CHRIST'S Prayer Upon the Cross, for his enemies. FATHER forgive them, for they know not what they do. By Sir Io. HAYWARD Knight, Doctor of the Laws. Nemo beatus est, qui nescit contemnere & contemni. LONDON, ¶ Printed by JOHN BILL, M.DC.XXIII. TO THE HONOURABLE AND VIRTUOUS LADY, THE LADY ANNE CAESAR, WIFE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE, Ssr JULIUS CAESAR KNIGHT, MASTER OF THE ROLLS, AND ONE OF HIS MAJESTY'S MOST HONOURABLE PRIVY COUNSEL. Casta ad virum. matrona parendo Imperat. Pub. Mim. TO THE READER. AS Contemplation in general, is a pure act of the soul; so contemplation of divine things, is most proper unto it. This is the heavenly Manna, whereon it feedeth; hereby it groweth, hereby it is loosened from the knots of flesh & blood; hereby it mounteth above the narrow confines and limits, above the sordid things of this world, above either the threats or promises thereof; and both returneth to the original from whence it came, and applieth itself to the end whither with swift celerity it paceth. And this is an invincible argument of the divine nature of the soul, if it takes delight in matters divine; if it be busied therein, not as in other men's affairs, but as in the own. Assuredly, in nothing else man is so much man, as in contemplation of heavenly things. Oh! how contemptible a thing is man, if he advanceth not above humane cogitations? But conceive here with (gentle Reader) that contemplation is but a fruitless action of the soul, unless it be thereby inflamed to love. Contemplation is a work of the understanding, & hath no perfection in itself▪ but is a way and means to some degree of perfection, by elevating the will to a divine love and union with GOD. The understanding giveth not food to the soul, but prepareth it only for the taste of the will. Good is the proper object of the will. And therefore when the will findeth an infinite depth of goodness in GOD, it shallbe exceeding icy, if it burn not like a Phoenix, in the fire of divine love, which by contemplation is therein kindled. Wherefore, if thou wilt contemplate sweetly and profitably, erect the forces of thy will, to love that which thou dost understand: for otherwise, thou shalt be but a cold and curious speculator; thou shalt never arrive at the true end of contemplation. For the end of contemplating is not in speculation of the understanding, but in an ardent love of the will. Now because of all divine things none is more Noble than the work of our redemption; none wherein GOD so much manifested his goodness, and consequently, none so fit to inflame our love: I have addressed my Sabbaoth exercises this present year, to this prayer of CHRIST upon the Cross for his enemies. Hoping notwithstanding, that the residue of the penitential Psalms, not yet comprised in my David's Tears, shall hereafter be in the like manner prosecuted; either by myself (if life continue) or by some other more happy and industrious hand. Assuredly, man is too mortal, either to handle or to know things immortal: As we know but in part, so we can express but a part of what we know; and must have many partners in our labours therein. A man should so endeavour to live, as he may do good to all: But if that cannot be, yet to many: and if not that, yet to some: and if not that, at least to himself. My desire hereby is to do good to all; even to him, whose prefrict malice hath much wronged both me and himself; in case he hath either conscience or shame to be wounded by a lasting memory of his dishonest dealings. But albeit, I esteem both these to be almost impossible alike; yet I make no doubt, but hereby I shall do good to many: and the rather, because many have acknowledged to me great good, which they have received by my former writings in this kind. But as in the same meadow, the ox seeketh grass, the hound a hare, and the stork a lizard: so I expect that in this work some will hunt after conceits, some after cavils; but many will find good pasture for their souls. Of these I expect no other recompense, but their prayers for me; of which I acknowledge I stand much in need. HOM. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 TAM gravis ille mihi nigri quam lim inaditis; o'er aliud qui fert, aliud sub pectore celat. AS dale of death, so do I hate that kind; whose tongue from thought, whose mouth dissents from mind. THE PRAYER OF CHRIST UPON THE CROSS for his enemies. ¶ Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. WHen our Saviour CHRIST had traveled up the high hill Golgotha, Christ's travailing up the Mount. loaden with his ponderous Cross; his body much enfeebled with fasting & watching all the night before, & with the buffetting and scourging which he endured: being much exhausted thereby, both of spirit and blood: here the jews first unburdened him of his Cross, prepared the holes for fastening him thereto; brought the hammer and the nails before his face; his enemies clustering the whilst about him, and not sparing to vex him with many opprobrious and blasphemous speeches. Then they hastily pulled off his apparel; His stripping which cleaving fast to his body, by reason of the congealed blood that issued from him when he was scourged; tore open his wounds, and rend away some part of his skin and flesh. So he stood naked and bloody a while; and then they rudely threw him upon the Altar of the Cross lying upon the ground. His nailing. And applying the backside of one of his hands to a hole which they had prepared in the Cross, Psal. 71. They smote the rock and rivers gushed forth: they nailed his hand to the Cross, and blood streamed Abundantly from the wound. One hand being thus fastened, they violently strained the other, to a hole that had been prepared on the other arm of the Cross; and there in like sort fastened it with a nail. Then with great force they stretched his body downward, until they had drawn his feet to the lower hole: and there in like manner they were fastened with a nail. How he was strained. By which strong straining of his body, that of the Prophet David was fulfilled: Psal. 21. I am poured forth like water. That is, I melt away and dissolve with extremity of torments: I have no more strength to subsist, than water that is poured forth. And again, All my bones are out of joint▪ they pierced my hands and my feet; they have numbered all my bones. For his calamity was so great, partly by his own feebleness and aridity, and partly by the cruel stretching of his members, that his joints were loosed, and pulled from their firm fastness and seats; by reason whereof, his bones might have been numbered. Then they took the wooden Altar charged with this bloody sacrifice, The Cross erected. and set the lower end to fall with the full weight, into a pit which they had prepared for erecting thereof; by which fall, and by fasting it afterward, the body nailed thereto, was grievously shaken. And so was the brazen serpent lift up in the wilderness; Numb. 21. so were the sacrifices offered to GOD, Exod. 29. accustomed to be lift on high. Levit. 23. And so was it fit, that he should be lift up, who was appointed to be a mediator between GOD and man; who was to reconcile heaven and earth together; who was to cast about his eyes, in seeking his lost sheep; and upon whom we all should set our eyes. And they would not crucify him alone, With whom he was crucified. but between two thieves, whereby their intention was to obscure his Name, to defile his credit; to make him in stead of Messias, to be reputed a prince of thieves: But our Saviour turned this to another end; namely, that he died for sinners, and that he hath discharged the price of their sins. Doubtless he so loveth sinners, that he did not only converse with them, during his life, but died between them, and will be ever present among them; to hear them, to pray for them, to pardon them when they call upon him: not only during the time of their lives, but until the last minute of their death. Yea after death he will be ready to receive them being penitent, into his glory. THY SAVIOUR being thus mounted upon the Cross, Asoliloquie and fastened hand & foot for sacrificing of his life; consider seriously (O my soul) what he did, what he said, in what thoughts he was busied. First consider his unspeakable torments, in that he was deprived of all comforts; both external from others, and internal within himself. If he stirred any part of his body, his wounds were thereby made more grievous. If he remained quiet, besides that immobility is a terrible torment, one of the torments of hell * Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into utter darkness. ; the very weight of his body did tear his wounds wider. Then consider how in those extremities, the first time he opened his lips, the first voice which his tongue did form, was in making intercession for his enemies: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. They mocked, reviled, blasphemed; but he prayed: the more they burned in hate, the more was he inflamed with love. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and from the abundance of his love did this prayer proceed. But think not (O my soul) that these were all the words which JESUS spoke, that this was all his prayer at large; but rather a summary collection thereof. Heb. 5. 7. For the Apostle saith that he di● offer up prayers & supplications with strong crying and tears. And therefore when he seemed silent, when his voice was not heard, when happily his lips did not move; whilst the jews were busied, some in tormenting, and some in deriding him: conceive (O my soul) that thy sweet JESUS, either as senseless, or as regardless hereof, was wholly attentive in praying to his heavenly Father: for them, for thee, and for all sinners. And so, his members being strongly strained upon the Cross, as the strings were on David's harp, he made such tuneable harmony, as never before had been heard in the world; sounding in this sort to the ear of his Father's mercy. HIS PRAYER EXTENDED. O Most just, most merciful, His praying. most holy Father! thou seest what a weighty work I have begun: and now I am entered into two of my great offices. The office of a Priest, as well in offering my body for a sacrifice, as in making supplications for the people: and the office of an Advocate; in pleading the cause of sinners before thee. In both these hear me, I pray thee. Heavenly Father, load this bruised body of mine with thy stripes; power forth the full measure of thy wrath upon it: I am ready to endure whatsoever charge it shall please thee to impose. But forgive them, I beseech thee, for whom I thus suffer. Let me not in this cruel manner lose my blood, and lose them also for whom I expend it: the price being paid, suffer me, I pray thee, to enjoy my purchase. O my eternal Father! In recompense of my obedience to thy will, in recompense of my coming into the world to reconcile it to thee, in recompense of all my travails over-paced, in recompense of my present torments and death: I entreat nothing of thee, but that thou wilt pardon these merciless sinners. I am well content that thou wouldst not yield to my natural desire when I prayed for myself, that this cup might pass from me; but deny me not (I pray thee) in praying for these. For I esteem the benefit greater that they be forgiven, then that this cup should have passed from me; I regard more the good that they live eternally, than I regard the hurt that for the present I die. O my good Father! there is a time to pardon, and a time to punish: but if ever there be a time to pardon, it is now. Even now, when I ask forgiveness at the very end of my life; now whilst my blood freshly runneth for forgiveness, whilst the sacrifice is in offering, for which thou shouldest forgive. For now thou dost publicly proclaim thy pardon: mercy & truth, justice & peace, do now embrace, and kiss kindly together. Thou didst once forgive the Israelites, O my Father! when Moses and Aaron offered a little incense for them; and wilt thou not forgive these for whom I wholly offer myself? Thou didst once grant victory when Moses held up his hands unto thee; and wilt thou nothing regard the stretching forth of my bleeding hands? Father! I am come into the world, I now suffer death in the world to appease thine anger: but what profit will ensue of my coming and of my death, if men should be still charged with thy hate? If my death cannot appease thy wrath, what then can do it? What then can make atonement between thee and sinners? O my good Father! when I came into the world by thy appointment, when by thy appointment I undertook to die: thou didst promise that thy wrath should be extinguished by my death; that thy wrath and my life should determine together. Wherefore to discharge thy promise, and because my life is more precious to thee then thy wrath; forgive, I pray thee, and be appeased. Lo here I set myself in the breach; Ezek. 22. lo here I interpose between sinners and thee. BUT, O great Mediator! wherefore dost thou so earnestly entreat for sinners? What ease is this to thy torments? what good to thyself? In case thou wilt not revenge thy wrongs, yet wherefore dost thou not leave them to thy father's pleasure? wherefore should not justice run her course? The Law saith, Eye for eye, hand for hand, life for life▪ And what availeth it thee, that these offenders must now be forgiven? O! YES: I am well content O my Father! that thou load me with thine anger, in what measure thou thinkest fit: but so, as nothing may remain unreconciled to thee; so as my redemption may not be imperfect and maimed: so as there may remain in man no fault to be redeemed, and in thee no anger to be appeased. O good Father! Charge me freely (I say) with thy stripes, set them so surely and severely as thou wilt: but suffer not my sufferings to be unfruitful; do not double my grief, by causing me to lose the benefit of my grief. For it would be a greater grief to me that these sinners should perish, then are all the torments where with they tear me: even as a loving mother sorroweth more at the loss of her child, than she did at her travails for his birth. By suffering and by pardoning the redemption of the world must be wrought: and therefore pardon them, O good Father! For whom I suffer; or else no redemption can follow. And if the death which now I suffer, if the life which now I offer be not sufficient, I will suffer another death; I will offer another life; I will do anything, O my good Father! wholly to appease thee. But if thou wilt not be absolutely entreated, yet forgive them, His Pleading. I beseech thee, in regard of their ignorance. * And now brethren, I know that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your Rulers. For niether this people, nor their Rulers do directly know, either who I am, or what work I have in hand. Whereby it followeth, that they know not what they do. Act. 3. 17. Blessed Father: thou hast made me wiser than my enemies. For I know righ● well what I am about to do; b●● thou hast not suffered the diue● perfectly to know it; much more is this unskilful multitude involved in ignorance. And therefore I am so far from desiring revenge, that the more earnestly they endeavour with many torments to destroy me; the more earnest am I, both in praying and pleading for their salvation. For alas! they are ignorant; I pity them with my heart, and from my heart desire thee to be entreated for them. Give them time and means to be instructed; open their understanding to know me, and to know themselves: but as the case now standeth, forgive them, I pray thee; for they know not what they do. And further, seeing I am joyful in receiving these harms, wherefore art thou displeased with those who do them? Seeing the party offended forgive 〈◊〉 the wrong, at whose suit will thy justice prosecute? What hath justice to do when no man complains? Thou knowest right well, that nothing can be termed an injury, which is not done against our will. Seeing therefore I willingly suffer, and that in obedience to thy will and appointment, to perform a most necessary work for the world: remain not thou displeased with those, by whose hands my own will is performed, and this great work accomplished. BUT happily it may be said, Object. that as this action in itself is the most heinous sin that ever was committed; so are these, in regard of themselves, the most unworthy to be forgiven. Be it so. Answ. But O holy Father! Do I die only for small offenders? is not my death sufficient for all? Do I die for any other end, but that all offenders may be forgiven? And wilt not thou regard more my sufferings, than any man's sins? more my charity in dying for my tormentors, than their malice in putting me to death? It is true indeed, that if thou wilt punish them according to their demerits, all the torments of hell are nothing near sufficient: but therefore it is better freely to forgive them. For as there was never sin comparable to this, so shalt thou never have the like occasion to manifest thy mercy. O my Father! seeing my blood is shed by thy will, employ the same to the best effect: let not any man be deprived of the benefit of that, which is amply sufficient for all. And favour me also, O father! since I needs must die, to make the best advantage of my death; to se● my life so well as I can. And therefore pardon those, I pray thee, who torment me to death. For the greater offenders thou pardonest for my sake, the better I shall think my life employed; and it nothing availeth that I die for sinners, if thou deniest to pardon sinners. MEDITATIONS UPON THIS Prayer. O PRECIOUS prayer! fit only to proceed from our All-mercifull Redeemer: who, as he taught us to love our enemies, to pray for them that curse us; so here, by his example he confirmed the same. O meek SAVIOUR! what inflamed charity did sparkle in thy speeches? how truly had the jews said of thee before: Never man spoke, as he speaketh? For let all the prayers be poured forth that ever were made, and we shall find none parallel to this. Many have prayed for themselves, many for their friends: but who ever before in this sort prayed for his enemies? Many have forgiven offences after they have been done; when the pain is past, and the offender happily displeased at what he did: but whilst the mischief is in action, and before it be accomplished; in the very height of madness and malice; to see thee not only forbear to hate thy enemies, but ardently to love them; to hear prayers for them flowing out of thy mouth, with tears and groans, whilst thy blood was running out of thy veins; to hear thee plead for them, who wouldst not open thy mouth to speak for thyself. What shall we say? but that pity and cruelty, injury and mercy, anger and patience, hate and love, did here meet and contend together. O mild JESUS! O the glory of my soul! what humane judgement? yea, what understanding of Angels is able to apprehend, that thou shouldest not only patiently endure, but thus earnestly pray for thy mortal enemies? Thy smart, thy fainting, the streams of blood which freshly flowed from thee, might have put thee in mind both of their malice and of their injustice: and yet wert thou wholly busied in procuring pardon, both for that & for all their other sins. O everlasting goodness! what a marvelous example hast thou given, both of patience and of love? Thou didst release those who fastened thee; plead for those who did accuse thee; entreat for those who did revile thee; acquit and discharge those, who are in hand to kill thee: they will not return into the City, before thou art dead; and thou wilt not die until thou hast obtained their pardon. O Redeemer of souls! thou didst never either do injury to any, or blame any for doing injury to thee: All thy actions and words tended to teach us patience, pity, humility, gentleness, and all other goodness. Albeit thou hadst many enemies in this world yet didst thou never term: any man enemy; all were esteemed friends, because thou wert a true friend to all. Thou hadst been formerly presented before the high Priest and Elders, before Pilate, and before Herode; in whose presence for the most part thou wert silent: but being presented before thy Father on the Cross, thou didst first open thy lips to speak for thy tormentors. O unspeakable charity! How inestimable was thy love towards miserable man? When thou wert accused before worldly judges, thou wouldst not spend one word for thyself; but when thou didst address thyself to crave of thy Father, wherefore dost thou not entreat him, either to mitigate or shorten thy pains? Wherefore hast thou no pity upon thy innocent flesh? thy martyred members? Wherefore seemest thou so little to regard thy life? or wherefore seemest thou to neglect thy mournful Mother? thy dispersed Disciples thy heavy followers and friends? and disposest thyself to pray for thy enemies. Wherefore intreatest thou without entreaty? Wherefore cravest thou forgiveness without either satisfaction or submission for their offence? O sweet and only Saviour! How fiery is the force of thy Spirit? how hast thou verified that which before thou didst say; that thou wert not sent but to the los● sheep of the house of Israel what thou camest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance? All thy life time thou didst converse with sinners, both by exhortation, & by example to convert them to thee; & now at thy death thou prayest for them. The condition of Caluary changed. O Caluarie! how is thy condition suddenly changed? Before this time thou wert a place where justice was executed upon infamous offenders; but now thou art consecrated for a place of oblation and intercession for them. It was not meet that Oblation should go single without Intercession: and therefore, as our great Priest made here his Oblation for sin, so here also did he make Intercession for sinners. And O you stiff necked jews! See how our blessed Lord hath requited your dealings. You turned his house of prayer into a den of thieves; and he hath turned your den of thieves into a house of prayer. Teaching you, as before he had told, john 4. that the hour was then come, when neither at your temple in jerusalem, nor at the mountain in Samaria the Father should be worshipped; but he should be worshipped in spirit and truth. O crucified JESUS! The great mercies of GOD. O delight of my soul! What shall we say of thy exceeding goodness? with greater reason may we now demand, Where is thy ancient wrath? then the Prophet David once demanded, Where are thy ancient mercies? O my soul's safety! who can despair of thy goodness? who dares distrust it? Thou didst pardon those who would not be pardoned, & shall pardon be denied to those who ardently desire it? Thou didst pray for those who tormented and blasphemed thee; and wilt thou not pray for those who pray unto thee? O blessed SAVIOUR! when thou wert on the Cross all things forsook thee, The patience and love of CHRIST. except only thy patience and thy love. By thy patience thou didst endure all extremities of torments; by thy love thou didst offer up supplications with strong cry and tears. The jews provoked thy Father to take vengeance upon them, in saying, His blood be upon us: but thou didst pray him to remit that vengeance, because thy blood was shed for them. They carried thee before the high Priest, and before Pilate to have thee condemned; but thou didst present them before thy Father, that they might be pardoned. They cried against thee, Let him be crucified; but thou prayedst for them, Father forgive them. Certainly, O my SAVIOUR! It is so great a mystery that thou didst pray for those who did blaspheme thee; that thou didst pardon those who tormented thee to death, without sorrow, without entreaty; and that thy prayer, Father forgive them, should prevail against their prayer, His blood be upon us; that albeit we must believe it, yet we cannot comprehend it. And thou, The true Mediator. O heavenly Father! Ezek. 22. seek no more for a man who should make up the breach, and stand in the gap between thee and the Land. Lo, this is he; this is the true Mediator between thee and us: raised between heaven and earth, to reconcile both together. And because nothing can serve for a fit mean to combine two contraries, but that which participates of the nature o● both: Lo, this Mediator participates of thy nature being perfect GOD; and of our nature, being perfect man: and therefore is a fit mean to join, to fasten, to unite both together. A fit mean, I say, upon whom man may discharge all his sins, and GOD discharge all his anger: who like a strong and impregnable wall, may keep our sins from approaching to GOD, and GOD'S vengeance from approaching to us. BUT O my soul! do not run over this banquet in haste; take a more exact haste of every dish; meditate and ruminate upon these things as a clean beast cheweth the cud. Consider first, the principal circumstances of this prayer; then exactly weigh every word thereof. THE PRINCIPAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF This Prayer. WHo then was it that thus did pray? Who prayed. The son of GOD, who was most worthy to be heard. To whom did he pray? To whom. To GOD the Father, who was most powerful to grant. For whom? For whom. not only for his tormentors, not only for the people of the jews; but for all sinners for whom he died; for all men whose sins were the proper cause of his death. Even for those who little regarded themselves; yea, for many who then were not, he earnestly prayed: for unless CHRIST first prayeth for sinners, they shall never be able to pray for themselves. Where was it? Where. Upon the Altar of the Crosse. When? When. In time of his extreme torments, and of his drawing near to death. How? How. His hands stretched (like another Moses) to heaven; and all his body imbrued with blood. In what manner. In what manner? O! in a most perfect form. Heb. 5. For the Apostle saith, that he offered up Prayers & supplications with strong cry and tears. His Prayers were many, form in manner of humble supplications; with cry, with valide and strong cry, and with tears. And therefore the matter of the prayer being of great piety and merit, it is no marvel that the Apostle added, that he was heard. By this strong crying thou must understand, His strong crying. that with a most forcible affection, with deep groans, with a violent intention of desire and will, he offered up his supplication to GOD. For he is said to pray aloud, whose soul is fired with fervent devotion and desire; whose thoughts are neither distracted nor remiss, but both entirely and earnestly attentive to the business in hand. The cry of sins is exceeding strong, & yet the ear perceiveth no noise; but the fervent cry of devotion is much stronger, albeit no voice be outwardly heard. There is no strong crying to GOD, but through abundance either of love or of grief: both which were most forcible in our SAVIOUR upon the Crosse. Love, for compassion towards others; grief, for the passion which he felt in himself. He was inflamed to love, by his mystical members; his natural members enforced him to grief. From this love and this grief his cry must needs be exceeding strong. And beside; it must be a violent voice that was heard for all men; that did silence and drown the clamour of all sins. For it was not for his tormentors only, but it was for all men that he then prayed: he who died for all, prayed for all. But O good JESV! His tears. O the solace of my soul! who could be worthy to stand so near thy Cross, as to see blood stream from thy flesh, and tears from thy eyes; to see thy blood mixed with tears; to see, that, as with sweat and blood thou begannest thy passion; so with tears and blood thou didst conclude it? What adamant heart would not break? what leaden eyes would not melt into tears? what earthy spirit would not be moved, as the whole earth was? to see thy sacrifice sprinkled, or rather imbrued with blood, and thy prayers watered with tears; to see thy tears beautified with blood, and thy blood washed with tears? to see thee at once to smite thy Father's cares with thy prayers, and to mollify his heart with thy sighs and groans? O blessed Redeemer! Albeit thou didst pray to thy Father for the greatest matter that ever was demanded of him; yet if thou hadst desired a greater, thy blood was so abundant, thy cries so strong, thy tears so plentiful, and the love from whence they flowed so ardent; that thy love, thy blood, thy tears and thy cries must have obtained it. O sin! How offensive sin is. How offensive art thou to the heavenly Father? how deeply dangerous to the state of our souls? seeing this expiation was necessary to abolish thee; seeing pardon for thee could not be obtained, but by these cruel sufferings, by these bloody tears of our Reedemer. And thou (o my soul) cry hideously when thou prayest to the Lord, and weep abundantly for thy sins: sigh, groan, tear bloody tears from thy soul when thou askest forgiveness; seeing thy Saviour thus cried and wept when he made intercession for thee. For what reason or justice is it, that thy Saviour cry and weep for thee, and not thou for thyself? Attention in prayer. Or if thou canst not weep in thy prayers, yet be earnest & attentive, let not thy thoughts be either scattered, or heavy and dull: for if thou be not attentive to make thy prayers, the Lord will not be attentive to hear them. Whose sins we must lament Learn also to lament, not only for thy own offences, but for the sins and miseries of others; even as the Prophet Hieremie lamented for the calamity of his people when he said: Oculi mei defecerunt prae lachrymis. My eyes fail and are dim with weeping. For albeit true charity beginneth always at ourselves, yet must it extend unto all: there is no truer token of true charity, then when it doth extend unto all: not only in showing compassion for their miseries, but especially in craving pardon for their sins. joy at the good which happeneth to other men, and grieve at their evil: and so shalt thou make profit of every man's conversation. OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS Prayer. BUT proceed, O my soul! to the substance of this prayer, and observe well every word thereof; for there is not one word therein that is not of weight. FATHER. FIRST he began with the sweet word FATHER. He did not term him LORD; for that was a name of severity and justice; but FATHER, which is a name of pity and mercy. If he had said, LORD, forgive them, as Saint Stephen prayed afterward; it might have seemed that he had referred their pardon to the courtesy and judgement of justice. But FATHER is a name of compassion, a name of the new Testament. A name which by the blood and merits of our JESUS, we may challenge to use towards him. That, as he pleased to be our brother: so he would thereby make us the sons of his FATHER. And therefore he used the same word in praying for us, which he did in praying for himself: For as he prayed for himself; Father into thy hands I commit my spirit: so he prayed for us; Father forgive them. As if he should have said: O my Father! acknowledge me now for thy Son, thy only Son, thy Son in whom thou art well pleased, thy Son to whom thou wilt deny nothing: for as I am obedient to thee, as to my Father; so I expect to be heard of thee, as thy Son. Father, I am therefore come into this world, that sinners also should be received for thy sons; and therefore hear me now in praying for them. If ever thou wilt hear them praying to thee in my Name, hear now my own prayer for them. So dear a Son as I am to thee; so acceptable let my prayer be to thee. If thou hearest not the prayers of thy Son, whose prayers then wilt thou hear? If thou reiectest my prayers, thou dost more torment me then doth the Crosse. The Cross I patiently endure to abolish a greater evil: that is, to appease thy wrath, and to make sinners accepted for thy sons. But favour these torments of thy Son, that they be not endured in vain. Favour thy Son, not to double his terments, by denying him his charitable request. Thou dost amply reward the travails which any man shall perform in thy service: Now thy Son requireth no recompense for himself: for all my travails, for all my torments in obedience to thy will, I require no other recompense, but that thou wilt grant my request for miserable sinners. FORGIVE BY this word our Lord discharged the office of a Priest, in praying for the sins of the people: for which he cried, not only as a Priest, but as a sacrifice; which never demandeth free forgiveness, but bringeth satisfaction with it. And not only he cried with his mouth; With how many mouths CHRIST craved forgiveness. but his wounds cried, his blood cried, his defilements cried, his torments cried, all his members cried: Forgive. So many wounds as he received, so many griefs as he endured; so many mouths he opened, with one voice entreating. Accept these sufferings for the sins of all men, for we do pay thee whatsoever they owe. We give thee blood and smart for ransom, life for satisfaction, body and soul for sacrifice: Let there now be mercy with thee, Psal. 130. for this is a plenteous redemption. It is a hard thing indeed which is demanded; namely, that a most indulgent Father should forgive and forget the cruel death of his only Son, his entirely beloved Son. But the son himself demands it: he demands it with his blood, with his wounds; with all his sufferings he demands it. Not under any condition, Not conditionally but absolutely. as he prayed for himself in the garden; If it be possible, If thou wilt, If it may be: but positively and absolutely he prayeth thee to Forgive. His own passion he left to thy will; but thy pardon he doth absolutely entreat. He put it to thy pleasure whether he should die or no; but he leaveth no consultation, no choice for thy granting of forgiveness: his prayer for forgiveness is so absolute, as it may not be denied. Hereby thou mayest learn (O my soul!) that remission of sins, and all divine graces are to be desired of GOD without condition; because this prayer is always referred to the honour of GOD. Also, that whensoever thou forgivest thy enemies, thou do it absolutely, without reservation. Never account it a Christian forgiveness, when it is with exception; that thou wilt not speak to him, that thou wilt not converse & be familiar with him. For thy SAVIOUR did not pray for his enemies upon condition, or in part: he prayed absolutely for all, and for all offences of every one. GOD also is so noble in pardoning, that he cannot forgive one sin, either alone, or in part: he never pardoneth to halves; he cannot but either wholly pardon, or wholly punish: If any one sin be unpardoned, the sinner must be charged with all. O gentle JESV! thou didst absolutely pray for all sinners, and therewith offer thy blood, as a sufficient ransom for all sins: For all sins might be numbered, but thy precious blood could not be valued. And it was not only absolutely, Presently. that thou didst pray to thy Father, but also that he would presently forgive: thou wouldst not give day, it must be forthwith: remission must be granted without intermission. Thou wert then near the point of thy death: but thou wouldst not die until pardon was granted: thou wouldst not make payment of all thy blood, until thou hadst thy bargain in hand; until peace were composed between GOD and Man. Thou art not like many worldly Parents, who leave small inheritances to their children, entangled many times with debts, suits, or other encumbrances: but for the heavenly inheritance which thou hast given us, thou hast made ready payment, cleared all reckonings, removed all difficulties and charges, and concluded perfect peace with thy Father before thy death; saying unto him, FORGIVE! and that presently, O my Father! for even now is the time arrived to forgive. This is the hour of sacrifice, the day of satisfaction, the day of remission, I am even now ready to lay down my life, and I make now my last petition; my last suit to thee shall be this; FATHER forgive. O heavenly FATHER, as thou lovest thy Son, so hold him no longer in torments; for I must not die until thou forgive. Neither did he pray to the Father to forgive the sins only which then had been committed, For all sins past, present, and to come. but simply to forgive; even those sins also which afterward should be committed. For his persecuters had not then satisfied themselves with blasphemies and scorns; they had not then offered him a sponge dipped in vinegar; they had not then opened his side with a spear; they had not then feasted their eyes with sight of his dead body: and yet he prayed as well for these as for all the cruelties which before they had done: Yea, for all sins, not only passed and present, but to ensue, he poured forth this prayer; Father forgive. Teaching us thereby, not only readily to remit all wrongs received, but to stand resolved nothing to regard whatsoever injuries shall afterwards be offered; and to make diligent search, that no secret desire of revenge, do secretly rankle and fester in our souls. But O meek JESV! Wherefore he prayed to his Father to forgive, and did not forgive them himself, O the hope of my soul! what is the reason that thou dost pray to thy Father to forgive? Hadst thou not power in thyself to pardon sins? Couldst not thou as easily give as ask? One word from thyself might have served the turn: wherefore then didst thou entreat thy Father to forgive? O my soul's solace! was it to declare thyself to be a perfect Priest, in furnishing thy sacrifice with prayer? for a Priest did offer, not only sacrifice, but prayer: he was not only a sacrificer, but an intercessor for the people. Or was it to show, that thou madest greater reckoning of the injury done to thy Father's glory, then of the violence used against thine own life? Or lastly was it to manifest, that thou wert so intentive to the redemption of the world, that thou wert not offended with any thing they did? that thou tookest all in good part? that thou didst not esteem them malefactors to thee, but benefactors to all the world? regarding more the good that the world was redeemed, than the hurt that thou didst die? As if in other words thou hadst said. FATHER, These men have broken thy Law, discredited thy truth, violated thy Temple, blasphemed thy Name; and therefore thou art he who must forgive them. I have no cause to forgive, because I am nothing grieved; I am well pleased with my death; I esteem my life well bestowed; seeing by this means the world is redeemed, and heaven furnished with new glorious guests. When losephs brethren feared that he would revenge their violence, he said unto them: When ye thought evil against me, Gen. ult. GOD disposed it to good; that he might bring to pass as it is this day, and save much people alive. Fear not therefore, I will nourish you and your children. Much more truly may our SAVIOUR say to those who crucified him▪ You intended much evil against me; but lo, all is turned to my glory, and to the good of many. You thought by taking away my life, to extinguish my power: but lo, I live, and have all power in heaven and upon earth. There never was, nor can be done a more wicked act, than the taking away of my life; and yet never did so much good follow any act; namely, the salvation of much people alive. And now fear not my revenge: I have prayed to the Father for you, I have obtained your pardon, I have obtained, not only that you be not charged with the evil, but that you may enjoy the benefit of my death. Which example if thou wilt follow (O my soul) If thou wilt regard more the good than the evil which ensueth every action; if thou wilt (which is a property of GOD) draw good out of evil; thou shalt never hate any enemy, but rather love him for the good that he worketh. A great man's son will well endure to be taught and reproved by his schoolmaster: But there is no better schoolmaster than an enemy; who beareth an eye over thy actions, and willbe nimble to reprove thy faults. If thou wouldst live warily and in good order, pray to GOD to send thee an enemy, and thou shalt need no schoolmaster; he will spare thee that stipend. An enemy is the bridle, a friend is the cover of sin. Friend's puff us up; but enemies humble us, and make us vigilant and wise. He who hateth his enemy, striketh one that is sick; killeth a dying man. treacle is made of poison. Take the malice of thy enemy, temper it with love to him, and with the works of charity towards him; and thou makest an excellent preservative for thy soul. THEM. BUT O gracious Saviour! who were they for whom thou didst pray? what them didst thou mean? what them wouldst thou have forgiven? were they thy cruel crucifiers? wherefore then didst thou not term them bloodsuckers, parricides, sacrilegious hangmen, or whatsoever other name either cruelty or impiety could deserve? For two especial causes. One, to instruct us, that we abstain from reproachful speeches; The other to declare, that he esteemed no man to be his enemy. Undoubtedly, the Son of GOD did not account his executioners for his enemies, but for his friends, for his brethren, for his own flesh and blood: and therefore he preached unto them during his life, and at his death prayed for them. They hated him indeed; but in so doing, they hated the most loving friend they had in the world: one who could not be angry with them, whose love could not be, either withdrawn, or abated from working their good. In case he disliked any thing they did, it was not in regard of himself, but of his FATHER: and therefore he prayed his FATHER to forgive them. He who was nothing offended with injuries against himself, as regardless both of torment and scorn; was most sensible of the injuries and despite which reached to his FATHER: not to have them punished, but forgiven. Also he used the general word them, not only for them, who were the present actors of his death; but for all them beside, who by their sins gave cause to his death. And thou, O my soul, art included in this prayer, whose sins also are included in the cause of his death. Thou hast thy part in his prayer, thy part in his remission: especially if thou adjoin thy prayer with his. For if his prayer was profitable to them, who neither prayed with him, nor entreated him to pray for them; it will be profitable for thee, in case thou dost both. For verily his prayer was profitable to those who desired no pardon, who did absolutely refuse it. For how could they desire to be pardoned, who would not acknowledge that they did offend? who cast all the blame upon JESUS? who held him to have deserved worse than he suffered? Those excommunicate jews were so far out of their wits, that they did not only forbear to ask pardon for their offence, but repelled pardon so much: as they could: being not only not sorrowful for the mischiefs they did, but grieved because they could do no more. They were not content to go without pardon, but they demanded vengeance for that which they did: His blood be upon us, and upon our children. O sottish Synagogue! wherefore dost thou desire that the blood of CHRIST, appointed to redeem thee, should be turned to condemn thee? O unfortunate jews! O cursed people! if the Son of GOD had allowed your demand. But he appealed from it, he would not consent to your reprobate request: he would in no case consent, that his blood should be shed against you, but for you. You called upon you the most cruel curse that could be; his blood be upon us; but he encountered it with his merciful prayer, Father forgive them. It hath been often seen that a man will not hurt his enemy, that he will pardon him if he repent; but who but JESUS did pardon them, who would not be pardoned, who despised pardon? who would not pardon him by whom they were to be pardoned? who would pardon Barrabbas, a murderer among them; but not JESUS who came to save them? O infinite goodness▪ what wit is able either to acknowledge, or apprehend such exceeding love? Thou didst cleanse those who would be unclean: thou didst set those at liberty, who would be in restraint: thou didst unburden those, who would be overcharged: thou didst save those, who would be damned. O my soul's safety! If thou didst pardon those who desired no pardon; wilt thou not pardon him, who with sorrow and tears entreateth thy pardon? Thou didst meet them who came to apprehend thee; meet me then O good JESV! who come to entreat thee. Thou didst defend thy cruel tormentors, who scorned thy defence; who acknowledged no fault: defend him, I beesech thee, who flieth to thy defence, who is much displeased that ever he did offend. I am not yet amended, I confess: but it grieveth me that I am not amended; and with tears I entreat thee that I may amend. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. O great GOD! the heart which I brought from my mother's womb is so unclean, that I dare not offer it to thee; it dares not appear in thy presence. It is polluted with many foul sins, it is loaden both with delights and cares of this world. But create in me a clean heart, fit to receive thee; infuse into it a right spirit, fit both to love and to praise thee. O gracious GOD! give me a new spirit, for mine is old and unpleasant: give me a clean heart, for mine is impure: If thou dost not this, if I be not so changed, no prayer of mine shall ever be heard. FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY do. But O mighty Redeemer! was it not sufficient, either that thou didst pardon their sins? or that thou didst both absolutely and earnestly entreat thy Father to pardon? but thou must also plead their cause before him? Oh! how great was the work of the Redemption of the world? far greater than was the work of creation. The reason is plain: Because there is not so great a distance between nothing and nature, as between sin and grace. For as grace is exceedingly above nature, so is sin exceedingly beneath nothing. Nothing gives no offence: but sin offendeth infinitely. And therefore GOD produced all things out of nothing, only by his word: but to reduce sinners to grace, all these great actions were required. To teach us thereby, no less to abhor sin, than we would abhor thus cruelly to entreat our SAVIOUR; thus carelessly to put him to all these performances again. O fountain of Love! Albeit, Our Saviour would not be all power is given thee both in heaven and upon earth; ye twouldest not thou here sustain the office of a judge. Albeit, A judge. these intolerable both injuries and indignities were heaped upon thee, yet wouldst not thou bear the part of an accuser: An accuser. but thou wouldst be a Mediator. But a Mediator. Two offices of a Mediator. Now, to a Mediator two offices do properly pertain: either to present supplication, or to make some defence. The one our SAVIOUR did, in saying; Father forgive them; the other, when he added; for they know not what they do. By the first he was an Intercessor; by the second a Patron or Advocate; by both a most perfect Mediator. The jews before had sought after many accusations against JESUS, but could find none: and now innocent JESUS seeketh how to excuse them. No defence for the Jews but ignorance. And verily this sin was of so high quality and nature, that besides ignorance, nothing could be brought, either for excuse or for extenuation thereof. The grossness of their ignorance. And yet it seemed that their ignorance was not only gross and supine, but voluntarily affected: even as if a man should willingly cover his eyes, because he will not see who it is, whom he intendeth to smite or kill. But assuredly they knew not, either what good they did to CHRIST, or what evil to themselves. They knew well enough what evil they did; but they knew not what evil they did thereby deserve. But where art thou? Ignorance cannot be alleged for us. O my soul! In what estate esteemest thou thyself, whensoever thou dost voluntarily adventure to sin? what shall thy SAVIOUR say for thy excuse? For it seemeth that thou art in worse case, than were the jews who tormented him to death. For ignorance was alleged for them; but that cannot possibly be pleaded for thee, because he is more clearly revealed to thee then he was to them. Thou knowest right well, both what thou dost, and what is to ensue. Yet some defences may. But O salvation of souls! If in the sharpest sense of thy torments, thou didst extenuate thy tormentors sins, wilt thou not now in thy seat of glory, allege something to thy Father for those, who with faith and with grief implore thy defence? It is true indeed, that ignorance cannot be pretended for me. But hast thou but one blessing, Gen. 27. O my SAVIOUR! hast thou but one defence for all sinners? Defend me, even me also, O my SAVIOUR! say I was weak, or inconsiderate, or suddenly surprised. Say what thou wilt, O my SAVIOUR! so I be not banished from thy defence. And yet in very truth it may be said, All sinners are ignorant. that all sinners are blind, that they know not what they do. For if they knew, with what impiety they violate the goodness, and disesteem the judgements of GOD; with what defilements they deform the beauty of their soul; what loss they incur of eternal glory; what penalty of eternal torments awaiteth for them: they would rather adventure upon a thousand deaths, then upon one sordid and slavish sin. O incomprehensible love! The love of CHRIST. Thy members (O my SAVIOUR) were racked on the Cross: thy joints opened, thy nerves cracked, thy hands and thy feet were painfully nailed; on every side thou wert assailed with blasphemies and scorns; all which thou didst bear off with thy love. Thy love did not permit thee either to complain, or to be angry; thy love made thee senseless of grief; thy love made thee forgetful of thyself, and mindful of nothing but of mercy for thy enemies; and to appease thy Father's wrath against them. O loving JESV! what charity burned in thy divine breast? that almost at the instant of thy death, thou wert more regardful of thy enemies, then either of thyself, or of any thy friends. For thy mother and some other thy friends stood sorrowing and weeping near the Cross; thy enemies did most bitterly blaspheme; and doubtful it is, whether the heaviness of the one, or the malice of the other did most exceed: and yet thou wert not so intentive to comfort the first, as to prodcure pardon for the last. Assuredly, It is not CHRIST'S will that we forbear to weep. O my soul! it is not our Lord's mind to dry up thy tears, to assuage the sorrow which thou shouldest express, in regard of his sufferings. It pleaseth him well, that his friends should freely spend tears for his torments; but he cannot endure, that sins by his torments should not be pardoned. As he died for pardon of sins, so was he most careful to use all means, to obtain the same. He came not into the world to dry men's eyes from weeping, but to save men's souls from perishing: as this was his principal work, so his principal words were directed to this end. O bottomless depth of charity and goodness! never exceeded, never equalled. Verily, O good JESV! as thou saidst at thy last Supper, I give you a new commandment: so mightest thou have said upon the Cross; I give you a new example; A new example. not only to pardon, but to pray for our enemies; and in the best manner that you can to excuse them. And that at the very instant of offence, before it be fully accomplished: before either entreaty, or time, hath either worn out, or any deal abated our grief. For whilst their malice was hottest in action, whilst with many cruelties they tormented thy body, whilst with high blasts of blasphemy they vexed thy soul, thou, as if thou hadst been. deprived, both of sense in thyself, and respect towards thy friends, didst wholly bend thyself to obtain their pardon. Thy grief was greater without comparison, that thy enemies should perish, then that thy friends did lament; or that thyself didst endure a most sharp and shameful death. Verily, Prophecies fulfilled. O meek JESV! now was that verified which had been prophesied of thee long before: Isa. 53. He made intercession for the transgressors. And again: Psal, 109. For the love that I had unto them, lo, they take against me; but I give myself to prayer. The charity of CHRIST For thy charity was so great, that it would not suffer thee to complain of thy torments: Yea, it enforced thee to pray for thy tormentors; yea, to excuse them. Even as a man will easily, not only pardon, but excuse him; by whom he is cut, lanced, seared, or otherwise grieved; either for preventing or curing some dangerous disease. As before thou hadst taught us to love our enemies; so here thou didst give example, how far we should love them: How far to love our enemies. even to pray earnestly for them; to be sorry for their offences, and rather to qualify and cover, then either to aggravate or display them. He that thus loveth not his enemy, doth not bear true love towards thee. For the love of GOD is so joined with the love of our neighbour, The love of GOD joined with the love of our neighbour. that they cannot be separate. They both spring from the same root; they both flow from the same fountain; they are, as it were, twisted into one thread: insomuch as with the same habitual love where with we love GOD, we love also our neighbour. As all the lines of a sphere which touch the Centre, touch also one another; so whosoever loveth GOD, loveth also his neighbour: & thou canst not separate from thy neighbour, unless thou also separate from GOD. The Commandment to love, Not so hard to love, as to hate. seemeth to be no hard Commandment because it is to do that whereto we are inclineable by nature. If GOD had commanded us to hate our neighbour; it seemeth to have been more hard; because it is more agreeable to our nature, to love, then to hate. Albeit thy neighbour be troublesome and hard; A troublesome neighbour must be loved, yet love him not the less. If it be hard to love thy neighbour, it is more hard to be hated of GOD. THE FATHER'S ANSWER. NOW, albeit the FATHER did not forthwith answer the Son in an audible voice; albeit a voice did not sound from heaven, at the death of JESUS, as it did at his baptism: Matth. 3. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: yet, as the Apostle said, Heb. 5. that his prayer was well heard; so there is no doubt, but it was effectually answered. For as JESUS prayed much more than he was heard to pray; so was his prayer answered, when no answer was heard. But GOD doth not always answer prayers by words, How GOD often answereth. but for the most part by effects. When the Father denied his Son's prayer in the garden, he answered by an Angel in words; but when he granted his prayer upon the Cross, he answered not by words, but by effectual workings; which is a most powerful answer. The effectual answer of the Father. First, therefore by virtue of this prayer, one of the thieves crucified with him, converted to him; and desired to be remembered by him. Then the Centurion, who was appointed to guard him, did openly confess him to be the Son of GOD: and others also, who stood by, smote their breasts (their hearts being smote before) and returned into the city. Afterwards at the Feast of Pentecost, three thousand were converted at one Sermon, and five thousand at another. Also by merit and power of this prayer, Saint Stephen was called; Saint Paul conuerted; Saint Matthew elected; and generally, all our prayers are heard, all our sins remitted, in case we repent. Wherefore conceive, O my soul! that GOD the Father answered his Son, not by external voice, but by tacit and internal consent; in manner as followeth. O My Son! I see thy sufferings, and I see the love wherewith thou sufferest. The love wherewith thou so embracest thy pains, that it will not suffer thee to be angry for thy pains: the love whereby thou art, both ready and desirous, to suffer more pains than thou dost. Lo now, I accept thy sacrifice, burning in the bright flames of thy love: lo, thy tears, groans, sighs and cries, have prevailed with me, and obtained thy desire. Lo, my Son, I grant thy petition, I here lay down my wrath; I shut the floodgates of my fury, and open the fountains of mercy to all. I offer grace, justice, remission of sins, adoption to be children; aswell to those who thus rage against thee, as to all other sinners, in all ages, and of all countries; whensoever they have been, or shall be, or wheresoever they are, or howsoever they have offended. All this, my son, I freely grant by the merits of thy passion; but so, as they reject not this mercy offered; so, as they but open their arms to embrace it: GOD doth not absolutely compel. But I will compel no man against his will. For, as when thou didst open the eyes of the blind, it was their own eyes whereby they did see: so when the will of sinners is both enlightened and enabled by grace, their proper will must then fall to work. And therefore let all sinners but resort unto me; let them with humility in themselves, and faith in thee, sue forth their pardon; let them take out this my grant under seal of the Sacraments; and we will be all friends: they shall be my sons, and thy fellow heirs in my kingdom of Heaven. MEDITATIONS upon the same. O HOLY FATHER! how great are thy mercies towards miserable sinners? give me thy grace both by understanding to know, and by love to admire them. How much more forcible was this prayer of thy son upon the Cross for sinners, Christ's prayer more powerful for sinners, then for himself. than was his prayer in the garden for himself? When he prayed in the garden, prostrate on the ground, bathed in a bloody sweat, thrice for himself, thou wouldst not hear him: but when he prayed on the Cross for his mortal enemies, thou didst grant his prayer at the very first word. O infinite goodness! that had more pity on the miseries of sinners, then on the flesh of thy only son And because to thy divine eye nothing is past, nothing to come, All things present to GOD. but all things are present; because with thee there is neither yesterday nor to morrow; because thou neither foreseest things to come, nor remember'st things past, but beholdest all things with one act of thy divine knowledge: because things which are not only far off in regard of us, but happily are not, are present to thee: it followeth, that thy sweet son still hangeth crucified before thee between heaven and earth; Christ still crucified. still bleedeth and prayeth for sinners; Father forgive them. Forgive thou, I pray thee, by virtue of this prayer, the sins of thy suppliant: which alas! I have almost forgotten, but are all present before thee, and cry to thee for justice. For if this powerful prayer was heard for his professed and malicious enemies, who neither desired nor regarded his prayer; shall it not be heard for those who join with him, both in prayer for forgiveness, and in tears, to extinguish thy anger against them? Heavenly Father! I have nothing of my own which thou canst accept: but I here present to thee, An oblation. the merits and obedience of thy only Son; all the labours and griefs which in this world he endured for sinners. For this is our stock, this is our treasure, this is the inheritance which he hath given us, and whereof he hath made us heirs by his last will and testament: and this is rightly ours. Because it is no less ours which is freely given us, then that which we purchase by our own endeavours. And, No want if we have Christ. O blessed SAVIOUR! what can I want if I have thee? If I have thee, I have my part in thy prayers, in thy tears, in thy blood, in thy death, in all the merits of thy sufferings, and shall have my part in thy glory. Thou didst not only pray for sinners on the Cross, but continually prayest to thy Father for them; that he will vouchsafe to forgive them, to impute their offences to thee, and to impute thy righteousness to them. A prayer. O bowels of mercy! cease not, I beseech thee, often to repeat this paryer to thy Father for me; Father forgive him. For because by sinning I often become thy enemy, I often crucify thee: what should become of me, if thou shouldest not often pray to thy Father to forgive me? And therefore, O my sure Salvation! so often as either by my own infirmity, or potency of my enemies, I slip into sin, so often say to thy Father for me, Father forgive this sinner: Father, for my sake be not displeased with him. The greater our offences are, the greater is GOD'S glory in pardoning. And wherefore. And the greater my offences shall be, the greater shall be thy glory in procuring my pardon. For because of all attributes to GOD, goodness, after our manner of understanding, is the most excellent; and that wherein he glorieth most, and that for which he is most praised both in heaven and upon earth; it followeth, that the more goodness he expresseth in any action, the more glory he acquireth thereby. And therefore as generally GOD hath not manifested so great goodness in any work, not in all, as in the work of our Redemption; wherein he both did and suffered so many things to make us good: as thereby in general, the passion of our SAVIOUR, is so far from being ignominious, that all the works of GOD laid together, do not beget to him so great glory: so in particular, the greater the sins are that thereby are remitted; as they manifest the greater goodness, so the glory which they raise must be the greater. IN WHOSE Presence this Prayer was made. ALL this was done in the presence of his blessed Mother, and of diverse of his dearest friends: As calling them to be witnesses of this General pardon; as calling them to be witnesses, that as all were redeemed, so all might be pardoned by his death. Teaching them also, first, to forgive injuries done personally to themselves; secondly, that albeit they were permitted to weep for his death, yet they were not licenced either to seek, or to desire revenge, Lastly, to enjoin them to join with him in this charitable prayer; Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Our SAVIOUR would not lay down his life, until he had made a most perfect knot of amity and peace; A perfect peacemaker until he had reconciled man with GOD; until he had reconciled his enemies with his friends. For in that he entreated his Father to forgive, he commanded his friends never to accuse. For what justice could be required against those who were pardoned? How should man be offended, when GOD is appeased? As he left them a passion to weep, so did he enjoin them a compassion to forgive. O most happy and holiday! A great holy day. wherein the son prayed, the Father pardoned, and men were reconciled. And this was the peace, O great Redeemer! which was sweetly published by heavenly voices (as by thy herehaults) at the time of thy birth. Luk. 2. 14. On earth peace, good will among men. This was the gift which in thy last Sermon, thou didst leave to thy Disciples: Peace I give unto you. joh. 12. 27. And thus at thy death in praying for thy enemies, thou didst seem in this sort to speak to thy friends. Lo, The great peace of the world concluded. my friends, I am now concluding the great peace of the world. I have reconciled you to my Father; I have united you to myself; and do enjoin you to be at amity with all men. As I die in love with all men, so must all hate extinguish by my death, among those that are mine. Alas! what should beco0me of you and all mankind, If I should now die in displeasure or discontent? Assuredly, you should not then be reconciled to my Father; you should not then be united with me. And verily so often you fall from this reconcilement, so often, you break this union, as you be at enmity with you brother. When you are at mutual contention your enemy the devil in like fashion looketh on, How the Devil eyeth contentious persons. as an Eagle eyeth a Cock fight or a Wolf the rude encountering of Rams: intending to make you all his prey. In case you fall into hatred together, you thereby strike into variance with me. O blessed Peace. Maker! who shall dare to take revenge of light injuries, seeing thou didst pray for those who tormented thee to death? Seeing thou madest no reckoning of the nails which pierced thy hands and thy feet, shall I make account of an angry or disgraceful word? How shall I desperately dare to esteem any man my enemy, seeing thou wouldst be a friend and brother to all? Verily, thus much may any man borrow of his own weakest reason; By hating others, we lose GOD'S love. that by hating others, I lose thy love; because I hate those whom thou lovest, and for whom thou ceasest not to pray. A short Prayer. O my soul's health! Leave me not, I beseech thee, either out of thy prayer, or out of the reconcilement which thou hast made: seeing I can have no benefit by the one, but I must be included in the other. And seeing the sins whereof I desire to be pardoned, are infinitely hateful to thy Father; let me not esteem the injuries intolerable, which any man shall do unto me; let me be no less unwilling to revenge the one, than I would be to be punished for the other. Yea, let me be no less careful to pray for the offences of others against myself, than I would be to entreat pardon for my offences against thee. A CONCLUDING Thanksgiving, Payer and oblation. I Adore, laud, and glorify thee, O LORD JESV CHRIST! I bless thee and give thee thanks, O Son of the living GOD! for that thou wouldst not only permit, but submit thy sacred members, to be thus cruelly both tormented and deformed for me. And now I lowly bless and salute them all, for the love and honour which I am bound, both to bear and to express towards thee for this benefit. I salute and kiss thy blessed feet; which had travailed many journeys, and at last waded to death for me in thy blood: leaving marks behind them, in what footsteps I should tread, I salute thy knees, which were often bowed to the earth in prayer, and often wearied with travail for me. I salute thy blessed breast; inwardly inflamed with love, and outwardly deformed with knotty scourges. Hail sacred side which was opened; gentle and sweet heart which was pierced for me with a spear. Hail battered back of my Redeemer, ploughed and furrowed with grievous lashes. Hail holy arms, spread at the largest length to embrace all sinners; and most bountiful hands in distributing the treasure of thy blood among them. I salute thy glorious countenance defiled with spittings; which thou hadst neither lust nor leisure to wipe away. I salute thy mellifluous mouth, and all thy instruments of speech; which could not be stopped by a sponge filled with vinegar, or by any other meanes from praying for me. And you gentle ears, filled for my sake with blasphemies and reproaches; you amiable eyes, which for me have poured forth many showers of tears, I reverently salute you. I salute thy royal head, most cruelly gored and gashed with thorns; to adorn me with the crown of glory. Most meek JESUS! I salute thy whole body, which was scorned, scourged, crucified; which died and was buried for my salvation. Hail rosy wounds, and most precious blood, which was offered to thy Father for me. Hail most noble soul of my SAVIOUR, which was vilely vexed and crucified to death, to procure for me eternal life. I confess, O loving LORD! that since I was brought forth into this sinful world, I have brought forth a world of sin. Therefore I beseech thee by the sufferings of thy most sacred members, to cleanse all my members from the corruptions wherewith I have clogged them; and to sanctify them with the merits of thy passion. I beseech thee (O LORD) favourably to forgive me what I have done; and liberally to give me what I could not deserve. AND O most merciful FATHER! most mighty creator of heaven and of earth! albeit I am of all sinners the most unworthy; yet do I offer to thee the most precious death of thy only son, for all the sins that I have done, and for all the benefits that I desire. Behold, O most pitiful Father, what impieties were dealt upon thy most pious son for my sake. Behold the torn coat of thy son joseph, dropping with blood; and see if thou knowlest it to be his garment. Verily he is fallen into the power of some wicked beast, which thus hath torn it, and trampled it in his blood; and altogether deformed it with the filth of our sins. O distributer of grace! cast the eyes of thy majesty upon the unspeakable work of thy mercy: behold, I pray thee, who it is that thus hath suffered; and favourably regard him for whom he hath suffered. Behold, O glorious FATHER! the members of thy sweet child, cruelly racked upon the cross; and favourably regard what my substance is. See his bleeding hands nailed to the cross, and be pleased to remit the bloody sins which my hands have committed. See his naked side pierced with a spear, and renew me with the blessed fountain which flowed out of that wound. See his unspotted feet struck through with rough and rigid nails; and enable me by the fastening of them to the Cross, to run constantly the way of thy commandments. Observe, O eternal Father! thy dear Son, in the fairest flourish of his age; how his neck bowed, his head declined; how his whole countenance was deformed. Behold, how his starry eyes are sunk and set in his head; how his nose growth sharp, his lips pale, his eiebrowes hard, his cheeks shrunk and wane: behold his breast swollen, his side bloody, his bowels dry, his arms and legs stiff: Behold his whole body resolved into death. Behold my Priest, who need not be sprinkled or sanctified with other blood, but gloriously glistereth in his own. Behold, my pleasing and perfect sacrifice; odoriferous and acceptable to thee. Behold my Advocate whom I have directed to plead my cause before thee. Hear him, I pray thee, and regard the defence that hourly he maketh for me. Grant, O pitiful FATHER! that I may always have him for my Advocate, whom by no merit of mine, but by thy pure grace thou hast given for my Redeemer. O omnipotent FATHER of my LORD! what I could find most precious, most highly to be esteemed, I have devoutly presented to thee: Compose thyself now, to dispose thy grace and mercy towards me. And albeit I am unworthy of thy rich favours, in regard of my merits; yet remember thy mercies, remember thy promises, remember the inestimable merits of my Redeemer: remember what he hath done, and what he hath suffered, even from his Cratch to his Cross; not for himself, but for me. All which I here offer to thee, most gentle FATHER! as a sacrifice for my sins, and for all my necessities: for whatsoever I require of thee, it is in his name, and for his sake; it is for the love thou bearest to him, and for the love that he beareth to thee. Thou hast promised to honour fathers in their sons, and sons for their fathers. O favourable LORD! honour now thy only Son, by doing good to more, for the love thou bearest to him. For he is my FATHER, my second Adam; and I am his son, albeit undutiful; yet because, in truth, I am his son; for the love thou bearest to him, be favourable to me. For assuredly, he hath paid for me much more than I owe. No offence can be so grievous, for which his sorrows, his sufferings, his obedience, and above all his profuse love, hath not amply satisfied: which his large rivers of blood cannot wash away; which may not be drowned and devoured in his death. O heavenly FATHER! there is nothing in myself, which I dare presume to present unto thee. For what can proceed from this carrion, which is not noisome? what fruit canst thou expect from this earth, which thou hast cursed from the beginning, but thorns and briers? And therefore I offer this my SAVIOUR and Redeemer, thy most blessed Son; and the unmeasurable love whereby thou didst send him into the world, apparelled with my flesh, to free me thereby from eternal death. Beseeching thee, to accept his humble and fervent prayers, for my dry and dull devotions. Accept his tears, for the torrent of tears which I should pour forth; but by reason of the hardness of my heart, I cannot. Accept his incomprehensible dolours and torments, which thou only perfectly knowest; for the sorrow & contrition which I am bound to perform. Lastly, accept his sharp and penurious life, with all his travails and exercises of virtue; accept his cruel death, and all his passions, as a sacrifice to thy glorious Majesty; for all the evil works which I have done, and for all the good works which I should have done. Feed me with his flesh, inebriate me with his blood: let his grief enter into my soul, that I may be resolved wholly into his love. Away all foreign loves; away with the multitude of worldly fantasies and dreams: let me be crucified with him to the world; let me so die with him, that my life may be laid up in thy divine treasury. Thy Apostle compareth all worldly things to dung: and may be likened to the swallows dung, Phil. 3. which fell upon the eyes of Tobias, and made him blind. For we cannot see spiritual things, so long as our eyes are daubed with this dung. Divites eguerunt, & The rich have wanted, and suffer hunger; Psal. 34. but they who fear the LORD want no good thing. The things of this world do not fill▪ but inflate; even as the Prophet said of Ephraim: Host 12. He feedeth on wind. They are like sharp liquors, which do not satisfy, but provoke hunger. They are like salt water, to quench thirst; or oil to extinguish fire. O my life! O desire of my soul! hide me from the world; obscure me from the fawning favours thereof, and take me into the secret retreits of thy bosom to dwell. One thing is necessary; and that do I desire. My beloved is one. Cant. 6. My CHRIST JESUS, my GOD, my spouse is one, and my only love. O heavenly FATHER! let nothing be sweet, nothing savoury unto me; let nothing affect me, but only JESUS CHRIST. Let him be wholly mine, and I wholly his. Cant. 6. Let me neither love, nor know any thing but him, and him crucified. To whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all honour and praise for ever. Amen. Praise, and Glory, and Wisdom, & Strength, Dominion, Riches and Power, be unto our GOD, for evermore, Amen. FINIS. LONDON, Printed by JOHN BILL. M.DC.XXIII.