoot-like his master; and with the crowne of thornes upon his head. Then the factious and angry person, in the seamelesse coat; and carrying the Crosse upon his shoulders. The wanton person shall beare the rods, and whips, wherewith his Master was scourged; and fright his flesh, The ambitious man shall goe clad in the purple roabe. The proud Magistrate follow, with the reed in his hand. The twelve Apostles shall beare up the corps with one hand; and with the other, beare every one, the instrument of

his owne death. And the blessed virgin shal goe after, sighing, weeping, and at every other pace, looking up to Heaven. Then Mary Magdalen, divided betwixt love and sorrow, with a box of pretious oyntment in her hand; and with her haire hanging rea∣die, if need were, to wipe his feet againe. Then Lazarus with his winding sheet up∣on his neck. And the lame men, whom Christ cured, carrying their idle crutches under their armes. And the blind, with the boyes that led them, comming after them. And then, the great streame of devout peo∣ple shall follow, with songs of victory over sinne, death, and hell. And all the mourners shall goe, bowing their heads, and looking, as if they were at hand, to give up the Ghost, for the name of Christ. Hee shall not bee buried without a Ser∣mon, and the Text shall bee, The good shepheard giveth his life for the sheepe. And in the end of the Sermon, (not if the time will permit, but whether the time will permit, or not) the Preacher shall take occasion, to speake a word or two, in the praise of the dead party; and say: that being God above all Gods, hee became man beneath all men, the more conveni∣ently to make peace betwixt God and Man: that he was of a most sweet nature; and

that when he spoke, hee began ordinarily, with Verily, verily I say unto you: that hee was a vertuous man, a good liver; for, he never sinned in all his life; either in thought, word, or work: that hee did many good deeds; for, being endued with the power of working miracles, he lovingly employed it in curing the lame and the blinde; in cast∣ing out devils; in healing the sick; in resto∣ring the dead to life; and that hee dyed a blessed death; for, being unjustly condem∣ned, mocked, spat upon, crucified, and by those whom he came to redeeme from eter∣nall torments; hee took all patiently, and dyed praying for his persecutors; leaving to them, when hee had no temporall thing to give, a blessing for a legacie. The Ser∣mon being ended, and the buriall finished; every mourner shall goe home, and begin a new life in the imitation of Christ; who chose a poore, and miserable life, when hee had his full choyce of all the lifes in the world. And Lord, teach mee to goe after him in his steps, at least with poverty of spirit.

Notes

• S Cypr. lib. de discipl. & habit. Virginum.
• Gen. 3. 15.
• Esay 9. 6.
• John 1. 1.
• Verse 14.
• 1 Cor. 2. 8.
• Conc. Chalc.
• Cyr. Alex. in Conc. E∣phes. 1.
• Luk. 2. 13, 14.
• Mat. 2. 11.
• Mar 16. 19
• Luk. 22 65
• Mat. 16 21
• John 19. 30
• Joh. 15. 13.
• S. Bern. Serm 3. de Nativit.
• Matth. 8 8.
• 1 Tim. 6. 10.
• Diodor a∣pud Max.
• S. Leo.
• S. Greg. Naz. ep. ad Nicobul.
• S. Greg. Naz.
• Dionys. ep. ad Apol∣loph.
• Zonar. an∣nal. to. 3.
• Ioh. 10 11.