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HAVING spent some time in Medi∣tation of the Sacred Passion of Christ, I find it to be a Sea in which is no bottome, a bottom∣lesse Sea of Charitie, a bottom∣lesse Sea of Mercie, a bottomlesse Sea of Grace, a bottomlesse Sea
of Iustice, a bottomlesse Sea of Sorrow. I find it also to be a wood in which one may loose himselfe, though neuer to his losse; a Laby∣rinth or Maze in which one may sooner finde a way to get in, then to get out, yet shall neuer be out of his way; yea a Garden of such varietie of sweete and odoriferous flowers, that one can neuer gather all; hardlie can he determine where to make his first choice, yet can neuer choose amisse. VVherefore (Gentle Reader) I will not promise thee to exhaust or drawe drye this Sea for thee; I should promise an impossibilitie; onelie I will drawe out of it as much as my weake forces will per∣mit, and thine and my capacitie can receaue: Nor will I shew thee all the wayes, and windings of this wood and Maze, onelie I will bring thee into some few walkes,
which I my selfe haue passed; nor will I gather, nor can I, all the Flowers of this Garden; onelie I will select such as were obuious to me, and of which I my selfe haue smelled; and I will of them make a posie or nosegay for thee to smell on by deuout Meditation. Thou shalt find as many diuerse smelles in this Posie, as it conteineth di∣uers Flowers. Some will smell of Christ his great Charitie in suffe∣ring so much for mans Redemp∣tion; some will sauour of his Iu∣stice in paying so full a price for the sayd Redemption; some will smell of his great Patience, some of his obedience to his Eternall Father, some of his great Humilitie, in that, he humbled him selfe, made obe∣dient vnto death, euen the death of the Crosse. In breefe there is no vertue of which in this Posie thou mayst not haue an odoriferous and gratefull smell, if thou apply thy
internall senses vnto it. Diuers of the Saints of God tooke such pleasure, consolation, and com∣fort in meditating vpon Christ his Passion, that in regard of it, they contemned all the pleasures which the world could afford. And yet I entitle this my Pamphlet, a Myr∣rhine Posie, because Christ his Dolours and Sorrowes were bitter as Myrrhe to him; though to vs they be most comfortable, because in them we contemplate his great loue and Charitie in suffering for vs; in them we behold the grate∣full price of our Redemption; and because I desire that not onelie Ca∣rholikes, but also Protestants, and all they who goe by the name of Christians should reade this Pam∣phlet, and take some benefit by it, I abstaine from all Controuersies in Religion, that none may be deterred from reading it. Take
this my labour in good part, for it was vndertaken for thee; and if thou reape any good by reading it, thanke him who is Goodnes it self, and the Prime Cause, and principall Authour of all that is good; I was but his vn∣weldie Instru∣ment.